History of Vermont

BENNINGTON.

his house over night. In the course of a mile and a half east of the old village, the evening he contrived to ascertain contains 140 dwelling houses and about their religious views. If he found they 700 inhabitants. Its public buildings are did not correspond with his, he persuaded four churches and an academy. It has a them to settle in Shaftsbury, of which he woollen factory, employing eight or ten was also a proprietor. By this means the hands; two wadding factories, which settlers of Bennington were nearly all of manufacture from 70 to 80 thousand dozone religious faith; and they continued en sheets per annum, valued at 20 to so, with some exceptions, to a late period. $25,000; two cupola furnaces which This attempt to preserve uniformity of re- make from eight to ten tons of castingsligious sentiment was doubtless designed such as stoves, mill-irons, ploughs, &c.— to promote the harmony and consequent per week; three tanneries that prepare happiness of the town. But it is questiona- for market 3000 hides annually; a stone ble whether it had that effect. While but and earthern ware factory, employing a single church existed, it was often di- from 12 to 15 hands; and an establishvided into parties, sometimes of a most ment for making fire bricks, which produbitter character, whose influence exten- ces about $5,000 worth per annum. The ded throughout the town, and produced vi- fire bricks, for the composition and manolent animosities and heart burnings. ufacture of which a patent has been ob The party in the majority was generally tained, are composed principally of kaolin intolerant, and both parties bigoted and and pulverized quartz, which are found in uncharitable. Since other churches have abundance in the east part of the town. been established, more liberal religious, The bricks are used in blast and cupola as well as kinder, social feelings have furnaces, glass ovens, and for other purprevailed. The first pastor of this church, poses where a substance capable of resistas has been before stated, was the Rev. ing a high heat is required. For most Jedediah Dewey, who was settled in purposes these bricks are preferred to 1763, and died December 21, 1778. The any imported. This village has also, beRev. David Avery was settled May 3. sides great numbers of mechanics' shops, 1780. He had been a chaplain to General a grist-mill, saw-mill, oil-mill, 8 stores, 3 Learned's brigade of the army, and re- taverns, a printing office, and 3 law offices. signed that situation when he received a The Baptist meeting house is a neat call from this church. He did not give wooden building, and was erected in 1830; general satisfaction and was dismissed, the church having been organized, April May 27, 1783. The Rev. Job Swift was 11, 1827. The Rev. Henry F. Baldwin settled February 27, 1786, and continued was pastor from June, 1828, to October, in charge of the church till June 7, 1801.1830. The Rev. Thomas Teasdale sucThe Rev. Daniel Marsh next became pas-ceeded him and continued his labors till tor about 1806, and continued such until February, 1832; when he was succeeded April 25, 1820. The Rev. Absalom Pe- by the Rev. Jeremiah Hall, who remainters was ordained July 5, 1820, and released till 1836. The Rev. Mr. Willis came ed from his charge December 14, 1825. The Rev. Daniel A. Clark was pastor from June 13th, 1826, to October 12, 1830. The present minister, the Rev. Edward W. Hooker, was settled February 22, 1832. The church, by the separation of a portion of its members to form two other churches, has become much weakened, though it is still the largest, and has the most numerous and wealthy congregation of any in the town. One of the academies in this village, was erected in 1821, and the other in 1829. They were for five or six years rival institutions, and were in a flourishing condition; but since 1837, permanent schools have not been maintained in either. The village is well situated for an institution of this description, and Mr. Horace Fletch-ly 22, 1839. This church is still under er has lately commenced a school in one of the buildings, with a fair prospect of

success.

Bennington East Village, situated about

next, and continued one year, when he was succeeded by the Rev. S. Hutchins, the present pastor. The Methodist meeting house is a stone building, erected in 1833. The church was organized in May, 1827. The following named clergymen have been successively stationed here, with the church since May, 1827, each for two years, to wit: the Rev. Cyrus Prindle, John M. Weaver, Wright Hazen, Henry Burton, Henry Smith, Hubbard, and C. R. Wilkins. The present minister is the Rev. Jesse Craig. An Episcopal parish was organized here July 24, 1834, by the name of St. Peter's Church, under the ministry of the Rev. Nathaniel O. Preston, and a church edifice built of brick in 1836, which was consecrated Ju

the pastoral care of the Rev. N. O. Preston, and though small, consisting of only 20 communicants, is regarded as in a prosperous condition. The Congregational

BENNINGTON.

meeting house was built in 1839. The church, being a colony from the old centre church, was organized April 26, 1836. Rev. Aretas Loomis the present minister, was settled soon after the organization of the church.-Union Academy is a flourishing institution, under the patronage of the Baptist denomination. It is at present under the charge of W. G. Brown and W. A. Fisher.

Bennington Iron Works are situated near the east line of the town, about three miles from the centre village. They consist of three large blast furnaces, which produce from two to three thousand tons of pig iron per annum, giving employment to 150 or 200 hands, and from 40 to 50 teams. The ore is obtained in about equal quantities from two beds; one, half a mile from the works, and the other about six miles distant in the west part of the town. The ore yields about 50 per cent of pure iron. The descent from the surface of the ground into the west ore-bed is by means of a windlass through a perpendicular shaft 70 feet in depth. From the bottom you may travel by candle-light through its subterraneous passages for several hundred yards.

BENNINGTON COUNTY.

Hinsdillville is about a mile south of North Bennington, at the junction of Paran creek with the Walloomscoik. It has three cotton factories, and until within three or four years past was a busy and flourishing village; but the works are not now in operation. On the 29th of October, 1834, a portion of the old centre church formed themselves into a new church, adopting the Presbyterian mode of government, and, in 1835 erected at this place a neat stone house for worship. The Rev. Mr. Kenney, the Rev. Mr. Johnson, and the Rev. Mr. Nott have successively been the pastors of the church. It has at present no minister.

Irish Corner is three quarters of a mile below Hinsdillville, at which are a tavern and store, and also a cotton factory, not now in operation. Between this and Hinsdillville is a small Methodist chapel, built in 1836.

Walbridgeville, about three quarters of a mile above Hinsdillville on the Walloomscoik, has two paper mills where paper is extensively manufactured by approved modern machinery. It has also a saw mill and a small woollen factory.

Iron ore is found in several places in this town. The oxyde of manganese, of the variety called the earthy oxyde, is also found in connexion with brown hematite. Its color is brownish black. Radiated and compact varieties also occur. It is very abundant. The yellow oxyde of iron, or

in this town. It is a good article for common uses, and about 100 tons are annually prepared and sent to market. Marble, magnesian limestone, argillacious slate, and hornstone are also found. The marble is worked, but not to a large extent. Mount Anthony, in the south west part of the town, is a considerable elevation. On the east side of the mountain, a mile from the centre village, is a cavern, which is a considerable curiosity. Stalactites are suspended from the roof, and also incrust the sides of the cave. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 692; cattle, 2,669; sheep, 9,578; swine, 2,138; wheat, bu. 2,185; barley, 939; oats, 30,399; rye, 3,852; buck wheat, 1,213; Indian corn, 16,000; potatoes, 56,475; hay, tons, 564; sugar, lbs. 7,828; wool, 26,327. Population, 3429.

North Bennington is situated about four miles northwest of the court house, on Paran creek, a branch of the Walloomscoik. It has 50 dwelling houses and about 300 inhabitants, a post office, tavern, five stores, two cotton and one woollen factories, two establishments for mak-yellow ochre is also found in abundance ing carpenters' steel squares, a grist mill and saw mill. One of the cotton factories, which was the first that was put in operation in the state, has 1280 spindles and 36 power looms, employing about 40 hands, and manufactures 450,000 yards of shirting per annum. The other factory, more recently erected, makes sheeting exclusively; its productions being about equal to the first. The woollen factory is on a small scale. The business of manufacturing carpenters' squares, was commenced in this village in 1820, and was the first establishment of the kind in the United States. The article is much superior to any imported, and has nearly superseded foreign squares in market. There are now two establishments in the village, capable of turning off 50 finished squares per day, or from 12 to 15,000 annually. The village has also a Universalist meeting house, built in 1836. The Rev. G. Leach and the Rev. Wm. Bell have successively officiated as clergymen. There is at present no resident minister. There is also a Baptist meeting house about three-fourths of a mile north of the village, within the limits of Shaftsbury.

H. H.

BENNINGTON COUNTY lies in the southwest corner of the state, and is bounded north by Rutland county, east by Windham county, south by Berkshire county, Mass., and west by Washington and Rensselaer counties, Ñ. Y. It is situated between 42° 44' and 43° 18' north lat. and between 3° 46' and 4° 14' east long. and

BENSON.

is 39 miles long and 20 wide at the north | Barber, Durfee, and Noble. Mr. Durend. It contains about 610 square miles. fee came into town and made some imThe earliest permanent settlements, on the west side of the mountain, in Vermont, were made in this county. During the revolution, most of the settlements north of the county of Rutland, were abandoned, and the inhabitants retreated into these two counties. It was in Bennington county that the councils of safety held most of their meetings. A considerable part of the county is mountainous and broken. The waters flow from it in all directions. From the southeast part they fall into Deerfield river, and from the southwest into Hoosic river. The Battenkill receives most of the waters from the north part, but some fall into West river, some into Otter creek, and some into Wood creek. The land, except on the mountains, is excellent for tillage and produces fine crops. The streams afford many valuable mill and other water privileges. There is a range of granular limestone or marble extending through the county from south to north, which is wrought in several places. Its color is usually white. Iron ore is abundant, and lead has been found in small quantities. The principal towns are Bennington and Manchester, which are the shire towns. The Supreme Court sits alternately at these places on the 2d Tuesday after the 4th Tuesday in January. The County Court sits at Manchester, on the 2d Tuesday in June, and at Bennington, on the first Tuesday in December. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 3397; cattle,16,879; sheep, 104,721; swine, 9,906; wheat, bu. 12,959; barley, 1,540; oats, 137,837; rye, 25,671; buckwheat, 16,071; Indian corn, 70,246; potatoes, 564,279; hay, tons, 42,907; sugar, lbs. 180,986: wool, 223,674; iron, tons, 1,829; furnaces, 5; woolen factories, 4; cotton, 3; population, 16,879.

BENSON, a post town in the western part of Rutland county, in lat. 43° 42', and long. 3° 46'. It is bounded north by Orwell, east by Hubbardton, and a small part of Sudbury and Castleton, south by Fair Haven and West Haven, and west by lake Champlain, being opposite Putnam, in Washington county, N. Y. It lies 12 miles east of north from Whitehall, N. Y., 25 miles north of west from Rutland, and 25 west of south from Middlebury. Benson contains 25,214 acres, was granted October 27, 1779, and chartered to James Meacham and Ezekiel Blair, May 5, 1780.* The settlement of the town was commenced 1783, by Messrs.

The name was given by Mr. Meacham in honor of a revolutionary officer by the name of Benson, for whom he had great respect.

provements before the revolution, but was driven off. The town was organized about the year 1786, and Allen Goodrich was the first town clerk, and Chauncey Smith first representative. In 1790, a congregational church was organized here, over which the Rev. Dan Kent was ordained, September 5th, 1792. Since that time, besides several partial awakenings, there have been three very general revivals of religion. The first began in 1804, and during this and the succeeding year, 160 were added to this church; the next was in 1816, when 130 were added to the church, and the third in 1821, when there was an addition of 160 members. During the last 9 years the church has been much diminished by emigration. It has formed one entire colony, which removed in the spring of 1832 and settled on the Du Page river, about 25 miles west of Chicago, Ill. Many more have since emigrated to that and other places at the west, so that, although 261 members have been added, since the settlement of the present pastor, to the 218 then belonging to this church, the present number is only 240. Of the above additions to the church, about 120 were in 1829, '30, and '31. The Rev. Dan Kent was dismissed, July 11, 1828, and died July 21, 1835. The Rev. D. D. Francis, the present pastor, was ordained July 29, 1829. The Congregational meeting house is a handsome building, 66 feet long, 42 wide, standing in a small but pleasant village near the centre of the town, and was completed about the year 1800. There is a small Baptist church which was organized at an early period, which is under the pastoral care of the Rev. Robert Bryant. They erected a neat and commodious house of worship in the village in 1841. The Methodist church, consisting of 90 members, also erected a convenient house of worship in 1841 in the village. The Rev. S. Stiles is their present preacher. The canker rash prevailed in this town about the year 1796, and was very mortal. The epidemic of 1812 was also very distressing. It carried off 60, nearly all heads of families, in the space of 60 days. The practicing physicians are Doctors Cooley, Ransom, and Howard. Hubbardton river runs through the easterly part of the town, affording several good mill privileges. In the N. E. corner is a considerable pond of clear water, which abounds with trout, and discharges its waters into Hubbardton river. The town is well supplied with agreeable and wholesome water. A few springs are slightly impregnated with medicinal pro

BENTON'S GORE.

BERKSHIRE.

BERLIN.

perties, one of which is becoming a place | and David Nutting was first town clerk. of resort for invalids. The timber is The town was first represented, in 1796, beech, maple, pine, and hemlock, inter- by Stephen Royce. The religious denomspersed with oak, ash, and walnut. The inations are Congregationalists, Methosoil is mostly clay. A range of slate from dists, Baptists, and Episcopalians. There 1 to 24 miles wide,passes through the town are two Congregational churches, one in from north to south, furnishing a good East and the other in West Berkshire. share of upland for tillage. About a quar-The former was organized, Oct. 8, 1820, ter of a mile N. E. from the meeting-house and has a house of worship; the other mais a bog of marl, which might be mistaken ny years earlier, and has a share in a house for fuller's earth. In the S. W. part of of worship. The Episcopal church, callthe town is a swamp, from which a streamed Calvary Church, is in East Berkshire, issues, and, after running a short distance, passes under a considerable hill. It runs completely through the base of the hill, a distance of more than half a mile. The mean width of the lake, on the west line of the town, is about half a mile. The widest place is one mile and a half, and is just north of Stoney Point landing, which is situated about the middle of the west side of the town. There are two landing places, Kinyan's bay and Gibbs' landing, where the steamboats touch for passengers, and where store houses are erected The village is pleasantly situated in a valley near the centre of the town. There are in town 12 common and one select school, 2 grist mills, 9 saw mills, 1 fulling mill, 3 stores, 4 taverns, and 1 tannery. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 261; cattle, 1,807; sheep, 20,527; swine, 663; wheat, bu. 2,578; oats, 3,324; rye, 1,385; buckwheat, 649; Indian corn, 5,353; potatoes, 15,700; hay, tons, 5,592; sugar, lbs. 6,285; wool, 49,048. Population, 1403.

BENTON'S GORE is a tract of 5000 acres, lying in the southwestern part of Windsor county, now forming the westerly part of Weston, granted to Samuel Benton and 23 associates, October 26, 1781.

and was organized about 1820. Their house of worship was consecrated Oct. 1, 1823. The ministers who have labored in this parish are the Rev. J. Clap, Rev. J. Gray, Rev. R. Peck, Rev. L. McDonald, and Rev. J. Obear. Present minister, the Rev. Moore Bingham. Communicants, 56. Missisco river runs through the southeast corner of the town, and receives Trout river near the line of Enosburgh. On these streams is some fine intervale. Pike river enters the township from Canada, and, after taking a circuit of several miles, and affording here some of the finest mill seats in the country, returns again into Canada. On Pike river, in this town, are several mills. The soil is various, but generally good. Its surface is diversified with gentle swells and vales, but does not rise into mountains. It is well watered with brooks. The timber is mostly beech, maple, bass, elm, and hemlock. The rocks abound with epidote. There are 1 grist mill, 4 saw mills, and 1 fulling mill. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 298; cattle, 1,902; sheep, 3,788; swine, 532; wheat, bu. 3.884; barley, 53; oats, 5,746; rye, 52; buckwheat, 735; Indian corn, 2,876; potatoes; 67,995; hay, tons, 3,818; sugar, lbs. 31,785; wool, 9,457.— Population, 1818.

BERKSHIRE, a post town in the northeast part of Franklin county, in lat. 44° 58' and long. 4° 16', containing 36 square BERLIN, a post town in Washington miles. It is 50 miles northwesterly from county, lying nearly in the centre of the Montpelier, and 39 northeasterly from state, in lat. 44° 13' and long. 4° 25'. It Burlington, and is bounded north by St. is bounded north by Montpelier, east by Armand in Canada, east by Richford, Barre,south by Northfield and a small part south by Enosburgh,and west by Franklin. of Williamstown, and west by Moretown. This township was granted to Wm. Good-It was chartered June 8, 1763, to C. Grarich, Barzilla Hudson, Charles Dibble, ham and others, and contains 36 square and their associates, March 13, 1780, and miles. The settlement was commenced was chartered by the name of Berkshire, in 1785, near the mouth of Dog river, by June 22, 1781. The settlement of this Ebenezer Sanborn, from Corinth, and Jotown was commenced in 1792 by Job Bar-seph Thurber from New Hampshire; both ber. Stephen Royce, who was also one of the first settlers of Franklin, Daniel Adams, Jonathan Carpenter, and Phinehas Heath, moved their families here in 1793, and from this time the settlement advanced with considerable rapidity. Elihu M., son of Stephen Royce, was born in 1793, and was the first child born in The town was organized in 1794,

town.

of them removed the next year to Plattsburgh, New York. In January, 1786, Moses Smith from Granby, Massachu setts, commenced in the southeast corner of the town, supposing that he was in the north west corner of Williamstown. In May, Daniel Morse and family, from Washington, and in July, Jacob Fowler, from Corinth, removed to the settlements

BERLIN.

own.

ist.

BERLIN.

wide. The fish in this pond are principally pickerel. When the settlement of this town was commenced, the dace was the only fish found in this pond. About 1803, some trout were put into it, and in the course of a few years became quite plentiful, some of them weighing 4 or 5 pounds. Pickerel were afterwards introduced, and as these have multiplied the others have disappeared. There is a medicinal spring in the northeast corner of the town and another in the west part, but they have not gained much celebrity. The town is somewhat broken, yet it contains much very good and handsome tillage land. There is considerable intervale on Winooski and Dog river and Stevens' branch. The timber, west of Dog river, is a mixture of spruce, hemlock, maple, beach, birch, basswood, and ash; east of that, principally hard wood, excepting in the vicinity of the pond and streams. On a ridge of land south of the centre, is some butternut, and east of the pond, considerable cedar and fir. Iron ore has recently been discovered a little east of Dog river, near which place terre de sena has been found of good quality. The town has been generally very healthy. Occasionally typhus fever, scarlet fever, whooping cough, &c. have been epidemics. The epidemic of 1813 prevailed to some extent, and was fatal in quite a number of cases. We find on record the folowing list of birth and deaths, in this town, from 1799 to 1813, inclusive:

commenced the year before by Messrs. | is about two miles long and half a mile Sanborn and Thurber. Mr. Fowler was the first settler who resided here permanently, or whose descendants lived in town. In addition to the above, Capt. James Hobart, Hezekiah Silloway, Win. Flagg, Jacob Black, Eleazer Hubbard, Zachariah Perrin, David Nye, Elijah Nye, Jabez Ellis, Aaron Strong, Joshua Bayley, John Taplin, and James Sawyer may be mentioned as among the early settlers of the town. The number of families in town in 1790, was 21; in 1795, 65; in 1798, 85. There was nothing remarkable attending the first settlement of this town but what was common in the first settlement of others. The town was organized March 31, 1791. David Nye was first town clerk, and John Taplin first representative. Abel Knapp was chosen town cierk in 1795, which office he has held till the present time, with the exception of one year (1815). The people of this town are mostly engaged in agriculture, being so situated that it is more convenient for them to patronize the tradesmen and professional men of other towns than their The religious societies are Congregationalist, Methodist and UniversalRev. James Hobart was settled over the Congregationalist society in 1798, and dismissed in 1829. Rev. Austin Hazen was settled in 1837, and still continues their pastor. The first meeting house was erected 1801, and burnt in the winter of 1837. A "union house," owned principally by the Universalist and Methodist societies, was erected in the south part of the town, and a Methodist house a little east of the centre in 1837, and a Congre gationalist house at the latter place in 1838. The town is watered by Winooski river, which forms a considerable part of the northern boundary; Dog river which runs nearly north through the western part of the town; Pond brook near the centre, and Stevens' branch, which runs across the northeast corner. Before any settlements were made in this vicinity, a There is a small village a little east of hunter by the name of Stevens, from the the centre of the town containing from east part of the state, was found dead in 15 to 20 dwelling honses, 2 meeting houshis camp on the bank of this stream near es, a store, tavern, post office, grist and its mouth, and was buried there; hence saw mill, starch factory, and several meits name. In 1812, Mr. Daniel Thomp-chanics. There are 13 school districts son, while digging a ditch on his farm, and 13 school houses; 1 mercantile store, ploughed up human bones, which were 1 machine shop, 5 carpenters and joiners, supposed to be those of Stevens'. They 4 blacksmiths, and 8 shoemakers. Statiswere carefully collected and buried.* Berlin Pond is a little southeast of the centre of the town. It is in two bodies of water, being connected by a narrow neck; There is a notice of this in the first edition of the Gazetteer, under the name of Barre. He died in this town and it is supposed that his camp was on the farm owned by Mr. Thompson.

Year. Births. Deaths. Year. Births. Deaths 12