First Settlers of Charlotte

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The first attempt to settle was made by a German by the name of Derick Webb, who came in March, 1766, but soon left, and returned in March, 1777.  He again left the following May. No permanent settlement was effected until 1784, when Webb and Elijah Woolcot moved in and were followed soon after by others. It has been related that during one of Webb's temporary residences here pending the Revolution he took his children out to Hill's Bay to see the lake, when they were captured by a party of Indians, and Webb was taken to Canada and there detained for several months, while the children were left on the shore. About the same time the Indians visited Mrs. Webb in the cabin, and began to destroy the household effects, preparatory to burning the house. To her entreaties not to burn the cabin they replied that they must set fire to it, as they were under strict orders to do so, but that they would immediately leave, when she might extinguish it if she wished, which she easily succeeded in doing. Webb's original settlement was probably made in the west part of the town near the Shelburne line, where Colonel Thomas Sawyer made his gallant and victorious fight. It was many years afterwards that he settled near the site of the railroad station.

One of the earliest settlements in town was that made about 1784 by James Hill, on the place about Holmes Bay, now occupied by his grandson, Thomas Chittenden Hill. Hill's wife, a daughter of Governor Thomas Chittenden, is said to have often declared that she was for three months  the handsomest woman in town, for the very good reason that she was the only one. Being a man of some means, James Hill erected a grist-mill on the creek near his house, which Inn ; a disappeared, but which for years supplied the demand of the farmers of the neighborhood, and even those who lived on the other side of the lake. He afterwards bought the grist-mill in Ferrisburgh, whether his son, Thomas C, removed and remained two or three years.  After a residence here of twenty-five or thirty years Mr. Hill removed to Kentucky, where he soon after died.    Of his two sons, James and Thomas C, the former accompanied him to Kentucky, where he married and stayed the remainder of his life. Many of his descendants are there now. Thomas C, the younger, purchased the homestead and remained there during his life. He was a man of clear perception, sound judgment and firm will. He was the father of nine children.

About the year 1784 Dr. James Towner, John Hill, Solomon Squier, Moses Fall, Daniel Hosford, and others moved into the town, and after this time settlement rapidly progressed. Among the other early settlers were the following:

Moses Yale removed to this town from Meriden, Conn., in about 1783, and located not far from the Shelburne line, on the farm now owned by Henry Thorp. During this summer he erected the frame of a log house, made a small clearing, and in the fall returned to his family in Connecticut, after having sowed his clearing with wheat, assisted by his only neighbors, James Hill and John McNeil. In the following spring he returned with his family by the way of Whitehall and the lake, being drawn on the ice by a yoke of steers and an old horse. The hardships which these families endured at these times cannot be described. During the summer of 1784 food was so scarce and difficult to obtain that the family were compelled to resort for subsistence on fish and the herbs and roots of the forest. Moses Yale had a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, only one of whom, Lyman, the eldest, remained in town. He remained on the homestead until his death, in 1840, aged sixty-seven years. He held many positions of trust in his town, and was one term its representative in the Legislature. Of his seven children, only one, William, now resides in town, occupying the original farm of John McNeil.

John McNeil, a leading man among the early settlers, came here about this time from Litchfield, Conn., and erected his cabin and cleared his land on the lake shore. He early established a ferry across the lake to Essex, N. Y., which he ran for many years, and which still bears his name. He was the first town clerk, the first representative, and was ever intimately identified with the best movements for the good of the town. Of his six children, Charles, the eldest, retained the home farm, and continued the business of farming and conducted the ferry which his father had originated. The ferry was an extensive concern until the opening of railroads, which diverted the channels of trade and travel.

David Hubbell came from Lanesboro, Mass., in 1784, and settled on the brook that intersects the farm now owned by his grandson, Luther R. Hubbell.  Like many other early immigrants, he made his way through Whitehall and down the lake by rafts. Several years after his arrival his house was burned, and was replaced by another, upon the site of S. E. Russell's present residence.  Here he opened a tavern, in which he conducted a successful business for years.  The house now occupied by his grandson was also built by him in 1800. He died at the age of ninety years, after having served his town as justice of the peace for years, and acting for a time as their representative in the Legislature. Luther R. Hubbell and his family are the only descendants of David now in Charlotte.

Daniel Horsford, who in early days carried mail on horseback from Burlington to Vergennes on the old East road, was born in Canaan,. Conn., October 13, 1748, married Hannah Day, of Colchester, Conn., on the 9th of November,. 1780, and came to Charlotte in the spring of 1784, locating near McNeil's Ferry. After being several times dispossessed by reason of a defective title, he removed to the eastern part of the town, where he died at the age of eighty-eight years. He was a surveyor by profession, and united his duties in that occupation with those of the successful farmer. The compass used by him is still kept by his grandson, Myron H. Hosford. Of his family of ten children, only three remained in Charlotte, viz., Flavia, wife of Gideon and mother of Charles D. Prindle, Oran, born here January 30, 1791, and now represented by his son, Myron H. Hosford; and Sodema, who married Benjamin Simons and located in the western part of the town, where she died early, leaving no children. A sister of Daniel Horsford (as he spelled his name) became the wife of Joshua Isham, of Shelburne.

Ephraim Wooster, the first settler on the farm now owned by Henry Mc-Neil, came to Charlotte in 1785 from Litchfield, Conn, he had three children, Lyman, Elinor, and Fanny, of whom the first-named was naturally the most intimately associated with the public interests of the town. He succeeded to the home farm of his father, and while he lived carried on the farm, and at intermittent periods kept a tavern. He participated in the battle of Plattsburgh in the capacity of adjutant. Of his three sons and two daughters, none remained in town, and the name is now represented only by Charles S. Wooster, grandson of Lyman, who lives with his aunt, Mrs. Sherman.

John Palmer was born in Tolland, Conn., on the 22d of June, 1751, married Ruth Chapman, and came to Charlotte in 1786, settling on the place now owned by Mrs. Ruth Hubbell. The old red house which he built about 100 years ago is still in a good state of preservation. He owned all the land comprised within the present farms of Mrs. Hubbell, A. C. Palmer and O. C. Palmer, on which he settled his sons. Of his six children, only three, Mrs. Hubbell, A. C. Palmer and Mrs. Reed, who now lives with her brother, are now in Charlotte.

Asa Narramore came here from Connecticut in 1786, worked the first sea-son on a farm in Hinesburg, and in the fall purchased land now including parts of the farms of George Jackman and John Peterson. Here he built a log house, and after making a clearing returned for the winter to Connecticut, where he married, and in the spring came back to this place. He remained on this farm after that until his death at the age of ninety years.    Of his nine children only one is now living, Mrs. Emeline See, of Williston. Asa Narramore was a soldier of the Revolution, and was carried prisoner to Canada by the Indians, his daily allowance being a small piece of raw horse flesh, and a few bulbous roots dug on the way.    He afterwards received a pension.

Abel Leavenworth was born at Woodbury, Conn., January 30, 17651 and became an early settler in the northeastern part of the town, on the farm now occupied by Charles Reynolds. he erected a grist-mill on La Plotte River, the stones being wrought out by his brother Gideon, from flint rocks found in this town. The mill and dam were after a few years swept away by a freshet, and the stones were purchased by General Nathan Leavenworth, who used them in a mill which he built on Lewis Brook, in the southern part of the town.  After the loss of his mill Abel sold his farm and carried on the occupation of a carpenter and joiner, at which he was a skillful workman. He went from Charlotte to New Haven, Vt., and thence to Middlebury, where he died on the 25th of January, 1813, while engaged in building a large mill. His widow survived him more than forty years, and finally died in Charlotte. Abel Leaven-worth, jr., was born in Charlotte on the 21st of November, 1800, married Anna, daughter of Amos Hickok, of Cooperstown, N. Y. After several removals he repurchased the old homestead, where he resided until his death, May 3, 1879. He had six daughters and three sons, only one of the latter surviving infancy. This son, Abel E., became a prominent educator in the State, and is now principal of the Normal School at Castleton. Dorman Leavenworth, a brother of the elder Abel, reached Charlotte in the summer of 1808, and for a time operated the mill before owned by his brother, after which he began farming and continued that business until 1839.    He died here at the home of his son, Burke, on the 31st of May, 1861. Henry C. Leavenworth and Mrs. Joseph S. Shaw, now living in town, are his grandchildren. 

Michael Read was born in 1769, and came to Charlotte at an early date.  The family are descended from honorable ancestors who have been traced back to the time of the Norman conquest in England. Michael Read settled at Baptist Four Corners, and raised a family of seven children, three of whom, Amos, Orrin and Laura, settled here. The only representative of the family now in Charlotte is Orrin P., son of Orrin, who resides at Baptist Four Corners. Carlton W., another son of Orrin, resides in Addison, where he is extensively engaged in stock raising.

Samuel Prindle was an early settler in the northeastern part of the town, on the place now occupied by Mrs. Mary Pool. He had three children, sons, one of whom died in early manhood, while the other two, Midas and Benjamin, settled in Charlotte. The former was born in 1799, married Sarah V. Higbee on the 20th of May, 1834, and located on the farm now owned by his son, Henry W. He had three children, Mrs. A. C. Palmer, Henry W. Prindle and Mrs. T. C. Hill, all still living here. Benjamin went to Iowa with his family more than twenty years ago, where he died a few years later.

Reuben Martin came early to Charlotte from Massachusetts and settled on Mutton Hill.    He had a family of ten children, named Jonas, Zadock, Reuben, Stratton, Stoddard, William, Leonard, Nathaniel, Sylvia and Pattie.   While at school they were sung by their playmates as follows:

Jonas and Zadock, Reuben and Stratt,

Stoddard and William, Leonard and Nat,

Sylvia and Pat

All of these children attained maturity and some of them lived to an advanced age. Sylvia is said to have been the first female child born in Charlotte.

James Squier came to Charlotte in 1788  from Arlington, Vt., and effected a settlement on the farm now owned and occupied by James S. Miller. He died at the advanced age of ninety-three years, having lived a life that deserves to be emulated by all who knew him. The father of James, it is said, came to Charlotte on a visit to his sons, Solomon and Abner, was taken ill and died, and at his grave was placed the first headstone erected in town. His illness was the occasion of the settlement of James, who came to see him and was induced to buy his brother Abner's farm and remain here. Of his four children, Abner, the only son, married Laura Sheldon and settled on the homestead. He represented the town two terms in the Legislature, and held, indeed, most of the important offices of trust in town. He had two children - a daughter who died at the age of sixteen years, and a son, James, who now owns and occupies a farm opposite the old home.

Colonel William Williams came here from Lanesboro, Mass., in 1788, and began to clear the farm now occupied by his grandson, James W. Williams.  About 1806 he replaced his first rude log cabin by a substantial building, which has been modernized and is now in a good state of preservation, and is occupied by James W. Williams. There Colonel Williams opened one of eight taverns in Charlotte, and by his untiring energy and genial disposition created a reputation which made his house an important station on the stage route between Burlington and Troy. His military title was derived from his position in the militia, his company being stationed on the frontier between Vermont and Canada. He also commanded a regiment at the battle of Plattsburgh.  He was at the same time rough and hearty in manners, and was what it is becoming fashionable and natural to call an Ethan Allen type of man. He was killed by a fall from a sleigh load of lumber, which occurred while he was descending a steep hill in Hinesburg.

Preserved Wheeler came to Charlotte from Lanesboro, Mass., in 1790, and located on the place now occupied by O. H. Alexander, where he erected a tannery, and for about seven years successfully operated the same. He then sold the property to Sheldon, and removed to New Haven, Vt. Sheldon continued the tanning and shoemaking business as late as about 1843, when he relinquished it for farming. He was the father of nine children, eight of whom attained maturity.

Elijah Alexander was born of Quaker parentage, in Troy, N. H., on the 24th of March, 1777. and in 1799 married Lydia Staples, of Danby, Vt, and settled on the farm in Charlotte, now owned by his youngest daughter, Mrs.  Lydia Hicks. From its original area of 100 acres, Mr. Alexander in a few years increased it to more than 300 acres. He died at the age of seventy-seven years. He was an industrious, home-loving man, who was interested in public affairs as a private citizen, but declined office.

Walter Ferriss, from Pawling, Duchess county, N. Y., came to Charlotte in 1792, and located on the farm still known as the Ferriss homestead. At first he confined his activities to the carrying on of his farm, but towards the latter end of his life became a minister of the Universalist persuasion and organized several societies in this vicinity.    He died in 1806.

William Niles, a native of Lynn, Conn., immigrated to Charlotte in 1792, when he was thirty-six years of age, and settled on the farm now occupied by George E. Prindle. He was frequently called to the performance of public duties, for which he had great aptitude by reason of his ability and honesty.  He afterwards moved to Monkton, where he owned a small farm and kept a public house.

Gideon Prindle, came from New Milford, Conn., in 1792 and settled at Wing's Bay, and, being a tanner by trade, soon erected what is said to have been the first tannery in Charlotte. He did not remain long in this part of the town, however, but soon sold out and purchased the place now owned by his grandson, Cyrus G. Pringle (as he spells his name), the present botanist of the State of Vermont.

D. E. Clark, owns a farm in the northwestern part of the town, which was settled in 1793 by his grandfather, John Clark, from Windsor, Conn., who held his place until his death in 1827, at the age of seventy years.

Elijah Powell came from Lanesboro, Mass., in 1793, and settled on the farm now owned by Orrin P. Read, opposite Mr. Read's present residence.  Powell became a thrifty farmer, accumulating, clearing and improving several hundred acres of land. He was a public-spirited man, a liberal supporter of the Baptist Churchy and one of the principal builders of the first house of worship erected in Charlotte by that denomination. He had nine children, of whom all eventually left town except Reuben, father of Edgar S., the present representative of the family in town. Reuben died in 1830, leaving eleven children, only four of whom are now alive.

John Thorp, a native of Ireland, arrived at Charlotte about 1795, and at once opened the only general store between Vergennes and Burlington. Besides being a successful merchant here, he shipped pine and oak lumber extensively to Quebec by way of the lake. He died at the meridian of his business prosperity in 1799, aged forty-three years. George Thorp, his cousin, soon after came to Charlotte for the purpose of settling his estate, as executor, after doing which he married the widow and continued the business a few years.  He thereafter devoted his attention to cultivating the farm which his cousin had settled, and remained there until his death, at the age of eighty-six years.  His children were George, jr., John G. and Henry. The former married Miss Bull, of Ferrisburgh, and located on the farm now owned by his sons Harley and Henry. John G. married early, remained with his father, and now occupies the old homestead in company with his son John H. Henry, the other son of George, now lives in town and has three sons - Ervin H., editor of the Middlebury Register Herbert C, on his father's farm, and Emerson A., in Shelburne.

William Pease came from Lanesboro, Mass., in 1796, and located on the place now owned and occupied by Charles Wooster. He was a blacksmith by trade, and though he carried on this business he also attended to his farm, which he increased from the extremely humble beginning of four acres to 150 acres. None of his eight children is now in town. Two brothers of William, named Elijah and George, came to Charlotte in 1797, when the latter was eleven years old, and of their brother learned his trade. George eventually settled at the foot of Pease Mountain, where he carried on a farm. George remained with William until he was of age, when he married and settled in the southern part of the town. His health failing, he abandoned his trade, and for a time kept a tavern in Ferrisburgh, and conducted a farm in connection with it. He finally moved back to this town, on the farm now occupied by his grandson, Russell.    He died in 1858, leaving two sons and a daughter.  Caleb Barton came to Charlotte in 1796 from Lanesboro, Mass., and located on the place now occupied by Laura Barton. Joseph Barton removed in the early part of this century to Baptist Four Corners, where he kept a public house for years. He died on June 7, 1865, aged seventy-seven years, leaving four children.

Gad Root was from Lanesboro, Mass., and came here in 1798 and settled at Baptist Four Corners, where he carried on the business of tanning, currying and shoemaking. He died on October 19, 1843, aged sixty-six years. A few years after his arrival in Charlotte he removed to Madrid, N. Y., where he remained a short time and then returned to Charlotte, about one and a half miles west of Baptist Four Corners, lie was remarkable for his charity and piety, and was for a long time deacon of the Congregational Church. His eldest son, Noble, born in June, 1800, became a prominent man in town, and died in 1872, leaving two sons, George L. and Henry C, who now occupy his estate. Dorwin, the second son of Gad, born on June 21, 1809, settled where his widow and family now live. Loomis, his youngest brother, was born in 1815, and resided on the homestead until his death in 1886.

Dr. Jonas Fay was a resident of this town several years, though he is generally known as a citizen of Bennington.

Ezra Meech, mentioned at greater length in the history of Shelburne, resided here a number of years, and twice represented Charlotte in the Legislature.

David A. Smalley, father of Bradley B. Smalley, now collector of the port for the district of Vermont, at Burlington, spent several of his boyhood years here.

Major Jonathan Breckenridge, the first Methodist in town was from Bennington. He was the leader of the first class, a local preacher, and one of the pillars of the church as long as he lived. He was, furthermore, an esteemed and prominent citizen. He lived in the western part of the town, near the lake, on the farm now owned by Samuel Whalley.

Joseph Hoag, a leading member and a preacher of the Society of Friends, came here early from Duchess county, N. Y., and located on a farm near the southeastern corner of the town. He traveled extensively on preaching tours in Canada, Nova Scotia and nearly every State in the Union. He was the seer of the remarkable vision in which the dissensions afterwards caused by slavery in church and state were so vividly foreshadowed. Nearly all of his children were preachers among the Friends. He died on the 21st of November, 1846, aged eighty-four years.

General Hezekiah Barnes, as well as his father and two brothers, was prominent among the early settlers; for many years lived by the spring near the center of the town, and built the structure now used as a store by Swain & Williams, in which he kept a tavern that was well known throughout the State.  He was major-general of militia, and assistant judge of the County Court. He died of the epidemic of 1813. His political rival, Nathaniel, son of Abel Newell, who was also judge of the County Court, was the only man who ever represented the town a greater number of years than General Barnes.

John A. Kasson, one of the most distinguished men that this town has produced, was graduated at the University of Vermont in 1842; practiced law for a time in New Bedford, Mass., and afterwards removed to Iowa, where he soon attained great prominence in politics, and is known for his eminent services in Congress. His political career began in 1860, when he was a member of the Chicago Convention which nominated Abraham Lincoln. His boyhood years were passed in the house now occupied by Luther Hubbell.

Eliphal Gillette was one of the earliest settlers in town. he was born in New Milford, Conn., in 1747, and came to Charlotte as early as 1790, and soon accumulated about 800 acres of land north of Baptist Four Corners. He died in 1810. Before his immigration to Charlotte he was a sea-faring man, and married his first wife in Calcutta.   He then became a merchant in New Milford. When he came here he sent his wife and family and mother ahead, who came by marked trees, and preceded him by several weeks. On his ar-rival he found that they had died of small-pox. Not long after this he married Nancy Curtis, who became the mother of Ammi Gillette, the source of much of the writer's information in regard to this town. Ammi Gillette was born on the farm now owned by Benjamin Beers, on the 1st of December, 1801, and married Dorotha Meeker on the 8th of July, 1823, who died September 22, 1885.   Mrs. N. C. Bush, postmistress of Charlotte, is his daughter.

David Cook, who came to Charlotte from Connecticut in 1807, and first settled where Richard Whalley now lives. He afterwards owned the place now owned by his son, Charles B. Cook, in the western part of the town. David Cook held most of the town offices. He died in 1857, aged seventy-six years. Charles B. Cook represented the town in 1853 and 1854.

Leverett Sherman came from Connecticut in 1808, and learned the carpenter's trade of his brother-in-law, Johnson Foote. He also purchased of Foote the farm now occupied by his son, Alfred W. Sherman, in the eastern part of the town. Leverett Sherman was employed by the government during the War of 1812-15 to aid in the construction of barracks at Plattsburgh.  His brother, William E., came here in 1811, and settled on the farm now owned by his son, John H., where he died June 15, 1859.

William Higbee came here from Ferrisburgh in 1819, and located on the farm now occupied by O. C. Palmer. The only representative of the family now in town is W. Wallace Higbee, grandson of William and son of Peter V.  Higbee.    Mr. Higbee is town clerk and justice of the peace.  Thomas Whalley came from Ferrisburgh in 1837, and located on the farm now occupied by his grandson. R. G. Whalley. His two surviving children in town are Jonathan and Samuel. Thomas died at the age of eighty-nine years.

John Quinlan came to Charlotte in 1844, and began his career in town by chopping wood at twenty-five cents a cord. He is now an extensive land-holder here, and has for years been prominent in the public affairs of the town.

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