296
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY
CHAPTER XIII.
CONDITION OP THE VILLAGE AT AN EARLY DAY--GROWTH AND
IMPROVEMENT OF THE VILLAGE--INCORPORATION
To
our more detailed account we add here some statements respecting the general condition
of the village, at different periods.
None
but an enterprising and persevering population would have undertaken to build
up a village where this stands. The thick hemlock and pine forest, which covered
it, as well as the soil, was uncommonly forbidding. The first settlements were
made only with reference to the establishment of mills and the necessary dwellings
for that purpose. The settlers were poor, and were induced to open, in the
forest, only a sufficient space for the erection of their buildings, and perhaps
gardens. The trees on the common on the east side of the creek were probably cut
down in 1789, two years after Judge Painter moved here; and it is stated by Asaph
Drake Esq. of Weybridge, that they were still lying on the ground in 1793, when
he first came into the country.
Mr.
Abram Williamson of Cornwall, then fourteen years of age, came into the country
in March 1790, and drove an ox team loaded with the goods of the family, while
the snow was melting. He states, that the trees on the common were cut
down and lying on the ground; that a passage for a team was opened through them;
that when driving through, his sled was several times fastened on the ends of
the logs, and that he was obliged to get help to disengage it; and that there
was very little clearing about the village. At that time, he says, there
were six or eight pine trees about Stillman Foot's house, near enough to fall
on it, if falling in that direction. There was no framed house at that time on
the west side of the creek but Stillman Foot's, and no other on either side, unless
297
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
Judge Painter's was such.
Samuel Miller had the year before built his office, which probably was a framed
building. Mrs. Williamson, his wife, daughter of Samuel Blodget, and grand-daughter
of Asa Blodget, says that the elder James Bentley lived on the ridge south of
Davenport's new house, with his daughter Mrs. Johnson, wife of Hop Johnson,
who had then left the country, and she recollects no other dwelling house on
that side of the creek except Foot's. Mr. Williamson states further, that the
stumps of the pine trees remained on the common many years after; that the young
men in the neighborhood associated together and had a "play day" on Saturday
afternoon, and one of their by-laws was that every man, who got drunk should
be subjected to the penalty of digging up a stump. By this means many of them
were removed. But we can testify that several years after the commencement of
the present century many remained. Mr. Williamson says also, that several years
after he came into the country, probably in 1794, he was hired with his team,
by Anthony Rhodes, to draw off and roll into the creek the logs on the land
where Rhodes built his house, near Mr. Starr's office.
Horace
Loomis Esq. of Burlington, in the spring of 1790, then fifteen years old, on
his way to Burlington, where his father was beginning a settlement, passed through
this village, with a drove of sheep, cattle and horses. He states, that the timber
on the common was cut down, and that John Deming was then getting out timber for
his new house, and he was told there was no frame house in the village.
Mrs. Simmons, widow of
John Simmons Esq., and daughter of Harvey Bell, senior, was only four or five
years old, when her father came to Middlebury, which she thinks was in 1791.
She says there was then a grist mill where Stillman Foot's mills were, and that
Appleton's mills were built afterwards; that there was little clearing where
her father built his house, or on the opposite side of the road to the creek,
and that there were no buildings or clearing on the Weybridge street. The first
school on the east side of the creek was kept by Samuel Southworth, the young
man who was drowned in the creek, in company with Samuel Painter, in
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
June 1797, in the south
part of the house now owned by Mr. Jackson, that part only being then built.
This, she thinks, was a district school. Lyman Pierce set up an opposition school,
because Southworth taught the Assembly's catechism. Pierce succeeded Southworth
and kept in the same place. Salmon Bell kept a school two summers in her father's
shop, on the west side, previous to the schools above mentioned. Miss Huntington
kept a school in the court house before Miss Strong came; and Mrs. Simmons attended
Miss Strong's school there in 1800. She kept also, probably in the winter, in
Dr. Campbell's south chamber. In 1802 and part of the year following, her school
was in the south room of Dr. Campbell's house, which had been used for a store.
In
the Vermont Mirror, September 15 1813, we find the follow-article:
"To the editor of the Vermont Mirror:-
In
April, 1793, I came to Middlebury,
and I counted every building in the village of Middlebury Falls, and found the
number to be 62; and in the year 1813, I have counted them again, and find the
number to be 316, of which 146 are dwelling houses, 14 ware stores. The dwelling
houses, which stood here in 1793, were chiefly log houses, and almost wholly mere
temporary buildings, built with small expense. There are now twenty dwelling houses
in this village, either of which cost more than every building standing in 1793.
JABEZ ROGERS
Middlebury,
28th August, 1813."
Mrs.
McLeod, who came to the village with her father's family in 1796, states that
at that time there were nine families besides her father's on the west side of
the creek, and thirty on the east side ; that Stillman Foot had a grist mill where
the north part of the woolen factory stands, and a saw mill further up the stream,
on the rocks back of the factory dry house; below these Appleton Foot had
a stone grist mill and saw mill; and below these Jonathan Nichols, Jun. had built
and then carried on a forge and gun factory, which afterwards fell into
the hands of Anthony Rhodes, who carried them on. Stillman Foot then lived in
the house which he had built, and Appleton in the house built by him, where
Dr. Harris lives, and
299
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
Nichols in a small house,
where Capt. Leonard died. Appleton's mill house was built in 1798; Col. Storrs
lived in his gambrel roof house, and Harvey Bell in the old house where John
Warren afterwards built his brick house. Mrs. McLeod further states, that when
she came here, the Grammar school common was a hemlock swamp, and the academy
was built in 1798; that the native forest still covered the land from the mills
westward to Weybridge street, and that her father's house was exposed from the
fire in those woods. John H. Sherrill then had a store, erected by Jabes Rogers,
and afterwards occupied by Benjamin Seymour. She also states that the bridge,
first built by Daniel Foot and covered with poles, was then standing and was
supported in the middle by a trestle; that she used to teater on it and
call it riding The bridge, she says, was about fourteen feet wide, and
has been widened wholly by extending further up stream.
Benjamin
Lawrence, who came to Middlebury in 1797, states that there was no house then
on the Weybridge street, and the land was covered with woods; that Anthony Rhodes'
was the only two story house on the west side of the bridge, and there were only
five on the east, including the old jail house. He and Mrs. McLeod say that the
first school they had knowledge of, was kept by Lyman Pierce in the south part
of the Jackson house.
Capt.
Thomas M. Fitch* came to Middlebury, from Windham, Conn., in December, 1794, then
about 14 years of age. Mattock's tavern house was then built, and Samuel Foot
kept a tavern in the Deming house. These were the only two story houses in the
village. Samuel Miller resided in his back kitchen. Stumps and logs were still
remaining on the common, and there was a muddy hollow just north of the bridge,
running down to the watering place, over
----------
*Capt. Fitch served his apprenticeship, at the carpenter's trade,
with Col. Nathaniel Ripley, and after he came of age, established himself in New
Haven. He afterwards returned to Middlebury and purchased the lot and built the
house now occupied by the family of the late Martin S. Dorrance on the Papermill
road. Here he resided until within two or three years he went to reside with his
son-in-law David E. Boyce. Martin S. Dorrance referred to above, after a long
and distressing sickness, in which he gradually declined, died on the 21st August
1858, at the age of fifty-five.
300
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.
which there was a bridge
for persons on foot, and it was very miry to near the Congregational church,
where there has been generally in the spring a spot of deep mire. Only about
an acre was cleared on the lot where Mr Chipman afterwards built his large house.
The woods on the hill carne down near the present brick house; and except the
clearing Freeman Foot had made near his house, the woods extended to the creek.
There was an old school house on Dr. Bass's land, on the rising ground beyond
his house, and a dwelling ling house opposite, and a road open from there south
to the Selleck lot, on which Hezekiah Wadsworth had a house. Capt. Fitch is
able to reckon up only about thirty-two dwelling houses, of all descriptions,
in the village.
Rev.
Timothy Dwight, D. D., then president of Yale College, among his several visits,
to which we shall again refer, was in Middlebury in 1798. The following is a part
of his record of this visit. "The township of Middlebury began to be settled about
the year 1783. About 1794, the inhabitants began to build a village on both sides
of the river, at the falls in the north-west part of the township. The number
of houses when we were on the spot was perhaps thirty. Several of them were pretty
buildings." "Several mills had been erected at this place in 1798. A brewery had
been established, several stores had been built, a considerable number of mechanics
and several gentlemen in the liberal professions had chosen this spot as their
residence. An academy was also nearly completed, which was intended to be the
germ of a future college. Upon the whole the seeds of future respectability were
already sown."
Notwithstanding
such was the condition of the village at the periods above mentioned, the inhabitants
had the courage in 1799 to invite the legislature to hold its session here the
following year, and the invitation was accepted. The anticipation of this great
event produced a universal stir among the population to make the requisite preparations
for it. Some built new houses; others enlarged and repaired their old ones, and
all were made ready for the reception of boarders. The legislature, whose session
was held here in 1806, were provided with still better accommodations.
301
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY
GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE VILLAGE.
THE inducement for establishing the village was of course
the water power furnished by the falls. But its growth and prosperity are not
a little owing to the character of the first settlers. They were almost universally
enterprising, industrious and devoted to its reputation. The population of the
whole town in 1791 was only 395. From this time it began gradually to increase,
in the village as well as in the town. But the immigrants were poor, as those
of all new countries then were. Their first object was to obtain the necessaries
of life. At an early period the houses were almost universally small. Many
more kitchens were built than parlors, and the surroundings corresponded. But
the tenements were gradually enlarged and improved, as the means here provided.
Soon after the commencement of the present century, some of the old houses were
replaced by larger and more commodious dwellings. Dr. Dwight says,---"In both
these journies, (in 1806 and 1810) and particularly in the latter, I found Middlebury
changed into a beautiful town, consisting of about one hundred and fifty houses.
The inhabitants had finished a large and handsome church. The private dwellings
are generally neat, and in several instances handsome. The town contains a book
store, a printing office, twelve or fifteen stores, belonging to merchants and
druggists, and a treat number of Mechanics' shops." "At the same time,
religion had prevailed in this town more than any other in the state; and controls
very obviously the manners and the character of the inhabitants, in a degree uncommon
and delightful." "On the whole Middlebury is one of the most prosperous and most
virtuous towns in New England.''
From
1800 to 1820, and especially from 1810 to the latter period, the business of the
village rapidly increased. During this period, it was the centre of mechanical
and mercantile business, to a much larger extent than afterwards. In no place
were the mechanics especially more prosperous, and several were ruined by their
prosperity. Their rapid accumulations induced a thirst for still larger incomes,
and they exchanged the business with which they were acquainted, for that of which
they had no knowledge. In the meantime, mechanics and some merchants had established
themselves in
302
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
the neighboring towns,
from which much of the business of the village had been derived. The opening
of the Northern Canal by the State of New York, not long previous to the last
mentioned period, created a heavy draft upon. the business of the place. Previous
to that, a large share of the business from the north-eastern towns in the county
centred here, which was afterwards drawn to Vergennes, where they met navigable
water, which connected them with New York. The business of the western towns
was also drawn to the shores of the lake for the same reason. The business since
that time has scarcely increased, and has, in some branches, diminished. The
population and number of buildings have, in the meantime, increased slowly.
As the census of the village has never been taken separately from the town,
we are not able to ascertain the progress correctly. In the year 1840, according
to the census taken in that year, the population of the town appeared to have
diminished, in the preceding ten years, about three hundred, and it was supposed
to be owing to a large emigration, and extended to the village, as well as other
parts of the town. But it was understood at the time that the census that year
was carelessly and incorrectly taken. As an evidence that it was so, it appeared
by the census of 1850, that the population had increased much more for the previous
ten years, than it had diminished in the same period previous to 1840. At our
request, David S. Church, Esq., who made the last enumeration, as deputy marshal,
has separated the number in the village from the rest of the town, and makes
the population in that year 2070.
The
effect of the rail road passing through the village, on the business and population,
is not yet very obvious. But our opinion is that both have increased, and we anticipate
that the next census will show it. This road, connecting us directly with the
great markets, will give our business men an advantage which will, we think, draw
back much of the business which has been lost. The road, we expect, will also
bring into market a large amount of water power now unemployed. Besides, as the
farming country is obviously enriched by the road, this also will increase the
business and wealth of the village.
If
we cannot boast of any rapid increase of population and business,
303
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
for some past years, we
think we can safely claim that the village has improved in its appearance. A
few old houses have been replaced by better, and more have been enlarged and
improved by internal as well as external alterations. The yards, out houses
and other surroundings have been put into better taste. Our efforts, at planting
ornamental trees, were commenced with Lombardy poplars, which soon became unpopular
and were cut down. These were succeeded by locust trees, but the borers soon
began their depredations on these, and they too were given up. Since that we
have planted, as successfully as our stiff soil will permit, our native forest
with some exotic, trees and shrubs, in our yards and commons and along our streets.
The same expense never added greater improvement to a village, than the sum
expended in enclosing and ornamenting the principal park on the east side of
the creek. The ground, before that, was uneven, gullied and an almost naked
mass of clay. Since that the two small parks east of it, the small park west
of the creek, and more recently the large park on the Grammar School Common,
and the ornamented college grounds, have added still further improvements. So
that, with all our obstacles, the appearance of our village passes, among strangers,
as quite respectable.
INCORPORATION
OF THE VILLAGE.
Among
the objects, which seemed to demand some efficient organization, the means of
preventing and extinguishing fire had been long regarded as most pressing. Its
destructive effects had been experienced over almost the whole surface of the
village, and swept away a vast amount of property, as our history shows. As early
as 1808, the legislature on application, passed an act, incorporating a Fire Society,
with ample powers, by the appointment of fire-wardens and otherwise to extinguish
fires. A company was formed, and a large engine obtained. The engine,
through neglect, went out of repair, and for want of sufficient interest in the
subject, the company went to decay ;the corporation was left with a small
debt, for which the engine was sold on execution for a nominal sum. Thus
ended the efforts and the existence of the Fire Society. This failure was attributed,
we suppose correctly, to the fact, that the
304
HISTORY
OF MIDDLEBURY.
purpose of the association,
being limited to a single object, could not keep up interest enough to sustain
it.
Accordingly
in 1816, on application for that purpose, the legislature passed an act incorporating
the "Borough of Middlebury," with power to hold property for the use of the borough,
erect public buildings, levy and collect taxes, make bylaws, appoint fire-wardens
and organize a fire company. Under this act the borough was organized, by-laws
and ordinances were established, taxes assessed, and some new measures adopted
for the prevention of fire. But the taxes were unpopular, the organization came
into disrepute, and ran down and died. The act of incorporation was revived by
the legislature in 1832, the name was changed to the "Village of Middlebury,"
and provision was made for the election of seven trustees instead of five bailiffs,
provided for in the original act, and with the same powers. An amendment of this
act, by the legislature in 1845, provides that the highways and streets in the
village should be regarded as "village highways and streets," and gives the trustees
the exclusive control of the streets, "with the grounds and walks of the same,"
and authorizes them to "receive and expend for the purposes aforesaid, such portion
of the ordinary highway tax, assessed upon the inhabitants of said village and
property therein, as may be assigned them by the selectmen of the town," which
shall not be less than one third." These acts have been hitherto efficient in
accomplishing the objects for which they were designed. The streets and walls
and commons leave been improved, and what is more important perhaps, an efficient
fire company has been formed and kept alive, engines have been provided and preserved
in a new and substantial building erected for that purpose, and a vast amount
of property has been saved from the destructive effects of fire.