Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-03-05

John Reed aud jacob Laughton-Sketches OF Larry
Settlers.
June ., 1882, Marshall Miller bought lot
No S5 containing 100 acres Of uhceared land
also in the following year he bought 40 acres
adjoining in the western part Of lot No. Ga.
The remaining 60 acres Of that lot we're sold
by Asa Sharpe, an original proprietor of the
township, to Lemuel Davenport. The east
ern half Of Me Davenport's land was sold
by him to Daniel Davenport, May %, 1887
for about S117, and he, or his father Lemuel,
probably built the first dwelling house on the
farm now owned by L9avitt T.. Bond Dan
el also bought the remaining part of the
farm OF his brother Amos in 1887, and was
owner of the place TIL Sept. l. 1894, when
he sold his homestead aud ten acres to Jona-
than Hall, halter of Putney, for S2G7, and
the remaining land to Samuel Porter, E-q.
Porter also bought land Of Lieut.. Daniel
Gates, who had purchased it of Amos Dav-
export in 1887. Mr.. Hall sold out to Jona-
than Barrus, bricklayer, Sept. IL, 1898, for
$3.50 33, and Barrus to Arad Holton, Nov,
10, 1900, for $500 and it was occupied by
his son Reuben HUlton for ~ years. Reu.
ben purchased of Daniel Gates, April |, 1906,
three foutths of an acre on the south side of
Salmon brook, for $50, aud on which he
built grist mill close to the bridge over the
saw-mll dam. No previous mention had
been made of saw mill at this place Prob
ably llolton built it soon after 1900 when be
moved to the farm. John Laughton sold
him ! acres adjoining the mill lot, making a
total Of two acres purchased south Of the
brook May II, 1920, Reuben sold to bis
brother Noble Holton distillery which was
then standing on the north side of the high
way between my mills and dwelling house "
The grist. mill aud three fourths acre Of land
was mortgaged to Col. WIN. Boyden, Feb.
10, 1918, for S3i9, which would indicate
something near the cost of building the mill
Reuben HOlton seems never to have owned
the homestead and 10 acres west Of the high.
way, where he lived so many years. for it
was sold by Arad, his father, to Rodney
Liughton for $500, March 25, 1924 On the
same day Reuben sold his property which
including the grist mill and two acres Of land
south OF the brook, TO Rodney Laughton for
$500. Al that date clover mill erect
ed by Asa Lawton WAS standing between the
saw mill and the grst mill, and was except
ed in the deed. The saw.mll therefore,
was standing near the bridge so late
~ 1924 The dwelling house was located
some 30 rods from the mills and about four
rods west of the highway. The barn stood
III the same inclosure north of the path lead
ing across the fat to the bouse. Laughton
built a new house several rods below the site
OF the old one about 1926 He owned the
farm l3 years. purchasing in the meantime
an additional eight acres, so that when he
sold to Loavitt Reed, Nov. q, 1887, it COM
prised 20 acres, for which he received Sl4OO
the buildings being included in the sale. Mr.
Reed died on the place and the estate was
sold in April, 1851, TO Wilder Knight who is
now a resid,n, Of B-attleboro The grist-mll
vas kept in operation until ihe fall Of 1873
when big fresLet washed away the dam
which has not since been repaired. The
land on the east ride OF the highway north
of the brook, now belonging to the farm,
was the property of Ephraim Laughton in
1916. and it WAS sold to Widow Mary Fuller
OF Putney. He also sold her his homestead
and six acres Of land, on which was a grist-
mill, for 500. Mrs. Fuller was the mother
Of Kinda Fuller, wife of Alvin Knapp and
mother of Milton Knapp now living on a
farm north of this locality. She sold the
place TO her son Calvin, who was TO sup.
port her during the remainder OF life. The
property is now owned by Fred Laughton
and is about one-fourth of mile up the
brook from Mr.. Bonds place. Jesse Fair
| child, millwright, was the owner in 1884,
and probably built the mill shortly before
that date. The land is in the southeast cor.
ner OF lot No. Sc, adjoining lot No "a at the
northwest corner. Fairchild sold to Daniel
Gates and Ichabod Knapp in 1884. Since
then Abner Town. Pairla Town, Capt. Jabez
Butler and Abel Butler have been owners OF
the mill and land in the order named Jacob
Laughton bought the place Oct. 3, 1912. and
sold it to Ephraim Laughton Sept 80, 1914.
| Soon after reuben Holton sold his grist-mil
the clover mill standing near it WAS doubtless
removed some 80 rods up the brook, where il
was standing when the great freshet late in
| the year 1928 swept ii away with other mills
and dams on Salmon brook 1t WAS called
the Jackson freshet, probably as it made 9
clean sweep like the election OF Jackson that
year for President OF the United States. That
freshet doubtless swept away all traces OF the
old saw mills in this locality. Asa Lawton
was not discouraged by the loss Of his mill
and soon erected another still farther up the
brook just east of the bridge below the
Chamberlain Wilder place. 1t probably stood
on or near the site Of an old saw mill in
which John Reed, an early settler on Putney
west hill, and Jacob Laughton, q pioneer oi
Dummerston, each had an equal intert st
Mt Laughton was living in 1851 at the age
| of 30 years, when Mr.. Hall, the author oil
Halls History OF Eastern Vermont" visit
ed Dummerston in search Of historical infor
nation for his book. lie mentions Laugh
ton az having furnished him valuable aid
MIR. Reed was the father Of Simeon AnC
grandfather OF Thomas N. Reed OF this town
During the season for saving lumber Reed
and LauRhton each in turn run the mill on,
week and had the income Of q weeks lRbo
alternately. Laughton lived not far from th'
mill, on the farm now owned by his grand
son, Austin Lsughton. and returned hom,
across the lots each night after his days worl
was done. Reeds home was so far from hi
work that he remained at the mill during tn,
whole week, running the saw continually
day and night. His meals were brought Il
him daily by his boys, who had charge o
the farm work at home during the absenc
of their father. His sleep was obtained a
short intervals while the saw was running tn
length of the log. The feed being throw
off at the end would awake him and jump
ing up instantly he would put things in OF
der start the saw and catch another nap
The result was that his income from the mil
exceeded that of Mr.. Ltughton's, who com
planned to him Of such management. "Yol
can follow the same plan, replied Reed, ii
you choose" No further complaint wa
made by Laughton.
Lemuel Davenport was a cousin of Charlie
Davenport a prominent man in the earl
history of this town. He was born in Nor,
lake, Conn, Sept. 10, l739 published Dec
Is, 1862 TO Mrs. Deborah Barrows of West
ern, Mass, where be lived before removing
to Dummerston. Ebenezer Davenport,
brother of Lemuel's grandfather, had so
James, who was the father OF 22 children
He was twice married. His second wife wa
Sarah, sister of Benjamin Franklin, whor
he married May 3, 1922. Their son Josiah
wife, Sarah Billings of Boston, died in Phi
adelphia and lies buried by the side of Di
Franklin. Lemuel Davenport came to Dun
merston about 1888. Daniel and Amos wer
doubtless his sons. The town book has n
record of the family except the marriage {
Daniel to Hannah Rice of Putney Jan 81
1897. This family of Divenports left tow
soon after l743 and their Davenport descenC
ants live principally near Wllliamstown, VI
Dr. Jeremiah Dean, who came from New
fame to Dummerston in 1906, bought of job
Laughton, Sept. "a, 1911, 44 acres nearly
for which he paid $3.50. Instead of builC
ing house he bought what was once the la
office of Samuel Porter Esq and had
moved on to his land. The removal WI
probably made in 1916, for the reason thu
Deans land changed owners two or thrt
times within few years. Rutherford Hay,
owned the land in 1918, and Thomas OlaI
in 1916, from whom Dean Tepurchased
= that year for 5000. The doctor sold Il
Il place on April 10, 1917, to Luther Miller f
: S455. The land was formerly part OF Il
& | DavanDort farm Ii il now included in Il