68 



GAZETTEER OF VERMONT. 



Part III. 



ESSEX COUNTY 



Rev. Moore Bingham. Their church is 

 of hrick, built in 1839, in the west village, 

 as was also the Methodist chapel. The 

 Methodist society is large. There are 

 two small Freewill Baptist societies, 

 which are supplied by the Rev. Alanson 

 Kilbura, and Rev. David M. Ladd. 

 There is an academy, incorporated inl839, 

 and located at the centre of the town. 

 The building is of brick, and was erected 

 in 1639. The surface of this township is 

 pleasantly diversified with hills and val- 

 lies ; but the soil is better adapted to the 

 production of grass than grain. It is 

 well watered by Missisco river, which 

 runs through the north part, by Trout 

 river, which runs across the northeast 

 corner, and by two considerable streams, 

 which run through the south part. 

 These streams afford numerous and ex- 

 cellent mill privileges. There are here 

 15 school districts, 1 woollen factory, 3 

 starch factories, 3 stores, 1 tavern, 4 grist 

 and 11 saw, and 3 fulling mills, and an 

 extensive tannery. Statistics of 1640. — 

 Horses, 312 ; cattle, 2,1UI ; sheep, 5,22U; 

 swine, 481; wheat, bu. 3,613; barley, 

 137 ; oats, 5,164 ; rye, 77 ; buck wheat, 

 757; Ind. corn, 2,928 ; potatoes, 78,015; 

 hay, tons, 8,830 ; sugar, lbs. 41,730; wool, 

 11,262. Population, 2022. 



EssKX, a post town in the central part 

 of Chittenden county, is in 131.44"^ 31' 

 and long. 3° 58', and is bounded nortli by 

 Westford, east by Jericho, south by Wil- 

 liston and Burlington, from which it is 

 separated by Winooski river, and west 

 by Colchester. It is seven miles nortli- 

 east from Burlington, and tliirty-four 

 west from Montpelier, and was chartered 

 June 7, 1763. The first permanent set- 

 tlement was made in tliis township, in 

 1783, by Messrs. Smiths, Winchels, and 

 Willard. The first settlers were princi- 

 pally from Salisbury, Con. In 1789, 

 there was a very great scarcity of provis- 

 ions in this part of the country, and the 

 settlers suffered extremely on that ac- 

 count. This town was organized March 

 22, 1786, and Elkanah Billings was the 

 first town clerk. It was first represented 

 by Dubartis Willard. The town was first 

 regularly surveyed by John Johnson, Esq. 

 in 1806. The first saw mill at Hubbell's 

 falls was erected by Jolin Johnson, in 1804, 

 and the stone grist mill was built by liim in 

 1819. The Congregational church was 

 organized in this town about the year 

 1790. The Rev. Asaph Morgan was or- 

 dained oveif it in August, 18(14, and died 

 here a few years ago. The Rev. Daniel 

 Warren is the present minister. The 

 Baptist church was formed about the year 

 1800, and there is a considerable Metho- 



dist church. Each of these denominations 

 erected a meeting house at the centre vil- 

 lage in 1839. A Mr. Castle died here in 

 1823 aged 98 years, and Mr. Knicker- 

 backer, about 1830, aged 100 years. Mr. 

 Abel Castle is now living here at the age 

 of 97. The epidemic of 1812 and '13 

 was very mortal, and in one of those years 

 carried off about 40 persons. There are 

 no mountains, and but few hills in this 

 township. The south and western parts 

 are timbered principally with pine, the 

 soil is dry and sandy, but produces good 

 rye and corn. The remaining part of the 

 township is timbered with hard wood, 

 and is more natural to grass. Winooski 

 river washes the southern boundary. In 

 this river are here two fnlls. The lower, 

 called Hubbell's falls, afford several valu- 

 able mill privileges. Brown's river rises 

 in Underbill and Jericho, enters this 

 township from the latter, and, after run- 

 ning across the northeast corner, and 

 through Westford, falls into the river La- 

 moille in Fairfax. Indian river, called 

 here Steven's brook. Alder brook, and 

 Crooked brook, are considerable streams. 

 On Winooski river are beautiful tracts of 

 intervale. The town is divided into 13 

 school districts, in which are good 

 school houses. There are here one o-rist 

 mill, seven saw mills, one fulling mill, 

 one carding machine, three stores, five 

 taverns, and two tanneries. There are 

 two small villages. That, at the cen- 

 tre, contains three meeting houses, two 

 stores and a tavern. Statistics of 1840. 



Horses, 365 ; cattle, 1,863 ; sheep, 



5,752; swine, 1,042; wheat, bu, 2,246; 

 barley, 20; oats, 11,775; rye, 3,302; 

 buck wheat, 1,228 ; In. corn, 7,934 ; po- 

 tatoes, 43,328 ; liay, tons, 4,532 ; sugar, 

 lbs. 10,955; wool, 10,223. Population, 

 1824. 



Essex County, lies in the northeast 

 corner of the state, and was incorporated 

 by act of the Legislature, November, 5, 

 1792. It is bounded north by Canada, 

 east and south by Connecticut river, 

 which separates it from Coos county. New 

 Hampsliire, southwest by Caledonia coun- 

 ty, and west by Orleans county. It is 

 about 45 miles long from north to south, 

 and 23 broad from east to west, lying be- 

 tween lat. 44" 20' and 45°, and long. 4° 

 51' and 5° 28'. This county is the least 

 populous in the state, with the exception 

 of Grand Isle county. There are some 

 towns which are entirely destitute of in- 

 habitants. The settlements are mostly 

 confined to the towns lying along Con- 

 necticut river. The county is in general 

 very uneven and the soil rocky and un- 

 productive. It comprehends that part of 



