Pawlet (VT) One Hundred Years
Hiel Hollister
1867
J. Munsell, Albany
ACKLEY, JOSEPH, was the successor of Edmund Whedon in the mercantile business about the beginning of this century. He removed to North Granville, N.Y. about 1812, where, in connection with Capt. Oliphant, he established an extensive brewery on the site of the ladies’ seminary.
ADAMS, GIDEON, from Canterbury, Conn., 1770, m. Jude Leach, a sister of James Leach, Sen., who died in 1819, aged 75, leaving three children, Jude, Margaret, who married Joseph Keigwin, and Mary, who married John Kirby, Middlebury. He settled where Henry S. Lathe now lives. He at once took a leading position in the town, which then contained only nine families. He was in the legislature in 1778, and served, in the whole, six years. He was town clerk and justice 39 years. He was a man of ready wit and genial temper, of strong sense and sound judgment, and won and retained through his whole career, the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens in an eminent degree. He died in 1827, aged 84.
ADAMS, JESSE, from New Lebanon, Conn., 1786, settled on the present farm of N. W. Bourn. After his death, in 1812, aged 55, his numerous family removed to Nunda, N.Y.
ADAMS, BENONI, claims commemoration as one of the earliest singing masters in town. He sang the old fugue tunes, which, on being reproduced in recent times, are found to be immensely popular. His home was in New Milford, N.Y.
ADAMS, GEORGE JONES, from Maine, 1857, occupied the pulpit of the Disciple’s church at West Pawlet, six or eight months. He had been an extensive traveler on the Eastern continent. He exerted a magnetic and fascinating influence over most persons with whom he came in contact. In his religious history he had “swung around the circle,” having been, it is understood, a Methodist, Mormon, Freewill Baptist and Spiritualist before he joined the Disciples. He was also professor of elocution and a theatrical performer. He is now the founder of a colony of 160 persons at Jaffa in Palestine. Newspaper reports, during the last winter, have represented this colony as on the point of breaking up; but the latest accounts (April, 1867), show it to be in a thriving condition. They took the timber for their houses from the state of Maine, and are said to have 300 acres under cultivation and plenty of provisions.
ALEXANDER, BENJAMIN, from England, 1837, m. Mary Thorn, who died in 1844, leaving four children; Elizabeth, Mary Ann, Susan and John. Mary Ann married Marshall Brown, and died in 1862. Elizabeth married Marshall Brown; John married Ellen Howe. Next he married Sylvia, daughter of Isaac Harlow, of Whitehall, N. Y., who has three children, Henry and Henrietta (twins), and Harriet, who married Andrew Dunton.
ALLEN, TIMOTHY, from Woodbury, Conn., 1768. He was a cousin of Ethan Allen, and the first settler in the northwest quarter of the town. He evinced great sagacity in the selection of a home, it being the present homestead of David G. Blossom. He was moderator of the town meeting in 1770. He is well remembered by many of our older citizens as a man of singular piety and eminent gifts. The detachment of troops that surprised Ticonderoga in 1775, halted for the night at his house on their march to that place. He died in 1810, aged 96. His son, Parmelee, was town clerk in 1770, and a captain in Col. Herrick’s famous regiment of Rangers, organized in this town in 1777. Another son, Daty, was a physician and an emigrant to Mt. Clemens, Mich., in 1800.
ALLEN, TIMOTHY, Jr., was in the battle of Bennington in 1777, at the age of 17. He was an early settler of Bristol, and deacon of the Baptist church in that place. In 1814 he removed to Hartford, N.Y., where he died, 1834, aged 74. Of Deacon Allen’s children, Rev. Barna Allen is Baptist minister in Hubbardton, and Hon. Alanson Allen, of Fairhaven, has been county judge and state senator, and is now assistant assessor of internal revenue.
ALLEN, CALEB, came with his father. Timothy Allen, in 1768. He was a land jobber, a vocation which the peculiar condition of real estate in the early years of the settlement of the state demanded. Most of the land was owned by non-residents, many of whom took little interest in it. Hence, businessmen looked them up, bought their claims, many times at a nominal price, and then sold the land in parcels to actual settlers. The cemetery in the north part of the town was given by him to the school district in which it lies. Its first occupants were revolutionary soldiers. He died in 1804, aged 56. His son, Daty, succeeded to the homestead, which he held till 1816, being followed by David C. Blossom. He removed to Whitehall, N.Y., where he died some years ago, leaving numerous descendants.
ALLEN, NEHEMIAH, was an early settler from Worcester, Mass., living alternately in this town and in Granville, N.Y. He was in Rochester, N.Y., when the present site of that city was offered him for one shilling per acre. He died in 1852, aged 87; his wife in 1841, aged 73. His oldest daughter married David Whedon; his youngest daughter, Jane, Ansel Whedon, who died in 1831, aged 36. She then married William Clark, of Whitehall, N.Y., and died in 1850, aged 50.
ALLEN, JOHN, from Danby, 1815; settled with his sons, Nathan and Elisha, on the Jonathan Willard place. He was a substantial, thrifty farmer, and held in high esteem. He died in 1852, aged 91 ; his wife in 1851, aged 71.
ALLEN, NATHAN, m. Julia, da. of Jeremiah Leffingwell, of Middletown. He was one of the earliest and most influential members of the Methodist church. He was one of the directors of the Poultney bank several years. He died in 1863, aged 72. His children were, John, m. Ellen, da. of Joel Winchester; Charles, m. Anna, da. of James Rice. He was in the legislature two years, and lives in Darien, Wis. Isaac, m. Eliza Allen, has been attorney general of Iowa. Henry, m. Sarah Shedd, of Pittstown, N.Y., and succeeded to the homestead. Sarah, m. Lewis F. Jones of California. She was a graduate of Troy Conference Academy, and its female principal two years. Lucy, m. Richard H. Winter, of Whitehall, N.Y.
ALLEN, ELISHA, m. Annis, da. of Dr. Jonathan Safford; settled on the place and built the brick house now owned by Albert A. Boynton. He was also a leading member of the Methodist church. He was in the legislature four years, two of them in the senate, judge of the county court three years, town clerk, nineteen years, and director of the Poultney bank several years. He died in 1856, aged 62. His oldest son, Horace, m. Kate, da. of Jacob Edgerton, Jr., and d. in St. Paul, Minn., in 1865, aged 43. He was a graduate of Union College, and an attorney. He represented Rutland in the legislature two years, and was state senator one year. His youngest son, Merritt, was an attorney, and died at St. Paul in 1855, aged 24.
ANDREWS, REUBEN, from Connecticut, at an early day; settled near the old Baptist church. He was an ingenious mechanic, and made the old fashioned eight day clock, which was in common use fifty years ago.
ANDRUS, Hon. JOHN H., from Danby, 1820; settled on the present Town farm. He was a representative in the legislature from Danby several years, and was a man of note and influence. He was a judge of the county court. He d. in 1841, aged 73 ; his wife in 1821, aged 50.
ANDRUS, EZRA, son of Judge Andrus, m. Nancy, da. of James McDaniels, and settled near his father’s homestead in Danby, on the Timothy Brewster place. He died in 1864, aged 65, leaving a family of three sons and six daughters; James McD., who occupies the homestead, John H., Merritt, Sarah Ann, Eliza Ann, Nancy, Julia, Esther and Cordelia. Sarah Ann m. Mark Wooster, Manchester; Eliza Ann m. Dr. Phineas Strong ; Julia m. Parker Jones.
ANDRUS, Capt. ZEBADIAH, Sen., from Norwich, Conn., 1784; settled on the present homestead of David R. Smith. He died in 1804, aged 86; his wife in 1789 aged 74.
ANDRUS, ZEBADIAH, Jr., came with his father from Norwich, Conn., and settled with him. He d. in 1830 aged 86; his widow d. in Mt. Tabor in 1850, aged 94. Her death was caused by her clothes taking fire.
ANDRUS ASA, Sen., son of Zebadiah Sen., settled on the present homestead of Asa A. Monroe. He died in 1821, aged 79.
ANDRUS, ASA, Jr., succeeded to his father’s place; sold out in 1821, to Josiah Monroe, and removed to Lockport, N.Y., where he died in 1863 aged 90.
ANDRUS, Rev. LEMON, son of Asa Andrus, Jr., was licensed to preach in 1821, by the Baptist church in West Pawlet. He was pastor of the church in Low Hampton, N.Y., several years, but left about 1830, for western New York. His wife is a daughter of Capt. Joshua Cobb.
ANDRUS, ALLEN, son of William Andrus, m. Betsey, da. of Rev. John Griswold, and settled as a physician in Pulaski, N.Y. He died in this town.
ANDRUS, BENJAMIN, son of Zebadiah Andrus, Jr., m. Emily Chapin, and settled on the mountain, near Rupert. He died in 1864, aged 81 ; his wife in 1852) aged 64. His family consists of four sons and one daughter, all of whom live in the vicinity. Sylvester, m. Paulina _______ ; Chapin m. Harriet, da. of Capt. Moses Whitcomb; David m. Ann, .da. of Guild Willis; Benjamin, m. Ann, da. of Henry Belden, and Almeda C.
ANDRUS, DAVID, m. a da. of Daniel Welch, and settled near the Town farm. His son, Fayette, m. Harriet, da. of Samuel Thompson, and owns the Simeon Edgerton, Sen. farm. Mr. Andrus died in 1826, aged 45 ; his widow in 1859, aged 69.
ARMSTRONG, JOSEPH, from Bennington, 1776; settled in the northeast part of the town, and kept tavern some 25 years. His wife died in 1810, aged 62. Their sons were Jasper, Jesse and Phineas; their daughters Sally, Clarissa, Polly and Nancy.
ARMSTRONG, PHINEAS, m. Eunice, da. of Zebadiah Andrus, Jr., and settled at the village, where his widow and daughter Harriet, the only survivors in town of the Armstrong family, still reside. He died in 1836, aged 50.
ARNOLD, JONATHAN, from Connecticut, settled at an early day on the present homestead of Oliver Williams. He was an intelligent, exemplary citizen. He died in Granville, N.Y., in 1838,aged 83.
ARNOLD, JEREMIAH, son of Jonathan, m. Mary Ellsworth, and settled on the late homestead of Harvey R. Weeks. He struggled manfully against the adverse influences of chronic ill health and slender means and educated his numerous family well.
For several years he was engaged in riding post, delivering newspapers at the door of subscribers. He was a deacon of the Baptist church, and the first in this vicinity to embrace the peculiar views of the Church of the Disciples. He removed to Wisconsin, where he recently died, aged about 70.
AVERILL, Gen. ELISHA, from New Milford, Conn., 1787, was among the most prominent of the early settlers. He was the first captain of the light infantry. He removed west in 1803, and died at Manchester, N. Y., in 1821, aged 67; his widow in 1823, aged 63.
Vermont History and Genealogy 