Windsor County VT

History of the Industries of Norwich VT

Knapp’s Mill, Norwich, Vermont

Although the products of the industries in Norwich have not been of great magnitude they have been quite varied in character. Such information in regard to these callings as we have been able to obtain we will present to our readers, though not in strict chronological order. Among the earliest establishments coming under this head was a grist mill established as early as 1770, by Hatch and Babcock on Blood Brook, on or near the site of the grist mill now operated by J. E. Willard, a short distance up the stream from where it empties into the Connecticut River. … Read more

History of the Methodist Church at Norwich Vermont

Rev. Emanuel C. Charlton

Prior to the year 1800, Methodism had scarcely gained a foothold in Vermont. The first Methodist society in the State is said to have been formed at Vershire by Nicholas Suethen in 1796. Two years later, only one hundred church members were returned as residents in the Vershire Circuit, then including the whole of eastern Vermont. Zadock Thompson, in the first edition of his Gazetteer of Vermont, published in 1824, gives the number of preachers, traveling and local, at that time as about one hundred, and the number of societies much greater. Probably no religious body ever made so rapid … Read more

History of Norwich Vermont Education

High School Building, Norwich Village, Erected in 1898

From the town records it appears that the first attempt to divide the town into school districts, was at a town meeting held November 19, 1782, when John Slafter, Elijah Brownson, Ithamar Bartlett, Joseph Loveland, Paul Bingham, Joseph Hatch, Daniel Baldwin, Abel Wilder and Samuel Brown, Jr., were made a committee for that purpose. Soon thereafter the committee reported that they “could effect nothing on the business of their appointment,” and were discharged. No further move in town meeting towards districting the town for school purposes appears to have been made until March 30, 1785, when, on petition of persons … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson, born at Middlebury, Mass., September 3, 1783, came to Stowe from Woodstock, Vt., in 1803, and located upon the farm now occupied by his son, Frank. About two years previous to his death, which occurred in 1870, he removed to Stowe village. Mr. Benson was a man of steady and industrious habits, and attained a comfortable competence, and the entire respect of his fellow citizens. He married Miss Eliza Benson, of his native town, who survived him until 1879. Five of their seven children reside in the town, viz.: Orlando J., Elmira A. (Mrs. G. S. Moody), Flotilla … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Col. Asahel Raymond

Col. Asahel Raymond was born in Middlebury, Mass., April 7, 1781. His parents moved to Woodstock in the following September, where he resided until September, 1807, when he came to Stowe. Here he immediately purchased a farm, where Noah Scribner now resides, and commenced the manufacture of salts and pearl ashes from the ashes obtained in clearing his land, and also purchased by exchange for dry goods and groceries, of the surrounding settlers. He formed a copartnership with Dea. Asa Raymond, which continued until the death of Dea. Raymond. In 1822 and 1823, they built the grist-mill now owned by … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Thomas Wellman

Wellman, Samuel Thomas; mechanical engineer; born, Wareham, Mass., Feb. 5, 1847; son of Samuel K, and Mary L. Besse Wellman; educated, Norwich University, Vermont, B. S. and C. E. (hon.); married, Stoneham, Mass., Sept. 3, 1868, Julia A. Ballard; issue, Mina Bessie, Aug. 11, 1870, Addle Lena, June 1, 1872, Wm. S., Nov. 1, 1874, Holley G., May 19, 1881, Frederick S., Dec. 8, 1887; served as corporal Co. F, 1st New Hampshire Heavy Artillery, 18641865; built first open hearth furnace in United States to make steel commercially, Bay State Works, Boston, 1870; engineer and supt. Otis Steel Co., 18731889, … Read more

Biography of Fairbanks Bush

It is probable that Fairbanks Bush, son of Captain Timothy Bush, came to Norwich with his father when the latter settled in town. His place of birth is not known to us. He first appears as a voter in town in 1807. He married Amy Yeomans. Previous to 1796 he removed to Orange, Vt., but later returned to Norwich, where he died February 24, 1873, lacking but twelve hours of having rounded out a life period of one hundred years. Fairbanks Bush was Norwich’s minstrel poet. We are told that the spirit of our modern age is unfavorable to poetry. However … Read more

Murdock Family of Norwich Vermont

Hon. Thomas Murdock removed to Norwich from Preston, Connecticut, as early as 1767 (in which year he was recorded a voter in town), and located on the farm a little north of Norwich Plain and subsequently occupied by Jared Goodell, George Blanchard, Harvey Knights, and now by Judd Leonard. He married Elizabeth Hatch (sister of John and Joseph Hatch, early settlers in Norwich), to whom were born: Asahel, Constant, Jasper, Thomas, Jr., Anna, who became the wife of Ebenezer Brown, Esq., the first lawyer to locate in Norwich, and Margaret, who married Elisha Partridge, November 14, 1765. Mr. Murdock was … Read more

Biography of Luke E. Hemenway

Mr. Luke E. Hemenway, father of Charles, F., was born in Shoreham, Vermont, August 7, 1816. His father was Francis S., born at Grafton, Massachusetts, January 23, 1784, and his mother was Clara Turrill, born in the year 1786. He was a direct descendant of Ralph Hemenway and Elizabeth Hewes, who were married at Roxbury, Massachusetts, July 5, 1634. He received a common school education at Shoreham, Vermont. Leaving home at the age of thirteen, he worked in a store at Bethel, Vermont, until the year 1838, when he removed to Grand de Tour, Illinois, where he married Jane E. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Mary Slayton Luce

Mrs. Mary Slayton Luce, wife of Chester Luce, was born in Woodstock, Vt., April 18, 1787. Her father, Samuel Slayton, was a farmer in good circumstances, though possessing but a limited education, an honest, frugal, and kindly man. Her mother, Hannah, whose maiden name was Stowe, was in every respect a superior woman. Mrs. Luce, in her youth improved every educational advantage the rural district in which she resided could afford. As she grew older she acquired a passionate fondness for reading, especially of poetry and romance. At a more mature age she engaged in school teaching, which vocation she … Read more

Dutton Family of Norwich Vermont

The progenitor of this family in Norwich was Samuel Dutton, a lineal descendant of Thomas Dutton of Washington, Connecticut. Samuel Dutton was born March 1, 1707, and married Abigail Merriam, May 6, 1729. He died in Royalton, Vermont, in 1802, and his wife April 6, 1799. Mr. Dutton came from Washington, Connecticut, to Hartford, Vermont, and from the latter place to Norwich, locating on what is called Dutton hill, a little west of Norwich village. The original farm, with later additions, is now occupied by Otis Metcalf, son-in-law of the late Deacon John Dutton. Mr. Samuel Dutton married (first) Johanna … Read more

History of the Congregational Church of Norwich Vermont

Congregational Church, Norwich Village

The Congregational Church of Norwich is among the oldest of the Congregational churches of Vermont, only four others having preceded it in the date of their organization, viz.: those of Bennington, Newbury, Westminster, and Windsor. It was the earliest and for many years the only ecclesiastical organization in town. Some of the first settlers had been members of this church in Connecticut before settling here. These would naturally associate themselves for public worship, and as early as June, 1770, by the aid, it is said, of Reverend Peter Powers, the pioneer minister of Newbury, the nucleus of a church was … Read more

Norwich as a Province of New Hampshire

“George the Third by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all Persons to whom these Presents shall come, greeting, Know ye, that We of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, for the due encouragement of settling a new plantation within our said Province, by and with the advice of our trusty and well-beloved Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governor and Commander in Chief of our said Province of New Hampshire, in New England, and of our council of said Province, have upon the conditions and reservations hereinafter made, … Read more

Biography of Ora C. Davis

Ora C. Davis, an esteemed resident of Plainfield, was born in the town of Hartford, Vt., March 8, 1847. His great-grandfather, Jeremiah, was a native of Sutton, N.H. Jeremiah and his father were the first of the name to settle in the part of Grantham, N.H., now called Plainfield. He was a farmer by occupation, and had a family of nine children. The grandfather, Samuel Davis, also a native of Sutton, born in 1776, married Maria Hadley, daughter of Simeon Hadley, and had a family of nine children. These were: Lucy, Isaac, Samuel, Charles, Martin, Alfred, Louisa, George W., and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rufus Bruce

Rufus Bruce, a native of Chester, Vt., and son of Rev. Rufus Bruce, came to Wolcott on horseback during the summer of 1831, and bought 100 acres of land on road 22 corner 17. paying therefor $200.00. He then hired a man to slash five acres of the heavy timbered land, and returned to Chester, where he soon after, December 14, married Mary Hovey. In January, 1832, he hired a man to bring them and their household effects to Wolcott, where, for the first six months, they resided in the house with John Phelps, on road 17. In August, 1832, … Read more

Lewis Family of Norwich Vermont

William Lewis and family, consisting of his wife, Naomi, five sons and three daughters, (Joseph, his eldest son, having been a citizen of the town for some years) came to Norwich in 1781 or 1782 from Windsor, Hartford county, Connecticut, and settled on a farm now owned by Benjamin Clifford, where he resided for a number of years. In 1787 he purchased the farm now occupied by John W. Hutchinson. From time to time he added to it by purchase until at his death it contained 250 acres of good land, mostly covered with a large growth of timber. This … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Willard Griswold

Willard Griswold, from Springfield, Vt., came here previous to 1820, and commenced work as a carpenter. In 1825, he built the house now occupied by his son, Alonzo C. During his long life here, he held the office of town clerk from 1839 to 1848, and served as representative two terms. Of his family of eight children, four now reside in town. Alonzo C., the youngest child, born in 1841, occupies the old homestead on road 26. Willard H., the fourth child, born in 1831, was engaged in mercantile pursuits from 1856 until 1875, and has held the office of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. N. R. Nichols

Rev. N. R. Nichols

Rev. N. R. Nichols was pastor of the Congregational church at Norwich village from February, 1880, to May, 1904, after completing a seven years’ pastorate at Barnet, Vermont, which was preceded by brief pastorates at Westfield, Massachusetts, and Acworth, New Hampshire. During his term of nearly a quarter of a century here in Norwich, Mr. Nichols faithfully cared for the interests committed to his charge, as the one hundred and ninety-five accessions to his church during his pastorate amply indicate. Not alone to matters connected with his church did he give his attention, but, as well, to those of a … Read more

Church History of Norwich Vermont

The great achievement of the first generation of Norwich settlers was the building of a meeting house. More than any other event of the time, with the possible exception of the accomplishment of the national independence, this was an undertaking that enlisted the energies and taxed the resources of our forefathers. The building of a meeting house in a New England frontier settlement a century ago was regarded a matter of public concern, to be supported by the whole community without regard to sect or party, like the opening of roads or any other public charge. In less than ten … Read more