The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-07-08
FOUR GENERATIONS
UNDER ONE ROOF
Edwin R. Towle, Aged So, Is the Oldest
and Glenn W. TOwle, Aged 3. Is
the Youngest.

: I
same house here is a family of four gen.
erations. The oldest is Edwin r. Towle
aged sS years; next comes son, Her.
man f., "a years old the third in line
is a grandson. Allan s., aged 81 years,
and the youngest il Glenn w, only three
years old.
Reuben Towie, sr, grandfather OF Ed
win II. Towle, was born In the town of
Chester. y. H., Oct. -, l762 Al the age
of Id wears he enlisted as a soldier in the
war of the Revolution. He was at West
Point when Arnold undertook to deliver
that important post 10 the British. There
he became III OF fever and ague. During
his illness he was visited by General
Washington. At the cloee of the cam.
paign he returned home on foot, without
pay, sick and reduced % the necessity of
begging for food and lodging on the way.
Undaunted by such an experience he en-
listed again the following year and served
through another campaign.
| Later he moved to Enfield, Y. H., where
he married Miss Sarah Clough aud set.
tied on a farm near the Shaker settle
ment Seven children. three sons and
| four daughters. were born TO them. While
living in Enfield he took an active part
in town affairs and for a time was town
clerk. At the age of 53 years, in 1915,
he removed TO Franklin, where one son
and one daughter had preceded him. Pre-.
vious 10 that time the eldest son, then
Is years OF age, drove an OK team in
winter. loaded with household goods,
from Enfield \. H., to Franklin. dis
tance Of perhaps l25 miles, requiring sew.
eral days for the trip
The wife Of Reuben Towle was an ex-
pert horsewoman and three times passed
over the distance between those. two
points on horseback.
Here the family settled on farm
where the youngest son, Reuben. IT,, sue.
ceeded his father, while the other two |
sons and two daughters settled on ad
joining farms. Tits establishing what |
was known and is to this day, as the |
"Towle neighborhood," and where their
descendants still live.
Reuben Towle became an acting Justice
of the peace and represented the town in
the Vermont legislature in 1922 and 1923. 1
He died Sept, Is, ls4a.
Jonathan Towie, father of Edwin R.,
was born May s, 1902 He early learned
the trade OF carpenter and joiner. at
which he worked for a few years, then
a tract of land and proceed
ing to clear off the timber for farm.
April 10. 1881, he married Miss Lorena
DANES, granddaughter of Elias Babcock,
a soldier OF the Revolution. Previous to
this, or some SIS years ago. he had built
a house which is now standing and in
excellent repair. In that house Edwin r. I
Towle was born Aug L. 1893. and there {
he has always lived. In 1855 a larger
house was added to the original struc- !
ture by father and son and this is now {
The home of the four generations.
Edwin r. Towle married Miss Caroline ,
rruax Feb. Il, 1856. Two sons, Herman
F. and Edwin J.. were born to them.
The first named. who succeeded his father
m the farm, married Miss Jennie S.
Stanley Oct. 2, 1883 They have three !
hildren, Arlan s., Maude c. and Fred S.
Aug. 3, 1907, Arlan s. married Miss Ber
lice Whitney, and ia now with his father
ARRIVING on the farm. They have three
hildren, Helen A., born July 20, 1911;
}enn W., born Feb. l3, 1918, and Arlan
stanley, born April %, 1915
The members of the family have been
nd continue to be farmers largely, com o
arativelv few engaging in other occupa- b
ions except perhaps as school teachers. v
hat they have been peace-loving and law '
bding is evidenced by the fact OF al u
1ost entire absence of litigation. Edwin a
!. Towle states that he cannot recall any b
nit at law to which any member of the h
'owle family he's been party. From al
be first they have been entrusted with
nportant town and church Offices. tt
As showing the characteristics of the NJ
amily in relation to temperance work, tr
is related that when Jonathan Towle Fl
uilt his first frame barn some rs years
70 it was thought best to do away with 0i
ie use of rum or whiskey in connection NJ
ith the raising although that was nj
he common practice at that time. The dr.
tempt was made and was successful.
his building now forms a part of the tlt
'esent large structure on the farm. va
There are at present eight families he
imed Towle in this section and as many tx
other towns. while there are many
her of the descendants Of the four girls ma
the first generation that by marriage Be
e known as the Colcords, Dewings,
slrsons and Yaws living in various ha
aces Edwin r. Towle is now the only tn
ale of the name Towle of his genera loo
IN living. th'
As each generation is so well supplied
til boys it would seem probable that tic
e farm and home may BE kept in the a
milv for an indefinite time. tht