First Settlers of Calais

The Slayton Family

PHINEAS SLAYTON, son of Thomas, and grandson of Capt. Thomas, from England, b. in Barre, Mass., 1736, m. Jane Gray, 1761. He was an officer in the Revolutionary war, and a magistrate of his town ; children, Jesse, Simeon, Elijah, Abigail, Eleanor, Hannah, Elisha; moved to Montpelier about 1790, settled on a farm near the Calais line. He was called by his descendants and neighbors  "Long Stocking," because he wore short velvet breeches, with long stockings and silver knee-buckles.  His quaint old English style of dress will be remembered by many of the older residents of Washington County. 

JESSE SLAYTON, b. Barre, Mass., 1764; m. Betsy Bucklin ; children, Bucklin, Jesse, Phineas, Darius, Lucy, Betsy, Eleanor, Mahala, Aseanath. He moved to Calais about 1790, and built a house and cleared the farm where Jerra Slayton now lives.  Many, if not all, of the children were born in Brookfield, and moved to Vermont with their parents, and all settled in Calais or vicinity, and most of them reared large families of children. Moving into the settlement before the town was organized, their father, Jesse Slayton, was one of the original 25 who voted on the organization of the town, and a revolutionary soldier. 

BUCKLIN SLAYTON, son of Jesse, b. in Brookfield, Mass., 1783; moved to Calais with his father; m. 1804, Sally Willis, b.  in Hardwick, Mass.; dau. of Edward Willis and Nancy Fuller, of Bridgewater, Mass., who were among the early settlers of Calais;  children, Harriet, Dulcenia J., Orrin B., Aro P., Sarah, George J., Fanny and Hiram K. Slayton.

He was a master carpenter, and planned and set out many of the frame dwelling-houses and stores of Montpelier and Calais.  He was the first man, according to common report, who set out buildings by square rule; previous to that time buildings had been built by scribe rule. Whether he was the originator of the square rule or not, is not known beyond a doubt by the writer; but it would seem there were few, if any, who set out by square rule at that time, for in 1827 and '29, he was sent for to set out the factories at Nashua, N. H., and when asked how long a building he could set out, he said if they would furnish the lumber, he could set out a building that would reach from Nashua to Boston. In the war of 1812-14, Bucklin, Jesse, Phineas and Darius all enlisted in the company from Calais and Montpelier, raised and commanded by Capt. Gideon Wheelock, to meet the British at Plattsburgh.

ORRIN B. SLAYTON son of Bucklin, married Dulcena Andrews ; children, Joseph, Austin C. Aro P. Jr., Rufus, Amanda, Amelia and Alfred.

AUSTIN C. SLAYTON, son of Orrin B., enlisted in the 3d Vt. Regt., and served 4 years in the war of the Rebellion in the army of the Potomac. He was a good soldier and in a great many battles. His regiment belonged to that famous Vermont brigade called the  "Old Iron Brigade," whose valor reflected imperishable honor on the State which furnished the men, and on the nation whose life they fought to maintain.   He is now living in Chicago.

RUFUS SLAYTON, brother of Austin C, enlisted in the 7th Vt. Regt., served faithfully, and died from sickness, occasioned by his service in the army, soon after reaching his home. Aro and Alfred still live in Montpelier, and Joseph in Calais.

ARO P. SLAYTON, son of Bucklin, enlisted in the war of the Rebellion, was elected 1st lieut. of Co. H. 13th Regt. V.  Vols. This company was composed largely of citizens of Calais. He was in the battle of Gettysburg, and in command of his company through that battle, and was promoted to the captaincy of that company.  He represented Elmore in the Legislature.  He married Lucy White, by whom he had seven children : Florence, Katie, Frank, Herbert, Lucy, Calvin and Orrin. He and his family now live in Elmore.

GEORGE. J. SLAYTON, bro. of Aro P., m. Fanny Andrews; children, Willis, Marinda, Cortez, Henry, Fremont and Melvina. He and some of his children are living in Morrisville.

HON. HIRAM R. SLAYTON, son of Bucklin, b. in Calais, 1825, m. Eliza A. Mitch-ell, of Manchester, N. H., 1850; have one son, Edward M. Slayton. He was educated at the common schools and Montpelier Academy, taught school 2 winters; at 18 years entered as a clerk in a counting-room on India street, Boston, for three years; returned to Calais and opened a country variety store ; also bought country produce; was appointed a delegate from Vermont to the first Republican National Convention at Philadelphia, in 1856, and alternate delegate in 1860; was elected a representative from his native town in 1858 and '59; moved to Manchester, N. H., in 1863; went to Cuba in the fall of '63; thence to New Orleans; wholesaled dry goods through the winter; returned to Manchester the spring 1864; commenced and built up a large wholesale and produce and provision business; was elected from Ward Three a representative to the New Hampshire Legislature in 1871; re-elected in 72; spring of '73 he gave up his mercantile business to his son, visited England, Scotland, and passed the summer in Antwerp, Brussels, Cologne, Ikdin, Dresden, etc.: at the Worlds Fair in Vienna, at Augsburg, Basle, Paris, etc.; in 1876, was elected a member of the constitutional convention to revise and amend the constitution of the State; in '77 a senator to represent the city of Manchester in the New Hampshire Senate; re-elected in '78, and he is more widely known throughout the country for his efforts in favor of specie payments and able financial articles, originating the maxim, viz.: "The nation which has the most valuable legal tender dollar, (other things being equal), will outrun in wealth and prosperity the nation whose dollar buys less, as sure as death follows existence"; is the author of the resolutions in favor of specie payments which passed the New Hampshire and Vermont Legislatures, and the resolution passed by the Vermont Legislature in the fall of '78 in relation to the Bland silver bill. His efforts in favor of resumption, an honest dollar and honest payment of debts were continuous for many years.  His articles on finance are widely copied by the public press of the country, and their soundness is endorsed by such leading financial thinkers and writers as Amasa Walker, David A. Wells, B. F. Nourse, Abram S. Hewitt, Jas. A. Garfield and others.

EDWARD M. SLAYTON, son of Hiram R., b. in Calais, 1851; m. Jennie Hovey, of Rockland, Me., 1874; has one daughter, Olive May; sons, Hovey Edward and H. R.  Slayton, Jr.; now living in Manchester, N. H., wholesale produce and provision merchant.

DARIUS SLAYTON, son of Jesse, had 2 sons, Henry and Edson, and 2 daughters.  He is a good citizen, and still lives on his old homestead farm in Calais. His son Edson has reared a large family of children, and is a respected citizen of Wolcott. 

OTIS SLAYTON married a daughter of Wm. Peck, has no children, and lives in Calais.

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