190
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
CHAPTER V.
RETURN
OF SETTLERS- SMALLEY--THAYER--JONA. CHIPMAN--TORRANCE--COL. CHIPMAN--FOOT FAMILY.
AFTER the war had closed in 1783, the former settlers gradually
returned to their possessions in Middlebury. Benjamin Smalley, Bill Thayer and
Jonathan Chipman returned with their families in April of that year, and took
possession of the lands they had left. Joshua Hyde came also himself and labored
that season on the land he had before occupied, leaving his family in Salisbury
until the following year,and
during the time boarded in the family of of Bill Thayer. Daniel Foot came also
with his sons Philip, Freeman, Martin, Stillman and John, leaving his wife behind
until the next year.
In
the year 1784, Gamaliel Painter, John Chipman and Robert Torrance returned with
their families and resumed possession of the lands, from which they had fled at
the commencement of the war.
Bill
Thayer continued his possession of that part of the Slasson pitch on which he
had before settled, and occupied that and home lot 34, adjoining it, as his farm
until 1793, when he sold it to Eber Evarts. About that time he removed to New
Haven and settled on a farm on New Haven River.
Jonathan
Chipman continued on the farm on which he first settled until January 1790, when
he cold it to Col. Chipman and left town.
Benjamin
Smalley, on his two hundred acre pitch, which he still occupied as his home farm,
soon replaced his log cabin with a comfortable frame house. His first wife, Martha
Smalley, died in September 1792, and he was afterwards married to widow Story;
191
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
so celebrated
in history and romance, the early death of whose husband had left her to contend
with the perils of the wilderness and war alone. She survived her new husband
and was afterwards married, in the old age of both, to Capt. Stephen Goodrich.
Mr. Smalley in 1792 deeded to his son Imri a part of his farm, including his
house and other buildings, and in 1794 the remainder to his son Alfred Smalley.
The father continued to reside with his son Imri until his death, which occurred
in 1807, at the age of 82 years. His son continued to occupy the premises for
several years and then removed to the west. William Huntington succeeded him,
and he was succeeded by Michael Sanders. The farm is now owned by Michael Ryan,
a son-in-law of Mr. Sanders. In 1803 the share of Alfred Smalley was purchased
by Peter Foster, a respectable citizen and active christian, who resided on
it in a one story house until his death. He died of the prevailing epidemic
in December 1812, at the age of fifty-one years. His son, Col. Nathaniel Foster,
succeeded him in the possession for several years. Mr. Sanders afterwards owning
this lot, built the present large two story house. It is now owned by Gen. Nash,
of New Haven.
Robert
Torrance renewed his residence on home lot No. 33, where he had made a beginning
before the war. Here he built the brick house, which is still standing, which
he continued to occupy until his death in 1816, at the age of eighty. His daughters,
Olive and Molly, and his grand son, Orleans Torrance continued the possession.
The daughters have both died, Olive in 1850, at the age of 84, and Molly
May 13, 1857, aged 76, and the grand son alone remains. The northern of his three
lots was set off to his son Silas Torrance, and had not been cleared until about
the year 1828, when Noah Sterns commenced a clearing and settlement on the west
half, and Justus Hier on the east half. The whole is now owned by Chester Fenn,
or his son James Fenn, both of whom reside on it. Of the return of Mr. Torrance
and other reminiscences of his daughter Olive, we continue her statement made
to Mr. Battell. At the time of their return she was the eldest of the children.
They drove from Salisbury seven cows and ten sheep. They came in a sleigh and
were six days in making the journey,
192
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
stopping
one at Richmond. At Pittsford they took the creek, and reached home at night.
Miss
Torrance was now old enough intelligently to witness and appreciate the commencement
of society in a new world. Other families had returned, and the settlers began
to enjoy that Arcadian period in their history, when they have an abundance and
all are upon the same level; and constitute one family. Religious services were
held on the Sabbath at Jonathan Chipman's, and Mr. Chipman and Benjamin Smalley
made the prayers, and Col. John Chipman read the sermon. Mr. Collins was the first
preacher, and after him a Mr. Bliss.
In
the time of harvest, all the neighbors united and assisted each other in the labor
of getting it in. They met at the place appointed, and the women came with them.
While the men were employed in the field, gathering the crops, the women were
engaged in preparing the feast for dinner, and spreading it out on the long board
table, around which men and women gathered to satisfy their appetites from its
abundance, when they all departed without spending the evening. They had no spirits
in their harvests, but used beer. And Miss Torrance says, "we had a quiet township
of people till Jabez Rogers built his still house." After awhile the gaieties
of the new country commenced, and at the balls, which were occasionally held,
the young people, from the whole region around, were collected, especially in
Court time.
Miss
Torrance, at the time of this communication, had in her possession, the first
table made in town of the description above mentioned. It was made for Miss Melissa
Stevens, daughter of Capt. Stevens, then about to be married. When she removed
from town, Mr. Torrance bought it and left it to her.
The
mother of Miss Torrance died in 1798, and her father in 1816. At the time of this
communication the two daughters and grand son constituted the family and occupied
the homestead. The farm consisted originally of three hundred acres; but part
having been set off to the sons, only 140 acres remained. The land Miss Torrance
says, is good, but an orchard never succeeded on it. She and her sister Rhoda
spun thirty-nine runs of yarn at eight
193
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
pence a
run, and bought thirty-nine apple trees at the same price, but only one of them
lived. Her father said the land would never bear an orchard, on this intervale.
They had, she said, enough and wanted no more to take care of.
Mr.
Torrance was a worthy and honest man, was out in various capacities in the French
war, and it is supposed, with the Green Mountain Boys under Ethan Allen. They
were probably acquainted before they came to this country, for they were special
friends in after life, and had exchanged guns and powder flasks. "The former;"
Mr. Battell says, "I saw, which the good ladies preserve with religious care-a
long duck piece, hanging up loaded in a spirit not unworthy of a token of the
hero of the Grants."
Joshua
Hyde having purchased of James Owen his fifty acres on the Slasson pitch, lying
west of and adjoining home lots 35 and 36, which he also owned, settled on these
a year or two after the war, and occupied them as his home farm. On the Slasson
pitch, he built the two story house still standing, and resided in it until his
death, which took place in the year 1828, at the age of seventy-eight. After his
death, his son Joshua Hyde, Jun., who had always resided with him, continued
in possession until his death in 1848, at the age of seventy-five. After that
event, Luman Hyde, his son, continued in possession until recently he sold it
to Hiram Sessions, who has now the possession.
Oliver
Hyde, another son of Joshua Hyde, Jun., about the year 1831, received a deed of
one hundred acres of the Skeel pitch, and for the accommodation of his residence,
purchased of Mr. Champlin a small piece from home lot 38, on the east side of
the road opposite his farm, and built there a house, in which he resided until
within a short time he has sold his farm to his brother Luman, who is now in possession
of it. It was on this lot, that Joshua Hyde, senior, first settled in 1774, and
the foundation of his house is still to be seen there.
Joshua
Hyde, senior, was one of the most prominent and useful citizens in Middlebury.
While he was in active life, and even until an advanced age, no man occupied so
often the office of selectman and other places of trust in the town; and no man
better understood
194
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
the prudential
and financial interests of the town; or more faithfully and economically managed
them. He was, for several years, elected a representative in the legislature.
Simeon
Chandler, after the war, resumed his possession of home lots 37 and 38, on which
he had before settled, and continued to reside on this farm, until he sold to
Joshua Hyde in 1798 the west end of both lots, and removed to the north part of
the State. Mr. Hyde give this land to Paul Champlin, Esq., who married his daughter.
Mr. Champlin continued to occupy it until his death, which took place in 1853,
at the age of seventy-nine. It is still the residence of his widow, to whom we
are indebted for several facts relating to the early settlement.
Col.
John Chipman, after his return, went to work in earnest for the improvement of
his farm, and soon his fertile fields were cleared and produced an abundance of
the comforts and even luxuries of life. He built on the ground, where his first
cabin stood, a handsome brick house, in which he resided with his family many
years. His house was opened for the entertainment of travellers coming into the
country, and being four or five miles distant, was often the resort of parties
from the village at the falls. The smooth road on the bank of the creek, lined
on both sides with forest trees and shrubs, and the hospitable dwelling and inmates
at the end, rendered it a favorite ride, especially for the young, and was, not
inappropriately, called "Love Lane."
Col.
Chipman was a prompt, active and efficient man, of commanding person and address,
with talents and manners, which peculiarly fitted him for an executive officer.
He was elected sheriff of the County for twelve years, from 1789 to 1801. He was
also much of the time moderator of town meetings, and selectman and held other
offices of trust in town. He continued in possession of his farm, until the marriage
of his daughter, Mary Chipman, who had been the light and life of his dwelling,
to Horace Loomis, Esq., of Burlington, in 1805, and the death of his wife in 1810,
at the age of fifty-eight, left him alone. In his advanced age, he made his home
in the family of Freedom Loomis and his son George C. Loomis, in the neighborhood
of his farm. He died in 1829 at the age
195
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
of eighty-four
years. The farm was afterwards purchased by William Y. Ripley, Esq. While in
his possession, the brick house built by Col. Chipman was burnt, and he erected
the present handsome house, with its appendages. Mr. Ripley afterwards removed
to Rutland, where he still resides. It is now occupied by Mr. Jonathan Seeley.
Mrs. Julia C. R. Dorr, daughter of Mr. Ripley, has made this residence and neighborhood
the scene of her well written novel, "Farmingdale."
Col.
Chipman's family was connected with several others, which are more or less noticed
in our history; some account of which we propose to place together here
to
save the necessity of a more distinct notice elsewhere. Col. Chipman's father
was John Chipman, who was a brother of Thomas Chipman an original proprietor,
of Jonathan Chipman an early settler, and of Samuel Chipman, the father of Hon.
Daniel Chipman. Col. Chipman's father died early, leaving two sons, John and Thomas
and three daughters, Mrs. Victoria Painter, first wife of Judge Painter, Mrs.
Swetland mother of William Swetland, Esq. of Plattsburgh, and Mrs. Mary Vanduzer,
wife of Abraham Vanduzer. Thomas Chipman, brother of John, in 1784, settled on
a 100 acre pitch of his brother, directly south of the latter's farm. He continued
to occupy this farm until 1815, when he sold it and moved out of the State. It
is now owned by Locklin Wainwright. The former two story house built by Chipman
was burnt, and has been re-built by Mr. Wainwright.
After
the death of his father, Col. Chipman's mother was married to Samuel Keep, one
of the original proprietors, and their first clerk. They had two daughters, Eunice,
who kept the first school in Middlebury, and Hannah. The former was first married
to a Mr. Marvin, and, after his death, to John Smith Esq. of Leicester, in this
County. Hannah became the wife of Moses Sheldon of Salisbury, Conn., who lived
for some time and died in Salisbury in this County. They were the parents of Samuel
Sheldon and Oscar Sheldon of that place, of Mrs. Case, wife of Loyal Case Esq.,
of Mrs. Johnson, widow of the late Austin Johnson, who has recently died, February
18, 1859, aged 65, and of his former wife and at the wife of Samuel Crook.
196
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
Samuel
Keep lived for a time at Whitehall, and was residing at Crown Point, with his
family, when Burgoyne's invasion drove thorn from their home. In their old age,
Mrs. Keep resided with her daughter, Mrs. Vanduzer until her death, and her husband
with his daughter, Mrs. Smith, in Leicester. He died in 1802 at the age of 84,
and his wife in 1864 at the same age.
In
November 1772, Col. Chipman was married to Sarah Washburn, daughter of Abisha
Washburn of Salisbury, Conn., of whom notice will be given hereafter. Besides
Mrs. Loomis, before mentioned, Mrs. Sally Rogers, wife of Jabez Rorberts Jr.,
was a daughter of this marriage, and died in 1839, aged 64 years. Washburn's other
daughters were married as follows: Mercy to Lemuel Bradley, father of Harry Bradley,
John Bradley and Miss Bradley of Burlington, Hannah to Abraham Bethrong and Olive
to Freedom Loomis. The last two were settled in Middlebury.
Eber
Evarts, on his return after the war, resumed his possession of the farm on the
north line of Salisbury. On this he resided until he purchased as before mentioned,
a part of the Slasson pitch and home lot No. 34. He then sold his firm to Joel
Boardman, who still resides on it, and moved to his new purchase. He built the
house still standing, on the Slasson lot, and resided in it until his death in
1838, at the age of eighty-five. His widow survived him and died in 1841, at the
age of eighty-five. Abner Everts, son of Eber, resided with his father, and after
his death occupied the farm, and until lately resided in the same house. Recently
he has resided with his son-in-law, Frederic Leland, who has built a house near
the east end of 34, in the village of East Middlebury.
John
Hinman, after his return, entered into possession of the lot on which he had before
settled, and continued for a time and sold it to Moses Hale of Rutland. Hale occupied
it until about 1797, when he deeded the south half to his son Moses Hale, Jun.,
and the north half to his son Hial Hale. William Carr, Jun., now owns the south
half deeded to Moses Hale Jun., and Zuar Barrows in part Hial Hale's lot.
While
the parties were absent during the war, Eleazer Slasson deeded the balance of
his two hundred acre pitch to Col. George
197
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
Sloan,
a son-in-law of Daniel Foot. Sloan, in the spring of 1784, came to Middlebury,
and took possession of the land, where Slasson had begun his settlement, and occupied
it until the fall of 1793, when he sold it to Abraham Vanduzer, and removed to
the village.
Samuel
Bentley did not return to Middlebury, but during the war Benjamin Risley had purchased
the whole of his two hundred acre pitch, on which Bentley had settled, and in
1784 came to Middlebury, and went into possession of his purchase. He remained
in possession just long enough to be appointed moderator of the first town meeting,
and in April sold his farm to Asa Fuller, of Rutland, who soon after deeded the
north half to his brother Elisha Fuller.
The
sons of Daniel Foot, who returned with him in 1783 brought with them a considerable
number of cattle, and remained through the succeeding winter to take care of them,
and make some further preparations for the family. As they had no hay, or much
other fodder, they undertook to winter the cattle on browse. For this purpose
they had, during the winter, cut over a considerable tract covered with maple
trees; and in the spring they drove their cattle to the swamps for feed. But the
cattle became much emaciated and many of them died. But the ground, which they
had cut over in the winter, after the brush was burnt, looked so promising that
Mr. Foot proposed to plant it with corn, and went to Castleton for the seed. On
the 10th of June, they planted their corn among the fallen trees, and had an abundant
crop of such rapid growth, that by the 10th of August, the ears were fit for roasting.
Mr.
Foot; after the war removed his residence to the southeast corner of No. 6, of
the second hundred acre division. He first built a small house south of the large
one, which he afterwards built. Previous to the year 1790, he built a large barn,
designed for the accommodation of religious and town meetings, and about the year
1793, he built his large house still further north, and lived in it with his family
while he remained in town. The dwelling house of his grand son, Allen Foot, constitutes
a part only of that house.
Daniel
Foot, as before intimated, had purchased large tracts of
198
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
land in Middlebury, and it is said that he owned more than a thousand acres
before the war. At an early day he deeded to each of his sons, and his daughter,
the wife of Enoch Dewey, one or more tracts of land, and in 1801, made a disposition
of the remainder and started for Canton, in the State of New York, having a
passion for new countries. No roads had then been opened to that place from
this direction, so that he went by Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River,
and only just reached his destination when he died. He was a very enterprising
man, and perhaps somewhat restless, as was evinced by his former life. The following,
copied from " The Foot family, .or the descendants of Nathaniel Foot," furnishes
some facts of his history and some traits of his character.
"Daniel
Foot, born in Simsbury, Conn., April 27, 1724, and son of Daniel Foot, of that
town, well sustained some of the remarkable traits in the character of the Foot
family,-indomitable perseverance and a strong propensity to pioneer life. He removed
from Simsbury about the year 1764, and located himself in what was once called
Hartwood, now Washington, Massachusetts, cleared away the forests and made a farm.
From thence he removed to Dalton, in the same State, at the foot of Dalton Mountain,
purchased a tract of land and brought into cultivation a valuable farm. This farm
he subsequently sold to his eldest son, and removed to Middlebury,
Ver., where he purchased some five or six hundred acres of wild land, on which
he built mills, felled the forests and resided for many years. At the age of eighty,
having previously lost iris wife, Mr. Foot distributed his property at Middlebury
among his children, and about the year 1801, set out to make a a new settlement
in Canton, in the County of St: Lawrence, State of New York, then a wilderness,
whither his son Stillman had removed a short time previous. On his way there through
Montreal, he took the small pox, of which he died a few days after his arrival
in Canton. He was a man of great industry and energy, and peculiarly fitted for
a pioneer in a new country. He could never be contented on a well cultivated farm.
There must be forests to subdue, and new dwellings to erect, or it was no place
199
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
for him;
and at last he died in the woods, and for lack of boards for a coffin was laid
in bark from an elm tree."
Mr.
Foot had purchased in Middlebury, probably twice the amount of land mentioned
in the quotation, and principally in the neighborhood where he settled. He had
set his heart upon making the handsome tract between his residence and that of
his son Philip Foot the centre of business for the town, and the location for
the meeting house. It was near the centre and the "town plat," located by the
Committee was regarded as unsuitable. A large number of second hundred acre lots
met here and were bounded on the west end of the home lots. The town and religious
meetings were held here for many years, while the town was settling. But after
the village, at the falls, had increased in its population and business, intimations
were given of the claims of the village to be made the centre; and soon their
strength became sufficient to control the majority, and the matter was settled
against the claims of Mr. Foot and his neighbors. In this controversy Mr. Foot
evinced, as in all his other enterprises, his constitutional energy and decision.
But amidst it all he was regarded as a conscientious and respectable man. The
enterprize and energy of the Foot family were of great service in the settlement
and organization of the town.
Philip
Foot, eldest son of Daniel Foot, having been married during the war returned to
the farm, where he had commenced a clearing before the war, and continued to cultivate
it as his home farm until his death. He built on the northwest corner of No. 7,
the two-story house now standing, and resided in it during his life. He died in
1827 at the age of 75 years. The house and a part of the farm belonged to the
estate of E. W. Lyons, and has been recently purchased by Mr. Eli Parker, a mechanic
from the village. William Foot, a son of Philip also owns a part, and lives in
a house just south of the other.
Martin
Foot, another son, early settled on home lots 65 and 66, received from his father.
As early as the year 1786, he put up a plank house, in which, with some additions,
he lived until his death. He died in 1854, at the age of ninety-two. He had before
his
200
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
death deeded a part of his farm to his son Deacon Martin N. Foot, who built
the two-story house in which he lived and died. It is now occupied by his son-in-law
Joseph W. Royce. The house and farm, left by Martin Foot, is owned by Marquis
L. Branch, son of his last wife.
Freeman
Foot, another son of Daniel Foot, was in possession of the south half of Hyde's
200 acre pitch, as early as 1785; and made some additions, which extended his
farm to the creek. In 1786 he built a house just north of the village, near the
cellar, built by Ep. Miller, which for several years remained uncovered, and on
which Oliver Severance has built a dwelling house. In 1788 he was married to Silence
Clark, and took possession of his house, and continued to cultivate his farm until
the year 1801. In the fall of that year he sold his farm, except such parts as
he had sold for village lots, to Daniel Chipman; and in the following winter or
spring removed to the farm which his father had recently left. On this farm he
resided until the time of his death, which took place in 1842, at the age of eighty-three;
and the farm has since been owned by his son Allen Foot. At the time of his purchase
above mentioned, Mr. Chipman deeded to Ep. Miller, that part of the land which
lies west of the paper mill road, and to Samuel Mattocks that which lies between
that and the New Haven road. The large meadow purchased by Mattocks was owned
until recently by Gen. Nash, who has now sold it in parcels to Oliver Severance
and three others who have built houses on it.
In
the distribution of his lands, by Freeman Foot, among his children in his life
time, he gave to Alfred Wainwright, who had married two of his daughters, home
lot 59, and No. 6, of the second hundred acre division. The former is now owned
by John W. Halladay, and the latter by Timothy Boardman, Jun.
Freeman
Foot, about the same time, deeded to his son Clark Foot with other lands, five
or six acres at the corner of the roads on home lot 60, on which the latter built
the present house, in which he resided for several years, and afterwards removed
to the village, and since to Michigan. The house and lot are now owned by Jonathan
and George Smith.
201
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
Appleton
Foot, youngest son of Daniel Foot, and father of Mrs. Slade, widow of Hon. William
Slade, remained on the premises, and after his marriage lived in a small house
south of his father's residence, and received from his father a deed of a hundred
acres of his home farm. In 1792, he purchased of his brother John the lands and
water privileges, which, the latter owned on the west side of the falls, in exchange
for the lands received from his father. John went into possession of the premises
left by Appleton, and superintended the erection of his father's large house.
Having completed this object, he removed to New Haven, to the farm of his father-in-law,
Bill Thayer, of the whole of which he afterwards became the owner. Here he remained
until he removed to East Middlebury in 1811.
Stillman
Foot, another son of Daniel Foot and the two last mentioned, will be referred
to elsewhere.
The
widow of Enoch Dewey, who had begun a clearing before the war, a daughter of Daniel
Foot, came into the country after the war, and was married to Roger Nobles of
New Haven, with whom her children lived until they were of age. The land which
their father owned was divided between them, the daughter taking the home lot,
and Stillman, the son, No. 2, of the second hundred acre division. The daughter
was married to Jacob Fuller of New Haven, and never took possession of
her land, but it was sold and is now divided between several owners. Nathan Carpenter's
house lot on which he resided in his life time, * is a part of it, Jonathan Smith
owns a part of the same lot, and Jesse Goodno owns and occupies the remainder.
Stillman Dewey, the son, after he arrived at full age, in 1793, went into possession
of his lot, and remained there until his death in 1841 at the age of sixty-eight
years. He built the two story house in which he lived and died. The principal
firm is now owned with considerable additions by his son Enoch Dewey, who built
another house on the premises, and a son of the latter; both of whom reside on
the farm.
----------
* Mr. Carpenter died April 10th, 1858, at the age of 69.