C O N T E N T S
CHAPTER I.
THE SUBJECT.
The Territory of Addison County in Prehistoric Times - Its Territory Discovered by White Men - Subject to Five Different Powers - Division of the State of Vermont into Counties - Their Names and Extent - Errors in Dates - Extent and Boundaries of the Present Addison County - Division into Towns - Beginning of its History - First Courts ...........................................................13
CHAPTER II.
NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS.
Topography - Mountains of the County - Their Striking Peculiarities - Lakes and Streams - Lake Champlain-Its Historical Associations - Ticonderoga and Crown Point - Chimney Point - Mount Independence - Lake Dunmore - Other Lakes and Ponds - Otter Creek - Diary of James Coss - The Lemon Fair River - Leicester River - Middlebury River - New Haven River - Geology - Résumé of the Science - The Glacial Period and its Results - Clay Deposits of the County - Fossils - Formation of Terraces - Rocks of the County - The Marble Deposit - Other Rock Formations - Minerals of the County - Soil and Timber.............................................16
CHAPTER III.
DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION.
Jacques Cartier's Discovery - Events Leading to Civilized Occupation - Abandonment of the Early Explorations - Changes Ushered in with the Fifteenth Century - John Cabot's Explorations - His Immediate Successors - European Claimants for the Territory of the New World - Cartier's Renewed Discoveries - "New France" - Other French Explorers - Samuel de Champlain - His Discovery of the Lake which Bears His Name - His Battle with the Iroquois - Henry Hudson's Discoveries - Settlement of the Dutch on Manhattan Island .............................................................36
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CHAPTER IV.
ADVANCING SETTLEMENTS.
Progress of Civilized Occupation - Settlements and Thrift of the Dutch - Interference by the English - Charles II Charters to the Duke of York - Incursions of the French Against the Mohawks - The Peace of Breda - De Frontenac's Reign in New France -English Expeditions - First Civilized Occupation of the Territory of Addison County - Further Contests Between the French and English - The Treaty of Ryswick - Queen Anne's War - The Treaty of Utrecht-Resettlement at Chimney Point - The French Fortify Crown Point - Progress of English Settlements - Building of Fort Dummer - The Struggle Between England and France Renewed -Treaty of AixlaChapelle - Another Declaration of War - Abercrombie's Defeat by Montcalm - Amherst's Successful Operations -The Treaty of Paris - End of the French Régime - French Seigniories...................................................................53
CHAPTER V.
CIVIL DIVISIONS.
Controversy Between Vermont and New Hampshire - Boundaries Established by Royal Decree - Early Settlements in the Territory of Addison County -The Controversy Between the New Hampshire Grants and New York - Injustice of the Claims of New York - Details of the Controversy as they Relate to Addison County ..............61
CHAPTER VI.
THE TIDE OF REVOLUTION.
The Trials of Vermont as a State - Settlements in the Several Towns Previous to the War of the Revolution - Resumé of the Principal Events of the War as Related to Addison County - Captures of Prisoners - Close of the War - Vermont's Admission to the Union - Latest Events in the Controversy with New York.......................... 66
CHAPTER VII.
FROM THE REVOLUTION TO THE PRESENT TIME.
The Beneficent Reign of Peace - Advance of Settlements - The Second War with Great Britain - Its Chief Causes - Effects in Addison County - Defense of the Mouth of Otter Creek - The Battle of Plattsburgh - Local Effects of the War - The "Cold Summer"- Agricultural Pursuits Early in the Century -The First Newspaper - The Panic of 183738 - The Railroad Era -The Period of Prosperity Preceding Civil War...........................................................................71
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CHAPTER VIII.
ADDISON COUNTY IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Patiotism of Vermont - The Middlebury Light Guard - History of the First Regiment - The Second Regiment-Addison County Enlistments Therein - Career in the Field - The "Vermont Brigade" - The Fifth Regiment - The Sixth Regiment and its Addison County Members - Further History of the Vermont Brigade - Details of its Honorable Service - The Eleventh Regiment - The Seventh Regiment and its Relation to Addison County - Death of Colonel Roberts - The Ninth Regiment - First Vermont Cavalry - Its Formidable List of Engagements - First Battery - Nine Months Men - The Seventeenth and Fourteenth Reginents - Statistics from the Various Towns of the County - Roster of Field and Staff Officers .................... 76
CHAPTER IX.
COUNTY BUILDINGS, SOCIETIES, INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS, CIVIL LIST, ETC.
Places for Holding Early Courts - The First Courthouse - l'he Old Wooden Jail - The Stone Jail - Removal of the CourtHouse - The New Brick CourtHouse - Addison County Agricultural Society - The Champlain Valley Agricultural Association - Middlebury Historical Society - Internal Improvements - Old Military Road - Old Time Traveling - The Building of Railroads - Rutland and Bennington Railroad-Vermont and Canada Road - The Vermont Central - Civil List.......................................116
CHAPTER X.
BENCH AND BAR OF ADDISON C0UNTY.
Early Independence of Vermont - The Judicial System - The Town Meetings - Acts of Early Conventions - The Council of Safety - Court of Confiscation - Superior Court - Court of Chancery - Probate Courts Courts of Insolvency - Probate Judges of Addison County - County Courts - Justices of the Peace - Judges of the County Court - Supreme Court Judges - Biographical Sketches....................................129
CHAPTER XI.
MEDICAL SOCIETY AND PHYSICIANS.
The Doctor of Early Days - Organization of the Addison County Medical Society - First Members - First Board of Officers - Names of Early Members - Vicissitudes - Suspension of the Society - Reorganization - An Era of Success - Biographical Memoranda of Deceased Physicians...................................................................161
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CHAPTER XII.
THE PRESS OF ADDISON COUNTY.
The Printing Business in Early Days - Remarkable Changes - The First Newspaper in Middlebury - The Power of the Press - List of Papers Published in the County -Biographic Memoranda - Papers of Vergennes and Bristol - Other Publications........ 181
CHAPTER XIII.
FREEMASONRY IN ADDISON COUNTY.
Strength of the Order in this County - Grand Lodge Organization - First Lodges in Addison County - The AntiMasonic Crusade - Prominent Men of the Order.............. 192
CHAPTER XIV.
SHEEP HUSBANDRY AND LIVE STOCK IN ADDISON COUNTY.
Antiquity of the Sheep - First Accounts in the Scriptures - First Peoples who Raised Sheep - Changes of Locality - Origin of the Merino - Improvement in Breed - History of the Merino Sheep - Addison County - Early Mutton Sheep - Their Marketable Qualities - The First Merinos in the County - The Early Breeders Beginning of Improvement - Magnitude of Improvement - The Saxony Sheep - Wool Bearing Qualities - Comparisons Between the Early and the Modern Merino Descriptions of the two Types - Great Change of Purpose by the Breeders - Sheep Breeders' Associations - Objects and Success - Comparisons of Wool Product Peculiarities of High Bred Sheep - How Improvement has been Accomplished - Noted Breeders of the County - General Benefits to the County - Horse and Cattle Breeding in the County.................................................................. 201
CHAPTER XV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBURY... ..................................... 233
CHAPTER XVI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ADDISON............................................. 357
CHAPTER XVII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BRIDPORT........................................... 380
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CHAPTER XVIII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF BRISTOL ............................................................... 397
CHAPTER XIX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CORNWALL.......................................................... 416
CHAPTER XX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FERRISBURGH ..................................................... 436
CHAPTER XXI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GOSHEN............................................................. 454
CHAPTER XXII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GRANVILLE........................................................ 461
CHAPTER XXIII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF HANCOCK......................................................... 466
CHAPTER XXIV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LEICESTER....................................................... 470
CHAPTER XXV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LINCOLN......................................................... 481
CHAPTER XXVI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MONKTON..................................................... 513
CHAPTER XXVII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF NEW HAVEN.................................................... 522
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CHAPTER XXVIII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF ORWELL ..................................................... 555
CHAPTER XXIX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF PANTON ..................................................... 576
CHAPTER XXX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF RIPTON...................................................... 590
CHAPTER XXXI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SALISBURY................................................. 595
CHAPTER XXXII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SHOREHAM............................................... 610
CHAPTER XXXIII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STARKSBORO............................................ 628
CHAPTER XXXIV.
HISTORY OF THE CITY OF VERGENNES............................................... 640
CHAPTER XXXV.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WALTHAM............................................... 702
CHAPTER XXXVI.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WEYBRIDGE........................................... 712
CHAPTER XXXVII.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WHITING............................................. 722
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CHAPTER XXXVIII.
BIOGRAPHICAL.............................................................................733
BRIEF PERSONALS ........................................................... Appendix i
lNDEX........................................... Appendix lvii