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 …
THE town of Bristol lies largely upon the mountains, in the northeastern section of the county, and is bounded on the north by Monkton and Starksboro; east by Starksboro and Lincoln; south by Lincoln and Middlebury, and west by New Haven. It was originally granted by Benning Wentworth, the colonial governor of New Hampshire under …
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 …
Captain Gordon Munsill was born in Windsor, Conn., October 26, 1760, served all through the Revolutionary War, and soon after its close married Olive Carver, of Bolton, Conn., and came to Bristol with his wife and two children, arriving March 21, 1789. He had been in town the previous year, made some improvements and built …
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, …
Harvey C. Munsill was born in Bristol June 22, 1824. He hired his father’s estate, and has been somewhat prominently identified with the civil affairs and business growth of the town. He married, October 1, 1851, Charlotte M. Holley, daughter of John D. Holley, of Bristol, and they have three children: Newcomb H., born July …
General Ezekiel Dunton, from Dorset, settled upon the farm now owned by Ezra Knowles, of New Haven. He held a commission as brigadier-general in the Vermont militia, and was at the battle of Plattsburgh. He served the town for many years as selectman, constable, representative and justice of the peace, and died here February 13, …
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 …
The first permanent settlement was not begun in the present town of Bristol till the summer of 1786, twenty-four years after the charter was granted. John Willard and the others who formed the committee we have previously spoken of were prosceuting the duties devolving upon them here, in 1785, about a mile west of Bristol …
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.
Captain Cyprian Eastman was born in Norwich, Conn., in 1749, and removed with his father to Beckett, and subsequently to Bennington county, where he married Rosannah Nehon, and soon after, in 1787, removed to this town, locating on the flats. He was chosen one of the first selectmen of the town, and at the organization …
Robert Dunshee came from New Hampshire in 1787. He first located in the southern part of the town, but soon after removed to a part of the late Morgan estate, on the flats, where he erected a two-story house. Here he carried on the business of a saddler and harness-maker several years, then sold his …
Henry McLaughlin, who figured extensively in the early transactions of the settlers, was born in Ireland, and came to America with Burgoyne, serving as drummer boy, and remaining with the army till it marched from Ticonderoga. For a few years following he engaged in teaching school at Williamstown, Mass. He married Mary Dunton, of Dorset, …
Robert Holley, a native of New London, Conn., came from Hebron, N. Y., in 1795, and located on the east side of the highway, nearly opposite the place now owned by Joel Barlow. In 1808 he removed to the village, where he kept a public house several years. He served the town as constable and …
Captain Noble Munson, born in Westfield, Mass., in 1770, located upon the farm now owned by Elexice St. George. He was in the battle of Plattsburgh, and served the town for many years as selectman, representative, etc.
The present board of officers for the town is as follows: E. M. Kent, clerk; H. C. Munsill, treasurer; H. S. Sumner, W. R. Peake, and P. W. Chase, selectmen; E. S. Farr, constable; A. D. Searls, superintendent of schools; W. W. Needham, N. J. Hill, and C. W. Norton, listers; R. A. Young, overseer …
The following figures from the tables of the United States census reports show the population of the town to have fluctuated little, but rather to have been steadily increasing since the taking of the first census in 1791: 1791, 211; 1800, 665; 1810, 1,179; 1820, 1,051; 1830, 1,274; 1840, 1,233; 1850, 1,344; 1860, 1,355; 1870, …
Bristol village occupies a commanding site upon an elevated plain- about one hundred and twenty feet above the bed of New Haven River, just after that stream leaves the wild ravine known as “The Notch.” Lying thus at the very base of Hogback Mountain, with South Mountain on the southeast, fine examples of the picturesque …
A post-office was first established in Bristol in 1803, with Thaddeus McLaughlin postmaster. The office was located in the first brick building erected in the town, by the father of Thaddeus, Henry McLaughlin, in 1800, and located about a mile west of the present village. Previous to this the mail matter for Bristol, consisting of …
At the head of the manufacturing interests of Bristol is the Bristol Manufacturing Company, which was originally established under the firm name of Howden, Daniels & Co., for the purpose of manufacturing coffins and caskets in a small way. This limited business steadily increased, and in 1867 the firm name was changed to Howden, Bosworth …
