Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-01-26

who married VIM. Arlin, who served in
the Mexican war and was a captain in the
civil war, lived in Glens Calls, N. Y, and
Sarah, who married first Asa Holden, and
after his death Prentiss Carr and now
lives at West Townshend.' To her were
born seven children, three by Mr.. Holden
and four by Mr.. Carr Salome (Sam. p
married Clark Wilkinson, a prominent cit
izen of Townshend OF this union were
three children, who grew up-Oliver, who
was a photographer at Medford, Mass,
Oscar, a photographer at Rutland and
Amanda, who married Harvey Morse and
is now in California.
Samuel Wiswel, 1st, had a daughter
who married an Austin, and was the
mother of Asa Austin of Townshend and
DR.. John Austin, who was a wellknown
insurance agent of Athens, who Travelled
all over the county % years ago. From
Samuel LIST also descended Deacon Gray of
Townshend, long director in the Vermont
Mutual Fire Insurance company, aud whose
name is perpetuated in Leland and Gray
seminary.
Nathaniel Oak (2) married a second time
and had daughter, Mindwell, who was
half sister to Seth Oak, who settled in
Athens and who married Caleb Gates of
Stowe, Mass and soon afterward emigrated
and settled in Johnson's Gore. BY the
way this gore was a strip of land four
miles long and two miles wide which was
not included in any township in the origin
al survey, and was granted to Lieutenant
| johnson of Putney, as a reward for ser
vices rendered, and was incorporated as
the town of Acton in 1901, remaining as a
town until 1871, when it was annexed to
| Townshend.
One of the first to buy lands was Philo-
men Holden of Shirley, Mass, who settled
on the height of land, and two of whose
| children married into the Gates family
and whose descendants have until recently
| lived in the immediate neighborhood
Mr.. G Ites's place was in the upper part
of the Hewes farm. Six families lived in
close proximity. Then wolves were plenty
and one being out nights was obliged to
carry pine torch for protection Often
their eyes could be seen cleaning in the
dark beside the path. Bears also were
plenty and it was necessary 10 house the
sheep every night in sheep cotes which
were built 80 strong as TO be a sure protec-
| ton. In those days the people had to be
careful not to let their fire 20 out, for if they
did they must 90 TO a neighbours to get fire.
Hence, the origin of the expression heard
when one goes and makes a short stay.
HE comes after fire"
| have heard my mother relate how,
when she was a girl Dennis Holden with
whom she lived, went to Massachusetts and
brought home the first friction matches and
how carefully they were treasured and
shown TO visitors as wonderful inven-
ton. | sometimes wonder what our young
people would think if they were to enter
the log kitchen of our forefathers with its
massive fireplace and oven built into the
house, with its huge back log resting upon
strong andirons its swinging crane with
hooks to hang kettles on, its tin baker sit
ting before the fire, its rude toaster made
so as to turn the bread, and to see them
roast potatoes in the ashes, to sit upon the
old-fashioned settle, with its high back,
drawn up before the fire on a winters
evening, and with the merry boys and girls
to eat the rosy checked apples and listen to
the strange tales made still more weird by
the bright light of the fire and the darkness
behind caused by the shadow of the settle.
Such are some of the pictures treasured
from my boyhood days. But oh, wasn't
there enjoyment in it, All yes, such as is
not known in later styles of heating.
10 roam over the hill where these
pioneers settled and see the cellar holes
above which were happy homes in the
midst of pastures and forests reminds us
that the works of man do not long survive
HIM. But these strong men, who felled
the forests, fulfilled high mission, for the
love OF liberty was strong within them and
they founded a system of government
freer than the world had ever known.
where all men were eqnal.
Caleb Gates settled on the farm long
known as the Dennis Holden place, now
owned by Mrs. Richard Hewes. building
his cabin just north of the present house
They had two children. Achsah and Josiah
Josiah married Sabra, daughter of Philo- !
men Holden, who was the first white child !
born in Johnson's Gore They reared
quite a family. One son, John D., was |
the father of John Gates of Putnev Au- |
gusta, who married Albert Cotton of |
Athens, Martha, who married Curtis Davis |
of Athens and now lives at Saxtons River, |
and Amanda, who married David Farr of |
Athens. Another son was Josiah who be- |
came large tanner and belt manufacturer
of Lowell, Mass Another son removed TO
Gouverneur, n. Y, where he was a promi-
nent man. A daughter wasHannah, who mar
ried Elias Jenson of Jamaica, and was the
mother of Elliot Jenison of Townshend and |
daughter who married Chesseton Prouty
of Townshend and was the mother of d.
5. Prouty, the lumber manufacturer of
DoNeT' announcer daughter, Lydia, married
Warren Jenison aud was the mother of
Elias Jenison of Windham and Selim of
West Townshend. There were also two
girls-one who married Chas Barnes of ia
maica and one who married Alfred Barnes.
who died in Brookline. Josiah's daughter,
Achsah, married Dennis Holden, son of
Philomen and settled on what is known as
the widow Holden farm, which has always
been in the Holden family, building the
house and later moving to his wife's faith
er's place. To them were born Sabra.
Philomen, Ira, Achsah and Louisa. Sabra
married Minor Purdy, a wool carder of
Manchester. Philomen, who lived in town
and held many offices, Ira. who was a
soapstone manufacturer at Cambridge
port, and later at Perkinsville. Louisa.
who married David Richardson and lived
in town. Achsah married CHRISTOPHER
Harris, who owned what was long known
as Covey's Mills.
Philomen Holden, the pioneer, raised a
large family. Besides Dennis and Sabra
there were, Squire who lived in town, and
was the father of Asa; Sarah, who married
Nathan Boynton of Grafton; Hollis, Jonas.
who removed to Salmon Falls, Me-; Zenas.
Elvira, George, now of Andover, and Lucy
Ann, who married David Styles of Grafton.
John, another son of Philemon, removed to
jackson, N. Y. Sylvanus, who lived in
Enosburg, and Willard, who served in the
war of 1912, and died at Reading.
or the descendants of Nathaniel Oak
l.. f. Il