St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-09-27
THE CIRCUIT CENTENNIAL.
A Memorable Gathering at the Old
Farm IN Kirby.

especially of the Grout family.
September &c, 1893, Theophilus Grout,
grandfather of Congressman Grout, made
the first settlement on the Moose river
and the first in the town of Kirby. Upon
invitation of our distinguished member
of congress family reunion was held at
the old homestead and the public in
general were asked to be present and
enjoy the exercises arranged for the
centennial observance and partake Of the
generous hospitality. The reunion was
intended to include not only the
descendants of Theophilus Grout, but as
many as possible of those who trace
their lineage from Capt. John Grout Of
Sudbury, the sturdy old Puritan who
brought the family name to America in
the early colonial days.
The reunion occurred in the forenoon,
lunch was served at noon, and at 2 p. m.
the literary exercises took place. These
latter included the reading of historical
and genealogical sketches.
THE HISTORICAL SKETCH.
Ladies and Gentlemen
1t is with great pleasure that Iwelcome
you one and all here today; not only
those of the tribe but the neighbors and
friends who honor alike the family and
the occasion with their presence.
This gathering Of the descendants of
Theophilus Grout takes us back to the
time when this whole region was an
unbroken wilderness. Let the mind take
in the fact, if it will, that when Theophi-
lus Grout pitched his camp here on the
banks of the Moose river there was no
clearing nearer than the one at st. Johns-
bury, made in 1856 just below the rail-
way station. There was one on the
Connecticut river in Concord made the
same year, and one in Lunenburg, also
on the Connecticut, made about ITO.
There was also a settlement on the
Butler meadow just south of st. Johns-
bury Center made the same year as that
below the st. Johnsbury station, viz:
1886, and one at Lyndon made bv
Daniel Cahoon in 1888 on the old Cahoon
place now owned by E. H. Hoffman.
These were the nearest settlements, and
were from six to sixteen miles distant,
and, as will be seen all OF them on the
Connecticut and Passumpsic rivers.
Thus do we see how these first settlers
all moved along the streams which they
made available as highways by
means Of fiat boats until roads could
be opened through the forests. After the
manner of these early settlers Phineas
Page and Theophilus Grout pushed their
way up the Moose river the latter to
this point and the former to the first
farm south on the river and made the
first settlement in the town of Kirby;
and Thompson in his history of Vermont
says this was about the year 1893. In
Mrs. Hemenwav's Gazetteer, Charles H.
Graves, long resident and long the clerk
OF the town of Kirby, says this opening
was made in 1892, and Childs in his
history of Caledonia, Orleans, Essex and
Lamoile counties perpetuates the date
as given by Mr.. Graves. The writer,
however, is satisfied that the date given
by Thompson is the correct one. A
careful examination OF the land records
OF the town OF Kirby, first in Orange
county where they were kept from 1892,
date of the organization OF that county,
until 1896 when Caledonia county was
organized and where the records were
kept until Kirby was organized as
town in 1907, throws no light on this
point. But the two youngest children of
Theophius Grout, to wit, Nancy, un-
married and in her Seth year, and
Sophia, (6rst Mrs. May and now Mrs.
Frye, in her S4th year, are still living,
and what they say OF the understanding
In the family Of the places where the first
four children were born when taken in
connection with the dates of their birth
as shown by the family records corrobo-
rates the dates given by Thompson.
But which ever be right certain it is
that a full hundred years has now elapsed
since the forest prmeval," as here it
stood, began to yield to the levelng axe
of the home-maker. Here a hundred
years ago Theophilus Grout with the
wild beasts for neighbors put up log
house, brought in his family and settled
himself in life; and here out of the
wilderness he carved home to which
his descendants still cling with pride
and affection, which is the greater from
ehS i'St tuol uulluS all luis LltDe tue
ownership of it has not been out OF the
family. Theophilus decided to his son
Josiah in 1S4S, and Josiah to George W.,
his son, and George 0. Ford, his son-in-
law, in 1865, through whom the title
came in 1874 to William W., eldest son
of Josiah and the present owner; who
has now held it just an even twenty-five
years or one-tourth OF the time. Thus
do we see that during the hundred wears
since Theophilus struck the first blow,
three generations of the family have held
the ownership and participated in bring
ing the farm and home TO it's present
condition. The first cleared away the
forest; the second cleared away the
stumps and stones, and commenced the
work OF smoothing; the third has
finished the smoothing, underdrained
the wet places, and reorganized, enlarged
and modernized the buildings, so that
a the end Of this first hundred years it
would seem that but little is left for the
generations to come but to iertilize, to
plant and SOW and gather the harvest.
There have been four houses built on
the iarm. First the log house, second a
frame house with additions. third a
frame house, both of these standing in
the field northeast of the present build
ings and both removed by the present
owner; fourth the present dwelling built
in 1S4l exCept the front nart ,,L;,L