Trails to the Past-Vermont-Chittenden Co-Personal Paragraphs Pg 3

Personal Paragraphs of Chittenden County

Page 3

EDSON, Simeon H., Colchester, Winooski p. o, is a carpenter and farmer, and was born in Morrisville, Vt., on July 8, 1828. He was a son of Austin and Eliza (Bundy) Edson. His mother settled in Colchester, Vt., in 1836, where she married James Wright who settled on a farm which is now owned and occupied by Simeon H., and where his mother died .Simeon H. was brought up in Randolph, Vt., where he remained until nineteen years of age when he came to Colchester, Vt., where he has since resided. He has been married twice. His first wife was Augusta Leonard of Nashua, N. H., by whom he had four children, Emily E., Clara C, Charles L.. Julius H. His second wife was Mary A. Reilly. Mr. Edson has held many of the offices in his town.

ELLIS, John, Huntington, first came to Richmond, Vt, about the year 1800. He married Catherine Bunker, of Huntington,Vt, and by her had a family of two children, John Bard and Guy. John B. married Jane Gotham, of Lancaster, Vt, and by her had a family of four children, Cynthia, John M., Emma Jane, and Ellen A.. He served during the late war as second sergeant Co. F, Thirteenth Vermont Vol. infantry, under the command of Colonel Randell. Guy D. Ellis married Sarah A Nichols, of Richmond, Vt, by whom he had a family of two children, Ella and Carrie Guy D. Ellis has been very frequently called upon to hold many of the town offices, and is a man of excellent judgment in business matters. The probate court selects Mr. Ellis as administrator on frequent occasions. These substantial sons of John Ellis are among the best known and respected citizens of Huntington, Vt., and both enjoy the comforts of home honestly attained through honest toil.

EVARTS, James, Colchester, Winooski p. o., proprietor of the Stevens House at Winooski, he was born in Georgia, Vt, on July 28, 1823. He was a son of Jonathan T. and Electa (Wilcox) Evarts, who came from Connecticut, and were of English descent, and were among the earliest settlers of Georgia, Vt. His uncle, Jeremiah Evarts, is the father of William Evarts, senator from New York. Jonathan settled in Georgia, Vt, in 1787, and was one of the original proprietors of the township. James was reared in Georgia, Vt., where he engaged in farming up to 1881, when he removed to Burlington, Vt, and the same year settled in Winooski, Vt and embarked in the hotel business, a business which he has carried on to the present time and in which he has been very successful. He purchased the Stevens House in 1883. The building; was built by Edwards and Stevens in 1867 and 1868, and is a three-story brick, is one of the best hotels in the county. James Evarts was married in 1851 to Lura A. Allen a daughter of Abijah and Eunice (Grant) Allen, of Fairfield, Vt They have had one child born to them, Allen J. Mrs. Evarts was a niece of Heman Allen, late member of Congress.

FARRAND, Zenas H., Essex, is a botanist largely engaged in collecting indigenous root herbs, barks, etc. Was born in Hinesburg, vt., December 19. 1829. He was a son Stephen and Betsey (Hastings) Farrand. Stephen Farrand was born February 1, 1706, and married to Betsey Hastings, a daughter of John and Polly (Abbot) Hastings, of Hyde Park Vt., November 17, 1828. Her parents were among the first settlers in Hyde Park, coming from New Hampshire on horseback, moving all their goods in a pair of saddle-bags and a large silk handkerchief. They soon had a log shanty, with a stump for a table. This was a bad year, being compelled to subsist largely, during the fore part of the season, on herbage, ground nuts and berries, and in the winter their only food consisted of half a bushel of corn pounds in a hole in the top of a stump, with the head of an axe for a pestle; this was mixed with jelly made by boiling basswood buds in water and with a little salt was their only food forty months. His paternal parents were Joseph and Ruth (Hines) Farrand, natives of New Milford Conn., from where he and his family and Joseph Farrand, sr. (born January 1, 1728. and died in Hinesburg, March 28, 1806), came to Hinesburg, being among the pioneers of Hinesburg coming there in 1787. Joseph Farrand, jr., was born January 7, 1759, and died on June 2, 1840. He was a soldier, serving during the whole of the Revolutionary struggle, and from long hardship and exposure contracted a cold that so affected his head and left hip and leg, he was always lame, and for the last thirty-five years of his life was unable to go a step on with crutches, and the last twenty years was totally blind and very deaf. His children were Laura, Benjamin, Clarissa, Almira and Stephen. Stephen resided in Hinesburg, Vt., until April, 1855, when he settled in Essex, Vt, where he died October 5, 1868. Mother was born June 17, 1779, and died February 22, 1849. They had two children - Zenas H. and Mary, Zenas H. Farrand settled in Essex, Vt, in 1855, and was married in October, 1867, to Marion R. Phillips, oldest daughter of Solomon and Susannah (Sherman) Phillips, of Hinesburg. Zenas H. and Marion R. Farrand have a family of six children now living - Laura J., Francis., Mary L., Betsey S., Gertrude M. and Zenas W. P. Mary A. Farrand settled in Essex, Vt in 1855, and married Wesley Hazelton, of Essex. Vt, March, 1857. They have a family of two children living- Flora E. and Zenas W. He represented the town in the Legislature 1859, and in 1861 raised a company of militia and went to Virginia as captain of Co. I, 6 Vermont Vols. His parents, Samuel and Rachel (Shattuck) Hazelton were among the pioneers of Essex, Vt

FAY, Alfred C, Williston, was born in Williston Vt, on March 6, 1843. He served two years in Co. E, 1st Cavalry, in the late War of the Rebellion. He was n son of Roswell B. and Ann (Cutter) Fay. His paternal grandfather, John Fay, was a son of Nathan Fay, who settled in Richmond, Vt, in 1790. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and participated in the battle of Bennington, and was a son of John Fay, who was killed at the battle. The grandfather of Alfred C. settled in Williston, Vt., in 1790. He had a family of seven children- Roswell B., Electa, Roxana, Daniel B., Julius, Edith and Hiram. Of these children Roswell B. settled in Williston, Vt, in 1838, and engaged in farming. He always took an active part in public affairs, representing the town in the Legislature for several terms, and was probate judge for several years. He had a family of four children - Marcia E., John M., Alfred C, Cynthia R. Alfred C. was married in 1879 to Adelaide Brownell, a daughter of George W. and Almira (Barry) Brownell, of Williston, Vt

FAY, Nathan, Richmond, a direct descendant of the famous Fay family, of Revolutionary days, was born at Bennington, Vt, on November 15, 1760, and settled in Richmond, Vt, about the year 1786 on the farm on which his grandson Safford now resides. Nathan married Mary Safford, who bore him ten children - John, Nathan (who died in childhood), Henry, Nathan 2d, Polly, Safford, Hiram, Jonas, Joseph and Truman. Of these children Nathan married Polly Murray for his first wife, by whom he had one child, Nathan Murray Fay, now of Essex. His second wife was Polly Colby, by whom he had the following children: Safford, Sarah, Sarah Ann, Martha, Harry C, Enos and Elliott and Arnold C. Safford, the son of the pioneer, married Annina M. Brownson, of Richmond, Vt Their children were Ellen, Francis, Frederick W. and Eugene H. The farm on which Safford Fay now resides has been in the family for over a hundred years, and the residence which is now occupied by him was built in 1809. He represented his town in the Legislature of Vermont in 1882.

FINNEY, Mitchell J., Hinesburg, was born in Burlington, Vt., in 1844. He enlisted in Co. E, First Vt. Cavalry, on January 7, 1862, under Colonel Piatt, and served three years and nineteen days, and was discharged at Winchester, Virginia, in February, 1865, being disabled from wounds received on November 12, 1864. He first settled in Hinesburg, Vt, m 1857, and engaged in farming. He has been lister and held many of the town and district offices. He was married in 1868 to Caroline Mason, who was born in Hinesburg, Vt., in 1849. They have had one son born to them, Frank F., in 1876. Caroline (Mason) Finney was a daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Wyman) Mason. Abigail was born in Hinesburg, Vt, and was a daughter of Abel and Polly Wyman, and Abel was born in 1794 and died in 1861. He was born in Clarendon, Vt, and was a son of Israel and Mary Wyman, who settled in this county about 1815 and purchased a large tract of land, consisting of some thousand acres, and engaged in farming, lumbering and stock raising until his death in 1861. Polly (Nois) Wyman was born in Corinth in 1798 and died April 11,1876. Samuel Mason was born in Starksboro, Vt, and died in the West

FLANAGAN, George W., Hinesburg, was born in Hinesburg, Vt, in 1836. He is now owner and proprietor of the Hinesburg Hotel, purchasing the property in 1869, it being the early and prominent house of the county. He was married in December, 1857, to Loraine H. Benedict They have had five children born to them-Lucy L., Gertrude. Georgiana, Josephine and Mary Ellen. George W. Flanagan was a son of Howell C. and Eliza (Love) Flanagan, who were married on October 5. 1829. Eliza died in 1879, leaving three children - Lucy, George W. and Lizzie, Howell C. Flanagan was a son of John F. and Martha (Towner) Flanagan, of Addison county, Vt. They died in Vergennes, Vt They had ten children born to them, three of whom are now living Howell, Martha and Ursula. Loraine H. (Benedict) Flanagan was a daughter of Levy F. and Olla (Manwell) Benedict. She was born in Richmond, Vt, in June, 1811, and they were married in Hinesburg, Vt, in 1831. Levi F. was born in Hinesburg, Vt, in 1808 and died in 1866. They had twelve children born to them, two sons and ten daughters.

FLANAGAN, Howell C, Hinesburg, was born in Vergennes, Vt., in 1809. He learned the tan and currier trade in Vergennes, Vt, and settled in Hinesburg, Vt, in 1827 and engaged in the tanning and farming business for many years. He was married on October 5, 1829, to Eliza Love. She died in 1879, leaving a family of three children - Lucy, George W. and Lizzie. Eliza was a daughter of George W. and Lucy (Place) Love, who were natives of Rhode Island, but settled in Hinesburg, Vt, about 1800, where Eliza was born. Howell C. married his second wife, Mrs. Rebecca 0. Griffin, in 1881. Howell C. Flanagan was a son of John F. and Martha (Towner) Flanagan, who died in Vergennes, Vt They had a family of ten children, three of whom arc now living-Howell C, Martha and Ursula.

FLETCHER, William, Essex, of the firm of Fletcher and Son, engaged in the grocery and butcher business, was born on February 17,1835. He was a son of Samuel and Mary (Holmes) Fletcher, who emigrated to America in 1842, and settled in Fairfax, Vt They afterward removed to Canada, where they died. William Fletcher settled in Essex, Vt., in 1855 and engaged in farming, in which he engaged until 1866, when lie embarked in his present business, and in 1878 his son entered partnership with him, and they are now doing business under the firm name of Fletcher & Son. He has always taken an active part in all public affairs of the town. He has held the office of justice of the peace, was elected representative of his town in 1884, and was also chairman of the committee on highways, bridges and ferries.

FOOTE, George A., Charlotte, East Charlotte p. o., was born in Charlotte, Vt, in 1830. He has been lister three terms, was first selectman three terms, and held other minor town offices. He was a merchant for several years and retired in 1885. He is now engaged in the culture of fruit and in the general farming and shipping business. He was married in 1861 to Martha A. Clark, a daughter of Homer and Elvira Clark. They have had one son born to them, Darwin, born in 1862, and married to Florence Gove. George A. Foote was a bon of Johnson and Sarah (Alexander) Foote. Johnson Foote was born in 1802 and died in 1875; Sarah was born on May 17, 1803, and died in 1875. They were married on January 20, 1823. Johnson H. Foote was a son of Simeon Foote. a native of Connecticut. Sarah was a daughter of Elijah and Sylvia (Staples) Alexander. He was born in New Hampshire and she was born in Danby, Vt, and settled in this town in 1799.

FREEMAN, William Seymour, Richmond, was a native of Tolland, Hamden county, Mass., and was born on the 29th day of February, 1820. At the age of twenty-four years he came to Richmond, Vt. For several years he was engaged in the mercantile business, and with a partner had as many as fifteen peddling wagons on the road at one time. This business was subsequently sold to his partner, Chauncey Norton. Mr. Freeman kept a hotel for a time at a place which was known as the "Chequered House," but during his later years has turned his attention to farming, at which he has been reasonably successful. He married Amanda M. Whitcomb, a daughter of Joshua Whitcomb, of Richmond, Vt., by whom he had five children; Emery L., Frank R, William De Witt (who died during childhood), Edwin Whitcomb. and William (who died at the age of four years). By frugality, industry and energy Mr. Freeman has succeeded well in life, now owning an extensive farm of about 800 acres, just out of the village. The house was for sixty years used as a hotel, and has stood for 100 years.

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