Gideon Seeger, from Shaftsbury, Vt., located upon the farm now owned by Byron Smith in 1791. He was one of the early postmasters, an office he retained for many years, and which was afterwards held for a long time by Gideon, jr. Luman Seeger, here now, is a grandson of Gideon.
Birkett, John, Ferrisburgh, was born in Ferrisburgh, Vt., on March 12, 1823. He now owns and occupies the old homestead settlement, and also a large addition, owning in all about 400 acres He represented his town in 1876 and 1877, was a justice of the peace, and held other offices in his town. He was married in 1861 to Alvira C. Parker, who was born in Underhill, Vt., in 1838, and is a daughter of Reuben and Susan Ann (Rogers) Parker. They have had four children born to them: Martha (born November 23, 1862); Elmer P. (born March 4, 1864); … Read more
DOUGLAS, JULIUS PRESTON. Among the pioneers of Addison county was the family of James Marsh Douglas, who came from Cornwall, Conn., to the town of Cornwall, Addison county, in 1784, where James Marsh Douglas died in 1790. His son, Benajeh Douglas, was born in Cornwall, Conn., August 5, 1780; was a successful farmer and hotel keeper in Cornwall, Vt., for many years. He was much interested in militia affairs in the early days. His first wife was Salome Scott, by whom he had two children, one daughter and one son. His second wife was Betsey Preston. To that union were … Read more
The first grist-mill built in the town was put up by James, William and John O’Brian about the year 1792. It was located west of South Mountain, upon the brook which still bears the builders’ name. This mill was a small affair, and was in use but a short time, though it was very valuable to the early settlers, until a more pretentious structure was built at New Haven Mills. Subsequently, in 1805, a grist-mill was built at Bristol village by Enos Soper, and which did service until September, 1849, when it was destroyed by fire. Henry and Enos Soper … Read more
Gideon Carpenter, from Bennington, Vt., located in 1802 upon the farm now occupied by his son Isaiah. He had four children, viz. Ruth, who married Daniel Jackson ; Roxana, who married Erasmus Gulley Truman, a resident of Vergennes, and Isaiah. Gideon died in 1803 or ’04, aged eighty-four years.
Dewey, Homer W., Middlebury, was born in Whiting, Addison county, Vt., on May 10, 1828. His parents were Truman and Elizabeth (Pratt) Dewey. Truman Dewey was born in Connecticut, and came to Addison county, Vt., with his mother and her family about 1785, settling in West Salisbury, Vt., and cleared a place there. He was a farmer and lived in various towns, and was a justice of the peace for many years. He had a family of two daughters and six sons, five of whom are now living. He died on April 1, 1864. Homer W. Dewey was educated in … Read more
William, Barnabas and Zenas Myrick, the three brothers, were early prominent business men in town. William served as town clerk many years; represented the town in the State Legislature six sessions; was a judge, etc. Barnabas served the town as selectman, and in numerous other offices. He was killed by the fall of a tree in 1823. B. J. Myrick, in town, was his son. Zenas was a carpenter by trade; he also represented the town in 1828 and 1829. William M. and Charles H. Grandoy, of this town, were grandsons of Judge William Myrick.
Barnum, Orton T., Monkton, Bristol p. o., was born in Monkton, Vt., in 1838. He is one of the leading farmers of his county and also one of the representative men, having held most of the town offices, and representing the town in the Legislature in 1876 and 1877. He was married in 1864 to Amanda Dean, a daughter of Carlton and Celestia (French) Dean. They have had three children born to them — Mary A., Harry Orton, and Edward T., who died at the age of two years. Orton T. was a son of Philemon and Rebecca (Thomas) Barnum. … Read more
Rice, Beebe T., Cornwall, was born in Bridport, Addison county, Vt., on January 27, 1836, and is the youngest living son of Asa and Elizabeth (Turrell) Rice. He was educated in the common schools of Addison and the academy at Shoreham, and had fitted himself for and entered Middlebury College, when ill health compelled him to leave school. He taught school at Bridport and Shoreham, Vt., for several terms, and in the spring of 1857 he went to Minnesota and remained West most of the time till the fall of 1869. He was married on February 7, 1870, to Mara … Read more
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
Stevens, Carleton T., Vergennes, was born in Panton, Vt., in 1817. He was judge of the County Court in 1883 and ’84; was director of the Vergennes Bank from 1865 to ’68, and president of the same from 1868. He has also held several corporation offices. He and his brother, Charles O., engaged in the hotel business in 1835, and engaged in the same until they sold their interest in the hotel property (1873), and retired from active public business as farmers, etc. They were sons of Thomas and Sally (Tappan) Stevens. He was born in Canaan, Conn., in 1794, … Read more
SMITH, HON. LUCIUS E., was a son of Luman B. and Lucia (Collins) Smith, of Monkton, Vt. He was born at that place on the 5th of October, 1824, and was the second of five children, of whom the others were Hon. A. T. Smith, of Vergennes; Daniel C., of Addison; Jerome B., of Burlington; and Mrs. B. F. Sutton, of Middlebury, Vt. The subject of this sketch had exceptional educational advantages, and made good use of them. He entered and was graduated from Juliet College, a Catholic institution at Moscow, Canada, where many priests have been and are now … Read more
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
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
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
William Allis, from Massachusetts, came to Addison in 1785, locating upon the farm now Owned by Edgar, son of the late Nathaniel Allis, who was his last surviving child. The present house was built by Nathaniel in 1831, succeeding the old log house.
Daniel Champion, a Revolutionary soldier, was an early settler, locating near Chimney Point Newell B. Smith, who came here in 1800, and afterward served in the War of 1812, married Electa, one of Daniel’s twelve children. Austin Smith is the only one of their children now living.
Bain, Charles H., Middlebury, was born in Bristol, Addison county, Vt., on July 6, 1839. His parents were Andrew and Harriett (Mills) Bain. Andrew Bain was born in Glasgow, Scotland, about 1818, and with his father, Andrew, sr., emigrated to America in 1830, and settled in the town of Lincoln, where Andrew, sr., died. Andrew, jr., after his marriage, with his wife and child journeyed to the State of Illinois in a canvas-covered wagon, and was absent about a year. He then returned east and purchased a farm near Little Notch,, south of Bristol, where he resided eight years, when … Read more
The part taken by the early inhabitants of this town in the wars of the Revolution and 1812 has been described in preceding pages; but it may be added that the descendants of Addison’s pioneers fully sustained the records of their ancestors for bravery and patriotism, when the country was threatened with internal war. Men and money were freely supplied for the preservation of the Union, and many fell in defense of their country. The following list gives the names of those who enlisted in the town in Vermont organizations, as compiled by the adjutant-general Volunteers for three years credited … Read more
Andrus, S. S., Cornwall, was born in Cornwall, Addison county, Vt., on October 7, 1819. His parents were Ethan and Abigail (Skinner) Andrus. Ethan Andrus was born in Cornwall, Vt., about 1793, and was a son of Eldad Andrus, who was a pioneer in the early settlement of Cornwall and settled on the place now owned by Mrs. Holley. He afterward settled on the farm which is the home of his grandson, where he spent the latter part of his life. Ethan Andrus also spent part of his life on the same place until late in life, when he moved … Read more