Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-12-04

Milton, but when he was a small boy,
his father moved to Vermont and settled
on a tract of land two miles square, near
Middlebury. He sold portions of the
tract to his two brothers, for farms, and
this was the beginning of the Foote
family in Vermont These brothers were
not only good farmers but good soldiers
as well, for they fought in the Revolu-
tionary war. One of them later estab-
lished a sawmill and hotel at East Middle
bury, while the other, becoming dissatis-
fed with Vermont, went to Malone, n.
Y, where he opened gristmill.
THE mill was on the bank of stream
which was spanned by an old wooden
bridge, which was badly out of repair
and was in danger of collapsing. The
town refused to build new bridge, so
he built stone bridge at his own ex-
pense to replace it, believing the town
would eventually pay him for it. He
was not disappointed in this, for five
years afterward the town voted to pay
him for building the bridge and allow
him interest on his money. He was
obliged to take his pay in peculiar
manner, for ready cash was not plentiful
in those days. He had the only gristmill
in that section, and all the people We're
that he should take from every grinding
of corn at the mill as much meal as
could be scooped up in an empty goose
egg, until the bridge was paid for This
might seem to be slow method of pay
ing bill, but the bridge was entirely
paid for in little over four years.
They used to have larger families
years ago than they do now. My father
and mother had 10 children, six boys and
six girls, but they are all dead except my
brother and myself AS children, my
brother and looked wonderfully alike,
even for twins. When l was a baby L
fell out of high chair into one of the
big open fireplaces which were in general
use then, and struck my head on frying
pan. | received a severe cut, which left
a scar on my forehead and without this
scar | think my mother would have been
bothered to identify her twins, for when
ever she wanted to tell John from James
she always had to look for the scar on
my forehead.
Until my brother went away from
home we always dressed alike, and the
people in Middlebury could never tell one
from the other. Although we are both
old men now and have changed greatly
in many ways, we still bear striking
resemblance to each other, and when |
visited my brother year ago in Mchi-
gan, people were continually calling me
James, and it was often hard for me to
convince them they had made mistake.
| enjoyed my visit to MichigaD, as | had
not seen my brother in long time, for
he left home and went west over sixty
years ago. He was saddle and harness
maker and built up a good business in
Michigan. l was sort of Jack of all
trades, although ! never found any
trouble in making a good living. have
worked as carpenter and joiner, as a
mason, have run farm and also acted
as nurse, but guess my working days
are over now and l will have to take
life easy.
my health is fairly good, and have
succeeded in curing myself of rheuma-
tism. When | came to Worcester |
suffered greatly. and after trying all
kinds of remedies thought l would try
to cure myself. l began drinking hot
water and in the course of few weeks
my rheumatism left me, and l haven't
been troubled since"
Mr.. Foote has three children, Caswell
w. and Charles w. Foote of Worcester,
and Mrs. j. +. Nash of Middlebury, VT