Addison County VT

Biographical Sketch of Chester B. Hack

Hack, Chester B., Orwell, was a native of Brandon, Vt., and settled in Orwell, Vt., about fifty years ago, and is one of the most respected of her adopted sons. William C. Hack, a son of Chester B. Hack, was the first person to introduce Holstein cattle in Orwell, Vt., and in this he takes rank as a pioneer. His first importation was from the celebrated stock farm of Smith & Powell, of Onondaga county, N. Y. Subsequent importations by others, and the good results therefrom, attest Mr. Hack’s judgment in his selection. His farm is popularly known as “Maple … Read more

Biography of Col. Lyman E. Knapp

Lyman E. Knapp

KNAPP, COL. LYMAN E., was born in Somerset, Windham county, Vt., November 5, 1837, and was the fifth in a family of nine children. Cyrus Knapp, his grandfather, was born at Taunton, Mass., December 8, 1769, and when a young man came and settled in Dover, Windham county, Vt. He married Thankful Stearns, who was born in Chesterfield, N. H., February 4, 1770. They had a family of eight children, of whom Hiram Knapp, father of the colonel, was the fifth. He was born in Dover February 7, 1803. He married Elvira, daughter of Jonas and —— (Page) Stearns. The … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Phineas Kitchel

Phineas Kitchel, born in Hanover in October, 1763, removed to Bridport in 1798, locating upon the farm now owned by John Melvin. Here he carried on his trade as weaver, to which he finally added blacksmithing and carriagemaking. He died in 1853, aged ninety years. Joseph, son of Phineas, born in 1794, died in 1852. Oscar F. Kitchel is a descendant.

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Norman J. Towsley

Towsley, Dr. Norman J., Panton, was born in Rupert, Vt., in 1815. He read medicine in Pawlet,Vt., and graduated from the Castleton Medical College, Vt., in 1843, after which he settled in Lincoln,Vt., in 1845, where he remained until 1846, when he settled in Panton, Vt., and now enjoys a large practice as a physician and surgeon. He was postmaster for fifteen years; town superintendent of schools for many years, and represented his town in the Assembly in 1880 and 1881. He was married in 1844 to Betsey Bromley, of Pawlet, Vt., a daughter of Lovine Bromley. They have had … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Capt. Cyprian Eastman

Captain Cyprian Eastman was born in Norwich, Conn., in 1749, and removed with his father to Beckett, and subsequently to Bennington county, where he married Rosannah Nehon, and soon after, in 1787, removed to this town, locating on the flats. He was chosen one of the first selectmen of the town, and at the organization of a militia company, in June, 1791, was chosen its captain, and was also one of the committee elected to lay out the first division lots and survey highways. He died of small-pox May 23,1798, aged forty-nine years, leaving a family of ten children.

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

Biography of Gen. David Whitney

General David Whitney came here soon after the Revolution and located upon the farm previously owned by Kellogg; but subsequently removed to a farm on the north bank of Ward’s Creek, where lie resided until a few years previous so his death, when he removed to Bridport. He died May 10, 1850, aged ninety-three years. He was a member of the constitutional conventions of 1793, 18I4, 1836 and 1843; represented Addison in the Legislatures of 1790, ’92, ’93, ’97, 1808 to 1815 and ’24, and was during his long life here one of the leading men of the town.

Biography of Hon. Albert Briggs

HON. ALBERT BRIGGS. – Ever green in the memory of the pioneer of the Pacific coast remain the trials and hardships they endured while establishing civilization in the far west. These pioneers, constituted no ordinary class; they were hardy, brave and energetic men; and thousands to-day are reaping the benefits which have accrued from the trials and hardships endured by the early pioneer. None among them deserve more tribute than the subject of this sketch, an excellent portrait of whom is placed in this history, from a photograph taken when he was in his seventy-fifth year. Mr. Briggs was born … Read more

Addison Vermont

THE town of Addison lies on the shore of Lake Champlain, in the western part of Addison county, and is bounded on the north by Panton; east by Waltham and Weybridge; south by Bridport, and west by Lake Champlain. The surface of the town is level or with a gradual slope towards the lake, except the extreme eastern part, which becomes hilly or mountainous, the highest elevation being Snake Mountain (or Grandview Mountain, as it is now called; this elevation rises to a height of 1,310 feet above sea level, and is the highest point in the county west of … 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 Charles D. Keeler

Keeler, Charles D., Vergennes, was born in Kent, Litchfield county, Conn., in 1810. He became an apprentice in the tanning business in 1826, and in 1831 he embarked in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and also in the tanning business, which he has continued until the present time. He was married in 1837 to Lovina Williams, who died in 1841, leaving four children, all of whom have since died. Charles D. Keeler then married his second wife, Sophia Gay, in 1851. She died leaving three children, only one of whom is now living — Mary (who married John W. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ebenezer Merrill

Ebenezer Merrill and his sons, Aaron and Correll, were early settlers in the northeastern part of the town. He died here March 8, 1827, aged eighty-two years. Correll reared a family of eight children, of whom Charles is the only one now living, and died August 29, 1849, in his eighty-third year. Hiram Merrill is a son of Aaron.

Bridport Vermont- Early Business Interests

The population of Bridport has always been strictly of an agricultural character. Its tradesmen and mechanics have almost invariably devoted their energies exclusively to supplying the home demand. The dearth of manufactures is attributed to the absence, as we have previously noted, of adequate water power. At an early day, when the settlers were clearing their lands and wood ashes were plentiful, Bridport, in common with other towns, did considerable business in the manufacture of potash, which found a market in Troy, Albany, and sometimes Quebec. In this manufacture Samuel Buck was pioneer. His works were located near the present … Read more

Biography of Ezra Brainerd, Jr.

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

Biography of Winter H. Holley

Holley, Winter H. (deceased), Bristol, was born in Bristol, Vt., June 15, 1798, and died June 10, 1877, after a long, useful, and busy life. He was a son of Colonel Robert and Hannah (Hewitt) Holley. His father was one of the early settlers of Bristol, a distinguished Revolutionary soldier, a prominent man both in the town and county, and the first representative from Bristol to the General Assembly of the State. Winter H. was married October 26, 1820, to Mary Seymour, a daughter of William and Susan (Rubilee) Seymour, of New Haven, Vt. She died March 14, 1886, having … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Datus R. Gaige

Gaige, Datus R., Bristol, is probably the oldest living native of the town of Bristol, Vt. His grandfather, William Gage, was born in the vicinity of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was a farmer by occupation, and came when quite young with his parents to Rutland county, Vt., settling in the town of Dorset, where he married a Miss Roberts, and after marriage removed to Ferrisburgh, Vt., there becoming one of the first settlers in that town. But owing to a prevalence of malaria, the family were compelled to remove to Bristol, Vt., where he resided until the time of his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Wilcox

James Wilcox, who was at Ticonderoga with Ethan Allen, located on the lake shore where E. H. Merrill now lives. Among his sons were Abner, Vilroy, Henry, and Anson. E. D. and Arthur Wilcox are sons of Abner.

Biographical Sketch of Chester Elmer

Elmer, Chester, Middlebury, was born in Addison, Addison county, Vt., on January 13, 1812. His parents were Chester and Huldah (Fisher) Elmer. Chester Elmer, sr., with his father, Elijah Elmer (who was a native of Massachusetts), came with his family to the town of Addison, in 1802, and bought a farm which is still owned by his descendants. He died on May 5, 1804. His son, Chester, jr., cleared up the place, and built a brick house which still stands on the place. He was a successful farmer, and had a family of seven children, five of whom are now … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Orange L. Gage

Gage, Orange L., Ferrisburgh, V ergennes p. o., was born in Ferri sburgh, Vt., in 1828. He now owns and occupies the old homestead of seventy acres, which was purchased by his father over seventy years ago, and on which he has erected a fine brick mansion. He was married in January, 1858, to Sarah Hitchcock. They had a family of three children born to them — Hattie M., aged six years, died on August 7, 1877, and also their baby, aged one and a half years; his wife died on August 7, 1877, and also their daughter Clara, on … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nicholas H. Guindon

Guindon, Nicholas H., Lincoln, was born in New Haven, Vt., on September 3, 1830. His father, Gabriel Guindon, was for many years a resident of New Haven, Vt. He was of French Canadian parents, and was born in the town of Moscow, Province of Quebec, on May 1, 1802. He was married in June, 1828, to Lydia Purinton, a daughter of Chase Purinton. They had a family of three children born to them — Nicholas H., Jasper R. (now a resident of Lynn, Mass.), and Cleora C. (who married Ezra Page, of Lincoln, Vt.; is now a widow). Gabriel Guindon, … Read more