The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-02-22


and located his buildings beside
the road leading to Jefferson Hill,
on the fiat back of the house
where Edwin Sly now lives. Ii
1887 the Scotch company sold the
mills and land in Newbury with
two lots in Ryegate, to Andrew
Brock audit was at this time that
the name of Brooks falls was
given the place.
The falls are pleasing object
of scenery and much visited, in
few rods the water falls about
90 feet, the last fall being 80 feet.
There are also many beautiful
views from the hills north and
south of the river. From the
Nelson hill on the south one can
see the entire range of mountains
in New Hampshire, and with a
glass see the smoke of the Mt.
Washington trains. and at night
the search light.
In 1900 the grist-mil1 and saw
mill which had been builded were
burned, and in 1902 the grist-mill
was rebuilt and set running. Ten
years later a carding machine
was also put in operation. The
present mill was built by John
and William Bolton in 1929, at a
cost of $4,000. At the settlement
of Andrew Brooks estate in
March 1920, John Bolton of DAN
vile bought the mills and land
lying west of the old road in New
bury for $1,000. The next month
his son William, then a young
man, moved his family into the
Brock house and Mrs. Brock
moved away. The same fall
John Bolton purchased the other
half of the water power and in
the spring of 1926 commenced a
building for carding and cloth
dressing. This property at the
death of John Bolton was by will
left to his son William, and
daughter-in-law Julia Bolton.
The present saw-mill was re-
built in 1841 by William B., on
the same site as the one built in
1924. The grist-nill was owned
by William Bolton until 1868,
when it was sold to H. K. Worth
ley and sold again by him to
Freeman Tucker in 1887. The
carding mill and farm wi1led to
Julia Bolton are owned by her
son, Charles S.
Such in brief, is the history of
the mills, unfortunately there are
none to tell us much regarding
the first people.
Uncle Jimmy Taylor in his song
upon the dedication of the factory
1926, said of James Smith:
"And old Jamie Smith who's called hearty
AbodeEpn the opposite side of the rill."
Andrew Smith succeeded his
father James, as owner of the
farm, and his descendants are
still in this and adjoining towns.
The families of those men settling
here between 1920 and 1910 are
we'll remembered, James Hender-
son, John Wadde1l, Jacob Sui
ham, Kimball Page, the two Mel
sons, Stephen and Enoch, Sam
uel Boyce, Mcclure and Parker
are all familiar names.
The school question was one of
interest to these early settlers,
the first school house being built
of pine logs, and located on the
fiat south of James Vance's house.
Later on was builded on the spot
where James Vance's sugar house
now stands, and later still was
moved to where the present one
stands. The present house when
built was placed very nearly
where the station is, but the
grade of the railroad when built
necessitated it's removal and it
was moved towhere it now stands.
1t has lately been repaired and is
now one of the best in town.
The first post Office was estab-
1ished in 1881, and William Boil
ton appointed postmaster, and
the name of Brooks falls was
changed to Boltonville. William
Bolton resigned the Office in 1841,
and Thomas WATSON was ap-
pointed and continued in office
until it was discontinued. From
that time until it was re-estab-
1ished in 1868, the mail was re-
ceived from the Wells River office
by the stage that run from Groton
to Wells River, and was left at
the house of William Bolton.
When the office was re-established
H. K, Worthley was postmaster
and held it until it was trans
ferred to Freeman Tucker when
he came in possession of the mill.
Ground was broken for the
Montpelier and Wells River rail-
road in 1872, at the cut back of
Edwin Sly's, the first shovel full
of dirt being thrown by William
- r.