Washington County VT

Biographical Sketch of Richard Sheldon

Richard, son of Cephas Sheldon, was born in Vermont and died suddenly while in Canada. He lived most of his life in Waterbury, where his father and aunt and perhaps other relatives settled. He had four sons: Erastus, born June 2, 1810; Charles, mentioned elsewhere; William R., August 24, 1815; David F.. September 24, 1819. William R. was a bachelor, of a roving disposition, and very courageous: he piloted trains over the plains through to California at an early day; he also served as city policeman in Sacramento.

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin F. Morse

Benjamin F. Morse was born in Barre, Vt., in 1828, and came to Elmore from Plainfield, Vt., in 1852, and located upon the farm he now occupies, on road 28. His house, erected in 1853, was the second frame house built in the eastern part of the town. Mr. Morse has been married three times, and is one of the prominent men of the town.

Biographical Sketch of Jesse Davenport

Jesse Davenport, born in Salem, Mass., March 25, 1797, came to Wolcott from Berlin, Vt., in 1832, and located on road 11, where he resided until his death, October 9, 1880. Mr. Davenport held many of the town trusts, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of his townsmen to a remarkable degree.

Barre in the Great Flood of 1927

Barre in the Great Flood of 1927 toc

In November 1927 over a 39-hour period a total of 9 inches of rain fell in the area surrounding Barre Vermont. Barre sits in an area described by the author as a huge catch basin, and the rivers and brooks feeding them could only filter so much rain at one time before overflowing their banks. The tragic outcome wasn’t a loss of property, it was that 63 individuals would lose their life due to the flooding. This book provides an accurate eye-witness account of the flooding and is filled with pictures of the aftermath. It is free to read or download.

Biographical Sketch of Harvey Merritt

Harvey Merritt came to this town from Montpelier about the year 1840, and located upon the farm now owned by his son, Francis L., on road 7. He married Abigail LeBarran, reared three sons and one daughter, three of whom are now living. His death occurred in June, 1876, aged seventy-four years. His wife died August 9, 1882.

Biography of Perley Oscar Folsom

PERLEY OSCAR FOLSOM, active in business and politics at Cushman, Massachusetts, in the town of Amherst, was born in Marshfield, Vermont, March 28, 1882. The name he bears appears first in history in the first half of the fourteenth century. John Foulsham, of Foulsham, was prior of a Carmelite Monastery in Warwick, England. He was a prominent ecclesiastic; and his brother, Richard Foulsham, was even more prominent. The word foule (fowl) signified bird, and the country seat of Foulsham probably took its name from its being the home (ham) of many foules (birds). (I) The first traceable ancestor of the … Read more

Biography of Eli A. Boutwell

Eli A. Boutwell, a farmer and lumberman of Hopkinton, N.H., son of Samuel P. and Lydia A. (Allen) Boutwell, was born in Barre, Vt., February 25, 1833. His lineage has not been traced; but a little research would probably show that he belongs to the old New England family of Boutwells, of which the Hon. George S. Boutwell, ex-Secretary of the Treasury, is a representative. Its founder, James Boutwell, said to have been made a freeman in Lynn, Mass., in 1638 or 1639, died in 1651, leaving a wife Alice, sons James and John, and a daughter Sarah. The sons … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cephas Sheldon

Cephas, son of Remembrance Sheldon, was born in Bernardston, Massachusetts, 1754. He was a soldier in the revolution from Bernardston and Deerfield, in Captain Amasa Sheldon’s company, Colonel Elisha Porter’s regiment, from July 10 to August 12, 1777, in the northern army; also in Captain Joseph Sheldon’s company, September 23, to October 18, 1777, in the northern army. He removed to Vermont. According to the first federal census he was living in 1790 in Rochester, Windsor county, Vermont, and had in his family two sons under sixteen and four females. He went thence to Waterbury, Vermont, where his sister, Persis … Read more

Migration of Families out of Norwich VT

At the first enumeration of the inhabitants of eastern Vermont, as made by the authority of New York in 1771, Norwich was found to be the most populous of all the towns of Windsor County, having forty families and 206 inhabitants. Windsor followed with 203, and Hartford was third with 190. The aggregate population of the county (ten towns reported) was then but 1,205, mostly confined to the first and second tiers of towns west of the Connecticut River. Twenty years later, in 1791, Hartland led all the towns of the county with 1,652 inhabitants, Woodstock and Windsor coming next … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Vernon W. Waterman

Hon. Vernon W. Waterman was born in Johnson, Vt., July 30, 1811. When three years of age he went with his farther to Montpelier, Vt., to live, and remained there until nineteen years of age, when he came to Morristown to reside with his uncle, Hon. David P. Noyes, who was engaged in mercantile pursuits. At the age of twenty-one years he entered into partnership with Mr. Noyes, continuing the connection about eight years, when he engaged in business for himself, at Cady’s Falls. For his first wife Mr. Waterman married Adaline Cady, of Stowe, by whom he had two … Read more

Washington County, Vermont Census

Washington County was formed as Jefferson County from Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden and Orange counties in 1811. 1820 Washington County, Vermont Census Free 1820 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1820 Washington County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Hosted at Census Guide 1820 U.S. Census Guide 1830 Washington County, Vermont Census Free 1830 Census Form for your Research Hosted at Ancestry.com – Ancestry Free Trial 1830 Washington County, Census (images and index) $ 1810-1890 Accelerated Indexing Systems $ Hosted at Census Guide 1830 U.S. Census Guide 1840 Washington County, Vermont … Read more

Biography of Captain Eleazar L. Sarsons

Captain Eleazar L. Sarsons, a well-known resident of Acworth and a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Lyme, N.H., August 9, 1836, son of Leon and Flora Ella (Prue) Sarsons. His father, who was born in France in the year 1800, emigrated to Canada in 1828, and in 1834 moved to Sheffield, Vt. He was a shoemaker by trade, and followed this handicraft in connection with farming for some time. He later plied his calling in Lyme, N.H., and other places; and in 1871 he came to Acworth, where he spent the rest of his life. He married … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Bailey

George W. Bailey, from Berlin, Vt., came to Elmore February 6, 1821, and located upon the farm now occupied by P. C. Darling, on road 4. Here he resided for a few years, then removed to the farm now owned by his son-in-law, A. M. Kelley, on road 15. Mr. Bailey held most of the town offices, was a representative two terms, was twice elected to the State senate, and was sheriff two years. He was married to Rebecca Warren, December 21, 1820, the union being blessed with a family of ten children, three of whom are now living, one … Read more

Cusick, E. A. Mrs. – Obituary

Died-At the residence of S. O. Swackhumer in this city, Saturday, February 11, 1893, Mrs. E. A. Cusick. The deceased, whose maiden name was Emma Amanda Dodge, was born in Montpelier, Vermont, March 20th, 1850. Died in Union, Oregon, February 11, 1893, was therefore nearly 43 years old. When eight years of age she moved with friends to Omaha, Neb., and in the summer of 1863 crossed the plains with her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. S. O. Swackhumer, stopping in Grande Ronde valley where she has lived most of her life since. She was married in Wasco County, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Seth Town

Seth Town came to Elmore, from Barre, Vt., in 1823, and located near road 10, upon the farm now owned by Luther Ward. He resided here until about 1840, when he removed to the farm owned by C. S. Parker, on road 16. He served his townsmen in several official capacities, and died March 23, 1860. His wife, Susan Sherman, died January 14, 1870. Their only child, Eliza, is the wife of C. S. Parker.

Biography of John Tyler

John Tyler was well known in Claremont as an inventor and builder. He was a son of John Tyler and a grandson of Benjamin Tyler, both eminent mechanics. Benjamin, who settled in Claremont in the spring of 1776, built the first dam across the Sugar River at West Claremont, and was for many years one of the most public-spirited men in town. The History of Claremont gives the following facts concerning his grandson:- “John Tyler was born in Claremont, March 26, 1818. He learned the trade of millwright, serving an apprenticeship of seven years, and was then for eight years … Read more

Mann, Socrates C. (Crate) – Obituary

“Crate” Mann Takes Own Life At Baker Home Socrates C. (Crate) Mann, committed suicide, by hanging, at his home, 1600 Sixth street, Baker, sometime during the afternoon Saturday of last week. The body was found hanging in the garage at six o’clock by Mrs. Mann who went in search of her husband when he failed to return to the house at that time in the evening. Report of the tragedy came as a shock to North Powder people who had known the deceased for years. “Crate” Mann had been a resident of this section for fifty years, coming to this … Read more