Addison County VT

Biographical Sketch of James Bain

Bain, James, Bristol, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on November 22, 1820. His father, Andrew Bain, came to America with one son, Andrew, in 1830, settled in Lincoln, Vt., and in 1832 the mother came with four children from Glasgow to Lincoln, Vt. The children were William (who now resides in Lincoln, Vt.), Thomas (now a resident of Lincoln, Vt.), Archibald (deceased, died in Bristol, Vt.). They lived in Lincoln and Bristol, Vt., most of their lives. After their arrival in America they had three daughters born to them, Mary (now Mrs. Horace Dodge, of Northfield, Vt.), Harriet (now Mrs. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Israel Taylor

Israel Taylor came to Addison from Middlebury in 1816. He followed the carpenter and joiner trade; reared nine children, two of whom, Cyrillo H. and Esther, now reside here.

Cornwall Vermont – Post Office

A post-office was not established in Cornwall until about 1824, when Chauncey H. Stowell was appointed. In 1833 he was succeeded by Samuel Everts, who held the office twelve years. Chauncey H. Stowell was then reappointed. His successors have been Charles Merrill, Rev. G. W. Noyes, Calvin H. Lewis, Loyal L. Wright, and Samuel Everts, the present incumbent. Some time before 1860 an office was established at West Cornwall, by the appointment of Benjamin F. Haskell. His successor was Mr. Hamilton. Mrs. M. A. Hamilton succeeded on the death of her husband in June, 1860, and still retains the position.

Biographical Sketch of Isaac Pettibone

Isaac Pettibone, with his father, emigrated from Norwalk, Conn., to the eastern part of Middlebury, and subsequently, in 1795, removed to Bridport, settling upon the farm now owned by E. Jewett. Isaac was a hatter by trade, which occupation he followed here many years. His sons were Charles C. and Edwin S.; both have died and their widows have homes in town.

Bridport Vermont – Morning Sun Lodge, F. & A. M.

Upon petition signed by John Strong, William McKendrick, John N. Bennett, Albion Mann, Daniel Hamblin, Buel Hitchcock, Richard Redfield, John Hall, Aldric Mann, Nathaniel Calender and Joel Barber, “worthy brethren in Masonry, residing at and in the vicinity of Bridport,” the Grand Lodge of Vermont, on October 13, 1800, granted to the said petitioners “a regular lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, under the style and designation of Morning Sun Lodge No. 18” (now No. 5), which has ever since continued to exist and at the present time is in a very thrifty condition. William M. Grandey is now master, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lewis L. Collins

Collins, Lewis L., Monkton, Monkton Ridge p. o., was born in Monkton, Vt., in 1832. He represented his town in the Legislature in 1878 and 1879; has served as lister and selectman for three years; also has held the office of justice of the peace, and many other minor offices of the town. He is a general farmer, and was married in 1860 to Louise Nye, of Monkton, Vt. They have had one daughter born to them, Alma, who was married in 1881 to J. R. Dean. They have had one son born to them, Lewis J. Lewis L. was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Chase Purinton

Purinton, Chase, Lincoln, was born in Kensington, N. H., on April 27, 1757. He settled in Lincoln, Vt., on the farm which is now owned by his grandson, Elihu Purinton. He was a blacksmith by trade, and the first in the town; built the first grist-mill that was ever built in this town, in 1806, near the site of the present Watson Morgan mills. He was married on September 30, 1778, at Seabrook, N. H., to Lydia Brown, who was born in that town on August 13, 1758. Mr. Purinton died on his homestead, on June 16, 1826, leaving a … Read more

Biography of William M. Dean

Dean, William M., Monkton, was born in Monkton, Vt., in 1860. He is a general farmer, and was elected lister of the town in 1885. He was married in November, 1884, to Abie M. Palmer, a daughter of James and Lucinda (Martin) Palmer. William M. is a son of Marion and Loretta (Fuller) Dean. She was born in 1835 and Marion H. was born in 1833. They were married in 1854 and have had a family of four children — Ashbel A. (born in 1857), William M. (born in 1860), and Lewis F. (born in 1862). Ashbel A. was a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Andrew J. Mason

Mason, Andrew J., New Haven, was born in the town of Pottsdam, N. Y., on October 24, 1834, where he was reared and educated, and came to the town of New Haven, Vt., in 1844, where he has since resided. He was in the War of the late Rebellion, enlisting as a private in Company F, Fifth Vermont Volunteers; was promoted to orderly sergeant, and then to second lieutenant, which he served for two years when he was compelled from ill health to resign. He was in all battles in which his regiment participated. He now owns a farm of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Isaac Lovett

Lovett, Isaac, Middlebury, was born in Pittsfield, Rutland county, Vt., on October 24, 1806. His parents were Joseph and Sally (Jepperson) Lovett. Isaac Lovett was educated in the common schools of Warren, Vt., where his family had removed to in 1816. He was brought up to farming and remained at home until he was of age, when he picked up the trade of shoemaking, a trade which he followed at intervals during his life. In 1830 he purchased the place on which he now resides, and which then consisted of forty-three acres; it now contains over ninety acres. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rufus Hazard

Hazard, Rufus, Ferrisburgh, North Ferrisburgh p. o., was born in Uxbridge, Canada West, in 1808. He has held several of the town offices and has been appointed executor and administrator of several large estates. He was married in 1835 to Sarah A. Allen; she died in 1865, leaving one adopted daughter — Mary Esther Anthony, who married Thomas R. Noonan. Rufus married for his second wife Mrs. Ruth Carry Holmes, who was born in Half Moon, Saratoga county, N. Y. Rufus Hazard was a son of Thomas and Lydia (Rogers) Hazard, who were born and married in Vermont. They died … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Calice Bessette

Bessette, Calice, Orwell, a manufacturer of carriages and wagons, has been established in Orwell, Vt., since 1860. He is a native of St. Mary’s Province, Quebec, Canada, where he was born on April 10, 1836. He is the fourth generation from France. His father, Albert J. Bessette, came from Canada with his family and settled in Burlington, Vt., in 1847. Calice Bessette went to Lowell, Mass., in 1856, where he spent one year, after which he went to Shoreham, Vt., where he remained three years, where he learned his trade, that of blacksmithing and carriage-making at the shop of Antoine … Read more

Biography of Sheldon Smith

SMITH, SHELDON. The second family of permanent settlers in the town of Bridport, Addison county, Vt., was that of Samuel Smith, of New Jersey, who made the long journey from that State in what was termed a “Jersey wagon,” drawn by a yoke of oxen. They came to what is now Whitehall, N. Y., at the head of Lake Champlain, where they disposed of the team, no roads being then opened, and loaded their goods on a bateau and sailed down the lake, probably to some point within the present town of Panton. They subsequently came to Bridport, and Mr. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Luther Carpenter

Carpenter, Luther, Ferrisburgh, was born in Ferrisburgh, Vt., in 1795. He was a farmer in early life, but retired in 1872. He represented his town in 1836 and ’37, and also held many of the town offices. He was married on December 7, 1836, to Lydia Ann Davis. They have had two children born to them, only one of whom is now living, Eliza A. (born March 29, 1838; married Daniel Collins in 1856). Mrs. Lydia Ann was a daughter of William and Mercy (Taft) Davis. William was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1772, and his wife Mercy was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Burwell

David Burwell, from New Jersey, came to Bridport in 1791, locating upon the farm now owned by J. T. Fletcher. He was a weaver by trade, which occupation he followed as long as age permitted him to labor.

Bristol Vermont – Education

The Bristol Scientific Institute was established many years ago, and during the late war was changed to the Bristol Academy, which name it retained till March 2, 1881, when it was organized as the Bristol Graded School. The present building, erected in 1855, was removed a hundred rods to its present location about 1876. Mason S. Stone is principal of the academy, assisted by E. A. Hasseltine, Julia Barry, Hattie Bissonette and Miss Spencer. The town has nine school districts.

Biographical Sketch of Jared Ives

Jared Ives, from Cheshire, Conn., settled in 1787 on the west side of the road, north of David Pratt. Enos Ives lived nearly across the road from him. John Rockwell, jr., came to Cornwall from Ridgefield, Conn., in 1784, and settled on the farm now owned and occupied by his grandson, S. S. Rockwell. He first built on the west side of the road. He gradually acquired an extensive farm, which, after his death at the age of seventy-one years, September 5, 1825, become the property of his son, John Rockwell, who conveyed the farm to his son, the present … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. B. Dike

Dike, J. B., Bristol, was born in Milton, Chittenden county, Vt., on August 24, 1808. His parents were Jonathan, jr., and Sally (Caswell) Dike. Jonathan, jr., was a son of Jonathan, sr., who was a resident of the town of Milton, Vt., for many years. Jonathan, jr., had a family of three children — David C. (born October 16, 1802, in Milton, Vt.), Sally C. (born August, 22, 1885). Jonathan B. resided in Starksboro, Vt., for about two years. He came to reside in Bristol, Vt., in 1851. He was married in September, 1832, to Mary M. Leet, of Clairmount, … Read more

Biography of Rufus Hazard

Rufus Hazard

The origin of names is various; many are taken from trades or professions; many are mere nicknames. Probably the best are from places where families resided, and where they possessed property. It seems that the Hassards, or Hazards, took theirs from the places in which they first settled in England. The manor of Haroldesore, in the parish of Ingleborne, in the county of Devon, is in old deeds called the manor of Hardiswardshore, otherwise Hardwardshore, otherwise Hasworth, otherwise Hazard, in Lyons, Magna, Britannia, Devonshire. The family of Hassard, Hazard, or Hassart, is of Norman extraction, and is of considerable antiquity. At … Read more