Addison County VT

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 Beebe T. Rice

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

Biography of James Barclay Jermain

JAMES BARCLAY JERMAIN A VENERABLE Albanian, whose name will be cherished by thousands of his fellow-citizens as a noble philanthropist, long after he shall have passed from the scenes and activities of earth, is James Barclay Jermain. His career as a benefactor to his race affords a happy illustration of what is true, spiritual and beautiful in Christianity. Favored with large pecuniary means he has not been slow to use money liberally in such ways as he believes to t s effective in accomplishing the greatest amount of good to the largest number of individuals in elevating them socially, intellectually … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. Kirk Smith

Smith, H. Kirk, of Vergennes, Vt., was born in Ohio. He was a graduate of Marietta College and also a graduate of a college at Munich, Germany, and on his return to America he engaged in the naval service as secretary until the close of the war, after which he became connected with the commissary department, from which he resigned in 1879, retiring from active life at that time, and settling in Vergennes, Vt. Doctor H. Kirk Smith was a son of Rev. Henry Smtih, D. D., and Hannah (Bates) Smith, a daughter, of Prof. Bates, of Middlebury College, Vt. … 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 E. J. Mathews

Mathews, E. J., Middlebury, was born in Middlebury, Vt., on May 5, 1827. His parents were Eli and Annis (Lothrop) Mathews. Deacon Eli Mathews was born in Stoneham, Mass., on February 16, 1794, and came to Addison county, Vt., with his father, Captain Timothy Mathews, soon after 1800, and first settled in Middlebury village, where Timothy Mathews followed his trade of shoemaking. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and commanded a company from Addison county, Vt., in the War of 1812. He died on September 4. 1857. Eli was a blacksmith by trade, and followed that business in Middlebury village until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Julius I. Clark

Clark, Julius I., Addison, was born in Addison, Addison county, Vt., on July 25, 1836. His parents were Isaiah and Harriette (Stickle) Clark. Isaiah was born in Addison in 1800. His father, Isaiah, sr., was an early settler in Addison, and settled on the farm now owned by Byron Smith. He was a large land owner and a successful man; kept a hotel for many years. Isaiah, jr., lived on the same place and raised a family of eleven children to maturity, eight of whom are now living. He was a prominent man of his town, and filled many of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Eldad Andrus

Eldad Andrus first settled on the farm now occupied by Mrs. T. B. Holly, and afterwards exchanged farms with Zechariah Benedict, whose pitch lay in the west part of the town bounding on Lemon Fair. His first house was built a few rods east of the present buildings. He was taken prisoner in May or June, 1778, by Indians and Tories, and carried across Lake Champlain to the British camp, where he was held for several months. Meanwhile the Indians frequently visited his house, consumed his provisions, destroyed his young fruit-trees, and stole his mare and her colt. It is … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Byron W. Field

Field, Byron W., Ferrisburgh, North Ferrisburgh p. o., was born in Ferrisburgh, Vt., in 1842. He is one of the prominent business men of his town and county, and embarked in the general business of buying and selling of hay, in 1866. His business in that department has sometimes exceeded fifty thousand dollars. He is also a general farmer and dairyman. He is now treasurer of his town. He was married in 1863 to Hattie E. Sattley, of Ferrisburgh, Vt. She was born in 1842, and was a daughter of Abraham Sattley, of Ferrisburgh, Vt. They have had four children … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Barnabas Myrick

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.

Biographical Sketch of Frank T. Nash

Nash, Frank T., New Haven, was born in Racine county, Wis., on February 2, 1851; is one of the prominent farmers of his town, and represented his town in the Legislature in 1884 and 1885. His parents were Fordyce and Eliza A. (Thayer) Nash. His paternal grandparents were William and Mary P. (Wright) Nash, and his paternal great-grandfather was William Nash, who was born in Farmington, Conn., in February 1743, and settled in New Haven, Vt., in 1799, where he died on August 2, 1821. William Nash, jr., was a successful business man and a prominent citizen, and represented his … 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

Biography of Cyrus Strong Merrill, M. D.

CYRUS STRONG MERRILL, M. D. AMONG the noted professional men of Albany no name shines with greater resplendency in a special department of science than that of Dr. C. S. Merrill, the eminent oculist and aurist. On the 21st of September, 1847, in the town of Bridport, Vermont, he first saw the light. His parents were Edward Henry Merrill and Sarah Wilson Strong, whose ancestors were among the earliest settlers of that state and exerted a marked influence on its affairs before, as well as since the revolution. From his earliest years the natural inclination of his genius was plainly … Read more

Biography of E.R. Jewett

JEWETT, E. R. Willow Lawn is in some respects the handsomest estate in Buffalo. It lies on Main Street, near the railroad over which the Belt Line trains conveniently run at short intervals. Its grounds stretch back through acres of farm land to the City Park. The finest half-mile avenue in the city limits for pleasure driving sweeps down past the place and merges into the park roads. The house, lacking the pretensions of many a more modern and expensive city residence, is large, roomy, and has an unmistakable air of comfort and convenience. The long path that leads up … 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

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Increase Graves

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.

Biographical Sketch of Charles L. Kimball Jr.

Kimball, jr., Charles L., Ferrisburgh, Vergennes p. o., was born in Ohio in 1854. and settled in Ferrisburgh, Vt., in 1884, on the homestead of 100 acres, which he has occupied ever since. He was married in 1875 to Susan Ryan, of Georgia, Vt. They have had four children born to them — Adeline, Lilian, Ivy, and Carlotta. Charles L. Kimball, jr., was a son of Charles L. and Adeline (Kenyon) Kimball. Mrs. Kimball was a native of New York, and Mr. Kimball was a native of Ferrisburgh, Vt., and was a son of Dan and Maria (Height) Kimball, of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Elijah Ferguson

Ferguson, Elijah and Elisha, Bristol, were among the early settlers of the town of Starksboro, Vt. They came from Nine Partners, New York, with their father, John Ferguson, who bought a large tract of land in that town. Elijah Ferguson was born on April 17, 1775, and was married on August 10, 1797, to Mary Haight, who was born on November 6, 1780. They had a family of ten children born to them, of whom Albert was the fourth child, and was born on October 23, 1803. He was married on December 22, 1825, to Clarissa Bostwick; she was a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Hamblin

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.