Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-11-26
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN FROM VERMONT GAZATEER PUBLISHED IN
The YEAR 1862

carry their grain to Guildhall, %
miles distant, to be ground Their
chief article of manufacture were
salts, which they were obliged to
carry to Lancaster, about &c miles
distant, to sell. The first inhabitants
were forced to depend partly upon
hunting and fishing for a living.
Fortunately for them game was
abundant. Moose were plenty, and
salmon have been caught in the Con-
necticut that would weigh 20 pounds.
The first framed house was built
by Mills De Forest, in 1870, on the
site where the holse owned and &C.
cupied by Abdiel Blodgett now
stands. The first saw-nill was built
by Mills De Forest in 1895. The
first grist-mill, in 1910, by the same
person. There are four school dis
tricts in town with the same number
of school-houses; about 60 pupils;
average attendance, five months.
The population of Lexington is 1879,
and the grand-lis is about 5000.
The names of the men who have
gone from this town to help suppress
the rebellion of 1861 are Joseph Wat
son, Manlius Holbrook, Carlos Willy
and Alfred Harris.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
Mills De Forest came to this town,
from Huntington, Ct, about 1881,
and was chosen town clerk at the
first town meeting in 1896, and held
the office for many years afterwards
He. was also chosen rep resentatiVe
several times, and died in 1914, aged
70 years.
LEWIS SMERRAGE
came to Lexington, from Connect
cut, in 1857, remained in town two
or three years, and then enlisted in
the British service, where he remain
ed nearly two years. He at length
became weary of soldiers life, and,
in company with fellow soldier, re-
solved to escape if possible. They
were al this time stationed at Quebec,
and a. favorable opportunity soon
prese nting itself, they passed the
British lines undiscovered, crossed
the St. Lawrence in a boat and fled
to the woods. After a great deal of
su ffering and a variety of hair
breadth escapes, Smerrage arrived
IN safety at Lexington, where he
resided until his death, which took
place Feb. 16, 1856, aged sc years.
JOHN HUGH
came to this town in 1856, from
Maidst one. He lived in Lexington
several years, and then moved to
Carlaan, where he remained until
his death. His brother, Samuel
HI Ugh, came to this town in 1900.
In. 1914 Samuel Hugh, in company
W 18th several others, went in pursuit
o f some men who were driving cat
DE from Vermont to the British.
Hugh's party overlook the men just
as they reached the boundary line
between Vermont and Canada, and
ordered them to desist and let the
2 cattle go back, which they refused
f to do, whereupon some Of Hugh's
party fired on them and killed man
n by the name of Morrill, and wound ID
r one or two others. The rest of them
= reiterated and Hugh's party drove
\ the cattle back. About two months
g after the events above narrated oc.
!. cur red,a party of Canadians (among
g them the brother of the man that
4 was shot, came out secretly from
y Canada and surrounded the dwell,
. ling house of Hugh about midnight
- At given signal the windows OF
the house were broken in, and fhe
r. party rushed into the house anC
made Hugh a prisoner, and carried
E him to Canada, where he was con.
- fined about a year, when he wa
tried for murder and acquitted OF
:. the ground that Morrill, was engaged
in unlawful bushes 1882.
LIZ IhI LIZ