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.

Biographical Sketch of William W. Pope

William W. Pope, born October 12, 1807, in Higham, Massachusetts, was the only son of Rev. Ziba Pope, a Free Will Baptist pioneer. He moved to Lincoln, Vermont, in 1830, married Caroline Kent in 1835, and had two children, though one died in infancy. After Caroline’s death, he remarried Mary Dow in 1848, with whom he had another son. A prominent figure in local governance, he served multiple terms in the Vermont Legislature, held various town offices, and passed away in Lincoln on April 16, 1860.

Biographical Sketch of Elmer G. Spencer

Elmer G. Spencer was born in East Addison in 1824 and married Laura M. Smith in 1845, with whom he had one son and six daughters. Four daughters became educators, with Bertha and Minnie graduating from Castleton State Normal School in 1885. Elmer was the son of Joseph, Jr. and Lucy Blakeley, who had eight children. Joseph, Jr. was a noteworthy figure in his community, serving in various town offices before his death in 1874.

Biographical Sketch of Lorin Orvis

Lorin Orvis, originally from Norfolk, Connecticut, was the first of his family to settle in South Starksboro, Vermont, where he worked as a shoemaker and tanner. Although he has no direct descendants in Starksboro or Lincoln, his sons Loring and Myron reside in neighboring towns. Lorin’s brother Philander also settled in the area, establishing the first sawmill with Loring. Philander’s family included four children, with his son Joel later becoming an important local figure, serving in various governmental roles.

Biography of David D. Middlebrook

David D. Middlebrook, born in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, in June 1802, served in the Vermont Legislature and held various local offices. He married Almira Carter in 1828, with whom he had seven children. Following Almira’s death in 1851, he remarried Polly Ann Middlebrook in 1852. David’s family lineage includes notable descendants, including his son Theophilus, a Civil War lieutenant, and grandchildren who continue the Middlebrook legacy. He was the son of Theophilus and Elizabeth Middlebrook, early settlers in Ferrisburgh.

Biographical Sketch of Beebe T. Rice

Beebe T. Rice, born on January 27, 1836, in Bridport, Vermont, is the youngest son of Asa and Elizabeth Rice. After studying at local schools and briefly attending Middlebury College, he taught in Vermont before moving to Minnesota in 1857. In 1870, he married Mara J. Allen, with whom he had one daughter. Following her death, he married twice more, ultimately settling in Kansas where he served as county commissioner. Returning to Vermont in 1879, he became a successful farmer on his 200-acre property and is a respected member of the community.

Biographical Sketch of Maylon E. Taylor

Maylon E. Taylor was born on April 26, 1826, in Salisbury, Vermont, and moved to Michigan in 1844, returning to Vermont in 1852. He settled in New Haven and married Ellen Mills in 1859, with whom he had three children. A prominent farmer, Taylor managed a 312-acre farm and maintained a dairy of thirty cows. He pioneered Cotswold sheep breeding in the area and is involved in breeding Hambletonian horses. His father, Samuel Taylor, was a saddler and farmer, and his grandfather was an early settler in Vermont.

Biography of Otis P. Lee

Otis P. Lee was born on November 30, 1832, in Bridport, Vermont, to Prosper and Sabre Lee. A farmer and community leader, Prosper served as selectman before his death in 1847. Educated locally, Otis married Mary Hamilton in 1862, with whom he had three sons, but she died in 1868. He later remarried Fannie Shroder in 1872, and they had four children. Otis moved to Middlebury Springs in 1873, where he became a prosperous landowner, purchasing 144 acres of the Williamson estate.

Biographical Sketch of Aaron J. Piper

Aaron J. Piper was born on March 24, 1839, in Salisbury, Vermont. He grew up farming and enlisted in the Union Army at the start of the Civil War, serving in the First Vermont and Seventh Vermont Infantry, where he sustained an injury leading to the amputation of his shoulder. After his discharge in 1863, he sold goods for thirteen years before transitioning to the livestock business. Married to Adelphia H. Brown in 1864, they had two sons and settled in Middlebury in 1880.

Biography of George W. Sneden

George W. Sneden, born on October 2, 1839, in Weybridge, Vermont, was the son of James T. and Artamisia Sneden. He grew up in New Haven, where he worked as a carpenter and taught school. Sneden enlisted in the Civil War, serving initially with the First Vermont Volunteers before re-enlisting in the Ninth Vermont Volunteers, earning a promotion to second lieutenant. After the war, he held various jobs, including operating a rake factory and a grist mill. He married Marcia L. Evans, and they had three sons. Sneden was also an advocate for temperance.

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan D. Seeley

Jonathan D. Seeley was born on March 30, 1793, in Danby, Vermont, to an early settler family. He was raised in farming, marrying Rhoda Kelley in 1817 and fathering eleven children. Seeley lived in Danby until 1824, then moved to Brandon where he managed a dairy farm, later settling in Middlebury in 1837. A veteran of the Plattsburgh campaign, he was successful in wool growing in Addison County. Seeley died on November 22, 1858, and was survived by five children.

Biographical Sketch of Albert W. Mead

Albert W. Mead was born in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, and is recognized as a leading farmer in the area, owning 350 acres of land. He is the son of Albert W. Mead and Phebe Eaton, who had three children. His father, Albert W. Mead Sr., married three times, fathering a total of ten children. Originally a blacksmith and farm tool manufacturer, he settled on his homestead farm in 1792 and lived there until his death in 1859 at the age of eighty-seven.

Biographical Sketch of William R. Remele

William R. Remele was born on January 29, 1820, in Whiting, Vermont, to Samuel and Linda Remele. Samuel H. Remele, William’s father, descended from John Remele, a Congregational clergyman and Revolutionary War chaplain. John began his ministry in Newport, New Hampshire, before settling in Vermont. Samuel H. continued this legacy as a respected farmer in the area until his death in 1865, leaving behind a family that included three children, two of whom remain active in the local community.

Biographical Sketch of Josiah S. Tappen

Josiah S. Tappen was born in Panton, Vermont, in 1811 and passed away on June 4, 1880. He married Samantha S. Shepard in 1834, and they had five children, two of whom survived him. Samantha was the daughter of Samuel and Lucy Shepard. Josiah was also part of the Tappen family, descending from Silas and Anna Tappen of New Jersey. Notably, Josiah and Samantha’s lineage includes several family connections and births, reflecting a rich historical background in Vermont.

Biographical Sketch of Oliver Smith

Oliver Smith, born on January 4, 1804, in New Haven, Vermont, was a significant figure in his community, serving multiple terms in the state Legislature and as a county judge. He participated in the Constitutional Convention of 1860. Married to Adaline Doud in 1830, they had seven children. His father, David Smith, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, settled in New Haven in 1798, and his grandfather, Jonathan Smith, was also a notable Revolutionary soldier.

Biographical Sketch of Nathaniel G. Norton

Nathaniel G. Norton was born in February 1831 in Chittenden County, Vermont. He settled in Vergennes in 1868, where he established a milling business after purchasing the city mill. Following a fire in 1878, he rebuilt the mill in brick. Norton and his wife, Lucretia Sutton, had four children: John, Eugene, Arthur, and Mary. Both John and Eugene later continued in the milling and agricultural industries. Nathaniel G. Norton was the son of John and Amanda Norton, who had three children, all of whom survived their parents.

Biographical Sketch of Almon Lawrence

Almon Lawrence was born on May 18, 1804, in Monkton, Vermont, and spent his early years on his father’s farm. He attended the Newton preparatory department and graduated from Burlington College in 1837. Following his graduation, he taught in St. Albans before returning to farm life. Almon was the son of Diah and Lucretia Lawrence, who had thirteen children, six of whom survived. Diah, his father, was a descendant of an early Connecticut family that settled in Vermont.

Biographical Sketch of Charles Peck

Charles Peck, born on July 24, 1839, in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, settled in New Haven in 1876 on a 300-acre farm. A breeder of Spanish Merino sheep, he married Mary E. Hallock in 1872, and they had four children: Harry, Hallock, Sarah, and John F. Charles was the son of Aldrich and Miranda Peck, and had six siblings. His grandfathers, John F. Peck and Roger Hawkins, were early settlers in Waltham and New Haven, respectively.

Biographical Sketch of Charles W. Norton

Charles W. Norton, born on January 17, 1844, in Bristol, Vermont, was the son of Wolcott and Mehitable Norton. He married Delia P. Bushnell and they had eight children, including Anson VI, who studies at Dartmouth College. Norton has served in various local government positions, including justice of the peace and selectman, while managing a substantial 400-acre homestead farm.

Biographical Sketch of Edward C. Scott

Edward C. Scott, born in 1844 in Chittenden County, Vermont, settled in Vergennes in 1870, where he established a successful butcher business, later expanding into groceries. A prominent figure in local governance, he served three terms as sheriff and is currently the town’s water commissioner. Married in 1865 to Helen L. Kingsley, they had three children, including Edward C., Jr., and Emma Augusta. Scott, a veteran of the Seventeenth Vermont, enlisted in 1864 and served until the war’s end.

Biography of Henry D. Maynard

Henry D. Maynard was born on October 31, 1834, in Starksboro, Vermont. Orphaned at a young age, he pursued farming before becoming an apprentice and later enlisting in the Sixth Vermont Regiment during the Civil War. He participated in several major battles until injuries forced his removal from active duty. After returning to civilian life, he established a blacksmith shop and served in various local government positions, including justice of the peace and selectman. He married Eliza M. Perhan in 1858 and fathered four children.