Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-04
AN ERROR CORRECTED.
Interesting Facts about the First White
Residents of Chesterfield, n. II,

Residents OF OhesterncId, n. IL,
That the grandfather of Mrs Larrabee was
born at the Thomas place opposite West river,
and was the first white child born in Chesterfield,
is an error which seems to have by some mistake
got into the quite interesting notice of her death
If not corrected it might become accepted as true
Mrs Larrabee's father, Daniel Thomas was born
February, -, 1853, probably at Greenwich, Mass
The birth of his older brother, William, February
IT, 1913 is recorded there. The Thomas place
was settled by Nathan Thomas, his father, and
her grandfather, who came from Greenwich. but
not till 1864. He must have been born long before
any white child in Chesterfield; or even in Green
wich, which was principally granted To and set
tied by the descendants of Narragansett soldiers
of the Indian war against the Narragansetts, of
whom he may have been one about 1910 to l14O
Few towns have so good a history written
the very thorough and accurate one by Mr.. Randall
of Chesterfield. According to that Lieut.. Moses
Smith was the first settler OF Chesterfield, locat-
ing there in November, 1861, north of the Smith
ferry and was accompanied or soon followed by
his sOnn-aw, William Thomas, at the lower fer
ny, and Mary Thomas daughter of the latter, born
there April p l1t2, was the first white child born
in the town This is doubtless correct The next
settlers Were Peter Wheeler, east of Thomas,
where Charles Goodrich, Esq. now lives Capt
Simon Davis, south of Wheeler up the hill from
the old cemetery where Mr.. Durham now lives
Abel Emmons probably west of Capt. Davis and
southwest of Wheeler ON the old Stafford place,
where Hamilton Howe now lives, and John Snow
south of Lieut. Smith near the old poor farm, in
the spring of 1859 Nheeers wife was Olive Da-
monss wife Betsey Davis, perhaps also
daughter of Capt Simon. These all but Snow
came from Greenwich, and perhaps he did
Wheeler's oldest daughter Lydia, who was after
wards married to Lieut. Moses johnson of Put
ney was about twenty-O ne months, and his oldest
son, Peter who afterwards lived Just east of
Wheeler brook on the west road to the lake was
about six months old when he came. Robert En-
mons, born June 10, 1863, and who died the next
year, was doubtless the first male child; and Jane
Wheeler, daughter of Peter, born probably in the
latter part of 1853, the second female child born
in town. She died unmarried in 1899. Jonathan
COblegh from New Braintree, Mass, settled next
north of Wheeler where Erastus CObleigh now
lives, and Michael Cressey from GrotOn, Mass, on
the top of the hill southeast of Capt Davis where
Ashbel Stoddard now lives, in 1863, and Nathan
Thomas at the old Thomas place in 1864, as before
mentioned. Jonathan Fau, probably from Hard
wick Mass, came and bought out Wheeler in 1865,
and Wheeler settled again where Mrs. Hammond
Davis lives, just east of Wheeler brook in school
district No. 8, in 1885 and where some of his de-
scendants lived after him till 1919 Descendants
of Michael Cressey lived after him where he set
tied still later.
Many other settlers Of Chesterfield came from
Greenwich and that vicinity. Among them were
Isaac Davis son of Capt. Simon, and Jacob, son
of Isaac, born at Greenwich October ~, 1857; and
| probably Jacob Kinds, who married Thankful,
| daughter of Capt Simon, February 20, 1880
| o. s.; and Noah EmmOns, who married Mary
Farr of Hardwick, Mass, adjoining Greenwich.