The Vermont Phoenix Brattleboro, Friday, January 16,1891 Historical Brattleboro School Districts Interesting details of their early history Suggested by the recent removal of the Old Brick Schoolhouse in District No. 7--a List of All the heads of Families in town in 1782 The removal of the old brick schoolhouse west of West Brattleboro suggests the early history of the neighborhood. After Judge WELLS acquired the New York title to the town in 1766 he sold andn deeded 5400 acres in the west part of the south half to William SMITH, Thomas SMITH and Nicholas William STUYVESANTof the city of New York. This tract extended from near the top of the hill west of West Brattleboro to Marlboro and from near the centre line to Guilford. They laid it out into lots covering the lots in the five ranges in the south half of the town from numbers five to fourteen inclusive, with a tier of four lots end to end 200 rods long and 50 wide to the ----------and divided the lots among themselves by partition deed. William SMITH was chief justice of the province of New York. No settlement was made upon the tract, nor in the valley of Whetstone brook west of wher the lillage of Brattleboro is before 1768. The meeting-house was built on the hill north of Centreville in that year, and a road ran from there, passable for horses and carts-wagon were not then in use or known-through the woods on to Ames hill, wher Abel STOCKWELL then lived in Marlboro. In taht year William HARRIS from Holden, Mass., bought of Judge WELLS lot No. 3 in the fourth range of orginal lots of 100 acres each which covered the west part of where West Brattleboro village is. His house stood on the west side of where the road goes northwardly through the village, and when the road coming down the hill was laid out it was located five rods north of it. Reuben FIELD bought land northeast of the brook in 1769; and Israel FIELD west of his, on both sides of the brook, in 1770. In the latter year John HOUGHTON, afterwards captain, bought of Thomas SMITH the northeast corner lots of the large tract mentioned. Between then and 1774 he must have built a saw-mill and a grist-mill where the mills west of the schoolhouse now are, for he sold the land and mills in the latter year to Aaron NASH. This was teh first grist-mill west of that built by Gov. WENTWORTH near the mouth of Whetstone brook in 1762, and the first saw-mill west of the one built by Esquire Stephen GREENLEAF, where the Estey mill is, in 1772 or 1773. Esquire GREENLEAF bought land and lived on top of the hill on the north side of the road east of the schoolhouse. He is understood to have been the first merchant in Brattleboro and in vermont. In an article on "Brattleboro in 1771," his store is mentioned as having been where Brattleboro village is, but further information shows that was erroneous. Orginal notes dated in 1777 and and 1778 payable in "good wheat," at Mr. NASH's mill or Esquire GREENLEAF's there," indicate that at that time he lived at this place and that his store may have been there. The province of Massachusetts Bay kept a truck house at Fort Dummer a while for trading with the Indians and soldiers; aside from that probably this store of Esquire GREENLEAF's was the first in the state. The town clerk's office was kept there many years. Lieut. Israel SMITH came about 1770 from Hadley, Mass., and bought land adjoining HOUGHTON's. Rutherford HAYES married his daughter Chole. William ELLAS settled south of where West Brattleboro is in 1772; Samuel WRRINER where Henry WARRINER now lives in 1771; Peter BRIGGS southwest of where------------------1775. Daniel FRAZER west of the brook beyond the schoolhouse in 1776; Artemas HOW southwest of FRAZER in 1777; Thomas AKLEY where Henry AKLEY lives in 1780; Peter HOUGHTON on top of the hill south of West Brattleboro in 1782; John PLUMMER at the PLUMMER place and Samuel MIXER west of him in 1784; Samuel NOBLES east of him in 1785; Levi GOODENOUGH south of NOBLES in 1786, and Jonathan STODDARD northeast of AKLEY's in 1787. These are names of but part of the settlers. In 1772 or 1773 a road was laid out under acts of the provincial assembly of New York through Pownal, New Stamford and Readesborough in Albany county, and Whitingham, Draper, New Marlborough and Brattleborough in Cumberland county, and all freeholders in the towns through which it passed were by the law of New York required to work on it three days in each year. Samuel ANDERSON of Albany county and John HOUGHTON and Malachi CHURCH of Brattleborough were commissioners to see to it and alter it as they should see fit. This resulted in the improvement of the road through Marlborough past the meeting-house to Connecticut river in Brattleborough. Before 1781Col. Seth SMITH had a grist-mill where the factory is at Centreville, and a road was built from the meeting-house to it. In that year a road was built from there near where the road now goes round by THAYER's and CLARK's to the road across cemetery hill. The town first took ation in regard to schools December 4, 1782, by voting:"2d, to choose a committee to confer with the selectmen in order to divide the town into districts for the benefit of schools; 3d, to choose a committee of six men and accordingly chose Lieut. Thomas SARGEANT, Lieut. Richard PROUTY, Lieut. Sam'l KNIGHT, Mr. Wm. HARRIS, Capt. Artemas HOWE and Mr. Eben'r HAWES committemen for the above purpose." The town was divided into six districts by heads of families. Those north of West river were made into District No. 1; those east and south of the meetinghouse into No. 2; those about where this schoolhouse was and south of there to Guilford into No. 3;those in the soutwest part of the town into No. 4; those north and west of the meeting-house into No. 5; and those in the west part of the town into No. 6. The names of the heads of families were: District No. 1 Henry Segar Jesse Frost Daniel Whipple Eben'r Hadley Mary Whipple Jesse hadley Nathan Pierce Elias Wilder Benj. Butterfield Abner Bemis Joseph Fuller Eli Sargeant John Sargeant Levi Sargeant Thomas Sargeant Thos. Sargeant, jr. John Baldwin Timothy Bebee Nathan'l French Asa French Joshua Wilder Jesse French, jr. John Bemis Charles Wilder District No. 2 Benjamin Gorton Moses Tute Sam'l Wells Oliver Harris Josiah Arms John Pettis Ebenezer Frost Rev'd Mr. Reeve James Smith Ebenezer Fisher Nath'l Church Micah Townshend John Joy Jona. Peabody Sam'l Knight John Griffin Matthew Martin Joel Atchinson Mr. Clark Caleb Morgan Peter Covel John Dickerman Elnathan Allen Stephen Greenleaf Oliver Evans Benjamin Baker Asa Putnam Joshua Harris Elisha Pierce Jona. Goodenough Nathan Willard John Arms Mr. Stearns Wm. Dickerman Gardn'r Chandler Abraham Martin Wm. King Abner Scovel Oliver Wells District No. 3 Elihu Hide Issac McCune Sam'l Root Doct'r John Munro Lemuel Kendrich Asa Dagget Simpson Ellis John Hager John Houghton David Pinks Wm. Harris Samuel Warriner Isarel Smith Zebediah Marsh Wm. Harris, jr. Jabez Wood Salathiel Harris Jabez Wood, jr. Olivr Nash Nathaniel Chandler Aaron Nash Henry Chandler Wm. Houghton Jacob Spalding Peter Houghton Abel Symonds Jre'h Hopkins William Church Issac Crosby Josiah Church Valentine Harris Wm. Evans Joseph Burt Nathan'l Blakeslee Luther Burt Eber Church John Ellis Widow Blakeslee Simeon Eaton James Blakeslee John Campton William Jones Moses Nash District No. 4 Daniel Steward Jona. Smith William Salisbury Philip Paddleford Hezekiah Salsbury Beuben Smith Oliver Salisbury John Plummer John Steward Joseph How Gideon Briggs Artemas How Mr. Hall Sam'l Mixer James Barney Abel Grout Mr. Stoddard Jesse Butterfield Thomas Akeley Nehemiah Horton Jona. Stoddard Benoni Thompson George Dixon Sam'l Newton Stephen Greenleaf, jr. Philip Wood William Holton David How John Dixon John Carpenter David Dixon Luke Butterfield Daniel Frazer District No. 5 John Newton Francis Prouty David Polard Jona. Dunklee Samuel Bennett Joseph Dunklee Joseph Bennett Amos Rice Noah Bennett Ephriam Rice Timo. Church Jona. Alexander Wm. Cranny Eph'm Knapp Joseph Whipple James Knapp Stephen Bennett Benja. Gould Jona. Church John Alexander Joseph Chamberlain Elijah Prouty Rich'd Prouty Israel Field Timo. Whipple Jothan Spaulding Benj. Butterfield, jr. Wm. McCune, jr. Wm. McCune Issac Kendal Doct'r Dickerman Sawyer Wright Mr. Leason Ebenezer Knapp Taylor Brooks Ebenezer Church Oliver Cook Joseph Cook Jona. Herrick Mr. Nichols District No. 6 Barnet Field Jonathan Hobbs Issac Bump Reuben Bump Selah Wells Nathan Gould Jabez Davis (Plus 3 names I couldn't read due to a fold in the paper.) Among those in district No. 3 is to be noticed "Doc't" John Munro, not often mentioned among the early physicians. He was probably the first in that part of the town. The schoolhouse in district No. 1 was probably built where the schoolhouse in that district now is; that in No. 2 at the northwest corner of what is the common in Brattleboro village; that in No. 3 perhaps where this one stood; and that n No. 5 where that in district No. 6 now stands. Col John SARGEANT was committee in No. 1; Mr. Asa PUTNAM in No. 2; Mr. William HARRIS in No. 3; Capt. HOWE in No. 4; Mr. Noah BENNETT in No. 5; and Mr. Jonathan SALISBURY in No. 6, and all were chosen by the town and not by the respective districts. No village was situated where West Brattleboro is now, and no raod led from there to where Brattleboro willage is till after 1784. At that time Simpson ELLAS lived where the West Brattleboro Academy stood; Lieut. ROOT east of the brook; and Josiah AMES had a house and shop near Col. SMITH's mill. In 1785 the raod through where West brattleboro is was built, and the meeting-house was located on the north side of it nearly opposite to where the Congregational meeting-house now is and east of where Capt. HOUGHTON then lived. The village of West Brattleboro then began to grow up about there. Till then the most of a village in the town was on and about the hill north of Centreville. One of the centres of business was around where the old schoolhouse stood. In that year the town took up the subject of schools again in a general way. The districts were called classes. On April 20, at an adjourned meeting it 1. Voted to divide the southwest school class in the middle by a north and south line from the centre line of this town to the north line of Guilford. 2. Voted that Mr. Phillip WOOD be the trustee of the school class in the southwest part of the town. 3. Voted that Mr. John STEWARD be trustee for the school class next adjoining the southwest class in this town. 4. Voted to divide the school class in the south east part of the town by a north and south line running between Peter COVEL's farm and Elnathan ALLEN's farm, as said line runs north and south from the north end of said class to Guilford north line. 5. Made choice of Mr. Josiah ARMS trustee for the east part of said class and Mr. Elisha PIERCE for the west part. 6. Voted to divide the school class in which the schoolhouse is by Mr. nah BENNETT's as follows: That all the inhabitants west of Mr. BROOKS's, Capt. COOK's and Joseph CHAMBERLAIN's belong to the west part; and made choice of Francis PROUTY trustee of said west part. 7. Vote dthat john CARPENTER for the future belong to the school class of which John STEWARD is trustee. 8. Vote dthat Mr. stephen GREENLEAF, jr. for the future belong to the school class of which Mr. William HARRIS is trustee. (Several lines cannot be read.) Voted to divide the most western --------except one in the south part of the town. Voted to divide said district by a line drawn on the north side of Mr. STODDARD's land from east to west through said district; that the north side be annexed to the district in the centre of the south part of the town. Chose Jabez WOOD trustee for the most westerly district except one in the south west part of the town. Voted to annex the farms of Daniel STEWARD, Abner SCOVEL, Joseph WELLS and Samuel GARNSEY in the southwest district to the district next east. That Samuel WARRINER be trustee for said district. By tthese votes the principal distaricts came to be in territory similar to wha they now are, except that the district in which the old brick schoolhouse stood included nearly what is now districts No. 5 and 7, and was the centre district in the south part of the town. In November 1787 the town "Voted that the centre school district in teh south half of the town be divided by a line running parallel with the west line of Mr. William HARRIS's lot on which he now lives, said line running from north to south." This divided that district somewhat as those two districts are now divided,leaving that where the old schoolhouse stood much as it is now. When the old schoolhouse was taken down it was supposed to be and probably had long been the oldest schoolhouse in town. When it was built is not known to the writer hereof, but brickwas made in that vicinity as early as 1774, and this schoolhouse may have been built among the very first. Transcribed by Ruth Barton -- Ruth Barton mrgjb@sover.net Dummerston, VT

I was called and told of my cousin's death at MT Ascutney hospital in Vermont.  I just found this cousin last fall and found out she was on dialysis.  She had diabetes and so I talked with her and asked about maybe meeting when weather allowed.  I wondered if anyone is near Springfield and if they saw the obit, she died Feb. 6 would they cut it out and send.  If there is a web site for newspapers in area maybe it will be in paper.  Her funeral is at Methodist Church, Proctorsville Sat. Feb 21 at 11 AM.  I just don't think I can make the 100 mile trip over and then beck tomorrow. Harriet

Harriet, Check the websites for newspapers such as: www.rutlandherald.com/obits www.timesargus.com/obits www.valleynews.com/obits Then you could search by name, or by date... or do a range of dates, it might bring up the picture and obit. Bill Rotax Syracuse, NY -----Original Message----- From: Harriet Cady <kd4318@yahoo.com> To: vermont@rootsweb.com Sent: Fri, 20 Feb 2009 8:14 am Subject: [VERMONT] Obit of Viola Norton I was called and told of my cousin's death at MT Ascutney hospital in Vermont.? I just found this cousin last fall and found out she was on dialysis.? She had diabetes and so I talked with her and asked about maybe meeting when weather allowed.? I wondered if anyone is near Springfield and if they saw the obit, she died Feb. 6 would they cut it out and send.? If there is a web site for newspapers in area maybe it will be in paper.? Her funeral is at Methodist Church, Proctorsville Sat. Feb 21 at 11 AM.? I just don't think I can make the 100 mile trip over and then beck tomorrow. Harriet ************************************************* List Guidelines: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vermont/VermontWelcome.html Visit the Gateway to Vermont Web Site: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vermont/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VERMONT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message