Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-02-15
EARLY HISTORY OF CARTON
CONTINUED.

The first child born In town was Ame-
liza May. daughter of James and Eliza
beth May, on Oct Sd. 1896. The first
male child born was George Abbott, in
June. 1897. In August Of the same
wear. this child died this was the first
death in town 1t may be interesting
to the ladies to know when the first
quilting was held. and who were invited
The event was of no minor consequence.
at that early day. and it was no small
undertaking to meet for such purpose
Mrs. Priscilla Sturtevant appointed her
quilting. and invited all the ladies IN
four towns. including Irasburgh. Glover,
Bloomington and Barton all came eX-
cept one lady from Glover. and they had |
an agreeable time. In 1901, three men |
hired school teacher Mr.. Merriam
Darling from Wheelock. and started a |
school, having the school in each oftheir |
houses one-third of the time. Owing to |
tho long distance that scholars were
obliged to go to attend the school, they
all boarded together with the teacher, at
the place where the school was then be-
ing kept David Pillsbury and Samuel
Nichols were the first innkeepers. In
| 1903. Ellis Cobb carae into town, and
set up cloth dressing machinery; and
during the same year, Joseph Owen sup
piled want that had for some time
been felt, by building a whiskey still.
Lemuel Sturtevant, in 1900, was the
first man to embark in mercantile pur-
suits, and his enterprise proved unfortu-
nate. He bought his goods and was to
pay for them in potash-at that time
almost the only article that could be car
ried out of the country and sold for
money. Not meeting his payments
promptly, he was sued and arrested, as
at that time the body was held for debt.
fOvercome with emotion ut the sight of
the officers, who had attached his goods
and potash. and were about to seize him,
he tainted away, and was laid upon his
bed until he should recover sufficiently
to be taken off to jail He suddenly
came to his senses. while the officers
were looking over the goods they had
attached, slipped out back window,
gave leg bail, and was not seen again
for about three years. The first mar
riage in town was that Of John Brown.
Jr. and Miss Polly Foss. by Jonathan
Allyn, Esq, in January, 1903. In Feb
ruary Of the same year, the small pox
broke out, and house near where Chas.
Lee now resides, was used as a pest
house. Several persons came from Glow
er and voluntarily took the disease, that
they might escape having it so hard.
. One child in Barton. and one in Glover
. died with the disease. The hotel or tav.
ern business was good in those days
There were no prohibition laws, and run
was as much of a necessity to travellers
as food and lodging As early as il
1900, Jonathan Robinson opened a tay
ern; in 1904, Samuel Lord opened an
other, and in 1907, Asa Kimball built ;
large house where Guy E. Rowell nov
> lives, and kept tavern there many years
Another store was started IN 1905, By
: Col. Bangs, and carding machinery wa
" put in operation by Ellis Cobb. on til
; site where the shop belonging to T.
= Cobb was burned few years since. As
- kimball was the first postmaster in tow
and held the Office several years b
" built the first respectable grist mill i
- 1909. The first militia company wa
- organized in June, 1904. jonathan A
y Ign was the first town representative
10 and chosen in 1903. The early inhab
" tants suffered many privations. and Ell
- dured many hardships for the first fe
.ie years, but they located where the 80
~ was good, and in a short time raise
i"e abundant crops. Mills were immediate
"" ly erected, passable roads leading sout
Ids were made. and facilities obtained f
~ communication with that part Of Il
" state that had been earlier settled. Wht
iiie the first settlers arrived. Wild beas
ei were numerous and many bears we
'ns trapped. or shot at such times as t
Of men Of several towns made .be
lrlh hunt" Bears were very fond Of co
de- and destroyed much Of it for many yea
70 In 1903, four were caught and shot
nv and near a corn field belonging to Jan
May. Deer and moose were frequent
any caught. during the winter months. |
ire vid Abbott had an adventure after mos
be by which he came near losing his II
1sit He killed moose In the woods. scyel
use miles east Of the settled portion Of B.
has ton. and. as it was nearly night.
do thought he would eneamp and 90 b
ave- the next day. In falling trees for
title camp FIRE. he broke his axe and COZ
the not use it in obtaining wood or covert
sink The night proved fearfully cold bat
may took the hide of the dead moose. 4
wrapped in this. managed % keep b
bout self from freezing until Morning. v