Pakt UL 



GAZETTEER OF VERMONT. 



99 



«OE S BROOK. 



JOHNSON, 



kinds of grain and grass. There are in 

 town 14 school districts, each furnished 

 with a scliool house, I academy, 2 chur- 

 ches, 2 woollen factories, 1 grain mil!, 1 

 starch factory, 3 stores, 2 taverns, 3 tan- 

 neries, .5 saw mills, one lawyer, 3 physi- 

 cians, 2 post offices, with a full share of 

 mechanics. Statistics of li^40. — Horses, 

 291; cattle, 1,723; sheep, 5,.'366 ; swine, 

 561); wheat, bush. 2,412; oats, 8,346; 

 buckwheat 557; Ind. corn, 4,56G; pota- 

 toes, 32,322; haj^, tons, 3,222; sugar, lbs. 

 11,300 ; wool, 13,955. Pop. 1,684. l. f. 



Joe's Brook, or Merrit's River, has 

 its source in Cole's pond, near the north 

 line of Walden, and, running nearly south 

 five miles, falls into Joe's pond in Cabot. 

 This pond is about three miles long, and 

 in some places, near a mile wide, l3'ing 

 partly in Cabot, and partly in Danville. 

 At the outlet is a very considerable fall, 

 which makes some of the best mill seats 

 in the state. From this pond Joe's brook 

 takes a southeasterly course through Dan- 

 ville, and falls into the Passunipsic in 

 Barnet. It is, in general, a rapid stream, 

 and furnishes many e.vcellent mill privi- 

 leges. It took its names from Joe, an In- 

 dian, who formerly hunted on it, and from 

 John Merritt, who made the first settle- 

 Kienton it, near its junction with the Fas- 

 sumpsic. 



Joe's Fond. See Cabot and Danville. 



Johnson, a post town in the cen- 

 tral part of Lamoille county, is in lat. 

 44" 40" and long. 4° 19'. and is bounded 

 northerly by Belvidere, easterly by Hyde- 

 park, southerly by Sterling, and westerly 

 by a part of Cambridge and a part of Bel- 

 videre. It is situated 28 miles north- 

 westerly from Montpelier, and the same 

 distance northeasterly from Burlington. 

 It was granted, February 27, 1782, and 

 chartered to Wm. S. Johnson and others, 

 January 2, 1792, containing 23,040 acres. 

 Mr. Samuel Eaton, from N. H., whose 

 name is recorded among the heroes of our 

 revolution, commenced the settlement of 

 this township, in 1784. During the 

 French war, before the reduction of Can- 

 ada by tlie British, Mr. Eaton passed 

 through this part of the country and down 

 the river Lamoille to lake Champlain, on 

 a scout. At the commencement of the 

 revolution, he enlisted into the American 

 army under Col. Beedle, and frequently 

 passed through this township, while 

 scouting between Connecticut river and 

 lake Champlain ; and several times en- 

 camped on the same flat, which he, after- 

 Vi'ords, occupied as a farm, it being a 

 beautiful tract of intervale in tlic westerly 

 part. Like many other settlers of this 

 state he had many difficulties to encoun- 



ter. In indigent circumstances and with 

 a numerous famil}', he loaded his little all 

 upon an old Jiorse, and set out in search 

 of that favourite spot which Ive had se- 

 lected in his more youtjiful days He 

 had to travel nearly 70 miles through the 

 wilderness, guided by the trees which had 

 been marked by the scouts, and opening 

 a path as he passed along. He depended, 

 for some time, after he arrived at John- 

 son, entirely upon hunting and lishing 

 for the support of himself and family. 

 The next year^ a family, by the name of 

 McConnel,and several others from N. H., 

 commenced settlements here, and soon 

 after mills were erected on the north 

 branch, near its confluence V\'ith the riv- 

 er Lamoille. At this place are now ire 

 operation a stone grist mill, a saw mill, 

 fulling mill and carding machine. Around 

 these is a flourishing little village, con- 

 taining 2 meeting houses, an academy 

 and a number of meclianics, merchants, 

 &c. Tlie river Lamoille enters this town- 

 siiip near the southeast corner, and, run- 

 ning westerly about two miles, through 

 a rich tract of intervale, falls over a ledge 

 of rocks about 15 feet in height into a 

 basin below. This is called McCoymeVs 

 fails. Thence it runs northwesterly over 

 a bed of rocks, about 100 rods, narrow- 

 ing its channel and increasing its velo- 

 city, when it forms a whirlpool and sinks 

 under a barrier of rocks, which extends 

 across the river. The arch is of solid 

 rock, is about eight feet wide, and at low 

 water, is passed over by footmen with 

 safety. The water rises below through 

 numerous apertures, eizhrbiting the ap- 

 pearance of the boiling of a pot. About 

 150 rods below this natural bridge, the 

 river receives the north branch, and ben- 

 ding its course westerly, leaves the town- 

 ship near the southwest corner. The 

 surface of tiiis township is uneven, being 

 thrown into ridges, vi'hich are covered 

 with hemlock, spruce and hard wood. 

 The soil is a dark, or yellow loam, mixed 

 wiih a light sand, is easily tilled, and very 

 productive. The alluvial flats are con- 

 siderably extensive, but hack from the 

 river, the lands are, in some parts, rather 

 stoney. In the northeastern part, has 

 been discovered a quantity ofsoapstone. 

 Clay, of different colors, and suitable 

 for brick and earthern ware, is found in 

 various places. The town contains six 

 school districts and schoolhousrs, 4 stores, 

 2 taverns, 2 grist, 7 saw and i fulling mill 

 and 1 carding machine, together with a 

 full complement of mechanics. Statistics 

 of 1840.— Horses, 323; cattle, 1,800; 

 sheep, 4,051 ; swine, 941 ; wheat, bush- 

 3,144 ; barley, 32; oats, 8,775 ; rye, 109 



