John Fisher, from Massachusetts, located in the eastern part of the town, upon the farm now owned by Osman H. Fisher, at an early date. The homestead passed into the hands of his son Henry, and from him reverted to Osman H. John, whose remains rest in the cemetery near Olin Smith’s place, had a family of five children.
Benjamin Kellogg brought his family into the town in 1766. He traded his farm of one hundred acres in Connecticut for 3,000 acres lying in Addison and Panton. When the settlers were driven off, Kellogg went to Mount Hope, N. Y., with his family, and subsequently to Bennington, where he took part in the battle there. Subsequently he and Lieutenant Everest came back to Addison to look after the cattle they had left here, and found that a Mr. Gale had sold them to the British, and had also reported their owners as spies. They were both captured on the … 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.
Jonah Case located in the northeastern part of the town, on the old “‘Squire Arzah Crane place,” where William J. Conant recently resided. The old brick house is still standing, built by him in 1780 – the first brick dwelling erected in the county. Here he kept a public house for a long time, and the county courts were held here for several years. It is said that Case first built a log house but while putting on the roof the building was blown down, and that he then built the present house of brick manufactured on the farm. In … Read more
Asaph Haywood, who settled in Weybridge in 1805, upon the farm now occupied by Joseph Brown, was the grandfather of Benjamin Haywood, who resides in the northeastern part of this town.
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.
Elijah Elmer, from Amherst, Mass., came to Addison in 1783, locating upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Wright Elmer. He had a family of four sons, only one of whom, Chester, attained mature age. He married a sister of Governor Silas Wright.
James Hindes came from New Jersey in 1800, locating upon the farm now owned by Aaron Hindes, in that part of the town known as “Nortontown.” The homestead descended from James to Aaron, and thence to Aaron, jr., who has been a prominent man in town affairs, being now upwards of seventy-five years of age.
James Gorham came on foot from Massachusetts in 1810, locating upon the farm now owned by his son Edward. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and was ever respected as an upright, industrious citizen.
Abel Norton, from Connecticut, located upon the farm now owned by Hiram Norton, in 1790, and died here in 1833, aged fifty-six years. Hiram has eight children, all of whom except Lucy (Mrs. F. M. Moulton, of Vergennes) reside near the old farm.
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.
The Strong family has been a prominent one in this town. The Hon. John Strong was born in Salisbury, Conn., in 1738 and came to Addison in February, 1766, as before noted. After he was driven away from his settlement by the British he went to Dorset, which town he represented in the Legislature from 1779 to 1782, and in 1781 he was elected assistant judge of Bennington county, and re-elected in 1782. In 1783 he returned to his former home in this town. His first dwelling here was built near the lake and destroyed by the British. In 1796 … Read more
The town was organized and the first town meeting held March 29, 1784, when the following list of officers was chosen to govern its affairs: Captain Zadock Everest, moderator; Colonel John Strong, clerk; Colonel John Strong, Zadock Everest and Joshua Whitney, selectmen; Colonel John Strong, treasurer; Lieutenant David Vallance, constable; Benjamin Paine, Benjamin Everest and Lieutenant Joshua Whitney, listers; David Vallance, collector; Colonel John Strong, leather sealer; John Ward and Ebenezer Wright, grand jurors; Joseph Chilson, tithingman; Timothy Woodford, brander of horses; Samuel Strong, pound-keeper; and Benjamin Everest and David Whitney, fence viewers. It was also voted at this meeting … Read more
Benjamin Southard, from New Jersey, settled upon a farm in the southern part of the town; married Cynthia Mason, reared fourteen children, and died August 7, 1845. Ransom Southard is the only descendant now in the town.
Wheeler French located in Addison in 1833, and his father, Nathaniel, was one of the early settlers in New Haven. George, son of Wheeler, now resides here, one of the ex-representatives of the town in the General Assembly.
Asahel Barnes was a native of Bristol, Conn. From there he removed to New Haven, where he remained about seven years, then went to Canada and remained two years, and finally in 1823 came to Addison, locating upon the place now occupied by his son Asahel, Jr. The earliest settler on this place was Benjamin Paine, though Mr. Barnes bought it of James Lewis, whose wife was an adopted daughter of Paine. Mr. Barnes died In June, 1859, in his eighty-second year, while on a visit to his daughter, Mrs. Alfred Roscoe, of New Haven. Asahel, Jr., was born in … 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
Levi Meeker came to Addison from Elizabethtown, N. Y., in 1806, locating in the southeastern part of the town upon the farm lately owned by Horace Meeker, deceased, and now the property of his nephew. He held various town offices, and died at the age of seventy-eight years.
Arnold Gulley, from Rhode Island, came to Addison in 1804, locating upon the place now occupied by his son Erasmus.
Lieutenant Benjamin Everest came with his father to Addison when he was sixteen years old; his father’s name was also Benjamin, and Zadock was his brother. He is said to have been a man of prowess and courage, and with his brother was conspicuous in aiding Allen and Warner to drive out the “Yorkers” from the county. On receipt of news of the battle of Lexington, Everest repaired to Allen’s headquarters, and was given a lieutenant’s commission. He was with Allen when he entered the fort at Ticonderoga, and went with Warner to the capture of Crown Point. After Allen … Read more