Addison County VT

Cornwall Vermont – Industry

The most prominent industry in town, and one for which her people are most widely known, is the raising of sheep. Immediately after the importation of Merino sheep from Spain, by Colonel Humphrey, of Connecticut, and later by Consul Jarvis, of Wethersfield, Vt., some of the farmers of Cornwall procured some of the variety for the purpose of improving their flocks. Merrill and A. L. Bingham have been among the foremost of breeders. They began importing French Merinos about 1846. Hon. Rollin J. Jones, who contributes a valuable portion of our general chapter on sheep raising in the county, has … Read more

Biography of George W. Sneden

Sneden, George W., Weybridge, was born in Weybridge, Vt., October 2,1839. His parents were James T. and Artamisia (Gully) Sneden. At an early age he removed with his parents to New Haven, Vt., where he continued to reside up to the time he attained his majority, working with his father summers at the carpenters’ trade, and teaching school winters. George W. was educated in the common schools, at the high school in Vergennes, and at Beeman Academy, New Haven. In the spring of 1861 he enlisted in Company B, First Vermont Volunteers, being the first man from the town of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Enos P. Hoag

Hoag, Enos P., Lincoln, one of the most venerable and respected citizens of Lincoln, Vt., was born in that town on January 18, 1816. He was married on September 13, 1838, to Nancy F. Keyes, a daughter of John Keyes, a farmer at Acworth, Sullivan county, N. H. Their children are Alonzo (born in 1839 and died in 1858), Ameba (married Dr. A. J. Cushman, and died in Lincoln, in 1870). Mrs. Hoag was born on December 22, 1813. Mr. Hoag has been prominently identified with all the public affairs of his town, representing the same in the State Legislature … Read more

Biography of Hon. George W. Vinton

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

Biographical Sketch of Jacob C. Hindes

Hindes, Jacob C., Vergennes, was born in Clinton county, N. Y., in 1839:, and settled in Vergennes, Vt., in 1869, as a manufacturer of horse shoe-nails, and in 1871 became general manager of the National Horse Nail Company of Vergennes, Vt., having a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, and giving employment to fifty men. Jacob G. Hindes is now one of the board of aldermen of the city. He was married in 1860 to Lucy C. Cutting, of Westport, N. Y. They have had a family of four children born to them — Spencer W. (assistant cashier of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Heman Hallock

Hallock, Heman, Panton, Vergennes p. o., was born in Hinesburg, Vt. In 1826 he came to Bristol. He was a son of Anson and Polly (Sweet) Hallock. They had a family of eleven children born to them — Isaac, Lucy, Anson, Ira, Chester, Heman, Sarah, Hyman, Ovett, Charles, and Stephen. Heman was married in 1851 to Mehitable Norton, who died in 1852, leaving one daughter, Hattie, who married William Siples. Heman then married Mrs. Emily Eastman Stewart in 1855. She had one daughter by a previous marriage — Sylvia Stewart, who married Erwin Carpenter in 1877. Heman had a family … Read more

Biography of Zadock Everest

Zadock Everest came to Addison in the summer Of 1765 and began his clearing, as before mentioned. On his place he built a log house and there kept the first public house in the county. After the breaking out of the war he fled his family to Whitehall, and from thence sought refuge in Pawlet, Rutland county, where he was elected representative in March, 1784. During that year he returned to Addison, and represented the town of Panton in 1785 and Addison in 1788, 1789 and 1795; he also held the prominent town offices through a series of years and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert Hudson Jr.

Hudson, Robert, jr., Vergennes, was born in Brandon, Vt., in 1850, and settled in Vergennes, Vt., in April, 1885, when he commenced his stove, tin, and plumbing business. He was married in 1877 to Bridget Ryan, of Orwell, Vt. Robert Hudson was a son of Robert and Eliza (McCadden) Hudson, who were born and married in Ireland, and settled in Brandon, Vt., in 1850. Robert Hudson enlisted in the Fifth Vermont Regiment in 1861, and was killed in the battle of the Wilderness, and buried on the field. He left a widow and eight children, six of whom are now … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harvey C. Martin

Martin, Harvey C., Ferrisburgh, was born in Ferrisburgh in April, 1835. He is a general farmer, stock grower, and dairyman. He represented his town in the Legislature in 1878 and ’79, and was constable and collector of his town from 1875 to 1885. He was married, in 1882, to Maria Martin. They had two children born to them — Jennie E. (who married Weller N. Prindle, who died in 1877) and Calvin C. Maria was a daughter of Medad and Eliza (Newell) Martin. Medad was born in 1803 and Eliza was born in 1804, and died in 1841. They had … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ezra Booth

Booth, Ezra, Ferrisburgh, Vergennes p. o., was born in Newtown, Conn. in 1813, and settled in Addison county, Vt., in 1831. He was married on March 25, 1840, to Sophia Whalley, who was born in England in 1816. They had a family of six children — William W., Lucy A., Ellen R., Austin T., Richard D., and Ada S. Ezra Booth held most of the town offices, and died on July 1, 1868. Mrs. Booth settled in Ferrisburgh, Vt., with her parents, Thomas and Rachel (Jones) Whalley, in 1827. They settled on the homestead farm in 1832. In 1840 they … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Garrett Coursey Jr.

Coursey, Jr., Garrett, Panton, Vergennes p. o., was born in Ireland in 1822. He was married in 1856 to Catherine Butler. They have had a family of eight children born to them, of whom only two are now living, Edwin and Margaret (who was married to John O’Donnell). Garrett, jr., was a son of Garrett, sr., and Margaret (Ring) Coursey, who were married in Ireland. Four of their children came to America and settled in Addison county, Vt., and in 1852 Garrett and Margaret, with their other two children, came to Vermont by way of Montreal, and settled in Monkton, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Robert Holley

Robert Holley, a native of New London, Conn., came from Hebron, N. Y., in 1795, and located on the east side of the highway, nearly opposite the place now owned by Joel Barlow. In 1808 he removed to the village, where he kept a public house several years. He served the town as constable and collector, represented the town in the General Assembly eight years; was a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1826; was a presidential elector, casting his vote for President Monroe, and was a justice of the peace twenty-eight years. He was the father of eight children, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Abel Rice

Abel, son of Adonijah, settled in town; died July, 1800, aged forty-nine years. His three sons were Jonas, Joel and Asa. Jonas became owner of the farm where his grandfather Adonijah lived from 1786 to the time of his death. Joel, the next son, was a popular physician many years in town; represented the town many times, also a senator of Addison county. He moved West late in life and died at Madison, Wis. Asa, third son, is now living at the age of eighty-eight years. He always lived at the home where his father lived and died, his son, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Doud Bushnell

Bushnell, Doud, Lincoln, Starksboro p. o., emigrated from Saybrook, Conn., to Wattsfield Washington county, Vt., where he resided until the time of his death, which occurred about 1845. His wife was Lucy Joyce, whom he married in Saybrook, Conn. He was a shoemaker by trade, but in later life he engaged in farming. He had his farm in the eastern part of the town. He had a family of eleven children, three daughters and eight sons. Of this family Ira was born on April 2, 1799. He married Lurinda Ferguson, a daughter of Elisha Ferguson, who was one of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Andrew Jackson

Jackson, Andrew, Panton, Vergennes p. o., was born in Addison, Vt., in 1822. He represented his town in 1868 and 1869, and has been selectman and lister. He is a general farmer, dairyman, stock grower, and shipper, and owns and occupies the homestead farm of 230 acres. He was married in 1846 to Eliza Clark, who died in 1878, leaving two children — Charles L., and Fred C. Andrew Jackson then married for his second wife Emily Frances Collins, of Ferrisburgh, Vt., on October 19, 1880. Andrew Jackson was a son of Hezekiah and Sarah (Allen) Jackson. Sarah was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Louis C. Cotey

Cotey, Louis C., Vergennes, was born in Lower Canada in 1851. He settled in Vergennes, Vt., in 1867; worked at his trade, and in 1884 he engaged in the manufacture of sash, blinds, and general job house-building supplies, and also building by contract. They are now doing business under the firm name of Alden & Cotey. He was married in 1877 to Florence Adams, of St. Charles, Province of Quebec, Canada. They have had two children born to them — Willie and Lorena. Louis C. Cotey was a son of Joseph and Matilda (Hart) Cotey, who were natives of Canada, … Read more

Biography of Ozro Preston Gray

GRAY, OZRO P. Ozro Preston Gray was born in Bridport, Addison County, Vt., on September 18, 1806. Of the ancestors the following is known: His grandfather, Deacon Lamond Gray, was a descendant of Scotch ancestors who in 1612 settled in the North of Ireland, near Londonderry. In 1718 the family of which John Gray was the head, with some forty other families, emigrated through Boston to Worcester, Mass. In 1743 the family settled in Pelham, Mass., where Lamond Gray was born in 1753, the son of Daniel Gray. He was a well-educated man and taught school for a time in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William J. Nash

Nash, William J., New Haven, was born in New Haven, Vt., on November 26, 1852. He married Carrie E. Partch, a daughter of Nelson Partch. His parents were Joseph R. and Frances E. (Selleck) Nash. His paternal grandparents were William and Mary P. (Wright) Nash. His great-grandfather, William Nash, settled on the farm now occupied by William Nash, in 1799. His maternal grandfather, Seymour Selleck, was an early settler in the town of Middlebury, Vt., and was a prominent farmer. Joseph R. Nash was a prominent citizen of this town, and took an active part in public affairs; represented his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Hemenway

Daniel Hemenway, from Shrewsbury, Mass., located in Shoreham in 1783. Four of his eight sons settled in Vermont, and his brother Jacob was one of the original proprietors of Shoreham and Bridport. Daniel, as we have previously shown, served the proprietors as their treasurer, and his son Asa is recorded as their collector and surveyor. Daniel took up land in Shoreham, and built a log shop, which was afterwards used by his son Samuel, who settled there in 1792. Daniel died in 1794. One of his sons, Asa, was born in Shrewsbury, Mass., in 1750, and was present at the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Blodget

Samuel Blodget pitched on a lot of one hundred acres on the old North and South road from Cornwall to Middlebury, which was destroyed some time before 1860. M. B. Williamson, R. A. Foot, A. M. Williamson, Mrs. M. M. Peet, and Mrs. Alberton S. Bingham are his grandchildren. He was taken prisoner at the same time as Eldad Andrus, and was bound to a tree and threatened with death. Upon making himself known to a British officer as a Freemason, this fate was averted, and it was reserved for him to be taken to Ticonderoga, “where he suffered all … Read more