Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-02-18
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN !fROM VERMONT GAzATEER PUBLISHED in
The YEAR 1862

lief of its frightened inmates"
During the excitement on account
of the tories and their allies a young
man, by the name of Ozias Caswell,
drawing a heavy load of hay from
meadow, his oxen refused to draw
the load up the steep bank, and Cas-
we'll was exceedingly vexed at his i'll
luck; finally he took the oxen from
the load and set it on fire, giving an
alarm that the Indians burned his
hay" which caused all the inhabit
ants to flee to the forts with much
confusion. No Indians being found,
Caswell was charged with having
raised a false alarm, and, after a
long time, acknowledged his guilt
and was severely punished for the
offence.
1t we'll becomes those who sit Sc
curely by their hearthstones with
their children gathered about them,
fearing no stealthy attack from an
insidious foe, to thankfully acknowl-
edge that their lines have fallen in
pleasant Places" and also to cher
ish, with tenderest feelings of veneer
attn and respect, the memory of
ancestors who, amidst perils and
priyations, prepared the way for all
they now enjoy.
About the close of the Revolution
airy war John Rich and Hezekiah
Fuller (came previous, as am in
formed) and soon after Jas. Lucas,
VIM. Williams and others moved
into town with their families.
In 1856 Eben w. Judd surveyed
and lotted the lands of the town land
the unsettled line between Maid
stone and Guildhall was established
by his survey. He at first met with
much opposition from the settlers,
who were jealous of their rights and
fearful they should be disturbed in
their lots; but the matter was final
ly amicably arranged, and the sur
vey accepted by the unanimous vote
of the town.
The first public school in town
was taught by Mrs. - Amy, in
1856, in Lighthouse just east of the
present residence of j. w. Webb.
The scholars come from the three
towns of Maidstone, Guildhall and
Northumberland, N. H.
In this year Ward Bailey built
grist-mill and saw-mill, at Guildhall
Falls, which was a real blessing to
this portion of the country. Up to
this time there had been no framed
houses erected, for the want of
necessary material.
In March, 1888, the town was or
ganized. James Lucas was modera-
tor of the first town meeting, and
Hams French, first town clerk. In
1856 Messrs. John Rich, John Hugh
and David Gaskill were appointed a
committee to alter the highway
through the town, where they
thought most advantageous to the
public. The road was probably laid
out sometime previous.
DR.. Enoch Cheney and family came
here about this time and built
house for himself on the little rise of
ground few rods north of ]. w.
Webb's; the highway now passes
over the site of his dwelling. He
remained here a few years, and said
the country was so healthy he could
not support his family; therefore,
sold his property and left town, hop
ing to find a location where his pro-
fessional services would be in better
demand.
From 1886 to 1900 Messrs. Isaac
Stevens, Moses Hall, Holloway Tay-
lor, John Taylor Glib, Jonathan Pat
terson, Isaac Smith, and Joseph
Merrill, moved into town with their
families. Isaac Stevens kept the
first public house. and Isaac Smith
the second store in town, where DR..
Dewey now lives-Abraham Giles !
being the first store in town. Mr.. |
Gile, possessing more artifce than
honesty, sold a quantity of land ly-
ing on the unknown river to. Boston
merchants, receiving as pay there
for in goods for his store; the land
and river, probably still remain I'M
known. This store was short dis
lance above Mr.. Beattie's, in what
has been known some years past as
the "old French House," the store
L "a l.