Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-10-22
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN FROM VERMONT GAzATEER PUBLISHED in
The YEAR 1862
'GUILDHALL.
BY MILTON CUTLER.
MICAH AMY, continued


MICAH AMY, continued
Several of his children are now re-
siding in this town and vicinity. He
had a son William, more familiarly
known as Capt. Amy, who was, we
believe, the only one of the family
that spent his entire life in this town.
He was most valuable member of
he church, of unbounded public
spirit, energy and decision. He died,
of cancer, May 16, 1845, leaving but
one child, now Mrs. Franklin H.
Reyes, residing in Massachusetts
The death of Captain Amy was
considered heavy and, we may say,
irreparable loss, particularly to the
church. The clerk of the church in
recording his death, speaks of him as
a valuable and beloved member of
the Congregational church"
CALEB AMY,
long known as Maj. Amy, married
Rebecca, daughter of Benoni Cutler,
lived in this town 60 or more years,
and then removed to Cattara angus
County, n. Y. Mrs. Amy is still liv-
ing, at the age of SO, the only sur
vivor Of the family of Benoni Cutler.
Major Amy was one of the most ac-
tive militia officers, and a man of the
greatest integrity, amiability and
neighborly kindness. beloved by all
SAMUEL R. HALL,
another Of the early settlers and a
very prominent man in town and
church affairs, came here from Cor
nish, N. H. He was long known as
Deacon Hall, and, besides holding for
many years important town Offices,
was practical surveyor, and much
employ Vi in surveying roads, &c. He
remov d from this town about the
year 1912, and became a preacher
and settled in Rumford. Maine. Fe
had several sons and daughters
brouga up in Guildhail. Josiah B
Hall, ore Of his sons was an active
independent farmer, and raisei d
quite numerous family; but removed
with his family t. Oberlin, Ohio, in
1884, where his son; and daughte rs
were educated. Hemqn Hall, one of
his sons is, or has been. a missionary
in the island of Jamaica. Mr.. Hall
subsequently removed with part of
his family to the southwestern part
of Iowa, where he died a few years
ago.
SAMUEL R. HALL,
another of Deacon Halls sons, is too
well and favorably known in Ver-
mont as minister, teacher, author,
geologist, &C., to require any COM
ment from our pen.
At first there were no settlements
nearer than Newbury, Vt. or Haver-
hill, N. H.; and no roads for many
years. Mills were so distant that no
grain was carried hence to be
ground; although grain was some
times purchased at a distant mill,
ground ard brought to their homes;
but most of their grinding was done
with pestles in huge mortars, manu.
featured from logs of large hard
wood trees, sometimes two or three
feet in diameter. Excellent crops of
wheat were produced on the new
land; usually good corn, and almost
any amount of potatoes were raised
which having passed through the
furnace, or great coal beds of their
kitchen fireplaces, made many not
to-be despised meal. Those were not
the days of King Cotton, "but then,
linen, and tOW-and-linen fiourished.
and in some instances, premiums
were offered by towns to the family
that produced the greatest number
of yards in a year, and dressed flax
was to some extent az article of eX.
port, and potash manufactured from
the abundant forests, was, to con.
siderable extent, exported, principal
ly to Montreal, Ca.
For long time the river was, ir
winter, the principal highway. Wher
the river road through the town was
first laid out is not known, but it APP
pears to have been permanently es
tabished in May, 1892, by Eben W
Judd, Benoni Cutler, David Hopkin
son and Simon Howe, who were I
committee appointed for that pur
pose by the legislature.
CRANKY road, which has since beer
considerably changed, was laid out
in 1888 by Nath'l Herrick, Abnel
Curtis and Eleazer Herrick, and the
first North road-some remains Of
which are still plainly visible-ir
1894, the present North road by the
selectmen-Samuel r. Hall, surveyor
in 1897. The Northumberland
Toll Bridge"Company was chartered
by the Legislature of New Hamp
shire in the wear 1909 and hridut