Addison County VT

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 Thaddeus N. Dean

Dean, Thaddeus N., Monkton, was born in Monkton, Vt., in 1816. He was married in 1842 to Phydelia Alford, of Malone, Franklin county, N. Y. They have had two children born to them: one son died when sixteen years of age and the other died in infancy. Thaddeus N. Dean was a son of Charles and Loretta (Munson) Dean. Loretta was born in Manchester, Vt., on September 4, 1786, and died in 1843. Charles was born in North Caanan, Conn., and died in 1861. He was a carpenter and builder and settled in Starksboro Vt., in 1794 with his parents, … Read more

Biography of Nicholas J. McCuen

McCUEN, NICHOLAS J. resident of the city of Vergennes, Vt., son of Robert and Mary (Foster) McCuen, was born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, on the 15th day of August, 1851, and came to this country at the age six months. A portion of his father’s early days was passed in England. Later he owned and carried on a farm, owned and ran a number of looms for the manufacture of linen; also he speculated quite extensively in grain and mill stuff. Adverse circumstances, caused by the failure of crops in 1847, induced him to come to this country, where … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Homer W. Dewey

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

Biographical Sketch of Walter V. Wright

Wright, Walter V., Weybridge, was born in Cornwall, Vt., on November 16, 1857. His parents were Victor and Mariette (Foote) Wright. Victor Wright was born in Cornwall, Addison county, Vt, on July 29, 1819. He was married on October 18, 1853, to Mariette Foote, who was a daughter of Elijah Foote. Victor Wright’s father, Daniel Wright, came to this county at an early day. Victor Wright settled on the place now owned by Mr. Easton. He came to Weybridge, Vt., in the spring of 1864, and settled on the Dexter place, which is now owned by his sons, and which … 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 Elisha H. Landon

Landon, Elisha H., New Haven, was born in Salisbury, Conn., October 1, 1800, where he was educated; in 1821 he came to New Haven, Vt., and served as a clerk in the store of Rodman Chapman for three years, after which he engaged in the mercantile business in Bristol, Vt., and later in New Haven, Vt. He engaged in farming in 1832, a business in which he has since engaged, continuing until the time of his retirement from active life. He was agent for the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Company, for Rutland and Addison counties, for forty years, and has … Read more

Biography of Gideon Seeger

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.

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Griswold

Benjamin Griswold came with his family to the town from the State of New York in 1787, locating on Bristol Flats, upon a part of the late Morgan estate. He remained only a few years, when he removed to Cambridge, Vt. His son Horace was the second child born in the township.

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.

Biographical Sketch of Medad L. Partch

Partch, Medad L., Ferrisburgh, North Ferrisburgh p. o., was born at Hyde Park, Vt., in 1851, and is by profession a practical miller. He formed the present firm of Partch & Co. in 1885, and is now engaged in a general custom milling business, dealing in the fine brands of western flour. They have extensive mills of four run stone power, and are fed by the Lewis Creek. He was married in 1880 to Weltha Prime. They have had one child born to them -Nellie L. Medad L. was a son of Lyman C. and Louisa (Martin) Partch. They had … Read more

Biography of Daniel Champion

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.

Bristol Vermont – Proprietors’ Meetings

There is strong presumptive evidence extant tending to prove that proprietors’ meetings were held, and some measures taken towards allotting the lands in Pocock, previous to those appearing in the proprietors’ record-book. It is generally believed by authorities that, as early as 1784, John Willard, of Middlebury, Hon. Jonathan Hoyt, of St. Albans, and Captain Miles Bradley, of New Haven, at a meeting held in Canaan, Litchfield county, Conn., were appointed a committee to survey and allot the land in Pocock, though no record of such an event has been found. But deeds from the proprietors recorded in the Rutland … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nathan Jackson

Nathan Jackson located on the east side of the road nearly across from Jacob Ingraham, and followed his occupation of blacksmithing. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and prided himself on enjoying the personal confidence of General Washington.

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 Peter Tully

Tully, Peter, Cornwall, was born in County Cavan, Ireland, in June, 1810. His parents were John and Bridget (Rogers) Tully. He came to America in 1835, and went to Harrisburgh, Penn., where he remained one year, and enlisting in 1836 in the First Artillery U. S. army he was sent to Florida, and under the command of General Jessup was present at the battle of the Everglades, and took part in the exploring which was under the command of Lieutenant Fowler, and in which expedition Fowler lost his life. He was in the Cherokee campaign, after which he was sent … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harvey Munsill

Judge Harvey Munsill, one of Captain Gordon Munsill’s eight children, long and favorably known in Bristol as a man of honor and ability, received his education in the district schools of Bristol, and at the Addison County Grammar School at Middlebury, and studied law with Hon. Daniel Chipman, of that town. Although reared a farmer, he inclined to the study and use of books. He succeeded to the ownership of the homestead, which he retained until about 1840. After the year 1820 he became prominently identified with the public affairs of the town, and his career as a public officer … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Eastman

Jonathan Eastman, who came to Bristol from Rupert, Vt., in 179l, was born in Norwich, Conn., in 1753. He removed to Rupert with his father, where he married a Miss Haynes, who bore him a daughter; and for his second wife a Miss Dean, who bore him five children. He was chosen as the town’s first justice of the peace, and first representative, in 1792, holding the former office seventeen years, and was again a representative in 1795; was town clerk eleven years and a selectman four years. He died December 6, 1816. Calvin, Oliver and Amos Eastman, brothers 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 William N. French

French, William N., New Haven, was born in the town of New Haven, Addison county, Vt., on June 20, 1835. He is a successful farmer, owning a farm of 125 acres; is also a breeder of the Spanish Merino sheep, and has a registered flock of 125 sheep. He was married in 1868 to Mary J. Dorson, a daughter of Ziba and Eliza (Crampton) Dorson, of Franklin, Vt. His parents were Nathaniel and Samantha (Kipp) French. His paternal grandfather was Nathaniel H. French, who was a native of Trumbull, Connecticut, and settled in Ferrisburgh, Vt., in 1789. He served in … Read more