HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF 

      David LINDSEY came to Townshend about 1775 and settled on the West river, near the center of the town. He sold his farm before peace was declared, and took his pay in Continental money, which was worthless before he could invest it. He left Townshend and was gone several years, when he returned to Jamaica and died there. Peter was the only one of his six children who settled in this county. He married Betsey CROW and located in. the west part of the town of Jamaica and engaged in farming. In 1811 he moved to the west part of Brattleboro and settled on road 22, where he died September 30, 1818. James, the eldest of his twelve children, was a soldier in the war of 1812. He settled in Broome county, N. Y. Only three of the children are living, Susan, wife of I. Blood, who resides in Cavendish, Vt.; Polly, widow of Hosea BARRETT, who lives in Jackson, Penn.; and Willard, the youngest son, who was born in Jamaica, February 12, 1808, married Mary BUTLER, and settled in Brookline, where he lived until 1873, since which time he has lived in Brattleboro. But four of his eight children are now living.

      James NICHOLS settled in Athens, just north of the Townshend line, on road 9, previous to 1778. He was a MILLER by trade and for many years conducted the milling business at Harmonyville, in Townshend, where he died at an advanced age. He had four sons and a daughter, all of whom, except one son, reared families, but all except Reuben and Jonathan removed from the county. Reuben, the eldest, was born in Athens, March 9, 1778. He married Sarah HOLBROOK and bought the homestead on road 20, in Townshend, where Hollis NICHOLS now lives. There he spent his life, and died at the early age of thirty-eight years. His wife survived him many years. She died October 27, 1874, at the advanced age of ninety-nine years. They had three children, all of whom are living. Hollis was born on the farm on which he has always lived, November 24, 1801. He married Samantha PERRY and has two daughters, one of whom, Jane L., resides with her father, and the other, Sarah M., is the wife of Frank CLAY, of Westminster. Hollis NICHOLS has been a member of the Baptist church of Townshend nearly thirty years, and justice of the peace for nine years. The house in which he lives was built by his father in 1805-'06, and is probably the oldest frame house standing in that part of the town. John Lawton NICHOLS, of Guilford, and Sabin M. NICHOLS, of Kalamazoo, Mich., are the remaining members of Reuben's family.

      Lieut. Asa AUSTIN and Ensign Samuel WISWELL came to Townshend from Massachusetts previous to 1780, and made the first settlement on the farms now owned by Riley H. AUSTIN and A. A. MASON. They came first to Putney and through Brookline, where one or two houses were then built. Asa AUSTIN married Mary, sister of Samuel WISWELL, and reared a family of ten children. He served in the struggle for American independence, and was lieutenant of a militia company in Townshend. He died in 1816, aged fifty-four years. His children mostly scattered and made homes in other new towns. Horace and John were physicians. The former settled in Montgomery and the latter in Windham. Asa, Jr., spent his life as a farmer on the old homestead, where his only remaining son, Riley H., now lives. His wife was Martha GLEASON, of Westminster. Riley H. married Hannah A. TAFT. The house in which he lives was built by Asa AUSTIN, in 1799.

      William TAFT married Winifred PRESTON, of Uxbridge, Mass., and came to Townshend about 1780. He cleared up a farm on the hill in the southeast part of the town, and reared there a family of nine children. The youngest daughter, Hannah, a venerable lady nearly ninety-three years old, is the only one now living. The three younger sons, Hibbard, Chester and Ezekiel, reared families and died in the town. Chester married Abigail PECKHAM and had six children, of whom Mrs. R. H. AUSTIN is the only one living in this town. Ezekiel married Ernily HARRIS, and his son, C. C. TAFT, is the only representative of his family left here.

      James WALDEN and his wife, Martha MILLER, came to Townshend in 1780. Their son Benjamin, who was then eight years old, married Celia WITHERELL and reared four children, Daniel, Fanny, Cynthia and Ahuira. Daniel married Rebecca OSGOOD, April 12, 1829, and spent most of his life in Townshend. He died March 23, 1880, aged eighty-two years and nine months. He was for many years a member of the Baptist church of Brookline. Mrs. Celia M. CUTLER, of Brookline, is the only representative of his family left.

      Thomas LOWE emigrated from England to America and settled in the village of Townshend about 1780, having shortly before his arrival here married Esther PARCHURST in Massachusetts. After a few years he bought the place where Joel LEONARD now lives. There he raised a large family and died August 8, 1821, aged seventy-seven years. Lodowick LOWE, one of his younger sons, who was born in 1790, was the tallest man in Townsend, standing six feet six inches in his stockings. He married, March 15, 1817, Lydia, daughter of George AUSTIN, and the same year bought the farm on which L. D. LOWE now lives. There he brought up ten children, six of whom are living, G. J., Leslie D. and Esther in Townshend, Martin L., in Newfane, Douglass M., in New York, and Sarah A. NEWMAN, in Londonderry. For several years Lodowick LOWE lived in a log house on his farm. He built the present brick house in 1825. He was a member of the Congregational church from 1826 till his death in 1866. Leslie D. LOWE was born-in the house in which he lives, May 15, 1838, and has ever since lived on the place. He married Anna L. BLODGETT, of Newfane, and has three children.

      Ebenezer BRIGHAM, who was born March 3, 1761, married Judith HESILTON, of Sutton, Mass., in 1782, and came to Townshend from that State in that or the preceding year. He settled on road 34, and had ten children, four of whom died in infancy. One son, John H., was born August 14, 1783, and married Orpha HESILTON December 31, 1810. He settled on the place now owned by T. J. HOLLAND, and had thirteen children, eight of whom died in infancy. One, Clarinda O., is a school teacher, and never missed a term from the age of sixteen to forty. The descendants of Ebenezer BRIGHAM are widely scattered. Some of them are still left here, among them Haley F. BRIGHAM, a blacksmith, in Wardsboro, and Ebenezer BRIGHAM, of Westminster.

      George AUSTIN came here from Rhode Island about 1789 and settled on the farm on which his grandson Henry AUSTIN now lives, on road 20. He married Lois NICHOLS, of Putney, by whom he had eight children, three of whom are still living, Jonathan AUSTIN, of Brattleboro, and Arnold AUSTIN and Arvilla SIMPSON, of Townshend.

      Thomas BARBER came to Townshend from Winchester, N. H., about 1798, and bought 300 acres of wild land, which he divided between his five sons, Thomas, Benjamin, Daniel, Ober, and Calvin, all of whom settled on West Hill. Benjamin married Sallie JOY, of Hinsdale, and brought up three sons and three daughters. One daughter, Clarissa F., is living in Townshend, and a son, Benjamin C., in Massachusetts. Lewis P. married Persis OSGOOD, sister of Luther OSGOOD, of Brookline, and had four children, of whom Lot BARBER, of Townshend, is the only son living. Mrs. Lawrett SHERWIN, of Putney, and Mrs. Hannah WHITE and Mrs. Mary FLINT, of Townshend, are descendants of this family.

      James FRANKLIN came to this town from Guilford, Vt., in 1800, and settled on the corner of roads 13 and 17. He married a Miss STAR, by whom he had four children, James, Jr., Maria, Philip, and Eri, all of whom married and had families.

      Ezra OBER was born in Massachusetts, January 19, 1768, and came to Townshend with his father from Brattleboro when a small boy, crossing the river thirteen times during the journey. They settled on the place now owned by Edwin L. HASTINGS. Ezra married Eunice TAFT, of Jamaica, Vt., who was born March 29, 1773, and had six children, two sons and four daughters, all of whom lived to marry, except two who died in infancy.

      William HARRIS settled in Townshend at an early day. He had a saw-mill and was also engaged in farming. He raised five children, three of whom are now living. One, Jonah, lives in Westminster; another, Christopher, in Cayuga county, N. Y.  R. A. HARRIS, son of Christopher, was born in Townshend. He enlisted in Co. H, 8th Vt. Vols., January 13, 1862, and served till the close of the war.

      Ebenezer TAFT enlisted in the Continental army at the age of seventeen, and went from Upton, Mass., his native place, to the battle of Bunker Hill. After the close of his service he bought a farm in Chesterfield, N. H., but sold it and came to Townshend, where he worked for a Mr. HOWARD. He: subsequently bought the farm at the corner of roads 12 and 13. In, 1780, he married Susan, widow of Dr. Timothy TYLER, who bore him two sons and, two daughters, viz.: Josiah, Lewis, Polly, and Betsey. He was a member of the Congregational church at the village. He died at the age of eighty-nine years. Josiah married Olive, eldest child of Oliver WILKINSON, and raised eight children, of whom Josiah W., the eldest, lives on road 12, in. Townshend; Lucius C., in New Hampshire, and Royal E., in Jamaica. Of the daughters, Laura A. FIELD is a resident of Chesterfield, N. H.; Susan F., married William WILBUR, of Londonderry. Sophia O., wife of D. H. HARRIS, Mary E., and Sarah J., widow of Frank THOMPSON, reside at West Townshend.

      Jonas WARREN moved from Upton, Mass., to Newfane, about 1782, and subsequently located in Townshend. He raised twelve children, of whom Hannah, the sixth, who married Riba HOLLAND, is the only one living. She is, at the age of one hundred years, the oldest person living in Townshend.

      Lemuel FARWELL was born in Chesterfield, N. H., in 1780, and about 1803 removed to Acton, now Townshend, where he died in 1866. He took an active part in town affairs; was justice of the peace many years, selectman, town clerk thirty years, and represented the town in the legislature. He was also extensively engaged in farming. He had ten children, all of whom lived to maturity. One son, Jason A., resides on road 44, in Westminster. Two daughters live in Townshend.

      Caleb GARFIELD was born in Royalton, Mass., July 12, 1786, and came to Townshend in 1813. He settled on the place now; owned by his son Oscar R. He was a hatter by trade, and worked at that business until he was sixty years of age. He died January 6, 1864. He married Pattie ROBBINS, of Massachusetts, and had four children, three of whom lived to maturity.

      Deacon Barnard SALISBURY was born in Dummerston, Vt., March 30, 1786, and married Arathusa DUNCAN, of that town, August 3, 1806. About 1807, they came to Townshend and located on road 39, on what is called West Hill. He cleared .130 acres. He was left an orphan at the age of three years, and was brought up by a Mr. HADLEY. He received a common school education and fitted himself for the duties of a teacher, which he performed in several schools prior to his marriage. After his-settlement in Townshend he was honored with many public trusts. He was a magistrate for about twenty-five years, and a deacon of the Congregational church for an equal period, serving on the committee to whom was entrusted the erection of the parsonage, &c. He died in 1854. He was twice married. His youngest child, Henry SALISBURY, the present postmaster and clerk of Townshend, was born in this town July 6, 1829. He married Alice HARRINGTON in 1857, and has always resided here. He has held the office of town clerk and postmaster since 1869. He represented this town in 1868-'69.

      Charles PHELPS, a son of Timothy PHELPS, was born in Marlboro, Vt., September 13, 1781. During his childhood and youth he was taught at home, and in the common schools of the district where his father resided. In early manhood he attended the academy at Chesterfield, N. H., and at Brattleboro. At the June term of court, 1807, he was admitted to the bar of Windham county, and commenced his residence in Townshend on the 7th of the following September. A pair of saddle-bags, with apparel therein, and the colt upon whose back he rode, constituted the sum total of his property. This horse was a docile and hardy animal, but after a few months, the business of its owner made necessary the purchase of another. His office was erected by Thomas SUMNER, in 1807. By the close of 1810 he had purchased the land which became his homestead. He boarded with Lemuel MARSH until some time in 1812, and then at Benjamin RIDER's hotel for about a year. As soon as his dwelling-house was completed he went to house-keeping. Prior to his marriage, his sister Anstis had charge of his domestic affairs. He married the daughter of James HOUGHTON, of Guilford, July 21, 1814, and had six children. His wife and four children survived him. He was elected a member of the Vermont Council in 1820, '21, and '22; judge of probate for the district of Westminster in 1821, '22 and '24; and a judge of Windham county court in 1832, '33, and '34; holding each of the above named offices for three years. Of his discourses on public occasions, there were printed the address at Townsend, July 4, 1811; the lecture before the Windham county Bible Society, July 4, 1826; the address before the Windham County Bible Society at its annual meeting in August, 1830; and the lecture on temperate drinking delivered at Wardsboro in June, 1832. To the close of Madison's administration, he was a zealous and active Democrat. Many political articles which appeared in the newspapers of that day were written by him, and he often spoke in defense of the party to which he belonged. During the presidential campaign of 1824, he supported Mr. Adams, and was in ever increasing sympathy with him while he was so honorably earning his noble title of "the old man eloquent." On receiving Mr. GARRISON's prospectus for publishing “The Liberator,”  he became a subscriber, commencing with No. 1 of Vol. I, of that paper, and renewing his subscriptions yearly so long as he lived. For the anti-slavery cause he was an ever willing writer and speaker. Before the darkness of slavery had passed away he was summoned from the world; but in his last days he was confident that emancipation morning was near, and the belief gladdened his heart. In the management of town affairs he was often called to take part. By his official services he proved himself sagacious, energetic, prudent, true to his trust, and at the same time just to all. Popular education always found in him a ready and earnest supporter. It was his practice to visit the public schools and speak words of advice and encouragement to those in attendance. By personal efforts, to which he contributed his full share, many subscription and select schools were kept in the school district where he resided. By the purchase of warrants issued to soldiers of the Revolution and located in Illinois, he became owner of numerous tracts of land in that State. Nearly all of these lots, amounting to many thousand dollars in value, were given to Knox college a few months before his death. Down to 1830, his books and dockets. contains abundant evidence to show that his professional practice was large and remunerative. At that time his private affairs claimed, and thereafter occupied the greater part of his time. His religious training began with the dawn of understanding. By the time he could read he had learned the shorter catechism, and through life could repeat the same from beginning to end. He was well instructed in the essential doctrines of Christianity, and always led a moral and exemplary life. In 1838 he became a member of the First Congregational church in Townshend. Then he erected the family altar, and during the rest of his life, made daily supplications to the Heavenly Father for the doing of "His will on earth as it is done in heaven," for daily bread, for forgiveness, for deliverance from temptation and evil, and for light and guidance through the wickedness and misery of this world to a future life of holiness and happiness. Neither bad habits nor crooked practices cast their blighting and depressing influence upon him. At all times he had the cheerful, open, manly countenance borne by the just and pure. The libraries, lectures, public meetings, and religious privileges of a superior order, which are so common in cities, were strong inducements for putting an end to a country life. The residence of a daughter in Cincinnati, Ohio, decided the question. In the autumn of 1845 he removed with his family to that city, where he died on the 19th day of November, 1854.

      James H. PHELPS, son of Charles PHELPS, was born in West Townshend, September 6, 1817, where he has always made his home. After graduation at Middlebury college, in 1835, he studied law with his father, and was admitted to the bar by Windham county court in 1839. About this time his father decided to close his business in Vermont, and remove from the State. Settlement of his affairs, which consisted largely of financial transactions, were placed at first, partly, and then wholly in charge of the subject of this notice. But the matters to be handled were many, and were of such character that they could not be concluded short of a term of years. A business thus prolonged, and which suited the person conducting it, could not easily be abandoned, even when the cause of its beginning had ceased to exist. Hence it soon became a chief means of support, and has continued to the -present day. The town offices which the people of his native town have conferred upon him need not be mentioned. They are many, and cover nearly the whole period since he became a voter. He was register of the probate district of Westminster, from December 1, 1842, to December 1, 1846; a judge of Windham county court, from December 1, 1846, to December 1, 1848; he represented Townshend in the general assembly of 1848, 1849, 1867, and was a State senator in 1854 and 1856. He married Miss Sophia A. ROBBINS, November 7, 1844. Their children are Eliza Sophia (Mrs. PIERCE), born June 1, 1851, and Sarah Jane, born October 20, 1853.

      Archelaus BIXBY was born in THOMPSON, Conn., December 21, 1784. September 21, 1807, he married Parmelia BLANDING, of Brookline, Vt., to which town his father removed when he was a youth. In 1819 he removed to Townshend and bought the farm now owned by J. D. DERRY, where he resided till his death in 1869. He was for many years a deacon of the Baptist church of Townshend, of which he was one of the founders, as was his daughter Sarah T., wife of James D. DERRY, who belonged to the church about fifty-four years. She died October 15, 1869, aged sixty-six. Mr. BIXBY's other daughter, Parmelia A., married Solomon F. WHITNEY, and died, leaving one daughter. His only other child, a son, died in infancy.

      Joseph HAYWOOD was born in Holden, Mass., and married Polly ROBINSON of Winchenden in that State. About 1790 he settled in Brattleboro, where he raised a family of eight children, the oldest of whom is Mrs. Sally, widow of B. F. HARRIS, of Brattleboro. About 1820 '23, he removed his family to Townshend, where he spent the rest of his life, and died November 9, 1857, .at the age of ninety years. Mrs T. J. HOLLAND, of Townshend, is the only other survivor of his family.

      Deacon Joseph Bradley WARE was born in Putney, Vt., February 2, 1809, and was the second of twelve children born to Dr. Joseph and Lucinda (KATHAN) WARE. He was early compelled to shift for himself, and grew to manhood with only such scholastic advantages as were afforded by a limited attendance at the district schools. At the age of eighteen he was one of fifty boys from Windham county who went to Lowell and worked on the carpet factory then being built there. After a year spent  in Lowell he went to Boston, where he remained two years in a furniture store. He then came to Townshend and engaged in farming. March 13, 1839, he married Mary H., daughter of David PLUMMER, of Brattleboro, by whom he had four children, only one of whom, John J. H. Ware, of Townshend, is living. During the major portion of his life Mr. WARE has dealt in live stock, and in pursuit of that business has traveled over Windham county and Southern Vermont. In 1836, he became a member of the Congregational church, and in 1855 or '56 was elected a deacon therein. He represented Townshend in the legislature in 1880-'81.

      Rev. Horace FLETCHER, A. M., D. D., son of Hon. Asaph and Sarah (GREEN) FLETCHER, was born in Cavendish, Vt., October 28, 1796, and fitted for college under the instruction of Rev. Jonathan GOING, D. D., of Vermont, and his brother, the later Hon. Richard FLETCHER, of Boston, who was then practicing law in Salisbury, N. H. In 1818 he entered the Vermont University at Burlington, and pursued his studies there until the college building was required for the use of the army. In the spring of 1815 he entered the sophomore class of Dartmouth college, from which he was graduated with the highest honors in 1817. He taught in the Franklin county academy at New Salem, Mass., for one or more years, and then read law with Hon. William C. BRADLEY, of Westminster, Vt. He commenced the practice of law at Proctorsville, Vt., in 1822, but after fifteen years practice abandoned the law, and studied theology with Rev. C. W. HODGES, of Bennington, Vt. He was ordained pastor of the Baptist church in Townshend, January 25, 1844, and sustained that relation till his death, November 27, 1871. Mr. FLETCHER married Harriet, daughter of Eleazer MAY, of Westminster, Vt., March 12, 1823, and reared a numerous and highly respected family. In September, 1855, he was elected to the legislature of Vermont. He received the degree of D. D., from Madison University, Hamilton, N. Y., in 1860.

      James O. FOLLETT came to Townshend in 1849 and settled where he now lives. He married Clara, daughter of Orison H. KIMBALL, of this town. His father, Samuel W. FOLLETT, who married Eliza, daughter of David BEMIS, of Westminster, died when James was a year old. His grandfather, James FOLLETT, removed from Hubbardson, Mass., to Jamaica in 1803, and settled on what is called Turkey mountain. William FOLLETT, who is a lawyer in Readsboro, Vt., is a son of his.

      Abishai STODDARD, judge of probate, and son of Ezra STODDARD, was admitted to the bar in 1845, and in that and the two succeeding years he represented the town of Grafton. In 1855 he removed to Townshend, which he represented in 1859 and '60. He was a member of the convention of 1850. He is also judge of probate, district of Westminster, and resides in Westminster.

      Adelbert A. MASON, who was born in Newfane, April 4, 1841, is a son of Russell MASON, of Newfane, and grandson of Anthony MASON, who was an early resident of Brookline. He is one of a family of eight children, all of whom are living. He has resided in Townshend for twenty years. He married Phebe Ella HOLLAND, and has three daughters.

      Hon. Ira K. BATCHELDER, son of Edmund, was born in Mt. Vernon, N. H., Dec. 11, 18r r, and removed to Vermont in 1818, locating in Peru, Bennington county, which town he represented in 1849. He was a State senator from Bennington county in 1850-'51, and was elected county judge in 1864 '65. He was a very successful farmer in Peru. In 1869 he sold his farm and moved to Townshend. He married Nancy BRAINARD of Peru in 1840, and has three children -- Julia E., who was graduated from Mt. Holyoke seminary, and married Rev. E. J. WARD of Grafton, Vt,; James K., who graduated from Middlebury college and the Albany law school, and established himself in the practice of his profession in Arlington; and Edward B., who married Anna SAKIN, and settled as a farmer on road 39 in Townshend.

      Emery CATHAN came here from Dummerston, his native town. His father died when he was seven years of age and he went to live with an uncle in Newfane. He married Mary HALL, of this town, and settled on road 38 1/2, where his son Lucius H. now lives. He died May 10, 1849. His widow is still living at the age of eighty-nine years. He had one other son, Theodore E., who died at the age of twenty-eight years.

      Joab HOLLAND was born in 1797, and removed when young from Barre, Mass., to Brookline, where he worked for his brother Lot, on the farm now owned by Luther OSGOOD. There he became acquainted with Phebe, daughter of Alonzo STEBBINS, whom he married. He came to Townshend and bought the farm on road 36 now owned by Bela B. BRIGHAM, where he brought up nine children, all of whom are living except Ozro, who was killed by lightning in Minnesota, where four others now reside -- Alonzo, the youngest son, who served in the civil war; Jotham, who joined the regular army and served in the war against the Sioux Indians; the eldest daughter, who married Curtis CAREY; and Joab Jr. The eldest son lives in Winchendon, Mass. The remaining three daughters are Mrs. Ella P. MASON, Mrs. Mary EVANS, and Mrs. Harriet HOLBROOK, all living in Townshend. Joab HOLLAND was a substantial farmer. He was a member of the Baptist church and among the foremost in promoting its interests. He was one of the committee who erected the church edifice, and was connected with the establishment of the Leland and Gray seminary of Townshend. He died February 14, 1873, aged seventy-six.

      Thomas SIMPSON was a drummer in the Revolution and removed from. Sturbridge, Mass., to Wardsboro, when a young man. He was a stonemason and farmer. He married Susan PLYMPTON and had ten children. He and his wife died at the advanced ages of ninety-four and ninety-seven years respectively. Their son Orrin, who married Asenath WILLARD, settled in Townshend, where he spent his life and brought up two sons and two daughters, all of whom live in the town. He belonged to the Congregational church of Townshend for thirty-five or forty years. An English saber and a powder horn picked up by Thomas SIMPSON on the battle ground of Bunker Hill are -still treasured heirlooms of his descendants.

      Col. Jonas TWITCHELL was born in Winchester, N. H., March 3, 1804, and came to Townshend and learned the blacksmith trade of his uncle, Samuel WRIGHT, who had a shop near where Carlos C. JOHNSON lives. He then, opened a shop at West Townshend, but later returned to Winchester, where he became colonel of militia. He returned to Townshend in 1831 and settled where Thomas EVANS now lives, where he died in 1879, aged seventy-five years. He was often called upon to settle estates; was for many years a member of the board of town officers; and represented the town in the. legislature in 1862. He was for several years president of the Windham County Savings bank at Newfane. He married Eliza ROBBINS, of Jamaica, by whom he had one son and four daughters. He had also one son and two daughters by a second marriage. Lucius N. TWITCHELL, who resides on road 38, in Townshend, is his eldest son; and Mrs. A. A. TOWNSEND and Mrs. Moses RANDALL are his daughters.

      Thomas EVANS was born in Manchester, Vt., but when five years of age he came with his parents to Townshend. He married Miriam HOLLAND, September 19, 1848. She was a milliner and he a tanner by trade. In 1855 he became landlord of the hotel built by Capt. TAGGART, at Townshend, and conducted it five years, when he went to Fayetteville, where he had charge of the jail for nine years, and kept hotel during the same period. For twenty-five years he kept hotel in Windham county, but in 1881 he retired from that business and purchased the Col. TWITCHELL farm on road 38, in. Townshend, where he now resides.

      John BLANDIN, son of John S. BLANDIN, was born in Brookline, Vt., in 1791. He was brought up on a farm with but limited opportunities for acquiring an education. He was, however, a man of extensive reading, and early became a member of the Baptist church. He possessed great financial acumen, and. was called upon to exercise it in various positions of trust in Townshend, both as a town officer and as one of the trustees of Leland and Grey Seminary, which he was largely instrumental in establishing, and in the settlement of estates. He was a justice of the peace for twenty-one years. In 1839 he erected the present residence of C. Q. STEBBENS, on road 38, where he kept hotel for twenty years. He was twice married. His first wife was Jerusha JEWETT by whom he had three sons and one daughter. All the sons received a collegiate education, but died, as did the daughter, between the ages of twenty-three and twenty-seven. His second wife was Mary, daughter of Rev. Samuel KINGSBURY, who was the first pastor of the First Baptist church at West Townshend. The fruit of this union, which was consummated December 20, 1827, was five children, only two of whom are living, viz.: Martha F., wife of C. Q. STEBBINS, and Mary E., wife of Rev. J. D. COLBURN, both of whom reside in Townshend. John BLANDIN died September 3, 1865, aged seventy-four years.

      Philemon HOLDEN, from Shirley, Mass., was one of the original proprietors of the old town of Acton, then called Johnson's Gore, settling in that town, about 1782. He married Huldah DAVIS and reared six sons and one daughter. He was a member and a firm supporter of the, Congregational church of Windham, and died at the age of fifty years. Dennis HOLDEN, his son, born here in 1784, occupied the old homestead several years, then moved on to the farm now owned by R. HEWES, on road 8. Squire HOLDEN, Dennis's brother, purchased the home farm and occupied it until his death. Dennis married Achsah GATES and reared seven children, of whom Philemon, now residing on road 19, at the age of seventy-six years, Ira HOLDEN, of Perkinsville, Sabra PURDY, of Manchester, Vt., and Mrs. D. RICHARDSON, are living. Squire HOLDEN married Lucy CHAFFIN and reared four sons and five daughters, of whom two sons, Zenas D. and George K., and two daughters, Mrs. David STILES and Mrs. Elvira HARRIS, of Grafton, are living. Zenas D. taught school when a young man, and spent ten years in Lawrence, where he married Mrs. Mary WELCH, and now resides on road 6. Hollis J., another son of Squire HOLDEN, married Adelia PUFFER, and of their children Arthur J. and Ida reside on road 37, in Grafton. Philemon, who resides here, married Laurintha DAVIS, of Reading. Three of his seven children are living, Mrs. M. A. COVEY, Mrs. Alverdon O. RICHARDSON, and Mrs. L. F. COBB. His eldest son, Adelbert D., was a member of Co. K, 9th Vt. Vols., and died at Fortress Monroe. The family of Zenas D. are Willie W., and Charles, of Elgin, Ill.

      Asa, Eli, Elias and Ezra HOLBROOK, four brothers, came to Townshend from Sturbridge, Mass., previous to 1773. Ezra located upon the farm now occupied by J. A. CHURCHILL, and subsequently cleared the farm now owned by J. L. NICHOLS, on road 20. One of his seven children married Reuben NICHOLS, who became the father of Hollis and J. L. NICHOLS, who own the homestead. Abner, the eldest son, married Sarah LEE and settled where A. B. GREENWOOD now resides. Four of their seven children are living, though only one, Harvey P., in Vermont. Abner HOLBROOK built a saw-mill on his farm, which he operated until his death, at the age of seventy-four years. Harvey P. married Orrissa BAILEY, in 1836, and has one daughter, Mrs. B. B. BRIGHAM. Hugh H. HOLBROOK, now residing on road 32, is a son of Aaron and great-grandson of Ezra. He served as a non-commissioned officer in Co. D, 16th Vt., Vols., during the late war.

      In January, 1784, when the militia was called out to subdue the Yorkers, at Brattleboro. The following company went from Townshend: Josiah FISH, captain; Ezra HOLBROOK and Philip RUTTER, lieutenants; and Thomas BARNES, Daniel BLANCHARD, Seth BRIGGS, Ebenezer BURT, Alfred CHAFFEE, Charles CHAFFEE, Israel CHAPMAN, Henry CHASE, Moses COOK, Rosebrook CRAWFORD, Luther DOOLITTLE, Thomas DUNTON, Calvin EWINGS, Asa FAY, Ephraim FULLER, James GAMBLE, James GLEASON, James GRAY, John GRIFFITH, Isaac HART, Eli HAYWARDs Paul HAYWARD, Thaddeus HAZELTINE, Amos HOLBROOK, Eli HOLBROOK, Timothy HOLBROOK, Benjamin HOWE, Peter HOWE, John JOHNSON, Abner LEE, John McMASTER, John OAK, Seth OAK, Ebenezer OBER, Baily RAWSON, Stephen RAWSON, George RAY, Moses ROBERTSON, Jeremiah RICHARDSON, Phineas SMITH, Amariah TAFT, Ebenzer TAFT, Benjamin TAINTER, Samuel TAINTER, James TYLER, Darius WHEELER, Thomas WHEELER, Joseph WILDER, Samuel WISWELL and Timothy WOOD, privates.

      The following summary gives the number of men and amount of funds furnished by the town towards the suppression of the great rebellion:

      The First Congregational church of Townshend, located at Townshend village, was originally organized at a very early date, probably between the years 1770 and 1777. This organization became extinct, however, and in 1792 was reorganized, with fifteen members. This second organization seems to have been given up, and in 1821 the present church society was organized. Rev. Nicholas DUDLEY was the first settled minister, the records say in 1777, though there are records of marriage ceremonies performed by him as early as 1770. He was born in Epping, N. H., graduated from Harvard in 1767, received the ministerial right of land here, and was pastor of the society until about 1780. The first house of worship was built about 1770, located near where Joy brook crosses road 38. When the present church building was erected we cannot state; but it was standing, in 1803, at which time the land belonging to it was leased to the town by Ephraim WHEELOCK, February 28th, for a term "so long as the inhabitants shall maintain the house." It will comfortably seat about 350 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $5,000.00. The society now has seventy-five members, with Rev. H. H. ACTERIAN acting pastor.

      The Second Baptist church, located at Townshend village, was organized June 15, 1827, with twenty-four members, the Rev. J. M. GRAVES being the first pastor. The church building, erected in 1838, is valued, including grounds, at $4,200.00. The society now has 206 members, with Rev. Richard S. MITCHELL, pastor.

      The Congregational church, located at West Townshend, was organized by an ecclesiastical council, in 1850, with twenty-two members, Rev. Philetus CLARK being the first pastor. The church building was erected as a Union church in 1817. It will seat about 300 persons, and is valued, including parsonage and grounds, at $2,900.00. The society now has about fifty-six members, with no regular pastor.

Transcribed by Karima Allison ~2004 

Townshend Historical Society