Part III. 



GAZETTEER OP VERMONT. 



29 



BRATTLEBOROUGH. 



BRATTLEBOROUGU- 



Meadows." Nathan Willard, David Sar- 

 geant, David Sargeant, Jr. John and Thos. 

 Sargeant, John Alexander, Fairbank 

 Moore and son, Samuel Wells and John 

 Arms were among the first settlers, and 

 were all from Massachusetts except John 

 and Thomas Sargeant, and John Alexan- 

 der, who were born at Fort Dummer. 

 John Sargeant is believed to have been the 

 first white person born within the present 

 limits of Vermont. His father and broth- 

 er David were ambushed by the Indians ; 

 the former killed and scalped, and the oth- 

 er carried into captivity, where he adopt- 

 ed the Indian habits and manners, but af- 

 terwards returned to his friends. Fair- 

 bank Moore and his son were killed by 

 Indians at West river meadows, two miles 

 north of Fort Dummer, and the wife and 

 daughter of the latter, carried into captiv- 

 ity. In 1771, Stephen Greenleaf, from Bos- 

 ton, having purchased what was called the 

 Governor's Farm^ situated where the east 

 village now is, opened a store here, which 

 was supposed to bo the first store within 

 the limits of Vermont. The time the town 

 was organized is not ascertained. It ap- 

 pears, however, that Doct. Henry Wells 

 was the first town clerk. Colonel Samuel 

 Wells was the first representative for the 

 county of Cumberland, under the then 

 province of New York. As the transac- 

 tions, during the celebrated controversy 

 with New York, were somewhat similar 

 in several of the old towns in this vicinit}', 

 the reader is referred to the account of 

 Guilford, Bennington, &c. The Con- 

 gregationalists are the most numerous de- 

 nomination of Christians. Their first min- 

 ister was the Rev. Abner Reeve. He was 

 settled by covenant in the year 1770, and 

 preached about !^6 years, when, by his own 

 consent, he was succeeded, in 17114, by 

 the Rev. William Wells, from Great Brit- 

 ain, whose salary was yearly granted by 

 the town. He preached about 20 years 

 and was succeeded, in 1814, by the Rev. 

 Caleb Burge, who continued about 6 years 

 and was dismissed b^' mutual consent. 

 He was succeeded January 3, 1621, by the 

 Rev. Jedediah L. Stark, who was dismiss- 

 ed April 24, 1830, and was succeeded by 

 the Rev. Corbin Kidder, the present min- 

 ister, who was installed October 1.5, 1839. 

 The first meeting house was built by the 

 town about 1772. It was small and a lar- 

 ger one was built in the west village in 

 1785. A new Congregational parish be- 

 ing formed, in 1815 they erected a new 

 meeting house in the east village, which 

 was dedicated August 22, 1816, and set- 

 tled the Rev. Jonathan McGee, January 

 13, 1819. Pie was dismissed September 

 iO, 1834, and was succeeded by the Rev. 



Charles Walker, the present incumbent, 

 who was installed January 1, 1835. A 

 society of Unitarians erected a house of 

 worship in the east village in 1831, which 

 was dedicated February 22, 1832, and 

 June 14, 1832, they settled the Rev. Addi- 

 son Brown, who is their present minister. 

 There is a Methodist society in each vil- 

 lage, which are supplied by itinerant 

 preachers ; that in the east village erected 

 a chapel in 1837. There is also a Baptist 

 society in the east village, v/hich are aljout 

 erecting a house of worship. An Ej)isco- 

 pal parish was organized here in 183G, by 

 the Rev. David S. Devens, under the 

 name of St. Petxr's Church. It consists 

 of only a few families and has had only 

 occasional ministerial services. An acad- 

 emy was incorporated in the west village 

 in 1801. The building was originally 56 

 by 40 feet and two stories high, to which 

 additions have since been made. A high 

 school was located in the east village in 

 1831, and is in successful operation under 

 the charge of Mr. David M. Kimball. A- 

 mong tlie men of this town who are distin- 

 guished in the annals of the state, may be 

 mentioned the Hon. Samuel Knight, Sam- 

 uel Wells, Samuel Gale, Samuel Stearns, 

 L. L. D., Dr. Henry Wells, Micah Towns- 

 end, Hon. John Noyes, James Elliot, Roy- 

 al Tyler, Rev. Wm. Wells, D. D., John 

 Blake, John Steward, Lemuel Whitney, 

 Jonathan Hunt, John Holbrook, Joseph 

 Clark, Samuel Elliot and Samuel Clark. 

 The surface of the town is considerably 

 broken. A little west of the centre are 

 two elevations called Great and Little 

 Round mountain. They are both accessi- 

 ble, and most of the land capable of culti- 

 vation. The soil is similar to that gener- 

 ally found along the Connecticut, consist- 

 ing of intervale, sand, loam and gravel, 

 with such timber as is naturally adapted 

 to them. The principal streams are West 

 river and Whetstone brook. The former 

 runs but a short di.slance in town, enter- 

 ing it from Dummerston and falling into 

 Connecticut river near the northeast cor- 

 ner. Whetstone brook rises in Marlbo- 

 rough and runs through Brattlcborough 

 very near the centre. This aflords many 

 excellent water privileges, whicli are al- 

 ready occupied by a great variety of mills 

 and other machinery. Connecticut river 

 forms the eastern boundary for about six 

 miles. It runs in several places with a 

 strong current, denominated " The swift 

 water" by the boatmen. The river is 

 crossed at the lower part of the east vil- 

 lage, by a handsome bridge, built in 1804, 

 and connecting this town with Hinsdale, 

 New Hampshire. A few rods above the 

 bridge is the general landing place for 



