First Settlers of Calais

BARNABAS DOTY. Barnabas Doty, Jr., b. in Rochester, Apr. 30, 1771, 2d son of Capt. Barnabas, went to Montpelier in the spring of 1789, with his  brother Edmund, where they built, under the direction of Col. Larned Lamb, the first framed-house in that town, for Col. Jacob Davis.   He worked as a housewright there each summer, returning to R. in the winter, till 1792; m. in Rochester, Mass., Jan. 19, 1793, Thankful, dau.  of David and Sarah (Parker) Wing, b.  July 2, 1769, and settled in Montpelier the following spring.   He was commissioned ensign of Washington Artillery by Gov.  Jonas Galusha, 1811, and captain 3 years later, by Gov. Martin Chittenden. He rode post some years from Montpelier to Hardwick, 20 miles, to which latter place he removed, and carried on the business of a blacksmith, saddler, watchmaker and merchant, doing most of the magistrate's business in town; was postmaster 1821-5, until having buried his son, Horatio Gates, 1827, and his wife, in1831.  He went to live in Georgeville, CT then in Irasburgh, Vt., and spent the last 16 years of his life in Calais, where he died Dec. 1864, aged 93; was buried in Hardwick.  

Copy of a letter presented Silas Ketchum by A. S. Bliss:

Montpelier, Mar. 30, 1814.

To Silas Williams, Esq., Maj. Steven Pitkin, Mr. Elihu Coburn, Maj. Joel Walker, William Mattocks, Esq., Alpha Warner, Esq., Elnathan Strong, Esq., Ralph Parker, Esq., Wm. Baxter, Esq.  and Wm. Howe, Esq:

Gentlemen:-The bearer, Mr. Barnabas Doty, a man of integrity and faithfulness, has undertaken to carry the mail and distribute papers, on the route formerly rode by Mr. Henry Dewey, and from our acquaintance with him, we are persuaded he will give as good and as general satisfaction as did Mr. Dewey. As he is a stranger, your influence in his behalf in encouraging his business, may be of considerable benefit to him. Yours with much respect, Walton & Goss.

He made first trip, date of above letter.  The route book also presented with above letter, shows the route to lay from Montpelier through Calais, Plainfield, Marshfield, Cabot, Peacham, Danville, Walden, Hardwick, Greensboro, Glover, Irasburgh, Salem, Derby and Dunkensborough.  

Gload, son of Charles, born in Charlton, 1775, married Sarah Dunton, of Sturbridge, Mass., and removed to Calais in June, 1809. He settled first near where Allen Morse now lives, then where John Sabin now is, and afterwards on land now owned by his son Abner, the only one of his 11 children now living in this vicinity.  Ahner son of Gload, was born 1805, in Charlton ; when about 5 years old, an accident rendered him totally blind, and his career has been remarkable for one placed in the circumstances he was. His father was poor, and he was early thrown upon his own resources, but natural intelligence and energy have in great measure compensated for his loss of sight. He attended school, and made considerable progress by hearing the recitations of other scholars, and engaged in nearly all the sports and labors of boyhood, taking long tramps in the woods in fishing and trapping.  He began business for himself by peddling small articles from house to house, and when about 21, having accumulated a little capital, bought a farm, and married Hannah Jacobs, of Montpelier. Since that time he has made farming his business, and with more than average success.  He has reared a family of 6 children, and given them as good advantages as are enjoyed by the average of farmers families, and now owns a good farm, part in this town and part in Worcester. He performs nearly all kinds of farm labor, and upon a recent visit, was found going about his barns caring for the stock. He is a good judge of cattle, even distinguishing their different colors by some unaccounted for sense.

Near his house when a boy was a saw-mill ; this he clambered over until he became so familiar with it, that he has during the leisure hours of his busy life made two models of it, complete in all their details.  While clearing his farm, he made a considerable business of burning charcoal, and one winter drew 900 bushels to Montpelier, some 10 miles, with a pair of two year old steers.

He once engaged of a neighbor one of a lot of young pigs. One among them was of slightly better form than the others, and this the neighbor intended to keep himself. But when Dugar came, he could not quite refuse a blind man his choice; so Dugar entered the pen, and after careful examination, came out with the identical pig the other had selected.

DAVID  GOODELL settled on what is now known as the Smilie Bancroft farm, about 1791. He died Feb. 1, 1808, and his wife, Martha, Aug. 29, 1809. Their children : Pamelia, b. 1787, m. Asaph King; Polly, b. 1789, deceased; John, b, 1792 ; Orange, b. 1795, deceased; Tamar, b. 1801. m. Jason Chase. 

John Goodell, son of David, m.. 1818, Lucy, dau. of Elijah White; settled in Cabot; in 1825, returned to Calais, where he resided until his death, July, 1860; children, Diana, b. 1824, m. Alvin Chapin; Matilda, b. 1827, m. Alonzo Taylor resides in New York City; Sidney, b. 1830, m. Elizabeth Darling, of Meriden, Mass.; resides in Milford, Mass.; Lucy, b. 1840, m. 1857, Alonzo, son of Shepherd Wheeler; their dau. Flora, born Dec. 1862.

PALMER FAMILY

Oliver Palmer married, Dec. 1786, Asenath Barnes; removed from Woodstock to Calais in 1796; lived some 20 years on the farm now owned by Luther Converse, and returned to Woodstock.  While in Calais, he held the offices of town treasurer, selectman and lister. His children were: Orpha, b. 1789, m. 1808, Andrew Nealey; lived some years on the farm now owned by George Chase ; Millie, Harriet, Alden, 1795, a mill-wright, married, lived in Calais, Montpelier and elsewhere; Walter, b. 1805; Laura, 1810.

Gersham Palmer, younger brother of Oliver, married Mercy Bennett in Wood-stock, probably about the time of his removal to Calais in 1797; lived on the farm north of his brother Oliver; was prominent in town business; moderator in town meeting 6 years, selectman 8 years; lister 2 years ; was the fourth representative from Calais; served 7 years; in 1810, judge of probate in what was then Caledonia Co.; 2d justice in town; served 12 years, and by act of the Legislature, Nov.1, 1810, was made one of a committee of three to locate and build county buildings in the new County of Jefferson, now Washington.

He died Oct. 11, aged 37 years. His children, all born in Calais, were Hannah W., b. 1798, m. 1827, Alvah Elmore, lived on the Col. Curtis farm, where she died, Aug. 1843; Rispah, b. 1800, m. in Woodstock, 1820, Eben Cox, son of Daniel and Celia (Darling), born Jan. 1, 1796. They came to Calais in 1827, and began on the farm where he died, Nov. 1877. Only one of their family of 9 daughters resides in Calais: Aurelia M., b. Oct. 14, 1829, m. Mar. 28, 1855, Elbridge H. Stickney.

Mercy, dau. of Gersham, was b. in 1802; Lucia D., in 1803.

Bennett, son of Gersham, b. Nov. 10, 1805, was ordained to the ministry in the Church of Christian Brethren, Calais, Aug.  29, 1830; married Valina Snow, of Pomfret, and went to New Hampshire to live, and while there was a member of the N. H.  Legislature. He returned to Calais in 1845, where he remained till his death, May 12, 1851. Children of Bennett and Valina Palmer: Lucia Ellen and Sarah Snow, b. in Washington, N. H., 1835, '37; Gersham Bela, b. in Marlow, N. H., 1840 Charles Bennett, b. in Springfield, N. H., 1844; Redora Valina, b. in Calais, Aug. 26, 1847.

Dulcenia, dau. of Gersham, was born 1808; Fanny, 1810; Mercy, Lucia, Dulcenia and Fanny are married, and reside in Woodstock.

ELIJAH WHITE came from Charlton, Mass., to Calais in the summer of 1797, and began chopping in the east lot now owned by Lewis Bancroft, but abandoned it, and the next summer began on the lot in the south-easterly part of the town, where he resided until his death, 1832. In Feb. 1797, he brought his newly married wife, Ruth Needham, to Calais. She died about 1847; children, all born in Calais: Lucy, b. 1800, m.  John, son of David Goodell; Adams, b. 1802; Larnard, 1805; Ruth, 1813, m. 1835, Amasa Hall; settled in Marshfield. 

Adams, m. 1825, Alfreda Bryant; lived in Calais and Woodbury ; died, 1873 ; his wife in 1877; both in Woodbury; children, Florilla, Clarissa, Elijah, Ruth and George. Larnard m. 1828, Roxana, dau.  of Nathan Kelton; lived in the S. E. part of the town ; deceased.

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