Franklin County Vermont Biographies
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
L |
M |
||||
N |
O |
P |
Q |
R |
S |
T |
U |
V |
W |
X |
Y |
Z |
Austin, Hazard Perry
Page 684
Hazard Perry Austin was born in Berkshire, September 28, 1820, the second son in a family of four sons and one daughter of Raymond and Abigail (Ladd) Austin. Raymond Austin was one of the early settlers of Berkshire. He located on the farm now occupied by the widow of our subject. His sons Horatio Nelson, Hazard Perry, Ezra and Alpheus M., all died in Berkshire; his daughter, Abigail Celia, is unmarried and resides in Richford. Hazard P. had only the advantages of a common school education. He worked on his father's farm, and soon after his marriage became owner of the old homestead, where he continued to live till his death, May 24, 1887. In politics a Republican he held the offices of deputy sheriff, constable, and collector of taxes for a number of years, and was agent for the Vermont Mutual Fire Insurance Company for over thirty years. He married, January 4, 1843, Mary A., daughter of Lucius H. and Mary (Rowley) Wheeler. She was born in Berkshire, April 13, 1824. They have had no children.-- History of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties Vermont with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers; Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich; Syracuse, NY; D. Mason & Co. Publishers; 1891; Chapter 39- Biographical; Contributed by Nancy Piper
Blake, Hon. William Hamilton
Page 685-686
Hon. William Hamilton Blake, born at St. Albans, Vt., December 19, 1812, is the third son of Eleazer and Ruth (Beals) Blake, natives of Northampton, Mass., who located in St. Albans in January 1800. His father owned real estate in St. Albans and was during the War of 1812 a deputy collector of customs under C. P. Van Ness, which position he held at the time of his death in January, 1816. His mother was buried in St. Albans, October 1, 1820, and on the same day he came to Swanton and resided with his mother's sister till May, 1830. He attended the district school during the winter term, the balance of the year being devoted to work, being called upon to labor much harder than the lads of the present day.
On the 12th day of May, 1830, Mr. Blake went to Fairfield Center, where he was employed as a clerk in a general store. Bradley Barlow had written to A. B. Larabee, who was teaching school at Swanton, asking if he had a pupil competent and honest to fill the position of clerk in his store. Mr. Larabee recommended our subject, who held the place till December 19, 1833. He then taught the district school at Fairfield for four months to the satisfaction of all. Returning to Swanton in the spring of 1834 he formed a partnership with Alonzo Green, and purchased Gardiner Green the remains of a stock of goods in a store at East Swanton. The firm replenished the stock with purchases made in Troy and New York ,and also manufactured pearl ashes (sashes?). During the year 1835, Gardiner Green became a member of the firm, and the corner brick store at Swanton Falls, now occupied by C. D. Rublee (1891), was hired from S.W. & S. S. Keyes. The latter store was opended in May, 1835, Gardiner Green and Mr. Blake having charge, while Alonzo Green had charge of the store at East Swanton. In 1837 Mr. Blake disposed of his interest to his brother Joseph and came to St. Albans, where he formed a partnership with T. W. Smith, the firm name being Smith & Blake, dealing in general merchandise. In the fall of 1839 Mr. Blake transferred his interest to his partner, and the following year in connection with his brother Joseph he engaged in business in Swanton under the name of J. & W. H. Blake. This firm continued in business till 1853, when they sold to George Barney. In 1854 Mr. Blake became a partner with Mr. Barney, not only in the sale of general merchandise, but also in the marble business, under the firm name of Blake & Barney, which was dissolved in 1857. From the latter date until the present time Mr. Blake has been engaged in farming, excepting during the years 1859-60, when he was in the slaughtering and wool business at Cleveland, O.
In politics Judge Blake was originally a Democrat, but joined the Free Soilers, and upon the organization of the Republican party became one of its early members. He has been called upon to fill many offices of public trust. He was county commissioner in 1854-55, state senator in 1855-56, assistant judge of the County Courts in 1874-75, town treasurer from 1872-1882, deputy collector of customs from 1861 to 1871, justice of the peace for ten years, town lister for about eight years, and selectman in 1853-54, 1861-63, 1865, 1867, and 1869, and during most of this time was chairman of the board. He was for ten years juror and county grand juror, and was chairman of the committee appointed to erect the soldiers' monument in Swanton, which he was authorized to purchase. Judge Blake is one of the present trustees of the R. I. Barney fund, which amounts to $20,000.
He married December 7, 1837, Ann Eliza, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Manzer) Clark, who was born in Swanton, September 10, 1816. They have two children, Mary, wife of Dr. E. H. Rawson, a practicing physician of Des Moines, Ia., and Clark Hamilton who married Caroline Bell, and has two daughter, Clara Bell and Anna. They reside with Judge Blake in Swanton. On December 7, 1887, the Judge and Mrs. Blake celebrated their golden wedding, but the latter after many years of usefulness departed this life on February 16, 1891.--History of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties Vermont with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers; Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich; Syracuse, NY; D. Mason & Co. Publishers; 1891; Chapter 39- Biographical; Contributed by Nancy Piper
Page 682-683
Smith Brooks is a representative of one of the oldest families of St. Albans. Adonijah Brooks was originally from Connecticut, and during the Revolutionary war came to Pittsford, Vt. He married Olive Harrington. His eldest son, Hananiah, came to St. Albans in 1788; he had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He died in Ohio. Azariah and Eleazer, two sons of Adonijah, came to St. Albans in 1790 with their father; the former removed to ohio, where he died; the latter died in St. Albans. The other children of Adonijah were Adonijah, Asahel, Hanna, who married a Sawyer, and Polly who married Lemuel Lasell. Adonijah died in St. Albans, October 3, 1809, aged seventy-one years; his wife died march 20, 1828, aged eighty-eight years.
Adonijah, son of Adonijah and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Granville, N.Y., February 27, 17777, and married Betsey Gates. They had nine children, one of whom died in infancy. The others are James, a resident of Georgia; Holloway, who ied young, Emery, who also died young; David G., born February 27, 1808, died at St. Albans, November 21, 1880; Smith A.; Victorine P., widow of Harmon Barker, resides in Georgia; Luke, a resident of Chateaugay, N.Y., and Electa A., widow of Hiram Dodge, also lives at Chateaugay, N.Y. Adonijah died in New York state, October 10, 1915; his wife died September 29, 1859.
Smith A. Brooks was born in St. Albans, January 20, 1810. His early life was spent on his father's farm, and he had only the benefits of a common school education. He married March 27, 1834, Alma, daughter of Ebenezer and Judy (Harrington) Kibbee, of South Hero. Their children were Ebenezer A., of St. Albans; Harriet S., who married Kinney Cleveland (deceased), and resides at St. Albans Bay; Judith H., who married Henry Ballard, and died in St. Albans; Fannie E., wife of Charles M. Brooks, of St. Albans; and Betsey A., who married Warren Green, and died at St. Albans. Mrs. Brooks died February 2, 1887. Mr. Brooks left home at the age of twenty-four years with not over $100 as a starting capital but by industry and frugality he acquired a competency, and is now in comfortable circumstances. He owns over 750 acres of farming lands in Franklin and Grand Isle counties. He votes the Republican ticket, though he is not an active politician.--History of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties Vermont with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers; Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich; Syracuse, NY; D. Mason & Co. Publishers; 1891; Chapter 39- Biographical; Contributed by Nancy Piper
Jewett, Lieut. Erastus W.
Page 683-684
Lieut. Erastus W. Jewett is descended from Eleazer Jewett, who was a son of Thomas Jewett, of Bennington, Vt., and who was a lieutenant under Capt. Elisha Dewey at the battle of Bennington, August 16, 1777, and took the sword from the hand of Colonel Baum at the surrender of the British army. This sword is now in the possession of George W. Robinson, of Bennington Center, Vt.
Eleazer Jewett was born in Bennington, September 22, 1769, and came to St. Albans in 1793 among the early settlers of that town. He built the first gristmill in the town, near the Swanton line. He was county surveyor of Franklin county, and was engaged in farming and lumbering. He married Mary, daughter of John Pratt, of Swanton, and they had four children, viz: Eleazer, Mary, Erastus and Harriet. Eleazer died in St. Albans, May 20, 1815.
Eleazer (the son of Eleazer) was born in St. Albans, December 18, 1796, and resided all his life on the Jewett homestead. He married Dorothy, daughter of Jesse Abell, of Swanton, and they had a family of ten children, viz: Jason P., born October 13, 1827, a resident of Swanton; Albert B., mentioned in another part of this work; Harriet M., born February 3, 1831; Eleazer T., born February 22, 1833, who resides in Santa Cruz, Cal.; Mary A., born February 1, 1835, married Robert L. Frazer, and died at Lawrence, Kan.; Jesse A., born may 4, 1837, commissioned second lieutenant Company C., Fifth Regiment, September 5, 1861, first lieutenant July 9, 1862, captain Company K, march 21, 1863; resigned May 29, 1863, and died at Swanton, April 16, 1866, from disease contracted in the army; Erastus W., subject of this sketch; Charles S., born July 22, 1841, resides in St. Albans; Sophia P., born August 1, 1845, wife of A. W. Brigham, of New Ulm, Minn.; and Myron H., born March 13, 1848, a resident of Highgate. Eleazer was killed by a premature blast of a maple log February 8, 1864; his wife died in St. Albans, December 14, 1886.
Erastus W. Jewett was born in St. Albans, April 1, 1839. He enlisted in Company A, Ninth Vermont Volunteers, and was commissioned June 14, 1862, second lieutenant in that company; was promoted May 24, 1863, first lieutenant; and resigned November 21, 1864. Lieutenant Jewett has received a medal of honor from acting secretary of war "for gallantry and valor at the battle of Newport Barracks, February 2, 1864, while commanding the company, holding the Confederates back, and burning the railroad bridge, thereby assisting materially in preventing the Union troops from capture." Returning from the seat of war he engaged in the lime and hay business, which he carried on successfully for several years. A Republican in politics he has held the various town offices, and is at present president of the village of Swanton. He is a member of Jesse Jewett Post, No. 73, G.A.R., and is aid-de-camp on Col. Wheelock G. Veazey's staff with the rank of colonel. He is a member of the Massachusetts Commandery of the Loyal Legion, of the Sons of the Revolution, and is also a prominent Mason. Lieutenant Jewett married Fanny L., daughter of William and Lucy (Doane) Brigham, of St. Albans, and they had four children, viz.: Jesse B., Mary, who died at the age of two years, Nellie H., and Walter C. Mrs. Jewett died October 5, 1882.--History of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties Vermont with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers; Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich; Syracuse, NY; D. Mason & Co. Publishers; 1891; Chapter 39- Biographical; Contributed by Nancy Piper
Kelton, Hon. Otis Nelson
Page 686
Hon. Otis Nelson Kelton was born in Montgomery, April 3, 1844 and is the eldest son in a family of nine children of Otis L. and Sarah L. (Newcomb) Kelton. Otis L. was born in Warwick, Mass., December 16, 1805, and married, December 13, 1842, the daughter of Giles and Lurana Newcomb, of Waterbury, Vt. He was a miller and farmer and in early life removed to Calais, Vt., and in 1833 he settled at Montgomery Center. Otis N. attended the district schools of his native town and an academy at Brandon, Vt., and studied book-keeping at Eastman Business College at Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He commenced (to be continued)--History of Franklin and Grand Isle Counties Vermont with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of the Prominent Men and Pioneers; Edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich; Syracuse, NY; D. Mason & Co. Publishers; 1891; Chapter 39- Biographical; Contributed by Nancy Piper
