Vermont AHGP
Part of the American History and
Genealogy Project
East Hill Washington County, Vermont
East Hill often called Whittier Hill, from its first settler, Lieut. John Whittier, who came here in 1780, and commenced clearing up the farm now owned and occupied by Frederick Corliss. He built his first cabin a little north of the present house, near the brook, and brought his wife and one child to the Plain, March, 1790, with an ox team, and from there drew his effects on a hand-sled, his wife walking on the crust beside him, carrying her spinning-wheel. After they got to keeping some cows and sheep, one evening a large bear came into the yard where they were milking, and took a sheep. They gave chase, and the bear dropped the sheep, but he made his escape, and the sheep was killed.
Lieut. Whittier raised a large family. Several of the boys settled on farms made from the old farm. Mrs. Whittier was a descendant from Mrs. Dustin who scalped the Indians.
William Osgood, from Claremont, New Hampshire, the second settler here, bought one square mile west of the Centre road, opposite Lieut. Whittier, on which he settled his six sons. Four of them came in March, 1791. First, they dug out sap-troughs and sugared, and then slashed 15 acres by the 1st of June, and returned to Claremont. They boarded at Lieut. Whittier's. In the fall Mr. Osgood came with his six sons. They cleared the slash, and built a log house, 40 ft. in length, where Solomon W. Osgood now lives. It is said this family were all strong, broad-shouldered men, able for the task before them.
David Haines commenced on the farm south of George Gould's, so long occupied by his son Wm. Haines, in 1797. When he came to town he was not possessed of a great amount of cash, it may be inferred by the fact he was the owner of two pair of pants and two shirts, and he swapped one shirt and one pair of pants for a hoe and axe to begin work with.
These places are now all excellent farms and in good hands.
Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.
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