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.
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 Stickle, born in New Jersey in 1769, came to Addison in early life, locating in the eastern part of the town, where he died December 18, 1850. The homestead came into Charles Stickle’s possession in 1847, who was born in 1807, and in 1878 reverted to H. A. Stickle, the present owner, it having never left the family since it was reclaimed from the wilderness.
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.
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.
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.
John Vanderhoof, from New Jersey, located upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Oliver Vanderhoof, early in the present century.
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.
The first post-office in the town was established at Chimney Point about 1823, with Amos B. Chubb, postmaster. He held the office about two years, and was succeeded by Byron Murray, and he by Asahel Barnes, sr., who held the Office until he went to Burlington, in 1841, when Dr. Prentiss Cheney had it for a time; then Dr. David C. Goodale, and finally, in the autumn of 1847, it was taken by Asahel Barnes, Jr., who has been continued in the office up to the present time. At the Corners a very early postmaster was Gideon Seeger. The present … Read more
Arzah Crane came from Burlington in 1814 and settled on the farm now occupied by Shepard Olcott, about one and one-fourth miles north of Asahel Barnes’s. His daughter E1len is the wife of Asahel Barnes. He died at Essex, N. Y., in 1861.
The Grandview House, located upon the summit of Snake Mountain, was built in 1874 by Jonas N. Smith, the present proprietor. It has an observatory sixty-eight feet in height, from which an unexcelled view of the surrounding country may be obtained, showing quite distinctly the old forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, a fine view of Lake George, South Bay, West Whitehall, Lake Champlain from South Bay to Cumberland Head, Crown Point village and furnaces, Port Henry and its two furnaces, Moriah Four Corners, Moriah Center, Mineville, Westport, Split Rock, Point Essex, the spires of churches in Plattsburgh, Middlebury, Vergennes, … Read more
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.
Addison is exclusively an agricultural township. Though one of the oldest and in a historical point of view one of the most important towns in the State, the only settlement within its limits at all approaching the dignity of a village is a small cluster of houses in the northeastern part of the town, and known as “The Corners.” Here is located the town hall. As early as 1830 there were two stores located here, and the mercantile business was continued down to about ten years ago, the last merchant being Stephen Gregory. Chimney Point was formerly a place of … Read more
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.
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
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
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.
General David Whitney came here soon after the Revolution and located upon the farm previously owned by Kellogg; but subsequently removed to a farm on the north bank of Ward’s Creek, where lie resided until a few years previous so his death, when he removed to Bridport. He died May 10, 1850, aged ninety-three years. He was a member of the constitutional conventions of 1793, 18I4, 1836 and 1843; represented Addison in the Legislatures of 1790, ’92, ’93, ’97, 1808 to 1815 and ’24, and was during his long life here one of the leading men of the town.
Probably the first European to gaze upon the green peaks of Vermont was the French navigator, Jacques Cartier. On the 2d of October, 1535, he was conducted by an Indian chief to the summit of Mount Real, which now overlooks the city of Montreal, and there “in that bright October sun” was opened to his enraptured gaze the beautiful country for many miles around. Before him the mighty St. Lawrence, coming solemnly from an unknown land, rolled on majestically toward the ocean; the distant horizon was bounded by the lofty mountains of Vermont, crowned with perpetual verdure; while illimitable forests, … Read more
Arnold Gulley, from Rhode Island, came to Addison in 1804, locating upon the place now occupied by his son Erasmus.