Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-03-04
From DummerstOn.
ANCESTORS AND ANECDOTES OF EARLY sETTLEI
OF THE TOWN

ANCESTORS AND ANECDOTES OF EARLY SETTLERS
OF THE TOWN.
William Holton, Houlton, was born in Eng
land, 1911 came from Ipswich TO America
in ship Francis" 1884, original proprietor
of Hartford OF. removed thence to North
hampton, Mass, where he was ordained dea-
con, 1903; representative to the general
court Eve years from Northampton and one
year from Hsdley; on committee for North
field at the second settlement, 1912; died
Aug. ~, 1891 His wife, Mary , died
Nov. 16, 1901. Their children were John,
Samuel, William, Mary, Sarah, Ruth, Rachel
and Thomas, killed in the attack on North
hampton, March IA, 1876. Mary married
David Burt, Nov. 1s, 1866; Sarah married
John King, Nov. IS, 1656,-the first two
marriages in Northampton. Ruth married
Joseph Baker, who was killed by the Indians,
Oct. 30, 1876. Rachel married Thomas
Strong. John, son of William a. died
April 1G 1712. Abigail -, his wife, was
living in 1918. Their children were Mary,
Eleazer, Sarah, Abigail, Joshua. William and
Thomas. Thomas, son Of John, was born
Oct. 23, 1851 was in Northfield, 1918;
killed by the Indians Aug. 20, 1928. He
married Mindwell, daughter of Samuel Allen
of Northampton. After her husband was
killed she married (2,) Daniel Chaplin. She
died Oct. 2l, 1868. Children: Joshua, born
1908; Thomas, 1905; Hannah 1905 Mind
well, about 1712 Ithamer, who died Dec. 4,
1913. Thomas, son of Thomas (16S1) was
born about 1905; carpenter by trade 'dis-
missed from church in Northfeld 1893, with
wife and daughter Sarah, to be Joined with
others in church in Fulham," now Dunn
merston, where he settled after 1771. He
married Sarah --; died in this town
Dec. %, 1900, aged about % years. Their
children were Thomas Allen, born in North
field, 1744; Sarah, Arad, Nov. 1752 Mind
well, Hannah, Olive and Obedience, who were
baptized April 90, 1854. Sarah married Elijah
Town, jr., about l77G. Arad married Q,)
Anna Haven (2,) Rebecca Houghton (3,)
Mrs. Eunice Spaulding Mindwell married
William Orvis, who died Jan. IL, 1901, aged
III years. slate stone marks his resting
place in the cemetery near the meeting house.
Hannah married Joseph Nurse Olive, Hen
ry Cressy Obedience, Calvin Butler Five
Of these families resided in school district No.
8 in 1893 Calvin Butler lived on the farm now
owned by l. NJ. Knapp. VIM. Orvis lived in
a house that stood in the northeast corner Of
the "Orvis lot" near the place where some
twenty old apple trees are now standing west
Of the school house. Elijah Town, jr, built
the house aud lived on the farm now owned
by Howard Jones' Wranslow Holton remem-
ba- i 4 =
Uncle Elijah's, when he was a small boy.
He went there one day to visit his cousins.
Young Elijah, his cousin, who was older than
he, showed him the bees that were working
busily about the hives. Mr.. Holton says
that the 'little devil'' gave him a piece of
board and told him to go and scrape off the
bees from the hive. Instead of scraping of
the bees he got himself into scrape that he
has never forgotten. Arad Holton was far
rier and was somewhat peculiar in his man
ner. When he was young man he broke
his leg below the knee, and wishing to have
it set by a surgeon in Norhfield, rode on
horseback 10 that town, had the bone set,
and returned on horseback next day He al
ways rode on horseback when travelling about
ehO SohhAA9s Oh oht pSNhhion lOlu bOulb
men that $500 had been offered him for the
horse which he was riding. They looked
much surprised After a pause he added
that il was the amount of four or FIVE offers.
His Mortified friends told him, one time,
that he was unwise to live up in Vermont on
land not so productive as they had in North
field. His reply was, "You boast of your
nrnHugiiva lands lint I rafua1
my farm that you could not turn over with
hand spike. They did not believe it till he
added that it grew under large root. He
claimed that he once hauled the heaviest
load with a single horse of sny man in Yer
mont. He explained that it was himself and
five children, which made six tohOle tons,
(Hol-tons) the large load of which he boast
ed Henry Cressey lived on farm east of
the Lyman Knight place, since divided up
and sold in separate lots. He is known as
the man who made the "Cressey jump" The
story goes that he was walking alone across
field and coming to brook that was wide
and deep, he said to himself: "Cressy,
will bet you a dollar that you can't Jump
across the brook. Done" said he, and back
he went few PAGES to get a good start
When at full speed he bounded like deer
across the brook. Elated by his success he
said, Now, Cressey, will bet you another
dollar that you can't jump back agaiu.
agreed" said he, and, starting as before,
he bounded, and missing firm foothold, fell
backwards, splash into the brook Scramb-
ling up out of the water he said SIT is a
Cressey jump; nothing gained, nothing lost"
and went on his way wetter If not richer
man. d. L. NJ