Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
Range 3 ~ Lots
Lot 1, was first owned by Lieut. Joseph Batchelder, but was first settled upon by Jonathan White, of Montpelier, who afterwards lived in various parts of the town. It is now owned by Nathan Skinner.
Lot 2, was first settled by Cornelius Young, near where Willard Harris now lives. His father, Ebenezer Young, broke into a store at North Montpelier, and was sent to the state prison at Windsor.
At the time of the Plattsburg invasion, Cornelius borrowed a famous fleet horse of Willard Shepard, Esq., and passing everything on the road, was present at the battle. When the British retreated, he followed after, and seeing three of them leave their horses, he dashed in among them, pistols in hand, and compelled the whole three to surrender to him alone. At least one of them was an officer, and his sword, brought home by Young, is now in the possession of Dudley Perkins.
His last days were less glorious. He was appointed a custom house officer, and had various encounters with smugglers, in one of which at Cabot, vitriol was thrown upon him, spoiling his clothes, but not injuring his person. His ignorance of the law caused him to commit some illegal acts in the discharge of his duties, and the resulting lawsuits ruined him pecuniary and morally. He removed to the State of New York, and for some felony was sent to Clinton prison.
Lot 3, The south part was first purchased by Josiah Freeman, and is now owned by Elijah A. Batchelder. The north part was first leased by James Perry; now by Daniel Batchelder.
Lot 4, was settled by Dea. Nehemiah Mack, whose house was in Ira F. Page's pasture, east of his house now occupied by his son Dan. Page. Russell Young, brother of Cornelius, owned 45 acres next to Lampson's. He went to New York, and was drowned in North river when trying to escape from the police.
Lot 5, The western part was settled by Joseph Lampson, who was for many years constable of the town. He was a weaver, a large part of the cotton cloth used in town being woven by him. Daniel and Benjamin P. were his sons; Mrs. James Batchelder and Mrs. Jeremiah Batchelder his daughters. His farm is now owned by Charles Bancroft.
Lot 6, is in the village, and was purchased of Robert Mellen by Charles McCloud, 2nd, and mills erected in 1798, which were burned the same year, and rebuilt by McCloud. The first framed house in the village was built by him, where the Methodist church now stands, and is the old house back of it now owned by Wm. Bartlett.
The first store was a small one, opened by Joseph Kilburn, in 1803 or '4, on the Silas Willis place, near the Great Brook. The building was owned by Elias Kingsley, the miller, and when sold to Ira Day, of Barre, in 1807, there was a kiln for making earthen ware between that and the brook. The next store was opened by Philip Sparrow about 1804, upon the place where Andrew Wheatley built the large brick store on the north side of the Methodist church common.
Silas Williams built and opened the first tavern in the village, which is now the southern part of S. B. Gale's house.
Shubael Wales, from Randolph, father of George C. Wales, built the first clothing works, below the mills, in 1805 or '6.
Amasa Bancroft, in 1809, built the first trip-hammer, south of the Great Brook and just above the present tannery. He was a son of Lieut. John Bancroft, an officer in the Revolution.
There have been three distilleries in the village, one on School Street, in Mrs. Chamberlain's garden, one on High street, in Wm. Park's garden, and one east of S. B. Gale's house.
The cemetery in the village was at first just southwest of the railroad station. Among those buried there was Parnel, daughter of Joseph Lampson. She was the betrothed of Geo. Rich, who disliked the place, and gave the land for the present cemetery, and those interred in the old one were removed in 1814.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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