Rev. Increase Graves was the first settled minister and received the ministerial lot allowed by charter, the same being the farm now occupied by H. N. Sollace. Calvin Sollace, born in Walpole, N. H., was a graduate of Middlebury College, studied law in Middlebury, and commenced practice in Bridport in 1814, and subsequently served as judge six years.
Clifford, Herbert W., Monkton, Monkton Ridge p. o., was born in Starksboro, Vt., in 1862. He is a general merchant at Monkton Ridge, and settled here in March, 1885, dealing in a full line of goods of all descriptions. He was married in 1883 to Elsie L. Ray, of Monkton, Vt. They have had one daughter born to them, Carrie. Elsie (Ray) Clifford was a daughter of Byron and Carrie V. Ray. Herbert W. Clifford was a son of Richard and Clarinda (Hill) Clifford, of Starksboro, Vt. Richard is a son of Ebenezer Clifford, who was born in New Hampshire, … Read more
Bristol, Russel T., Panton, Vergennes p. o., was born in 1822. He was married in 1847 to Martha Jane Thompson, a daughter of James Thompson. She was born 1828. They had a family of seven children born to them — Willard R. (married in 1876 to Mary A. Richards, of Cornwall, Vt.), Edwin S., Ernest J. (married in 1878 to S. Imogene Harris), Carlton D. (married in 1876 to Anna M. Elitharp, of Bridport, Vt.), Alice J. (married in 1881 to Sidney M. Harris), Arthur H., and Wallis H. (married in 1886 to Cornelia L. Sibley). Russel T. Bristol was … Read more
Britell, Oren K., Weybridge, was born in Weybridge, Vt., on January 17, 1836. His parents were Orange and Mary Ann (Brainard) Britell, Orange Britell was born in Vermont in 1800, on the place which was first settled by his grandfather, Claudius Britell. Oren’s paternal grandfather, John Britell, was a native of Connecticut, who had a family of ten children. Three daughters are now living and are all residents of Western States. Orange Britell was a clothier by trade, and conducted that business in Weybridge village. His wife died in 1837. He then married his second wife, Diadama Gage, of Ferrisburgh, … Read more
W. W. Rider, the lawyer of Bristol, was born here in 1841. He studied law with Horatio Needham, was admitted to the bar in 1865, and has practiced here since. Dr. E. G. Prime was born in Bristol in 1843. He graduated from the Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1870, and from the Royal College of Edinburgh, Scotland, in June, 1882. He practiced one year in Glasgow, in Rutland two years, Boston one year, and has been in Bristol since. Dr. D. A. Bisbee, born in Brandon in 1852, graduated from the Michigan University in 1875, and came here … Read more
Wright, William Silas, Waltham, was born in Weybridge, Vt., January 6, 1819. He was the fifth son of Daniel and Bathsheba (Frost) Wright, who settled in New Haven, Vt., in 1820, and at the age of sixteen years took a preparatory course at the Vergennes Classical Institute, and in 1838 entered Middlebury College, where he remained nearly two years, after which he returned to his father’s homestead in New Haven, and except the interval of four years (when he lived in Weybridge) he resided with his parents until the death of his father, and in 1867 removed to Waltham, Vt., … Read more
Halnon, John, Cornwall, was born on June 22, 1836. His parents were James and Catherine (Dalton) Halnon. He came with his parents to America in 1849, and settled at Schuyler Falls, N. Y., and finished his education at Plattsburgh Academy. In 1853, when seventeen years of age, he came to Cornwall, Vt., and worked for Alonzo Bingham and Rollin J. Jones for five years, when he purchased a farm in Beekmantown, Clinton county, N. Y., where he lived for seven years. He returned to Cornwall in 1865 and purchased the place where he now resides, and which was the former … Read more
One of the soldiers of Amherst was named Benjamin Kellogg, from Connecticut. It is said that while stationed at Crown Point he frequently visited the Salt Licks, near where the mansion of General John Strong was subsequently built, to procure venison for the officers of the army. It is believed that the clearings made by the French, and the promising character of the locality, made an impression upon his mind, and that when lie returned he told his acquaintances of the advantages of the place for settlement. He returned to his old hunting grounds in the fall of 1762, and … Read more
Paris Fletcher was born in Woodstock, Vt., March 21, 1794, and at the age of sixteen years came to Bridport, and engaged with his brother James, who came here two years previous, in the saddle and harness-making business. Young Fletcher’s inclinations, however, were towards a more active and speculative life, and he soon became a general merchant, in which vocation he displayed the same ability and energy that characterized him in all ventures of his life, from shop-boy to bank president. Mr. Fletcher was held in the highest esteem by his townsmen, whom he served in most of the important … Read more
James, Curtes H., Cornwall, was born in Weybridge, Vt., on June 21, 1848. His parents were Samuel and Salome (Hurd) James. Samuel James was born in Weybridge, Vt., on the place now owned by his son John A. James. Curtes H. James was educated at the common schools, and also at the Burr and Burton Seminary, at Manchester, Vt., which he attended one or two terms. He was brought up to farming and remained at home until the time of his marriage, which occurred on March 9, 1871, to Catherine C. Jewett, who was a daughter of Philo Jewett, a … Read more
Ezra Brainerd, Jr., has been an active representative of the legal fraternity of Muskogee for the past seventeen years, enjoying an extensive clientage that has connected him with much important litigation tried in the courts of the district. He was born in Middlebury, Vermont, on the 26th of August, 1878, a son of Ezra and Frances (Rockwell) Brainerd, the former at one time president of Middlebury College. Excellent educational advantages were accorded him, for his public school training was supplemented by a course of study in Worcester Academy of Worcester, Massachusetts, and in Colgate Academy of Hamilton, New York. His … Read more
It is a pleasure for the writer to take up the career of men who, through long years of residence in Rock Island County, have by their upright lives and splendid deeds won for themselves the enduring respect and regard of their fellow citizens. In this class the Honorable George W. Vinton stands prominent. He was born at Middlebury, Vermont, December 5, 1834. His father was John A. Vinton, who served as a drummer boy during the War of 1812. After the close of that war the father received from the United States Government a tract of land for his … Read more
No citizen in Rock Island County, or throughout the country, was probably more widely known than John Deere of Moline. He was born at Rutland, Vermont, February 7, 1804, and died May 17, 1886. 1805 the family moved to Middlebury, Vermont, where the children attended school in a district schoolhouse, which had a long fire place across the end of the room. The reading, writing and little arithmetic obtained here, before he was twelve years old, was the principal educational start Mr. Deere had for life. He afterwards attended private school for a few months, but the inborn inclination for … Read more
The Congregational Church of Cornwall, the first religious organization in Cornwall, was formed on the 1st of July, 1785, with the following members: Jared Abernathy, Stephen Tambling, James Marsh Douglass, Jeremiah Bingham, Roswell Post, Daniel Sampson, Mary Chipman, and Elizabeth Ives, and during the few weeks following August 21 Jesse Chipman, Mrs. Post, Mrs. Tambling, Nathaniel Cogswell and wife, Joel Linsley, Ethan Andrus, Isaac Kellogg, Hiland Hall, and Mrs. Ives were added to the number. On the 20th of July, 1787, a call was extended to the Rev. Thomas Tolman, and accepted on the 30th of August. Being the first … Read more
White, Horatio Nelson, Panton, Vt., was born in St. Armand, P. Q., on October 23, 1802. He was the eldest child of Ebenezer and Candace (Smith) White, who were natives of Worcester county, Mass. Soon after the birth of their son they removed to Essex, Vt., and shortly after to Burlington, Vt., where they ever after lived, and where they died. It was there his boyhood days were spent; but as the parents were poor and other children were added to the family, it became necessary that as early as possible they should become self-supporting. While quite young he obtained … Read more
Wright, Caleb, New Haven, was born in Weybridge, Vt., on February 13, 1810, and at the age of ten years he came to reside in the town of New Haven. He settled on the farm he now occupies in 1833, and on which he has made all modern improvements. He was married on November 1, 1831, to Harriet Rockwood, a daughter of Ebenezer and Lucinda (Graves) Rockwood, of Bristol, Vt., and by whom he has had five children — Jerusha (Mrs. Alfred Ferguson), Philomelia (Mrs. Orrin Dickinson), Jane A., wife of A. I. Stow (deceased), Martha (Mrs. L. B. Dodge), … Read more
Daniel Hamblin came to Bridport from Guilford, Conn., when there were but two families in the township. After the war broke out he returned to Guilford, enlisted in the Continental service and served till the cessation of hostilities, when he soon after returned to Bridport and located upon the farm now owned by J. T. Fletcher. His son Alexander, a noted hunter and trapper, succeeded to the homestead. Hiram E., son of Alexander, now resides in the town.
Grant, Edward, Middlebury, was born in County Antrim, Ireland, on March 14, 1810. His parents were Dennis and Martha Dallis. The family on both sides were of Scotch origin. Edward Grant came to America in the spring of 1847, when he came direct to Middlebury village, and remained there six years. He was a weaver by trade, and was employed in the cottonmill there. He was a resident of Burlington for two and one-half years, where he was employed as watchman for the R. & B. R. R. He then went to Leicester, where he engaged in the lime business … Read more
WM. BILLINGS. – The name Billings at once suggests the picturesque hills and valleys of Vermont; and we find that the subject of this sketch is indeed a Green Mountain boy, having been born in Ripton in 1827. He lived upon his father’s place until 1846, and in that year went down to New Bedford and shipped before the mast. This step brought him to Washington Territory; for, in 1849, he was left at Honolulu, from whence, in the bark Mary, he came to California, the gold of the Yuba mines detaining him but a few months. Indeed, the best … Read more
Varney, Enoch, Bristol, was born in the town of Charlotte, Chittenden county, Vt., on October 5, 1808. His parents were Hezekiah and Elizabeth (Palmer) Varney. His mother was a daughter of Enoch Palmer, who settled in Monkton, Vt., during the early settlement of that town. Hezekiah Varney lived and died in Monkton, Vt., on the homestead which is now occupied by his son-in-law, Hiram Perkins, who married Judith Varney. Hezekiah died on the old homestead at the age of eighty-seven years. His children were Anna, Sarah, Rachel, Jacob, Lydia, Mary, Enoch, Hannah, and Judith. Enoch Varney was married in 1831 … Read more