Cavendish Historical Society News

Scribbler Winter 2012

2012-01-19T07:16:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Annual Meeting
As we begin this New Year, the Cavendish Historical Society starts a new tradition of holding its annual meeting in January or February. Given the flood damage and the 250th Anniversary, the board voted to move the annual meeting until after the first of the year. The more it was discussed, the board concluded that it would be a good idea to make this a permanent change. Not only is fall, foliage season, a very busy time of year, but by switching to the first of the year, the financial report will be easier to compile as CHS operates on a calendar year.

The Annual meeting will be held on February 12 (Sunday) at 5 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. The meeting will include a pot luck supper, election of board members, discussion of upcoming activities and a screening of “Life in Windsor County.”

Life in Windsor County
Life in Windsor County” is the seventh county documentary produced through collaboration between Johnson State College students, Professor Bill Doyle and Vince Franke of Peregrine Productions, LLC. For this documentary, JSC student intern Matt Daubenspeck worked with Vince to interview 17 local residents, including CHS board member Bruce McEnaney, to hear their memories of Vermont’s biggest county covering events from its earliest settlers through the sheep craze, machine tool industry and stories of life in the first half of the 20th century. When blended with over 250 historical images, their stories provide new and unique insight into Windsor County’s past.

Upcoming Events
As 2011 was the 250th anniversary of Cavendish, we did not focus on the other important anniversary of that year-the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. We will have a variety of postings on the CHS blog (see address above) about various aspects of Cavendish’s Civil War history.

For many years, CHS held a plant sale and other activities on the Saturday before the 4th of July on the grounds of the Museum. In the last five years CHS expanded this to a town wide event, calling it Old Home Day and holding various activities in different parts of the Cavendish village (Stone Church, Cavendish Green and Museum). This year CHS plans to return to its original format back on the Museum grounds. More information will be available in the spring and summer editions of this newsletter as well as the CHS blog.

February 12 (Sunday): Annual Meeting, 5 pm Cavendish Town Elementary School, Proctorsivlle VT. See article above for more information.

April 14 (Saturday): Phineas Gage presentation for the Okemo Valley Historic Chamber to Chamber Tourism Exchange.

June 2 (Saturday): Reception for the opening of the Cavendish Floods Exhibit.

June 3 (Saturday): CHS Museum opens for the season, 2-4 pm.

June 30 (Saturday): CHS Summer Fest, featuring annual plant sale, live and silent auction and local vendors. This event will be held on the grounds of the Museum.

July 15 (Sunday): “Lotions, Potions and Notion-18th through mid 19th Century Folk Cures.” 2-4 pm at the Museum.

July 28: 2nd Annual Town Wide Tag Sale.

Cavendish Historic Timeline 1955-1960

Other portions of the Timeline are in the 2011 issues of the Scribbler II, all of which are on-line at the CHS blog.

1955: Cavendish Historical Society established. Atherton Bemis is the first president.
- Cavendish Town Office built in its current location on High Street in Cavendish.

1956-1957: Physician serving the Cavendish/Proctorsville area dies. Two fatal car accidents occurred and Cavendish found they could not rely on Ludlow for medical coverage. Community leaders meet with the University of Vermont Medical School about the situation. They were advised to equip a medical office and then solicit for a physician. Kenwood Mills, who purchased Gay Brothers Mills and its holdings in 1951, donates the stone building to help form the new Black River Health Center. Members of the community donated their time to renovate the building. Workers at Kenwood Mills had $1 a week withheld from their pay to help establish the Health Center. Dr. Eugene Bont and Dr. Lawrence Bixby set up practice.

1957: Kenwood Mills, formerly Gay Brothers Woolen Mill, once the leading employer for the town is sold and closed by the new owners.
- Passenger and freight train service no longer available in Cavendish.
- Art Briggs is elected Fire Chief for Fire District #2 (Cavendish). With his experience fighting fires in WWII, he creates a well organized group and legally incorporates the Fire Department. An active Auxiliary is formed. Prior to Briggs arrival, Cavendish stored fire fighting equipment at various locations in town and depended heavily on Fire District #1 and the Gay Brothers Mill for putting out fires.
- Hawks Mountain Fire, which started on the Cavendish side and spread to Perkinsville. The National Guard had to be called for help. The fire started on May 7 and wasn’t fully extinguished until May 11.

1960: The new Proctorsville Elementary School building opens. Duttonsville School is still open, but will close in 1971. As the Cavendish village students enter the school in Proctorsville, the school becomes known as the Cavendish Town Elementary School.
• Cavendish Population 1,223, the lowest since 1910.
• New Route 103 extension added, no longer requiring traffic to go down Proctorsville’s Depot Street to a stop light, where drivers turned left for Ludlow or right for Cavendish. Depot Street becomes a town highway and no longer a state highway.

Cavendish Historical Society Board
Dan Churchill
Jen Harper
Gloria Leven
Marc Miele
Bruce McEnaney
Joseph Pasquerello
Mike Pember
Gail Woods

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE
If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: ____________________________

Membership Level
__ Individual Member $10 ___ Senior Member 65+ $ ___ Sustaining Member $500
__ Household Member $15 ___ Contributing Member $250

Volunteer
___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):
__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives _ Budget --–– Cemetery __ Hands on History

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:
__ For general purposes __ Educational Programs __Publications
__ Archeological Activities __ Museum & Archival __ Special Events
__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Hands on History
__ Other (please specify) __ Cemetery Restoration

President’s Report 2011

When we started planning for activities in 2011, we knew that we’d be very busy. After all, it was the 250th Anniversary of our town plus it was the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. However, we had no idea what was in store for our town, and how important of a role the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) would play.

On Aug. 28, Cavendish became an “island town,”-access to us was very difficult-thanks to Tropical Storm Irene. In the true spirit of Cavendish’s first settlers, the people of Cavendish organized themselves. Everyone helped neighbors, provided shelter, rebuilt and kept people informed.

Unique among historical societies, CHS has recognized the importance of keeping track of current activities, and therefore, is one of the sponsors of the Cavendish Update. This is an electronic news format, which is available by email or online [www.cavendishvt.blogspot.com]. As part of the 250th activities, a Facebook page was established to help people remain current about what activities were taking place and when.

Little did we know that this electronic outlet was one of the few ways we had to communicate. This was used by the community not only to keep people informed about what was open, but people posted who needed help, road conditions, and what services they had to offer.

Many CHS members were involved in running the shelter and in the recovery process. However, one of the most frequent requests we received, particularly from the National Guard, who were repairing our roads, was for information about the 1927 flood. In case we needed a reminder of why we think the work of a historical society is important, one only needed to see the Guard poring over the articles written by Olin Gay about the events of 1927.

In true pioneer fashion, CHS played an important role in seeing that our 250th anniversary was honored in October. No, we didn’t have all the events we planned, and our parade was reduced in size and scope. However, we hope that our actions will provide courage to future generations, much as knowing the details of how people in 1927 coped has encouraged us.

Because of the flood recovery, as well as the 250th anniversary, the CHS board felt it was too much to try to hold the CHS annual meeting in October. As we discussed it, we thought that making a permanent shift to January/February provided us with an opportunity to provide a better annual report, since CHS operates fiscally on a calendar year.

Finances are tight, and CHS continues to work at cost containment. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the incredible support of our volunteers. This is a great time to renew your membership, make a contribution or donate your services.

In keeping with requests, we are planning a Cavendish Flood exhibit for 2012, as well as recognizing the impact the Civil War had on our town.

Cavendish Historical Society: Financial Report 2011

Income, Endowments & Checking Account 1/1/11-12/31/12
Donations 3,066
Events 2,038
Town 1,800
CD Rollover 2,996
Williams CD 20,891
Rankin CD 4,483
Checking 4,695
Interest 373

Total 30,069

In-kind contributions were provided by Doug Haskell in the repairing & reglazing of the Museum’s windows.

Expenditures 1/1/11-12/31/11
Contracuals 7,200
Printing & Reproduction 161
Event Expenses 169
Postage and Shipping 418
Utilities 338
Museum Restoration 250
Other 201
Total 8,737

Income for 2011 once again reflects the impacts of economy. The 2011 annual year end campaign has raised less money, not only becomes of the economic situation but also because flood relief was their charity of choice this year. However, through the support of incredible volunteers, we are maintaining our buildings, offering a wide variety of programs, and playing a critical role in preserving our town’s history, while holding down costs. In fact, as can be seen in the table below our expenditures in 2011 were 59% ($8,737) of the first nine months of 2009 ($14,614) and less than $1,000 over the first nine months of 2010.

Tree at the Museum Comes Down

2012-01-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

After numerous discussions by the Historical Society Board, it was agreed that the tree next to the Museum had to come down. Large limbs were falling off after every storm and because the center of the tree had rotted away, it was just a matter of time before a limb fell on utility wires or onto the roof of the Museum. Instead of biting our nails during storms worrying whether "this would be the one" that damaged the Museum or surrounding property, the board voted to have it removed. The tree is being removed today. We will miss it.

Cavendish Historical Society Annual Meeting Feb. 12

2012-01-14T03:36:00.000-08:00

The Annual Meeting for the Cavendish Historical Society has been changed from October to February. This year’s meeting will take place on Feb. 12 (Sunday), 5 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. This will include a potluck supper plus a screening of “Life in Windsor County,” featuring CHS’s board member Bruce McEnaney. The video includes the 250 year history of the region, along with photographs and stories. FMI: 226-7807 or margoc@tds.net

Benjamin F. Giddings Personal Military and Civil History

2011-12-30T06:04:00.000-08:00

The Cavendish Historical Society has recently received, from the Brattleboro Historical Society, materials relating to Benjamin F. Giddings. Benjamin Franklin Giddings was born in Cavendish, VT July 5, 1843, the son of Hiram and Rebecca (French) Giddings. He enlisted in the Civil War the first time at age 15. After the War, Giddings settled in California.

These materials were donated by: Don Butkovich, Antique Dealer, Traverse City, Michigan in Honor of his friend Gilbert H. Whelden, Jr., the nephew of B.F. Giddings, who purchased these papers directly from the Living Estate of Mr. Whelden in Michigan.

Among the items included a bound book entitled "Personal Military and Civil History." Below are the notes from Benjamin F. Giddings about his actions during the Civil War. On each page, Giddings wrote additional notes in the margins. They are in different ink, so it is possible that information was added at a latter date. These additional notes are indented.

1) “I first enlisted Oct. 26, 1861 at age 15 in Co. “H.” 2nd Berdan US Sharpshooters: this Regt. Was composed of companies from different states. The first Regt was commanded by Col Hiram Berdon of NY. The 2nd Regt by Col. HAV Post of NY. A civil engineer by profession. And a member of the 7th NH state militia a brave and splendid officer. The Co. was formed and mustered at Brattleboro, VT. And left the state for Wash. Jan 1, 1962 and joined the Regt then encamped on Meridian Hill near Washington. Ours was the last Co to join the Regt, which had 8 companies of 100 men each. Bilbert Hart of Dorset VT was Capt. We remained in this “Camp of Instruction” thru the winter, being drilled in Ballallium & skirmish drill, armed first with Colts muskets, where were soon discarded and replaced with Sharps Target Rifles. The latter part of March 1862 the Regt started on.

Col Berdan from whom Sharpshooters was named, was the inventor of a rifle which he hoped to get adopted for use in our army, but failed. He served as Col of 1st Regt till after Gettysburg when he resigned went to Russia got his rifle adopted by Russian Gov. and was made Super of their construction became a Russian Citizen and died a very rich man.

2) its first march crossing the Potomac into VA and joined a Brigade composed of the 22-24 & 30 NY Infantry. The Brooklyn 14th zouave. The Harris Light Cavalry, and Gibbons Battery of Artl, the Brig. Commanded by Brig Genl CC Augar of the Reg army, and becoming a part of Kings Div. McDowell’s Corps. Which became an independent command and army on the departure of the army of the Potomac on its Peninsula campagne under Genl McClellan. About the middle of April our Brig led the march from Catletts Sta to Falmouth VA 40 miles in 24 hours and giving our Brig the name of the “1st Iron Brigade.” The Sharpshooters led the advance and when approaching Falmouth in the early morning formed a skirmish line with Harris L. Cavs in advance. We had little brush with enemy they retreating across Rappahannock river to Fredericksburg.

The Harris Cavalry was under command of its Lt. Col Judson Kilpatric afterwards Maj Genl and commander of Calvery Corps Army of Potomac.
Capt Gibbon comd’r of the field battery.-was after words a Maj Genl and in command of a corps.
On our first march we got lost and we spent our first night of field camp in open ?? and a cold rain lasting thru the night.

3) burning the bridges. One Brig of our corps occupied Fredericksburg. While our Brig camped on the pleasant Falmouth hills which 8 months later shook with the thunder of Burnsides guns in the great battle & defeat at Fredericksburg in Dec. 62. In May we crossed the river and started on the march to join McClellan and cooperate with him in the operations against Richmond. But after marching eight miles we were ordered back. Marched rapidly to Catletts then to Manassus Junc put on RR cars and sent up to Front Royal in Blue Ridge Mts to intersept Stonewall Jackson in his advance on Wash. Who, when he had accomplished his object in drawing us away from joining McClellan marched his force back and joined Leee opposing the army of Potomac. Our corps then marched back to our old camp at Falmouth. A cousin of mine of same age who enlisted with me and was Corpl is same Co was taken ill with typhoid fever and left behind at Haymarket VA and I never saw him again as died of the fever. (Henry E. Giddings Reading VT)

While camped near Fredericksburg our boys often visited the little city where were several flour mills. And as we had plenty of coffee and the inhabitants none, we found no difficulty in effecting an ex 1 lb of coffee for 10 lbs or more of flour. Then came pancakes for us to take place of hard tack. It used to be said that some of the boys used to dry their coffee grounds and trade them for flour. I know not about this.

4) I became disabled by rupture [an accident due to severe straining, lifting or muscular exertion] on this hard march and in June 62 was discharged for disability. And went home to VT. The Regt remained in service to the end of war seeing much hard service and many hard battles was in the #rd Corps (Genl Seckles) at Gettysburg, and lost during its term of service 126 men and 9 com. Officers killed in action. I remained home working on farm and teaching school in winter until March 7, 1864 when I enlisted again in 17th VT inftry. (Co.G) the last Regt raised in VT the Regt formed and mustered in Burlington Vt and left the state Apr 18-64 as a Battallion of 7 companies under Lt Col Chas Cummings of Brattleboro, and was rushed to the front and joined the 9th Corps Genl Burnside at Calletts Sta. Just before it jointed the Army of the Potomac on the Rapidan. The Brig then was composed of 31 & 32 Me. 6-7 & 11 NH 17th Vt and shortly after 56th Mass.

On this march into Blue Ridge Mts. Train on Mansaasa Gap RR. Carrying our Regt. Was run into by another train following and many soldiers filling and covering the old box cars were killed many more maimed. I was in front of train near engine and escaped. Thos. Bruised and thrown out of car.

5) all N.E. troops and commanded by Coil S G. Griffith of the 6 NH a skillful and intrepid officer. The Div. Was comd by Maj Gen Robt B Potter a son of Bishop Potter of Penn & a splendid officer. On the morning May 4 we started on a forced march to join the Army of Genls Grant & Meade then just breaking camp at Culpepper CH to begin the Wilderness Campaign. We marched all day of May 4 & 5th and crossed the Rapidan at Germania Ford on the evening of the 5th just at the close of the 1st days fighting and got into position bet the 2nd & 5th Corps. Our Regt had never had a battalion drill. And we went into action for 380 muskets. Early on morning of May 6th, we had very severe fighting all day and lost heavily in proportion to our numbers. We were in all the terrible fighting which followed up the siege of Petersburg. On June 3 at battle of Cold Harbor I was wounded in left shoulder by musket ball and went to field hospital where I assisted the surgeon of ?Regt (Dr. Edson) in charge.

While Regt was crossing Rapidan on night of May 5 went through filled hospital tents of 6th Corps where a cousin and an officer of the VT Brig lay wounded unknown of course to me. His brother in 1st Vt cavalry had been killed the same day just as the fighting commenced in the early morn another coz was in the battle both days Col of 77th NY, in 6th Corps

6) in caring for the over 400 wounded from our one Division. The next morning I accompanied wagon & ambulance train with the wounded to White House Landing on the Pamonkie River walking the distance 12 miles and serving men who were in the train and wounded, with wate as I could get it. Went by steamer to Wash. & hospital then to Phil & then to Brattleboro, VT. Got furlough wound not healed.got pass to town. And fell in with squad of inmates of selected to be retd to Regts. Got to N.Y. Kight on Bedloe’s Island 19 days then got on Transport loaded with 1800 men, went via Ft. Munroe & up James river to City Point. When disembarked. Hunted up my Regt in lines before Petersburg after walking all night. Reported and found myself reported to Regt. As a deserter from Hospital. Was given chg of my Co. as 1st Sergt. it having no commissioned Officer. And next day Aug 19, 1864 started on march to left of line to support 5th corps (?) on Weldon RR. Promoted to 1st Lt Co B Capt Nov 64 served to end of war. Was at Berksville VA when Lee surrendered and commanded ground in chg of all guns and ordinance stores of Lee’s army. Marched to Alexandria Va and into camp. Was on Grand Review May 23 & 24, 65 mustered out at Bulrington Vt July 1865. Regt has 133 enlisted men & 14 com. Officers killed in action or died of wounds a record not excelled by an other Regt.

Annual Appeal

2011-11-28T02:55:00.000-08:00

November 27, 2010

Dear Friend:

This past year was supposed to be one long celebration for Cavendish, given that we were honoring our 250th anniversary. While many wonderful events did take place, including weekly posts about various aspects of our town’s history, the big four-day event was scheduled for the anniversary date in October. While the flood of August 28 changed our town dramatically, we still came together and celebrated, just not at the scale we had planned on.

We saw first hand how important it is to preserve our history when the National Guard wanted to see photographs and articles about the 27 flood that could help them in the repair of the current “Cavendish Canyon. Therefore, it was not surprising that even before the shelter closed, we were being asked to mount an exhibit for 2012 comparing the 1927 flood to 2011.

CHS recognizes that what happens today is tomorrow’s history, so we are one of the supporters of the Cavendish Update, an electronic newsletter, which is archived at www.cavendishvt.blogspot.com and has a Facebook page Cavendish VT. While we are leaving a digital history for future generations, it proved to be an invaluable resource during the flood. For ten straight days, posts were issued several times a day so people would know where to go for help and assistance. Further, the Facebook page was a quick way for people to post what roads were open and who needed help.

Along with organizing a flood exhibit for the Museum, we will be focusing on the Civil War-the 150th anniversary began in 2011-and expanding our outreach through our “hands on history program.” People learn best by doing, so we are offering workshops and activities for community groups and school children. The workshop list is available at the CHS blog, or can be e-mailed (margoc@tds.net) or mailed.

We know these are hard times, but we also know that that work of CHS is making a difference in our community now and for future generations. You can be an integral part of what CHS is doing by:
• Donating to our appeal campaign (see attached forms)
• Renewing your annual membership.
• Helping with our various programs
• Helping with fundraising

Wishing you a joyous holiday season, and a happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Dan Churchill,
President

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Quilting/Anniversary Quilt

2011-11-11T05:10:00.000-08:00

Quilting was very prominent among the early settlers, not only because of the need for warmth, but fabric was expensive to buy and “homespun” was labor intensive. Every scrap had to be saved and “re purposed.”

The Cavendish Historical Society has quite a collection of quilts in the Museum, most of which were most likely made by a group of women to commemorate an event, such as a marriage. The oldest quilt in the collection is from the Civil War era and a recent acquisition.

Teresa Campbell of Lancaster, California was given eight squares by a friend of her husband. A quilter, as well as a genealogist, Campbell traced the squares to Cavendish and donated them in early June.

While we were discussing the Civil War era squares, a number of women and men (a first) in Cavendish, were preparing the 250th Anniversary quilt. When Campbell supplied the names of the quilters- Evey Kendall, Leizzie Kendall, Mrs. Maria Spaulding, Julia A. Davis, Mary Hemminway, Celia A. Davis, and Ella A. Spaulding-it was immediately noted that one of the quilters for Cavendish’s Anniversary quilt, Pang Ting, now lives in the house where the Kendall sisters once resided.

The Cavendish 250th Anniversary Quilt was on display at Old Home Day as well as serving as a backdrop for the play Cavendish Chronicles II: The Early Years. Because the school’s multi purpose room was both the site of the shelter during Irene recovery, and the play, the set was keep up for most of the shelter duration, so many people saw the quilt. Of particular interest was the square made by fiber artist Paulette Martell, which depicted the 1927 flood.

A combination of 14 different people made the 30 squares in the quilt. A variety of techniques were used to create a very unique design. While many of the squares were collaborative efforts, they depicted the town’s history as well as aspects that people thought should be remembered.

In addition to Martell, the quilters included:
• Jackie Blanchard: Raised in Cavendish, she is an award winning quilter. Not only did she transfer a number of photographs of Cavendish onto fabric, she included embroidered squares of the town name and dates, as well as an appliqué flower square.
• Margo Caulfield: From Baltimore, MD, is the coordinator of CHS. She, worked on several squares and choose to remember Phineas Gage, as she has spent many years working in the field of traumatic brain injury.
• Barbara Dickey: A retired researcher, Barbara worked with Wendy Regier and Tess Ellwood to capture the Cavendish countryside through six wildflower squares.
• Tess Ellwood: New to Proctorsville, Tess comes to our community from North Carolina. She is a quilter as well as a weaver. She not only contributed the log cabin square, but was the one who carefully sewed, repieced squares and masterminded the completion of the quilt.
• Gloria Leven: Born in West Virginia, Gloria has been a lover and maker of quilts for many years. She made several squares, including the pieced maple leaf.
• Paulette Martell: Originally from Maine, she is a well known fiber artist and quilter. Who knew her square depicting the 1927 flood would take on such significance?
• Jennifer McBride: A well known textile designer and owner of Jennifer Hoar designs and Soap Baubles, Jen moved to Cavendish from Brooklyn, New York just a few years ago. The bear, moose, tractor, and deer were her designs.
• Mary Ormrod: From Toronto Canada, where she lived in the bush country of Canada at one point, it is not surprising that Mary would choose the Crown Point Road as her quilt square theme
• Becky Plunkard: Growing up in a military family, Becky has lived in many different places. Making the square of the Universalist Church, known locally as “The Stone Church,” she only had to look out her window for inspiration.
• Craig Rankin: A landscape architect from New York, Craig retired to Cavendish in 1979. He was well known for his pen and ink drawings of Cavendish. His rendering of the CHS Museum was transferred to fabric by Jackie Blanchard.
• Lonnie Rankin: The daughter-in-law of Craig Rankin, she spent many happy days on the Rankin Farm and choose that as her theme. .
• Wendy Regier: From New York City, Wendy ahs been a professional weaver for the last 35 years. She made three squares: Marino sheep and loom; the Cavendish Green Marble Quarry (which is near her home) and Alexandra Solzhenitsyn
• Rich Svec: From New Jersey and Town Manager, Svec’s photograph of the town office, as well as the town logo were converted into squares by Jackie Blanchard.
• Pang Ting: From Hong Kong, while Pang may be a fiber artist with a love of paper, she created a one of a kind portrait of Cavendish today by using small pieces of fabric.

The quilt is being preserved and will be available for future generations as one of our town’s remembrances of our anniversary.

Hands on History

2011-11-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Cavendish Historical Society’s (CHS) “Hands on History” program is offering the following workshops and activities to Cavendish Town Elementary School and local community groups.

• Food from various time periods
- making butter with a churn: All ages
- bread making: 4th grade and up

• Because Cavendish has been home to many people from many parts of the world, we now offer workshops that not only reflect these cultures but also the traditions that coincide with different times of the year and holidays.

• Fiber arts:
- Corn husk dolls: This will not be offered until fall 2012 as we will dry husks starting in May. This will be limited to grades 4th grade and up. We request registeration for this workshop no later than April 1, so we can dry sufficient husks.
- Felt Wool Balls: All ages
- Beeswax candle making: All grades
- Quilt squares
- Stenciling: All ages
- Paper cuts: 5th grade and up
- God’s eyes, used in many cultures including the Irish for Shamhain (Sowen): 4th grade and up
- Using dyes from nature-such as butter nuts, milk weed etc.
- Knitting and crochet
- Simple weaving

• Games and toys throughout Cavendish history

• Music: Since we are in the process of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, Cavendish is fortunate to have the fiddler Bob Naess available to play tunes from this era. Of particular note is the music of a prisoner at Camp Chase.

• Speakers on the following topics:
- Farming
o Tap trees and sugaring Grades 3-6
o Clove Apples: 3-6 grades
o Cider press: All ages
- Archeology-early man in Cavendish
- Various crafts
- Cavendish history
- Business-large and home based
- Genealogy

• Tours of historic sites, including but not limited to:
- Cemeteries
- Fitton’s Mill
- Settler’s tour (Dutton, Proctor and Coffeen)
- First school house and one room school houses
- Proctorsville Historic Walking tour
- Phineas Gage Walking tour

Programs can be designed for a particular time period that you may be studying. While programs are available free of charge, donations are appreciated. Note that CHS will be creating an 1800’s house for the spring of 2011

For more information please call the CHS coordinator at 802-226-7807 or e-mail margoc@tds.net

Scribbler II: Fall 2011 CHS Newsletter

2011-11-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

On-line, E-mail or Print
Have it your way. That is your bi monthly copy of “The Scribber II.” CHS is trying to reduce costs and meet the growing demand for information provided in a digital format. Many people like the “paper less” aspects provided by keeping a digital file of newsletters, genealogy and other materials. Others prefer print. Whatever your preference, if you are receiving your newsletter in print form, and prefer it sent to you electronically, please e-mail margoc@tds.net and provide the e-mail address you would like the newsletter sent to you. The newsletter is available on-line at the CHS blog (address above), in print and can be directly e-mailed to you in PDF format.

Remembering Sophie Snarksi 1916-2011
It is with sadness that we inform members that Sophie Snarski, a lifetime member of CHS, died Oct. 23 at the age of 95. Known for her love of Cavendish, Sophie was actually born in Racine, WI, to parents who had immigrated to the United States from Poland. Moving to Cavendish when she was three, Sophie held a number of positions-fiddler, town auditor, “drawing in girl” for Gay Brothers Mill, member of the Holy Name of Mary Altar Society and the Cavendish Historical Society, and most notably postmaster of the Cavendish post office from 1975 to the early 1990’s. It was in this position that many came to know her as matchmaker, source of all things local and much more. The April 2009 “Scribbler II” contains an article about Sophie’s memories of living in Cavendish during the “Great Depression.” Her obituary is on-line.

How Did Cavendish Fair?
We’ve received phone calls and e-mails from CHS members all over the country, asking how we’re surviving the flood. Yes, parts of Cavendish look a bit like they did after the flood of 1927, particularly the area by the old Duttonsville School. However, like then, we are managing.

Similar to 1927, the flooding was caused by an intense amount of rain from a tropical storm (in this case Irene) after a very wet period. Irene dumped 5-8 inches of rain over large sections of Vermont, with Cavendish receiving 8+ inches in a very short time period.

Emergency measures were put into place, with evacuation of homes in several locations, plus the opening of a shelter at Cavendish Town Elementary School, which remained operational for 10 days. Over 85 individuals and families and 36 organizations and businesses, including Vermont Red Cross, Homeland Security and the National Guard brought food and water to sustain us and the tools to clean up our homes and businesses, as well as the equipment and talent to restore our roads. Approximately 120 people helped to keep the shelter going, and another 25 formed work crews to assist in restoring damaged property.

You can read more about how people were managing day to day by reading the Cavendish Update blog from August. 29-Sept. 7.

While we wish we could report that we had no fatalities, one of the Air Guard men died, on deployment in Cavendish, of an apparent heart attack. In addition, there was a flood fatality in Ludlow.

Seven homes were washed away in 1927. There are at least eight families dealing with major housing issues, with many more coping with flooded basements and property damage. However, everyone in Cavendish was impacted because all of the roads and the town’s infrastructure, water and sewer, were damaged.

If there was ever a question as to why we study history, one only needed to watch the National Guard poring over the articles written by Olin Gay in 1928 about the flood. They were particularly interested in seeing pictures of the famous 1927 “Cavendish Canyon,” as it certainly looked very similar to the 2011 version.

We’ve already been asked to mount a special exhibit for next summer on the history of the floods in Cavendish. We are not only working on this, but we are looking to see if we can once again make copies of the 1927 flood panoramic photograph.

Annual Meeting Change
CHS board and members were heavily involved in not only the flood relief efforts, but also the 250th Anniversary Celebration weekend, which took place approximately five weeks after the flood. With all that was going on, plus the fact that the financial report is limited to the first three quarters of the year, the board voted to change the meeting to the end of January beginning of February. More information will be in the winter 2012 newsletter.

Cavendish is 250 Years Old
On Oct. 12, 1761, King George III signed the Charter that created Cavendish. In spite of flood damage, Cavendish celebrated with four days of activities. On Oct. 7, local fiddler Bob Naess, brought his dance band Yankee Chank to play contras, squares and Cajun/Zydeco music. Similar to dances attended by the Coffeens in the (Cavendish’s first settlers), people lined the walls to watch the dancers.

The flood recovery required a different route, but it didn’t keep hundreds from lining Depot Street to cheer for the local fire departments, horse drawn carriages, antique automobiles and the walkers in the “short but sweet” parade. Finishing at the Proctorsville Green, author and historian Sandra Stearns, the grand marshal, read a poem she wrote in 1990. See below.

Following the activities on the green, a BBQ was held at the school. Attorney Matt Birmingham spoke about Benning Wentworth and attendees had a chance to see the newly restored Cavendish Charter and other historic documents.

On Sunday, the churches held an open house, which was followed by a presentation by the authors of “The Inventor’s Fortune Up for Grabs.” Stearns and Una Hadley Gay’s granddaughter Suzanne Gay Beyer talked about her family’s connection with Art Hadley, who in 1913 invented the expansion bracelet. While Suzanne provided pictures and stories about life at Glimmerstone with her grandparents, John S. Pfarr, a Connecticut and Rhode Island estate-planning attorney, discussed the case of Art Hadley’s descendents’ six-year effort in trying to recover a substantial portion of the fortune left by Art Hadley. Pfarr represented nine of the Gay grandchildren.

The “Meet the Authors” event was held at Crows Bakery, which just reopened after having sustained major flood damage.

The last of the four-day events was a potluck supper and presentation of the histories of the churches in Cavendish and Proctorsville.

May 1990 Cavendish, Vermont
Cavendish, Vermont! How I love that name!
Of my birth or death, perhaps both the same.
You felt the first step I did make.
May it be here, my last I take.
Your history spans so many years.
You’ve sheltered hopes, dreams and tears.
The Black River flowed thru the Gorge.
Thru channels and drops it did forge,
Now as it did in ages old.
Such memories it does enfold.
Quiet were your hills many years ago.
While wild animals roamed, to and fro.
Brave Indians traveled over your lands,
Fished your rivers, walked your sands.
Came in 1754 with prisoners from Fort # 4.
And “Captive” Johnson was born in a shelter poor.
Five years later your woods were filled,
With British soldiers cutting thru your hills.
The Crown Point Road connected fort with fort,
To move troops, baggage and supplies of all sort.
Chartered by Benning Wentworth in 1761,
But no permanent settlement was then begun.
John Coffeen and his family came to this barren land,
In 1769, alone, alone no neighbors at hand.
While sparse was the company on that road.
Settling his land, Leonard Proctor in 1780 came.
In the village that still bears hi name.
Next year Salmon Dutton arrived in town,
Built his house in the village he found.
Gradually, gradually, more settlers came,
Established homes, farmed and hunted game.
Established government, schools and a meeting place.
Utilized, organized, filled and divided the space.
Worked together to build a town,
Using whatever talents were found.
Grist mills, saw mills, carpenters too,
Farmers, blacksmiths, inns so new.
Place to congregate and for neighbors to meet,
Bridges, cemeteries, churches and streets.
All that was needed to make a town so fine.
Over the years they worked, now it’s yours and mine.
The railroad was a fabulous thing.
Its engine puffed and its wheels would sing,
Connecting Cavendish to the world so fine.
You could go almost anywhere by 1849.
The 1927 flood, what a tragic time.
A chasm grew down lower Main Street line.
Seven houses were crushed and swept away.
But everyone lived to see a better day.
Remember the lives that stood on these hills!
Remember the voices ringing in the valley shrill !
Remember the trials and cares to make it great!

Cavendish, Vermont! My Town!! My State!!

Sandra F. Stearns

Hands on History (Young Historians)
For the last two years, CHS has provided a “Young Historians” program at the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) for students in grades 3-6. A popular program, the teachers were interested in a program that was available to all grades and students. Since we know that people learn best by doing, we have launched the “Hands on History” program, not only for the students and teachers at CTES, but for any community group or organization that might be interested.

In addition to the programs being offered, the list is posted at the Cavendish Blog, or can be obtained by e-mailing margoc@tds.net or calling 802-226-7807, we are hoping to create a temporary 1850’s house in the spring. We are fortunate to have Sandy Stearns, who was engaged in similar activities at Billings Farm, involved in the planning and implementation of this project.

Cavendish Historical Timeline 1930-1954
The Cavendish Timeline is being printed in installments in the Scribbler II. Dates covered by issue are as follows: Winter 1759-1834; Spring 1835-1880 and Summer 1886-1960

1933: A Civilian Conservation Corps camp was established in the Proctor-Piper Forest in Proctorsville. One hundred twenty five unmarried men, between the ages of 18-25, came from New York to join local men in clearing trails for horse back riding and hiking and to create a recreational area.

1938: A hurricane struck the Town. The winds blew down thousands of trees, blocking nearly every road.

1940: Cavendish Population 1,398

1941-1945 WWII Era: One hundred and sixty-eight men and one woman served in the war. Imogene Baxendale served as an Army nurse. Six men were killed in action and several were wounded. They served in every branch of the armed services and in nearly every area where American soldiers, sailors and flyers were sent.
- Gay Brothers Mill was described as “the chief war industry of the town where 300 people worked producing 30,000 yards of woolen blankets, Navy uniform cloth and Khaki flannels each week for the United States Government. 37% of the workers served in the military. In need of workers, women worked in the mills, many men had second jobs there and all high school students over 16 were asked to work at the mill whenever possible.
- Due to its proximity to Precision Valley, as well as the mills in the Villages, Cavendish was viewed as being at risk for enemy bombing. Three spotter towers were erected and were staffed by volunteers (women, high school students, and men not in the service) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The towers were located above the Duttonsville School, across from Moonlite Meadows Farm, on East Road, and at the end of Blood Terrace off of Maple Street in Proctorsville.

1946: Allen Wilcox becomes the first town manager hired. Each year the town would vote whether they wanted a paid town manager. Some years they had one and many years they didn’t. In 1960, Donald Ellison became town manager and held the post for quite some time.

1950: Dutton House moved from the Cavendish Green to the Shelburne Museum.
- Cavendish population 1,374

1950-1953: Korean War. Fifty four men from Cavendish served in this war. All returned home safely.

1953: Rutland Railroad stops passenger service, ending passenger service in Proctorsville and Cavendish. Depots in both towns are dismantled.

1954: First Television set comes to Cavendish. Vermont’s first television station, was established in 1954 when WCAX-TV began broadcasting from Burlington. Joseph Warren on Twenty Mile Stream owned the first TV set in Cavendish.

Cavendish Historical Society Board
Dan Churchill
Jen Harper
Gloria Leven
Marc Miele
Bruce McEnaney
Mike Pember
Gail Woods

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE
If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: ____________________________

Membership Level
__ Individual Member $10 ___ Senior Member 65+ $ ___ Sustaining Member $500
__ Household Member $15 ___ Contributing Member $250

Volunteer
___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):
__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives _ Budget --–– Cemetery __ Hands on History

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:
__ For general purposes __ Educational Programs __Publications
__ Archeological Activities __ Museum & Archival __ Special Events
__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Hands on History
__ Other (please specify) __ Cemetery Restoration

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Cavendish Halloween

2011-10-26T16:22:00.000-07:00

Since Oct. 31 is just a few days away, we’ve included excerpts from Sandra Stearns book, “Cavendish Hillside Farm 1939 to 1957,” about her memories of Halloween at the Center Road School House.

Each year, the Center School had a Halloween party. Our greatest joy was to be invited to Cliff and Marion Johnson’s home to explore their attic looking for our attire. High button shoes, red flannelled long johns and dresses and hats from years ago were abundant there. Marion was always good for a unique costume herself. An unknown student always appeared and only by the process of elimination and observance of a missing person were we able to identify her.

Corks were burned and rubbed on our hands and faces to darken them. Lipstick was used liberally and we wore it for days before it washed off completely. Pillows were stuffed everywhere in our costumes making humped backs, roly-poly bellies, extreme fannies and bouncing cleavages. We wore our dads’ boots and shoes, the bigger the better. Our teacher, Mrs. Pickard, often dressed up as a gypsy and would tell our fortunes by the lines in our palms. Costumes were judged and prizes were awarded.

Apples were floated in a large tub of water and we bobbed for them. Faces were dunked under the water, trying to push the apple to the bottom, where we would be able to get it between our teeth and rise triumphant with our prize. The best way to snare the apple was that way, but much time was spent turning it into just the position you wanted. Usually it promptly rolled back whatever way it wanted as soon as your hands were eliminated from helping. Apples or donuts were suspended from the ceiling by strings. Our hands were tied behind our backs and we attempted to consume the dangling food as it swung back and forth. It was a neighborhood party and everyone, young and old, was involved.

The older students made a ghost walk outside, around the building. It was real dark so a rope was used to guide the “unsuspecting” parents thru our horrible moans, rattling chains, clanging pans, crazy cackles and wolf howls. The route and the noise never changed much from year to year, bout our loyal parents made our efforts worthwhile. They fulfilled their role of scared participants and we were delighted with their shrieks of fright!

One year we were invited to attend and participate in the large Halloween party at Duttonsville in the Town Hall. We had never been trick or treating and most of us were too bashful to try. I, for one, felt lost among all those unknown kids and did not enjoy myself. It was decided after that to continue our own party.

A special treat for the kids was our “Find the Right Shoe” game for the parents. Wives were taken out into the hall. They each removed the same shoe from their foot. These shoes were placed in the classroom in a pile. One at a time, our mothers would poke their foot around the door while keeping the rest of their body out of sight. The husbands had to decide if that was their wife’s foot, then pick out the right shoe and see if it fit. We were kept in stitches by how often our fathers couldn’t tell their wife’s foot, much less find the right shoe.

Another favorite contest was pie eating. Contestants of all ages were seated a table with their hands tied behind them. A piece of pie was placed on a plate in front of each one. Using only their mouths they gobbled and smeared pie from ear to ear as they tried to be the first to finish their piece. Of course blueberry was the chosen flavor because it showed up so nicely . Another contest was to see who could eat a whole pie in the same manner in the shortest time.

As we grew tired, cider and donuts were shared by everyone. Our high hopes for haunting had been fulfilled for another year.

Copies of "Cavendish Hillside Farm 1939 to 1957" are available from the Cavendish Historical Society for $15 a copy plus $5 for shipping and handling. Checks should be made payable to CHS and mailed to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142.

Atherton Dog License

2011-10-18T02:54:00.000-07:00

Linda Welch, CHS genealogist sent the following copy of Joseph Atherton's dog license.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Cavendish, VT Poem

2011-10-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

At the Cavendish 250th Anniversary Celebration on Oct. 8, Grand Marshall, historian and author Sandy Stearns read the following poem, which she wrote in 1990. It’s a very good summary of almost 250 years of Cavendish history.

Cavendish, Vermont! How I love that name!
Of my birth or death, perhaps both the same.
You felt the first step I did make.
May it be here, my last I take.
Your history spans so many years.
You’ve sheltered hopes, dreams and tears.
The Black River flowed thru the Gorge.
Thru channels and drops it did forge,
Now as it did in ages old.
Such memories it does enfold.
Quiet were your hills many years ago.
While wild animals roamed, to and fro.
Brave Indians traveled over your lands,
Fished your rivers, walked your sands.
Came in 1754 with prisoners from Fort # 4.
And “Captive” Johnson was born in a shelter poor.
Five years later your woods were filled,
With British soldiers cutting thru your hills.
The Crown Point Road connected fort with fort,
To move troops, baggage and supplies of all sort.
Chartered by Benning Wentworth in 1761,
But no permanent settlement was then begun.
John Coffeen and his family came to this barren land,
In 1769, alone, alone no neighbors at hand.
While sparse was the company on that road.
Settling his land, Leonard Proctor in 1780 came.
In the village that still bears hi name.
Next year Salmon Dutton arrived in town,
Built his house in the village he found.
Gradually, gradually, more settlers came,
Established homes, farmed and hunted game.
Established government, schools and a meeting place.
Utilized, organized, filled and divided the space.
Worked together to build a town,
Using whatever talents were found.
Grist mills, saw mills, carpenters too,
Farmers, blacksmiths, inns so new.
Place to congregate and for neighbors to meet,
Bridges, cemeteries, churches and streets.
All that was needed to make a town so fine.
Over the years they worked, now it’s yours and mine.
The railroad was a fabulous thing.
Its engine puffed and its wheels would sing,
Connecting Cavendish to the world so fine.
You could go almost anywhere by 1849.
The 1927 flood, what a tragic time.
A chasm grew down lower Main Street line.
Seven houses were crushed and swept away.
But everyone lived to see a better day.
Remember the lives that stood on these hills!
Remember the voices ringing in the valley shrill !
Remember the trials and cares to make it great!

Cavendish, Vermont! My Town!! My State!!

Cavendish 250 Years Old Today

2011-10-12T04:13:00.000-07:00

Cavendish is offically 250 years old today. Oct 12, 1761 is the day King George III signed the Charter, which created Cavendish. Maybe eat some Old Cavendish Fruitcake or something

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: The 150th Anniversary/Other News

2011-09-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, Oct. 2, is the last day the Cavendish Historical Society Museum will be open, 2-4 pm, for the season. Stop by and see the 250 year timeline.

The 250th Anniversary celebration takes place Oct 7-10. Events are as follows:

Oct 7 (Friday): Community Dance, 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. Yankee Chank will be playing a variety of music-contras and squares with Mark Sustic as caller (the dancing of our first settlers); and hot Cajun/Zydeco dance tunes. Given our recent situation, could it be any more fitting to have a Louisiana inspired dance band? Les Bon Temps Roulet! (Let the Good Times Roll)

Oct. 8 (Saturday): Parade on Depot Street in Proctorsville starts at 10 am. We may have an abbreviated parade, but it will be inspired. The grand marshal is Sandra Stearns historian and author of “Cavendish Hillside Farm 1939 to 1957.” A variety of activities will take place as the parade ends at the Proctorsville Green (alternative location is the school). Look for games from the 1700’s that people of all ages can enjoy, food, face painting and much more.

Oct. 9 (Sunday): The Proctorsville/Cavendish churches will be holding an open house/reception at their respective churches from noon until 2 pm. At 2 pm, the authors of “The Inventor’s Fortune Up for Grabs,” Suzanne Gay Beyer, granddaughter of Olin Gay and John S. Pfarr, will be talking about their book at Crows Bakery on Depot Street in Proctorsville. There is a very interesting connection between Cavendish and the popular wristwatch expansion bracelet. This is the iconic American story of the underdog coming from behind to prevail. Please note that the location may need to change if Crows Bakery is not fully operational by that Sunday. The school will be the alternative location.

Oct 10 (Monday): The churches will be sponsoring a pot luck supper at 5 pm at the Cavendish School in Proctorsville, followed by a discussion on the history of religion in Cavendish.

The 150th Anniversary of Cavendish celebration had to be rescheduled to August 1912, due to a smallpox epidemic. Angie Kingsbury wrote to her sister, Marietta, on August 16, 1912 about the parade and events:

I am sending a list of the floats etc. which was printed in the last Tribune. No. 1 was drawn by an ox team the man representing John Coffeen driving the oxen. One person was barefoot and they all looked rather dilapidated. The next to come along was two men riding oxen. They didn’t have any yokes or anything on. ..No. 4 was a man dressed as they did in colonial times-powdered hair, cocked hat & all the fixings-riding on horseback. He looked exactly like George Washington. …No. 5 was an old, old green wagon. No. 7 were men on horseback painted red. A float with evergreens on the bottom covered with cotton to represent snow & two Indians sitting beside an old iron kettle and a bower of evergreen….The Rebekah float, which took first prize, was all white. …The horsback riders were few & the bicycles weren’t so very wonderful. There were quite a few autos. Gay’s took first prize. That was all covered with green & flowers & some little girls around with one perched on the back of the seat holding pink lines that were hitched to the shield in front. Murdock’s was second prize & was draped with golden rod. Fletchters was third & was decorated with sunflowers. The horribles [people dressed in costume] were plentiful. ….Sandford Emery got first prize for being horrible. He drove a scrawny horse hitched to a dilapidated wagon the wheels didn’t go together very well and were patched up boards and he was rigged as an old fat woman, wore a mash(ed) and new fashioned hat and an old cotton dress & brown umbrella with the ribs all sticking out as a sunshade. He had a bundle in his arms for a baby & was labeled “votes for women.” …There were two lineal descendents of Capt. Coffeen there. A man & a woman. The woman made a fine speech. It didn’t take her more than two minutes. The man spoke quite a while… Rev. Hough read an original poem. There were more speakers…

Allen M. Fletcher was to give the closing address at this celebration, but since it was late and beginning to rain, he wisely made just a few short remarks. “Chubb Hill Farm and Cavendish, Vermont: A Family and Town History” by Barbara B. Kingsbury

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Floods of 1936 and 1938

2011-09-23T03:26:00.000-07:00

While the Flood of 1927 has been considered the standard by which all other floods are judged in Cavendish, few realize the damages done in 1936 and again in 1938.

In March, 1936, there was an unusual amount of snow on the ground in early March when rain and warm weather (40’s and 50’s) came March 11-12. More heavy rain came March 16-22. Cavendish received a total of 7.89 inches of rain, not counting the enormous quantity of water from the snow melt. Schools were closed, mail and milk deliveries were not possible trains stopped running, bridges were out and the roads were covered with ice and water. Local fire men and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) were responsible for saving both lives and property. Isabelle Briggs recalled looking out of her childhood home and seeing a “lake” covering the road and the lower part of Whitesville where Twenty Mile Stream flows into the Black River.

The New England Hurricane of 1938 stuck on September 21. Strong winds blew down thousands of trees while heavy rain caused flooding again in the river valleys. In some areas, the flooding was as bad as in the Floods of 1927 and 1936. It was second to the Flood of 1927 in its total devastating impact throughout the state. For Cavendish, the wind damage caused the most destruction. Fallen trees blocked nearly every road the next day.

The disasters of the Flood of 1936 and the Hurricane of 38 at least gave work for road crews and Works Progress Administration (WPA) men in clean-up and road repair. The federal and state governments paid for most of this rather than the town. Logging the trees felled by the hurricane provided jobs as well. From “Chubb Hill Farm and Cavendish Vermont,” By Barbara B. Kingsbury.

CAVENDISH FOUNDER’S TOUR/ 250TH ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIES

2011-09-19T02:31:00.000-07:00

Originally scheduled for August 28, the Cavendish Founder’s Tour, will take place on September 25 (Sunday). The tour will include the homes and final resting places of the first settlers: Coffeens, Proctors and Duttons. Meet at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum at 2 pm. Please car pool if possible. While most places can be seen by car, there will be some walking involved when visiting the cemeteries.

If you haven’t had a chance to see the 250 years of Cavendish History Timeline, it is on display at the CHS Museum, open this Sunday from 2-4 pm and available at other times by request. Please note that this is the last Sunday the Museum will be open for the season.

Mark your calendars for Cavendish’s 250th Celebration, the signing of the town’s charter on Oct. 12, 1761, starting October 7, with a community dance at 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) and continuing with the following events:

October 8 (Saturday): Parade 10 am (goes from Cavendish to Proctorsville) with a program and reception to follow at CTES.

October 9 (Sunday): Open houses at the Cavendish/Proctorsville Churches noon-2 pm; From 2-4 pm, the authors of “The Inventor’s Fortune Up for Grabs” will be discussing the book and its links to Cavendish at the Cavendish Elementary School’s Art Room.

Oct 10 (Monday): A potluck supper at 5 pm at the school will be followed by a history of the various Cavendish Churches.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

802-226-7807 or margoc@tds.net

Lucius Paige Builder of Stone Houses

2011-09-14T02:46:00.000-07:00

Lucius Paige of Cavendish was not the usual man of his time, a farmer. Instead he was a mechanic, wheelwright, carpenter, mason, power broker, deal maker, and many other things. He was a man who knew how to think stratgically and did what he could to take advantage of his knowledge. I thought while I am working on the DAVIS families of Cavendish, I would share the story of Lucius that we know, thus far, with you all. If anyone has anymore information, I would love to see it. For example, I would like to have a good photograph of the Hickernnel House (the gingerbread one), and an older photo of Glimmerstone. I also need to know if anyone else knows the other places that Lucius built. I think he built the stone Universalist Church in Felchville.. I have to do a little more research. Linda Welch, CHS Geneologist

Almira Davis (7) {John (6), Joshua (5), Joshua (4), Joseph (3), Joseph (2), George (1)}, was born in Springfield, Vt., 2 Nov., 1808. She m. 2 May, 1832 Lucius Paige (b. Roylaton, Vt. 7 Oct., 1802, son of Nathan & Hannah (Cobb) Paige).
Lucius’ brother was Benjamin Paige who m. Huldah Cheney and lived in Baltimore, Vt.Benjamin and Huldah had a son they named Lucius Hubbard Paige, b. Baltimore, 14 Oct., 1815, m. Wethersfield, 8 May, 1850, Lucinda Wheelock Williams]
Lucius Paige was an enterprising young man and an expert craftsman. He was responsible for building many stone structures in Cavendish and vicinity, and worked incompany with his father-in-law, John Davis. They were among the leading contracting carpenters in their day, and taking on construction projects as a company. They hired many local laborers.. Lucius helped design and built the famous "Glimmerstone" on the road to Proctorsville and also the Buck House in Cavendish Village, known to all as the 'ginger bread house.' [put in pictures of Glimmerstone and the Hickendale house here].
At the time of the 1850 census, Lucius and Almira were living in Cavendish on property valued at $1,000. He was occupied as a carpenter. Their neighbors were Salmon Dutton, Joseph Freeman, and Edmund Ingalls. They had two children living at home this time
In Cavendish on 3 June, 1850, witnessed by R. H. Eddy and F. P. Hale, Jr., Lucius applied for a patent on his invention of a new and approved "Sash-Lock." He wrote: "as a sash fastener or bolt, my device will be found to be very effective in operation, easily applicable to sashes and not liable to get out of order. The cavity for its reception in the sash frame may be made principally by a common auger, having a diameter corresponding to that of the case. A screw inserted through the center of the case and into the sash frame will not only serve to fasten the case to the sash, but as a fulcrum for the weighted arm. His figures presented with the application, he said "the combination and arrangement of the weighted arm 'D', the rack 'C' the sectoral gear or pinion 'E', the stopping arm 'F' and the stop shoulder 'H' as applied to the bolt and within the case thereof and so as to operatetogether and actuate the bolt substantially in manner as specified."
On 3 Jan., 1854, Lucius was living in Cavendish when he received Letters Patent No. 10,368 for is invention of "Screw-Bolt and Nut." He submitted his drawings and application to the patent office 7 Dec., 1853. It was witnessed by Charles L. Blood and Otis Robbins of Cavendish, and described as: It as a "new and useful improvement. The object of his invention was to prevent a screw-nut from turning backward on its screw or from being unscrewed therefrom under ordinary circumstances or when a wrench or some equivalent is not applied to the nut for the purpose of unscrewing if. His invention provides ability to "score or groove the helical thread of the male screw so as to form it into a row or line of teeth, applying the screw nut "B" with a dog or catch "C" properly made to engage with the teeth formed on the helical thread of the male screw. The catch is affixed in a recess formed in the bolt and make it as a lever to turn on a fulcrum or pin "D." He claimed that the "forming of the helical thread of a male screw with notches or teeth in combination with applying to its screw nut a dog-catch or -spring-pawl to operate in the teeth, or notches, and prevent back rotation of the nut on the screw substantially."
Lucius applied for a second patent No. 12,245 (witnessed by S. H. Wales and S. F. Cohen) and it was approved 16 Jan., 1855, for "Brake-Block For Railroad Cars." It was a new improvement in a peculiar construction and arrangement of the shoes which bear against the wheels. "The improvement of so construction the shoe and the socket or bearing thereof and applying them as described herein, that the shoe may extend entirely through and out of the socket in opposite directions and be capable of being moved up to the wheel as fast as occasion may require until it (the shoe or rubber) is worn up or rendered unfit for service; my improvement being one of the great practical importance and utility." The next patent he applied for on 20 March, 1855, with Josiah Q. Adams and OtisRobbins as witnesses, for a "Lever of Railroad-Car Brakes," which was in an improvement in mechanism for operating the brakes of the truck frames of an Eight-Wheel Railway Car. His patent for the same was approved 25 March, 1856.
The third patent we find issued to Lucius Page was dated 24 April, 1855 (Patent No. 12,765); for "Combined Table and Writing-Desk." He applied for it 30 Sept., 1854, and he described it as a new and useful "secretary, table or article of furniture which can be converted into a table or writing desk at pleasure. He submitted figure designs and the application was witnessed by Charles L. Blood and Otis Robbins of Cavendish.
In a mortgage deed to Edmund Stone of Cavendish for $200 dated 8 Dec. ,1856, we learn the boundary description of the Lucius Paige home in Cavendish. "bounded on the west on the old Weathersfield Turnpike Road, on the north by land now owned and occupied byJoseph Freeman, and Sarah A. Freeman, on the east by land of Salmon Dutton, and on the south by land owned by the Widow and heirs of Addison Fletcher, deceased, and now occupied by the widow Mary S. Fletcher, containing about half of an acre of land, be the same more or less, together with the buildings thereon. "
On 2 Nov., 1855 in a patent application witnessed by J. P. Derby and William J. Pillsbury, Lucius Paige of Cavendish applied for his fourth patent for a "Grinding-Mill." It was approved 29 Jan., 1856 and issued Letters Patent No. 14,164. This invention made use of a screw 'A' applied to a vertical shaft 'B' extending downward through a hopper 'C' and supported in suitable bearings so as to be capable of being rotated. He employed four or any other suitable number of wheels shoe peripheries were formed with teeth or helical spaces to engage and work with the screw, "that when said screw is revolved, each of said wheels will be put in revolution, thereby on its own axis." He stated that "a mill constructed and made to operate in the above described manner has been found very advantageous for crushing and grinding or pulverizing various substances; whereby one or more wheels and a hopper whereby such mechanism is ame to answer the purpose of a mill for grinding."
Lucius was not done inventing. He applied for his fifth patent from Cavendish, 20 March, 1856, witnessed by R. H Eddy and F. P. Hale, Jr. He with Albert L. Lincoln of Boston were issued the patent 22 April, 1856 for "Studs For Wearing-Apparel" This was for an improved shirt button or stud, submitted with drawings. "In carrying out by invention, I take a common shirt stud or button as constructed with a circular disk or plate holder; "a" united to another disk "by" by a shank or projection "c" and I form said disk or plate holder with a slot "d" extending inward from its circumference towards its shank, and bend one edge of said slit so as to elevate the same a little above the other edge as seen in Figure 1, and in order to enable such raised edge to be inserted in a button hole corresponding in length with that of the slit. My improvement consists in constructing the "back disk holder" of an ordinary shirt stud or button with a slit "d" extending from its circumference to the shank, and having one of its raisedwith respect to the other substantially as specified."
Lucius was issued another patent 26 Aug., 1856 (Letters Patent No 15,617) for his invention of a new and improved "Water-Gage for Steam-Boilers." His object was to so construct a gage that in case one of the tubes of the inner series should become broken, thetube surrounding it will prevent the escape of steam and enable the gage to be continued in use until a more convenient opportunity to repair it shall occur. Furthermore should any one of the tubes of the external set become broken, the inner tube thereof will sustain the column of tubes and enable to gagte to be continued in use and also, by making the gage of several separate glass tubs instead of one long glass tube, there is not much danger of its being broken or getting out of order in consequence of contraction and expansion which its emperature various from time to time when the gage is in use."
Lucius d. of dropsy in Cavendish, 15 June 1857 (age 53).
When the 1860 census was taken, Almira was a widow and head of her household living with her daughter Sarah who was employed as a music teacher. Fourteen-year- old Danny was attending school. Mr. Orasia Lockwood (age 36) the station agent was boarding in the home. Almira’s real estate holdings were valued at $1,800 and she had personal property of $200. All those “inventions” of her husband did not seem to increase their annual income, but everyone in town still believed that Lucius was a brilliant man and Almira must have been left "wealthy"From all his inventions. It could not have been farther from the truth. She struggled to take care of herself and do what she could for her children, but she had always been a proud woman. Her neighbors in 1860 included William Davis, Widow Mary (Parkhurst) Spaulding, Samuel and Calista Adams, and James and Mary Whitten. Almira lost her beloved son Chancellor in the Civil War. He died far off in Louisiana at the age of 20 in 1865. He was buried with honors at Chalmette. Almira and her children were not listed in the 1870 census of Cavendish. In 1880, Almira lived in on the Hartland Road in Woodstock with her daughter's family.
Almira d. at the home of her daughter, 3 Aug., 1880 (age 71).
Lucius and Almira and the three young children they lost early, are all buried in the Cavendish Village, Mt. Union cemetery.

Paige Children (at least):

1. Eckford Paige, b. 1833 ....... d. Cavendish 14 July, 1834
2. Henry E. Paige, b. 1837 ....... d. 2 June, 1837
3. Lucius Allen Paige, b. 1838 ...... d. 2 April, 1842
4. Sarah Paige, b. Bethel, Vt., 1840. She m. Cavendish, 1 Jan., 1868, William Henry Harrison Sargent of Woodstock, Vt. (b. Tunbridge, Vt. 4 March, 1840, son ofWilliam Brown & Mahala (Noyes) Sargent). Mr. Sargent had moved to SouthRoyalton Vermont in 1865 to find work and settled permanently in the town in 1868. He bought a blacksmith shop of Mr. Charles Crandall. When the 1860 census was taken, he had $2,100 in real estate and $1,000 in personal property. Almira, Sarah's mother lived with them and helped look after the house. He carried on the blacksmith business until 1883 when he started a meat market, which proved very successful. Impaired health deprived Sarah of an active social life for many years, but the “quiet graces of domestic life” were found constantly in her cheerful home.
Sargent children:
1. Harry Adelbert Sargent, b. Woodstock, Vt. 2 Nov., 1869. He m. April, 190, Gerturde Dowing of Newmarket, NH.
2. HerbertChancellor Sargent, b. Royalton, Vt., 30 July, 1871. He m. in Royalton, 15 Aug.,1894, Nettie Pamela Waldo (b. 12 Nov., 1871, dau. of Joseph Warren & Nettie (Woodworth) Waldo). They had no children.
3. Fred Wellington Sargent, b. Royalton, 28 Oct., 1873
4. Myra Louise Sargent, b. Royalton, 18 Dec., 1875 ….. d. of consumption, 1 Aug., 1905.
5. Josephine May, b. Royalton, 4 May, 1883. She graduated from the South Royalton Highschool, and became a teacher in 1902.
5. Chancellor Paige, b. 1844. He was a Civil War soldier. He was 20 yrs. old 20 Aug., 1864 when he enlisted Co. "G", 7th Reg't. Vt. Vols. He was mustered in 20 Aug., 1864. He died of disease in New Orleans, Louisiana, 21 Jan., 1865. He was buried in the Chalmette National Cemetery, Louisiana.
6. Danny Paige, b. 1846 (nothing further).

Myron Davis’ Chair Factory

2011-09-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a story about that Chair Factory in Felchville. Many Cavendish men worked there on and off in the 1880s and into the 1890s. It was a large enterprise for its day. Linda Welch

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Myron Davis’ Chair Factory, Felchville, Vermont, NEWS:
NEWS: —Felchville, 17 Jan., 1879: “Myron Davis has taken in a partner in the chair business, Mr. W. S. Hodge, from East Templeton, Mass., an experienced workman.” —27 Feb., 1880: “Business is brisk at the chair shop. Since it has been in the hands of Mr. M. A. Davis, many improvements have been made. First class chairs are manufactured of the most improved styles.” —Felchville, 23 Oct., 1885: “Mrs. M. A. Davis is having a bad time with her arm. She was vaccinated for small pox and took cold in the arm when erysipelas set in.” —3 Aug., 1888: “Evidently, M. A. Davis does not mind much about the cry of ‘free trade,’ as he is laying out about six hundred dollars in repairs and new machinery for the chair shop. He is getting ready for a large fall trade, and has added to his already largelist of clients, the reform school at Vergennes, and is shipping to and receiving from there quite a quantity of chairs.” —4 Oct., 1889: “M. A. Davis and wife returned from their trip to the sea-shore last week. The former is somewhat improved in health, but tells us that medical advisers say that he must go to a warmer climate as the only means of fully regaining his health. In view of this, we are informed that he has advertised his entire chair-manufacturing business in this village, for sale. Mr. Davis began business here ten years ago, employing but three hands; but since then his business has steadily increased necessitating each year additional buildings to his enterprise and some of the time, employing over 30 men, besides a small army of cane-seaters. At the present time he has a variety of sixty cane-seat chairs, of modern patterns and styles, and judging from the loads of his goods hauled from this village, marked not only to parties in the Central and Western states, but to parties in Florida, Mississippi, California, and Washington Territory, we conclude hisreputation as a chair manufacturer extends from sea to sea. We regret that he cannot stay with us to enjoy the fruits of the reputation he has so persistently earned. In speaking of his success here, he largely attributes it to being located in a lumber region, where lumber and the living expenses of workmen are much cheaper than in the great chair manufacturing sections of Massachusetts. We hope some good man will see the advantage of investing in a well-established business.” —Advertisement: Chair Factory For Sale! Rare Opportunity for Investment! .. said business consists of a well-equipped factory for the manufacture of Cane-Seat Chairs, employing, (on full time) from 25 to 30 men; has fine water power on a branch of the Black River, running two good wheels under 30 feet head, giving ample power. There is attached to this factory a first-class circular sawmill which does a payingbusiness. In connection, there are large and commodious Storehouses and Lumber-Sheds, all well filled with lumber, stock, and finished goods. Buildings, Machinery, and Dry Kilns are in first class repair; and buildings and kilns are heated by steam. This is an excellent section for lumber, andliving expenses and rents for men are extremely low. Experienced workmen are located here; also an adequate number of cane-seaters. The above business has been established 10 years and has grown from nothing to a large and profitable industry, doing a wholesale business all over the country. This property must be sold at once and we invite parties or their representatives to investigate at once. Timberlands, houses, teams, etc., sold with the above if desired. —M. A. Davis, Felchville” — The local newspaper did what it could to enhance Myron’s plan to sell his business and in just about every weekly issue of the paperthey mentioned the success of the factory as a business in hopes that some hearty businessman would come along and buy it from Myron. NEWS:—31 Jan., 1890: “M. A. Davis has sold 40 dozen chairs within the last two weeks.” —9 May, 1890: “M. A. Davis has received an order from Dublin, Ireland, requesting price and terms for a large shipment of his chairs, and his brother, F. C. Davis is in the West on a business trip.” —8 May, 1891: “M. A. Davis has more orders for chairs than he can fill.” — Towards the latter part of Aug., 1891, Myron and his wife decided to take a pleasure trip through the northern part of the state and took in the Presidential reception in Montpelier on their return. President Harrison had made a tripthrough Vermont with his Secretary of War, Redfield Proctor, and whistle-stopped at many villages, greeting the Vermont farmers and familiesalong the way from his special train car. His train stopped in Ludlow where a large, enthusiastic crowd greeted him. —16 Oct., 1891: “Henry E. Byron and wife (Flora) of St. Johnsbury, and George Round, wife and two children of Lancaster, NH, who have been visiting at M. A. Davis’, returned home last week.” —29 April, 1892: “The tenant house of M. A. Davis, known as the ‘old boarding house’ and occupied by White Chapman, took fire from a defect in the chimney last Friday and had it burned a few minutes longer before being discovered, the building could not have been saved, but by a good supply of water, it was early extinguished.” Myron d. in Felchville, 16 Oct., 1893 (age 45). From his obituary: “... he had been an invalid for a long time. He was the proprietor of the chair shop for many years and was a highly respected

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: 1927 Flood

2011-09-09T07:57:00.001-07:00

The Cavendish Historical Society Museum will be open this coming Sunday from 2-4 pm. We will have information about the flood of 1927 and are collecting pictures and items from previous floods, including the one from Aug. 28. For more information, margoc@tds.net or 802-226-7807.

The largest flood on record in Vermont caused heavy damage in the Black River Valley, particularly Cavendish. A quarter mile long channel avulsion bypassing the Cavendish Gorge eroded approximately 2 million tons of sediment down to bedrock leaving a channel 150 feed deep and 600 feet wide. Seven houses were washed away and the Duttonsville School ended up protruding over the edge of a high sandbank. Redfield Proctor, former Vermont governor, offered $10,000 to restore the schoolhouse. Olin Gay, Chairman of the School Board, proposed using this gift to move the school to a new location. He also proposed that the town raise an additional $5,000 by taxes to put in an auditorium basement, modernize the heating system and install toilets. The school building was moved on big rollers by oxen and horses 400 feet back to a safer location. It had much better facilities than before the flood. A Vermont Standard School until 1928, thanks to the renovations after the flood, Duttonsville was upgraded to a “Superior School,” a status it retained until closing in 1971.

President Calvin Coolidge telegraphs his cousin, Park Pollard, after the flood, wanting to know what he can do for Cavendish. He sent Herbert Hoover, his Secretary of Commerce, to visit the region and to make recommendations. Two Army engineers came to give technical help about relocating the state road.

Note: Articles from the 1927 Flood, as well as pictures, will be at the Museum on Sunday 2-4 pm.

Museum Closed Today

2011-09-04T02:02:00.000-07:00

Given the recent damage to Cavendish from Irene, the Cavendish Historical Society Museum will be closed today. We plan to reopen on Sept. 11. Fortunately, the Museum was not damaged by the flooding.

Cavendish Chronicles II: The Early Years Rescheduled

2011-08-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

The play about the early years of Cavendish history has been rescheduled, due to Irene, to Saturday night, September 3 at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. Curtain is 7 pm. This is a free play, but donations are welcome.

Rescheduling Settler's Tour

2011-08-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

Due to Irene, the Settler's Tour, planned for Sunday August 28 has been rescheduled to September 25 (Sunday) 2 pm. Meet at the Museum. The Museum will also be closed this Sunday due to weather.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Civil War Letters/Play

2011-08-26T05:00:00.001-07:00

The play Cavendish Chronicles II: The Early Years will take place on Saturday and Sunday at 7pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. This is a free play.

The journals and diaries of the Civil War era were often filled with short sentences about daily life. “Hot today. Moving out tomorrow.” It was in the letters that a great deal can be learned about how the soldiers lived and how their families coped with the war. One such example was written to Laura Blood Atherton of Cavendish, by her cousin Marcia Ann (Blood) Marsh of Ware dated March 6, 1863. Marsh writes to Atherton about her brother Henry Sumner Blood who was an assistant surgeon with the 57th Illinois Infantry Regiment.

“You wished to know the particulars. He enlisted into the service in Chicago, Illinois, 57th Regiment, in October. Soon after he was quite sick with a fever. I don’t think he had entirely recovered when he sailed for the field of battle, then living as they did on the boat, and the privations, camping out on the shore, want of suitable food, brought on the dysentery and quick consumption. He wrote to Charles the 24th of February after the battle at Fort Donelson, Tennessee. His Regiment was not in the warmest part of the engagement. He wrote the next day after the battle. He went out on the field and such as sight as met his eyes he never should forget. He could not describe it, he would tell us when he came home, which he thought would be in July, and the war would be over. The poor boy, how little he could see of the future. He said he was scarcely able then to hold up his head, but should keep round as long as he could, then he should go to the hospital and his rank would insure him good treatment. But he added: “Lord have mercy on the poor private-if you are out of the army, keep out. I never what hardships were before, but think I do now.” He went as assistant surgeon. This was the 24th of February and he died the 4th of March. He died at Fort Henry, near Fort Donelson. The young man that had the care of him after he took to his bed said he kept up good courage and was cheerful until the day before he died. He made no complaint. Called for nothing, and apparently suffered buy little. When he was first taken he told the Colonel if anything happened, he wanted his body sent to Ware. That was all he ever said about dying. He wrote that he and others were up with him all night trying to make him comfortable. He was wandering most of the time in the morning he asked to be raised up. He raised home on his arm, that most the last, he died without a struggle. The funeral was the 19th of March. He looked very natural, but very poor. That was a trying time. I thought how would Mother have survived it if her life had been spared, but I felt she was taken from the evil to come. Two weeks ago two young men were brought home. One was shot through the head at Newburn, the same month Henry died. The other died in the hospital last June. They were not seen, so it is all around me. Oh when will this war cease?” “Families of Cavendish” Vol 4 by Linda Welch page 57.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Emily Dutton Proctor

2011-08-19T08:46:00.000-07:00

On May 26, 1858, Emily Jane Dutton of Cavendish, the granddaughter of Salmon Dutton (the founder of Duttonsville) married Redfield Proctor. This marriage joined the leading families of the two villages and promised to put an end to the former rivalry, which was over a turnpike (Proctor) versus a shunpike (Dutton). As Redfield said of his first son, Fletcher Dutton Proctor, "if the old names and blood had the old inclination left to stir up strife, it would have created a fearful internal commotion." In fact, the merger of these families proved to be a propitious event for Vermont, since three governors and a United States Senator came from this Dutton-Proctor line.

A great deal is known about Redfield Proctor, who was the owner of the Vermont Marble Company, the founder of Proctor, VT, the Secretary of War during the Harrison administration and a US Senator. Much less is known about his wife.

Emily Dutton Proctor was considered a “quiet, but firm character,” raising five children, two of whom died before her own death in 1915 at 80 years of age. She moved to Boston at one point so her daughter could attend a small private school for young girls. When Redfield was in Washington, D. C., she attended balls, teas and dinners at the White House. These were the days of the Gay 90’s and the golden era of American millionaires.

Involved with many charity organizations and benevolent work, among them were the Vermont Tuberculosis Sanatorium and the Preventorium at Pittsford, VT. The Proctors were among the earliest supporters of cancer research at Harvard University. Redfield Proctor was a generous contributor to Booker T. Washington and his work at Tuskegee University, established in 1881 as training school for black teachers.

Emily died in Proctor in February 1915 and is buried there. She left $1,250 in trust, the interest to be used for the Cavendish Baptist Church “towards paying the salary of a minister as long as preaching is kept up regularly.”

In the upcoming Cavendish Chronicles, Martha Mott will play the role of Emily Dutton Proctor.

250 Years of Cavendish HIstory

2011-08-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

If you haven't had a chance to stop by the Museum this summer, make sure you do and you will see the 250 years of Cavendish History Timeline. The Museum is open from 2-4 pm on Sunday. We will be closing this year in early October.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Susannah Johnson

2011-08-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

The Cavendish Players production of “Cavendish Chronicles II: The Early Years,” will be held on August 27 and 28, 7 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. In keeping with the 250th anniversary of the town, the play covers the time period from the settling of the town through the Civil War. The next few posts will provide history about some of the characters in the play.

In August 1754, the Johnson family, who lived outside of Fort 4 in Charlestown, NH, was kidnapped by members of one of the Abenaki nations. Mrs. Susanna Johnson was nine months pregnant. She wrote the following about her capture, “Here, after being hurried from home with such rapidity, I have leisure to inform the reader respecting our Indian masters. (Susannah, as she writes her memoirs of her captivity, here, speaks to the readers of her account) They were eleven in number; all men of middle age, except one, a youth of sixteen, who, on our journey discovered a very troublesome disposition. According to their practice he who first laid hands on a prisoner considered (the prisoner) his property. My master, who was the one who first took my hand was as clever an Indian as I ever saw. He even evinced, at numberous times a disposition that showed he was by no means void of compassion. The four who took my husband claimed him as their property. My sister, three children, Labaree and Farnsworth had each a master. When the time came for us to prepare to march I almost expired at the thought of leaving my aged parents, brothers, sisters and friends and travel with savages through a dismal forest to unknown regions in the alarming situation in which I then was with three small children. The eldest (child) Sylvanus (Johnson) was but six years old. My sister Miriam (Willard) was fourteen. My husband was barefoot and otherwise thinly clad. His masters had taken his jacket. My two daughters had nothing on but their shifts and I had only the gown handed to me by the savages. In addition to the sufferings which arose from my own deplorable condition I could not but feel for my friend, Labaree. He had left a wife and four small children behind - his situation was extremely unhappy. The Indians pronounced the dreadful word, "munch", (march) and on we must go.

I was put on the horse; Mr. Johnson took one daughter and Mr. Labaree took the other. We went six or eight miles and stopped for the night. The men were made secure by having their legs put in split sticks somewhat like stocks and tied with cords which were tied to limbs of trees too high to be reached. My sister much to her mortification must lie between two Indians with a cord thrown over her and passing under each of them. The little children had blankets and I had one for my own use. The fatigues of day obliged me to sleep for several hours in spite of the horrors which surrounded me. The Indians observed great silence and never spoke but when necessary. My children were much more peaceable than could be imagined. Gloomy fear imposed a deadly silence.

The Indians captured a stray horse, which Mrs. Johnson rode. On the second day of their journey, they encamped in Reading, VT, when Mrs. Johnson went into labor. According to the Indian Stone markers on Rt 106, on the border of Reading and Cavendish, about a mile up the brook from where the stones are now, she delivered the child, Elizabeth Captive Johnson. The stone marker information would suggest that the first white child born in Cavendish would have been Elizabeth “Captive” Johnson.

The day after the child’s birth, they continued traveling northward. Starvation eventually forced the Indians to kill the horse Mrs. Johnson rode and use him for food. Given the choice of being left behind with her baby, Mr. Johnson carried his wife on his shoulders.

Once in Canada, the family was divided between Indian and French families. Mr. And Mrs Johnson were both imprisoned where they developed small pox. It would be four years before the family was reunited. Mr. Johnson’s freedom was short lived as he would die from wounds sustained at Fort Ticonderoga. Susanna Johnson lived to be 80-81 and wrote a book about her experiences “Narrative of the Captivity of Mrs. Johnson Containing A Account of her suffering during Four Years with the Indians and French.” Her diary and story was the basis for Elizabeth George Speare’s 1957 book “Calico Captive.”

Learn more about Susanna Johnson

Scribbler II : Summer 2011

2011-08-11T02:32:00.000-07:00

250th Anniversary Activities

August 7 (Sunday): Crown Point Road Slide Show and Presentation, by Becky Tucker of the Crown Point Road Association, at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum, 2 pm. Sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society and CPRA. For more information 226-7807

August 13 (Saturday): Picnic on the Proctorsville Green at five pm, celebrating religious freedom in our country. Sponsored by the five churches of Cavendish. For more information call 226-8199

August 27 and 28 (Saturday, Sunday): The Cavendish Community Theatre is presenting an original play called Cavendish Chronicles II to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Cavendish Charter. The play has history, humor and music. Curtain is 7 pm at The Cavendish Town Elementary School. Admission is free. For information contact 226-7398.

August 28 (Sunday): Early Settlers Tour of Cavendish. Includes the homestead of the Coffeen Family and visits to historic cemeteries. Meet at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum at 2 pm. Sponsored by the Cavendish Historical Society. For more information 226-7807

September 11 (Sunday): 18th century Potions, Lotions and Other Cures: Health care practices of the early settlers, 2pm at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum in Cavendish. For more information 226-7807

October 7-10 (Friday-Monday: Charter Weekend-Friday night will be a town dance featuring the music of local musicians. Bob Naess and his band Yankee Chank will play/call contras and squares with some hot Cajun dance tunes thrown in for good measure. Mark Huntley and his band will perform top forty . A parade, speeches and a reception will take place on October 8. On Sunday, from noon to 2 pm all of the Cavendish churches will hold an open house. From 2-4 pm the authors of “The Inventor’s Fortune Up for Grabs” will be discussing the book and its links to Cavendish at the Cavendish Elementary School’s Art Room. Monday evening there will be a potluck at 5 pm at the school followed by a talk on the history of religion in Cavendish.

Check the 250th website, Facebook and the CHS Blog for more information about Anniversary activities.

Supporting the 250th Celebrations: You can support the 250th celebrations by: volunteering to help with various activities; donations or sponsoring a 250th banner, which will be yours to keep when our year of celebration is complete. To purchase a banner send a check for $150 to the 250th Anniversary Fund and mail to Cavendish 250th Anniversary Committee, PO Box 126, Cavendish, VT 05142-0126. Donations can also be made to the same address.

First CHS Auction: Thank You: As part of Old Home Day this year, CHS held both a silent and live auction. It was not only a lot of fun, but money was raised to help with CHS expenses. A special note of thanks to Will Hunter, our auctioneer, as well as to the following who donated items for the auction: Old Cavendish Products, Inn at Glimmerstone, Therese and Hans Schrag, Gloria and Seymour Leven, Peter and Sandy Gregg, Winston Churchill, Mary McCallum, Candace Montessi, Lu Choiniere, Clare Murray, Six Loose Ladies, Judith Prescott, Heather Woodell, Bob Naess, Dan Churchill, Hunter Leigh Gallery, Richard Nye, Wallscapes (Roxie Davis), Singleton’s, Hancor, Goodman’s American Pie Pizza, Mary Ormrod, Etienne Ting, Ludlow Cooking Company, Village Clipper and Margo Caulfield

Annual Meeting: The Historical Society’s Annual Meeting and dinner will take place on Sunday, October 16 at 5 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. More information will be made available in the Fall issue of The Scribbler II.

Vermont Historical Newspapers Now Available On Line: The Vermont Digital Newspaper Project has recently added its first batch of newspapers on the Library of Congress Chronicling America page. This includes close to 10,000 pages from the Vermont Farmer, Rutland Herald, and Burlington Free Press weekly edition. You can read the newspapers at http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/?state=Vermont

Cavendish Civil War: John Brown’s Visit to Cavendish
Linda Welch, CHS’s genealogist, recently came across a letter written by Henry Bridge Atherton, a lawyer from Cavendish, to John Redparth, a biographer of John Brown, the famous abolitionist. Below is a copy of the letter, which further adds to the knowledge that Cavendish played an interesting role in the Civil War era. Not only was Governor Ryland Fletcher, from Cavendish, but he was a staunch abolitionist.

The letter indicates that Brown was seeking guns and money to help with his cause, particularly what he had begun in Kansas .

Unfortunately, the last page of what was most likely a five-page letter, is missing.

Proctorsville, VT Mary 9th, 1882

James Redparth Esq

I have sometimes thought the day would come where your publishers would issue another edition of your “Public Life of John Brown,” which was 1st published at Boston in 1860 by Thayer and Eldridge 11 St and 116 Washington St. I have been recently reading that book, and it occurs to me that, inview of the events following the execution of the old hero-the man-the freedom of the slave, the political results of the execution-and the history of our country in the past quarter of a century-you might perhaps to write that book and, if so, I would want a copy to side by side with the copy I now have in my library. John Brown and his son, Owen, I think it was, came here in the last days of Dec. 1856 or in the early part of January 1857- and spent some time on those days at my office-boarding at the Village Hotel. At that time I held the office of Secretary of the VT Senate- and our Governor-Hon. Ryland Fletcher, a brother of the late Hon. Richard Fletcher, of Boston, and Judge of Mass. Sup. Court- now my new neighbor. Our Legislature at the previous Oct. Session at Montpelier had passed an act authorizing Gov. Fletcher, in his discretion to furnish funds to an amount not exceeding twenty thousand dollars -$20,000-for the relief of the suffering citizens of Kansas-as you will find by reference to the session laws of 1856 in the Library-Our state casual care of __ General Gundry of Vergennes, VT had on hand quite an amount of guns-out of date & useless to our State. Gundry was authorized to sell or dispose of them. In some way John Brown had learned of these facts—and came here to examine the laws-and to confer with Gov. Fletcher. The Old man told us that the generosity of the people had so supplied the citizens of Kansas with food and clothing as none of this __ appropriation would be thus needed, least be thought possibly the Gov. might be authorized to let him have some of the old guns from the state Arsenal-He became satisfied on looking at the law, that Gov. Fletcher could not appropriate guns for the Defense of Freedom in the direction indicated. The Old man told us his objectives to enlist young men-pious and patriotic determined young men-not wild and -- profane ones in his service and that he proposed to rendezvous at Tabor in Iowa-just over the boarders from Kansas and await events. He showed me the enlistment papers as drawn up by him and most neatly executed. He said he expected on the return of Spring in 1857- the Missourians-becoming supplied themselves with a new stock of whiskey, would again invade Kansas-and he wishes to be ready to repel them. He said that courage of those invaders depended very much on the amount of whiskey they had. He was very conscientious-writing at my office table many letters in the time he was here. I offered him paper, envelopes—postage stamps-and he always left the dimes in the box to pay for them. The son was a light complexioned and sandy haired youth as compared with the father-they had the chains with them-that the borders….

Cavendish Historical Timeline 1886-1930
The Winter 2011 newsletter contains the town’s history from 1759- 1834 while the Spring issue covers 1835-1880. Both newsletters are posted at the CHS blog.
1886: The Gay family moves its woolen mill operations from Tunbridge to Cavendish.
- A local group of Odd Fellow (I.O.O.F. Mt. Sinai Lodge No. 22) is organized in Proctorsville.

1883: Civil War Memorial, donated by Vermont’s Former governor Redfield Proctor, is dedicated. This memorial is in front of the Cavendish Historical Society Museum.
- Fire District # 2 is formed in Cavendish and is staffed by all volunteers.

1890: Cavendish Population 1,172

1900: Cavendish Population 1,352

1905: The Claremont Power Company began construction of the Cavendish Hydro Station on the Black River. The dam was built in 1907, at the entrance to the gorge, and operation of the hydro station began that same year.

1907: Proctorsville becomes part of the town of Cavendish.

1909: Electric light poles started being installed in Cavendish and Whitesville. Electric lights were installed in the Town Hall in 1910, but it took until the 1940’s and some stretches even later, for electricity to be available town wide.

1910: Cavendish population 1,208
- The telephone comes to Vermont. There is evidence that Ludlow Telephone was in operation by 1913. Because of the costs, telephone service was slow to come to the rural areas. Most places had phone service by the mid 1940’s. Ludlow Telephone Company was eventually sold to TDS Telecom in the 1990’s.

1911: Activities for the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Cavendish Charter are postponed due to a small pox epidemic. Festivities are held in 1912, which are documented in “The Vermonter.”

1914: Proctor Piper State Forest, with the donation of 424 acres, established. A second gift from Leon S. Gay in the mid 1930’s added 300 acres and additional purchases of property added another 700 acres.

1917-1919 (WWI): 57 men and one woman from Cavendish joined the military. The flu epidemic of 1918 took the lives of three of the four Cavendish servicemen that were to die during the war. Food and coal rationing were required. The latter was not an issue for local farmers, who burned wood, but it was difficult for those in the villages. Daylight Saving Time was started on April 1, 1918.

The mills were operating at full tilt for the war effort. Business was in a boom period through 1920. Most of the Cavendish servicemen returned home.

1918: Cavendish elected its first woman selectman, Gertrude Foster.

1920: Cavendish population 1,319

1923: WWI Memorial dedicated in Proctorsville. Redfield Proctor, Jr donated the monument.

1927: The largest flood on record in Vermont caused heavy damage in the Black River Valley, particularly Cavendish. A quarter mile long channel avulsion bypassing the Cavendish Gorge eroded approximately 2 million tons of sediment down to bedrock leaving a channel 150 feed deep and 600 feet wide. Seven houses were washed away and the Duttonsville School ended up protruding over the edge of a high sandbank. Redfield Proctor, former Vermont governor, offered $10,000 to restore the schoolhouse. Olin Gay, Chairman of the School Board, proposed using this gift to move the school to a new location. He also proposed that the town raise an additional $5,000 by taxes to put in an auditorium basement, modernize the heating system and install toilets. The school building was moved on big rollers by oxen and horses 400 feet back to a safer location. It had much better facilities than before the flood. A Vermont Standard School until 1928, thanks to the renovations after the flood, Duttonsville was upgraded to a “Superior School,” a status it retained until closing in 1971.
- President Calvin Coolidge telegraphs his cousin, Park Pollard, after the flood, wanting to know what he can do for Cavendish. He sent Herbert Hoover, his Secretary of Commerce, to visit the region and to make recommendations. Two Army engineers came to give technical help about relocating the state road
- Charles Lindbergh flies over Cavendish
- Radio Station WLAK begins in Bellows Falls. Cavendish has radio service. Many farmers make their own “crystal” radios. They would use their car batteries to power them.

1928: In September, almost ten months after the flood, President Coolidge comes to Cavendish to view the damage. He looked at the washed out areas, but characteristically, did not say much.

1929: Stock market crash. This did not have an immediate impact on Cavendish. Few people had investments to lose, and for the Gay Brothers Woolen Mill, 1929 was the best year, financially, in the history of their business. It took several years before the depression was felt. Cash was scarce, but for many farmers, that had always been the case. Frugality was part of the depression, but it wasn’t caused by it.

1930: Cavendish Population 1,418

Cavendish Historical Society Board
Dan Churchill
Jen Harper
Gloria Leven
Marc Miele
Bruce McEnaney
Mike Pember
Gail Woods

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE

If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: ____________________________

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__ Individual Member $10 ___ Senior Member 65+ $ ___ Sustaining Member $500
__ Household Member $15 ___ Contributing Member $250

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___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):
__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives _ Budget --–– Cemetery __ Young Historian Program

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:
__ For general purposes __ Educational Programs __Publications
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__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Young Historians
__ Other (please specify) __ Cemetery Restoration __ 250tAnniversary

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Small Pox Epidemic Cancels 150th Celebration

2011-08-05T04:38:00.000-07:00

The following article appeared in the Vermont Tribune Cavendish: 12 Oct., 1911: Small Pox Scare in Cavendish at the Kingsburys: — “By reason of the discovery of four cases of what was pronounced small pox in the family of H. S. Kingsbury, living just below the village of Cavendish [they lived on Chubb Hill on the old Chubb-Peck farm] the committee in charge of the 150th anniversary celebration of the founding of the charter of that town, decided after consultation with the state authorities, to postpone that event indefinitely.

There is nothing at all alarming about the situation, but precautionary measures were deemed wise, and so were adopted promptly. The local health officer, Dr. Buxton, reports the matter well in hand and ever precaution being taken so that no further outbreaks are looked for. The school on Tarbell Hill is temporarily closed.” —[more under same date]

“A well-developed small pox scare has taken possession of our town and at this writing after thorough examination by the board of health, we have four well defined cases with a greater number under suspicion. As a result of this, the board of health and the committee on the celebration met in conjunction and decided that the celebration must be called off and that all cases will be places in charge of Dr. Edward F. Hodges [of Indianapolis, Indiana, whose summer home was the former Ely place— Glimmerstone] ...who is in our community for his vacation and who is an expert and specialist on this disease.” — [more under same date]: “A short time ago Miss Marietta Kingsbury attended camp meeting in Lakeport, NH where she contracted the disease. It was not until Monday of this week that the family became aware of the nature of the illness. Dr. Buxton our health officers was called. He immediately pronounced the disease small pox and sent for Dr. Caverly of Rutland who arrived Tuesday and concurred with Dr. Buxton’s diagnosis.

At a meeting of the committee in charge of the celebration Tuesday evening it was thought best to give up the whole affair. Although from the village there are many people with whom they have been associating before they were aware of their condition, so a quarantine will be necessary.

At present Miss Marietta Kingsbury is recovering. H. S. Kingsbury, Alfred Kingsbury and younger daughter are ill. Dr. Buxton feels confident in Dr. Hedges, as he, his wife and mother, Mrs. Martha Buxton, and Mr. Conklin left Thursday for a week’s stay in New York.” — 19 Oct., 1911: “The Kingsbury family are all gaining.

There are no new cases of smallpox yet, although Dr. Hodges fears the disease may develop in Frank Hewey, a schoolboy who was living at Ira Belknap’s and in one of Clarence Belknap’s little daughters, as these two children are ill, but not as yet broken out. However their vaccination is not working. All the other people who were exposed and then vaccinated are in quarantine and their vaccinations are working well. Dr. Hodges very kindly offered to take charge of the cases of smallpox and look after the quarantine free of all expense to the town and also to save our local physicians for their usual practice. Remembering the fact that the one smallpox case in Proctorsville eight years ago cost the town $700, Cavendish ought to be very grateful to Dr. Hodges and consider itself fortunate to have such a man for a citizen, do all we can to encourage him and urge more of the same kind to locate among us.”

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: 18th Century Money

2011-07-29T08:08:00.000-07:00

While working on props for the Cavendish Chronicles II (August 27 and 28) the question came up about what the early settlers would have had for money. For a variety of reasons, money was almost always in short supply during the early colonial period. The lack of coins and currency forced the colonists to barter. The English leaders felt that colonial exports, such as animal skins, dried fish, and tobacco, should be paid for in English goods. Colonial exports would be accepted in return for an equal value of such goods as fabrics, window panes, pewter dishes, and mirrors. This barter arrangement - an exchange of goods or services without using money - seemed ideal to the British but was increasingly unpopular with the colonists, who preferred coin for their exports to gain more independence over their buying power. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

According to Leslie V. Brock There was no colonial coinage nor did the sterling coin of Great Britain circulate in the colonies. Consequently, it was necessary for the colonies to amass a supply of coin through the medium of trade.

The money metal of the eighteenth century was silver, not gold. The chief coin of the colonies was the Spanish milled dollar (piece of eight), worth 4s. 6d. sterling. There were supplementary gold coins in circulation: the Johannes of Portugal, which circulated after 1722 and was worth 36s. sterling, and the Spanish Pistole, which was worth 12s. 2.8d. sterling, and had a substantial circulation in Virginia prior to the French and Indian War. The silver was chiefly derived from the West Indies trade. It was a saying in New England in the early eighteenth century that the "Fishery was then the NE Silver Mine."8 The gold came in as a result of trade with the south of Europe. The colonies retained the British monetary units: pounds, shillings, pence (1£ = 20s.; 1s. = 12d.). The foreign coins in circulation in the colonies had values placed upon them by the several colonial legislatures. They did not, however, long circulate at their sterling values. Either to retain their coin or to draw it from their neighbors, colonies raised the value at which it circulated within their boundaries. An upper limit to these values was set by the Proclamation of Queen Anne of 1704, which placed a maximum of six shillings on the Spanish milled dollar. Gold coins, however, were not within the scope of the proclamation. Throughout the colonial period, specie in the colonies tended to be in short supply.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Universalists and First Baptist Church

2011-07-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

The following information is from The History of Windsor County, Vermont 1891 Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich and Frank R. Holmes, D. Mason & Co. Publishers

The First Universalist Society of Cavendish. — Among the early settlers of Cavendish were a number of members of the Universalist church. The first to preach this doctrine in the town were Michael, a son of Captain John Coffin, and William Farwell. Salmon Dutton, Captain Leonard Proctor, and James Smith were of this faith. From 1803 to 1809 Father Ballou, of Barnard, preached in the town. About this time a society was formed, and the General Conferences of 1812 and 1828 met at Cavendish. The society included the towns of Cavendish, Plymouth, Ludlow and Reading, and meetings were held once a month until 1827. The Rev. William Skinner preached his first sermon in Cavendish on Christmas Day, 1825. At this time he was a resident of Langdon, N. H., but removed to Proctorsville in May, 1828. He resided at the latter place till his death, excepting the years 1834-35, when he was located at Bennington. The present society was organized March 11, 1837, Samuel Adams being chosen moderator of the meeting, and Thomas Whitcomb, clerk and treasurer. The original members were William Spaulding, Samuel Adams, Asa Spaulding, 2d, Luke Parkhurst, William Smith, John Stearns, James Bryant, Asa Bond, Thaddeus Smith, Jonathan Chapman, Daniel Kendall, jr., Francis A. Foster, G. P. Spaulding, Abel Hill, and Thomas Proctor. The first minister was Rev. Warren Skinner, who continued to preach until March 1, 1845, during which period he took sixty members into the church. For the next two years Rev. G. W. Bailey supplied the church, with William Livingstone and J. Hemphill. In 1844 the present stone chapel was erected. The Rev. W. L, Barber was settled February 13, 1847, ^"<^ the following were his successors : Revs. H. H. Baker, 1852 to 1855 ; J. H. Willis, 1856 to 1859; Harrison Closson, 1861 to 1866; Miss R. A. Damon, 1868 to 1869; R. T. Sawyer, 1870 to 1872 ; John G. Gregory, 1872 to 1874; J. T. Powers, 1874 to 1878; Herbert Whitney, 1878 to 1881 ; W. H. Pratt, 1 88 1 to 1882 ; J. S. Geldhill, 1882 to 1884; A. A. Rice and John P. Eastman, 1884 to 1886. Since that date the society has been supplied by the resident ministers at Ludlow, services, being held in the afternoons.

The First Baptist Church. — The town records state that on December 20, 1799, the Rev. Aaron Leland, of Chester, certified that the following persons were members of the Baptist church : Jesse Spaulding, Asaph Fletcher, Robert Davis, Garrabel Gerrald, Obadiah White, Samuel White, Noadiah Russell, Benjamin Lynde, John Russell, Eliphalet Chapman, Stephen Roberts, Frazier Eaton, Levi Manning, John Peck, Reuben Chapman, Perley Fassetts, Joseph Wilkins, Joseph Spaulding and John Spaulding.

A society was organized by Rev. Aaron Leland, in 1803, with forty- six members, and they worshipped in the Union church located in the center of the town. It was not until 181 1 that there was a settled minister, the first being Rev. Jonathan Gowing, jr., who remained five years. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Starkweather, and in 1821 the Rev. Ruel Lathrop became the pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. Ariel Kendrick. Down to this time the society embraced Ludlow and Cavendish, but in 1825 it was divided. The first pastor of the Cavendish society was Rev. Joseph Freeman, who remained until 1837, excepting the years 1831 and 1836, when the society was without a pastor. In 1834 the society built a brick church where the town hall now stands. The following ministers have been over the society : Enoch T. Winter, 1837-38 ; Moses Field, 1839; no pastor in 1840; Obed Sperry, 1841 ; Joseph Freeman, 1842; Daniel F. Richardson, 1843-44; Ariel Kendrick, 1845-46 ; Aaron Angier, 1847-49 ; Joseph Freeman, 1850 ; R. M. Ely, 1852-55; no settled minister in 1856-57; S. W. Miles, 1858; no settled minister in 1859; Mylen Merriam, i860; Sem Pierce from 1861- 62; S. F. Brown, from October, 1863, to November, 1875; no settled minister in 1876; L. B. Hibbard, January, 1877, to January, 1880 ; Foster Henry, January, 1880, to January, 1885; S. F. Brown, January, 1885, to June, 1886; George B. Wheeler, acting pastor since August I, 1888.

The society was presented by Benjamin F. White, of Boston, in November, 1850, with a church bell.

The brick church was destroyed by fire in 1875 and in 1878 the present wood building was erected at a cost of $4,500, having a seating capacity of 250. By the will of the Hon. Richard Fletcher, of Boston, the society in 1870 received a parsonage, a pastor's library of two hundred volumes and a fund of $4,000, the interest on $i,000 to be spent annually in increasing the library, and the interest on $3,000 to be spent annually either in repairs upon the parsonage or for the support of preaching. The only conditions attached to these bequests are that the society is never to be without a settled minister for two consecutive years, if so the property is to revert back to the heirs of the donor.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Early Religious Efforts

2011-07-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

The following information is from The History of Windsor County, Vermont 1891 Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich and Frank R. Holmes, D. Mason & Co. Publishers

Beginning as early as 1782 the usual distracting efforts to fix the center of the town as a site for a church were made, which continued until 1800-OI. Numerous lots were offered, but no satisfactory committee could be secured, and finally in 1801 it was agreed that Jabez Sargeant, of Chester, Squire Stoughton, of Weathersfield, and Squire Bigelow, of Reading, should constitute a committee to locate the center of the town. This was accomplished October 20, 1801.

In the latter part of 1792 the town hired Rev. Abel Wood to preach six months, he to receive twenty shillings a day. A general assessment was levied to pay the salary, and Isaac Parker was appointed collector. The following were exempted from the assessment, for the reason that they were not members of the religious sect to which Mr. Wood be- longed : Salmon Dutton, Thomas Baldwin, John Coffin, Isaac Baldwin, Jonathan Atherton, Eliphalet Kimball, Captain William Chaplin, Abner Preston, and Abel Baldwin.' The momentous question of the church site having been settled, it was voted to build a house 45 x 55 feet and to
complete it by June 20, 1802. The building committee were Abel Baldwin, Jonathan Atherton and Samuel White.

It was voted to purchase the chosen site of Jedediah Tuttle, the price to be thirty dollars an acre. It was also voted that each person or denomination shall have a right to occupy the house for religious worship in proportion as they stand on each grand list. A tax of four cents on the dollar was voted to build the church. The following, who were of different sentiments from those who voted for the tax, are recorded as dissenting from the action of the town : Salmon Dutton, Amos Pierce, Israel Dwinnell, Salmon Dutton, jr., Clark Aldridge, Samuel Wyman, Joshua Tilden, Asaph Fletcher, jr., James Hall, John Swift, Joseph Page, and William Swift.

A society of Congregationalists was organized in the town at an early day, and continued until about fifty years ago.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Phineas Gage

2011-07-07T12:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, July 17, there will be a presentation about Phineas Gage, his importance to the understanding of traumatic brain injury, neuroscience and why he continues to be of interest, at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum at 2 pm in Cavendish. The presentation will be followed by a walking tour of historic spots associated with Gage. FMI: 226-7807 or margoc@tds.net

On September 13, 1848 Phineas Gage, a foreman, was working with his crew excavating rocks in preparing the bed for the Rutland and Burlington Railroad in Cavendish. An accidental explosion of a charge he had set blew his tamping iron through his head. It entered under the left cheek bone and exited through the top of the head. The rod, covered with brains and blood, was found approximately 30 yards from the site of the accident.

Sitting on the back of an ox cart, Gage was brought to the boarding house where he was staying on Main Street in Cavendish. Dr. John Harlow treated his wounds, along with Dr. Edward H. Williams. The large wound at the top of his head was closed with adhesive straps and a wet compress covered the opening. No surgery was involved.

Within days of the accident, an infection developed and Gage lapsed into a semi comatose state. Fearing that he was about to die, a local carpenter prepared a coffin for him. Two weeks after the accident, Harlow released 8 fluid ounces of pus from an abscess under Gage’s scalp. By January 1, 1849 (approximately 4 months) Gage was functional.

It is remarkable that Gage survived this accident, let alone lived for almost 12 more years. Fortunately Dr. Harlow and Dr. Henry J. Bigelow, a professor of surgery at Harvard University, tracked Gage as much possible, thereby documenting one of the first cases of traumatic brain injury in medical science. It was also the first understanding that different parts of the brain have different functions. With this knowledge, the first brain tumor removal operation became possible in 1885.

According to Gage’s family and friends, his behavior was significantly altered by the accident. In 1868, Harlow wrote in the “Bulletin of the Massachusetts Medical Society” His contractors, who regarded him as the most efficient and capable foreman in their employ previous to his injury, considered the change in his mind so marked that they could not give him his place again. He is fitful, irreverent, indulging at times in the grossest profanity (which was not previously his custom), manifesting but little deference for his fellows, impatient of restraint of advice when it conflicts with his desires, at times pertinaciously obstinent, yet capricious and vacillating, devising many plans of future operation, which are no sooner arranged than they are abandoned in turn for others appearing more feasible. In this regard, his mind was radically changed, so decidedly that his friends and acquaintances said he was “no longer Gage.”

Not able to work as a foreman, Gage held a variety of jobs. He worked in the livery stable at what is now known as the Hanover Inn in New Hampshire. He drove coaches and cared for horses in Valparaiso, Chile. Around 1859, after his health began to fail he went to San Francisco to live with his mother. While there, he worked on a farm in Santa Clara County. In February 1860, he began to have epileptic seizures and ultimately died May 21, 1860.

Rumors circulated that Gage appeared at Barnum’s American Museum in New York. It would take another Cavendish doctor, Dr. Gene Bont, almost 160 years later to find proof that Gage did in fact promote himself as a curiosity. Bont found a poster advertising Gage’s appearance at Rumford Hall.

One of the least talked about people connected with the Gage accident is Dr. Williams. He was an engineer, who went to medical school when ill health kept him from working outside. Since he did not have a busy medical practice, Williams spent considerable time in various forms of engineering. In fact, he knew Gage prior to his accident. He was the first doctor on the scene but would have differed to Dr. Harlow as he was a surgeon. Not long after the incident, Williams returned to engineering full time and started the oldest engineering society in the United States, Tau Beta Pi.

Auction Items for Old Home Day

2011-06-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to so many generous members of our community, CHS will have a very successful auction on Saturday. The live auction takes place at 1 pm on the Cavendish Green, while the silent auction runs from 10 to 12:45. We will only be accepting cash or check. No credit cards.

A special note of thanks to Gloria Leven, who has so tirelessly worked to obtain items.

Note that more items are coming in, so look for more on Saturday

Items for Auction

Services/Gift Certificates
Camping at Meadow Brook Camp Grounds
Candlelight Dinner for four with Chef Leven
Six Loose Ladies
Two hours of gardening
Will write a personalized poem
Invite for two to the famous Fisher 4th of July Party
Paint a room in your home from Wallscapes
2 large American Pie Pizzas
Ludlow Cooking Company
Village Clipper Haircut
Smoked Bacon from Singleton’s (2 certificates)

Home Goods/Furniture
Antique Pitcher and Wash Basin
Flower arrangement
Interior Design Consultation
Painted Vanity and Chair
White Chair
Oval and small frame mirrors
Floor lamps
Bombay console tables
Sink
Silver Herb plant markers
Anniversary Clock
Plastic pipe from Hancor
Coffee Table

Art
Two Painting by Elizabeth Wolfson
Framed Print by Phillip Philbeck
Winston Churchill Framed Photograph
Gazing Glass Ball
Scrag Pottery (vase and two dishes)
Pillows (5)

Food
Monkey Chews from Old Cavendish Products
Old Cavendish Fruitcake

Other
New Yorker CD’s
Nordica Ski Boot
Swatch Watches
Clare Murray Silk Scarf
Shoot a Machine Gun (2 positions)
Earrings from Jen Hoar Design

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Old Home Day

2011-06-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

Cavendish's Old Home Day will be celebrated this Saturday. The Museum will be open at 8:30, with its new display "250 Years of Cavendish History." Outside will be the annual plant sale. Starting at 9:30, the Cavendish Green will be filled with many different booths staffed by various organizations, businesses and artists. The Cavendish Historical Society will be holding a silent auction, which ends at 12:45, just in time for the live auction to begin at 1 pm. There will be a variety of food, including grass fed lamb kabobs and beef burgers; strawberry shortcake and lemonade; baked goods and pies, as well the Cavendish Fire Department's Chicken BBQ.

The fifth year of the revival of this custom, it's quite a bit different than Old Home's Day celebrated in the early 1900's.

Because so many people moved away from Vermont, frequently for economic reasons, Old Home Day became a time for family and friends to reconnect with those who remained in town. At the CHS Museum, there is a poster for the September 1901 Old Home Day. Featuring “horribles” (people dressed in costumes), floats and lots of speeches, 2,500 people gathered for this event. The September 1901 issue of “The Vermonter” describes the “Old Home Week” festivities in Cavendish as follows, “The morning parade, headed by the Proctorsville Band, was one of the principal features of the day and was composed of various patriotic and social organizations and floral carriages.” The afternoon featured speeches, with refreshments served at the Masonic and Odd Fellows Halls.

Below is the speech given by James Hales Bates at the Old Home Day celebration of 1901:

Non-resident Vermonters frequently have it flung up to them by friends in other states in a mood of sarcastic facetiousness, “Your state of Vermont is a good state to emigrate from.” Well, yes, it is a good state to emigrate from for two sorts of people. One sort is that not large class who have fitted over the border to escape the clutches of the law and find the climate healthier outside. The other sort are those who cannot afford to live here. Not that living is costly, but if beefsteak is five cents a pound and a man has not got the five cents, the beef might as well be fifty; it is out of his reach at either price. There have always been so much ability and energy in the state, and so few things for there to work on except climate, scenery, stone quarries and one another, that thousands have been ground out in the competition, and reluctantly gone into more promising communities where the natives know less and have more, and in these easier fields of action have thriven famously, and made for themselves and their descendants renown and riches. It will be a mighty poor spot on the earth where a Vermonter cannot be found, his eyes and hands wide open for all within reach. A few years ago, a little party of young government engineers engaged in the coast survey were passing a vacant half day, lounging about on the bank of St. Johns River in Florida, finding their pleasure in trifles, as idlers will do. Presently one cried out, “Sail Ho!” and twenty miles away emerging from the horizon, was a solitary coasting sloop beating up the river. All eyes were fixed on it in a long silence. Then a bright youth spoke and said, “I will wager any man here a box of cigars that the name of the captain of that craft is Spaulding and that he is from Vermont.” “The idea is absurd,” said another, “there are not more than five of the crew altogether and it is ridiculous to suppose the captain can be named Spaulding from Vermont. I take that bet and would like to make it dollars instead of cigars.” At last the little craft swung up to the wharf, and a tall solemn Yankee stepped ashore and made her fast. The engineers drew near. “Is Capt. Spaulding aboard?” “Yes, he is in the cabin asleep. Would you like to speak to him?” “I want to ask him what part of Vermont he is from.” “I can tell you that. He is from Cavendish.” If I have omitted any important particular of this illustration of the widespread distribution of the Vermonter, the ex- Secretary of War (Redfield Proctor) who must have had three young officers in his control, will correct me. He is fond of seeing things corrected and put in order.

Everybody knows that the valley of the Twenty Mile Stream in the upper part of this town is the most salubrious, picturesque, fertile and fascinating spot in the state, and the inhabitants the most industrious, honest and virtuous in the world. We are industrious up there because we must be to live; honest because we read in our school books that “Honesty is the best policy,” and we always want the best; virtuous because we don’t know any other way and are not anxious to learn. As to our honesty: my uncle, William Smith Esq., lived for almost ninety years under the roof where he was born, at the head of this Happy Valley. He is remembered by many here, I am sure, with honor and affection. Uncle went abroad and visited foreign countries where he saw many strange things and wicked practices quite unknown at home! On his return he for the first time in his life, felt anxious at night because HARMONY HALL —his residence— had no fastenings to its doors and windows. There were five outside doors, rendering the house uncommonly open to nocturnal visitors. For his peace of mind, Uncle bought a lock for the front door, and for two score years thereafter, slept soundly but was always careful to have that one door locked; and to show that his precaution was quite sufficient, no burglar entered the premises in all that time.

Up there a hundred years ago my grandfather’s anvil rang out cheerily among the hills from the smithy where for a generation, with busy hammer, he did not only what blacksmiths do now, but besides made all kinds of nails and the hammer which drove them in, all the implements used on the farm and in the shop— scythes, axes, forks, hoes, harrow-teeth, knives, cranes, andirons, the carpenter’s adze, square, saw, plane, —made the hunter’s traps and repaired his gun. According to all testimony an excellent blacksmith was he, as were his father and grandfather before him. Those were days when families lived within themselves, and ate and wore what they could produce on the farm and indoors. The best of potatoes grew in the fields. Big sweet brown loaves of rye and Indian came smoking out of the large brick oven indoors. Wheaten flour was little used, the immortal pie having often a rye under and wheat upper crust. The universal sweet was the sap of the maple tree with a small, well hoarded stock of loaf sugar used chiefly to sweeten the person’s glass of sling when he came to catechize the children, and express a hope that it was not sickness which kept the head of the family home from church so often.

Days before stoves, when great fires roared up the kitchen chimney, piled high with logs, and the shoemaker came with his kit and stayed a month, and made the family boots and shoes from skins grown and tanned nearby; and if they chafed more corns on the toes and had more room in the heels, chilblains than those which now come here from Boston, they at least wore longer and did more hustling. Days when the neighborhood seamstress came with her goose and press board for another month and made the family clothes, fashioned those extraordinary trousers, baggy and buttony, so exactly alike before and behind that little boys sometimes got bewildered in them and brought up in the pasture under a butternut tree when they thought they were headed for school, and were made to feel the difference between front and rear by the teacher’s heavy ferule applied to that part of the person on which the truant could sit if it did not smart too much.

No man born in the free air of the mountains can ever disown or forget or divorce them from his love. Out of sight of them he remains a homesick exile wherever he may wander or abide. Under burning tropical skies, as he breasts the icy waves of Arctic or Anarchic seas, pursues his calling in the roar of great cities, in the languorous lowlands of the south, amid the monotony of the illimitable prairies of the west, or bears the flag of his country high advanced in far off islands of the Pacific, — the Vermonter is haunted with visions of the verdurous hills and smiling valleys of his early home, and the silvery spring where he quenched his boyhood thirst bubbles and sparkles in his dreams as long as life endures.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: 18th Century Medical Care

2011-06-17T07:02:00.001-07:00

Among the first Cavendish settlers, health care was most likely typical of late 18th century America. It would have been provided at home under the direction of women. They served as doctor, nurse, midwife, pharmacist, and therapist. Since women of this era received minimal education, their medical information was handed down within families and among neighbors and what they learned by trial and error. Kitchen gardens did double duty, offering remedies in the form of herbs.

If a woman was thought to be specifically skilled at caring for the sick, or helping with childbirth, she might take care of her neighbors. During the Revolutionary War and again in the Civil War, including Cavendish’s Aunt Lizzie Aiken, women served as nurses to the sick and wounded.

The use of vaccinations began in the 18th century, with a vaccination for smallpox. Given the outbreaks of this disease in Cavendish, it is unlikely that the early settlers would have been so treated.

The first physician came to Cavendish in 1787, when ASAP Fletcher settled near Proctorville. Physicians of this era based health on the four ancient elements: earth, air, water and fire and their corresponding “humors” blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. People became sick if the humors were unbalanced. If a patient had excess, practices such as bloodletting, purges, blistering, sweating was used, while herbal remedies; food and drugs were used to add humors. One of the most popular forms of medicine at the time was Calomel, a form of mercury.

The difference between how women treated their patients (family members, friends and neighbors) and how doctors administered care was that the women practiced what they found to work, while doctors practiced “scholarly medicine,” whether it worked or not. Most midwives washed their hands before attending to the mother. Physicians did not start washing their hands before assisting in a delivery until the mid 1800’s or later.

These women must have known what they were doing as John Coffeen was 76 and his wife Susanna 94 when they died. Salmon Dutton was 80, his wife 83 and Leonard Proctor were 93 at the time of their passing.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Whose Buried in the Revolutionary Cemetery?

2011-06-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

This past week, Carmine Guica dropped off some of his binders at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum. Among them were the stories and genealogies of those buried in the various town cemeteries.

About the Revolutionary Cemetery, off of Brook Road in Cavendish, Guica notes, “The reason why it is so rough and little knolls and no grave stones, especially on the lower end is that years back a lot of the families dug up their dead either on account of religion or they wanted them moved to the new cemeteries. This has come to me by word of mouth, one generation to the next.”

While a number of Revolutionary soldiers are buried in the Cemetery, he pointed out the story of Thomas Gleason who was born before 1758 at Worcester, Mass and died at Cavendish in 1830/31. He was a Revolution soldier. The following is from “The Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society” in 1935. “Gleason could of told much more about his Military Service. As a matter of fact, he had been a deserter repeatedly and was probably a bounty-jumper. When not in uniform, he was in trouble with the civil authorities. He was brought to trial in his native Town of Worcester in 1779, charged with passing counterfeit bills. He pled guilty and was committed to jail for two months.

Following this imprisonment he re-enlisted in the Army, but soon showed in Worcester, an alleged deserter and was then in trouble over counterfeit bills. After another enlistment and desertion, he appears before the Superior Court in Cambridge charged with obtaining fraudulently a note of hand but was given “the leave of Court to depart.”

The following year, 1791, he was found guilty of burglary and put away for five years at Castle Island. Described as a man 5 and one half feet in height, dark complexion, born in Worcester, Mass 1758 ‘much given to vice and immorality, (testified his Uncle) not to be depended on because he would rather lie then tell the truth.’ He must nevertheless be put down as a Veteran and Pensioner of the Revolution.”

The oldest grave stone is for Henry Proctor (born 3/15/1729, died 6/19/1778). It is the only stone facing east. “It was believed by some at that time that the Spirit will rise from the east.”

A Civil War Quilt Comes Home to Cavendish in Time to Celebrate Old Home Day

2011-06-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

On April 22, 2011, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) received an e-mail about quilt squares made in Cavendish during the Civil War era from Teresa Campbell of Lancaster, California. “Several years ago, I received a gift of old hand pieced quilt squares from a friend of my husband. She later stated that her mother was friends with a descendent of one of the block makers, but is not interested in these blocks. Being a quilter, this was an extraordinary gift and being a genealogist, it was a puzzle to be solved. Each block has a name pined or sewn to it, but one also had the name of a hometown, Cavendish. So I did a family search for each of the names and found that each lady who made a block lived in Cavendish, Vermont during the Civil War era.”

To the immediate response of an emphatic “yes,” Campbell supplied how she thinks the quilt came to be in her possession, One of the blocks did not have a name on it, so I believe that was made by the owner of the blocks. Here's what I think happened. Marcia Ann Heald (paternal grandmother of Marsha Parker) or Mary Jane Dunsmore (mother of Marsha Parker) one of these ladies made this unsigned block (maybe). The blocks(never sewn together) were given to Marsha Parker Amsden, b.1874. Then given to her daughter, Grace Amsden Parmanter, Vermont, which was then given to Grace's friend, Frances Willis Turner, Florida. Given to Frances's daughter, she gave it to Ellen Turner, Connecticut, who passed it on to her friend Teresa Campbell, California. On May 9, eight quilt squares came home to Cavendish.

While it is the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, it is also the 250th Anniversary of Cavendish being chartered. In keeping with the 250th Anniversary, a group of women and men in Cavendish have been working on a quilt. When Campbell supplied the names of the quilters- Evey Kendall, Leizzie Kendall, Mrs. Maria Spaulding, Julia A. Davis, Mary Hemminway, Celia A. Davis, and Ella A. Spaulding-it was immediately noted that one of the quilters for Cavendish’s Anniversary quilt, Pang Ting, now lives in the house where the Kendall sisters once resided.

The quilt squares, along with the genealogy of the quilters, is on display at the Cavendish Historical Society Museum, which is open on Sunday’s from 2-4 pm. The Museum is located on Main Street in Cavendish. As part of Old Home Day, Saturday July 2, the squares can be seen along with the correspondence that led to their return.

Help Support The Cavendish Historical Society

2011-06-03T03:10:00.000-07:00

At Old Home Day, July 2, the Cavendish Historical Society will be holding a silent and live auction. We need donations of:
• gift certificates to restaurants, stores etc.
• certificates of service, such as ski tuning, gardening, dinner in your home, childcare, business service, lawn care etc.
• items, such as art work, furniture etc. Items need to be in good shape-new, gently used or actual antiques

You can send certificates to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142 If you have items that you need to drop off, you can bring them to the Museum on Sunday from 2-4 pm. Otherwise, please contact the numbers below and we’ll arrange for a pick up.

If you have a service you would like to donate, please e-mail the following information to margoc@tds.net and we’ll create a certificate for you:
• Service to be donated (be clear about what you will offer, such as 3 hours of gardening, dinner for 4 in your home, and if there is a time limit, e.g. redeemable by January 1, 2012)
• Estimated Value
• Person/organization making the donation

With this being the 250th Anniversary of our town, you can imagine that there are a lot of requests being made of CHS. With your help we can meet them.

Don’t forget that we have free booth space at Old Home Day for Cavendish residents, second home owners, businesses (in Cavendish or owned by Cavendish residents/second home owners) and organizations that serve the town. Please register for booth space by e-mailing margoc@tds.net or calling 226-7204.

Thank you for your support of the Cavendish Historical Society.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: New City

2011-06-03T03:08:00.000-07:00

The flood of 1869 destroyed New City. This area was located four miles from Cavendish village near Wethersfield. As early as 1856, woodenware was manufactured there. Newspaper accounts indicate that some form of settlement was in place by 1845. The 1855 Dotton map shows three building, with one marked ‘sawmill.” New City is an example of an area that, according to the usual pattern of New England settlement, would not be inhabited. It was ignored in the early days. Far from other settlements, deep in a narrow valley, subject to flooding, it does not make sense to live there unless an economic situation provides incentive. Only prosperity would allow investors to develop the normally undesirable spot. The promise of good waterpower during a boom time must have caused the essential optimism to seek a “New City.” This area was an example of 19th century waterpower manufacturing boom and related domestic sites that are no longer operating or even standing. With the elimination of a boom time that demanded cut lumber and woodenware, there was no other reason for industrial operations.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Cavendish Cemeteries

2011-05-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

Below is information about the Cavendish cemeteries, which the town maintains:
Coffeen (S. Reading Road): Not long after John Coffeen settled in Cavendish, he and his wife set out for Charlestown, NH for supplies and grinding their grist. Due to a snowstorm, the parents did not return for six weeks. During this time, one of the Coffeen children became ill and died. The other children kept the body in the house until the parent’s return, at which time, due to heavy snow, the body was buried across the road from the house. Coffeen decided that this would be the family’s cemetery. Coffeens, Baldwins and at least four Revolutionary soldiers are buried there.

Old Revolutionary Cemetery (off of Brook Rd): 1778- The earliest burial in town was that of Henry Proctor in the Old Revolutionary Cemetery, located off of Brook Rd in Cavendish. The 1760 Crown Point Road passes to the right (north) of this cemetery.

Cavendish Cemetery (High Street): 1790- First burial in the Cavendish Village cemetery on High Street. The land originally belonged to Salmon Dutton, but the town bought the land from several local people.

Twenty Mile Stream Cemetery: 1793-Samuel Hutchinson Sr, who gave the land for The Twenty Mile Stream Cemetery in Proctorsville, buried the first person there, his wife Abigail.

Pest Cemetery: 1811-1815-Spotted fever epidemic. Many of the early settlers died, particularly the young and the old. The Pesthouse Cemetery, located on the upper end of Town-Farm Road was a place to bury those who died from contagious disease such as small pox. The only marker in this cemetery is for Jotham Wheelock b 8-26-1763 d 4-27-1831.

Mt. Union Cemetery (Center Road): 1805-First burial occurs. The land was obtained from several local citizens.

Proctor Cemetery (Main Street Proctorsville): 1816-First burial occurs. The land was donated by the Proctors and contains the graves of this family.

Hillcrest Cemetery (Proctorsville, off of 103 on Bailey Hill RD): 1828-First Burial. The land was obtained from the Proctors. The tomb was built in 1897. Just before entering the Hillcrest Cemetery, there used to be a “potter’s field.” During the Depression (1930’s), this area was plowed and used for planting potatoes. Only three graves remain in this area of the cemetery.

For information about who is buried in Cavendish cemeteries, the Cavendish Historical Society’s Cemeteries of Cavendish: 1776-1976 Bicentennial Project is available for sale at the Cavendish Town Office and at the Museum. It can also be ordered by sending a check to CHS for $5 to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish VT 05142.

Cavendish Memorial Day Celebrations 2011

2011-05-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Today’s Rapture and the Millerites

2011-05-21T03:29:00.000-07:00

For quite some time, there has been considerable press given to today’s reported rapture. However, this is not unique tparticularly Vermont's history

Similar to Harold Camping, the 89 year-old retired civil engineer who has built a multi-million-dollar nonprofit ministry based on his apocalyptic prediction for today, Baptist preacher William Miller predicted Jesus was going to return to earth on Oct. 22, 1884. In Miller’s Lecture XIX he writes "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Will God's word fail of being accomplished? Can you show a single instance? Why not listen, then, to the warnings and admonitions, to the calls and invitations, to the examples and precepts contained therein? "Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Will God cut off the unbelieving Pharisee for not discerning the signs of the times, and let you, with twofold more light, go free? No; how can ye escape, if you neglect this great salvation? Watch, then, "the signs of the times." I say, Watch.

Estimates very, but between 50,100 and 500,000 people were convinced that on this date, the “saints,” those who believed in the rapture, would be taken into the New Jerusalem while fire destroyed the world. The newspapers covered stories of the Millerites prior to the day of rapture and after. An article in the New York Herald, March 24 1843, made the link between Millerism and insanity: We lately published a statement that a Mr. Shortridge, of New Hampshire, had run mad with Millerism, and attempted to ascend to Heaven from an apple-tree, but found the attraction of gravitation too strong for his celestial aspirations, and came to the ground with such momentum as to cause his death. We have just seen two letters of late date from different sources in Portsmouth, N. H., stating that letters had been received there from this same Mr. Shortridge, making no mention of his 'ground and lofty tumbling' or death-circumstances so remarkable that they could hardly have escaped his notice had they actually occurred. We have heard from another source that this same Mr. S. was crazy ten years ago. So in the case of the woman who poisoned her children and attempted to commit suicide some weeks since—her insanity was attributed to Millerism, but entirely without reason. Doubtless the like has been the case in many other instances. Those who know any thing of Insanity are aware that it very commonly takes its hue from the most exciting topic of the hour, so that hundreds of persons have been reported as victims of 'religious mania,' when in fact their insanity was caused by functional disorders, often having its seat in the digestive organs and only by sympathy affecting the brain. Of those who are currently reported as rendered insane by 'Revivals' or 'Millerism,' a great portion would be found, on due inquiry, to have been constitutionally disposed to insanity, and often to have inherited that malady. In other cases, physical derangement consequent on personal excesses, such as intemperance, gluttony, and other forms of sensuality, was the true cause.—We cannot exclude from our columns accounts of remarkable casualties, but our readers will know how to make due allowance for the causes to which they are often mistakenly attributed.

Like today, many Millerites gave up jobs, sold their property and divested themselves of all things worldly. Gathering at the highest peaks where they lived, wearing white ascension robes and some sitting in metal wash tubes, they believed that when the great triumph from heaven sounded, they would be a good position to ascend.

The Millerites were most common in the Northeast. The Akron Historical Society in Ohio writes the following about what happened to the Millerites when the day of rapture came and went. For the faithful, heavy depression set in. This day was perhaps the greatest disappointment to befall the church in the history of the New Dispensation. Fifty thousand of Miller’s followers had found it impossible to stay in fellowship with their former congregations. These fifty thousand now had to face the truth. They hadn’t been taken into glory. The wicked still weren’t destroyed by fire. One by one, they retreated back into their lives.

Humiliated by what has been called "The Great Disappointment," some Millerites shucked their faith completely. Led by Miller, others formed the Adventists. The majority returned to more traditional churches.

Shortly afterward, Miller wrote a letter to his followers: “Brethren hold fast; let no man take your crown. I have fixed my mind on another time, and here I mean to stand until God gives me more light, and that is today, today, and today, until he comes.” (Bliss, Memoirs, p. 278)

Many of those, that didn't learn the first two times, resorted to believing that Jesus Christ had returned to earth on October 22, 1844, and that he is invisible. This particular theory was that it would take an additional three and a half years after Christ’s invisible return before his kingdom would be thoroughly established, which led to setting another date in 1848. What happened in 1848? You guessed it.

For more than five years, William Miller went back to the book of Daniel and Revelation, he went back to his prophetic chart and his numbers, still pondering why he had missed the truth about Christ's Second Advent.

Washington Morse of Northfield, Vermont wrote about the Great Disappointment as follows:
“The day came and passed, and the darkness of another night closed in upon the world. But with that darkness came a pang of disappointment to the advent believers that can find a parallel only in the sorrow of the disciples after the crucifixion of their Lord. . . to turn again to the cares, perplexities, and dangers of life, in full view of jeering and reviling unbelievers, who scoffed as never before, was a terrible trial of faith and patience. When Elder Himes visited Waterbury, Vt., a short time after the passing of the time and stated that the brethren should prepare for another cold winter, my feelings were almost uncontrollable. I left the place of meeting and wept like a child.”

While Miller died not long after the failed rapture, two groups continue based on his teachings the Jehovah Witness and the Seventh Day Adventists.

We’re 250 Years Old: Let’s Celebrate

2011-05-20T09:47:00.000-07:00

The charter that created the town of Cavendish was signed by King George III on Oct. 12, 1761. To celebrate this event, a series of activities are being planned, starting in June and going through December. Here’s just part of what you can look forward to:

• Quilt: Various members of the community have made squares depicting aspects of current life as well as historical people and events. The quilt will be one display starting with Old Home Day weekend.

• Cavendish Semiquincentennial Book: This book will include a historic timeline, pictorial display, copy of The Vermonter’s article on how Cavendish celebrated its 150th anniversary, a special edition of the Cavendish Business Directory and much more. We hope to have the book available for sale at Old Home Day, July 2.

• Town Play: Once again the Cavendish Players will treat us to a unique understanding of Cavendish history. August 27 and 28

• June 5 (Sunday): Cavendish Historical Society Museum opens for the season and will be open on Sundays from 2-4pm until October closing.

• June 12 (Sunday): Screening of the film “Life in Windsor County” with Bruce McEnaney, Vice President of CHS and one of the interviewees featured in the film.

• July 2 (Saturday): Old Home Day, Cavendish Pictorial Display; Museum Plant sale; Cavendish Green activities will include a live auction at 1 pm.

August/September (Dates to be determined)
- Tours of Dutton, Revolutionary and Center Road Cemeteries
- Early Cavendish Tour
- Cavendish Players will present a production about early Cavendish history

Join us on Facebook
To help get the word out about Cavendish’s 250 Anniversary, a Facebook page has been set up at This is a great way to share your photographs and stories of Cavendish, learn about activities and help to make our 250th a very special year. A 250th Anniversary Website will soon be available as well.

Cavendish Genealogy: Craigue/Craig

2011-05-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

A story has been passed down through many generations of the Craigue family, that William joined the 9th Norfolk Regiment of the British Army on 14 Jan., 1775 at Downpatrick, Ireland. Downpatrick is across the Irish Sea from Cumberland, England. The soldiers sailed for America in 1776 to fight in the Revolution. He was then twenty-one years old. Oral family history reports: "in 1775 Will was a lad of around 16 years old and living with his parents at their home in Carlisle, England. Some say he was caught for a crime of "throwing a man or a tattling servant girl over a stair rail, killing his victim." In any event, he was given the choice of being tried, convicted and punished for the crime, or enlisting in His Majesty's troops than being raised for service in America.”

There are some family researchers who believe William changed his name when he deserted the English Army and joined up with the New England Continental Army, so that his father would not find him. All agree that he was a trooper in General Burgoyne's Army stationed at Ticonderoga in 1777. He might have deserted that year along with others. The convention troops of Burgoyne's Army were captured at Saratoga 17 Oct., 1777. They were first sent to Boston. There was a list prepared, containing the names of officers. There is no complete list of the soldiers who were captured that day. Whether William Craigue deserted at Ticonderoga on his own, or whether he was at Saratoga and deserted from the "Convention Troops" who were originally taken as prisoners, is not known. In any event, after the Saratoga defeat, William became a Revolutionary soldier.

After the war, William and Esther lived in Chelmsford or a nearby town before moving to the newly growing community across the Connecticut River in Weathersfield, Vermont. It must have been during the winter of 1790/1 that they came to Weathersfield with Esther's parents and her two sisters, Bridget and Joanna Adams. In 1792, William purchased land in Weathersfield, consisting of a 60-acre parcel from Longley Willard. This was Lot #48 in the 4th Division of lands of the town. This area was known as Eagle's Head and is where the Covell family later lived. In 1809, William sold his Weathersfield property to Joshua Morgan and received in return a 50-acre farm in the Witherspoon section of Cavendish, which was the South half of Lot #11. He lived in Cavendish for approximately seventeen years. He removed to Troy, Vt. in Feb., 1826. In 1832 he lived in Westfield. In a peculiar quitclaim deed dated 10 Dec., 1825 at Cavendish, William Craigue sold a 359-acre parcel of land in Cavendish to Salmon Dutton for $10. The bounds of this property: “beginning at a corner— a small beech tree, it being Jonathan Atherton’s southwest corner; thence north, 12 degrees east, 428 rods (or thereabouts) to the north bank of the Black River; thence on the same course, 58 rods to a stake and stones; thence west ten degrees north, 116 rods to the northeast corner of Billings Walker’s lands; thence south twelve degrees west, 508 rods to southwest to the corner of Billings Walker’s lands to a stake and stones standing in Benjamin Page’s pasture and in the south line of Brantingham’s tract; thence east on the south line of the Brantingham tract to the beginning.” Why would William quit claim a 359-acre parcel of land in Cavendish for $10?

For the 44 page genealogy of the Craigue/Craig family, compiled by the Cavendish Historical Society genealogist Linda Welch, please contact margoc@tds.net or call 802-226-7807. Copies are available via PDF files and/or CD rom

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: House Resolution HCR 147

2011-05-13T12:52:00.000-07:00

Concurrent House Resolution H.C. R. 147 commemorates the incorporation of Vermont Towns observing their 250th anniversary in 2011. Copies of the resolution have been given to the Town Office and to the Cavendish Historical Society by Cavendish Representative Ernie Shand. A copy of the Resolution can be seen online.

Cavendish Civil War: A letter regarding John Brown’s stay in Proctorsville

2011-05-06T03:33:00.000-07:00

This past week, Linda Welch, the CHS genealogist, e-mailed a letter written by Henry Bridge Atherton, a lawyer from Cavendish, to John Redparth, a biographer of John Brown, the famous abolitionist. Below is a copy of the letter, which further adds to the knowledge that Cavendish played an interesting role in the Civil War era. Not only was Governor Ryland Fletcher, from Cavendish, but he was a staunch abolitionist.

The letter indicates that not only was Brown seeking guns and money to help with his cause, but that he had begun to lay out the plans for the eventual insurrections in Kansas, which led to the death of five people that were pro slavery .

Unfortunately, the last page of the what was most likely a five page letter, is missing.

Proctorsville, VT Mary 9th, 1882

James Redparth Esq

I have sometimes thought the day would come where your publishers would issue another edition of your “Public Life of John Brown,” which was 1st published at Boston in 1860 by Thayer and Eldridge 11 St and 116 Washington St. I have been recently reading that book, and it occurs to me that, inview of the events following the execution of the old hero-the man-the freedom of the slave, the political results of the execution-and the history of our country in the past quarter of a century-you might perhaps to write that book and, if so, I would want a copy to side by side with the copy I now have in my library. John Brown and his son, Owen, I think it was, came here in the last days of Dec. 1856 or in the early part of January 1857- and spent some time on those days at my office-boarding at the Village Hotel. At that time I held the office of Secretary of the VT Senate- and our Governor-Hon. Ryland Fletcher, a brother of the late Hon. Richard Fletcher, of Boston, and Judge of Mass. Sup. Court- now my new neighbor. Our Legislature at the previous Oct. Session at Montpelier had passed an act authorizing Gov. Fletcher, in his discretion to furnish funds to an amount not exceeding twenty thousand dollars -$20,000-for the relief of the suffering citizens of Kansas-as you will find by reference to the session laws of 1856 in the Library-Our state casual care of __ General Gundry of Vergennes, VT had on hand quite an amount of guns-out of date & useless to our State. Gundry was authorized to sell or dispose of them. In some way John Brown had learned of these facts—and came here to examine the laws-and to confer with Gov. Fletcher. The Old man told us that the generosity of the people had so supplied the citizens of Kansas with food and clothing as none of this __ appropriation would be thus needed, least be thought possibly the Gov. might be authorized to let him have some of the old guns from the state Arsenal-He became satisfied on looking at the law, that Gov. Fletcher could not appropriate guns for the Defense of Freedom in the direction indicated. The Old man told us his objectives to enlist young men-pious and patriotic determined young men-not wild and -- profane ones in his service and that he proposed to rendezvous at Tabor in Iowa-just over the boarders from Kansas and await events. He showed me the enlistment papers as drawn up by him and most neatly executed. He said he expected on the return of Spring in 1857- the Missourians-becoming supplied themselves with a new stock of whiskey, would again invade Kansas-and he wishes to be ready to repel them. He said that courage of those invaders depended very much on the amount of whiskey they had. He was very conscientious-writing at my office table many letters in the time he was here. I offered him paper, envelopes—postage stamps-and he always left the dimes in the box to pay for them. The son was a light complexioned and sandy haired youth as compared with the father-they had the chains with them-that the borders….

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Captain Leonard Proctor

2011-04-30T04:40:00.000-07:00

Born in Westford, MA, Captain Proctor was a Revolutionary soldier and served as the company’s Second Lieutenant on the Lexington Alarm of April 17,1775. He was part of a brave group of “minute-men” that fought in the opening battle of the American Revolution. Forty-one years old at the time and father of seven children, Proctor eventually served under General Washington.

Moving to Cavendish Vermont in 1783, Proctor built a log cabin in the western part of the township and brought his family to their new homestead in the winter of 1784. Next to the homestead, he constructed a home and tavern, near where the Methodist Church now stands. The house stood where the present highway runs. Part of the house was moved, and then torn down to make way for the elementary school. The remaining part of the house was moved to the current location and became known as the Page House. In 1787, he built what is known today as the “Jenny House,” where he and his wife Mary Proctor lived for over 30 years. The house, built of wood, is famous for its fancy hand-carved decorations around the roofline, on the corner posts and around the center doorway.

Proctor and Salmon Dutton, the latter who had come to Cavendish in 1781, had much in common. They served in the Westford militia and were friends for many years. In 1784, Dutton was appointed surveyor for the toll road that was to be built between Cavendish and Ludlow to the west. The planned turnpike would become the only road connecting Duttonsville and Proctorsville. This toll road in 1798 became part of the Green Mountain turnpike that connected Bellows Falls and Rutland. The route from Cavendish south went over Dutton Hill to Gassetts and Chester, VT.

A break between the two families arose over the road and its operation. The Proctors were determined not to pay tolls to Dutton for the use of the Cavendish section of the road. The Proctor men built a “shun-pike,” which passed directly south from Proctorsville to Gassetts. This shunpike became the present highway for the Sate of Vermont. Because of the road, the Dutton and Proctor families, as well as the villages of Duttonsville and Proctorsville, feuded for 75 years.

The marriage of Redfield Proctor and Emily Dutton in 1858 joined the leading families of the two villages and promised to put an end to the former rivalry. As Redfield said of his first son, Fletcher Dutton Proctor, "if the old names and blood had the old inclination left to stir up strife, it would have created a fearful internal commotion." In fact, the merger of these families proved to be a propitious event for Vermont, since three governors and a United States Senator came from this Dutton-Proctor line.

In February 20, 1907, Proctorsville formally gave notice to the Town of Cavendish that it wished to be incorporated. Today Proctorsville is a village within the township of Cavendish.

Leonard Proctor and other family are buried in the Proctor Cemetery, just off Main Street in Proctorsville.

Descendant of Dr. Asaph Fletcher

2011-04-27T15:43:00.000-07:00

CHS genealogist, Linda Welch, sent this picture of Dr. Asaph Fletcher's descendant.

Kentucy Derbry Party to Benefit LPC-TV

2011-04-27T12:47:00.001-07:00

CHS is working with LPC-TV to establish a digital history center for the Black River Valley. Please support the upcoming Kentucky Derby Gala.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Salmon Dutton

2011-04-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Salmon was born in Westford, Mass in 1743 and married Sarah Parker. At the time of his marriage he was employed as a land surveyor. In 1768 he served in the French and Indian Wars under Captain Leonard Whiting, who would later move to Cavendish. Also a veteran of the Revolutionary War, he was a member of Colonel William Prescott’s regiment. Once located in Cavendish, he was chosen as an officer for the town’s militia.

When the Duttons moved to Cavendish, in 1781, it was a good fit since most of Sarah Dutton’s brothers and sisters were already here. Like Coffeen before him, Dutton was a Universalist and found freedom of his religion here in the sparsely settled land. He was exempted from the Cavendish Church Tax because he “did not belong to the sect of the preacher.” He and his sons, and many others in 1802, dissented from the action of the town in voting four cents on the dollar to build the church. In 1812, Salmon subscribed $7,500 (one-third money and two-thirds labor or materials) to build the “Cavendish Academy.”
Dutton first settled on what we now refer to as “White’s Hill,” not far from where the Cavendish Depot stood next to the railroad tracks. At one time, the toll road, or turnpike, turned off the Cavendish Gulf Road and went over this road, then called Dutton Hill. The community below, he named Duttonsville.

In 1788, Dutton built a house on what we is now the Cavendish Green. This building was the village tavern and also offered guest rooms. When the stagecoach reached the top of Dutton Hill (now White’s Hill) on the Green Mountain Turnpike, the driver would blow several toots on his horn, according to the number of passengers he carried, to alert the Innkeepers so that the proper number of places might be set at the table.

Salmon died in Cavendish on May 27, 1824 at 80 years of age. His grave is in the Cavendish High Street Cemetery and gravestone inscription reads: “In memory of Salmon Dutton who died May 27 a.d. 1824 in the 81st year of his age. His only aim as life’s brief span he trod. The good of man and glory of his God. He was the original owner of this ground and Of that on which is the adjacent village now stands and was the founder of same.” Sara died on March 7, 1831 (age 83 years) and is buried next to her husband. Her gravestone inscription reads, “They aim like his who sleepeth by thy side, To whom in life thou wast a faithful bride.”

Next week’s post will feature Leonard Proctor and the Shunpike.

Scribbler II: Spring 2011 Newsletter

2011-04-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

250th (Semiquincentennial) Anniversary Activities

The following activities are being planned by the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) for the town’s yearlong celebration of the signing of the Charter that created Cavendish.

• Quilt: Various members of the community are making squares that depict aspects of current life as well as historical people and events. The quilt will be one display starting with Old Home Day weekend.

• Cavendish Semiquincentennial Book: CHS is an integral part of the town’s anniversary committee and is responsible for several sections of this book-Cavendish Historical Timeline and the Anniversary edition of the Cavendish Business Directory.

• Town Play: CHS is helping to write this year’s play, depicting the town’s history, which take place August 27 and 28

• June 5 (Sunday): Museum opens for the season and will be open on Sundays from 2-4pm until October closing.

• June 12 (Sunday): Screening of the film “Life in Windsor County” with Bruce McEnaney, Vice President of CHS and one of the interviewees featured in the film.

• July 2 (Saturday): Old Home Day, Cavendish Pictorial Display; Museum Plant sale; Cavendish Green activities including a live auction

July 3 (Sunday): Cavendish Pictorial Display

July 17 (Sunday): Phineas Gage-His Importance Then and Now, includes a walking tour of sites pertaining to the accident with Margo Caulfield, Co-Director of Chronic Conditions Information Network, who has worked in traumatic brain injury (TBI) for over 25 years.

August/September (Dates to be determined)
- Tours of Dutton, Revolutionary and Center Road Cemeteries
- Early Cavendish Tour
- Cavendish Players will present a production about early Cavendish history
- Building of Long House

Starting in May, CHS’s Cemetery crew will be working in the oldest Cavendish cemeteries and will be cleaning the War Memorial.

More information about events and activities can be found at the CHS blog and on the Cavendish Update.

Young Historians Helping with Japanese Relief Effort
This year, the Cavendish Town Elementary School (CTES) Young Historians have been studying the 1940’s. They learned what an important role children played during that time period, whether it was helping to spot for enemy aircraft, planting Victory Gardens, holding scrap drives or making pins to support the war effort.

In response to the tsunami and earthquake in Japan, the Young Historians demonstrated a similar sense of helping as their predecessors by making origami cranes and white and red bracelets. The cranes are part of a program by Osh Kosh by Gosh. For every crane made, they will donate clothing for a child in Japan. The bracelets are being sold at Crows Corner Bakery and at the school. The students have chosen to send to Shelter Box USA. This organization responds instantly to disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need. The box includes a tent for a family of 10, cooker, blankets, water purification, tool kit and other items survivors need to rebuild their lives in the days, weeks and months following a disaster.

Cemetery Restoration Continues
With the arrival of spring, it’s now possible to once again enter the cemeteries. Work will begin shortly on the righting of stones and cleaning markers. CHS continues to seek volunteers who would like to assist with this effort. All volunteers will be taught and equipped in the appropriate way to clean stones. Even after this year’s particularly cold and snowy winter, you can see the work completed last year. If interested in being part of this project, please contact Margo Caulfield at 802-226-7807 or e-mail margoc@tds.net Donations can be designated for the cemetery project.

Genealogy: Bates Family
Linda Welch has completed an extensive draft of the Bates Family genealogy. This includes information about James Hale Bates who built Brook Farm-also known locally as the Bates Mansion at Brook Farm. If you would like to review this draft in PDF format, please e-mail margoc@tds.net

Cavendish Timeline 1835- 1880

1835: Proctorsville Woolen Manufacturing Company, started by Jabez Proctor, employed 35 workers, making cassimere cloth by 1842.

1840: Cavendish population 1,427

1844: Universalist Church (Old Stone Church) built in Cavendish. This was the beginning of “snecked ashlar” buildings in the town. This construction technique refers to walls constructed with exterior and interior surfaces composed of mortared stone slabs arranged vertically on edge, tied together with smaller horizontal slabs called "snecks." The space between the wall surfaces was filled with rubble stone. Oral tradition suggests that Scottish stonemasons working in Canada were responsible for introducing the technique into Vermont. Examples of “snecked ashlar” construction are present throughout the town: Glimmerstone (Main Street); Black River Health Center; Roundy Farm (corner of Wiley Hill Road and High Street in Cavendish); Saydek home adjacent to the Town Office; the Black River Bank building on Depot Street in Proctorsville and several homes on Twenty Mile Stream Rd. The stone for the various buildings was mined in Cavendish.

1848: Phineas Gage, a foreman, was working with his crew excavating rocks in preparing the bed for the Rutland and Burlington Railroad in Cavendish. An accidental explosion of a charge he had set blew his tamping iron through his head. It entered under the left cheekbone and exited through the top of the head. His recovery from this injury and the impact on his life was the first well-documented case of traumatic brain injury in the medical literature. It was also the first understanding that different parts of the brain have different functions and effects on personality. With this knowledge, the first brain tumor removal operation became possible in 1885.

1848: The Rutland Railroad runs through both villages, connecting Burlington and Boston.

1850: Cavendish population 1,576

1858: Emily Dutton marries Redfield Proctor, ending a 75-year feud between the villages of Cavendish and Proctorsville. The merger of these families proved to be important to Vermont, since three governors and a United States Senator issued from this Dutton-Proctor line.

• The Proctorsville Library Association formed. Redfield Proctor elected librarian and clerk. The Hon. Richard Fletcher, of Boston Mass made a donation of books the following year.

1860: Irish railroad workers, who settled in Cavendish, form the Catholic Church in Proctorsville.
• Cavendish population 1,509

1867: Fitton Mill (Spring Mill) established and soon became the largest mill in the area. The Mill complex was destroyed by arson in 1875. Remains of the Mill can be seen in the area just before the Cavendish Gorge.

1869: At a special town meeting held October 18, 1869, the town accepted of the gift of Hon. Richard Fletcher, of Boston, Mass., of 2,600 volumes and the interest accruing on $2,000, for the permanent establishment of a library, which was named in honor of the generous donor. The question of the location of the library caused a great deal of jealousy among the people of the villages of Cavendish and Proctorsville, the inhabitants of the latter desiring the establishment of a branch in that village, which was at first refused by a vote of 138 against, to 119 in favor. Tile library was first established at the house of Luke Parkhurst, then town clerk. History of Windsor County, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich and Frank R. Holmes, 1891

• The flood of 1869 destroyed New City. This area was located four miles from Cavendish village near Weathersfield. As early as 1856, woodenware was manufactured there. Newspaper accounts indicate that some form of settlement was in place by 1845. The 1855 Dotton map shows three building, with one marked ‘sawmill.” New City is an example of an area that, according to the usual pattern of New England settlement, would not be inhabited. It was ignored in the early days. Far from other settlements, deep in a narrow valley, subject to flooding, it does not make sense to live there unless an economic situation provides incentive. Only prosperity would allow investors to develop the normally undesirable spot. The promise of good waterpower during a boom time must have caused the essential optimism to seek a “New City.” This area was an example of 19th century waterpower manufacturing boom and related domestic sites that are no longer operating or even standing. With the elimination of a boom time that demanded cut lumber and woodenware, there was no other reason for industrial operations. CHS Archives.

1870: Cavendish registered the highest population in its history with 1,823 people.

1875: Baptist Church (now the Historical Society Museum) and Alonzo Mills are burned.

1877: The Proctorsville Woolen mill is reorganized and becomes the second largest mill in Vermont under the management of Taft, Burbank and Murdock. It was known as the Crescent Mill.

1880: Cavendish population 1,276 This significant decline can be attributed to several factors-the westward expansion and lack of work.

Cavendish During the Civil War
On April 13, 1861 the first shots of the Civil War rang out with the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC. President Lincoln appealed to the states for soldiers to suppress the rebellion. Governor Erastus Fairbanks replied that Vermont would do its "full duty" to help preserve the Union. As you’ll see in the information below, at a Cavendish town meeting on April 30 of that year, Cavendish took up the matter of supporting the “Cavendish Light Infantry.” Governor Ryland Fletcher, who presided over the meeting was the 24th Governor of the state from 1856 to 1858. Governor Fletcher was born in Cavendish.

In addition to working on his father's farm, he taught in the district school during the winter months. At age eighteen, he joined the state militia, attaining the rank of Brigadier-General. In 1854 he was elected Lieutenant Governor as the nominee of the Whig, Free Soil, and Liberty Parties, and in 1855 he was reelected-this time on the Republican ticket with Governor Stephen Royce. In 1856, he undertook a successful campaign for governor as the Republican nominee, and he was reelected in 1857. Fletcher strongly favored biennial rather than annual gubernatorial elections and was a tireless worker in the anti-slavery and temperance causes. After leaving office, he served in the Vermont legislature and was a member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1870. He died and was buried in Proctorsville, Vermont. Note: Ryland Fletcher is buried in the Cavendish Cemetery on High Street and not in Proctorsville as noted in the National Governors Association’s website

Prior to the War, Cavendish became part of the eastern trunk of the Underground Railroad between Brattleboro and Montpelier. In 1857, famous abolitionist John Brown came to Cavendish in hopes of securing some of the $20,000 the Vermont Legislature had approved to support anti slavery settlements in Kansas. Although Fletcher was governor at this time, his request for funds was denied. An account of Brown’s visit in the May 7, 1869 edition of the Rutland Herald, was described as follows:

"... Hair closely cut, beard neatly shaven, tight, stiff stock around his neck, no collar, or dickey, closely fitting swallow-tailed coat ..." the newspaper described. "As soon as it was known that 'John Brown' was stopping in our village, all manifested a desire to see and hear the man ... Notice was given that he would meet the people at the school house, and at the appointed hour an audience assembled.

"We introduced the modest and unassuming old man ... He went on and told the tale of his struggles with the despotism of slavery ... We little thought then how soon 'John Brown's body' would be mouldering in the ground, but his soul was even at that hour 'marching on.'"

In the War of the Union. — The first action taken by the town in reference to the late civil war was at a town meeting held April 30, 1861, Governor Ryland Fletcher presiding. It was then voted to raise $2,000 to liquidate all obligations incurred by Captain Tuttle in raising the Cavendish Light Infantry, and to pay the board of the men and furnish support to their families. Another loan of $3,000 was authorized in August, 1862, to pay bounties for nine months' volunteers, and in November of the following year a bounty of $200 was offered for volunteers, which was subsequently increased to $300, and another loan of $4,000 negotiated. During the latter part of 1863 the bounty was increased to $500, to make it possible to fill the town quota, and the selectmen were authorized to raise $10,000 to pay the expense of future calls for volunteers. In January, 1865, another loan of $7,000 was made, and in 1867 $15,000 was borrowed to pay the balance of the war debt. From a compilation made by the Hon. Calvin French we give the following figures : Cavendish furnished to the armies of the Union twenty men in response to the first call for troops for three months' service. In the Second, Eleventh, Fourth, Seventh aud Fifth Vermont Regiments, forty-two men for three years' service. These volunteers received no bounties Forty-two men were furnished under the nine months call. For subsequent calls fifty-three men were furnished for three years, and thirty for one year, making a grand total of 187 volunteers furnished by the town, whose terms of service would amount to 3521^ years for one man. Of these 125 volunteers received bounties amounting to $43,550, the others being recruited before it was necessary to offer a bounty. As early as 1867 a movement was inaugurated to erect a soldiers' monument in Cavendish, but it was not successful. In May, 1883, the present secretary of war, Redfield Proctor, presented his native town with a fine white marble monument, suitably inscribed and surmounted with an eagle. The town at this time appropriated $1,000 to grade the lot and pay the expense of the dedication of the monument. History of Windsor County, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich and Frank R. Holmes, 1891

Cavendish Historical Society Board
Dan Churchill
Jen Harper
Gloria Leven
Bruce McEnaney
Mike Pember
Gail Woods

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE

If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: ____________________________

Membership Level
__ Individual Member $10 ___ Senior Member 65+ $ ___ Sustaining Member $500
__ Household Member $15 ___ Contributing Member $250

Volunteer
___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):
__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives _ Budget --–– Cemetery __ Young Historian Program

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:
__ For general purposes __ Educational Programs __Publications
__ Archeological Activities __ Museum & Archival __ Special Events
__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Young Historians
__ Other (please specify) __ Cemetery Restoration __ 250tAnniversary

Genealogy: Bates Family

2011-04-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Linda Welch, CHS genealogist, has completed an extensive draft of the Bates Family genealogy. This includes information about James Hale Bates who built Brook Farm-known locally as the Bates Mansion at Brook Farm. If you would like to review this draft in PDF format, please e-mail margoc@tds.net

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Civil War Era

2011-04-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

On April 13, 1861 the first shots of the Civil War rang out with the firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC. On April 15, President Lincoln appealed to the states for soldiers to suppress the rebellion. Whereas the laws of the United States have been for some time past and now are opposed and the execution thereof obstructed in the States of South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings or by the powers vested in the marshals by law:__Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, . . . hereby do call forth, the militia of the several States of the Union to the aggregate number of 75,000 in order to suppress said combinations and to cause the laws to be duly executed.__. . . I appeal to all loyal citizens to favor, facilitate, and aid this effort to maintain the honor, the integrity, and the existence of our National Union, and the perpetuity of popular government, and to redress wrongs already long enough endured."

Governor Erastus Fairbanks replied that Vermont would do its "full duty" to help preserve the Union. As you’ll see in the information below, at a Cavendish town meeting on April 30 of that year, Cavendish took up the matter of supporting the “Cavendish Light Infantry.” Governor Ryland Fletcher, who presided over the meeting was the 24th Governor of the state from 1856 to 1858.

Governor Fletcher was born in Cavendish. In addition to working on his father's farm, he taught in the district school during the winter months. At age eighteen, he joined the state militia, attaining the rank of Brigadier-General. In 1854 he was elected Lieutenant Governor as the nominee of the Whig, Free Soil, and Liberty Parties, and in 1855 he was reelected-this time on the Republican ticket with Governor Stephen Royce. In 1856, he undertook a successful campaign for governor as the Republican nominee, and he was reelected in 1857. Fletcher strongly favored biennial rather than annual gubernatorial elections and was a tireless worker in the anti-slavery and temperance causes. After leaving office, he served in the Vermont legislature and was a member of the State Constitutional Convention in 1870. He is buried in the Cavendish Cemetery on High Street.

Prior to the War, Cavendish became part of the eastern trunk of the Underground Railroad between Brattleboro and Montpelier. In 1857, famous abolitionist John Brown came to Cavendish in hopes of securing some of the $20,000 the Vermont Legislature had approved to support anti slavery settlements in Kansas. Although Fletcher was governor at this time, his request for funds was denied. An account of Brown’s visit in the May 7, 1869 edition of the Rutland Herald, was described as follows:

"... Hair closely cut, beard neatly shaven, tight, stiff stock around his neck, no collar, or dickey, closely fitting swallow-tailed coat ..." the newspaper described. "As soon as it was known that 'John Brown' was stopping in our village, all manifested a desire to see and hear the man ... Notice was given that he would meet the people at the school house, and at the appointed hour an audience assembled.

"We introduced the modest and unassuming old man ... He went on and told the tale of his struggles with the despotism of slavery ... We little thought then how soon 'John Brown's body' would be mouldering in the ground, but his soul was even at that hour 'marching on.'"

In the War of the Union. — The first action taken by the town in reference to the late civil war was at a town meeting held April 30, 1861, Governor Ryland Fletcher presiding. It was then voted to raise $2,000 to liquidate all obligations incurred by Captain Tuttle in raising the Cavendish Light Infantry, and to pay the board of the men and furnish support to their families. Another loan of $3,000 was authorized in August, 1862, to pay bounties for nine months' volunteers, and in November of the following year a bounty of $200 was offered for volunteers, which was subsequently increased to $300, and another loan of $4,000 negotiated. During the latter part of 1863 the bounty was increased to $500, to make it possible to fill the town quota, and the selectmen were authorized to raise $10,000 to pay the expense of future calls for volunteers. In January, 1865, another loan of $7,000 was made, and in 1867 $15,000 was borrowed to pay the balance of the war debt. From a compilation made by the Hon. Calvin French we give the following figures : Cavendish furnished to the armies of the Union twenty men in response to the first call for troops for three months' service. In the Second, Eleventh, Fourth, Seventh aud Fifth Vermont Regiments, forty-two men for three years' service. These volunteers received no bounties Forty-two men were furnished under the nine months call. For subsequent calls fifty-three men were furnished for three years, and thirty for one year, making a grand total of 187 volunteers furnished by the town, whose terms of service would amount to 3521^ years for one man. Of these 125 volunteers received bounties amounting to $43,550, the others being recruited before it was necessary to offer a bounty. As early as 1867 a movement was inaugurated to erect a soldiers' monument in Cavendish, but it was not successful. In May, 1883, the present secretary of war, Redfield Proctor, presented his native town with a fine white marble monument, suitably inscribed and surmounted with an eagle. The town at this time appropriated $1,000 to grade the lot and pay the expense of the dedication of the monument. History of Windsor County, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich and Frank R. Holmes, 1891

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Revolutionary War

2011-04-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

The first settlers in Cavendish Capt. Coffeen and his wife Susanna, arrived in 1769. During the Revolutionary war years 1775-1783, Susanna was the only woman that remained in Cavendish. In 1777, Coffeen’s grain and grass fields, as well as fledgling young orchard, were destroyed when 300 New England troops were stationed on his farm, while working on the Crown Point Road. Later in the year, after the surrender of Crown Point and Ticonderoga, militia, whose terms had expired or where discharged for misconduct, again encamped at Coffeen’s as they made their way home. The tavern house, which Coffeen had established, was immediately filled to overflowing. Those who could not get lodging inside, built fires with the boards that Capt. Coffeen had procured for building a large barn and house. They stripped his home of nearly everything it contained and the turned their horses into his grain. They justified their actions by declaring that the enemy would do it themselves within 48 hours. Capt. Coffeen’s sent his family to relatives in Rindge, NH. For the remainder of the summer, his house became a camp for the vagrant soldiery, several of whom died under his roof.

In this same year, Coffeen was chosen to represent Vermont at the Windsor Convention to form a Constitution for the new State of Vermont in June of that year.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Cavendish Militia

2011-04-01T08:03:00.001-07:00

In a new settlement like Cavendish, one of the first order of business would be to establish a militia for self-defense. Every able-bodied man would be a member, with one elected as Captain. These groups were also called “training bands.” John Coffeen was captain of the first Cavendish Militia and during the Revolution was at the head of a troop of Rangers.

When the Revolution came, these military companies were called into action. Oliver Tarbell was captain of one of the “train bands” and the company met at the Tarbell farm. In addition there were “alarm-lists,” which enumerated all the men between 14 and 65 years of age, who were liable to be called upon in an emergency. Up until 1847, all able-bodied men between 18 and 45 years of age, by law, were enrolled in the militia and were required to do military duty. Every man was required to keep arms and equipment as needed for actual service, and for so doing, his poll was exempt from taxation.

Young Historians: Helping with the Japanese Relief Effort

2011-03-31T08:12:00.000-07:00

During WWII, kids in Cavendish would have made pins to raise money to help with the war effort. These would often be made with red, white and blue beads, the colors of USA flag. Using white and red beads, Japan's flag colors, the students make bracelets to help with the Japanese Relief Effort. In addition, some also folded origami cranes. The latter will be mailed to OshKosh B'Gosh as part of this company's Japanese relief effort.

Alex Provance, a flight attendant for Delta, has recently flown twice to Japan. She brought Japanese newspapers, as well as "Pokey," a chocolate cookie from Japan. She told the students about what it was like experiencing the "after shock" of the earthquake.

The bracelets the students made are available for a minimum donation of $5. They are on sale at the Cavendish Elementary School (go to the office), Crows Corner Bakery and the Cavendish Town Office.

The students want the money raised to go to Shelter Box USA. This organization responds instantly to disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need. The box includes a tent for a family of 10, cooker, blankets, water purification, tool kit and other items survivors need to rebuild their lives in the days, weeks and months following a disaster.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Other Cavendish Women to Know

2011-03-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

In celebration of March being National Women’s History Month, this is the final post on Women in Cavendish History.

Arey, Harriet Ellen (Grannis), author, born in Cavendish, Vermont, 14 April 1819. Her father, John Grannis, was a member of the Canadian parliament at the breaking out of the rebellion of 1837, and was obliged to flee to the United States, where he afterward held positions of trust. The daughter became a schoolteacher in Cleveland, and a contributor to periodicals. She married Oliver Arey in 1848, and edited the "Youth's Casket" and the "Home Monthly." Her principal work is "Household Songs and other Poems" (New York, 1854).

Bacon, Fanny and Carrie Spafford: Wrote, edited and printed “The Scribbler,” in the early 1900’s. Local writers could see their poetry, essays or short stories in print. This was produced once a month.

Baxendale, Imogene: She is the only female who name appears on the WWII plaque attached to the Civil War memorial in Cavendish. Baxendale was stationed in the Philippines and Japan during and after the war. She was the first woman to join the Legion of Guardsmen, a veteran’s organization in Bellows Falls. During WWII the women in Cavendish worked multiple shifts at Gay Brothers Woolen Mills, grew Victory Gardens, took turns manning the three spotter towers in town and “Did their bit and Knit” socks for soldiers.

Foster, Gertrude: First woman elected to the Cavendish Select board in 1918.

Haven, Florence: Founder of the Cavendish Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution)

Pollard, Erminie: Served in the Vermont Legislature in 1951-1952. She was the first woman on the Banking and Insurance Committee.

Pollard, Mary: A dietician in an Army Hospital on Ellis Island during WWI. She is the only female whose name appears on the WWI plaque attached to the Civil War memorial in Cavendish.

Skinner, Cornelia Otis: A great grand daughter of Cavendish native, the Reverend Warren Skinner, and daughter of the famous actor Otis Skinner, she spent summers at the family home in Proctorsville, which is now The Golden Stage Inn. Cornelia wrote numerous short humorous pieces for publications like The New Yorker. These pieces were eventually compiled into a series of books, including Nuts in May, Dithers and Jitters, Excuse It Please!, and The Ape In Me, among others. With Emily Kimbrough, she wrote Our Hearts Were Young and Gay.

Eliza Seaver

2011-03-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends: About the following letter:
Eliza French was born in Cavendish, Vermont, 31 Dec., 1804, dau. of Daniel & Sarah Brigden (Swift) French. Dan French was a native of Hollis, New Hampshire and came to Cavendish, raised by his brother-in-law, Ben Spaulding on the Twenty-Mile Stream farm. Dan's father had died when he was only 13 but Ben Spaulding looked after him as if he was his own son. On 21 Oct., 1799, Dan purchased his own land and built a farm on the Twenty-Mile Stream. He had purchased his land from Dr. Asaph Fletcher, and named one of his own sons after the doctor. There is a great deal of information about Dan and his family, in "Families of Cavendish, Vol. 3 - the French family. A handful of historical original letters - treasures were sent to our Cavendish Historical Society by Mr. Larry Gobrecht who looked up our historical society on the internet and offered to lend the originals to us so we could "typescribe" them and scan them in for our own collections. Larry wrote to me: "somehow the New York destination letters and Vermont destination letters ended up in the same place before ending up in Cornwall NY (near West Point) in my dad's collection. That would have been at least 15 years ago and probably much longer than that." Larry's father, apparently collected old letters! We are very grateful to Larry for thinking of us. I am especially since I know all these folks from my own research into our Families of Cavendish. It is amazing letters still exist and we are very fortunate to have Larry look up our historical society and make contact.

The following letter (the 1st one I have type-scribed) is especially interesting. Sounds like Eliza had rheumatic fever or some such critical illness and it was a miracle she lived! They did not know back then, about the advantages of aspirin or other medicines. They put her body in "warm water" and bled her. She was lucky to have survived the treatment, let alone the disease.

In this letter, she speaks of the Adams' folks, who were also from Cavendish (see Vol. 3) and moved to the same area in New York State as she and William Seaver did. She speaks of A. Baldwin (Abel Baldwin who went to Montpelier, Indiana about this same time with Newton Putnam and all the Putnams on the Twenty-Mile-Stream with other Cavendish folks - see Families of Cavendish, Vol. 1.] William Seaver also wrote of the Smith family who went to Schoolcraft Michigan. This was the time when many Cavendish Vermonters headed "West young men" Eliza mentions that she just learned her sister Mary was married! Mary married 29 March, 1836, Artemas Spaulding. For all of our folks related to the Spaulding families, I thought I would add that tidbit. I am going to go through the rest of the letters and will type-scribe them all -scan them all in, before I send the originals back to Larry. I will send my typescripts to Margo to put up on our web site.

-Good reading to all. If anyone has questions, feel free to e-mail me. -Linda M. Welch, Historian, Cavendish Historical Society.

Lowville, New York 25 April, 1836
To: Daniel French, Cavendish, Windsor County, Vermont
From: William & Eliza Seaver & family
[first part from William Seaver] Dear Parents: I improve this opportunity to inform you of my health and family which is good at this present time. Although Eliza has been very sick this winter, she was taken the 15th of January; she was confined to the bed 5 weeks, which she was not able to sit up any at all. She was taken deranged after she had been confined to the bed one week. The first that we discovered that she was out of her head she rose up in the bed and hollered for the Jimeson who is a preacher in that place, that she wanted that he should come and pray with her for her soul was in hell and he must come agreeable to her request. We sent for him and repeated it for several times until we found it was a damage to her then we dispensed with his coming. She would for the most part of the time answer every question with the greatest correctness, but her memory was better than when she was in health. She had spasms or fits, which took us from four to five to keep her on the bed. Those spasms was mostly nights. We had a counsel of doctors twice and they decided that there was no chance out of them for her to get well, but she sometimes was so bad that they thought that was doubtful; but He who breathed all world into existence has seen fit to restore her to health again. We was blest with kind neighbors. There was not anything lacking to be done that was not done for her good. As for myself, I was attacked with the fever in the meantime, which I was in bed and went through in course of medicine which broke it up and I was not confined to the house but one week. After that I was taken with fever and ague which lasted five or six days but I am in good health now. I am to work at my trade this summer and a plenty of liveliness. As respects that money I had due me in Michigan, I have not yet got it. I have wrote to Smith twice and not had any answer yet. You must give my respects to Mr. Wyman and family and tell him that he shall have his pay. I shall write to him before long. You must write soon as convenient. So I must close. -Wm. Seaver.

[this next part written by Miss Eleanor E. Whitehouse of Dayonsville by request of Elisa Seaver] "As it is Eliza's request that I should write to inform you of her sickness, I will endeavor to. I went to her house the 29th of January. She had been unwell about two weeks but she kept about and done her work until the day before I went there, she was taken with a severe pain in he head but she thought it nothing strange as she was subject to the sick headache, but she would often say I never had such a headache before. She tried everything that she could think of but it was all of no avail. I went there on Friday. Saturday she was rather better. The next day se was not so well and continued so until Monday morning, than her husband went after Doctor Jerry (Iry?) Adams. He came and said that she had got a settled fever. He said he though that she must have a course of fever but he did not think it would be very severe. She continued quite comfortable until Friday night when she was taken deranged and she appeared to be in great distress. The doctor came and said that she was a very sick woman but did not consider her dangerous. Her mind seemed to be in a continual worry. She said that it seemed to her as though she should never get well. The Doctor would tell her that she must be calm or he could do nothing for her. She remained in a state of derangement for better than three weeks- the most of the time the next Tuesday after Adams came, they had a council of doctors. Doctor Perry came and said that she could not live. He said that she had the inflammation on the brain. They then put her into warm water and took about two quarts of blood that night. She grew worse very fast. She would rave, and pull her hair, and tried to injure herself all she could. The Doctor called her fits, 'spasms.' Some of the time it would take three or four persons to keep her on the bed and we thought that she would not live till morning. Richard [Eliza's brother] and his wife were there and such a night I never past. It was enough to make the hardest heart melt to see a person in such a situation. The Doctor said it was beyond their comprehension that they never saw the likes of it before. The next morning she was a little more easy and remained stupid through the day. On Thursday, Dr. Seth Adams of Lowville came to see her. He said the disease was not in her head and there was a probability of her recovering. Doctor Iry stayed by her night and day and tended upon her with the strictest care. She did not want for anything in this world. She had the strictest care and attention. Everyone seemed interested in her case; she would often speak of her friends in Vermont and desired to see them very much. She would say "my blessed Father, my blessed Mother, I can see them now. I can hear their voices. My friends are all around my bed. Get away from me let me go and see them. Why don't they come and speak to me?" She seemed in this situation through the week. Sunday morning we had a little more hope of her, but it did not last long. Sometimes she would appear like herself for a few moments, and then we would feel quite encouraged, but her spasms were harder and harder and everyone she had, it did not seem as if she could live through another. She called her husband to her bed and gave her little son up into his care and now said she, "I am willing to die." One night she wanted to be turned on her side. We did so. She fainted away and we did not think that she would ever breathe again, but the Lord has been very merciful unto her, has spared her life and she is now quite smart. I have been here eleven weeks yesterday. I expect to go home today. I have taken up more room now than I calculated on this page when I began to write. I must leave off or I shall encroach upon the rest. -Dayonsville, -Eleanor E. Whitehouse."

[different writing now, Eliza's] Dear Parents: As they have left a little room, I gladly improve it with pleasure that I am permitted once more to write to you as my health is tolerable good now, but not so healthy as I was before I was sick, but I do my work, with the help of Sarah Homes [Holmes probably]. She is going to live with me, and go to school three months. I am some lame with my left leg. When I was taken I was in a good deal of pain in my leg. It seemed to be in the narrow of the bone. It don't pain me now, nor well near so bad as it has.

Mary, I have just heard that you was married. I wish you all the happiness this world can afford. You give my love to yours and to all that inquire after me. You must write if Father and Mother think of visiting us or not. We should be very glad to see them. I think it is entirely unnecessary to wait thinking that Joseph [Adams] will come with you for we've given up all hopes for he has so much to see to, he never will find time. I think you had better take Sally and come on for I think you'll never be sorry. I must close for I've taken up all of the page. You must all write soon as convenient. Yours &C. -Eliza Seaver.

Allen [brother] has bought [land] joining Richard. He works all of the time as steady as can be. Richard was here yesterday. He was well and family. He said Allen was a' coming over Saturday to stay all night. I was up to Brother's the day before I moved and ate new sugar linthed [?] and I thought we should like to call to your tavern to take breakfast and call for the best the house afforded and not have you know us. Please to write where A. Baldwin & Mr. Putnam have made their Pitch [set out their land and log cabins] as we should like to know. -Eliza Seaver. -Marinday Adams.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: First Female Proctorsville Fire Fighters

2011-03-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

In 1985, Donna Blanchard became the first female fire fighter for the Proctorsville Fire Department. Her sister Amy was the second female. Today there are three women fire fighters. Donna credits her time in the firehouse for teaching her to play poker. Donna served in the Navy during the Gulf War and Grenada. Currently, she’s a Deputy Sheriff in San Diego, plays competitive poker and is on the Deputy Sheriff’s pistol team. Amy became a crew chief on a Black Hawk Helicopter for the US Army and served in Iraq and Turkey. She now works for Toyota in Kentucky.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Nettie Stephens PHD

2011-03-11T04:52:00.001-08:00

Nettie Stevens was born in Cavendish in 1861. The child of working-class parents, Stevens was raised during a time when women's educational opportunities were limited. In spite of this, Stevens ultimately received a PH.D. from Byrn Mawr and was given an assistantship by the Carnegie Institute. In 1905, her work on sex determination was published. Investigating mealworms, she found female cells contained 20 chromosomes, but male cells contained 19 large chromosomes and one very small one. She showed that the X body paired with a 20th, much smaller chromosome in meiosis. She proposed that these two chromosomes be called X and Y, and explained that females contained two X chromosomes. Some believe her position in the field of genetics has largely been ignored because the credit for the discovery of X and Y chromosomes and their role in determining gender is instead generally given Edmund B. Wilson, who had read Stephens’ manuscript on chromosomal patterns before publishing his own theory, and T. H. Morgan, the biologist with whom Wilson shared the Nobel Prize for the discovery. Stevens died in 1912. Women in Technology News, Fall, 1994, Vol. 11, No. 1

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Women’s Role in Town Meeting

2011-03-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

In 1880 Vermont women finally begin to see change with a new law passed by the legislature giving tax-paying women the right to vote and hold office in school districts. With the establishment of the Vermont Woman Suffrage Association (later changed to the Vermont Equal Suffrage Association) in 1883, a statewide organization now existed and continued to push for female suffrage. The efforts of group members like Annette Parmelee and her determination guaranteed that the woman suffrage issue would remain a much debated topic in the newspapers and legislature. Efforts further paid off in 1900 with the passage of a law allowing women to serve as town treasurers, town librarians, and notaries public.

By 1917, support could no longer be contained and Vermont women gained the right to vote in municipal elections, providing the turning point for women to implement real change across the state. The passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920 gave Vermont women and their sisters nationally full suffrage in state and national elections and also the right to serve in local and national governments. Women in VT Politics; During and Post Suffrage 1840-1940 from the Vermont Women’s History Project

Barbara Kingsbury’s book “Chubb Hill Farm and Cavendish, Vermont: A Family and Town History” relates how Cavendish women were viewed in 1912. “Although the ladies had their own groups and participated fully in the Grange and Farmers’ Club activities with the men, they did not go to the Town Meetings. A 1922 newspaper article in the history of the Sunshine Society, commented that, “In 1912 when the ladies presumed to bring some sunshine into the annual town meeting some of the old guard among the men grumbled at the intrusion and would have none of it. A compromise was effected wherein the ladies might spread their luncheon in the gallery if they would screen off their view of the men below. But that first meal was enough to make the Sunshine dinner welcome at every Town Meeting since…”

It is interesting to note that while there are fewer women in the Vermont Legislator, those that do run have a higher chance of winning then their male counterparts. In 1921, there was one woman in the house and none in the Senate. Today, 36.6% (11) of the Senate is comprised of women (one of whom is Alice Nitka for Windsor County) and 38.6% (58) of the House. In Cavendish, we have no women on the Select Board and only one on the Cavendish Town Elementary School Board.

Young Historians: Town Meeting/1949 Timeline

2011-03-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

At yesterday's Young Historians Town Meeting, voters approved only one of four articles presented to them. The approved article was "To see if the voters will approve the addition of soup to the salad bar." There was considerable debate on each item and we could have gone on much longer than the alloted time. The other three artices voted down were as follows:

Article 2. To see if the voters will approve a hour long recess period.

Article 3. To see if the voters will adopt a policy to end school attendance.

Article 4: To see if the voters will approve music being played during lunch time.

We are now at the last decade of the 1940's for our timeline.

1949 Timeline
• China becomes communist
• First non stop flight around the world
• 1984 by George Orwell is published
• NATO established
• Soviet Union has atomic bomb
• Junior Mints, Smarties Candy Roll Wafers and El Bubble Bubble Gum Cigars are introduced
• The first TV daytime soap opera, “These Are My Children” was broadcast from the NBC station in Chicago
• “Happy Pappy” premiered. It was the first all black cast variety show.
• Look Magazine proclaimed that radio was “doomed” and that within 3 years television would completely overshadow it.
• Bozo the Clown made his TV debut
• “Crusader Rabbit” was the first cartoon made for TV
• Milton Berle hosted the first TV telethon. $1.1 million for cancer patients was raised in 14 hours.
• The first Emmy Awards for TV productions were made.
• Jackie Robinson wins the National Leagues Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award

• Movies: Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer; Blondie: Blondie Hits the Jackpot.

• Books: Newberry Award: King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry; Caldecott Award: The Big Snow by Berta & Elmer Hader

• Songs: Some Enchanted Evening Perry Como; I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry Hank Williams; Lovesick Blues Hank Williams; Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry;

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Women in Cavendish History

2011-03-01T08:24:00.000-08:00

As March is National Women’s History Month, we will be focusing on women’s contribution to Cavendish’s History. This post recognizes four women who have provided Cavendish with much of our written history.

Mary Churchill spent a year documenting who was buried in the cemeteries of the town of Cavendish. She was assisted in this effort by Harold Lawrence, Mrs. Thurston Owens, Mrs. Francis Ward and her son Dan Churchill. The resulting booklet, Cemeteries of Cavendish: 1776-1976 Bicentennial Project, is still used by many to locate their ancestor’s graves.

Sandra Stearns wrote Cavendish Hillside Farm 1939-1957 so that her grandchildren would know what life was like at one time in Cavendish. Called the Laura Ingalls Wilder of Cavendish, Stearns wrote, “During my growing up years on the farm I lived things that my children and grandchildren cannot even begin to imagine. Life was hard, conveniences were few and far between, but I was happy being outdoors and around animals. I appreciated school and church for they were my major chances to get away from the work and solitude. I was blessed to live and see and do so many things the old fashioned way! “

Barbara Kingsbury has written a comprehensive history of Cavendish, while at the same time telling the story of her husband’s family. In developing “Chubb Hill Farm and Cavendish, Vermont : A Family and Town History 1876-1960 (updated in 1994), Kingsbury spent countless hours reading town reports, family diaries as well as interviewing many residents. This is a very unique town history, which will be of interest for many generations to come.

Linda Welch, a descendant of the Farr family and CHS genealogist, continues to research and document Cavendish genealogy. To date she has written four volumes in the Families of Cavendish series.

• Volume I, 2nd Edition: Includes families Adams, Baldwin, Coffeen, Dutton, Fletcher, Gilbert, Lowell, Proctor, Russell, Spafford & Wheelock
• Volume II: Includes families Hall, Parker (Abraham, James & Thomas), Pollard, Skinner & Spaulding
• Volume III: Includes families Adams, Blood, Burbank, French, Gammon and Giddings
• Volume IV: Atherton, Bemis, Heald, and Ordway

We are grateful to these four women who have made such a significant contribution in the understanding of our history. All of the books listed, with the exception of Volume IV of Linda Welch’s are available from CHS. FMI: 226-7807 or margoc@tds.net

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: First Settlers

2011-02-25T09:16:00.000-08:00

Below are two accounts of the first settlers in Cavendish:

The first actual settlement in Cavendish was made in June, 1769, when Captain John Coffin located and built a dwelling in the northern part of the town. His hospitable residence during the Revolution afforded thousands of American soldiers shelter and refreshment while passing from Charlestown, NH, to the military posts on Lake Champlain. IN the northwestern part of the town was another stopping place, known as the Twenty-Mile Encampment. Captain Coffin gained his title during the Revolutionary war, being connected with the militia.

The first settlers of Cavendish were mostly from Massachusetts, and in 1771 Noadiah Russell and Thomas Gilbert joined Captain Coffin, sharing with him the hardships and privations attendant on frontier life. The grinding of a grist of corn involved a journey of sixty miles in those days.

The first deed, recorded March 21, 1781, was from Jesse Reed of Lunenburg, Mass, one of the original patentees, to John Coffin. Ebenezer and John Stone and John Russell settled in the town in 1781. …. As seen by the following in the town in early years grew rapidly in population, but has fallen off in this respect in later years 1791 (491 people); 1800 (921); 1830 (1,498); 1850 (1,576) 1870 (1,823), 1880 (1,276). Note that the 2010 Census has a census of 1,367 people. History of Windsor County, Vermont edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich, Frank R. Holmes 1891

On the 10th day of June, 1770 (although some authorities say it was 1769) John Coffeen, with his family, consisting of his wife, eight children, two hired men, )help was plentier than than now), two oxen, two horses and a cow, together with some household effects, arrived in Cavendish and located on what is now E. I. Heald’s farm, on the lot still called the “Coffeen pasture.” The old cellar-hole is still in existence where his first domicile is supposed to have stood. It was some time later that he moved up higher on the hill, nearer the “Ticonderoga Road” to substantially the place where Chas. S. Parker’s house now stands on what is known as the “Gilsonfarm.”

We are told that, owing to high water in the Connecticut river when he arrived at Charlestown, he was compelled to wait some three weeks for the water to subside, but I can not believe that there was a drouth there even then, and I have been much perplexed as to how Coffeen got that wife and eight children across the river. …

For something more than a year Coffeen had no neighbors in town, his nearest neighbors, I think were a family named “Spofford” living near “Greenbush” in Weathersfield, some eight miles distant. It is said that Coffeen, in later years, when joking his wife, who by the way was of very plain features, used to say that “although she was not handsome, still she was once the handsomest woman in town.”

The following year after Coffeen’s coming, Noahdiah Russell settled on what is now known as the “Richard Russell farm” and Thomas Gilbert located on the “Elwin Taylor farm” near Weathersfield line. This brought neighbors within about four and six miles from Coffeen towards Charlestown and life began to be quite social.” “The 150th Anniversary Celebration of Cavendish,” by Chas. R. Cummings; “The Vermonter August-September 1912.

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: 100 Year Old Postcard from C.F.Q.

2011-02-18T08:31:00.000-08:00

In this year’s town report, thre is a copy of a postcard depicting what Proctorsville would look like in 100 years, postmarked February 2, 1911. The postcard was sent to Miss Izella Pratt of Windsor Vermont in care of A. K. Hall. The text is as follows: “Hello Sis. How are you? We have all got colds but are all kicking around. We have our wood sawed and have been getting in ice this week. Hollis thinks we can just about live on ice cream this summer. Did you know John Bartlett was dead? Also Cornelia Densmore. Its most mail time so will stop. Good by this time. C.F.Q.”

Young Historians: Ivory Soap/1948

2011-02-16T10:46:00.000-08:00

James N. Gamble invented ivory Soap in 1879, in England. During the 1940’s, this soap was brought to the school children of Cavendish. They were shown how it floated and cleaned better than other soaps of that time. It wasn’t long before most of the homes in Cavendish were using Ivory.

Today we will be doing what a number of the school kids did with the soap given to them to take home-carve it. We’ll also learn why it floats.

Thanks to the Rural Electrification Act, signed by Roosevelt in the 1930’s, many farms were wired for electricity during the 1940’s. By 1950, nearly all homes had electricity.

When you look at the 1948 timeline below, note how popular TV was becoming. Cavendish didn’t get its first TV set until after 1954. On September 26 of that year, WCAX-TV became the first television station in Vermont. The Museum has one of the first TV sets in Cavendish.

Time Line for 1948
• Berlin Airlift
• “Big Bang” theory formulated
• Truman becomes President
• Gandhi Assassinated
• Apartheid begins in South Africa
• State of Israel founded.
• Executive Order 9981 ended segregation in the United State military
• Candid Camera appears on television
• NBC-TV airs its first nightly newscast “The Camel Newsreel Theater.”
• A televised concert by NBC was conducted by Arturo Toscanini
• The first television guide, called “TV Forecast,” was published. It became the basis of TV Guide, which is still published today.
“The Texaco Star Theater” made its debut on NBC-TV with Milton Berle as host.
• The Frisbee invented
• Movies: The Red Shoes
• Books: Newberry Award: The Twenty-One Balloons by William Pène du Bois ; Caldecott Award: White Snow, Bright Snow, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin; text: Alvin Tresselt
• Songs: I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover Art Mooney; Buttons and Bows Dinah Shore; I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm Les Brown; All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth by Spike Jones

Farr Family: Quadrille Poster

2011-02-14T07:32:00.000-08:00

From Linda Welch, CHS geneologist, "This "Quadrille Band" was organized by one of my FARR relatives."

Young Historians: Valentine's Activities/1947 Timeline

2011-02-10T03:18:00.000-08:00

Parties at school were major events for kids in the 1940’s. During the war, sugar was saved so cookies and other treats could be made. Like today, kids made or bought cards and they were stored in a special Valentine's box. One student was selected to be the “mailman” and distribute the cards. Students decorated sugar cookies, used doilys to make baskets for their decorated cookies and made a variety of paper chains.

Time Line for 1947
• Chuck Yeager Breaks the Sound Barrier
• Dead Sea Scrolls discovered
• Marshall Plan
• Polaroid Cameras invented
• Congressional proceedings of the 80th Congress were televised for the first time to viewers in Washington, Philadelphia and New York
• In the first televised White House address, President Truman asked Americans to refrain from eating eat meat on Tuesday and poultry on Thursday to help stockpile grain for starving people in Europe.
• Kukla, Fran and Ollie premiered as local Chicago Television show.
• Buffalo Bob Smith and puppet Howdy Doody starred on the first nationally televised program specifically for children. The show would run until 1960.
• Jackie Robinson becomes the first African America to play Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers

• Movies: Miracle on 34th Street; Rin Tin Tin

• Books: Newberry Award: Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey ; Caldecott Award: The Little Island, illustrated by Leonard Weisgard; text: Golden MacDonald, pseud. [Margaret Wise Brown]

• Songs: This Land is Your Land Woody Guthrie; zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah

Scribbler II Winter 2011 (Newsletter)

2011-02-08T03:22:00.000-08:00

2011-An Important Year in Cavendish History

Cavendish will mark two important anniversaries this year-the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the town. Each week, during this historic year, the Cavendish Historical Society will provide information about the early years of the town, and the Civil War era. You can follow along via our blog (see address above) or at the Cavendish Update website www.cavendishvt.blogspot.com A timeline of Cavendish will also be included in four segments in this newsletter.

Cavendish was chartered on October 12, 1761 under New Hampshire’s Benning Wentworth, who was appointed first Royal Governor of New Hampshire (1741-1766). Starting with Bennington in 1749, Wentworth granted (sold) large tracts of land in what would become Vermont, even though this territory was claimed by the Province of New York. Wentworth kept the fees paid by the towns, as well reserving two shares (500 acres) of each town for himself. Though he became very wealthy through these activities, he desperately wanted a title. Consequently, he named the towns to honor people that he thought could further his interests.

Cavendish was most likely named for William Cavendish, the fourth Duke of Devonshire. The Duke was married to Charlotte, who was a daughter and heiress of Richard Boyle, the third Earl of Burlington, and a granddaughter of the Marquis of Halifax. At different times William Cavendish was lord lieutenant of Ireland and of Derbyshire and first lord of the treasury. In 1756-57 he was prime minister of England, and from 1757 to 1762 he was lord high chamberlain.

In 1764, after considerable dispute between New York and New Hampshire, the King awarded Wentworth’s grants to New York. Neither the settlers nor the proprietors of this town were eager to pay for a New York charter, which cost more than ten times the amount charged by New Hampshire. Eight years later, proprietors re-purchased Cavend-ish from New York, having raised funds by selling the town’s Wentworth’s tract. Yet the land dispute continued, and Vermont fought New York as well as Great Britain for its independence. Finally, in 1791, when no colony or state could make claim upon its terri-tory, Vermont joined the United States and the land question was settled.

Anniversary Celebrations
There is now a town wide planning committee working on various events for the year. CHS is a part of this committee and is planning the following events:

• Screening of Life in Windsor County with board member Bruce McEnaney. This will be done several times through out the year.

• Old Home Day Weekend July 2 –3:-Special Pictorial display of Cavendish and Proc-torsville.

• Speakers during the summer, including several on native peoples

• October Town wide celebration.

• Young Historians will spend Sept-Dec learning about native people; Jan-April early settlers

• Walking tours of the villages of Cavendish and Proctorsville, as well as a driving tour of Cavendish early settlement sites.

• Oral Histories of people remembering the 200th anniversary.

• Quilt Project: An anniversary quilt is being made to mark this special event. It will be on display at Old Home and anyone can sign the back of it. After this year, it will be stored at the Museum and will be our fiber “time capsule” for future generations.

If you haven’t been to Cavendish in a while, this is a good year to come. If you would like to support CHS in their Anniversary efforts, you can send donations to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish VT 05142.

Early Man in Cavendish
According to the Vermont Historical Society The first people of Vermont lived in a climate still dominated by glaciers. …Approximately 12,000 years ago the Paleo-Indian came north, following the large roaming caribou herds that they hunted. They were nomadic hunters and gatherers, usually living in small bands of twenty-five to thirty people. As the glaciers continued to recede the Paleo-Indian moved on, migrating even farther north in pursuit of their large prey.
The changing climate produced a new environment. Plants and animals that are familiar to us today began to appear. Gradually, the people living in the region adapted to the new environment. This era, identified by archaeologists as the Archaic Period, began about 8,000 years ago. The people of this time, unlike the Paleo-Indian, moved in a defined territory on a seasonal basis, hunting, gathering wild plants, and fishing.

About 3,000 years ago, another major change occurred when people began to cultivate plants. The Woodland Period was characterized by a more settled life. People continued to hunt, fish, and collect wild plants, but increasingly depended on crops they grew as a source of food. Raising corn, squash, and beans required clearing fields, digging, sowing seeds, weeding, guarding the plants from birds and animals, harvesting, preserving, and fertilizing. These activities took place over three seasons and as a result the Woodland people established more permanent villages. Trade routes developed between villages. Local clays were used in pottery production.

Over time, the Woodland people evolved into five different groups characterized by language. Two of those groups lived in this region: Iroquoian speakers west of Lake Champlain and Algonquian speakers to the east. The Western Abenaki were part of the Algonquian family, the largest language group in North America. These were the people whom Europeans would first encounter when they moved inland from the Atlantic coast.

In 2007, members of the Cavendish Historical Society participated in an archeological dig at Jackson Gore in Ludlow, where they had a chance to help identify stone tools from 11,000 years ago. The archeologists on this dig, Jess Robinson and Charlie Paquin came to the Museum that September and explained that the Paleo-Indian traveled in small groups of 20-30 people following game. They most likely met seasonally with other small groups for trade, marriages and possibly spiritual or religious purposes. Because of the acidic nature of Vermont’s soil, little remains of this culture but the stone tools. These were master craftsman, making tools that were more advanced than Paleo-Indian in other parts of North America.

In 2008, thanks to a grant from the Cavendish Community Fund, a project of the Cav-endish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA), a dig was conducted on land in Cavendish. Given the types of tools that were pulled from the area in the 1920’s, as well as the location itself-several sources of running water, chances are good that this was an archaic Indian village.

Cavendish Timeline 1759-1834
1759: Crown Point Road is built by the British, linking Fort Number 4 in Charlestown, NH to Fort Crown Point on Lake Champlain. Major John Hawks and 250 rangers cleared a roughhewn road through the forest. A path was cut across the elevation in southeastern Cavendish, now called Hawks Mountain. Soldiers traveling along this section of the road soon complained of its roughness. Another route bypassing Hawks Mountain was laid out during the next spring. An encampment from twenty miles from Charlestown on the road gave the tributary of the Black River its present name: Twenty Mile Stream.

1761: Cavendish Charter signed by King George III of England.

1769: John Coffeen is the first settler in Cavendish. His home was located on the Cav-endish Reading Road, close to Brooke Road. He is buried across the street from the farmhouse in the Coffeen Cemetery.

1781: Salmon Dutton moved to Cavendish from Massachusetts. Dutton worked as a road surveyor, a justice of the peace, and the treasurer of the town of Cavendish. His home was located on the Cavendish Green, and is now located at the Shelburne Museum. He provided the land for the High Street Cemetery, where he is buried.

1782: Capt. Leonard Proctor, a Revolutionary War veteran, moved his family to Ver-mont. With his two sons (Jabez and John) he built a “shunpike” to the village of Gassetts in nearby Chester to avoid paying the tolls of the Green Mountain Turnpike. Salmon Dutton, helped to build the Green Mountain Turnpike, which ran from Bellows Falls to Rutland, bringing Boston coaches north up the Duttonsville Gulf to the village and then west along the present RT 131 through Proctorsville. The “shunpike” being toll free re-sulted in North bound traffic from Boston coming directly to Proctorsville and bypassing Duttonsville.

Because of the road, the Dutton and Proctor families, as well as the villages of Dut-tonsville and Proctorsville, feuded for 75 years. Proctor is buried in the Proctor Cemetery in Proctorsville.

1795: Established Cavendish. Center Road School on the corner of Town Farm Road and Center Road adjacent to the Center Road Cemetery. From 1795 to present day, there have been 13 public schools in Cavendish. Students were assigned to the school closest to where they lived. In addition to Center Rd school, which was closed in 1955, schools in-cluded: Proctorsville Village School (closed 1959); Duttonsviile (closed 1972); Coffeen (Densmore) School (burned in 1922); Hudson School (burned down in 1901); Stockin School (half in Weathersfield); Parker School (closed 1911); Rumke School (closed 1923); Tarbell Hill School (closed 1955); Bailey Hill (unorganized district); Gilchrist School (closed 1947); Wheeler School (closed 1955); and Fittonsville School (Spring Mill). The town has one school Cavendish Town Elementary School, for grades K-6. Middle school and high school students are part of Green Mountain Union High School.

1832: Black River Canal and Manufacturing Company built in Cavendish. By 1842, they employed 75 workers making broadcloth.

1834: Baptist Church built in Cavendish. Extensive renovations were made to the brick structure in 1875, but the building was destroyed by fire. The Baptist Church decided to relocate and the building was sold to the town. Now the home of the Cavendish Historical Society Museum, the building served as town office, community and recreation center at various times.

Vermont Humanities Council Civil War Book of Days E-Newsletter
The Vermont Humanities Council is pleased to present the “Civil War Book of Days-150 Years Ago This Week in the Civil War.” To register for this free service visit vermonthumanities.org

Aunt Lizzie Aiken
Born Eliza Atherton in Auburn, NY, Lizzie Aiken moved to Cavendish in 1826 at the age of nine. She came to live at her paternal grandfather’s, Jonathan Atherton, farm.. When Lizzie was 16, her mother became ill and she spent the next four years caring for her family. When her mother’s health improved, she attended the New England Academy in Cavendish for one term.

At the age of 20, she married Cyrus Aiken and they relocated to Illinois. Tragedy struck when she lost all of her sons to cholera, which was followed by the death of her sister from the same disease. Not long after, her home was destroyed by lighting. When her husband became ill, and her father died, she became a domestic nurse to help defray ex-penses and to support her mother, who was still in Cavendish.

With the onset of the Civil War, Lizzie nursed soldiers in the sick tents near Peoria, Il. In Nov. 1861, Aiken accompanied the 6th Illinois Cavalry to Shwaneetown on the Ohio River. Her comfort and care resulted in the nickname “Aunt Lizzie.” At first she worked for no pay but eventually received $12 per month from the army.

In 1862, she wrote a friend, “Twenty four nights in succession I have sat up until three in the morning dealing out medicine. I cannot think of leaving these poor fellows if there is any chance of their living. Dr. Niglas tells me I have saved the lives of over 400 men. I am afraid I hardly deserve that compliment. I cannot tell you how well this work suits this restless heart of mine.”

In 1864, the ladies of the Peoria Loyal League raised the money so she could visit her mother in Cavendish for three weeks. With the end of the war, Aunt Lizzie was sick and returned to Peoria where she was nursed back to health. In 1867, she joined the Second Baptist Church and worked as missionary until her death in January 1906. She was 88 years old.

Cavendish Historical Society Board
Dan Churchill
Jen Harper
Gloria Leven
Bruce McEnaney
Mike Pember
Gail Woods

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE
If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: ____________________________

Membership Level
__ Individual Member $10 ___ Senior Member 65+ $ ___ Sustaining Member $500
__ Household Member $15 ___ Contributing Member $250

Volunteer
___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):
__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives __ Budget __ Cemetery
__ Young Historian Program

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:
__ For general purposes __ Educational Programs __Publications
__ Archeological Activities __ Museum & Archival __ Special Events
__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Young Historians
__ Other (please specify) __ Cemetery Restoration __ 250tAnniversary

Cavendish Semiquincentennial: Governor Wentworth

2011-02-04T07:14:00.000-08:00

This week we take a closer look at Benning Wentworth, who played such an important role in Cavendish and Vermont history when, as Governor of New Hampshire, he issued (sold) 129 township charters in Vermont. Most of these charters were granted between 1761-1764, with nearly half occurring in 1761.

Benning Wentworth was the eldest son of Lt. Gov. John Wentworth and his wife, Sarah’s 14 children. John served as Governor of New Hampshire while it was still a province of Massachusetts. A 1719 graduate of Harvard. at a time when social position accounted more than academics, Benning graduated fifth in a class of 20 students. His college achievements were not academic, rather he was known for having set a college record of fines for broken windows and other damage caused by his various pranks.

After graduation at 18 years of age, Wentworth joined the family business of importing wines from Cadiz and other Spanish ports. For the next 15 years, he would spend considerable time in Spain, while his father and brothers tried to have New Hampshire constituted a separate colony.

In 1719, Benning married Abigail Ruck. They had several children, all of whom predeceased him. In 1732, he was elected to Massachusetts’s assembly, and ultimately served on the Governor’s Counsel. It took about nine years before the colony of New Hampshire gained its independence. Wentworth became the first Governor Wentworth’s siblings married into important seacoast families, making it easier for Benning to govern, since members of the Council and other office holders were often relatives or friends of relatives. On one journey to England, Benning lost a fortune at sea but as Governor he was able to re build his wealth, particularly through his practice of land grants.

He became very wealthy by the standards of the day and he built a large mansion in Portsmouth and a summer home on Lake Wentworth away from the seacoast. After his first wife died in 1755, he re married, in 1760 at age 64, his much younger housekeeper, Martha Hilton. This, plus growing annoyance with his administration, corruption, and taxes, forced his resignation in 1767. He died October 14, 1770 in Portsmouth.

You can visit Wenworth’s former home in Portsmouth, NH now called The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion.

Young Historians: Letters to soldiers/1946 Timeline

2011-01-29T03:25:00.000-08:00

We've had a lot of snow days in January, so this past Wednesday was the first time we've met since the holidays.

In the 1940’s, school children wrote to the soldiers all over the world. This week we made cards and wrote notes to Jason O’Connor who is in Afghanistan. He wanted to hear from people living near his hometown of Chester, VT.

All of the students thanked him for serving his country. Some told personal things about themselves, such as how tall they were and what activities they liked. One student told him about a "yard of snow" we had received, while another commented that if the snow kept up we'd be in school in July.

1946 Timeline
• Bikinis Introduced
• Dr. Spock’s The Common Book of Baby and Child Care is published
• Juan Peron becomes president of Argentina
• Nuremberg Trials begin
• Winston Churchill gives his “Iron Curtain” Speech
• Fist baseball game telecast in Chicago with the Cards vs Cubs
• 7,000 TV sets were sold as commercial TV became established. Note: Vermont did not have its first television station, until 1954 when WCAX-TV began broadcasting from Burlington.

• Movies: It’s a Wonderful Life

• Books: Newberry Winner: Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski; Caldecott Winner: The Rooster Crows by Maude & Miska Petersham

• Songs: Round Midnight Thelonious Monk; Get Your Kicks on Route 66 Nat King Cole; A Night in Tunisia Dizzy Gillespie; Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Vaughn Monroe

Civil War Sesquicentennial: Cavendish Civil War Nurse

2011-01-21T03:20:00.001-08:00

Born Eliza Atherton in Auburn, NY, Lizzie Aiken moved to Cavendish in 1826 at the age of nine. She came to live at her paternal grandfather’s, Jonathan Atherton, farm.. When Lizzie was 16, her mother became ill and she spent the next four years caring for her family. When her mother’s health improved, she attended the New England Academy in Cavendish for one term.

At the age of 20, she married Cyrus Aiken and they relocated to Illinois. Tragedy struck when she lost all of her sons to cholera, which was followed by the death of her sister from the same disease. Not long after, her home was destroyed by lighting. When her husband became ill, and her father died, she became a domestic nurse to help defray expenses and to support her mother, who was still in Cavendish.

With the onset of the Civil War, Lizzie nursed soldiers in the sick tents near Peoria, Il. In Nov. 1861, Aiken accompanied the 6th Illinois Cavalry to Shwaneetown on the Ohio River. Her comfort and care resulted in the nickname “Aunt Lizzie.” At first she worked for no pay but eventually received $12 per month from the army.

In 1862, she wrote a friend, “Twenty four nights in succession I have sat up until three in the morning dealing out medicine. I cannot think of leaving these poor fellows if there is any chance of their living. Dr. Niglas tells me I have saved the lives of over 400 men. I am afraid I hardly deserve that compliment. I cannot tell you how well this work suits this restless heart of mine.”

In 1864, the ladies of the Peoria Loyal League raised the money so she could visit her mother in Cavendish for three weeks. With the end of the war, Aunt Lizzie was sick and returned to Peoria where she was nursed back to health. In 1867, she joined the Second Baptist Church and worked as missionary until her death in January 1906. She was 88 years old.

Cavendish 250th Anniversary: Crown Point Road

2011-01-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

Construction began on the Crown Point Road in 1759. Built by the British, it linked Fort Number 4 in Charlestown, NH to Fort Crown Point on Lake Champlain. Major John Hawks and 250 rangers cleared a roughhewn road through the forest. A path was cut across the elevation in southeastern Cavendish, now called Hawks Mountain. Soldiers traveling along this section of the road soon complained of its roughness. Another route bypassing Hawks Mountain was laid out during the next spring. An encampment from twenty miles from Charlestown on the road gave the tributary of the Black River its present name: Twenty Mile Stream. The first settlers in Cavendish, John Coffeen and family, settled close to the Crown Point Road in 1769, eight years after the Charter was signed by King George III.

There will be a meeting to start planning for the town's 250th anniversary (Oct. 12, 1761) celebration on Jan. 24 (Monday), 4 pm at the Town Office. All are welcome. FMI: 226-7807 or 226-7292

Celebrating Cavendish’s 250th Anniversary: Amos Kimball Father of the Cavendish Proprietors

2011-01-07T01:43:00.000-08:00

The following information is from Linda Welch, the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) genealogist, and is being printed as part of the 250th Anniversary of Cavendish year long celebration.

Amos Kimball was born at Bradford, Mass. 13 Oct. 1717. He had lands in Winchendon, and a vast tract of land in Cavendish Vt., He was one of the original proprietors of Cavendish and should be considered the “Father of the Cavendish Proprietors” for it was Amos Kimball who sought and obtained the charter for the Town of Cavendish from Benning Wentworth, the governor of New Hampshire. Although Amos never settled in the town, he was a formidable promoter of its early settlement. He conducted most of his business concerning Cavendish from his home in Lunenburg.

Amos and his wife Dorothy removed from Bradford to Lunenburg, Mass. in 1746/7 and settled in that part which became Fitchburg. He served on the school committee and served as selectman in 1751-52, 1756, 1758-9. He and his cousin Ephraim built the first dam across the Nashua River near the present stone mill in Fitchburg. They had a saw and gristmill there as well. He was very active in procuring the incorporation of the town of Fitchburg from Lunenburg, and was very active and prominent in the affairs of Fitchburg until his death. There is no doubt he had every intention of locating in Cavendish, but the land controversy with the New Hampshire Grants persuaded him to give up the intention and leave it to pioneers younger than he.

Amos Kimball's faithful stewardship to protect the New Hampshire Cavendish charter was part of his life's work. He was very active in his land dealings and land speculation in Cavendish up to his death. The following deed tells us how he bought out Ephraim Whitney's Right of over 300 acres of land in the town for a mere thirteen shillings, via:

"To all people to whom these presents shall come, Greetings: Know ye that I, Ephraim Whitney of Fitchburg, in the County of Worcester, and Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Gent, in consideration of the sum of thirty shillings lawful money to me paid by Amos Kimball of Fitchburg, aforesaid, Gent, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge; have and do hereby grant, sell and convey to him, said Amos Kimball, his heirs and assigs, one Right or Full Share of Land in the Township of Cavendish, in the County of Albany, and Province of New York, being the same Right or Share which I hold by virtue of my being a Grantee in the Original Grant of said Township, made by the Governor and Council of the Province of New Hampshire.

To have and hold the said Right or Share with the appurtenances to him the said Amos Kimball, his heirs and assigns forever, without ever being molested or disturbed by me or any from by or under me, in Witness whereof, I have hereunto let my hand and seal, this 11 March, 1766. Ephraim Whitney. Witnessed by: David Goodridge, John Grout and Richard Taylor - -
• Received for recording at Cavendish, 27 May 1793 (brought to town by Amos Kimball Jr.) and recorded by Samuel White, Register.

Amos Kimball land dealings in Cavendish continued. The following document tells us how he bought out Daniel Hoar's Right of over 300 acres of land in the town for the cost of paying John Chruch for going to New York State to procure a confirming deed and charter.
"To: John Church Esq., at Charlestown in the Province of New Hampshire, by this may certify that Deacon Amos Kimball has bought of me the subscriber, all Right & Title that I have or ought to have to all the Land or Rights and after draughts in the town of Cavendish, said Amos Kimball, paying all charges, fees, and charter cost that hath or may arise on said lands, and I hereby desire you to give the title of all the Lands and Rights that I have to said lands to Deacon Amos Kimball of Fitchburg and your complying will oblige me, I hereby promise to indemnify you from any trouble or damage that I ever will bring against you or your heirs or executors, as witness my hand and seal this 29 day of January and in the thirteenth year of his Majesties Reign, AD 1773. Signed, sealed in presence of Thomas Cowdrin and George Kimball, -- Daniel Hoar. —Received for recording at Cavendish, 27 May, 1793 {brought to town by Amos Kimball Jr.) and recorded by Samuel White, Register.

Amos died in Lunenburg, 6 Oct. 1774 (age 57), Dorothy must have come to Cavendish with one of her sons after her husband's death. She died 1 Jan. 1795 (age 77), and is buried in the Cavendish Village, Mt. Union Cemetery.

For a PDF copy of the Kimball Family genealogy, please e-mail margoc@tds.net or call 802-226-7807.

2011-An Important Year in Cavendish History

2011-01-01T04:33:00.000-08:00

Cavendish will mark two important anniversaries this year-the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War and the 250th anniversary of the founding of the town. Each week, during this historic year, the Cavendish Historical Society will provide information about the early years of the town as well as the Civil War era.

Cavendish was chartered on October 12, 1761 under New Hampshire’s Benning Wentworth, who was appointed first Royal Governor of New Hampshire (1741-1766). Starting with Bennington in 1749, Wentworth granted (sold) large tracts of land in what would become Vermont, even though this territory was claimed by the Province of New York. Wentworth kept the fees paid by the towns, as well reserving two shares (500 acres) of each town for himself. Though he became very wealthy through these activities, he desperately wanted a title. Consequently, he named the towns to honor people that he thought could further his interests.

Cavendish was most likely named for William Cavendish, the fourth Duke of Devonshire. The Duke was married to Charlotte, who was a daughter and heiress of Richard Boyle, the third Earl of Burlington, and a granddaughter of the Marquis of Halifax. At different times William Cavendish was lord lieutenant of Ireland and of Derbyshire and first lord of the treasury. In 1756-57 he was prime minister of England, and from 1757 to 1762 he was lord high chamberlain.

In 1764, after considerable dispute between New York and New Hampshire, the King awarded Wentworth’s grants to New York. Neither the settlers nor the proprietors of this town were eager to pay for a New York charter, which cost more than ten times the amount charged by New Hampshire. Eight years later, proprietors re-purchased Cavendish from New York, having raised funds by selling the town’s Wentworth’s tract. Yet the land dispute continued, and Vermont fought New York as well as Great Britain for its independence. Finally, in 1791, when no colony or state could any longer make claim upon its territory, Vermont joined the United States and the land question was settled.

A committee is being formed to plan events for the 250th anniversary. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail margoc@tds.net or call 226-7807.

Young Historians 12/15/10 Bombs/Origamia Cranes1945 Timeline

2010-12-15T02:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Young Historians:

On December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, the United States naval base. This resulted in the United States entering the war in both Europe and the Pacific. On August 6,1945, the US dropped the first Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima Japan. This led to the end of the war.

The use of this bomb, also lead to the development of cancer in people who were near the blast. One of the victims was Sadako, an 11-year-old girl. She tried to make 1,000 origami cranes to help her recover from leukemia. An ancient Japanese story says that if you fold 1,000 cranes, you will be granted a wish. She died before completing the project, so her friends finished it for her. Today, there is a monument to her at the Hiroshima War Memorial in Japan. The crane is now the international peace symbol.

To honor the season and “peace on earth, good will to man,” we will learn how to make origami cranes today.

Origami Crane Directions

Sadako Movie

1945 Timeline
• President Franklin Roosevelt dies
• First computer built
• Germans Surrender
• Allies discover Nazi extermination camps.
• Hitler commits suicide
• Churchill, Truman and Stalin hold the last wartime conference at Potsdam
• Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Yemen form the Arab League
• Microwave oven invented
• Slinky hits toy shelves
• United Nations Founded
• US Drops Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Books: “Animal Farm” by George Orwell; Newberry Winner: Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson; Caldecott Winner: Prayer for a Child, illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones; text: Rachel Field

• Music: Bebop begins with a recording by Charlie “Bird” Parker and Dizzy Gillespie

• Movies: “Anchors Aweigh” Blondie: Life with Blondie; Abbott and Costello in Hollywood.

• Songs: Sentimental Journey Doris Day; La Vie En Rose Edith Piaf; On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe Johnny Mercer

Young HIstorians-Milkweed/Morse Code/ WWII/1944

2010-12-14T03:50:00.000-08:00

December 1, 2010

Dear Young Historians:

We didn’t have a chance to try Morse Code, a way of sending messages, the last time we met. Today we will try it using flashlights and rapping on tables to send “coded” messages. We will also be learning why school children during WWII collected milkweed pods.

Because so much of the war was over the ocean, there was a need for life vests. Kapok was what would have been used for the vests. However, the Japanese kept the USA from getting it. The floss of the milkweed floats the same way Kapok did. The children of Cavendish helped the war effort by collecting the pods

1944 Timeline
• Ballpoint Pens Go on Sale
• D Day
• Paris liberated
• Hitler Escapes Assassination attempt
• Oswald Avery determines that DNA is the hereditary material of the cell
• Roosevelt re elected for a 4th term as president
• The G.I. Bill of Rights is stabled to provide assistance to war veterans
• The World Bank is established to assist European postwar recovery.

• Music: Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland

• Movies: National Velvet, Arsenic and Old Lace

• Books: “The Razor’s Edge by Somerset Maugham; "Gigi" by Colette; Newberry Winner: Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes; Caldecott Winner: Many Moons, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin; text: James Thurber

• Songs: Don’t Fence Me In Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters; Swinging on a Star Bing Crosby

How much do you know about Thanksgiving?

2010-11-24T02:29:00.000-08:00

Who were the Indians that celebrated that first harvest feast back in 1621, which we’ve been told was the 1st Thanksgiving? What happened to them?

Many of us were taught that the first Thanksgiving occurred in 1621, when the Wampanoag (wahm-pah-no-ahg) "eastern people" or "people of the dawn." and white settlers-think Mayflower 1620- celebrated a three day harvest festival together. This was not a “Thanksgiving, “ as Pilgrims viewed such celebrations as days of worship, in which they prayed to God in thanks for a specific event. A good harvest, victory in battle during the Revolutionary war, and sufficient rain were all viewed as reasons for a Thanksgiving.

The Wampanoag had lived in southeastern New England for over 12,000 years. Within 50 years of the 1621 harvest feast, the Indians were driven from their land and many died from disease brought by the Europeans. Today, there are less than 5,000 of their descendants. You can learn more about them by going to:
• Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head
• Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
• Wampanoag people Wikipedia

According to The Mayflower Society, there are tens-of-millions of individuals descended from the Mayflower passengers.

Resources
Native Blood: The Myth of Thanksgiving

History of Thanksgiving Video

Thanksgiving History from the History Channel

Young Historians: Black Out

2010-11-17T04:17:00.000-08:00

November 17, 2010

Dear Young Historians:

London, England was bombed at night a lot during WWII. It was called the “blitz.” In case the enemy could make it to the USA, the government ordered towns and cities to practice “black outs.” If the planes couldn’t see anything from the air, it was harder to drop a bomb. In Cavendish, “black outs” were held every few months. No light could shine through the curtains or from the barn. Air raid wardens went from house to house to make sure no light could be seen.

Today, we will do what the kids in Cavendish did during “black out.” They played games, sang, read, practiced Morse Code told stories and jokes and went to bed early.

1943 Timeline
• Americans join the Royal Air Force in round the clock bombing of Germany
• Italy joins the allies
• Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
• Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin meet at the Tehran Conference
• Jacques Cousteau invents the Aqualung (scuba)
• The Allies invade Sicily and the southern tip of Italy

• Books: “The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand; “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” by Betty Smith; “Our Hearts Were Young and Gay” by Cornelia Otis Skinner (This author’s family came from Cavendish. Her father was a well-known actor. The Golden Stage Inn was originally the Skinner home.) Newberry Winner: Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray; Caldecott Winner: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

• Movies: The Phantom of the Opera

• Songs: Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como; Oh What a Beautiful Morning Bing Crosby; I’ll be Home for Christmas Bing Crosby; When the Lights Go On Again (All Over the World) Vaughn Monroe

Young Historians: Decoding

2010-11-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

During WWII, the United States used coded messages to pass important information. Both sides tried to figure out the coded messages. The United States came up with the only unbroken coding system. They used Navajo Indians to send message in the Navajo language. These men were called “walking secret codes” by other soldiers. Today they are called “code talkers.” You can read more about them at the Code Talkers website.

Today we will be making a “Caesar Cipher Wheel" We will practice “decoding” a message as well as sending them.

1942 Timeline
• Anne Frank Goes into Hiding
• Battle of Midway
• Battle of Stalingrad
• 110,000 Japanese-Americans Held in Internment Camps. These camps would last for three years.
• The Holocaust begins in Germany
• US forces under General Eisenhower invade Morocco and Algeria
• T-shirt introduced
• Starting in 1942 through 1945, female employees at Whitman’s Candy Company secretly slipped notes to soldiers in boxes of Whitman’s Chocolate Samplers destined for military shipment. Friendships, and even a few marriages resulted.

• Songs: White Christmas Bing Crosby; I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamazoo Glenn Miller; Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition Kay Kyser; There’ll Be Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover Kay Kyser; Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (With Anyone Else But Me) Glenn Miller

• Books: “The Stranger” by Albert Camus Newberry Winner: The Matchlock Gun by Walter Edmonds; Caldecott Winner: Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

• Movies: Casablanca, Mrs. Miniver, Bambi

Dutton House

2010-10-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

The following article is from WCAX.com The Dutton house, which once stood on the Cavendish Green, was built in 1782 and was relocated to the Shelburne Museum in 1950. It has since been restored to appear as it did in 1820. Two of the caretakers of the Dutton House at the Shelburne Museum visited Cavendish recently and met with the Cavendish Historical Society. Not only did they want to see the Museum, for possible items that may have been in the Dutton family, but they wanted to see where Salmon Dutton was buried (Cavendish Cemetery). When asked about the “ghosts,” neither of them had experience with anything paranormal in the Dutton house, but did say it had a “special feel to it.” Pictures of the house, as restored, are available on-line

Group hunts for ghostly activity year-round-Dutton House
“With Halloween just a short way away the idea of ghosts is a frightening possibility. But, for the Green Mountain Paranormal Society this time of year is just as spooky as the rest.

They search for paranormal activity and were recently at the Shelburne Museum doing just that WCAX reporter Gina Bullard went along for the investigation.

It all started in Cavendish Vermont. The Dutton family built their house in 1781. The house has seen a lot including being a store, inn, boarding house and tavern. By the early 1900s more than 11 people had died in the home -- and it was left abandoned for the next 40 years. It was then moved and donated to the Shelburne Museum....

....Now it’s said to be haunted.

Supervisor of museum security Dan Cole said, "People have had experiences here. There are several guides that will not work here. Some staff that are concerned about things they've seen or heard here"

Bullard: Those things people have witnessed range from footsteps and people in the attic to a girl crying at the edge of a bed. The Green Mountain Paranormal Society is now on the case and wants to see if they can see or hear any paranormal activity happening in the house…we went along with them for that investigation.

Cole: "Be careful it's dangerous. The best explanation that I've heard that the people were upset the Dutton's descendents or Duttons themselves are upset the house was moved from Cavendish."

Bullard: "One woman who was training to be a tour guide here swears she saw a man in tattered clothing sitting in this corner right here, growling at her. After that experience, she said she would never enter back into the Dutton home."

Bastian Gadouas says, "There's stories surrounding the place and there's a lot of history around the place so there's potential of something of several eras to be here whether it's hearing a sound or catching something on vid."

Cole explained, "We've had paranormals here before. This is something the museum has done to find some answers if we can and see where it goes."

The group uses scientific technology to hunt for signs of paranormal activity. Starting with quiet time, they break up and sit in different parts of the house and just listen. Then they report back on what they all heard.

Jennifer says, "The quiet time is for us to get a base reading of our natural senses of what the house sounds like quiet without people."

Next they send groups into certain rooms for electronic voice phenomenon - EVP sessions -- where they try to communicate with spirits.

Bastian Gadouas "First of all we could start out, what's your name?"

Gadouas says, "These things are manifesting with energy. This reads energy, so if this thing gets close by it, the idea is that it will make the lights light up."

Those lights did just that moments later in the green room, a confirmed spook, in a home famed for it's ghost stories.”

Young Historians 10/27/10: Fantasia

2010-10-28T03:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

In the 1940’s there was no “trick or treating.” Instead, there was a big party at school. Kids bobbed for apples, ate donuts off a string and dressed up.”

We will be watching parts of the Walt Disney movie “Fantasia.” First shown in 1940, it is one of the most popular films of all time. Each of you will be given the hit candy of the 1940’s-Bazooka Bubble Gum. There weren’t a lot of new candies in the 1940’s because of the war. Sugar and even certain types of candy wrappers were limited. Hershey Kisses stopped being made because the foil wrapper was needed for the war effort.

Today’s timeline is 1941, the year the United States entered the war.

1941 Timeline
• Japanese Attack Pearl Harbor, America enters WWII
• Churchill and Roosevelt's Atlantic Charter meeting establishes war and peace aims.
• The US Occupies Iceland in attempt to prevent a Nazi invasion
• Germany invades Yugoslavia, Greece and the Soviet Union
• The German Blitz of London is at its peak
• Jeep Invented
• President Roosevelt talks of Four Freedoms in his Sate of the Union speech.
• Manhattan Project Begins
• Civil Air Patrol formed
• Mount Rushmore Completed
• M & M’s” Plain Chocolates are introduced
• Bob Hope began broadcasting his first USO radio show from March Field at Riverside Ca.
• USOs (United Service Organizations) began and provided free coffee, doughnuts and entertainment to US Military
• Commercial black and white television broadcasting begins. “Truth or Consequences” became the first commercial TV program

• Movies: Citizen Kane, The Maltese Falcon

• Books: “For Whom the Bell Tolls” by Ernest Hemingway; Newberry Winner: Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry; Caldecott Winner: They Were Strong and Good, by Robert Lawson

• Songs Chattanooga Choo Choo Glenn Miller; God Bless the Child Billie Holiday; Take the A Train Duke Ellington; Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy The Andrew Sisters

Young Historians 10/20/10 Spotter Exercise

2010-10-23T03:05:00.000-07:00

Today we will practice being plane spotters. You’ll have to listen for the sound of the plane. You will then note where it’s coming from and where it’s going. The final step is to “call Albany” and report what you have seen.

The three spotter towers were located as follows:
• Above the Duttonsville School
• East Road in Cavendish across from the Moonlite Meadows Farm (the place that has the cows and sheep)
• Off of Blood Terrace in Proctorsville.

All three places would have a good view. It would have been easy to see the planes.

Today we will start with the Timeline of the 1940’s. In 1940, the United States had 132,164,569 people. The war was taking place in Europe. The United States was watching and waiting.

1940 Timeline

• Winston Churchill becomes prime minister of England
• Italy declares war on the Allies and invades southern France
• Germany invades Denmark and Norway
• Nylons on the Market
• Stone Age Cave Paintings Found in France
• The Great Smoky Mountains National Park dedicated
• Truth or Consequences became a radio show
• The first televised baseball game took place on WGN-TV featuring the White Sox vs. the Cubs in an exhibition game.
• The first showing of high definition color TV.

• Movies: The Philadelphia Story, Road to Singapore, Grapes of Wrath Fantasia, Pinocchio

• Books: The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers; Newberry Winner: Daniel Boone by James Daugherty; Caldecott Winner Abraham Lincoln by Ingrid & Edgar Parin d'Aulaire

• Songs: In the Mood by Glenn Miller; You are My Sunshine Jimmie Davis

Young Historians 10/13/10: Apples

2010-10-11T15:51:00.000-07:00

This Wednesday, the Young Historians will be making apple pies for the Historical Society's annual meeting and recognition dinner on Oct. 17, 5 pm at the Cavendish Elementary School.

The most popular apple in Vermont is the McIntosh. These apple trees came to Vermont in 1835 from Ontario, Canada. Today, 65% of all Vermont apples are McIntosh. Other popular apples are Cortland, Red Delicious, and Empire. You can learn more Vermont apple facts at Vermont Apples.

In the fall, children of the 1940s would pick apples and help their mothers make pies, cider, applesauce, and apple butter. Below is the apple pie recipe we will be using today.

Crust
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t salt
3/4 c canola oil
8 T of apple cider (you can use water)
Mix dry ingredients together with a fork. Mix wet ingredients together. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet. Blend with a fork until it forms a ball. Wrap in wax paper and chill while you make the apples. Roll out between two sheets of wax paper.

Filling for one pie
6 cups sliced tart apples
3/4 cup sugar (
1/4 cup flour
1 t cinnamon, 1/4 t Nutmeg, 1/4 t cloves
2 T apple cider

Mix the filling and either pour into a dish pie dish that’s been greased or has a crust bottom. Cover with a top crust. Make slits in the crust and bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 30 minutes. Serve it warm or cold, with out without ice cream or cheese.

Lincoln's Death/Andrews Family

2010-10-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

2010-10-04T15:59:00.000-07:00

CHS Newsletter: Scribbler II Fall 2010

2010-10-03T10:33:00.000-07:00

As we prepared the report for the upcoming Annual Meeting on Oct.17, we were even a bit surprised by all we have accomplished this year. We couldn’t have done this without the support of our members, town, donors and the many volunteers who have given of their time and skills.

These are just some of the activities volunteers did this past year: planning and staffing programs for the Young Historian’s; cutting the lawn of the Old Stone Church; cleaning gravestones; letting us run hoses from their homes to clean the gravestones; organizing and running the plant sale (a special thanks to Pieter Van Schack for taking this over after Craig Rankin died); cleaning the Stone Church prior to the quilt show; restoring the Grange Hall Painted Curtain; deciding that the Joshua Parker Green loom could be restored and taking steps to make that happen; crawling up inside the cupola of the Museum to make sure it was in good shape; painting; carpentry; staffing the various booths at Old Home Day; shoveling snow in front of the Museum; hiking up Hawks Mountain in the continuing search for the rumored cannon; bringing water to volunteers; keeping a watchful eye on the Museum; donating items for the WWII Museum Exhibit-who else but Carmine would dash home and loan us his uniform for the summer; and spending many hours providing information about town history and genealogy.

For their gift of time, we would like to thank the following: Donna Allen; Ron Bates; Jackie and Joe Blanchard; Gene Bont; Pam Bruno, Dan Churchill, Winston Churchill, David Churchill; Tracy Churchill; Danielle Dulaney; Bradley Goodrich, Abe Gross; Carmine Guica; Jenn and Jarrod Harper; Tim Jefferson, Nancy Kelley; Gloria and Seymour Leven; Peter LaBelle; Cheryl and Carl Liener; Jennifer McBride; Bruce McEnaney; Diane McNamara; Chris Merrill; Priscilla Mound; Mary Ormrod; Jon and Bev Owens; Alex Provance; Bob, Spenser and Cooper Naess; Mike Pember; Chris Quinn; Wendy and Allen Regier; Sandra Russo; Pieter Van Schak; John Snarksi; Carolyn Van Tassel; Pang Ting; Linda Welch; Dwayne Warren; and Gail and Leon (Woodie) Woods.

Every donation we receive is a valued contribution. People give what they can and we appreciate it. A special note of thanks to Stanford Durkin; Dan Churchill, Winston Churchill; Theresa Schrag; Foster Johnson; Sandra Russo; Gary Wheeler; Otis Heald; and Patty Derr.

We also want to recognize and thank:
• The Town of Cavendish
• The Cavendish Library
• The Cavendish Community Fund (CCF) and Wendell Smith Foundation for funding several of our programs
• The Vermont Country Store for their generous donations to the Young Historians Program
• The Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA) for their continuing support of the Cavendish Update, which keeps our community informed about what’s happening as well as a record of “tomorrow’s history .”
• The students of Cavendish Town Elementary School-grade 4 for helping to open and close the Museum , grades 6 and 4 for their assistance in the care of the Proctor Cemetery and our Young Historians.

Annual Meeting/Recognition Supper
The Annual Meeting of the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) will be October 17, 5 pm at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. In the past, this has been a potluck supper. This year, we would like to thank our community, donors, members and volunteers, so the CHS board is preparing dinner. To ensure that we have sufficient food, we are asking that you let us know if you plan to come. You can do this by calling 802-226-7807 or e-mailing margoc@tds.net by Oct. 11.

One of the highlights of the evening will be drawing the winners of the Carolyn Van Tassel quilt and the Instant Wine bar.

Cavendish During WWII
The Young Historian’s Program is underway for students in grades 3-6 at the Cavendish Town Elementary School. This school year we will be doing activities related to the 1940s, with the first part of the year devoted to WWII. Below is some of the history we’ve collected. If you would like to add information, please send it to PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142, e-mail margoc@tds.net

• 168 men and one woman served in the 1941-45 period. Imogene Baxendale served as an Army nurse.

• Proctor Reel and Shook opened in the old Black Bear Mill in Proctorsville and employed about 50 people. The company made, among other items, the large wooden reels for electric or telephone wire.

• There were classes on how to spot enemy planes, rules for air raid drills, blackouts, a Red Cross War Drive and Springfield machine shops would now train women for the workforce.

• Civil Defense was very active. Residents were telephoned and told the date of air raid drills (black outs). Drills were held regularly, with air raid wardens patrolling the villages and farms to make sure that lights were out and shades were drawn.

• Because of the machine shops in Springfield, the entire area was considered at risk for bombing by the Germans. Three “spotter” towers for aircraft were set up. These were manned by volunteers for two hour shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Women, high school students, and men not in the service helped with spotting.

• School children collected milkweed for the war effort. The milkweed silk was used for life vests.

• Rationing began in 1942. Sugar, meat, butter, lard and coffee were the main foods rationed. Gasoline rationing went into effect, causing many Cavendish residents to travel to Rutland by train. Tires were also in short supply.

• Defense savings stamps were sold to school children and rallies were held to sell war bonds.

• Drives were held to collect scrap iron and rubber . Red Cross Home Nursing Classes and Civil Defense meetings were held in addition to the meetings of the Farmers’ Clubs, the Sunshine Society and the Home Demonstration Club.

• Gay Brothers was “the chief war industry of our town where 300 people worked producing 30,000 yards of woolen blankets, Navy uniform cloth and Khaki flannels each week for the United States Government.

• In 1942, the town voted to exempt every soldier and sailor from taxes.

• When the war ended in Europe V-E day, May 8, the celebration was subdued. However, when V-J Day (Japan’s surrender) came, August 14, Mill whistles and church bells were sounded from about 7 pm until midnight.

Genealogy On-Line
At the request of CHS genealogist Linda Welch, we have been adding new information about families to our blog. Note the listing of families on the right hand side of the page.

CHS Wins Local Historical Society Awards
We just received word that CHS is receiving an award from the Vermont Historical Society for two of our program, It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that the Local Historical Societies Awards Committee met today and has overwhelmingly agreed that you nominations for both the Cemetery Care and Maintenance Project and Young Historians Program are both meritorious and worthy of award. The committee was very impressed with the well thought out, diligent implementation and community wide resonance of your programming. It was felt that your programs are exemplary and can serve as excellent models for other organizations.

BECOME A MEMBER, RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP, DONATE
If you have not joined the Cavendish Historical Society, need to renew your membership, and/or would like to be a volunteer, please complete the form below and sending a check, payable to CHS, to CHS, PO Box 472, Cavendish, VT 05142. All contributions are tax deductible.

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: _____________________ E-Mail: _____________________________

Membership Level

__ Individual Member $10 ___ Senior Member 65+ $5 ___ Sustaining Member $500
__ Household Member $15 ___ Contributing Member $250

___ I would be interested in serving, as a volunteer .I would be interested in serving on the following committee(s):

__ Program Planning __ Fundraising __ Building (Museum)
__Archives __ Budget ___ Young Historians

Donations are always welcome and can be designated as follows:

__ For general purposes __ Educational Programs __Publications
__ Archeological Activities __ Museum & Archival __ Special Events
__ Rankin Fund __ Williams Fund __ Young Historians
__ Other (please specify)
___ Cemetery Restoration

Message from the President

2010-10-02T02:41:00.000-07:00

As part of the Cavendish Historical Society's Annual Meeting and Recognition Dinner on Oct. 17, the President of the Board has issued the following statement about this year's activities:

Message from the President
It is amazing what can be accomplished with a dedicated group of volunteers and staff. Below is a list of our on-going activities:

• Archeology: As funding permits, we will continue to “dig up” our history.

* New in 2010:Cemetery Preservation Project: Working with the Cavendish Cemetery Commission and the Cavendish Elementary School, CHS has organized a group of volunteers that are cleaning and repairing gravestones in the town’s seven cemeteries. As part of this project, CHS has developed a handout based on the National Park Service’s brochure on Monument Cleaning. This is available from CHS, the Town Office and the Cavendish Library.

• Educational Outreach: CHS offers the following programs:
* New in 2010: In-service for teachers
* New in 2010 Curriculum learning. CHS offers programs to all grades of the Cavendish Elementary programs, which combine local history as it pertains to a specific area of study. While aspects of this have been offered in the past, school year 2010 represents the first year that we have curriculums from nearly every grade at the Cavendish Town Elementary School.
- Young Historians: A weekly program for students in grades 3-6, volunteers provide hands on learning about Cavendish history. Last year we focused on the 1930’s and are learning about the 1940’s this year.
- Community education through special events, such as the upcoming Celebrating Proctorsville pictorial display at the Cavendish Library.

• Genealogy: One of the most requested areas of information, CHS has a series of books, Families of Cavendish, which were developed by our genealogist Linda Welch.
* New in 2010-The CHS blog www.cavendishhistoricalsocietynews.blogspot.com now has a special genealogy section so that Welch can provide immediate access to new information.

• Museum: CHS operates a museum from June-mid October. Staffed by volunteers, the Museum is open on Sundays from 2-4 pm and at other times by appointment. Archival work is done year round. Restorative work of the Museum’s collection is mainly done during the summer months.
* New in 2010: Repair and restoration of the Cavendish Grange Hall Curtain
* New in 2010: Restoration of the Joshua Green Loom

• Newsletter-Scribbler II: A bi-monthly newsletter, which provides information about current CHS activities as well items of historical interest.

• Old Home Day: Held the Saturday prior to July 4, 2011 will be an important year, as it will be the 250th anniversary of Land Grants, which is responsible for the founding of the town.

• Oral History: Interviews, many of which are being videotaped, are done year round.

• Today Becomes History: In addition to understanding what has happened in our town, CHS maintains information about current events for future generations. CHS is one of the supporters of the “Cavendish Update,” a weekly electronic newsletter about Cavendish. It is available on-line and can be obtained via e-mail by sending an e-mail to margoc@tds.net with “subscribe Cavendish Update” in the subject heading.
- Cavendish Business Directory: Updated at least early, CHS includes business information, for businesses located in Cavendish, and/or are owned by Cavendish residents.

* New in 2010 Walking Tours: CHS has developed two walking tours-Phineas Gage and Celebrating Proctorsville.

As we move into 2011, the 250th anniversary of the founding of Cavendish, we are planning a town wide celebration that will take place throughout the year. For our many friends that live out of town, make Cavendish a destination this coming year.

CHS Wins Local Historical Society Awards

2010-09-22T12:14:00.000-07:00

We just received word that CHS is receiving an award from the Vermont Historical Society for two of our program, It is with great pleasure that I write to inform you that the Local Historical Societies Awards Committee met today and has overwhelmingly agreed that you nominations for both the Cemetery Care and Maintenance Project and Young Historians Program are both meritorious and worthy of award. The committee was very impressed with the well thought out, diligent implementation and community wide resonance of your programming. It was felt that your programs are exemplary and can serve as excellent models for other organizations.

Thank you to our many volunteers that have helped to make these programs possible

Young Historians 1940s Spotter Planes/Cavendish in WWII

2010-09-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

The Young Historians will meet this coming week for the first time this school year. Below is the letter each student receives as well as information about Cavendish during WWII. If you have information about this time period, please e-mail it to margoc@tds.net

September 22, 2010

Dear Young Historians:

Welcome back. This year we will be studying the 1940’s in Cavendish. The first half of the year, we will be doing things that from World War II.

Today’s project is to learn how the children of Cavendish helped to spot airplanes that might have flown over our town. You will be given a deck of “spotter cards.” We will show you how to play the card game “War.” This was how children and adults learned the different type of airplanes.

Cavendish was at risk for being bombed by Germany because it was close to Springfield Vermont. Springfield made things used in the war. Three “spotter towers” were set up in Cavendish. Children would go with their Mom’s, Dad’s and grandparents to watch for planes.

The next time we meet, we will try spotting planes and reporting what we fine. So play “War” with your friends and family.

We are in need of milkweed pods. Please collect them and bring them the next time we meet.

Below is information about Cavendish during Word War II. Ask your family if they have any war stories that you can tell at our next meeting.

CAVENDISH WWII 1941-1945

• Residents of Cavendish listened to the radio for news. Many farm families did not have electricity and used their car batteries to connect their radios.

• 168 men and one woman served in the 1941-45 period. Imogene Baxendale served as an Army nurse. Six men were killed in action and several were wounded. They served in every branch of the armed services and in nearly every area where American soldiers, sailors and flyers were sent.

• Gay Brothers Mill signed a union contract with Local 261 of the Textile Workers Union of America, CIO affiliate.

• Proctor Reel and Shook company moved its machinery from New Jersey into the old Black Bear Mill in Proctorsville and employed about 50 people. The company made, among other items, the large wooden reels for electric or telephone wire.

• There were classes on how to spot enemy planes, rules for air raid drills, blackouts, a Red Cross War Drive and Springfield machine shops would now train women for the workforce.

• Civil Defense was very active. Residents were telephoned and told the date of air raid drills (black outs). Streetlights were turned off at the scheduled time. Anyone outside was to take cover inside. Those in their homes were instructed to pull down the blinds on their windows and keep the light inside to a minimum. People in cars were to pull over and find shelter in the nearest building. The idea was that enemy planes couldn't target what they couldn't see, and that any light visible from above could attract bombs and gunfire. Drills were held regularly, with air raid wardens patrolling the villages and farms to make sure that lights were out and shades were drawn.

• Springfield was considered a high-risk area for bombing by the Germans. Since Cavendish housed many of the workers for the Springfield factories, as well as being the home to Gay Brother’s Woolen Mills, the area was also concerned to be at risk. After the war, when the German list of where to bomb in the United States was found, Springfield was not only in the top 10 sites, but ranked number 6.

Three “spotter” towers for aircraft were set up in Cavendish:
- School Hill, above the Duttonsville School,
- Across from Moonlite Meadows Farm (Ting’s Farm), on what is now known as East Road
- At the end of what is now called Blood Terrace off of Maple Street in Proctorsville.

These were manned by volunteers for two-hour shifts, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Women, high school students, and men not in the service helped with spotting. They had to learn to identify both friendly and enemy airplanes. Every plane that flew over had to be reported. They used high-powered binoculars. All of the spotting towers were made of wood. Walls were lined with identification charts.

• School children collected milkweed for the war effort. The milkweed silk was used for life vests.

• Rationing began in 1942. Sugar, meat, butter, lard and coffee were the main foods rationed. Sugar and butter were not big issues for farm families who could rely on their chickens and maple syrup. Gasoline rationing went into effect, causing many Cavendish residents to travel to Rutland by train,. Tires were also in short supply.

• Defense savings stamps were sold to school children and rallies were held to sell war bonds.

• Drives were held to collect scrap iron and rubber . Red Cross Home Nursing Classes and Civil Defense meetings were held in addition to the meetings of the Farmers’ Clubs, the Sunshine Society and the Home Demonstration Club.

• Gay Brothers was described as “the chief war industry of our town where 300 people worked producing 30,000 yards of woolen blankets, Navy uniform cloth and Khaki flannels each week for the United States Government. 37% of the workers served in the military. In need of workers, women worked in the mills, many men had second jobs there and all high school students over 16 were asked to work at the mill whenever possible.

• In 1942, the town voted to exempt every soldier and sailor from taxes.

• Cavendish women made surgical dressings for the Red Cross and people were taken to Springfield to donate blood.

• In 1943, a victory garden show was held at the Opera House (now Crows Corner Bakery).

•In 1944, the Cavendish Sunshine Society voted not to serve the Town Meeting lunch because of rationing and lack of help.

• On April 10, 1945, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited Chester High School, which some Cavendish students attended. She came to thank them for giving up their junior year trip and use the money for the war effort. It was on her way home from Chester, and other speaking engagements that Mrs. Roosevelt learned that her husband, President Roosevelt, had died.

• By 1945, there were few young men left in Cavendish, as most enlisted when they turned 17.

• When the war ended in Europe V-E day, May 8, the celebration was subdued. However, when V-J Day (Japan’s surrender) came, August 14, Mill whistles and church bells were sounded from about 7 pm until midnight.

• Rationing was lifted in August 1945.

Great Great Great Granddaughter of Leonard Proctor

2010-09-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

Young Historians/Proctorsville

2010-08-27T07:15:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Proctorsville
The Cavendish Historical Society is pleased to announce that this fall, we will be focusing on Proctorsville. On September 12, there will be a walking tour of Proctorsville, starting at 1 pm in front of the Proctorsville War Memorial. Learn about an Inn with a ghost, the hotels that once graced Depot Street, see the homes that were built by the founder of Proctorsville, Capt. Leon Proctor, and much more. There are 16 stops on the tour. Copies of the tour, available on the 12th, will also be at the Cavendish Library, starting September 14. Be advised that there are some hills, so be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.

For the month of October, there will be a pictorial display of Proctorsville in the Cavendish Library.

On October 10, the annual cemetery tour will take place at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Proctorsville at 2 pm. There will be a second guided Proctorsville Walking Tour that day starting at 1 pm at the War Memorial, which will include the Cemetery tour. Carmine Guica, one of CHS’s genealogists, will have information about who is buried in this Cemetery. If you don’t know the story of “Fire Bug Fitton,” Carmine will tell you about it when you visit the family grave plot.

Young Historians Program
The Cavendish Historical Society (CHS) in conjunction with the Cavendish Town Elementary School, will be offering a Young Historians program for students in grades 3-6 on Wednesday mornings from 11:30 to noon. Our focus this year is the 1940s. For the first half of the school year, we will be doing activities relating to Cavendish’s response to WWII. The second semester will focus on the changes that took place when the veterans came home. Funding in part for this program has come from the Cavendish Community Fund. If you are interested in helping with the program, or have stories or memorabilia from this era, please contact Margo at margoc@tds.net or 226-7807

Russell Family

2010-08-23T03:24:00.000-07:00

The following is from Linda Welch, the CHS genealogist.

Rev. John Russell (5) { Noadiah (4), Noadiah (3), Noadiah (2), William (1)}, was born in Chatham, Connecticut, 14 Dec., 1751. He m. in Cavendish, 10 May, 1778 Lucretia Preston of Ashford, Conn. (b. Ashford, Connecticut, 19 Feb., 1762, dau. of Abial & Mehitable (Smith) Preston)

The marriage of Lucretia and John was the second recorded marriage in Cavendish, the first being that of Michael Coffeen on 14 April, 1778

When John was around 24 years old, he came to Cavendish with his brother, Noadiah. This was in 1771. That same year, John was elected the first town clerk and justice of the peace. With self study, he became an "old fashioned Baptist preacher" and was nicknamed, "John the Baptist." This name stuck with him, even in later years. We have no record that he was formally ordained, but he was well respected.

On 28 Oct., 1781, John Russell purchased Proprietor Mesheck Ware's original Right of Cavendish land, lying in the southeasterly corner of the "Mill Lot," so-called, south to the town line, etc. The seller was Daniel Cheney of Union (Windham Co) Connecticut, who was acting as agent for Mr. Ware. This parcel contained 312 acres of land altogether. (Vol. 1, page 107, Cavendish land records)

Lucretia's parents, the Prestons, had come from Ashford, Connecticut to Cavendish very early, but did most of them did not remain long. A deed dated Charlestown, NH, 29 Jan., 1773, shows Abiel Preston, 'then of Rockingham, Cumberland Co. NY, (which was Windsor Co., Vt.), paying John Church of Charlestown, NH, #11 for securing his hold on a 262 acre parcel of Cavendish land when Church went to NY state to receive a New York charter for Cavendish.

From the HENRY B. ATHERTON PAPERS; MEMORIES OF THE RUSSELL FAMILY, by E. E. Orcutt, Taftsville, Vt., 1879: "John Russell was born in Chatham, now Middletown Connecticut. And through all his long and useful life his advent must have been a reminder of "Merry Christmas," since it has been said of him by his children that he never was known to use a more rude or stern expression than: "It beats all that ever I saw, since the day that I was born." But his gentle manners and genial spirit did not make him shrink when duty called from encountering nature in her primitive wildness, or from successfully grappling with all the trials and difficulties attending the settlement of a new country. Accordingly while yet a young man, he left his native state and joined an older brother, Noadiah Russell, who had already as early as 1771, made Cavendish, Vermont his home. Here John Russell was of great service in forming the society of the new town, holding the offices of Town Clerk and Justice of the Peace for many years. Being as I was told by his son, Deacon Bliss Russell, late of Cavendish, the first town clerk and first justice of the peace. Thompson's Gazetteer to the contrary. And I have now a letter from Thompson saying that if he ever revised his Gazetteer, he would correct the mistake. But Thompson has since died and I take this opportunity to make the corrections that the history of the town of Cavendish may stand corrected. John Russell's higher office of Baptist preacher in those early times, was equally faithfully discharged. And it shows the characteristic activity and energy of those times that while he with his hands cleared the wilderness, planted an orchard and built him a home, his intellectual powers were called into requisition for the benefit of his townsmen; and his spiritual nature lacked not food, which he drew from the world of God for himself and distributed to his neighbors. In 1778 he was married to Lucretia. Her family were connected by marriage with John Coffeen "by whom," says Thompson, "the settlement of Cavendish was commenced in June, 1769, and at whose hospitable dwelling, thousands of our Revolutionary soldiers received refreshments." Mrs. Russell, though ten years younger than her husband, proved herself every way worthy the choice of so excellent a man. John Russell often preached at what was then called "Twenty-Mile Stream" as well as in his own neighborhood, and not long since I had the pleasure of hearing his sermons praised by one of his longtime ago hearers, a nephew of his wife. Esquire Russell was, for a short time, engaged in mercantile business in Cavendish and the "Prices Current" in New York in 1795 show that the wants of the times were then as well as now; "nails and tobacco."

But the cards for carding wool and flax are discarded and the generation is fast passing away that even remembers the day when they were the requisites of every household. It was said of Robert Burns that he was "too good a poet to be a good farmer," and it might equally be said of Esquire Russell that he was too much occupied with the welfare of his town to attend to amassing a fortune for himself, though he always, like Melancthon, kept open doors. And later in life he inherited quite a little patrimony from his father's estate in Connecticut. He was often away from home officiating at weddings and funerals or some difficulty between neighbors for which his quiet manners and good judgment eminently fitted him. He was no partisan. Where duty went, there he went and right was right in his eyes wherever found. He had no sympathy with crowned heads. He remarked when Napoleon Bonaparte was bearing sway, "His name is Bone - a - part, but he needed to bone the whole." History shows how such characters terminate their career, and no talents however brilliant, not enlisted in the cause of human rights, will win for their possessors the love of succeeding generations. John Russell was a man eminently beloved in his community as well as in his family. His children were made his equals in companionship, free and familiar in their happy intercourse with each other; they never feared to ask his advice or tell him their troubles, sure of wise counsel and affectionate sympathy.

Family Letters:
Cavendish, 14 Dec., 1831
To: Dr. and Mrs. Gray
From: Lucretia Russell
My children: I seat myself to write to you but feel myself incapable both in body and mind for my health is poor. I have no reason to expect to stay in this world long. This world is not my home. When I awake in the morning I say "bless the Lord O My Soul" for all His benefits that I am yet in the land of the living. I was glad to see a line from you but it is more agreeable to see ones' dear children face to face. Your sister Polly's health is very poor but we are in hopes her health will be better in the spring. Give my love to all your children. I remain your loving and tender mother -Lucretia Russell.

More from MEMORIES OF THE RUSSELL FAMILY, by E. E. Orcutt, 1879: "John and Lucretia were the parents of seven children. The first son that bore his father's name, John Jr. died when an infant of 17 months and though the father lived to be an octogenarian, he did not forget this little son ever. I have heard my mother, his youngest daughter [Eunice Gray] says the very last time she ever saw her father he spoke of "the little boy that died." The other six children, three sons and three daughters, lived to maturity; and all early gave their hearts of Jesus and led consistent Christian lives. Though John Russell has been called a "strict Calvinist" by some, he doubtless was. But nevertheless he was not a bigoted sectarian. When his youngest daughter thought proper to unite with the Congregational Church and first consulted her honored father with regard to the propriety of the step, he made no objects. When his second daughter, the present only survivor of the family, was under religious conviction she arose at midnight and expressed her fears to her parents that she had sinned away the day of grace. His reply is worthy of record for the benefit of others in similar doubts. He said, "no my daughter. If you had you would have no concern for yourself." He and his wife arose at that midnight hour and prayed with their daughter and in about one week she found "peace and joy in believing." The next day was Thanksgiving day and the happiest Thanksgiving day of her life. She lately assured me, and though now in her 83rd year, still looks back with thankfulness to the time when Christ spoke pardon to her soul. This faithful discharge of Christian duty on the part of the parents may have been the means God used to bring their children early to find a saving knowledge of Christ. And it is hoped its record may inspire other Christian parents with like faithfulness.

Their eldest daughter born in 1782, became the wife of Levi Jackman, Esq., who was many times the town's representative from Cavendish. After a life of usefulness, she died in Cavendish at the age of 70 years. The death of the eldest son in 1785, age 17 months was a blow to both John and his beloved wife Lucretia. They carried him to the cemetery and bid goodbye to him in body but vowed never to forget him in spirit. Sally Russell married David G. Perkins and at this date (1879) is the only survivor of her father's family. Bliss Russell, named for his grandmother Russell who was a "Bliss" was born in 1788 and many years was deacon of the Baptist Church in Cavendish. He died at the age of 72 years having perfect consciousness of the near close of life and sending loving farewell messages to his friends and family. Eunice Russell married a physician Dr. Gray. Always cheerful, affectionate and discreet, leaving the record of a well spent life, she died in Hartford at the age of 68 years in 1859. John Russell Jr. graduated at Middlebury College in 1817 and was married in 1818. He went West where his literary labors, identified with the development of his adopted state won for him a worthy renown. He died in Bluffdale, Illinois at the age of 69 in 1863. Elias Russell was born 15 May, 1796 in Cavendish. He was twice married and died in his native town, 12 Feb., 1868, age 62 years, the youngest of the band.

I have a few letters that have come down to me from Grandfather and Grandmother Russell, also some of Grandmother Gray's who was sister to the Rev. Aaron Bancroft, father of the historian and diplomat George Bancroft. Also letters from my Mother containing poetic thought and religious counsel and reflection worthy of publication. Also have quite a long correspondence of Uncle Dr. J. Russell's which are literary gems of rare value. Also many letters from his excellent and accomplished wife, and a few precious letters from Aunt Perkins whose husband was related to the distinguished singers of that name, exhibiting literary merit and religious experience. With some sweet mementos of the other members of that rare hospitable and loving Russell family, but the character of your Magazine forbids that I should lengthen this sketch by even brief quotations from the above mentioned sources. I know that a Genealogical record of the Russell family has been compiled in Middletown, Connecticut, and is now ready for the press."

Lucretia died 19 Jan., 1834 (age 72 years). Rev. John died at Cavendish, 1 Aug., 1836 (age 84).