Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-04-05

appointed committee. 1t was voted to
raise 55 cents on a dollar for expenses |
the esnuing year. Owing to Irregularities
in the proceedings. the creation of the
new district on the hill will be postponed
for the present. Some of the citizens
made a request that the district maintain
a school for them during the summer,
for the convenience of the small scholars.
This is not unreasonable. There are
many children in that vicinity who can
not conveniently come as far as this vii
age to school who ought to be schooled
somewhere, and the expense of the sum-
mer school would be less than the loss
to district No. /, if new district is
formed. In the West district J. B.
Freeman was appointed committee.
Owing to the plethoric condition of the
treasury no tax was voted for the pres
ent year.
Alonzo F. McNeal died on Friday
last. after sickness. of only five days,
of peritonitis. Mr.. McNeal received
slight injury in his bowels several days
since, by fall, which he felt for some
days. On Sunday last he became quite
suddenly sick, and on Tuesday was TAX
en- with most severe pain in the bowels
attended by nausea. A stoppage took
place, either as the result of the injury
or otherwise, and no medical treatment
could relieve him. Inflammation set in
and, for the last hours, until near the
close of life, his suffering was intense.
Mr.. McNeal was an excellent neighbor,
good citizen and very exemplary and
useful member of the Methodist church.
He will be greatly missed in the fami-
ly, the neigbborhood, and the church.
He leaves wife, an adopted daughter,
a widowed mother and other near friends.
The whole community is grieved by his
loss. The funeral services were attend
ed at the M. E. church on Sunday, Revs.
A. H. Webb and H. T. Jones officiating.
DAVID ABBoTT.-Capt. o. V. Percival
contributes the following which will be
of interest to many of the older peo-
pie in this vicinity:
Among the early pioneers of this town,
honorable mention might be made of
David Abbott. He came into Barton in
the spring of 1896, accompanied by
Samuel Lord, each with their families.
They came from Parsonsville, Maine,
during the preceding winter, stopping in
Sheffield until they harvested sugar
crop. Mr. Abbott's family consisted of
his wife, Sarah Keyzer, two girls, aged
five and seven years, and himself. They
were brought into town by Ensign Jona-
than Robinson of Sheffield on an OK
wagon. The spot chosen by Mr.. Abbott
for his future home was on the high
lands west of the river, on land now
owned by John G. Hall. The site where
he built his first log house being marked
to this day. The pitch in the woods
was made just at the time when crops
needed to be planted and sown. Mr..
Abbott put up rude log house, and
began clearing land on which to raise
sufficient food for the coming season.
Without any aid from man or beast he
fell and cleared the timber from five
acres. hoed in his seed, and harvested
his crops. Having no suitable house
prepared for the winter, he moved in
with neighbor and spent the winter.
Mr.. Abbott was soldier of the Revolu-
ton, a man of great strength and of
great courage. 1t is related of him that
he went on to beaver meadow in G]ov-
er, five miles distant, and cut a stack of
of hay with which to keep his COW the
first winter, land drew it all during the win
ter months on hand sled. During this
winter, getting short of provisions, he
went out on hunt and shot and killed
two moose on the farm now owned by E.
s. Mills in Glover. Night being near
at hand, he camped beside the dead ami
mails. In the morning he returned for
help to bring back the prize. Each
member of the party returned with a
large quarter of moose beef. On the
night of Oct. 6, 1896, Mr.. Abbott start
ed for Greensboro after Dr. Huntington,
then the only physician in the county,
his family being in great need of a doc
tor He ran most of the way, found the
DR.. and started him back in great haste,
while he hurried back on foot. Coming
to log heap some one had left burning,
he ventured to rest moment, where, ov-
ercome by fatigue, he fell sleep and
nearly persisted. the night being very
cold. When he returned home, his.wife
presented him with the first male child
born in town, David S. who still lives,
and is one of the sprightliest old men in
town. Mr.. Abbott cleared large tract
of land and did much toward the devel-
ing of the new town, and was an honored
citizen. He was member of the first
Methodist church in the town. He bur-
ried his first wife in 1916, and after
wards two other wives. He died in this
town, Mar. s, 1847, aged 81 years. His
son David S. will be 90 next Octnhar