Addison County VT

Addison County, Vermont is a county in western Vermont, established by act of the legislature on October 18, 1785, from a portion of Rutland County during the period of the independent Vermont Republic (prior to Vermont’s statehood in 1791), with its shire town (county seat) at Middlebury, making county court and land records available there from the late 1780s onward—vital for genealogical research. The area lies in the Champlain Valley and is drained primarily by Otter Creek; Native American presence by Iroquoian and other tribes along Lake Champlain predates European exploration by Samuel de Champlain in 1609 and later French and British colonial activity at sites such as Chimney Point. Early towns within the county, many chartered in the 1780s and 1790s, drew settlers largely from New England states after the American Revolution, with township land records, early census returns, and town meeting minutes beginning in this period; resources for genealogy include county town clerk records, Probate and Deed offices in Middlebury, local historical societies, libraries, and numerous cemetery transcriptions.

Biography of Nathaniel Higbee

Nathaniel Higbee was born in Monkton, Vermont, on January 10, 1831. He married Eliza A. Patterson in 1854, and they had four children: Mary Louise, Etta I., Wilbur E., and Frederick N. Eliza was the daughter of William and Mary A. Patterson, early settlers from England. Nathaniel’s parents were James and Clarinda Higbee, with James having served in the Second Vermont Regiment during the Civil War. Nathaniel’s ancestral roots reflect his family’s long-standing presence in Vermont and New England.

Biographical Sketch of Julius H. Doten

Julius H. Doten, born on August 17, 1845, in Monkton, Vermont, was a multifaceted individual known for his roles as a farmer, selectman, justice of the peace, and music professor. Married to Loretta D. Scott in 1866, they had two children, Emily and Ryland. Julius was the son of Ryland and Emily Doten, both prominent in local affairs, and descended from Isaac Doten, a War of 1812 veteran. His family has deep roots in Monkton’s history.

Biographical Sketch of Datus R. Gaige

Datus R. Gaige, likely the oldest native of Bristol, Vermont, was born on July 24, 1808. He comes from a lineage of early settlers, with his grandfather, William Gage, moving to Vermont from New York and later settling in Bristol due to health issues. Datus married Harriet C. Baldwin, whose family also settled in Bristol. A prominent figure in local affairs, he held numerous town and county offices. His father served in the War of 1812 at the battle of Plattsburgh.

Biographical Sketch of Robert Hudson Jr.

Robert Hudson Jr. was born in 1850 in Brandon, Vermont, and moved to Vergennes in 1885 to start a stove, tin, and plumbing business. He married Bridget Ryan in 1877, and was the son of Robert and Eliza Hudson, Irish immigrants. His father served in the Fifth Vermont Regiment and was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness, leaving behind a widow and eight children, six of whom survived: Robert, Edward, James, Eliza, Mary A., and Nellie.

Biographical Sketch of Julius S. Hickok

Julius S. Hickok was born in 1841 in New Haven, Vermont, and moved to Vergennes in 1865, where he initially worked in the retail drug business before transitioning to coal and general insurance by 1872. He married Mary D. Willard in 1866, and they had three children. Mary D. Willard was the daughter of Hosea Willard, a notable builder in Vergennes. Julius was the son of Elias B. Hickok, whose lineage included several ministers, reflecting a strong family emphasis on community and service.

Biographical Sketch of John H. Donnelly

John H. Donnelly, born in 1855 in Clinton County, New York, was educated at Ontario College and began his career as a merchant tailor in Vergennes, Vermont, in 1878. He successfully ran a popular business on Main Street, employing 15-20 workers. Donnelly served as an alderman in 1885 and was involved with the city police. The son of Irish immigrants Thomas and Mary Donnelly, he settled with his family in Vergennes in 1870 and had six children.

Biographical Sketch of Erasmus D. Hall

Erasmus D. Hall, born October 18, 1817, in New Haven, Vermont, was a physician who practiced medicine after studying at Castleton Medical College. He began his career in St. Albans in 1844 and settled in New Haven in 1850. Hall was married twice, first to Eveline Sprague, with whom he had three children, and then to Marianne Landon in 1866. He was the son of Adin Hall, a prominent local physician, and descended from Richard Hall, an early settler in New Haven.

Biographical Sketch of Charles L. Kimball Jr.

Charles L. Kimball Jr. was born in Ohio in 1854 and moved to Ferrisburgh, Vermont, in 1884, where he has maintained a 100-acre homestead. He married Susan Ryan of Georgia, Vermont, in 1875, and they had four children: Adeline, Lilian, Ivy, and Carlotta. He is the son of Charles L. Kimball Sr., a railroad manager and superintendent originally from Vermont, and Adeline Kenyon. The elder Kimball currently resides in Fishkill, New York.

Biographical Sketch of Francis H. Foss

Francis H. Foss, born in Maine in 1837, moved to Vergennes, Vermont in 1877 as manager of the Patent Roller Manufacturing business. He later invested in the Wright hardware business, forming Wright Foss, which provided a range of tools and goods. Married in 1865 to Susan Witherall, they had four surviving children but lost four to diphtheria in 1877. A veteran of the Nineteenth Maine Regiment, Foss served as a lieutenant and is a member of the Ethan Allen Post and local government.

Biographical Sketch of Orange L. Gage

Orange L. Gage, born in Ferrisburgh, Vermont in 1828, inherited a seventy-acre homestead from his father, William M. Gage. He married Sarah Hitchcock in 1858, and they had three children, tragically losing them all, including Sarah, to diphtheria in 1877. Gage’s family lineage includes siblings Abigail, Walter, and Salome, with the latter having passed away in 1864. His father, William, died in 1856, and his mother, Abigail, lived until 1879.

Biographical Sketch of William S. Hopkins

William S. Hopkins, born on February 28, 1825, in Vergennes, Vermont, graduated from Middlebury College in 1846 and Castleton Medical College in 1849. He established his medical practice in Vergennes and served in the Assembly during 1864-1865, later becoming mayor from 1875 to 1878. He was the son of Roswell D. and Mary (Strong) Hopkins, who had nine children, of which only William and his sister Sally R. survive.

Biographical Sketch of Elisha Ferguson

Elijah and Elisha Ferguson were early settlers of Starksboro, Vermont, originating from Nine Partners, New York, with their father, John Ferguson. Elijah, born in 1775, married Mary Haight and had ten children, including Albert, who married Clarissa Bostwick. Alfred, their son, born in 1829, married Jerusha Wright and has two children. A resident of Bristol since 1844, Alfred has served as selectman, lister, and justice of the peace, while managing a 340-acre farm.

Biography of Ehlert Heitmann

Ehlert Heitmann, born on August 5, 1822, in Brunswick, Germany, received a German education before working in farming and serving in the military. After a stint as an engineer in a brewing establishment, he participated in the Schleswig-Holstein War. In 1849, he emigrated to America, where he initially worked in a sugar refinery and later in the grocery business. He settled in Bridport, Vermont, where he expanded his property and raised a family with his wife, Catherine. Heitmann is noted for his self-made success and community involvement.

Biographical Sketch of Lucius Bradley Dodge

Lucius Bradley Dodge was born on February 26, 1839, in Weybridge, Vermont, to J.R. and Vesta Dodge. His father, a lifelong resident, served as selectman and justice of the peace. Lucius was educated locally and married Martha A. Wright in 1861, with whom he had three sons. He became a successful farmer and livestock raiser, owning 270 acres of land. Dodge served as selectman for four years and was first selectman in 1884, continuing his family’s legacy in public service and agriculture.

Biographical Sketch of Chester B. Hack

Chester B. Hack, originally from Brandon, Vermont, became a prominent figure in Orwell after settling there fifty years ago. He is particularly noted for his son, William C. Hack, who was a pioneer in introducing Holstein cattle to the area, importing the first stock from Smith Powell’s renowned farm in New York. Their farm, Maple Shade, is recognized as one of the finest in Addison County, highlighting the family’s significant contribution to local agriculture.

Biographical Sketch of Tousaint Kidder

Tousaint Kidder was born in Canada on November 1, 1837, to Francis and Angelique Kidder. After receiving an education in common schools, he apprenticed in harness-making at fourteen. He moved to Middlebury, Vermont, in 1857, where he initially worked for N. Brasso and later purchased horses for the government during the Civil War. In 1867, he established his own harness-making and carriage business, which has thrived. Kidder married Helen Parrow, and they had one son, George T., born in 1865. He is regarded as a self-made man.

Biographical Sketch of Charlotte S. Rogers

Charlotte S. Rogers, born in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, in 1828, married Thomas R. Robinson in 1849, who passed away in 1854, leaving her with two children, William G. and Sarah R. William became a doctor, while Sarah married W. H. Harmon. In 1860, Charlotte married R. Rogers. She was the daughter of Captain Isaac and Sophia (Marsh) Satterly, also from Ferrisburgh.

Biographical Sketch of Philo S. Severance

Philo S. Severance was born on February 28, 1840, in Middlebury, Vermont, to Samuel and Maria Severance. A descendant of early settlers, he was raised on a family farm and educated in local schools. He enlisted in the Eleventh Vermont Artillery in 1862 and served until the Civil War’s end, attaining the rank of second lieutenant. After returning home, he married Helen Atwood in 1867. They had two children. Severance took on local governance roles, including serving as town lister.

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Miles

Samuel Miles, born on January 1, 1835, in Canada, moved to Monkton with his family in 1843. He married Phebe Ann Thompson in 1856, and they had six children. Samuel was the son of Henry and Mary Miles, English immigrants who settled in Canada and later in Vermont. His parents had nine children, with four surviving. Notably, one son, Richard, served as a missionary in West Africa and died in England in 1865.

Biographical Sketch of D. H. Lewis

D. H. Lewis was born in St. Johns, Canada East, in 1843 and settled in Vergennes, Vermont, in 1861. He began as a clerk at Parker Booth before becoming the teller and later cashier of the Bank of Vergennes. In 1880, he became cashier of the newly formed Farmers National Bank of Vergennes. Additionally, Lewis was involved in manufacturing horseshoe nails as secretary and treasurer of the National Company. He served in the Assembly during 1884 and 1885 and was a corporation officer. He died in Chicago, Illinois.