Biographies of Windsor County Vermont
History of Windsor County Vermont
Lewis Cass Aldrich published in 1891
TAYLOR, JAMES C , was born in West Windsor, September 22, 1845. Abram, his great-grandfather, married a Miss Davis, of Reading, came to West Windsor prior to 1800, located on the farm now owned and occupied by Charles Stearns, where he reared a family of ten children, nine of whom reached adult age, viz.: Levi, Simeon, John, Reuben, Justin, Lois, Chloe, Olive, and Sally. Abram and his wife died in this place, and were buried in the Sheddsville burying-ground, West Windsor. Levi, of the above, married Sally Robinson, and after his marriage purchased what was then known as the Wilson place, and lived there until his death, which occurred October 17, 1864. His wife died there January 20, 1879. Of his children only one is living (1890), viz.: Susan Maria, born April 20, 1817, widow of Jonas V. Bowers. She has four children living, viz : Oscar, Arietta, De Forest, and Alma. She resides with the latter, now Mrs. E. B. Lord. James Madison, father of James C, born in West Windsor, August 29, 1812, was the only one of Levi's sons who reached adult age. He married Emeline Elvira, born January 13, 1818, daughter of Noah and Hannah (Davis) Cady. Upon the death of his father he came into the possession of the home farm, and built in 1849 the present stone farm house. He died there February 12, 1888 ; his wife died December 3, 1880. They had three children: Adelaide Ann, born March 12, 1842, married March 13, 1864, W. H. H. Ralph, farmer living in West Windsor, and has two children, Etta Emeline and Hugh Henry; James Clinton, born September 22, 1845; and Albert Cady, born October 12, 1854, died July 7, 1864. James Clinton has always lived on the farm named above, which came into his possession on the death of his father, consisting then of upwards of 200 acres, to which he has added, by purchase, 100. He is a Republican in politics, and has taken an active part in the public interests of the town. He has filled the positions of lister, selectman, and represented the town in the Legislature of 1886-87, also 1890-91. In religious belief Mr. Taylor is a Universalist. He married, January 12, 1870, Charlotte A, daughter of Bezaleel and Emily Sophia (Bagley) Bridge, born June 6, 1849. Of her nine brothers and sisters only two are living, viz.: Corodon S., a provision merchant in Boston, and George Colamer, farmer living in West Windsor. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have had five children : the eldest two died infants unnamed. Those living are Luna Mabel, born December 15, 1872; Guy Cady, born May 31, 1878; and Emily Gertrude, born September 4, 1884. Biographie Index
THEELER, DANIEL DAVIS , Military History of.- Daniel Davis Wheeler, captain and assistant quartermaster, U. S. A., was born in Cavendish, Vt, July 12, 1841, retires, 1905.
Register. -Entered the service as second lieutenant. Company C, Fourth Regiment Vermont Volunteers, September 21, 1861; promoted to first lieutenant Company D, same regiment, April 21, 1862; captain and assistant adjutant-general of volunteers, June 30, 1864; brevet-major of volunteers for gallant and meritorious service in the campaign of 1864; major and assistant adjutant-general of volunteers, December 27, 1864; lieutenant-colonel and assistant adjutant-general, Twenty-fifth Army Corps, May 26, 1865 ; brevet-colonel of volunteers, December 1, 1865, for faithful and meritorious services; appointed second lieutenant, First Artillery, U. S. Army, to date from May 11, 1866; discharged volunteer service October 19, 1866; promoted to first lieutenant. First Artillery, February 12, 1867; brevet captain, U. S. Army, March 2, 1867, for gallant and meritorious services in the battles of Salem Heights and Cold Harbor, Va.; captain and assistant quartermaster, U. S. Army, July 2, 1879.
History of Service. -His volunteer regiment, the Fourth Vermont Volunteers, was one of the regiments of the Vermont Brigade, General W. T. H. Brooks commanding, which served in General William F. (Baldy) Smith's division of the Sixth Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. He was in the Virginia Peninsular campaign, taking part in the siege of Yorktown. He volunteered his services for the battle of Lee's Mills, and was recommended and promoted to first lieutenant for that battle. He took part in the battle of Williamsburg, the action of Meadow Bridge, the battle of Golding's Farm, and other actions incident to the investment of Richmond. He was engaged in the battles of Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill and other actions of the Seven Days' campaign. At an inspection of the brigade at Harrison's Landing he was in command of Company C, Fourth Vermont Volunteers, and was commended by General Brooks at that inspection. The next day he was appointed acting aid-de-camp upon his staff and immediately started on a night reconnaissance in the direction of Malvern Hill, General Brooks being in command of the Vermont and New Jersey Brigades. On August 31, 1862, he was appointed aid-de-camp to General Brooks, vice Lieutenant Noyes, Third Vermont, deceased. He was in the second battle of Bull Run and in the Maryland campaign, being engaged in the action at Sugar Loaf Mountain and in the battles of Crampton's Gap and Antietam. In October, 1862, he accompanied General Brooks as aid-de-camp to his new command-the First Division of the Sixth Corps-and took part in the march to Falmouth and both Burnside's and Hooker's Rappahannock campaigns, being engaged in the battle of Fredericksburg, the Mud March, the battle of Chancellorsville, and was with the advance of the Sixth Corps at the second crossing of the Rappahannock River ; as also in the action on the railroad leading from Fredericksburg to Richmond, the storming of St. Marye's Heights and the battle of Salem Heights, where he had a horse shot under him. He accompanied General Brooks as aid-decamp to his new command-Department of Monongahela-and later in the same capacity to his new command of the First Division, Eighteenth Army Corps, Army of the James. He was engaged in the first and second attacks and the capture of the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad, the action of Swift Creek, and the battles of Drury's Bluff and Cold Harbor. In the battle of Cold Harbor he was wounded and had a horse shot under him. He was with the command that captured the defenses of Petersburg under General Smith. He accompanied General Brooks as aid-de-camp to his new command-Tenth Army Corps. While in command of this corps General Brooks resigned and he was assigned to duty at the headquarters of the Eighteenth Corps, General E. O. C. Ord commanding. At Cold Harbor General Emory Upton made application for his promotion to captain and assistant adjutant-general. The promotion was received, but on General Ord's application to the War Department he was directed to report to him for duty. At Petersburg General L. A. Grant, commanding the Vermont Brigade, desired to recommend him for promotion to captain and assistant adjutant-general of volunteers and ask for his assignment to the Vermont Brigade, but having been recommended at Cold Harbor for that rank by General Upton he had to decline. He was engaged in the battle of Chapin's Farm, where General Ord was wounded, and General Godfrey Weitzel was placed in command of the corps, and he was soon after announced as adjutant-general of the Eighteenth Corps, where he remained until the organization of the Twenty-fifth Corps, when he was transferred to it as its adjutant-general. He was engaged in the repulse of the assault on Fort Harrison, September 30th, and assault of the enemy's lines on the Williamsburg and Nine Mile roads October 30, 1864, the first Fort Fisher expedition, and other actions on the north side of the James River incidental to the investment and capture of Richmond. He was assistant adjutant-general of General Weitzel's command, consisting of all the troops north of the Appomattox River during the final operations against the insurgent army under General R. E. Lee, March-April 9, 1865, and as such published the first order issued by a Union general in Richmond after its capture.
In the spring of 1865 he accompanied the Twenty-fifth Army Corps to Texas and soon after was announced as assistant adjutant-general, District of the Rio Grande, the duties of which he performed in addition to those of assistant adjutant-general, Twenty-fifth Corps, until it was disbanded in the spring of 1866, when he became assistant adjutant-general to General George W. Getty and was appointed second lieutenant First Artillery to date from May 11, 1866, but was not discharged from the volunteer service until the 19th of October of that year. He graduated from the Artillery School, Fort Monroe, Va., in 1873; was military instructor at Indiana Asbury University, Greencastle, Ind , for two years, when he was appointed captain and assistant quartermaster; stationed at St. Paul, Minn., from October 1, 1879, to May. 1880; depot quartermaster at Yankton, D. T., from May, 1880, to December 1, 1881 ; depot quartermaster at St. Paul, Minn., from December, 1881, till December 5, 1883; post quartermaster at Fort Monroe, Va., from December 11, 1883, until June, 1885; assistant to chief quartermaster, Division of the Pacific, from June, 1885, to December 10, 1889; assistant to chief quartermaster, Department of Arizona, from January 6, 1890, to August 2, 1890; at general depot of the quartermaster's department New York City from August 9, 1890, to the present time, March 1, 1891, the Rebellion records are published to include operations in Kentucky, Southwest Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and North Georgia.
The conduct of the troops on this occasion is worthy of commendation. Exposed to a plunging fire of artillery while passing over a space of a mile and more, and afterward to that of the enemy's sharpshooters, not the least hesitancy was observed. It gives me pleasure to call especial notice to the good conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel C. B. Stough-ton, commanding Fourth Vermont, and Major Walbridge, commanding Second Vermont; also Lieutenants Parsons and Wheeler of my personal staff, who were active in the discharge of their respective duties.
December 23, 1862.
The officers of my personal staff are entitled to my thanks for their activity, gallantry and general good conduct throughout those critical days. They are Captain Theodore Read, assistant adjutant-general, Lieutenants A. K. Parsons and D. D. Wheeler, Fourth Vermont Volunteers, and Lieutenant Tyler, Twenty-seventh New York.
May -, 1863.
To the members of my personal staff my thanks are due and I respectfully commend their services to the notice of the government. Their faithfulness, zeal and intelligence have been exhibited on many fields. They are Captain Theodore Read, assistant adjutant-general, severely wounded; Lieutenants A. K. Parsons and D. D. Wheeler, Fourth Vermont Volunteers, aids-de-camp.
Pittsburgh, Pa., August 2, 1863.
My thanks are due to Captain W. R. Howe, assistant adjutant-general volunteer service, and Lieutenant D. D. Wheeler, aid-de-camp.
Fourth Vermont Volunteers, the only officers of my staff with me, for the energy and zeal displayed in the discharge of their respective duties.
Pursuant to the act of Congress of March 2, 1867, which authorized brevet rank to be conferred on officers of the army for gallant and meritorious conduct in the volunteer service in the War of the Rebellion, prior to appointment in the regular army, he was nominated by the President, and confirmed by the Senate March 1, 1869, for the brevets of major and lieutenant-colonel, U. S. Army, to rank from March 2, 1867. The passage, however, by Congress on March 1, 1869, of an act limiting the date of conferring brevet rank to time of actual war, prevented the issuance of these commissions. Biographie Index
TRACY, Hon. ANDREW . Thomas Tracy, the grandfather of Andrew, came from Windham, Conn., to Hartford, Vt., in 1776. He had a son James who was born in Windham, January 28, 1760, and on October 22, 1795, married Mercy Richmond, of Barnard. She was born in Taunton, Mass., June 15, 1772. Of their family of five children, Andrew, the second child, was born in Hartford, December 15, 1797. He attended the academies in Royalton and Randolph, and decided to study a profession rather than follow his father's occupation of a farmer. Having completed the preparatory studies, he entered Dartmouth College, where he remained two years. At this time his intimate friend, Leonard Marsh, who was a classmate, withdrew from the college on account of trouble with his eyes. Mr. Tracy, preferring not to be separated from his friend, left college at the same time. The two went to New York State, where for two years he taught school in Troy. In September, 1822, at the request of his father he returned to Hartford, and became a student in the law office of George E. Wales, and in 1826 was admitted to the bar. He first practiced his profession in Quechee village, but he soon became interested in politics and was elected a member of the Legislature in Chelmsford, Mass. Biographie Index
TUTTLE, Colonel OSCAR STRATTON , was born in Weathersfield, Vt, August 23, 1832, and was the second son and third child in a family of six children of Augustus and Phila (Tolles) Tuttle. His father was born in Cavendish, Vt, May 25, 1796, and was the second son of Jedediah and Lydia (Porter) Tuttle. Oscar passed his boyhood on his father's farm, attending the district school. At the age of sixteen he became a clerk in a general store at Woodstock, and afterwards at Perkinsville, and subsequently went to Boston, where he remained till 1854 or 1855, when he came to Springfield, Vt., and was employed by Selden Cook. He remained in Mr. Cook's employ till 1857, when he opened with his brother, Augustus, a general store in Cavendish village, under the firm name of A. & O. S. Tuttle. Soon after removing to Cavendish he became interested in the Vermont State Militia, and became a member of the Cavendish Light Infantry. On July 31, 1858, he was commissioned by Governor Ryland Fletcher, second lieutenant of this company, which was then attached to the Twenty-fifth Regiment of the State Militia. He received a commission dated June 11, 1860, from Governor Hiland Hall, as first lieutenant in this company, which was then attached to the Second Vermont Regiment. Governor Erastus Fairbanks, under date of December 25, 1860, commissioned him captain, the company being then known as Company E, Second Vermont Regiment. On the breaking out of the late war Colonel Tuttle raised a company of volunteers, which was attached to the First Vermont Regiment. He was present at the battle of Big Bethel, and on the termination of his term of enlistment he re-enlisted and was commissioned by Governor Fairbanks, September 25, 1861, major of the Sixth Vermont Regiment, which was a part of the First Vermont Brigade. On September 19, 1862, he received a commission from Governor Frederick Holbrook as lieutenant-colonel of the same regiment, and under date of December 18, 1862, as colonel. He took part in most of the battles fought in the Virginia campaign, was in the seven days' fight before Richmond, at Crampton Pass, Antietam, Fredericksburg, etc. Owing to ill-health Colonel Tuttle was obliged to resign his command, and was discharged from the United States service March 18, 1863. On leaving the army he returned to Cavendish. During his term of service he had retained his interest in the firm of A. & O. S. Tuttle, but in the fall of 1863 they removed to Holyoke, Mass., and confined their business to dry goods. After a few years the firm was dissolved. Colonel Tuttle continuing alone until his death. In politics a Republican, the Colonel never sought political honors. He was appointed by President Johnson, January 3, 1867, Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue for the Tenth District of Massachusetts, which position he held during that and the Grant administration. He was one of the board of fire engineers for the city of Holyoke, and was for a number of years chief engineer of the fire department. Colonel Tuttle was a thirty-second degree Mason, and was a member of the Springfield Commandery of Knights Templar, and was one of the founders of the New England Mutual Relief Association, and was for many years clerk of that organization. He was one of the trustees of the Holyoke Savings Bank, and also member of the Kilpatrick Post, G. A. R., of Holyoke. He was careful, thorough, methodical, and honorable in his business relations. As a citizen he was always ready to aid the right and discourage dishonesty in politics or public business. He married, June 1, 1858, Ellen M., daughter of Selden and Mary (Batchelder) Cook. The issue of this marriage was one child, Edward Oscar, born in Holyoke, Mass., January 16, 1865. He attended the public schools of his native city, and graduated in 1886 from the Boston Technological Institute. He is at present engaged in the banking business at Minneapolis, Minn. Colonel Tuttle died at Holyoke, December 15, 1881. Biographie Index
VAIL, THE FAMILY . The first settler of the family in Pomfret was Thomas Vail, known as "Leftenant Vail." He was of the fifth generation from Jeremiah Vail, the emigrant ancestor of the Vail family. Jeremiah landed at Salem Mass , in 1644, and subsequently removed to Southampton, Long Island. Four generations bearing the family name Jeremiah lived in Southold and Oyster Pond, Long Island. Jeremiah, the father of the first settler in Pomfret, married April 16, 1732, Elizabeth, daughter of Judge Joshua Young, who was a descendant of Rev. John Young, the first minister of Southold. Thomas, the second son of this marriage, was born at Southold, August 18, 1734. He was sergeant in Captain Terry's company of Colonel De Lancy's New York battalion, and was at the capture of Fort Niagara in the summer of 1759. The following year he was promoted to lieutenant and served under General Amherst, and was present at the siege of Fort Levi and the capture of Montreal. At the time of Thomas Vail's service under Amherst he had been married two years to Hannah, daughter of Richard and Hannah (Hawkes) Brown, of Oyster Pond (now Orient, L. I.). At the close of the war Lieutenant Vail settled on Long Island and engaged in farming, and some twelve years later removed to Lebanon, Conn. Here he purchased of the original grantees of Pomfret, Vt, their rights to land in that town. Lot 52 was purchased by John Abbe for eleven pounds, being originally owned by Edward Holyoke, president of Harvard College. On January 27, 1773, he purchased from William Newcomb a lot originally drawn in the name of John Winchester. A knoll on the farm has since been known as Newcomb Camp; this was probably the first clearing on the farm which was occupied by Thomas Vail in June, 1771, and has been held by his descendants ever since. Under date of May 8, 1776, Thomas Vail was commissioned lieutenant of militia company of foot in Pomfret by the Provincial Congress of New York. He cleared his farm and built a large frame house and died on the Vail homestead in Pomfret at the age of seventy-five years. He had a family of ten children ; the eldest six were born at Oyster Pond, Long Island, the others in Pomfret. Thomas, born January 11, 1760, died in Pomfret, in March, 1820 ; Gamaliel, born January 7, 1762, studied medicine and probably died at Charlestown, Ind.; Hannah, born November 18, 1763, married Ransom Durkee; Elizabeth, born September 17, 1765, married John W. Throop, and died at Baton Rouge, La.; Augustus, born September 6, 1767 ; Cynthia, born August 12, 1770, died unmarried; Anna, born June 18, 1772, married John Hutchinson, and died near Batavia, N. Y.; Mehitable, born July 28, 1774, married Benjamin Merritt; Samuel, born January 1, 1778, printed the first paper issued at Louisville, Ky., in 1800 He afterwards joined the United States army and was breveted major for gallant conduct at the battle of New Orleans. He died at Baton Rouge, La., in 1848. Joshua was born Sept. 7, 1779, the date of his death not known. Augustus, of the above family, followed farming and carried on the homestead farm in Pomfret He married Lavinia Leonard, who was born at Bridgewater, Mass , May 6, 1777. They had nine children, the eldest two died in infancy. They adopted Sybele (Parsons) Vail, born January, 1798, and died February 26. 1813. Their other children were Hiram, born June 3, 1800, died October 7, 1826; Joshua, born February 10, 1804; Elvira, born November 17, 1806, died August 27, 1826; Thomas, born August 5, 1809, died March 1, 1813; Hannah, born March 29, 1812, died March 12, 1886; Harry, born April 29, 1815, died February 28, 1889, without issue; and Fanny, born December 21, 1818, died March 17, 1819. Augustus Vail was an easy, good humored man, short, and in his old age somewhat fleshy. He was known as Captain Vail from his rank in the militia. He died in Pomfret. Joshua, mentioned above, was born in Pomfret, and married at Royalton, Vt., June 1, 1836, Harriet Warren, daughter of Jonas Warren and Elizabeth Russell. She was born June 12, 1814. The issue of this marriage was George Thomas, born June 15, 1837, removed to Clinton, Mo., in 1868; the following year he went to the Pacific coast, locating in California ; from there he went to Alaska. He finally settled near Joseph, Union county, Oregon, where he has a horse ranch. He is unmarried. Henry Hobart, born May 27, 1839, graduated at Middlebury College in 1860 and went to Ohio; taught school at Dayton, served in the 131st Regiment, O. V. I., in the civil war, became a resident of Cincinnati in 1866, where he became a publisher, and moved to New York in 1890. He married, October 10, 1867, Minerva Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Major Sylvester M. and Catherine (Miles) Hewitt. She was born June 10, 1846. Their children were Cora Lucy, born July 7, 1868, died January 2, 1884; Bessie Hewitt, born August 27, 1869; Mary Catherine, born June 9, 1872; and Clara Warren, born November 3, 1875. Homer Warren, born August 5, 1842, married March 9, 1880, Sarah Angier, daughter of Jackson A. and Sarah H. (Angier) Vail. She was born in Montpelier, Vt, April 18, 1852. Their children are Ralph Warren, born June 9, 1881, died June 20, 1881 ; Solon Joshua, born August 23, 1884; Henry George, born November 14, 1886; and Homer Jackson, born June 19, 1890. Homer Vail is widely known throughout the State. He served two terms in the Legislature, and has been a useful member of the State Board of Agriculture. Laura Matilda, born July 28, 1844, married July 12, 1870, Andrew Price Morgan. They reside at Preston, O. Clara Warren, born December 10, 1849, married Robert Perkins, and resides at Rutland, Vt.; Lucia Harriet born December 13, 1853. married Edward George O'Connor, and resides at Montreal, Canada; Mary Elizabeth, born August 7, 1855, married October 5, 1882, John Thompson Snodgrass. They reside at Riverside, 111. Joshua Vail was a man of excellent business qualifications and held office as justice of the peace and as selectman. He was a member of the Vermont Legislature in 1849 and 1851. He died at Pomfret, December 30, 1871. Biographie Index
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