..H— .+ hbl, stx T3his History iT presented to you, as F 59.F4R6 i iii\ii^iii u ™iiiifiif liff; 'sident tdb&ayer of the Town % 3 T1S3 DDMSTlMb =1 *. % ^& t#*-^ compliments. >[ OF FAIRLEE 1964 F 59 F4 lib Wilbur L. Cross Library University of Connecticut GIFT OF Dr. Sidney W. Goldsmith Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from LYRASIS members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/townundercliffhiOOrobi The Town ■ «.- Under the Clif *^-* v 'wQi •-^ «&?- 'IP IP 1 icT- *** n,^ fi&ta(i_ Wli I * ' Lr »*-"*" * *i>* jf^ .--^ p$* S^jjfafefr^ .ml - * * ¥ b - * ' ' " -iv« 32T ■' *\ ' The Town Under the Cliff A HISTORY OF FAIRLEE, VERMONT Compiled and Edited by Philip G. Robinson Published by PHILIP G. ROBINSON in cooperation with THE TOWN OF FAIRLEE, VERMONT COPYRIGHT 1957 BY PHILIP G. ROBINSON Y Manufactured in the United States GIBBY PRESS - WEST TOPSHAM - VERMONT CD CD Pneface iHE HISTORY of Fairlee has been written. It is simply the task of the writer to bring together in one place the thoughts of John Baldwin and his fellowmen and women as they settled in the wilderness which is now Fairlee Main Street; the financial problems faced by Israel Morey and Samuel Smith, as they planned the first roads and mills; the hopes and aspirations of this little colony as they raised their first Meeting House, or saw their sons and fathers go forth to war; — all to be followed in the years to come by the same hopes, fears, and accomplishments of their successors for almost two centuries. As we look at the beautifully neat New England park with its bandstand and the imposing Federated Church, it is hard to realize it is the result of diverse opinions and difficulties in building, or that one pastor had to sue the Town for his small stipend. The endless row, it seems, of modern gasoline stations blots out entirely the memory of sheep and horses grazing in the street, or the day the first street lamp was to be the subject of a special newspaper article. Such was Fairlee. Such are the memories, the deeds, and hopes spread over the pages of Vermont history by our forefathers. Their past has been inscribed on the early records of the town, recorded by writers whose works have long since been permitted to collect the dust of disinterest, or only as stories passed on from father to son, or mother to grand- child, to be forever lost to man as their present guardians go to join their predecessors. It is with the earnest hope that those who might follow will want to recall the past that the writer has undertaken to gather the material available. The sources have been varied and, in the case of early records, quite often difficult to decipher where the yellow hand of time has stained the written word. It has, however, been a great source of satisfaction to receive the help of so many, whether it be with an anecdote, a picture, a possible new source for some elusive fact, or just an encouraging word; and if other lovers of Fairlee and her beautiful Lake Morey can learn in the future more easily of her past, the writer will be more than repaid for the time and effort so humbly spent. Some apology may be asked for the information written which pertains to the more general history of Vermont as a state. It has been felt necessary, however, to include this writing because only under- standing the more general conditions under which the early settlers of Fairlee lived, is it possible to fully understand things of importance in the local light. This general information is fairly well designated so that those who wish to confine their reading to the strictly local matters of interest should be able to do so with little difficulty. The reader's indulgence is also requested for any errors in fact that might appear. It certainly has not been intentional but might occur where different sources of information have not strictly agreed and the writer has had to make a choice of the facts presented. It is also regrettable that the present costs of publication have made it necessary to eliminate certain material which might have a particular appeal to the individual reader but, unfortunately, such practical limits must be faced. It is impossible to list all the people to whom the writer owes his thanks. All in Fairlee have been most kind and they know each has my sincere appreciation. My thanks also go to Mrs. John Hodgsdon, of Larchmont, New York and Orford, Mr. Fred Bradford of Melrose, Massachusetts and to Mr. Haydn S. Pearson and his publishers for permission to quote from his "The Country Store" and "Country Flavor." None of this would have been possible without the continued patience and help of my wife, to whom I gratefully dedicate this book. Philip G. Robinson Lake Morey, Vermont June 15, 1957 7<*&U 0$ &kU*U. Preface ix 1. Founding 1 2. Early Life 13 3. Wars 26 4. Church 39 5. Schools 60 6. Library 78 7. Transportation 82 8. Business 96 9. Population Ill 10. Politics 114 11. Taxation 119 12. Public Services 126 13. The Morey Family 131 14. Lake Morey 144 Miscellaneous 172 XI PROVI.VCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. /^.\ GEORGE the <%;*/ - By the Grace of God, of Great-Britain, r ■ - ■ ), -<,...-'" France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all Perfons to whom thefe Prcfents Jkali -.t. ^ f Cw. J\- NO Wye, that Weourfpecial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, for the due encouragement of fettling a new plantation within oar faid Province, by and with the advice of our trufly ant! well-beIo7edV^?>-^7~.^y Weatworth.Efq. our Governor and Commander in Chief of our fold Pro- vince of Ncw-Hamplhire.in New-England, and of our council of the faid Province, Hive upon the conditions and refervations herein after made, given and granted, and bv thefe prefcnti fcr us, our heirs and facceSlm, do give and grant in equal (hares, unto our loving fujjects, inhabitants of otu (aid Province of New-Hamplhire, and our other Governments, and to their heirs and afligns forever, whofe names arc entered on this Grant, to be divided to and a-nongft them into ^vtv 'i Z* equal (hares, all that tract or parcel ofland fituate, lying and being within our faid Province of Ncw-Hampfhire, containing by admeasurement, r'f>-vtl€ Sn'e / l~(if" S^ rc-r* i/Atr-i^a rzCL- acres, which tract is to contaijw/V77'/''r ; / .'& tftm''//t a / '/• ifel miles fquare, and no mo:e,out of which an allowance is to be made for high- ways and unimprovcable lands by rocks, ponds, moun- tains and rivers, one thoufand and forty acres free, according to apian and furvey ttcreof, made by our faid Governor's order, and returned into the Secretary's office, and hereunto annexed, butted and bo:i-^»d as fallows, vis — 1 1 '^$ty^ ^h'/hijrfy rri< t&frrc* ZaJitr/irr ~ "t^ ^ a'lJrci r, , a.r/tc)> ;<,'?/% '$.(?& mi realty* s7^.,r)y, t ? nuM^i And that the fame be, and hereby is incorporated into a Townftup by the name of - , :;::h:.-:i;-i'c™;~=::dih:M«i:ri!cr9f the faid Sr» meeting, shkhttu to notifyand govern agreeable to the laws and cufloms of our faid Province ; 3} < . ut the annual meeting forever hereafter for the choice of ftch officers for the faid Town.fhall be on the ? J« <-y*tV«' f Mjfj), arinoaUy, To Have and to Ho> he faid tract of land as above cxpreflcd, together with all privdedges and appurtenances, to them and their refpeaive heirs and arugns forever, upon the following conditions, viz.— . ift. That every Grantee, his heirs or afligns (hall plant and cultivate five acre of land within the term of five years for every fifty acres contained in his or their (hare or proportion of land in (aid Townmip, and continue to improve and fettle the fame by addition, cultivations, on penalty of the forfeiture of his grant or Ihare in the faid Townttip, and of its reverting to us, our heirs and fuccclTors, to be by us, or them re-granted to fuch of our fa ects as (hall eflecrually fettle and cultivate the fame. ad. That all white and other pine trees within the faid Towolhip, fit for madi g our Royal Navy, be carefully prefcrved for that ufc, and none to be cut or felled without our fpecial licence for fo eking Bra had and obtained, upon die penalty of the forfeiture of t* right of fuch Crantee, his heirs and afligns, to us, our heirs and fuccclTors, as well as being fubjea to the penalty of any act or acts of parliament that now are, or hereafter (hall be er ». ji. Tn.c-ocW any dlvlnon or the land be made to and among the granted . a« of land as near the centre u . ' tlVlarS rSwrdV p a. (nirn^ »ill admit Or, (hall be rcerved «nl marked out for Town Lots, one of which (hall be allotted to each Grantee of the contents of one acre. 4th. Yielding and paying therefor to us, our hein and fuccclTors for the (pace often years, to be computed from the date hereof, the rent of one ear of Indian Corn only, on the. . tv «"»■ tf-^)t*,< rr-t>-*s annually, if lawfully demanded, the firft payment ti If made on the/5^,7iC V«Vv% ^^ «'\^^«-«*r'->*--»' f7/k5! ' n jth. Every proprietor, fettlcr or inhabitant. Hall yield and pay nnto us, our h>rs and fuccefibrsvearly, and every year rorcver, from and after the expiration of ten years from ^'~4/l/M,f&„, ,„£~T namely, on the' V^ r ^2,^^«- which wiU be in the year of on. Lord /^ ,_, _ P n,:n: ,*,,,;„,, ™'. for everv hundred acres he fo owns, fettles or poffeffes. and fo in proportion fora greater above-fa : ftilling procUtnation'money for every hundred acres he fo owns, fettles or poireffes. and fo in proportion fof a greater r lcffer trafl of the faid land j which money (naU be paid by the refpeciive perfot> above-faid, their heirs, or afligns, in our Council Chamber in Portfmouth, or to fuch Officer or Officer! s (hall be appointed to receive the fame ; and this to be in lien of all other rentv'and fervices wbatfoever. ( , \]j/_^^ L _J^-^" ' In Tcftimr^y whereof. W. have caufaUteSeJofour laid rVovinte to be he«u«o affixed. Witnet. j£+r,,^ ■>? ^^^ Efq. our Governor and Cornmander _ . _ . 1/ It? * . hc year of our LORD CHRIST, One Thonfand, Siren Hundred and •"■*''/ t * . ,f yearofonr Reign. ir.^ k . . _ By his Excellency's Command, With advice of Council, I.V/'-" v<, ?oundutq> X7AIRLEE, a name loved by thousands over a period of almost two centuries, and the home town of hundreds of families during their life span, yet, who actually knows from what or from whom the name was derived? There are stories, yes; but there seems to be lacking actual historical data to substantiate any one claim. One story which has been passed along for several generations seems to have value and it would be a fond realization to so declare it, as it links the Fairlee of today with the earliest days of its actual settlement. The second mpst prevalent story seems to be more the figment of a writer's mind. They both, however, fail to meet the cold hard test of a research student basing his belief on the surrounding facts of historical nomenclature in this vicinity. Let us examine each and the reader can choose whichever path seems to lead him to a satisfactory answer. The late Charles Munn was the great nephew of Sally Wild, the first white woman to be born in Fairlee. Her father, Daniel Wild, in turn, had written years ago that his father was one of the earliest settlers in what was to be West Fairlee, having come there to work for Nathaniel Niles, of whom we will read much more later in the development of Fairlee. It was Daniel Wild's claim that several of Niles' party had ar- rived to work in this unnamed area and an argument started as to the manner in which they were deciding how to arrive at a name. One of them claimed he had been treated "fairly" in the matter and as a compro- mise that was decided as the name of this new town to be. Theory number two comes through the annals of historical fiction and goes back to the days of Rogers' Rangers. They were returning from their northward trek in the French and Indian War to the fort at Charles- town, New Hampshire and their respective homes. Some of them camped across the river and noticed the "fair lea'' between the hills so that they decided that would be a desirable place for a town to be called "Fairlea". These two beliefs do not seem to meet the conditions that generally existed, however, as we know many towns along the river were included FOUNDING - Saitlee, ^Velmont in the New Hampshire Grants by Governor Benning Wentworth. It was his usual practice to name these towns in honor of his friends or relatives, people important in the affairs of England at the time, or after English towns. We do know the names of Robert, James, and James Fairlee, Jr. appear among the grantees of Bristol, New Hampshire. There is known to the writer no other record of this family in New England and it is only conjecture that this might have been the source for the town name we know. Another possibility is that Fairlee was named after a town in England, as the Wentworth family home was in Strafford, Yorkshire County, and it is highly possible there could have been a Fairlee town or shire to which the Governor wished to pay homage. It has been a keen disappointment that the true source of the name could not be verified, although all known avenues of information have been carefully searched, but it is hoped some day will bring forth the answer to this most interesting quest. Although September 9, 1761, was the date of the official grant to the sixty-four shareholders and Proprietors of Fairlee, it was simply an interim date between previous years of internal strife between New Hampshire and New York, and then the refusal of our United States government to admit the early settlers of the Green Moun- tain State to the council of thirteen. With the end of the French and Indian Wars and subsequent peace in 1763, Great Britain came into control of the land of the green mountains. The royal representative was Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire who, being a shrewd business man, soon saw the selfish advantage to himself of the many requests for "Proprietorships" in his vast uninhabited territory. Conscious of the profits possible, he claimed the land west of the Con- necticut River which had been included in 1664 to the New York colony, and between 1760-1764 Wentworth issued over 130 grants, Fairlee in- cluded. The original grant follows: Province of New Hampshire: Fairlee George III, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland: Defenders of the Faith, etc. To all persons to whom these present shall come — Greetings: Know ye that we of our Special Grace, certain knowledge and notion for the due encouragement of settling a new plantation within our said Province, by and with the advice of "our truly and well be- loved Benning Wentworth, Esq., Our Governor and Commander In Chief" of Our said Province of New Hampshire, in New England; and of Our Council of the said Province, have upon the condition and reservation herein after made, given and granted, and. by these Presents, for Us, Our heirs and Successors, do give and grant in equal shares, unto "Our Loving Subjects'', inhabitants of "Our Said Province" of New Hampshire, and Our other Governments," and to their heirs and assigns, forever, whose names are entered on this Grant; to be divided to and amongst them, into seventy equal shares; all that tract or parcel Saitlee, Belmont - FOUNDING of land so scituate, lying and being within our said Province of New Hampshire — containing by admeasurement about twenty four thousand acres; which tract is to contain something more than six miles square, and no more, out of which an allowance is to be made for high- ways and unimprovable land by Rocks, Ponds, Mountains and Rivers. One thousand and forty acres free, according to a plan and survey thereof made by "Our Said Governors," Order and returned into the Secretaries Office and herewith annexed; butted and bounded as fol- lows: viz. Beginning at a tree standing on the bank of the Connecticut River, marked with the figures 7 and 8, which is the northeasterly corner bound of Thetford; thence North 61 degrees, West six miles, by Thet- ford aforesaid, to the northwesterly corner bound of Thetford; then North 33 degrees, East 6 % miles, thence South 61 degrees, East seven miles to a tree marked with the figures 8 and 9 standing on the bank of the Connecticut River aforesaid; thence down said River, as it runs to the bound first above mentioned. And that the same be and hereby is incorporated into a Township by the name of Fairlee; and the inhabitants that do, or shall hereafter inhabit the Township, are hereby declared to be Enfranchised with, and Entitled to, all and every the Privileges and Immunities that other Towns within our Province by law exercise and enjoy. And further that the said Town as soon as there shall be Fifty Families resided and settled thereon, shall have the liberty of holding two fairs, one of which shall be held on the and the other on the annually, which Fairs are not to continue longer than the respective following the said And that as soon as the said Town shall consist of fifty families a market may be opened and kept one or more days in each week as it be thought most advantageous to the Inhabitants; also that the first meeting for the choice of Town Officers, agreeable to the laws of our said Province shall be held on the second Tuesday of October next which said meeting shall be notified by Mr. Wildar Willard who is hereby appointed the moderator of the said first meeting which he is to notify and govern agreeable to the laws and customs of our said Pro- vince. And that the Annual Meeting forever hereafter for the choice of such Officer for the said Town shall be on the second Tuesday of March annually. To have and to hold the said Tract of k\nd as above expressed together with all the privileges and appurtenances to them and their respective heirs and assigns forever — upon the following conditions: viz. — First that every grantee, his heirs, or assigns, shall plant and cultivate five acres of land within the term of Five Years for every fifty acres contained in his or their share or proportion of land in said Township and continue to improve and settle the same by additional cultivations on penalty of the forfiture of his grant or share in the said FOUNDING - ~tai*lee, ^velmont Township and of its reverting to Us, Our Heirs and Successors to be by Us or them regranted to our Subjects as shall effectually settle and cultivate the same. Second That all white and other pine trees within the said Town- ship fit for masting our Royal Navy be carefully preserved for that use and none be cut or felled without our special license for so doing, first had and obtained upon the penalty of this forfeit of the right of such grantee, his Heirs and Assigns to Us, Our Heirs and Successors as well as being subject to penalty of any Act or Acts of Parliament that now are or hereafter shall be enacted. Third That before any division of the land be made to and among the grantees, a tract of land as near the center of the said Township as the land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked out for Town lots, one of which shall be allotted to each grantee of the contents of one acre. Fourth Yielding and paying therefor to Us, Our Heirs and Suc- cessors for the space of Ten Years to be computed from the date hereof the rent on one ear of Indian corn only on the twenty-first day of December annually if lawfully demanded the first payment to be made on 25th day of December 1762. Fifth Every Prospector, Settler, or Inhabitant shall yield pay unto Us, Our Heirs and Successors yearly and every year forever from and after the expiration of ten years from the above said twenty fifth day of December which will be in the year of our Lord 1772 one shilling proclamation money for every hundred acres he so owns, settles or possesses and so in proportion for a greater or lesser tract of the said land which money shall be paid by the respective persons above- said, the heirs or assigns in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth or to such Officer or Officers as shall be appointed to receive the same and this to be in lieu of all other rents and services whatsoever. In testimony whereof we have caused the seal of our said Province to be hereunto affixed, witness Benning Wentworth, Esq. Our Gover- nor and Commander in Chief of our said Province the ninth day of September in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and sixty one and in the first year of our reign, (sign) Benning Went- worth Governor. By his Excellency's command with advice of Council, (sign) Theodore Atkinson, Sec. The completed list of original grantees, sixty four in number for a total of seventy shares was recorded as follows: Province of New Hampshire, September ninth, 1761 Recorded to according to the original charter under the Province Seal by Theodore Atkinson, Sec'y- Examined by George Stringling. -Hahlee, Belmont - FOUNDING Grantees of Fairlee: Josiah Chauncey Joseph Hubbard Wildar Willard Daniel Jones Oliver Warner Hezekiah Hubbard John Cook Samuel Belknap Samuel Heirs Fellows Billings John Eastman David Warner John Blain Nathan Goodman William Barton Phineas Liman Thomas Elwell David Parsons Isaac Goodail Alexander Smith Ebenezer Dickinson David Blodgett Samuel Hunt Eleazer Mattoon Ed. Mattoon, Sr. Solomon Boltwood, Jr. Simeon Clark Moses Cook Joseph Dickinson Gideon Dickinson Robert Dickinson Theodore Atkinson, Esq. Mark Wentworth, Esq. Justin Ball Peter Marshall John Stringling Caleb Pomroy Joseph Wright Nathaniel Bartlett Moses Harvey Ebenezer Moody Ebenezer Dickinson, Jr. Robert Emmons Isaac Ward Abner Collay Israel Hubbard Richard Chauncey Joseph Church Martin Smith Israel Chauncey Benning Wentworth Jonathan Hubbard Thomas Frink Jonathan Hunt Arad Hunt Ebenezer Stoughton Solomon Ellsworth Samuel Stevens Samuel Wentworth Esquire Barton Major Jonathan Greely Oliver Willard Noadiah Lewis His Excellency Benning Wentworth, Esq. a tract of land to con- tain five hundred acres so marked in the plan B. W. which is to be accounted two of the within shares — One whole right for the Incorporated Society for the propagation of the Gospel in foreign parts. One share for a Glebe for the Church of England by law established. One share for the first settled Minister of the Gospel in said Town. And one share for the benefit of a School in said Town. Province of New Hampshire September ninth 1761. Recorded from the back of the original Charter for Fairlee, under Province Seal. Attested by Theodore Atkinson Sec'y (sign) FOUNDING - 3*ai*lee, ^Velmont The plan referred to above appears on the reverse of a Charter page and is shown as follows: Uj —J no o SOUTH (o EAST 7 / v //LESf B.W MCPr\TV\ Cl° WEST 6 MILE N.e. coR^eR ot Thus, by this official decree, the right to establish a new town on the west side of the river was sealed. This was but the beginning, how- ever, as there was yet to be a division of land arranged and a basic form of local government established. The first part was begun in May of 1774 under the following warning: "Province of New Hampshire Grafton County Orford May 21st 1774 This is to certify and warn the Proprietors of Fairlee in the County of Gloucester and province of New York to meet at the Dwelling House of Israel Morey Esq. in Orford aforesaid on Monday the 20th day of June next — First - To choose a Moderator Second - To choose a Proprietor Clerk, Committee Collector and all necessary Proprietor Officers. Third - To see what the Proprietors will do about allotting out 2W%/ee, ^Veimont - FOUNDING the Town and making necessary roads. Fourth - To see what sum of money will be necessary to be raised in order to defray the charges of allotting the Town and making necessary roads Fifth - to see what method the Proprietors will propose to call Proprietor meetings in the future Sixth - the foregoing notification is agreed to by us the Subscriber Owners of Fifty two rights or Proprietors shares of land in said Fairlee (signed) Israel Morey Ichabod Ormsbee William Simpson Ebenezar Baldwin" Benjamin Baldwin Jr. Jonathan Child At this meeting William Simpson, of whom we will hear more in respect to the early transportation problems of Fairlee, was appointed moderator. A committee of Israel Morey and Jonathan Child was chosen to work with the surveyors Moses Caleb Willard and John Payne to allot the Town into equal divisions between the Proprietors "as may appear most just and equitable" and that "they cause a plan of said survey to be returned on the first day of August next to which this meeting stands adjourned." And so the Town of Fairlee was born! ORIGINAL GRANTEES AND CORRESPONDING LOTS LOT NO. GRANTEE LOT NO. GRANTEE 1 . Theodore Atkinson 22 Oliver Warner 2 Ebenezar Stoughton 23 Samuel Heirs 3 Thomas Elwell 24 William Barton 4 David Blodgett 25 Peter Marshall 5 Glebe 26 Benning Wentworth 6 Minister 27 Oliver Willard 7 School 28 Jonathan Hunt 8 Wildar Willard 29 Oliver Warner 9 John Cook 30 Israel Hubbard 10 John Eastman 31 Fellows Billings 11 Samuel Belknap 32 Ebenezar Moody 12 Eleazar Mattoon 33 Hezekiah Hubbard 13 Robert Emmons 34 Thomas Frink 14 Jonathan Hubbard 35 Nathan Goodman 15 John Blain 36 Joseph Wright 16 Ebenezar Dickinson 37 Isaac Ward 17 Samuel Wentworth 38 Martin Smith 18 Caleb Pomroy 39 Josiah Chauncy 19 Incorporated Society 40 Joseph Dickinson 20 John Stringling 41 Mark Wentworth 21 Simeon Clark 42 Isaac Goodail 8 FOUNDING - 3?ai*lee, ( Velmont LOT NO. GRANTEE LOT NO. GRANTEE 43 Abner Collay 54 Arad Hunt 44 Phineas Liman 55 Solomon Ellsworth 45 Richard Chauncey 56 Joseph Church 46 Justin Ball 57 Major Jonathan Greely 47 Moses Cook 58 Moses Harvey 48 Nathaniel Bartlett 59 Daniel Jones 49 Robert Dickinson 60 Samuel Boltwood Jr. 50 Samuel Hunt 61 Alexander Smith 51 David Warner 62 Samuel Stevens 52 Gideon Dickinson 63 Noadiah Lewis 53 Israel Chauncey 64 David Parsons It is to be noted in studying the character of the Crown's legal agent, that in each case he reserved for himself 500 acres in each township, so situated that in four adjoining towns these plots interlocked for a total of 2000 acres. Still believing himself above reproach, he assigned a share to the Church of England, from which the original settlers had escaped. An interesting side light to this fact is that certain property owners on Lake Morey today receive an annual tax bill from the repre- sentative of the Church of England. Nor did Wentworth and his brother-in-law, Secretary Theodore Atkinson sell to people sincerely interested in the cultivation and growth of the towns themselves. His guiding light and measure of proper qualification was money — those who paid the fattest fee received the grant. The early records of Fairlee show clearly how soon the original grantees had sold out their rights to men of honest intent and sincerity of purpose — Israel Morey, Samuel Smith, Nathaniel Niles, and others. But the governor of New York, George Clinton, had also been exerting pressure — not on the land speculators — but on King George III with the result that he decreed in 1764 the so-called "New Hampshire Grants'* were to be a part of New York. Had the eager, land-hungry speculators paid high fees to Wentworth for land on which their title was no good? Were the titles held by New York landowners in this region worthless? The first stage was won by New Hampshire. Canny Benning Wentworth had thousands of acres to protect, you will recall, and he enlisted a real settler — with whom the King was sympathetic — to plead his case in England and the King decreed the New Hampshire titles were valid. In 1767 Benning Wentworth was replaced by his uncle, John Went- worth. He was of a different cut of cloth — honest, hard-working, and well-liked by his neighbors in the Connecticut Valley. As His Majesty's representative he was also "Surveyor General of the King's Woods." Let us remember that "all white and other pine fit for masting our Royal Navy" was to be carefully protected under penalty of losing C\7e*mont - FOUNDING 176/ 10 FOUNDING - ZFafolee, ^-Veimont the owner's right to his land. One William Dean was accused of using his pine illegally and Wentworth brought suit against him in the New York Admiralty Court. Would this be the test of legality of the New Hampshire titles? Although Dean was found guilty, the court did not rule the legality of the title. During this time Wentworfh was also building up ammunition against New York in another way. When, in 1764, King George gave this questioned land to New York, she established two counties; Gloucester, to the north, included Fairlee and Cumberland to the south. This county control of local affairs did not represent to Wentworth the democratic way of life he felt his neighbors wanted and suggested they write and supersede this plan with a local town meeting system. The strength and Tightness of this plan is realized today — almost a century later — on the first Tuesday in March in every Vermont town and hamlet. The next step in this long legal fight entered its thiru stage at the instigation of New York. Two of her leading lawyers won- dered if they could not prove their titles to lands held by certain settlers under the New Hampshire grant. This was settled in favor of New York but at this point the cause of New Hampshire was joined by a swash- buckling, rough, sturdy Ethan Allen. He also knew the sympathy of the King was with the actual workers of the land and not just the money-eager speculators. Spirits were high, tempers short and the history books tell us of the local clashes resulting in the formation of Ethan Allen's "Green Mountain Boys." Violence increased and we all recall the series of skirmishes from 1773 on. These were finally ended by a greater conflict when our Revolutionary War against Great Britain was declared in 1775; and Ethan Allen started off to Fort Ticonderoga and battle with Benedict Arnold. But it was not to be all war. With a greater cause, perhaps, to draw their attention, the people of the valley turned their thoughts from New York and questionable titles to the bigger question of com- plete independence from the sovereign King. And yet, although this po- litical action seemed to be only in the western part of the state, in the valley regions a new leader, Jacob Bayley of Newbury, had taken the helm and he was in favor of siding with New Hampshire as against be- coming a separate state. Destiny was against him, however, as New York powers created a new state of New York and its constitution was too like the old reign of royal power to suit the rugged pioneer thinkers of the Connecticut River Valley, Windsor, June 4, 1777, there- fore, resounded to the ring of the name "Vermont", a free state running from the Connecticut River to Lake Champlain. It was yet to be too early, however, as the tides of war had turned and set aside the deter- mination of these new "Vermonters" for a month. On July 2, 1777, again in Windsor, under the leadership of Dr. Thomas Young, a state constitution was born — permitting no slavery (the first state to do 3aitlee, ^Vetmont - FOUNDING ll this), freedom of religion, the town meeting form of local government, and suffrage rights to all men. Peace had come to Vermont? Oh no, not yet. There were still to be over ten years of political strife — questions of the border New Hampshire towns, claims for land by New York, and even Canada as part of a "greater Vermont." Mention has been made of some desire by the river towns of New Hampshire to join the new state of Vermont and in this episode of history Fairlee was to play a more direct part; although with the New York controversy affecting the western towns of Vermont, they seemed to play the lead on the political stage. In 1621 all the land of New Eng- land within sixty miles of the sea had been given to one John Mason and later that part from the "Mason Grant'' to the Connecticut River was granted to the Governor of New Hampshire. When the English rule was disclaimed in 1775, several towns in the New Hampshire area believed themselves free to join any other state they wished to or make a new division of their own. Consequently, several towns, including Orford, Piermont, and Lyme, petitioned the Vermont Legislature to join that state. It was referred to the representatives of the people and on June 11, 1778 it was voted 37 to 12 to annex the New Hampshire towns. It is un- fortunate that the individual votes have not been preserved in the public records, but it is safe to assume that both Israel Morey of Orford and Ichabod Ormsbee of Fairlee cast their vote in the affirmative. There were, naturally, objections by the government of New Hampshire. By this time the question had come to the attention of the Congress and Governor Chittenden of Vermont again raised the question for a vote. On October 21, 1778, for some unknown reason, neither Fairlee nor Or- ford voted on the question to maintain the Vermont counties as they had been prior to the vote of June, but they did vote for making the New Hampshire towns a distinct county. The vote was lost 28 to 33. In this case both Morey and Ormsbee felt any other ruling would be a breach of faith given a few months earlier. A temporary result of this action was the withdrawal by the minority voters of their right to serve in any state office or the Legislature. The question was to die, however, as there were too many pressures of selfish and political nature from New York on the Congress, resulting in a condition of turmoil within the state. The Legislature tried to settle the debate finally in February 1779 by voting to dissolve the union and return the sixteen towns to New Hampshire. Finality was not to be and the political tug of war between New York and New Hampshire, with Vermont in the middle, continued. In April 1781 a further annexa- tion was approved and this time Fairlee again voted in the affirmative, Orford not voting. Now another problem was to be posed; it was not enough that some New Hampshire towns wanted to join Vermont, but some of the New York towns bordering on the state also wanted to be included. The Vermont legislative body approved 53 to 24, although 12 FOUNDING - 3at*/ee, C\7e*mont this time the valley towns did not feel the New Yorker's quest justified and with Samuel Smith of Fairlee joined the minority. Let us remember during this time. Vermont had been an independent republic with her own money and postal system, she had not been drained too heavily of manpower in the Revolutionary War, and her finances were in good shape. However, her heart was in the thirteen sister states and in 1781 she made application of the Continental Con- gress in Philadelphia for admission to the United States. This epoch-making step for the Vermonters was given, without editorial comment, in the following dry, blunt fashion by the the "Con- necticut Courant and Weekly Intelligence" of Monday, Feb. 28, 1791, published in Hartford reporting the session of the House of Represen- tatives at Philadelphia. "Saturday, February 12. A message that the Senate has passed a bill providing for the admission of Vermont into the federal union on the 4th of March next. "Monday, February 14. The Vermont bill received from the Senate on Saturday was taken into consideration and afterwards reported to the house without any alteration. The bill was then read the third time and passed." The March 7th issue of the "Courant'' reported — "Friday, Feb- ruary 18. A message from the Senate by Mr. Secretary Otis informed the house that the bill for the admission of Vermont into the Union has received the approbation and signature of the President of the United States." Thirty years of political, civil and financial strife, thirty years of rugged independence and show of will, thirty years of honest struggle had passed, years which were to make the state of which the late President Calvin Coolidge said, "I love Vermont because of her hills and valleys; her scenery and invigorating climate, but most of all, be- cause of her indomitable people. They are a race of pioneers who have almost beggared themselves to serve others. If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the union and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little state of Vermont." Silee, ^Veimont - TRANSPORTATION 85 hard topped. Apparently the basic problems have been corrected and today the only one seems to be keeping out of the way of the fast moving motor cars as they speed their course over the straight and maca- damized main highway — a far, far cry from the winding and stump infested paths the first settlers had to trudge over day by weary day. As we have seen, a good many of the activities of the Fairlee people were closely related to their neighbors across the river in Orford and other towns and the question of easy accessibility from each side of the Connecticut was an important one. There was not only the exchange of business, but the church activities aand other social life involved. At first a bridge was not felt to be needed but it was believed the needs could be met by a ferry between the two towns. Such permission was in the hands of the Governor and Council of New Hampshire and on July 2, 1773 a petition was presented to this august body by William Simpson of Plymouth, New Hampshire in which he stated "your petitioner has been at great expense in trans- porting himself and family into the interior parts of the Province and humbly Prays to be encouraged by your Excellency and Honors in his endeavors to promote the benefits and interest of the settle- ments in those parts in particular. .. .your Petitioner humbly conceives a Publick Ferry with a proper boat to transport the inhabitants of Orford and others travelling over the Connecticut River to the towns on the West side. .. .shall strive to give the greatest Dispatch and Satisfaction " The petition was granted, and on March 3, 1775 a deed was given to Israel Morey from William Simpson "in considera- tion of the sum of Ten Pounds lawful money.... of keeping a Ferry, and of keeping, using and employing a Ferry Boat or Boats for the transporting of Men horses goods cattle, Carriages etc. across the Connecticut River in the Town of Orford aforesaid Beginning at the Landing place in said Orford and extending on the River — Two miles above and two miles below the same as said Connecticut River runs — which said Ferry with the appurtenances Priveleges Emoluments and Advantages thereof was given and granted to me by his Excellency John Wentworth Esq. Governor — ." Not too many facts are known about the ferry service, unfortunately, except that the first ferryman was Deacon Simeon Avery and he plied his trips across the river from the Orford landing to the Fairlee meadows near the outlet of Fairlee Pond, as Lake Morey was then known. Although this means of transport was to serve its purpose well, it soon became evident a more accessible means was needed, not only for the people of that day but for those dreamers of the future who envisaged a healthy commercial life along the Connecticut and its resulting growth in the towns on the shores. This latter was not to be too fruitfully realized because, although river trade flourished in the 1820-1830 period — due somewhat to the advances in steam engines 86 TRANSPORTATION - Saitlee, ^Velmont made by Samuel Morey — it was found eventually to be a losing financial game. Of greater importance to us, however, was the basic reason for the need of easier access across the river, the then present daily requirements of the Fairlee and Orford people. The records leading to the establishment of the Orford Bridge Company under the laws of New Hampshire are quite complete and, although the first permit was issued in 1794, final action was not taken until 1800 resulting in the first bridge across the river being opened in September 1802. As these records are quite interesting with respect to location and fee to be charged, it is felt warranted to quote them rather fully. Once again we find William Simpson being the motivating force behind this new convenience in the daily lives of Fairlee and Orford. The first act was approved January 29, 1794 and stated "Whereas William Simpson of Orford in the County of Grafton has represented to this Court that it will be of great utility to the public to have a Bridge erected over the River Connecticut at said Orford and has prayed for the exclusive privilege of erecting and supporting a Bridge over said River at the place aforesaid, which prayer appearing reasonable — Therefore — Be it enacted — That said William Simpson and such other persons as may hereafter associate with him for said purpose, their Heirs and assigns, shall be and hereby are declared a body politic and corporate forever for the purpose aforesaid, under the name of the Proprietors of Orford Bridge And be it further enacted, that the said William Simpson Esq. shall warn the first meeting of said Proprietors by advertising the time and place of holding the same in the Newspaper printed at Hanover in said County of Grafton, three weeks successively fifteen days before the time of holding said meeting — and the Proprietors, by a vote of a majority of those present or represented. .. .shall choose a Clerk.... and this Act and all rules, bylaws, regulations and proceedings of the said Corporation shall be fairly and truly recorded in a book or books by the Clerk kept for that purpose. .. .And be it further enacted that the Proprietors aforesaid their Heirs and assigns be and they are hereby permitted and allowed to erect a Bridge over Connecticut River and to have the exclusive privilege of keeping the same forever at any place between the northerly line of Piermont and the southerly line of said Orford, and the same to hold in fee simple forever — Provided nevertheless, That from thereafter the expiration of twenty years from the passing this Act.... the inhabitants of Piermont should deem neces- sary that a Bridge should be built between the Northerly line and the Southerly line of said Piermont and if said Proprietors shall not within three years after notice build a Bridge and give Bond to the Selectmen thereof that said Bridge shall forever afterward be kept in good repair, which bond shall be given upon the penalty of the Privilege of building a Bridge at said Piermont reverting to the State; then this Act so far as it respects the grant within the limits of said Piermont shall be 88 TRANSPORTATION - 3aitlee, ^Veimont void.... In case the Proprietors do build said Bridge and give Bond as aforesaid within the term of three years.... the same rates of toll shall be allowed them under the same regulations and restrictions as is herein after mentioned respecting the Bridge intended to be built within four years at Orford And be it further enacted, that for the purpose of reimbursing the said Proprietors and supporting said intended Bridge at said Orford, a Toll be and hereby is granted for the benefit of said Proprietors their Heirs and assigns according to the rates following, namely: for each foot passenger one cent, for each Horse and rider three cents, for each Horse and Chaise Chair or Sulkey ten cents, for each riding Sleigh drawn by one Horse three cents, for each riding Sleigh drawn by two Horses five cents, for each Coach Chariot Phaeton or Curricle twenty cents, for each Cart or other Carriage of burthen drawn by one beast of burden nine cents, for each Waggon Cart or other Carriage of burthen drawn by two beasts twelve cents, and if drawn by more than two beasts and not exceeding eight twenty cents, each Horse or neat beast exclusive of those rode on or in carriages two cents, for each Jack or mule two cents, for each Sheep or Swine one half a cent each, and to each team one person or more shall be allowed as a driver to pass free of toll — and at all times when the toll gatherer shall not attend his duty the Gate or Gates shall be left open — provided nevertheless that after twenty years from the passing this Act the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court may once in every five years thereafter regulate the rates of toll to be received by said Proprietors, provided always that the rates of toll shall never hereafter be set at less than two thirds of what is set in this Act. And be it further enacted that if the said Proprietors their Heirs and assigns shall fail for the space of four years from passing this Act to erect and complete the Bridge intended to be built at said Orford, then this Act shall be null and void.... And be it further enacted thaat nothing in this Act contained shall effect the Grant or Grants of any ferry or ferrys in said Piermont." Conditions of which we are not told made it impossible for the bridge to be built within the time allowed. The record shows, how- ever, that the reasons were good and we find the New Hampshire Court under date of June 13, 1800 granting "a further time of three years to build a Bridge at Orford. .. .And be it further enacted that the said William Simpson and his associates be allowed eight years from the passing this Act to build a bridge over Connecticut River at Piermont." Upon approval by the court, the first step forward was the forma- tion of a company to carry on with the financing and construction of the project. The Orford Bridge Corporation was founded under date of January 1, 1801 with a right to issue twenty shares of stock at one hundred dollars a share. William Simpson was the major stockholder with two shares and other holders of one share each were A. G. Britton, Saitlee, ^Veimont - TRANSPORTATION 89 Noadiah Bissell, Edward Tudor, William S. Rogers, Jonathan Sawyer, Ichabod Sawyer, Jonathan French, Daniel Tillotson, Nathan Webster, Stephen Lombard, Samuel Smith, John Mann, Simon B. Bissell, Elisha Thayer, Calvin Morse, with Messrs. Tillotson, Noadiah Bissell and Jonathan Sawyer each subscribing to a second share later to complete the issue. These were all men of note and in the forefront of civic enterprise in the towns of Fairlee and Orford. It is fortunate that the complete records of this corporation are available for our perusal and study in the New Hampshire State Library. These records further show that at the first meeting of the company share holders at the home of Daniel Freeman in February 1800, William Simpson was named president. No bridge was built but at this same time it also appeared warranted to specify that the tollkeeper should settle his accounts on a weekly basis or be subject to a fine of six dollars if he should so fail for a period of three weeks. It was not until Novem- ber of that year that we find a definite reference to the building of the bridge. At that time it was specified "all the long strings or 80 foot sticks to be used about the building said Bridge Shall be 18 inches square in the middle in the horizontal width 18 Inches when it meets the extemity of the String brace and not less than 12 Inches square at each cord." At this same meeting Abidiah Britton was appointed agent to superintend the construction. It appears apparent that the sub- scribers to the stock in some cases had found it difficult to raise their share in actual cash, as later in November it was voted that each could pay the first twenty-five dollars on each share subscribed to in timber "provided the same on as good terms as may be had from other persons.'' The fact you were to be a stockholder was not to permit any deviation in the financial or structural standards set up. The actual construction of the bridge seems to have started as soon as weather permitted in 1802 and in August we find a vote "that there be erected for the security of the bridge three heaters so called one on each of the three posts that are in the current." Additional financing was needed, as was so often the case, it being further voted that each share pay twenty dollars to pay the expense of the heaters, stonework, and the road leading to the bridge. This could be paid in labor at the rate of eight cents an hour, with a further allowance of six cents for an oxen and four cents for a cart. By October the bridge was practically ready to be opened and although the actual date is not recorded, on October 7, 1802 a charge of two dollars and ten cents was laid against each share for the actual dedication, which would indicate the actual opening date was probably within a few days of that time. The final details had been completed, including the provision people from Fairlee, West Fairlee, and Orford could pass free of toll when going to and from meeting on the Sabbath, and this further link in the chain of friendship and commerce between the two sides of the river was cast. 90 TRANSPORTATION - 3aiilee f Belmont This bridge was to serve for about fifty years. During the interim it became apparent that convenience was not the sole guiding factor in its use. Some were inclined to make the river crossing at Orford where the rates were less than at other points and John Mann with his fellow Proprietors appeared before the Court and prayed for an increase, having "suffered much inconvenience on account of the Toll — not being equalized and in conformity — " His plea was granted and by decree the following rates were established: "for each foot passen- ger one cent, for each horse and rider six cents, for each Horse and Chaise, Sulkey or Chair twelve and a half cents, for each Sled or Wagon drawn by one horse six cents, drawn by two beasts twelve and one half cents. .. .drawn by three beasts eighteen cents .... drawn by four beasts twenty five cents.... all over four beasts three cents each, for each Coach, Carriage, chariot, Phaeton, or other four wheeled carriage for passengers twenty five cents, for each horse, jack, mule, or neat beast exclusive of those rode on or in Carriages two cents each, for each sheep or swine one half cent each, to each team one person allowed to pass free of toll." The possibility that the tolls might some day be done away with entirely was also evident in the Court's mind as in this same grant it was further enacted the "Legislature may at any time repeal this Act whenever the public good may require it." The first bridge was of open construction, cheaper than a covered bridge would be, and was supported on three sets of piers across the river. It was probably about four hundred and forty feet long, the length of the bridge that was to be built in mid century. 'After the rates of toll had been set, they were to remain fairly constant with the exception of minor changes until the time the bridge was made free. In February 1863 the proprietors voted a discount of one cent on "carriages, waggons, sleighs, and sleds" for each crossing when the lawful rate was six and one-quarter cents and a one-third discount on rates of twelve cents and above if such tolls were paid quarterly. It had been the practice for some time to make actual contracts with people for the toll charges, such contracts for usually about ten dollars annually and this fee could be paid in quarterly or semi-annual "payments. Then in March 1864 the toll on teams of two horses or two oxen, if owned in Fairlee or Orford, was raised from eight to ten cents. The next rate change was in August 1869 when a ticket system was inaugurated. This was to be a big bargain, as buyers of tickets received a twenty percent discount and if you were already a shareholder in the bridge it was fifty percent. Another interesting notation in the minutes of the Company appeared under date of February 24, 1890 when it was voted that Mr. Clarence Carr, whose widow still lives in Orford, would be allowed to use two horses on his team going for the mail train but would pay only the regular toll for one horse. That business was good and the investment a sound one appears evident from the records. In one case Mrs. Daniel 3dillee, ^Vetmont - TRANSPORTATION 91 Elliott was forced to retire from the toll collectors job due to ill health and the "pressure of business;'' and the minutes of the quarterly meetings almost without exception after the covered bridge was built show a vote of a dividend to the shareholders in a total amount of usually at least two hundred dollars. The only exceptions were when some extra funds were needed to replank the bridge. Speaking of toll collectors recalls the fact that in 1804 thy were warned to accept only silver payments as bank notes on any bank would be unacceptable to the owners. The troubles of operating the first bridge were not always to be of a financial nature. In 1804 the records of the Supreme Court of New Hampshire show, a lawsuit brought against the Orford Bridge Proprietors by Samuel Morey. It had apparently been threatened for some time and it was hoped could be settled out of court. Morey had inherited the ownership of the ferry from Fairlee to Orford from his father and felt that the operation of the bridge unduly hurt his ferry business and the bridge had been unlawfully erected. It appears that when the bridge was first to be erected Israel Morey had signed a full release insofar as any claim because of his ferry operations could be concerned. The original permit of construction had to be extended as we have seen and Samuel Morey felt that as another release had not been received he had a rightful claim of damages. A committee from the Proprietors was appointed to get his terms of settlement and Samuel Smith reported that Morey would withdraw his action and pay his own cost if the owners would pay him one hundred dollars annually, ten percent of any increase in tolls from a specified date, and also permit the Morey family free passage on tne bridge at all times. To this offer the owners voted a unanimous re- fusal. His fate was to be no better in the courts as it was ruled proper releases had been obtained and that the bridge was of a more impor- tant nature considering the people as a whole who had occasion to cross the river. All parts of our land have their historic landmarks but probably none are of more nostalgic a nature than the old covered bridges of New England. Due to the demands of this automobile age and the toll that must be paid to the elements over the period of years, many of these old structures have been replaced or destroyed. This was par- ticularly true in Vermont after the flood of 1927 so that today in Orange County only about twelve bridges are still standing. It is a source of fond memory that Fairlee was to have one of these venerable servants for over eighty-five years. The bridge that was built in 1802 had outserved its best usefulness by the middle of the century and was replaced by a covered bridge in 1856. Like many other covered bridges, it was of the Town lattice truss type of construction. This consisted of a crisscross pattern of hand-hewn planks for the side frames and was invented by Ithiel Town of Connecticut in 1820. Saitlee, ^Veimont - TRANSPORTATION 93 Although more expensive to build, it was of simple construction and time was to prove its great strength under excess stresses and strains. Though somewhat weakened in the flood of 1927, it did not suffer the fate of so many bridges which were completely washed away and destroyed. On the north side was a covered walk built in 1925 which served faithfully to keep the foot travellers protected from the elements, whether their mission to the other side be one of business or perhaps of more romantic inclination. And it can be said with a certain assurance of correctness that many young — and old — couples made a wish when they entered the darkened mysteries of the bridge, holding their breath until their faithful team had reached the other side. Romance, it is true, has played a part in the history of covered bridges; but we must also report they had other more practical purposes; whether it be to offer refuge to travellers caught in a storm, to keep horses from shying while crossing the water, or merely to protect the floor- ing and underpinning of a bridge against the ravages of weather. One item of interest, which may not occur to those who know of these structures only through books, was the annual fee paid for having snow put on the bridge floor during the winter months so the sleighs could traverse with ease. One such item of expense was $1.50 paid Mr. H. P. Warren for several years for discharging this very neces- sary work. Tolls were collected until 1894 when on October 25th it was voted the town should assume this expense and a special tax of $454.01 was levied to pay Orford Bridge Corp. for "freeing" the bridge. At this same time it was agreed the Fairlee boundary should be fifty-five feet from the west end of the bridge, or about one eighth of its total length. On March 5, 1895, a precaution was taken by the Town Meeting when it voted a "five dollar fine for any person to drive on or over this bridge faster than a walk." This was probably the first speed law enacted by the local enforcement officers. Except for the usual repairs to maintain the bridge in passable condition, it served its people well. In December 1898 a heavy wind blew off part of the roof, but it was not until 1936 that a lethal blow was struck. Although the bridge was still used after the great flood, it had been severely weakened and this fact, together with the demands of heavy trucks and motor cars, made it evident a replacement must be made. On January 15, 1937 the present Samuel Morey Memorial Bridge was started and was dedicated June 29, 1938. These exercises were attended by state officials from both New Hampshire and Vermont and the gathering was addressed by Mr. John Davis, formerly of Fairlee, who gave a talk on the inventions of Samuel Morey, of whose life Mr. Davis had made a thorough study. The day of the covered bridge was ended, the shades of its final night had been drawn over its former resting place and its character was probably best evaluated by the reporter who wrote for the "United Opinion" that the "intestinal 94 TRANSPORTATION - 3ai*lee, ^Veimont fortitude of the 'old timers' who built that bridge must have been built right into the bridge itself, for it withstood the ravages of that flood (1927) and other floods before that one, without even stirring from its foundation." Of some interest is the fact that although the two towns of Fairlee and Orford were able to work for the combined interests of each in the construction of the bridge, the corresponding states were unable to settle their differences as to which had control of the Connecticut River. This argument was carried on for years, whether the line should be the middle of the normal course of the river, or all in one state or the other. The various state authorities were unable to arrive at a conclusion and it was finally taken to the courts. Appeal followed appeal until it reached the United States Supreme Court. There, in February 1933, a decision was reached that the boundary line between the two states was the low water mark on the Vermont side, thus putting the river practically wholly in the state of New Hampshire. Easier access to the nearby towns was not the only development in the transportation system of the middle century. The "iron horse" was becoming a very definite factor in the economic development of the country and the state. Although railroads were to be known as early as 1828, it was twenty years later that eastern Vermont was to be served by this new monster of speed and economy. It had been proven that the Connecticut River was not a suitable answer to the transmission of goods to and from the other states and a cheaper way had to be found. The first train in Vermont was on the "Vermont Central" from White River to Bethel. Fortunately for Fairlee, however, there was a man in Saint Johnsbury who had foresight and a large business interest to sponsor a line along the river. The first plan was to lay the tracks on the New Hampshire side, from Woodsville down the valley through Orford and Lyme, but due to the work and fight of Asa Low of Bradford, the final plans for the line were as we know them today; and September 1846 saw the first ground broken for the present route owned by the Connecticut and Passumpsic Rivers Railroad Corporation. This company had been originally given a charter in November 1835 but it was allowed to lapse, to be renewed in October 1843 and in November 1845 only the part north of White River was so named. It would be nice to think the morning of October 10, 1848 dawned clear and cool with the sun shining on the hills beside the Connecticut valley showing forth their loveliness in all their resplendent Fall colors. It is almost certain the way was lined with people, young and old, wondering what this strange new sight would really be like. Was it the smoke-belching demon coming from out of the horizon they had perhaps been led to believe? Too few could possibly realize the tremendous effect it was to have on our country's history from that Galilee, ^Veimont - TRANSPORTATION 95 day forward. Finally their patience and curiosity were rewarded — the first train to pass through Fairlee was here! It is so easy to picture the pride that must have shown on the faces of the crew — Mr. Cas- well sitting proudly at the throttle, H. D. Butterfield making sure the fire had plenty of wood to feed its angry appetite, the conductor, Mr. Dutton, proudly chatting with the passengers on the one gas-lit coach, Mr. Amos Barnes of Lyme keeping a close eye on his duties as brakeman, or George Gates in full control of the baggage car. And so it was the "Green Mountain Boy,'' with its funnel-shaped smoke stack and wood-burning boiler was to make its encroachment on the quiet and peace of the valley under Morey Mountain and the Palisades. The railroad first ran from White River to Bradford, to be extended in November to Wells River and the following month to Saint Johnsbury. The dream of Erastus Fairbanks was fulfilled. Over the next several years it was to be further extended, reaching Barton in 1857 and the Canadian Border ten years later. The "Connecticut and Passumpsic" had its financial pains, however, and in 1887 it was run by the "Boston and Lowell Railroad," later to be managed by the "Boston and Maine" in 1892 and subsequently being fully owned by that company. To most people of Fairlee, residents and summer guests, probably the railroad has been most exemplified in the station agent. He is the one who has sold the tickets, checked the baggage and freight, hauled your trunk to the summer cottage or camp — for a considera- tion — and many times been a merchant of the town. Oh, Fairlee has seen the change from wood burners to coal to oil, wooden cars to all-steel palaces on wheels, bell ringers to the blood-curdling horns of the Diesels. These have come and gone their way, but the railroad has always seemed to be the man in the station. The first agent was George Brown, who served from 1849 to 1871. He was followed by F. M. Bailey (1871), Benjamin Driggs (1872), Sylvanus Graves (1873), Perley Mason (1874), H. W. Carley (1889), Fred Daniels (1892), W. H. Daniell (1894), and George Thompson (1903). Then in 1905 came one of the two men who have served in total for over half a century, F. H. Moore. His term ran until 1922 when the station came under the management of the present agent, "Joe'' Alger. * Ste4me44> £\S WE stand in the middle of Fairlee Main Street today, especially during the summer months, and see shoppers from the lake and farm regions with the local townspeople carrying out their shopping requirements, it is somehow hard to visualize this as a town originally with nothing but a grist mill and most of its needs taken care of by merchants and shops several miles away. Today Fairlee has eight gasoline and auto service stations, a thriving chain grocery store, and the individual shops where the needs of its people are filled. To many it seems as though man's modern beast, the auto, is best cared for; but to few, is it necessary to go far for their everyday wants or pleasures. Fairlee, however, did not in the past experience, maybe did not want, the growth of business that was seen in Bradford or West Fairlee. The former became a shopping center for all the sur- rounding countryside and West Fairlee grew in the business sense when there was considerable activity in the copper mines of that vicinity. It seems that the town fathers have decreed over the years that their town was to stay unmolested by the whistles and factories of bigger business and was to be for the convenience and support of its own alone. When the first settlers staked out their futures in Fairlee, their first need was for a sawmill and grist mill. Until such were raised, it was next to impossible to hew out their lumber for their new homes by hand and it was necessary to go to Charlestown, New Hampshire, 60 long, arduous miles away with the trip usually being made on the ice during the winter months, to have their corn ground into meal. That this was almost the first order of business is understandable and we find the records of the town meeting January 4, 1780 showing a vote "whereas the settlement and cultivation of the Township of Fairlee is greatly retarded by reason of there not being mills — to accomodate the owners and inhabitants thereof: — 100 pounds to Israel Morey Esq. provided he shall within the term of 2 years from the first day of 3aillee, ^Veimont - BUSINESS 97 December next coming erect and compleatly fit for business a saw and grist mill on some suitable place on the outlet from Fairlee Pond (so called)...." Although there is reason to believe an extension of time was needed, we do know Israel Morey fulfilled his contract probably by 1783 and the first mills were located near the river on the site later known as Abbott's Mills at the outlet of Fairlee Pond. About this same time and we must remember Fairlee — which included West Fair- lee as we know it today — had about 200 inhabitants, plans were also made by Nathaniel Niles for another grist mill in that section of the township on Middle Brook. Records of these early days are scarce, but we know that the general business growth of the town was slow and most of the inhabi- tants were given to farming and able to be practically self sufficient. Except for demands made by the summer people as Lake Morey was to take its place in the life of the town, Fairlee has always tended to the agricultural and dairying interests in the economy. It does appear, however, that the medical and legal problems of a community were considered of some importance at an early date, as we find in 1843 both of these professions listed in Walton's Register. What became of Dr. Francis Davis is not known and although Moulton Morey was to go far in the legal profession of his state, his shingle was not to grace his home in Fairlee for more than a year or two. It may have been as William Child claimed: "Counsellors-at-law probably think the prospect of procuring their bread and butter by their profession here has a somewhat bilious appearance." The son of Israel Morey appears to have been the first and last of his profession to have prac- ticed in the town. That the ills of the body were more regularly at- tended to is evidenced by the records, although even in this field there seems to have been no need for one man to stay in town for more than two or three years until recently when the health of our good people has been watched over by Dr. Jean Henderson and Dr. William Putnam. Nothing is known of Dr. Stark in 1837 or Dr. C. J. Wood, Dentist, listed only in the year 1863. Although the first years of the town saw the business life largely concentrated at the south end of Main Street, or the River Road as it was then known, it was about to grow during the middle of the last century at the north end where it is now. That it should first be at the south end was natural enough, however, as we must re- member that was the site of the sawmill and grist mills, at the outlet of Fairlee Pond and was also the approximate landing for the ferry from Orford. Israel Morey had built his mills about 1783 at the outlet, sometimes called "the ditch," and this was to be followed in 1866 by a sawmill owned by D. C. Abbott at about the same spot. Prior to the Abbott mills being built, Jerediah Pierce, Jr., grandfather of Mrs. Homer Perkins, had bought the mills formerly owned by Samuel Morey, lo- cated across the road and just east of the present home of Verne 98 BUSINESS - S'aillee, ^Veimont Batchelder. These were sold to Mr. Pierce by George Morey May 25, 1852 for $830.00, he having acquired them from Leonard Wilcox, ad- ministrator of Morey's estate, in 1850 for $1,000.00. The deed described the property as "about three acres of land and the Saw and Shingle Mill are the same together with the sawmill privilege formerly owned by Samuel Morey deceased also the right to maintain the dam across the brook near the house occupied by E. Rugg. and the right to build and maintain a dam at the outlet of Fairlee pond p One of the interesting features of this sawmill was that it had an up and down saw which permitted the handling of much bigger logs than would be normally possible. It was to pass from Jerediah Pierce to his son, Frank, eventually to become abandoned so that today there is practically no evidence of its former location, the only physical remains being part of the mill now serves as part of a barn on the Batchelder property. This is also practically true of the site of the old Morey mills /hich were to be taken over by Sumner Perkins in 1899, having bought out the interests of the Abbott family. Today just a few of the foun- dation rocks remain of what a hundred and more years ago was the business that constituted almost the life blood of the community. The land has been consumed by ever-growing weeds for the past several years. For a short time after World War II, there was a small lumber mill on the dump site, but this was completely demolished in 1952. The next center of commercial development on the main street near the Bridge road seemed to start about 1845. Prior to this time there were undoubtedly small stores, as we know as early as 1807 L. H. Granger ran a general store at about the present location of Chapman's Pharmacy, but not until the later years are there available records which show the growth of the town on a regular yearly basis. General history clearly indicates that there were carpenters and other artisans available to meet the daily needs, but we must also remember that the people themselves were of a very self-sufficient nature. However, by the 1840's the real growth of the town had started. Probably the most satisfactory way for the reader to trace this development is to take the sites as we know them today and follow their individual history. Certainly one of the oldest business places is the recent location of Farnham's Garage, 1955. It has been known for over a century as the "brick store," and, although the years have seen many changes in ownership and types of merchandise to satisfy the changing wants, it has always maintained its seat of prominence at the Bridge road junction. On land bought from Peleg Morey, Silas Read was to build the Brick Store in which he ran his business of making lead pipes and pumps from 1846 to 1853, according to Walton's Register. It was then to be the home of many forgotten merchants until 1884 when it was bought by Herbert Warren who ran a small tinsmith shop in the basement of Abbott's drugstore. He bought it from members of 3!aillee, ^Veimont - BUSINESS 99 the Read family. Mr. Warren was to become one of Fairlee's leading merchants and citizens over the next twenty years, selling anything from wearing apparel to buggies and blankets for man's most depend- able servant fifty years ago, the horse. In 1904 the business was sold to Hetherington and Bailey, who sold clothing, furniture, flour and feed. The state of business might be surmised by an ad appearing the first of 1905 that from then on all sales must be on a cash basis. In the next few years, Mr. Bailey withdrew from business and in 1908, Lee Andrews bought the remaining interest of Hetherington. That he was to thrive appears evident, as his business was such as to warrant the building of a new store in 1910, to be known as the "block" since that time. This was not to be the end of the "brick store" however, although the next tenant of note clearly indicates the change in the life of man and his wants. The place of the automobile in society had to be re- cognized and John Munn gave up his interests in the horse as the basic means of locomotion and opened a garage in 1914. As he had solved many personal problems of his fellow townsmen for years, he was to now keep the workings of this new "gasoline buggy" in proper order until 1925. In that year his interests were bought by Walter Kenyon, who maintained car sales and service until 1938. For many years the ups and downs of commerce at this site were varied until the garage was taken over in 1951 by Stanley Farnham, who ran it until 1955. Whether it has been the finest in horse blankets or the best in economy from high octane gasoline, the "brick store'' has always been a firm pillar in the business life of the community. Just north of the corner are the service station owned by Reginald Munn and the Fairlee Diner. This was originally started by Morris Roberts in 1939 next to the present Post Office building, moving to the present site in 1946. Since Mr. Robert's death in 1949 it has been operated by his widow and children. Now wholly non-existant, another important business of town until the First World War was that of livery and proper stabling of horses. It had, of course, been a necessary part of the early tavern business as conducted by the Bailey family, of which more later, and in later years the hotel as run by Newcomb, Gale and Church. About 1905 it was taken over by John Munn and with partners at various times he was to conduct the business in back of the present post office site until 1914 when he moved to the "brick store" corner. Another of recent memory in this same enterprise was Frank Hard and his father "Pop" Hard, the former gradually giving way to the gasoline engine and in his later years, until his death in 1952, running the taxi business of Fairlee, as well as the school bus, now served by Leyton Blake. Mention has been made of Lee Andrews and the building of the "block" in 1910. Although since 1928 it has been divided into several stores, with living apartments on the second floor, it was first used by Andrews and Cheney for their general dry goods store. In 1913 100 BUSINESS - Jtahiee, ^Velmont it became known as Andrews Brothers and Cheney and was so con- ducted until 1926, then being bought out by Edgar Sanborn and Clyde Blake. This partnership was to last ten years and Mr. Sanborn main- tained his respected business interests in the town unitl his death in 1952. The building had been converted in the meantme and the Sanborn investment was taken over by Henry Colby, its present owner. Since 1928 parts of the building have been used by a chain grocery store, barber shop, antique sales room, and Robert DeGoosh's electrical store and newspaper stand. During the Second World War a part of the ell was used by an outside company in the preparation of mica for war purposes. The "Adams' block" was built by Guy Adams about 1895. He con- ducted a barber shop until 1924, but of more recent years it has been known as Thurber's Store. Charles Thurber first opened his clothing store in 1897, renting from Mr. Adams. First sold to Alger Warren, Mr. Thurber bought the building in 1906 and served his town as merchant, school teacher and superintendent, and town officer faith- fully until forced by illness to give up his business in 1945, when he sold out to Robert DeGoosh. Mr. Thurber died in 1952 and his widow and children still live in their apartment above the old store. In more recent years the store has been subdivided and is now occupied by the Public Health Nurse and the real estate office of Mrs. Doris Strunk. About 1908 saw the start of what is today the McLam Lumber Company. It was built by Lee Andrews, already a successful Fairlee merchant, and was run by him until the sale to the Donahue Brothers in 1920. That they were businesslike carpenters is evidenced in a note in the Bradford Opinion in 1898 as "hustlers" to lay 9000 shingles in 13 hours having first built the staging and carried the shingles to the platform. Robert Donahue remained in Fairlee until his death in 1952, one of the town's most affluent citizens. Likewise energetic was one of their employees at the lumber office, "Bill" Rutledge. He was to buy out his employer in 1926 and maintain a thriving business until 1947 when he sold to Karl Johnson and his family. "Bill" then turned his life to one of semi-relaxation, although keeping a fatherly eye on the Rutledge Inn, started by his wife, Ruth Rutledge, and subsequently sold to Mr. and Mrs. Jackson Webb, until his death in 1955. In this same year Mr. Johnson sold the business to Mr. D. C. McLam of Bradford Just north of the lumber company was the site of one of Fairlee's foremost creameries. The front portion is now occupied by Tyler's restaurant and ice cream fountain; but when the creamery house in the rear was allowed to come into disuse and finally literally cave in in 1952, the last of many sweet memories was blotted out, the ice cream of twenty-five years ago forever remaining a delicious taste in the mouths of those so fortunate to eat it. This creamery had first been built by Franklin Kronenberg in 1914 and was taken over by the PQ < Pi > H C « > < H oo O o 102 BUSINESS - Jtafolee, ^Ve^mont Neapolitan Ice Cream Company in 1925 and New England Dairies, Inc. in 1937. It was abandoned in 1940 and the building bought by Mr. Homer Perkins. Mr. Kronenberg was to long remain in the affections of Fairlee due to his civic interests, chief of which was probably his gift of Fairlee's first fire engine in 1919. As might be supposed, the creamery business was at one time one of the town's foremost industries. The earliest creamery of any size seems to have been owned by Fred Messer about 1898 and this war- ranted special comment in the local news column as "it seems so nice to have milk delivered." His creamery was at the bend in the Lake road where Mrs. Carol White recently lived, near Reginald Cramer's home. It was later to be owned by B. E. Adams (1899) and Henry Porter (1900), finally coming into disuse about 1910. This present site then (1908) became the home of Kendall's steam laundry, although a dif- ferent building, the same as now. Before the turn of the century Mr. Kibby was to build the Lake Morey Creamery (1897), it being on the site just south of the depot which since about 1926 has been a resi- dence. Considerably later William Phillips opened a creamery behind the present Kettledrum Restaurant but this was to stay in business only from 1922 to 1927, when he converted the building to a lace and em- broidery factory of short duration. The Kettledrum was started as a tea room by Mr. Phillips and his daughter, Miss Laura Phillips in 1919. They ran it until 1942, it being sold in 1944 to Clyde Blake, its present owner. In 1930 the Phillips bought the Casino on Lake Morey where Miss Phillips still maintains the management. Another business site which has been in existence for several years is the present location of Leighton Godfrey's hardware store at the corner of the main street and the Lake road. This was built by "Allie" Adams about 1899 and he ran a photograph studio. He and C. L. Bracy took many photographs of the town and Lake of fifty years ago and it is unfortunate that more of their work is not available today. About 1910 Adams gave up the studio and the corner was vacant for some time, the next remembered storekeeper being Ernest Corpieri who ran a candy and grocery store from 1913 until he moved down the Lake road near the golf course corner in 1937. "Corp" stayed there until 1950 when he retired from active business. In 1937 his old store was taken over by Clyde Blake, who had just dissolved' his partner- ship with Edgar Sanborn and he opened a hardware store. For a few months he had been in the Dudley house north of the Kettledrum, but only on a temporary basis. This business was maintained until 1951 when it was sold out to Burton Wadsworth, and in turn sold in 1956 to Leighton Godfrey, the present owner. Chapman's Store had its start as a general store owned by H. F. Bickford in 1875. He was to remain as a purveyor to all until 1892 when it was bought by the kindly and highly-esteemed F. W. Abbott 3ai*lee, ^Veimont - BUSINESS 103 who conducted a drug store. The interest and devotion both he and his wife showed the town will long be remembered, as will his penny candy counter be a happy recollection of the past to the children of his day. As Haydn Pearson has written: Five cents was recognized as money in 1910 and a lad did not spend it recklessly. He wanted candy that would last; he wanted something to tuck under his tongue in District School to help pass the time while he worked long divi- sion problems and memorized the rivers of South America A boy could spend minutes deciding among Zanzibars, derbies, Salem mints, molasses kisses, Cinnamon imperials, foxy grandpas, candy ciga- rettes, Ju-jus, sugared peanuts in little red bean pots and licorice that came in half a dozen flavors.'' It was not just the children for whom his merchandise was a treat, as Abbott's ice cream was a dainty dish for the whole family. His wares, whether for pleasure or a medical emer- gency, were to serve his town until 1925. Mr. Abbott's withdrawal was not to mark the end of this focal point for the needs of the people. He had trained his clerks well and particularly one, William Chapman. "Bill' as he was affectionately known by his town folks and summer friends, had gone to work as a boy for Mr. Abbott in 1907 and took over ownership upon the latter's death. Although the store was to grow and become somewhat divergent in the lines carried, it has never lost the feeling of friendliness that its walls have known for over a half century. Upon Mr. Chapman's death in 1947 the active ownership was assumed by his wife and son Leland. Although today the home of Mrs. Charles Munn, this site was for many years important in the business life of the town. It is believed about 1878 this was the home and grain store of H. L. Rice. He was to be succeeded in 1889 by H. W. Carley in the same line of business and three years later by Fred Daniels, but he was soon to sell out to Mr. Rice. The business then was conducted by different lessees until bought as a home by Charles Munn in 1905. Mrs. Munn later conducted a small hotel on the premises known as the "Wayside Inn'' until recent years. This site was also to see the start in business of one of Fairlee's respected citizens today, who is now enjoying a well-earned retire- ment, Henry Scruggs. He started his plumbing business in 1914 in the north end of Rice's store and stayed there until 1916, when he moved to the site just south of Darling's store. Here the Scruggs family lived and worked until their home and shop were destroyed by fire during the winter of 1947. Henry was then to retire and his busi- ness was later resumed by his son Beverley in 1949, after the present home and shop were built on the former site. Just south of this on the present site of Saladino's Garage and the Post Office was the location of Fairlee's tavern and hotel from its earliest days. Once the property of Israel Morey and his son Darius, it was bought by Launcelot Granger who built a store and tavern in GO W w H GO Jtahlee, ( -Veimont - BUSINESS 105 1807. He sold the tavern to Solomon Mann and the store to George Mann. Both were to be taken over by the Bailey family of Orford in 1821 when Phineas Bailey, who had run a tavern in the New Hampshire town, crossed the river. The management of the tavern was under the son and grandson, Jerome and Frank, until it was sold to Benjamin Driggs, who apparently went out of business in 1870. In 1871 the hotel was bought by Albert Newcomb and continued under his guidance until 1888, when Herbert Warren, already one of the town's leading merchants, bought the Newcomb interests. By this time it had been known as the "Wynona House," having been named by a Mrs. Wheeler of Orford who paid for one-half the cost of a new sign for the privilege. The name was taken from a poem called "Minnehaha'' by Henry Wads- worth Longfellow. Mr. Warren maintained control until 1901, although the hotel had been offered for sale the previous year. It then had fif- teen beds and a barn of twenty stables, his advertisement saying the volume the previous year had been $3,000.00. A sale was finally made in March 1901 to Manus Gale and it was called "Gale's Inn." It appears, however, the ensuing years brought decreasing returns. In 1905 it was sold to a syndicate of Gilman Brothers, Frank Carr, and W. H. Worthen; but six months later, September 1905, it was again sold to W. H. Daniell. This sale did not include the livery stables, these being sold to John Munn and a partner, Mr. Cushman. In the meantime Mr. Daniell had built next to the hotel a building to be known as "Daniell's Opera House" and this together with the hotel was appa- rently leased to Betsy Stebbins in December 1905. The hotel had been renamed by Mr. Daniell to the "Cliff House.'' The enterprise was to continue to be a ship tossed on the waves of uncertain business profits, apparently, as in October 1906 it was sold to William Church and called "Church's Tavern." He was to remain proprietor until 1911 when it was sold to William Gale. Then in 1913 it was bought by a company of Alger Warren, B. W. Abbott, Charles Thurber, and John Munn. One more chapter was to be written. For over ninety years this had been the site of the town's hostelry, some years without an occupant, some profitable, some undoubtedly showing losses on the inevitable year-end balance sheet. But on September 18, 1914 it was to write an entry from which it did not recover. Of undetermined origin, fire destroyed this structure and, although most of the furnishings were saved, it was not felt advisable to rebuild and the site was allowed to stand idle for several years, although the back part was to be used for the livery stables run by John Munn. Finally in 1930 the present garage was built by Peter Saladino and the Post Office building was erected in 1934. Mention has been made of the Opera House that was built by W. H. Daniell between the present Chapman Drug Store and the Town Hall. The town had felt a need for a place to house the travelling shows as they might appear or for the proper location of plays and enter- 106 BUSINESS - Jtahlee, ^Veimont tainment produced locally. Consequently, in 1905 it was voted to grant tax exemption for a year to encourage such a building; and along with the church plays, we soon find ads calling attention in big red and black letters to the visit of the famous Coleman and Reid's group of travelling thespians with their blood-tingling production of "Ten Nights in a Bar Room.'' The belief that perhaps if his customers were put in a merry mood it might make their resistance to regular sales- manship methods wane is apparent in an advertisement of Mr. Daniell's for his new Opera House. Under date of May 26, 1905 he announced "Bookings for Daniell's Opera House — Thursday June 1st. Muslin Ball. Ladies are requested to wear muslin dresses, any color you wish. Gentlemen are to dance in shirt sleeves, any color you wish. Ice cream, cake, and coffee will be served. Music by Brock's Orchestra. By the way, just unloading a car of $2.25 shingles." The course of ownership was to change hands twice in the fol- lowing seven years. First it was leased to Mrs. Besty Stebbins and in 1909 for a short period was managed by Frank Hard. However, changes of title could not prevent the cause of its final disappearance from the scene of daily life and entertainment, as on the night of Decem- ber 5, 1912 it was to be engulfed in the fire that was to wipe out this whole site, including the Library and Church. Part of this building was used for the more material needs of the day. Under the hall was located a harness shop owned by William Porter. Its location may have been better planned than believed, as it was most vital in the days before the modern gas buggy that if one was to have entertainment for the soul, he must first provide his faithful mare with the proper shoes and harness. The shop was bought in 1910 by Mr. Stebbins, but life was to be short, as it was in his shop the fatal fire had its origin. The moving picture was soon to become of age, however, and about 1914 they were shown in the Town Hall by one whose name has passed without recall to the writer. In 1925 the programs were taken over by Charles Thurber and John Munn, and many have fond memories through the ensuing years of the hard seats, the dashing heroes with their beautiful heroines, the piano playing by Miss Wynona Bogle to set the proper mood, and the lovely hand-painted scene of Lake Morey on the screen given by the Fairlee Thespians. With the decline of moving pictures, or due to other diversions, this part of Fairlee life passed on a few years ago to be replaced by the current fashion of the outdoor "drive-in.'' The next business site that reaches back into the pages of time is the present unoccupied location, recently Whedon's Grocery Store, although its original service was not one sought after by the good folks of Fairlee, as was to be true for many years later. W. H. Daniell started an undertaking business in 1897 and his advertisement in the Bradford Opinion of the same year seems worthy of comment for Galilee, ^Veimont - BUSINESS 107 its promotional value. He announced his new occupation "with deter- mination of offering nearly a carload of caskets at such low prices that it will service orders from this vicinity, and attract customers from a radius of at least 50 miles of Fairlee." Whether the carload was sold or not, we do not know; but in 1905 the business was sold to A. E. Hale and apparently transferred to Mr. Hale's location in Brad- ford. The site was soon to turn to more pleasant commodities to offer the public, and in 1910 was bought by M. W. Prescott for his meat market. Three years later it was bought by W. C. Morse and in a similar time was taken over by "Steve'' Darling. His reign, always assisted by his wife, was to be long and unusually prosperous with an enlargement on the store building and delivery service to the many cottages on Lake Morey. Time, taxes and the increasing popularity of the chain stores, however, were eventually to take their toll; and after serving his fellowmen for thirty-five years, "Steve" hung up his apron for the last time in 1951, disposing of his interests to Stanley Whedon. Mr. Whedon died in 1953 and the building has been vacant since that time. Although we have traced the growth of business in the commercial sites still extant, over the years there have been many who came and went, contributing their abilities to the welfare of Fairlee, making their marks on the pages of Time in varying degrees. It is impossible to list them all, but mention of some will show the various types of work offered in this growing community, many to be curtailed by death or the gradual lack of the particular services offered. One early artisan was Benjamin Comings who smarted the manufacturing of char- coal in 1856. This trade was carried on from 1876 to 1888 by D. F. Tilotson, whose coal kilns were about at the present location of the McLam Lumber Company. As is so often true, however, transportation costs and production by larger combines forced the small individual out of business, and the kilns were allowed to fall into disuse at the turn of the century. One of the first requirements of the early settlers was good equipment for felling the trees and building of homes. Unques- tionably tools were all hand made in the earlier years, but by the middle of the century we find the manufacture of axe handles, spokes, and helves to be of major importance. Some of these artisans with their approximate dates of business were; D. A. Morrison (1859), E. L. Kelly (1869), and H. C. Smith (1880). Stone jars and butter tubs were other important utensils and many of these were to be hand made by B. W. Davis (1869) who lived near the present home of Ralph Hodge on lower Main Street, or George Mann near the end of the century (1892), whose place of business was the present site about of Ray Humphrey's home. One of the most important trades was that of blacksmith. Not only did the horse's shoes have to be kept in good shape but there was always a wagon rim or other important piece of iron to be shaped or repaired. Among the better remembered of these 108 BUSINESS - Saitlee, ^Velmont were probably H. S. Porter, who had his shop in back of the Munn house (1872), C. A. Washburn (1879), or Richard Faulkner and Mr. Huber, who were located just north of the "brick store," in the late nineties and about 1910. As the feed and grain business was handled by various merchants in the past century, today it is done largely by E. T. and H. K. Ide Company. This was started in 1897 and is still at its original location south of the railroad station. The original settlers were able in many cases to provide their boots and shoes from their own leather. At the turn of 1800 many of the general merchants carried such necessities and with the exception of Benjamin Brown (1801), who was a ferryman for Israel Morey and the father of George Brown, the first station agent and also postmaster; and Ira Goodwin (1869) as purveyors of boots and shoes, this trade seems to have been done in the general stores entirely. As the years passed, milady and her fashions were not to go unattended. For many years, of course, all the family clothing was made by the women of the household but by the coming of 1900 we find mention of millinery for sale by a Mrs. Wallace who lived with W. H. Daniell; and of fond recollection to many is the sight of Mrs. Kate Brennan sitting in her window on Main Street sewing dresses of the latest fashion for the lady of the house. Her home was the present residence of Fred Hayward, Sr. Although mining was to be a large industry in Vershire and Ely (West Fairlee), such was not to be the case within the confines of Fairlee. In 1898 Joseph Everett formed the Fairlee Peat Company and had two or three beds in the Brushwood section. A slate company was also founded the same year, but neither were to be of long duration. Incidentally, it should be remembered that the Brushwood section was originally one of the most thickly settled parts of town. This was no doubt due to the early families seeking the higher lands believing the land there to be more tillable. Another venture of short duration was the quarrying of granite. This was done by E. P. Kendall who had his office at the present home of Mrs. James Davis. Some of the more prominent work he did is the horse trough at the corner of the Library hill in Bradford, part of the Colonel A. M. Dickey monument in Bradford and possibly parts of the stone house recently (1955) owned by Winfield Hefflon. It is felt to be of some passing interest that what might have become one of the town's biggest enterprises did not materialize. In 1934 it was voted to try to raise $60,000.00 for the creation of an airport that was to take in part of the old Spear, Mclndoe and Hodge farms north of the village. It was, however, impossible to raise the funds and this project was forced to collapse; and although air coverage in this part of the state is not too adequate as yet, it might have been that such a port could have become a major link in a growing chain. Such has been the growth of a town on the business side of the ledger. Many of the ventures proved to be of long and fond Galilee, CVeimont - BUSINESS 109 MAIN SQUARE — WEST SIDE ANDREWS' BLOCK 110 BUSINESS - Saidee, Belmont memory, a few came and went leaving no impressive imprint: Whether it be a site, such as the "brick store" or the work of a man and his hands alone, such as Guy Adams serving as barber to four generations, they all had their share in the fortunes of this town under the cliff. To some, perhaps, a bigger bulk of commercialism should rule over this part of the valley, to others the small development by the individuals has been sufficient; but to all it has meant the serving of man by his fellow man in meeting the daily necessities of living. Indicative of the times, it might be interesting to mention a few advertisements that appeared a half century or less ago, creating maybe a sense of nostalgia, a thought as to the value of money in years gone by, or just a bit of humorous reading to some. Apparently one of the best guarantees of old age was heralded "The human machine starts but once and stops but once. You can keep it going longest and most regularly by using DeWitts Little Early Risers." This was to be followed "at the first sign of a cold, the best remedy is Abbott's White Pine Cough Syrup." Hardly a resident or summer visitor to Fairlee has escaped the merits of "Chapman's Liniment," be your ills one of aches and pains, or most any cause of distress to mortal man. The fame of this product has been world wide, literally from the South to North Pole. To those struggling with the high cost of cloth- ing, perhaps the following will be further cause of irritation: "For only $4.99 we offer men's Spring outfits as follows: 1 man's suit, 2 outside shirts, 1 undershirt, 1 pr. Drawers, 2 prs. stockings, 1 pr. sus- penders, 1 soft Felt hat, 1 pr. Arm elastics, 1 pr. overalls, 1 pr. shoes. No trash or Sleezy Goods." For those who take their family out to eat the ad of 1898 might appeal: "Sunday dinners served at Warren's new cottage, Lake Morey, for 35 cents." To insure cleanliness at low cost, H. P. Warren offered a special for four weeks of a rocking chair "and a good broom — $1.''; or of a more personal interest was the soap offered by Mr. Abbott when he wrote, "We have that much talked of Harmless Soap. Every lady wants to try it. You'll use less of it — Harmless Soap." Nor was the horse forgotten as you could buy in 1896 the "BEST in town" horse blanket for one dollar at Warren's. Is there perhaps some merit to the well-worn saying "Give me the good old days?'' 9 Pofiutatim O, 'N A recent summer's day a Vermont State policeman, upon noting the license plate, asked a friend of the writer's if there was any one left in Connecticut, the influx of visitors seemed to be so great. It would be nice to think that our present visitations were a rebirth of the settlement by our Connecticut ancestors of almost two hundred years ago. Unfortunately such is not the case, as the population of Fairlee, as of many small towns, is today about the same as one hundred years ago. There has been some increase the past twenty years, but from a high point of 1,143 in 1820 it has dropped to 575 in 1850 and 571 in the census of 1950. What are the reasons for this decline? They are several and represent an interesting part of the history of Fairlee and the state. The first census was taken in 1790 and Fairlee had 239 souls. This was to increase to 386 in 1800, but was actually a greater increase than might appear evident as during the previous decade (1797) Fairlee and West Fairlee had be- come different townships. The next decade was to show a larger increase to 983, and still further in 1820 when there were 1,143 inhabitants. The population was to then start dropping, to 656 in 1830 and to continue until the low point was reached in 1890 when the population was only 398. Since then the graph has reversed itself and is still on the increase. Before considering the decline in the population, however, let us first look at the reasons for increase. As we know the original buyers of the Governor's grants were largely speculators. It was not their intention to remain and settle Fairlee or any other town in which they had bought rights. The first census shows there were 80 families in the town, of which only three apparently were of the original grantees' family, Cook, Dickinson and Wright. These had come to find them- selves new farms and places to raise their families. Many were of a young enough age so that the immediate family grew in size, the figures showing the great percentage being still classed as children. As these grew up, in many cases they stayed and had families of 112 population - Galilee, ^Veimont their own. By 1800 the average family was almost six persons, but it is noted that of the three original families apparently two, Dickin- son and Wright, had moved away and only twenty-nine of those here in 1790 had remained. This is on the negative side which will be considered later. Another reason for the increase was that many of the real settlers had, after a few years, written their friends and relatives in Connecticut and induced them to leave their ties and make a new life in the northern wilderness. Among these was the Morey family which, counting all the relatives, totalled seven- ten souls. Of more pertinent fact, however, was at the turn of the century three families were in Fairlee who have descendants living here today. They were the ancestors of Mrs. Selden George and her son, Newton and daughter, Mrs. Earle Edmonds; Mrs. Homer Perkins and her family; and Mrs. Charles Oliver. That the all around concept of a town was growing by 1800 is perceived in the census figures of that year. There were still more farmers than other occupations, but by then there were eleven merchants, two doctors, eleven classed as laborers, one lawyer, one miller, and one stonecutter. Real estate values had increased and, although the average farm was still small and valued at about $2,000 - $2,500, one farm owned by A. H. Gilmore was placed on the census table valued at $7,000. The land largely had limited value, however, and the pre- vailing farms had to be scattered along the river edge to a great extent. So the increase and first growth cf the town was possible. The tide was to turn, however, soon after 1820. There seem to be five major reasons for this turn of events. We have found that many of the original settlers staked their claims in the Brushwood section of town. This was true of many who came to the river towns, believing the higher lands to be more fertile. However, with no benefit of crop rotation and other means of preserving the soil, it was soon evident these farms had been overworked to the point of poor production; and the only choice seemed to be to move on to another site, often out of town. Another reason for some of the decline was a general move- ment westward, not unlike the previous one to this country fifty years earlier. As in the first days of Fairlee's settlement, many from Connecticut, friends and relatives of the Vermont settlers, had gone to northern New York and particularly Ohio. Some were friends, many were relatives, and the natural urge to unite the families again was bound to be one of much weight. The canals and turnpike roads had been laid and with the advent of the railroad, travelling was for a part at least easier and the venture seemed not too hard. The failure of wheat after 1820 would seem to be further cause for emigration. It was not just a local problem, but a state one. First it was damage by the wheat weevil, then in 1826 the whole state was visited by a wave of grasshoppers. We remember that previously wheat had been one form of payment for taxes, but with a decline in the production, ~Haillee, Belmont - POPULATION 113 the farmers became discouraged and decided to move on. Then there was sickness which caused an abnormal death rate and accounted for some of the changes, although the 1811 epidemic of spotted fever did not seriously affect the census count of people. However, consumption, poor diet, and meningitis were definite means of causing drops in the population and, in some cases, the basis for families moving on to perhaps healthier grounds. Added to these reasons were the lack of any industrial plants or other means of livelihood to encourage people to migrate to this vicinity. As we have seen, Fairlee was largely agricultural in its economy until the development of Lake Morey, and since then the commercial picture has grown in its relative position to the overall income. Today's figures are not as obtainable as to the various types of produce grown, improved acreage, etc. However, a general knowledge of the town can easily be compared with conditions a century ago. 101 families were listed in the census of 1850 of which 82 were farmers and 11 were merchants. There was a total of 5,462 acres of improved land and 3017 unimproved. There were 88 horses but no mules. The tractor of today was unknown and that work was largely done by the 124 working oxen. Some kept pigs, 221; but the largest stock was in sheep, 1575, for which there had been a reason. There is evidence that in 1836 Fairlee had over 5000 sheep, as in those years sheep raising had become one of the most profitable investments throughout the state. This was due to the tremendous requirements of the textile mills in the other New England states and the Vermonter was quick to grasp the opportunity. This new-found wealth was to continue until about 1846 when all protective tariffs were lifted and the price of wool fell to a disastrous point. Financial loss stared many in the face and it was necessary to sell stock for what could be obtained and turn their efforts to other products. As wheat had been a major crop in the past, by 1850 this position was taken by Indian corn, when the farmers of Fairlee reported a crop of 7978 bushels, wheat dropping to 740 bushels,. Another large crop was Irish potatoes, but it is noted the census taker officially reported the hay crop was short by one- third and the oats by one-half. From a dairy standpoint, Fairlee made in this same year 16,475 pounds of butter and 7,400 pounds of cheese. Before we leave this report, it should be noted the average pay for a farmhand with board was twelve dollars, a day laborer without board eighty-eight cents, a domestic servant with board received the magnifi- cent sum of a dollar and a quarter a week, the same pay received by a carpenter for a day's work. And so we know Fairlee today and a cen- tury ago, as to its economy. Formerly a town to gain its livelihood from nature, it has survived depressions, grasshoppers, and changes in demands. Whether it was richer then or now is a question for each to answer in his own mind; but in any event and with all its changes, the town held its head high and served its state with pride. to PoitUci. J.F ONE should ask the average outsider what were the politics of Fairlee, the answer would unhesitatingly be, "always Re- publican just like Vermont." This would not be true, however, as we find that on more than one occasion the local voters have cast their ballots according to their conscience and belief in what was best for them and not to conform to pattern. It is unfortunate that until the election of 1824, there are no local figures available as to the votes cast, and it would be of some interest to know if the Federalist movement which held considerable power was, temporarily at least, approved by the town. It is fair to assume probably not, as the votes in the succeed- ing years were cast in favor of the Democrat Republican candidates, until that party merged in to the Whig forces and later became known as the Republican Party. The first real breach came in 1832 as part of a national movement that was particularly strong in Vermont. This was to be known as the Anti-Masonic movement and for* a few years was to exert its pressure on both national and state politics. In brief, it resulted from the sup- posed murder of a William Morgan in New York State by a group of Masons after Morgan's attack on the power and exclusion of others than Masons in the political and economic circles of the country. There was a wide-spread feeling of anti-democracy in the movement, resulting in splits of varying degrees throughout the towns and even into the churches of the country. There are no records known in Fairlee which show such a split locally, but we do know in several neighboring towns, Piermont, Newbury and others, it resolved itself into a serious affair; with the result that several church members had to forego any further connection with the Masonic orders to which they belonged to continue their church membership. Locally we know it had its effect from the political angle, as Fairlee returned its vote for the presidential candi- date William Wirt instead of either Andrew Jackson or Henry Clay. It also favored the gubernatorial candidate William Palmer. Although Saitlee, Belmont - POLITICS 115 this movement was soon to burn itself out, it did create scars which were to take years to heal, but there was to be no evidence of it, politi- cally at least, in Fairlee beyond this one election, she returning to the fold, shall we say, in 1836 with a close vote for William Harrison (Whig) over Martin VanBuren, 44 to 42. The next turnabout was soon to come. In the election of 1844 Fairlee was to make one of her few appearances in the Democratic column, voting 57 to 36 in favor of James Polk over Henry Clay. This trend of mind was to carry over into the next election, and although part of it may have been because a neighbor from New Hampshire was aspiring to the highest office in the land, it is fair to assume these predecessors of today's voters were casting their ballots as they believed to be for the best national interests. Lewis Cass was not to be success- ful over Zachary Taylor, but Fairlee had done her best in his behalf. Of interest to some may be the record of votes during the two cam- paigns of Abraham Lincoln. We all know the position Vermont and her people took on the question of slaves, they being unlawful in the original constitution of the state. Believing in the rights of man, and not to be persuaded by the fancy oratory of Stephen Douglas, Fairlee's vote in the election of 1860 resoundingly spoke for itself: Lincoln 70, Breckenridge 25 and Douglas 19. That their beliefs were unchanged is evidenced again four years later when the town again helped Lincoln to the White House with a vote of 75 to 47 over General McClellan. The war had taken her fathers and sons, had made it difficult at times to raise the necessary taxes and food rations, but these privations were small when it came to a matter of principle and belief in the right way of life. For these things Fairlee had always cast her vote and we suspect always will. Politics, so far as vote casting was concerned, were to remain fairly stable for many years. The records show almost a two to one, or better, division between Republican and Democrat until 1912. This was the year the big jovial William Howard Taft was to seek reelection, having been favored in 1908 by Fairlee 69 to 14 over the advocate of free silver, William Jennings Bryan. Taft, however, was opposed by the man with the big stick, Theodore Roosevelt, and the school teacher from New Jersey and maybe the men of Vermont were more prone to admire the "rough rider", whether it be against big business or politi- cians. In any event, the President was to run a poor third, the vote being Taft 14, but Wilson 23 and Roosevelt 64. Fairlee's efforts were in vain, however, as the nation was to elect Woodrow Wilson, who again in 1916 was not to meet with the town's favor, the results being Wilson 31 and Charles Evans Hughes 64. Since 1916 the voting record of Fairlee has been strictly in the Republican column and without particular incident. It may be interesting to note that in 1940 the Communist candidate received two votes, although the party was not then held in the same disrepute as is true today. The Prohibition candidates have 116 POLITICS - Jtaluee, ^ Vermont fared no better, receiving one vote in 1924 and two in 1928. The largest vote ever cast was in 1952 when the town gave 237 votes to Dwight Eisenhower and 35 to his opponent Adlai Stevenson. In this respect it is indicative of the increased interest in a national election in 1952 as compared to the apparent interest a century earlier. With about the same population, 575 in 1850 and 571 in 1950, the total votes in the earlier election were 73 in the Pierce-Scott contest of 1852 as against 273, almost four times greater, in 1952. This is indeed a healthy sign as to the part the people of Fairlee feel they are privileged and obliged to play in the welfare of their nation. Their increased responsibilities are clearly recognized and assumed, as has been true for almost two hundred years. Such has been the voting record of the town over the years of our national history. It is to be lamented, perhaps, that Fairlee has not given to national or state politics any outstanding persons since the days of Nathaniel Niles and Israel Morey. This does not mean that her representatives in the state government have not all done their job conscientiously and in many, many cases have been assigned to impor- tant committees with results of considerable import to the welfare of Vermont, the town and the nation. Maybe it is better this way, for each to have done his own part of the bigger task in a quiet, inoffen- sive and serious manner. It may be part of a more comprehensive plan which has seemed to become evident to the writer in searching old histories and records, and that is the more or less general lack of outstanding political figures on the broader scenes from this particular part of the state. In any event, the town does owe much to its represen- tatives over the years; Samuel Smith, Alexander Gilmore, of later years, William Kelton, Charles Munn, Mrs. William Rutledge, Frank Ward, Mrs. Charles Munn, Mrs. R. Dewitt Mallary and others, for a time- consuming, headache-provoking task well done. We spoke of Nathaniel Niles and Israel Morey. We have already seen these two men in the earlier days of the town when getting it started to a full growth was the undertaking of everyone in the relatively small colony of two or three hundred souls. These two were to cross paths in many ways but whereas Morey was to become more involved in the economic growth of the village, Niles' path was to turn to the political fields. No doubt the contests would have been more frequent if West Fairlee had not been established as a separate town in 1797, but we do find them competing for the same offices in 1794. At a Freeman's Meeting in September 1794 Niles re- ceived 17 votes for Governor and Morey one vote for Lieutenant Governor. Morey also received ten votes for the office of Governor's Counsellor, but in every case both he and Niles were unsuccessful. In December of the same year they were to oppose each other for Congress, Niles receiving 25 votes and Morey two. Israel Morey's lot was not to be a political one of national prominence, although he did serve Fairlee Galilee, ^Vetmont - politics 117 in the Legislature in the sessions of 1786, 1788-1790, and 1793-1797. The intervening sessions were attended by Samuel Smith, who was also to be elected in 1798-1799, and 1808. The early records of the Legis- lature abound in important committee assignments held by General Morey and it is all too evident the high esteem in which he was held by his superiors and fellow legislators. Nathaniel Niles' political life was to start in Fairlee in 1784 when he was elected representative and was chosen by his compatriots as Speaker. Recognized by Governor Thomas Chittenden for his ability he was sent as an agent of the state to the Continental Congress with reference to the various claims being made by New York for certain lands of Vermont. This same year further honors came to him as he was made an associate judge of the Supreme Court, which position he held for four years. Niles was made a member of the Council of twelve members from 1785 to 1787 and after Vermont was admitted to the United States in 1791, he was one of the first Congress- men, being elected for two terms. After his return from the national scene, Nathaniel Niles represented the town in the Legislature from 1800 to 1803. Although West Fairlee became a separate geographical division in 1797, it was not represented separately from a political standpoint in the Legislature until 1803. On the strictly local scene there have been changes in adminis- tration over the years, but the records show that Fairlee has been quite prone to know and recognize good men and women for the various offices when they have had them. In these days of rapid change in so many respects it is comforting to find certain names holding posts of responsibility year after year. It has not resulted in a case of stagnation, rather a condition of stability and no doubt accounts for a large part of the reason Fairlee stands so well in the financial health of Vermont towns. Let us not jump to the conclusion, however, that this condition has not had its preamble of divergent opinions, heated debates in an informal caucus of three and fours around the general store's pot-bellied stove or Post Office door. Town Meeting has seeen its full share of insufficient votes on several successive ballots to name one for Town Clerk or someone else for Selectman eventually having the necessary minority change its mind to make a majority. Oh, there have been politics played and played to the hilt! Our chief concern is that such conditions are still possible and our wish is that they always will be; as, when this possibility becomes a thing of the past, our way of democratic life has gone, and the best means of getting the man or woman most suited for Town Clerk or Lister or Cemetery Overseer will become but a sham. It is in these beliefs and a desire to serve their community that in their respective offices over the years such men as Samuel and Grant Smith, William Child, Arthur Paine, Charles Thurber, Alexander Gilmore, Herbert Warren, Warren Ordway, William Chapman, and many others have 118 POLITICS - EFaitlee, ^Velmont steered the course of Fairlee through the seas of growth, depression, wars and prosperity to the town we know it as today, a small New England village under a cliff proud of its past, hopeful of its future, always trying to do its best in the national, state or local being. // ^ax^tco^t 1.N THESE days of high income taxes, surplus taxes, sales taxes, and many others, both direct and indirect, people often yearn for "the good old days." Perhaps a review of history and the full realization of what our ancestors were exposed to in the way of financial problems would radically change their thinking. The common saying "death and taxes are always with us" was just as true in 1775 as it is now. In considering this part of our history, it is felt necessary to study briefly the problem from the State level as well as the more local angle; because then, as now, the burden had to be passed along to each and every taxpayer in the many towns and villages. During the last decade of the eighteenth century many towns in Vermont, including Fairlee, showed a rapid growth in inhabitants. The original grantees of the land had bought for speculation and now that the future of this new region seemed secure, they were having no trouble selling at a profit to the real settlers. One reason for this was that, unlike the other New England states which were raising heavy taxes to carry on the war, Vermont was paying its way from the sale of lands confiscated from the Loyalists and the unsold lands not previously granted. With such a healthy condition, Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen and State Treasurer, declared "It was thought good policy not to lay any taxes on the people." This condition existed largely from 1778 to 1781; but the clouds of gold were soon to disappear and in 1781 bills of credit were authorized to be re- deemed in 1782 by raising a state tax of one shilling three pence on each pound declared in the taxable polls. From the lists we have, we can assume the heaviest burdens in Fairlee were carried by Israel Morey with a taxable poll of over eighty-six pounds, Ichabod Ormsbee rated fifty pounds, and Samuel Smith, who was taxed forty-six pounds. As we shall see later, at this same time local taxes were becoming a problem to all. The vast acres of land that could be sold by the State had not fully materialized and, added to this, was the rapid devalua- 120 TAXATION - Saillee, Belmont tion of Continental currency. Although it had gone out of circulation in 1780, having maintained any fair value only from 1775 to 1777, many contracts had been based upon such payment. Debtors were in their glory and large obligations were settled for practically nothing in real value. The State felt its obligation and in 1781 and 1787 set a value for the currency on a six-months basis, making all contracts drawn between September 1, 1777 and September 1, 1786 payable on the following rates based on a normal of 100 as of the earlier date: January 1778—140, July 1778 — 240, January 1779 — 450, January 1780 — 2000, and September 1780 — 7200, with all on a retroactive basis. After this date, the Continental currency lost all value. A financial crisis arose, prices went to unbelievable heights, the State had resorted to bills of credit and due bills, and it was only with the cancellation of value in the old paper money that normalcy was returned. An example of a bill of credit is owned by Mrs. Selden George which was issued to her ancestor Samuel Smith, Fairlee tax collector for many years, which reads: "State of Vermont. Treasurer's Office June 18th. 1778. Rec'd of Benjamin Baldwin fifteen pounds one shilling for the use of this State and on your allowing this to the Bearer it shall become your sufficient Security against this State in Settlement, (signed) Ira Allen, Treasurer. To Samuel Smith, Commissioner Signification Fairly in this State." The reverse side reads "An order from Loan office on Smith." The State had set up two loan offices to collect advance taxes and other monies on each side of the state. Today there are advocates of a state and even national lottery to help defray the unusual expenses that have faced our governing bodies. Such was the case when Vermont was called upon to defend her borders from possible invasion in 1778. So early in the life of the towns and state no reserves had been acquired and it was all too evi- dent these unusual burdens could not be entirely financed by additional taxes. It was, therefore, voted at the request of Ira Allen, who was state treasurer, that a state lottery would be conducted. Two offices were established in 1778 to receive loans to the state which were to be repaid at six percent interest on ten pounds and more, but this did not raise sufficient funds, and so it was voted in February 1779 to print ten thousand tickets to sell for ten dollars each and five thousand at twenty dollars each to meet the present emergency. First prize was to be three thousand dollars, with the drawing December 1, 1780. We have no record, of course, of Fairlee's participation in this campaign, but being state-approved it is hoped some of the town's early settlers drew a lucky number. That the building of roads was of vital importance in the growth of the new towns was recognized by the Legislature at an early date. We have seen the special taxes voted for such purposes and yet hard money was a thing of scarcity. Consequently, in order to put on equal burden on all, a state law in February 1779 required four days work 3aillee, (Vetmont - TAXATION 121 from every male between sixteen and sixty for the making and repair- ing of highways. The only exceptions were to be ministers. Each was to be rated and paid 18 shillings a day between May 15th and June 15th, with a similar work period from the middle of September to the middle of October. If any should refuse, and no doubt some tried to evade their share in the work, a fine of thirty shillings a day was levied. In addition to the special taxes laid on the lists as we have seen for such purposes as roads, church, and other unusual expense to the town, there were regular taxes placed yearly as established by Vermont law. An example of this was the tax levy as laid in 1779, with changes being made in the years to follow as they are now. In that year it was decreed every male from 16 to 60 had to pay a poll tax of six pounds. The only exemptions were ministers, school masters, students, president of the college, and tutors. Of real property, the land tax was ten shillings per acre if enclosed and had been improved for at least one year for ploughing, mowing or stocked with grass. Steers or heifers were taxed a pound for each year of age up to four pounds, horses one pound a year with a maximum of two pounds. Money, which was not too plentiful, was taxed six pounds for every hundred pounds owned. To many, the idea of an income tax is of relatively recent vintage. This is not so as under this same law attorneys were taxed fifty pounds and up depending upon their practice, the lister being the sole judge. It is hoped some of the leading legal lights had not ever made personal enemies of the listers or it is feared they would have paid well for any animosity. Likewise, men in business were assessed according to their "gains and returns." With the return to hard money, and realizing Vermont was not yet one of the United States of America, it will be news to some that this Republic had its own coinage system. By a legislative act of June 15, 1785, Reuben Harmon, Jr. of Rupert was given the sole right for a period of two years to coin copper, not exceeding 8000 pounds. In October 1786 this was extended for eight years from July 1, 1787 as the expense of getting sufficient copper and erecting the mill war- ranted a further guarantee to Harmon. On his part, he was to pay to the State after three years two and a half percent of the copper coined and post a $5,000 bond to represent his good faith. The coin was to weigh not less than four pennyweight fifteen grams each; and was to be inscribed "Auctoritate Vermontensium" and on the reverse side "Inde. Et Lib." meaning for independence and liberty. This motto was actually changed to "Quarta Decima Stella" and "Vermontensfum Republica." These coins are still available today from old coin dealers and good copies represent a reasonable investment. Just how long the coins were actually made is not known, although they did go out of actual use in 1791 when -Vermont was admitted to the Union. Even before this, in 1787, there was an attempt made to have them with- 122 TAXATION - 5*ai>ilee, ^Velmont drawn as not being legal tender, but the bill was not reported out of committee in the Legislature. To many the tax collector is an ogre and purveyor of nothing but bad news. To others he might be considered as merely the recipi- ent of an undesirable job. It is not felt that either can be said of the tax collectors who have served the Town of Fairlee. From the days of Samuel Smith, who held the office from 1791 to 1836, to Deacon William Kibbey, and on to the more recent terms of Charles Thurber, and Mrs. William Ross, they all have been civic-minded and well- respected townspeople. Their job has not always been easy but the work has been honestly and well done. The office is an elective one as the result of the annual vote at Town Meeting, and, on many- occasions, the fight has been rugged. This has not always been so, however, as we find a century ago the practice was for the various men interested in the job to make a bid and there are such records as the election of 1855 when the low bid was eight dollars by William Kibbey to a high of fifty dollars. Deacon Kibbey was elected and held office for many- years, although his bid was not always the lowest, as in 1857 he was underbid by Amos Waterman who would take the office on a bid of four dollars, but lost to the incumbent Kibbey, whose bid was seven dollars. Undoubtedly, his services and esteem by his fellow voters more than made up for the three-dollar difference. Today the office is usually tied in with the office of Town Treasurer and Town Clerk. The first approval to control tax collection by local ordinance was granted by the following request to the Legislature: — "To the Honble the General Assembly of the State of Vermont now sitting. — The Petition of Israel Morey on behalf of the Proprietors of the Town of Fairlee in Orange County Sheweth That the said Town was originally granted by New Hampshire but before the Proprietors could hold any meetings they with the rest of the Hampshire Grants fell under the Jurisdiction of New York by the Adjudication of the King of Great Britain in 1764. — That the Government of New York not having any Laws for warning Proprietors Meetings — -the said Proprietors for the sake of alloting & settling said town and bringing it into a State of Cul- tivation, by an Agreement of a large majority of the Proprietors, held proprietors meetings as near as their circumstances would admit con- formably to the Laws of New Hampshire & have from time to time laid taxes by votes of the said Meetings That a considerable part of said taxes have been collected & applied to the use of the propriety agreeable to their votes That their situation rendered it absolutely necessary to lay some taxes in such meetings after the whole town had been allotted into Severalty That some persons who are in arrears refuse paying their arrear- Saitlee, Belmont - TAXATION 123 ages pretending that such meetings were not lawfully warned or held Your Petitioners therefore pray the honble the Legislature to pass an Act enabling the Land owners in said town to meet in such manner as proprietors meetings are by law held & (if they shall see proper) by vote to confirm the Proceedings of former meetings & to collect the arrearages of taxes heretofore voted by said Proprietors — And your Petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray &c. — Israel Morey Rutland 21st Octr 1786—" Prior to the people of Fairlee choosing their own collector, he was appointed by the Governor and Treasurer of Vermont. The ap- pointment carried with it sufficient power to see that the wishes of the State in the matter of tax collection were fully complied with, as is seen in the assignment of Samuel Smith to do this task. We are able to quote the original commission: "To Samuel Smith Constable of the Town of Fairlee in the County of Orange Greeting: Whereas the General Assembly at their session in Norwich, in June 1785, did grant a Tax of Three Pence on the Pound on the list of all the Polls and rateable Estates of the Inhabitants of this State, for the Year 1784, to be paid in hard money only. These are, therefore, in the Name and by the Authority of the Freemen of the State of Vermont, to command you to collect of the inhabitants of the Town of Fairlee aforesaid, Three Pence on the Pound on the list of all Polls and rateable Estates for the year 1784, in hard money only, and pay the same into the Treasury of this State, on or before the first Day of September next. And if any Person or Persons shall refuse or neglect, to pay his, her, or their just Proportion of said Tax you are commanded to distrain his, her, or their Goods or Estate, and the same dispose of as the Law Directs, also satisfy your own Fees: And for want of such Goods or Estate, you are directed to take their Bodies, and them commit to the Keeper of the Gaol in the County of Orange within the said Prison, who is hereby Commanded to receive him, her, or them, and them keep safe, until he, she, or they pay and satisfy his, her, or their just Proportion of said Tax, and be released according to the Law; and also satisfy your own Fees. Given at the Treasurer's Office, in Sunderland, this 26th Day of July — Anno Domini 1785. Ira Allen Treasurer (signed)." An interesting footnote in Allen's own handwrit- ing is appended, indicating the details of government very often did not keep to schedule in those days either; "N. B. These Warrcnts would have been issued immediately after the Beginning of the Assembly But by mistake the Grand List of 1784 was not lodged in this office till Wednesday last. I. Allen." Among other items of Mr. Smith's which help us to learn better of the early life of Fairlee are several receipts, showing that all taxes were not just raised on the "Polls anil rateable Estates," hut that the public coffers were partially filled with various fines that were 124 TAXATION - Saillee, Belmont levied. Such receipts are a fine of one dollar paid by Joseph Cone for "breach of Sabath," two dollars received from Thomas Clark "for catching pickeral," a license fee from Phineas Bailey of two dol- lars and twenty-five cents for keeping "a house of publick entertain- ment," or a tax paid by Smith himself for which the receipt reads" duty of one dollar for the year for and upon a two wheel carriage called a chaise owned by him and the harness therefor." Another similar receipt was for a "four wheel carriage called a waggon," such taxes being paid "in conformity with the laws of the U. S." in 1815. It would appear that upon occasion there arose some question as to whether or not the amount of taxes collected was correct according to the collector's report to the Town. Under date of April 23, 1785, a special Town Meeting was called at the home of Solomon Morey for May ninth, with the hope "the time will be punctually attended" to consider among other matters: "To see whether the Town will, by petitioning the General Assembly, or otherwise take any measures to procure a settlement of the account of Israel Morey Esq. as Collector of Proprietor Taxes for the Township of Fairlee and to draw forth such part of said taxes as remain in his hands into the Service of the owners of the lands in said Fairlee." Upon at least two occasions we find Fairlee was "doomed" by the Legislature. It was the practice of the Legislature in its early history to "doom" a tax assessment of what it considered an equitable amount when the towns did not promptly or fully make the necessary reports of its taxable polls and property. The first such record we have of this was an act of October 23, 1782 when Fairlee was "doomed 508 pounds for not returning proper returns of property valuation for assessment by State" and again in 1788 the act read "no return of improved lands and request the house to proceed in dooming." It can be said, however, this was not an unusual experience and repre- sented no blot on the good record of Fairlee in its long history, as the towns who were doomed were many and often. And so the town has always had its taxation to meet, from its earliest days to the present, whether it be a penny an acre to help i.i the building of a "house of Publick Worship," to survey and lay out the first roads in town, to "pay for necessary record books and other Town expenses," for procuring a standard of weights and mea- sures, or the more current needs of improvements to the school house, or for the winter patrol of Lake Morey. The expenses have been carefully studied in Town Meeting, be it 1785 or 1955, the voters and taxpayers have seen their obligations and met them fully, and today Fairlee has one of the best financial ratings of any town in Vermont. Under the terms of one of Vermont's earliest laws, Fairlee, as is true of all towns in the state, has been charged with the care and support of her less fortunate residents when it came to the possession of wordly goods. This has been true not only of the more permanent Stahlee, ^Veimont - TAXATION 125 residents, but also the itinerant beggars and tramps who are apt to visit along the way and ask for assistance in obtaining their daily bread. It has been a problem with its ups and its downs, and the mental agility of such as John Brennan, Charles Munn, and Charles Pike has often been taxed in the past fifty years so as not to have the legal requirements of the town abused by the tramps along the road. The care of their own people has been one problem and the years have shown that the selectmen of the town have done their share in providing the proper care for the less fortunate, although the burden on the taxpayer has been heavy in less prosperous years. It has ranged from the usual practice of the early 1800s of contracting with some family to take care of one or more cases, perhaps even offering such to the lowest bidder, to the outright provision of funds and other aid to the family or individual in their own home. An entirely different problem has been the tramp stopping on the way from parts unknown to destination questionable. If such indicated his intention to overstay his welcome a century ago, the usual procedure was to have the select- men "warn" him out of town. Another action was to provide shelter and food in the town tramp house. This is not new, records showing the matter of a tramp house was referred to the Overseer of the Poor as early as 1878. It has, however, apparently always been a ques- tion of much concern as to where it should be located and just how much care had to be given these people at taxpayers' expense. The last several years the tramp house has been located at the dump but it does not seem this is the ideal location as its nearness to several homes results in undesirable conditions. If it is located on the Brush- wood Road, its accessibility is difficult. And so it goes, from one Town Meeting to the next. The law is definite in its requirements but it does not seem to be a problem that is perfectly solvable. The continuing bodies of selectmen struggle with the solution and it may be found. Until it is, the tramps will come, the tramps will go and the citizens of the town will meet their obligations as they should. They are too good at heart to turn against their fellowman, regardless of his station in life, and it is just one more item that taxes have had to cover — last century, this century, and probably the next century. 12 'PcdUc S&wicei. u NLIKE many small communities, Fairlee did not have any organized fire department until about 1920. It was noticed in the earlier years, at the time of the Glen Falls Hotel and Opera House fires that the only aid was from a quickly-fashioned bucket brigade, that unfortunately was able to be of only small value. In 1919 Franklin Kronenburg, owner of the creamery, presented to the town its first fire engine. Having served its town as occasion re- quired for over twenty years, it has been allowed to retire, except in case of emergency, and is saved for the place of honor it rightfully deserves in the annual Fairlee Day parade, having been most affection- ately shined and polished the night before by some to whom it represented days of greater utility and glory. In 1929 it was voted to buy a new truck and at that time the Model A Ford, which now takes its place as Fairlee Engine 2 in the parade, became the means of help in time of fire. It too was to become old-fashioned as time flew by and in 1943 the present giant of protection was purchased. Although the members of the fire department are all on a volun- teer basis, they remain loyal to their chosen duty. Drills are held as are meetings on a regular basis, and the newer methods of control are always subjects of earnest discussion on many occasions. The alarm system was started in 1921 and the fire station was built in 1930. In 1949 a resuscitator was purchased by popular subscription and has proven its value in several cases. The present organization was started about 1940, there now being a full company of twenty men headed by their elected chief; but the first volunteer group was started twenty-five years ago, although interest was eventually to lag and it was necessary to reorganize at the latter date. Although a local group of civic-minded citizens considered the possibility of electricity in Fairlee as early as 1898, it was not until 1909 that service was extended by the Bradford Electric Light Company replacing the gasoline street lamps. Saillee, ^Veimont - PUBLIC SERVICES 127 Eleven years earlier it was proposed to form a company to run an electric line from a dynamo to be located at Perkins Mills and it was believed possible to provide two to three hundred lights for Fairlee and Orford at an annual cost of about one thousand dollars. This modern wonder was not then to be, however; but the Christmas season of 1909 gave a further cause for rejoicing as by the end of that year Fairlee Main Street had two lamps. The service was continued rapidly as might be expected and as each family was able to partake of this great convenience. In 1915 the street lamps were extended to Lake Morey. The subject of many cartoons, the means of pleasure and comfort to several, another great invention of this age was to be made available to the people of town in about 1888. There is some question as to just when the first telephone service became available as it was the practice for the first several years for someone to rent a line from one of the outside companies and in turn lease it to several people on his line. Until the merger of several smaller companies by what was to eventually be the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, it was possible to have two or three competing lines extending service to this town. We do find a newspaper clipping as early as March 1889 showing that by then Fairlee had a private line. It said "Frank Gove has had a telephone put in to connect with the Fairlee private line and now when there are any poor biscuits or cold biscuits Frank can just ring up one short and two long and the mother-in-law will inves- tigate." No doubt her cooking was a subject of farmer telephone con- versation on many a dull morning. One of the lease lines was taken by W. H. Daniell for twelve dollars a year in 1898 and by 1901 he had subleased the service to 36 parties. He wanted more, however, as in 1903 he advertised a suggestion that people unite in building a half- mile each of wire so they could have the advantages of the new wonder. Other companies over the years were the Fairlee and West Fairlee Telephone Company, the People's Telephone Company and in 1907 the Fairlee Telephone Company was formed. This was a partnership between Charles and J. Ralph Pierce, the latter remaining in this work for several years with various companies. Mention is also found of the Lake Morey Telephone Company about this same time, being formed in 1904, eventually to be bought out by the Connecticut Valley Tele- phone Company in 1926, as it had the Fairlee Telephone Company in 1916. This merger was to serve forty subscribers in Fairlee and Thet- ford. The Fairlee company had its office in the Post Office at Thurber's Store until 1910 when it was moved to the more familiar "telephone office" of recent years in the house at the corner of the Lake road and Main Street. Here it was to stay through more mergers until the whole system was acquired by the New England T. & T. Co. in 1947, only to be dispossessed by the modern working of the dial system in 1951, when all operations were transferred to the White River office. 128 POLITICS - Jtahlee, ^Velmont To many this represented the end of an era, as in spite of its apparent inadequacies, the familiar crank type of telephone on the wall was a friend to all and, to many, the only source of news and an always welcome interlude from the chores of the day. Whether it be a business note or a letter from a loved one, the arrival of the mail is one of the day's most anticipated happenings. Today with four or five deliveries at the post office possible, it is perhaps hard to visualize the beginnings of the service a century and a half ago. Upon Vermont's entry to the Union in 1791 the legislature passed an act establishing offices at Bennington, Rutland, Brattleboro, Windsor, and Newbury. At that time the mail was carried by post riders and the usual rate was four pence for man and horse for each mile covered, unless the mail had to cross the Green Mountain range, then it was six pence. Needless to say, the amount of mail in those days was but a small fraction of the amount received today, often much less in a year than would now be common in a single week. Although the official Post Office Department records credit Fairlee with having the first post office established in 1825, the early records were not too accurate apparently, as there is evidence that Launcelot Granger re- ceived an appointment as post master by President Thomas Jefferson in July 1808 and was to serve until 1818. He then was succeeded by George Mann under the administration of James Madison. This was to last until March 1825 when his brother Solomon received the appointment. Just where the post offices were maintained is not certain until 1893, but it is assumed that insofar as many of the postmasters were in business and the volume was not such as to make it a full-time job that the office was conducted in with their regular business enterprise. In 1893 Fred Abbott was appointed and the office was in the drug store until moved in 1899 to Thurber's Store upon Charles Thurber's appointment. Mr. Thurber was to serve the longest of any postmaster to date, from May 1899 to June 1934. During that time the system was to see many improvements and one that will be a fond memory for many of the local and summer residents was the appointment of Mr. and Mrs. William Leach as the rural mail carriers in 1907. As the years wore on, good weather or bad, the sight of the Leaches riding along with their sun umbrella on the carriage pulled by their faithful horse was one to make its fond impression on the minds of people along the route until Mr. Leach's retirement in 1935. In June 1934 Mr. Berne Titus became acting postmaster and he received his per- manent appointment in February 1935. At this time the post office was moved into its present location, a beehive of industry during the summer months and always the focal point for distant neighbors to meet and greet, stealing a few seconds from their workaday woncl to pass the time of day and catch up on the other's news and views. Mr. Titus retired in September, 1954, when he was replaced by the present post- master, William Ross. Saitlee, ^Vetmont - PUBLIC SERVICES 129 Although the National Archives and Records Service of Washington reports the Fairlee post office was established in March 1825, we find Mr. George Driggs, formerly of Fairlee, writing in Hemenway's His- torical Gazeteer that actually L. H. Granger held the office of postmaster from July 27, 1808 until 1818. At that time "for reasons good or bad'' the office was discontinued. In October 1819, however, it was resumed with George Mann as postmaster. He held this office until March 20, 1825 when his brother Soloman was appointed. Sub- sequent postmasters over this ever-growing public service have been: Appointed Isaac Farrington April 1, 1826 George W. Brown October 11, 1829 Jerome B. Bailey September 27, 1831 George Brown September 9, 1845 Jerome B. Bailey July 14, 1851 Benjamin Driggs June 1, 1868 William H. Child February 6, 1872 Mrs. Phoebe Brown January 27, 1873 Herbert P. Warren August 13, 1883 Fred W. Abbott August 18, 1893 Herbert P. Warren October 5, 1897 Charles Thurber May 12, 1899 Berne B. Titus (Acting June 1, 1935) February 15, 1935 William Ross (Acting September 1, 1954) August 2, 1955 Of not so placid a state is the story of the water supply in the town. The subject of much individual discussion as well as the basis for serious argument in more than one Town Meeting, the past half century has thrashed the question back and forth to finally having seemed to have arrived at a satisfactory solution today. Although many homes had their own water supply from springs, this was not always a sure enough source of supply. The first major town supply seems to have been a private line furnished by Albert Newton and it was known as the Fairlee Aqueduct Company and at times the Fairlee Water Works. This was bought in 1929 by A. L. Adams and E. D. Lucas. The main source was from springs on the western slopes at the south end of Lake Morey, the water rights being mainly owned by W. H. Kibbey and assigned to Newton in 1885. The aqueduct was in use at Kibbey's "barn and the so called Morey place (presumably the present home of Ray Hoit) on the west side of Fairlee Pond Brook— 'the said aqueduct conveys water from the Brook that runs through the western part of land owned by me and empties into the Pond at the Grove." The rights were later transferred to Betsy Steb- bins (1905) and the provisos of the sale quote some rather interesting details in that Mrs. Stebbins agreed to furnish 100 gallons a day to the home of Alice Mann, enough to supply the steam boiler at George Mann's tub factory, although "to be excused from furnishing said 130 PUBLIC SERVICES - SFahlee, ^Veimont water in case of freezing or other unavoidable stoppage." Rven though a system had been started, it was to be bedeviled with complaints and it was not unusual to read in the local news column such as "Last Sunday afternoon the main pipe that supplies about 25 families with water froze and it is causing much inconvenience'* as happened in January 1897, or six months later "What do the people of Fairlee think about the water which is so much needed in this village. One man is willing to pay one-third of the expense if some one will do the rest. Call at the depot and talk it over." This offer was made by W. H. Daniell and it may have done some good as two weeks later the pipes were being laid deeper and there was "fair prospect of water this winter." It was not all a question of the vicissitudes of nature. It is believed to be about this same time that one of the village humorists complained to Mr. G. L. Winship, a very proud and serious- minded civil servant, that he was feeling ill because he had drunk so much lake water from the system that he had swallowed three bathing suits. It turned out that the coughing spell he had been having when he saw the venerable gentleman was from swallowing some tobacco juice. The next major step was to be in 1909 when several local men headed by Charles Thurber, Lee Andrews, B. W. Abbott and others bought the rights that then prevailed being "practically the only available supply for the furnishing of water to the town of Fairlee and recognizing the need of a good water system for said town." This was later to be managed mostly by Mr. Thurber until current problems necessitated the town's considering the establishment of a town-owned system. At a Town Meeting in 1945 a committee of five were appointed for this purpose and at a special meeting in May 1946 it was voted to purchase the privately-owned company and with a bond issue of $60,000 over twenty years to build a new reservoir on Glen Falls Brook, pump house on Lake Morey, and chlorination plant. Although some problems, technical and financial, have cropped up since then, the water supply question seems to have been generally solved and the service today is of a usually adequate nature. 13 76& Tftoney Comity "A PLACID easy gentleman, with beaming counten- ance; and when I knew him his hair was blanched to perfect whiteness. It seems almost as if I could see him on his gentle horse passing by on a summer's day with a slow trot, dressed in light colored garments, much in Quaker style, with a cloak thrown over one arm, the very personification of quiet enjoyment." Such were the words spoken at the Orford Centennial by Joel Mann in 1865 of Israel Morey, soldier, benefactor, business man, landowner, and stalwart in the early days of Fairlee. Born in Hebron, Connecticut, May 27, 1735, the son of George Morey and Hannah Lewis, Israel was to live the life of a normal farm boy, obtaining the large part of his education from the limited school- ing and books then available. One of his friends aand teachers was Eleazar Wheelock, the founder of Dartmouth College, from whom he learned surveying and bookkeeping. This friendship was to blos- som in later years when they both had moved to New Hampshire and was the basis for an unfulfilled hope by Morey that Dartmouth College would be located in Orford. Another friend in Hebron, or sometimes referred to as Lebanon District of Connecticut, was John Mann. He was to heed early the call to the north country and played a large part in having Morey later move his family up the river. John Mann is of particular interest to Fairlee, as he was not only the first settler in Orford, but was also the great, great grandfather of Dr. Lewis Silver, one of the longtime residents of Lake Morey. On July 14, 1757, Israel Morey married the daughter of a neigh- boring farmer, Martha Palmer. To them were born three children while they lived in Hebron, Israel, Jr., Samuel and Moulton. It was then 1765 and Israel had been receiving wondrous words and mes- sages of the opportunities to the north. Besides John Mann, another neighbor, Richard Cross, had settled in Orford. Having been prosperous to a degree, Israel decided to make the move and with his family 132 THE MOREY FAMILY - ^ahlee, ^Ve^mont started the weary trek up the river, arriving in the spring of 1766. Although history has reported well the trials and tribulations these early travellers had, Morey's only comment on his trip is said to have been "it was accomplished without accident or incident." The break with his old home ties was complete, having sold his house and lands in Con- necticut to his father-in-law; although the Hebron records show a sheriff's order obtained by Israel Morey against Palmer for failure to pay the 275 pounds agreed price for the property. As we have seen, many of the original grants under the New Hampshire Grants were of a purely speculative nature but Israel Morey was to become one of the largest landowners in Fairlee at a very early date. The first land Israel Morey was to buy in Fairlee was on April 18, 1769, the "9th. Yr. of His Majesty's Reign," when he purchased for twenty-five pounds from Ebenezar Green two whole rights or Pro- prietors' shares that originally had been given by Benning Went- worth to Oliver Warner and Jonathan Hunt; these probably being lots 28 and 29 on the map. This was to be followed in 1773 with the purchase of more land near the mill pond when Morey bought lots 58 and 59 for sixty pounds from James Richardson. It was this com- bined site which was to be the location of much of Morey's life in the village, his home and mills. He not only bought several rights in Fairlee but also in the towns of Piermont and Ryegate. His interest, however, was to be lodged mainly in the towns of Fairlee and Orford. His ability was soon recognized and he was one of three appointed by Governor Went- worth to lay out the original town. His was an interest created by desire to build as well as that of a property owner, which he became soon after he had built his log cabin and settled his family in the New Hampshire village. It is to be remembered that until 1797 the town of Fairlee included the town as we know it today and also West Fairlee. Like so many of these early settlers, Nathaniel Niles emigrated to Vermont from Norwich, Connecticut. He was a man of wide education and a student of medicine, law, and the ministry. He was also of an inventive mind and had become prosperous in the wool industry. His interest was then to turn to land development for which one Daniel Wild writes he paid "two wool cards per acre," and to politics. In this latter field he was perhaps to reach higher offices than friend Morey. In their apparently only direct campaign for office Miles received in De- cember 1794 twenty-five votes for congressman against Morey's two votes. Of more particular interest, however, is their development of the township where a study of the real estate sales shows Morey soon consuming a goodly part of the present Fairlee and Niles a large share of West Fairlee. That their ways did not cross too often in this field is evidenced by only one recorded sale between the two men, Saitlee, ^Veimont - THE MOREY FAMILY 133 TBefe UNITED STATES. -GREETING, To all to whom thefe Prefents fhall come Whereas . >.,.,.„/■. //;„, y <> t ,^ >r/iCtt( ,t hr/t/irn/'o /.ny /<'< '/k 'f'Huhno,. 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JaoMcuy. 2{/ r/$3. ,' UO- H*u/y tit (iffy t/oat (Ac /cwtuu* at4 t?M4A/i€C '4luCU.( ia-Aiumo/e .(/ft./.Uvyiui c-f r-r t\uMnt,h /ii MiI1 ;, a £4 otm^ M*u£o*£^A?. ry-iuU/vuieUiftxc xy/.ZAe/ UtiUtcL A MOREY PATENT 134 THE MOREY FAMILY - Galilee, ^Veimont this being the sale by Morey of 500 acres in 1783 for 187 pounds and ten shillings. It is easy to visualize, however, the possibilities of these two determined individuals trying to outdo each other for some desir- able piece of land and its resultant dickering. Morey was not to be known just as a landowner, however. His record as a soldier during the Revolutionay War was one to be com- mended, although most of this service was seen in the New Hamp- shire Guard where he organized the first Orford military company known as the "12th. Regiment of Foot." That he was quite concerned with the proper use of his men appears to be evidenced in a question he raised for the call of men in reply to a demand by General Bayley. In a letter dated October 19, 1780, Morey writes his commanding officer "It looks to me that all of men on road for Coos and what men is gone this and the other way cannot be wanted unless you have more of an enemy than we have any list of but you must be the best judges." His was not the right to disobey, but his independent thinking and interest in his followers welfare was always uppermost in all his dealings. Israel Morey was to retain his New Hampshire command until 1781. He was then dismissed from service with the rank of colonel, but strictly for political reasons. He had been appointed colonel of his regiment on August 24, 1775 and his knowledge of firearms, supplies, and handling of personnel was more than evidenced by the many assignments given him on these matters during the en- suing years. The exact reason for his dismissal is not known and only the record on the side of the state is available; but we find in the records of the New Hampshire House of Representatives "that on account of Colonel Morey's neglecting to comply with orders and requisitions Colonel Israel Morey, as it appears, neglecting his duty as commander of his Regiment, upon report of a committee it was Voted 'That Lieut. Col. Charles Johnson be directed to take command of said Regiment until further order of the General Court." Unlike his superiors in the State, he had felt that the towns on the east side of the river in the Grants should join the Vermont towns in their state. It is believed this was a sincere belief and not motivated by the fact that Morey had large investments across the river. It was, however, contrary to the thinking of the government and his years of service were ungraciously ended with dismissal. Al- though his life as a soldier was about to end, he was commissioned to command the Fifth Vermont Brigade and resigned as a Brigadier General in 1794. His letter of resignation to Governor Chittenden was: "Sir I have for nearly twenty years Served my Country in the Military Department. I am now so far advanced in life, that I wish for leave to resign my office as Brigadier General in the Second Bri- gade and Fourth Division of Militia. — I think, Sir, it would be for the interest of the Brigade which I have the honor to command that I should resign at this time. — I therefore request your Excellency that Galilee, Belmont - THE MOREY FAMILY 135 You would be pleased to accept of it. I have the honor to be your Excellency's most obedient and humble servant. Israel Morey Rutland, Octr 18th. 1794" Mention has been made of Morey's one tilt with Nathaniel Niles in the political field. Although Niles was probably the more successful in the elective arena, becoming Speaker of the House, a member of the Governor's Council and a representative to the Continental Con- gress, Israel Morey served his town well on the state level. He was elected the Fairlee representative, having moved from Orford in 1782, for the years 1786 and 1789 through 1790 inclusive, and from 1793 through 1797. His abilities were noted by all and we only need to read of the several committees on which he was a member to realize his wide-spread interest in the affairs of his fellow Vermonters. Dur- ing his several terms he was chosen to assist in drawing up a bill to permit landowners to meet and transact the business of their towns, or the right to hold their own Town Meetings, he was a member of the Tax Committee to "doom" the towns for taxes, to write an act regu- lating the Justices of the Peace, to review and change the mode of administering the law in the County and State Supreme Courts. These are just a few of many assignments and the records will show his job was always wisely and well administered. More than Israel Morey's service to his adopted state, however, he must be fondly remembered for his many services to his town and neighbors. We know in times of economic stress, when some of his fellowmen were not able to provide too well for their women and children, Morey was more than ready to provide a share of grain or other food without hope of recourse. His affluence, personally, was not always so, however, as we find a letter to Eleazor Wheelock in 1765 with respect to a note Morey had endorsed for a friend who was subsequently unable to meet the term and Morey was forced to forego his obligation. He wrote "I know not what to write you about that note of Wm. Hinkley's. I would be glad to pay you if I Cold but Cannot at present " But as the years passed his personal wealth increased and his acts of kindness were many. Let it not be assumed, however, that he was not a rigid business man if the situation demanded, as to him an honest debt was one to be paid or his interest properly settled. This is evidenced by some correspondence regarding a debt to him of a fellow soldier. One Captain Wood had apparently foregone a debt and Morey appealed to his commanding officer for any help he could give in having the matter settled to his satisfaction. He wrote in 1787 to Major John Barnum; "Sir: I am thankful to your assistance to Cap't Wood in my affairs, want you to help him, further will pay you for all trouble. I want to get ye debt secure on best terms I can, if Bill will leave ye Deed with you I am secured ye debt and set his name on ye back of his obligation for his father and David and leave that with you I will release his body. I am your humble m THE MOREY FAMILY - ^fahlee, Belmont servant Israel Morey." Did he perhaps feel this was too harsh and Captain Wood still deserved some help? We find a postscript: "If Capt'n Wood wants anything on expenses, I will ante. I. M." We have seen the part Morey played in the early development of the town: building the first grist and saw mills, having the first ferry across the Connecticut, a member of the Governor's committee to lay out the original town plots, the first to assist in the planning and building of roads, and particularly his part in planning and erecting the proper meeting place for the worship of God. His whole philosophy seemed to lay in a simple remark once made about the. worship of the Lord, his faith and belief in the powers of One greater than himself and a person's obligation to regularly attend to such worship. In an argument about a meeting house and Church, he said "no man was ever made sick by going to meeting." A man such as Israel Morey, honest, dependable yet independent, God-fearing, friendly and just, it seems, was ordained to have a family whose works would all be for the common good; and Fairlee was indeed fortunate that to her their works have been dedicated during the memory of man. His oldest child, Israel Morey, Junior, born in Hebron, was to become a major in the United States Army during the Revolutionary War. His service, although not distinguished, was honorable and he preferred to live a quiet life as landowner and farmer. Of particular interest to us, however, is that he had a son, George who built the present home of Everett Perkins on Main Street, it being known as the old Kibbey house, Mrs. Amelia Kibbey being the daughter of George Morey. Of Israel's second son, Samuel, we will forego comment at this time. His third son, a baby of few weeks when the eventful trip was taken by Israel Morey and his wife, Martha, in 1766, was named Moulton. His lot was to follow the law, graduating from Dartmouth College and later to become an associate justice of the Vermont Supreme Court. Of the remaining children ISttle is known. They were all born in Orford and were named Darius, Martha, Sarah, and William Pitt. As Israel Morey is remembered as the founder, perhaps, of Fairlee, it is his son, Samuel, to whom the larger honors have been given and Time has carved his deeds in the pages of history. Holder of many patents, truly inventor of the first practical steam engine in this country and of the even more important gas engine, and yet scoffed at by the mass for years for his advances to the causes of public good in the transportation field, the life of Samuel Morey has been amply written about in such fine works as "Captain Samuel Morey, the Edison of His Day" by Mrs. Katherine Goodwin of Fairlee, "Samuel Morey" by George Carter of Manchester, New Hampshire, and a thoroughly-prepared paper by John Davis, formerly of Fairlee and a scholar of Moreyana. It seems only necessary, therefore, for the purposes of this book to review in brief the highlights of the argu- Saiilee, ^Veimont - THE MOREY FAMILY 137 ment as to who invented the steam engine and add whatever other material may be of interest of perhaps a more informal nature and Morey's relation to the town and its people. It is admitted that the invention of the steam engine was not a definite happening, but more the gradual development of ideas by several. The propulsion of boats by steam had been tried for centuries, but our interest centers around the activities of Robert Fulton, John Fitch, and Samuel Morey, the three leading contenders, shall we say, for the honors in this country. John Fitch of Windsor, Connecticut and he has his very loyal supporters in that section of the country, made a claim to having designed a boat run by steam as early as 1785. In 1790 he ran a boat on the Delaware River and attained a speed of about seven miles an hour. The boat was propelled by paddles arranged in vertical sets at the side, but it proved to be highly im- practical and the investors in the scheme lost their money and "Poor John Fitch" became a penniless and forgotten soul. The claim of Robert Fulton has, of course, been the one usually recognized in the pages of history to be the correct one. This was undoubtedly due to a great extent to the political connections of his friends and co-worker Chancellor Robert Livingston. We know both of these men spent the years between 1786 and 1806 in England and France, where some of their experiments were being carried on. However, Fulton had obtained full rights to all steam transportation on the waterways of New York state and Morey was refused the right to try his boat on a commercial basis in that state. He knew of Fulton and by corres- pondence and one contact with Livingston, an offer was made to buy the patents that Morey had obtained. His price was refused and the deal was not consummated. It is felt by many that in turn Fulton illegally used many of Morey's ideas, resulting in the "Clermont," which has been regarded as the first boat to be propelled by steam. This was in 1807. What of Samuel Morey during these years? It is easy to picture him studiously at work on his many inventions in his workshop just west of "Bonny Vale" and no doubt working on many occasions with his brother Moulton on some intricate problem. His love was engines and he was convinced they could be made to propel boats by steam. It is true he was listed in Walton's Register for 1782 as a car- penter, and had a sawmill, located on the outlet across from Verne Batchelder's home. Not that he was too busy to help his neighbor, being much like his father in his love for his fellowman, but his whole life was to be concentrated on his inventive powers. It is interesting to see many of the patents issued to Morey which are now in the possession of the Baker Library in Hanover. There one can read the first patent issued January 29, 1793 for turning a spit and signed by George Washington, or a later one signed by President John Adams in 1799 for working in a vacuum and furnishing a per- 133 THE MOREY FAMILY - Jtahiee, ^-Veimont ustion tte ,the j airplane. SAMUEL MOREY'S GRAVE 3?ai*lee, ^Veimont - THE MOREY FAMILY 139 petual supply of water to the boiler. Many others were granted, run- ning the gamut from fireplaces to water wheels. Truly, as said, "the Edison of his day." But to return to his steam engine, to help in his work, Morey had dug from the lower end of Lake Morey, then called Fairlee Pond, a canal that fan to the river practically parallel to the present Lake road. That his invention was somewhat successful as early as 1793 is evidenced in a statement left by Reverend Cyrus Mann of Orford. He wrote in the "Boston Recorder," in speaking of his childhood memories; "The astonishing sight of this man ascending the Connecticut River between that place (Orford) and Fairlee in a little boat just large enough to contain himself and the rude ma- chinery connected with the steam boiler and a handful of wood for a fire, was witnessed by the writer in his boyhood, and by others who yet survive. This was as early as 1793 or earlier." Of sentimental note is the story Morey chose a Sunday when the people who might ridicule him were in church. He saw fit to show his service to God in another fashion, likewise for the good of man. This actually was at least fourteen years before Fulton's trip on the Hudson. As there has been considerable question as to whether or not Robert Fulton actually saw Morey in Orford, and for the succeeding developments in his trials, it is felt desirable to quote at length a letter Morey wrote 'to William Duer, one of his foremost believers in the fight against Fulton and a member of a committee to try and decide the rightful owner of the honors due. It is believed the most satisfactory defense of his claim should come from the man himself. The letter was as follows: "Orford, N. H. October 31, 1818. Wm. A. Duer — Sir: In answer to your inquiries relative to my experiments with steamboats many years ago at New York, I will state the facts as briefly as possible. As nearly as I can recollect it was as early as 1790 that I turned my attention to improving the steam engine, and in applying it to the purpose of propelling boats. I began by experiments in this vicinity on the Connecticut River. When my arrangements were sufficiently matured for exhibition, I went to New York and built a boat, and during three successive sum- mers tried many experiments in modifying the engine and in propelling. Sickness in my family calling me home, I had the boat brought to Hartford as a more convenient place, and there I ran her in the presence of many persons. The next season having made sundry improvements in the engine I went to New York again, and applied the power to a wheel in the stern, by which the boat was impelled at the rate of five miles an hour. I invited the attention of Chancellor Livingstone, and he with Judge Livingstone, Mr. Edward Livingstone, Mr. Stevens and others went with me in the boat from the ferry as far as Greenwich and back, and they expressed great satisfaction at her performance and with the engine. Chancellor Livingstone requested me to continue my 140 THE MOREY FAMILY - 3aitlee, ^Ve^mord endeavors to devise a better mode of propelling and I continued my experiments through the summer, encouraged by his promise, which was to give me a considerable sum provided I succeeded in making a boat run eight miles an hour. He offered me at that time for what I had done seven thousand dollars for the patent right on the North River and to Amboy but I did not deem that sufficient and no bargain was made. I never received anything from him. Being desirous of devising a more effectual mode of propelling, I continued my exertions and as I had been sickly in New York, I went to Bordentown on the Delaware in June 1797, and there con- structed a steamboat, and devised the plan of propelling by means of two wheels, one on each side. The shaft ran across the boat with a crank in the middle, worked from the beam of the engine, with a shacklebed, (commonly so-called), which mode is in principle the same as that now used in the large steamboats. I found that my wheels answered the purpose very well, and better than any other mode that I had tried, and the boat was openly exhibited in Phila- delphia. From that time I considered every obstacle removed, and no difficulty remaining, or impediment existing, to the construction of steamboats on a large scale, and I took out patents for my improve- ments. The notoriety of these successful experiments enabled me to make very advantageous arrangements with Dr. Allison and others, to carry steamboats into effectual operation; but a series of misfor- tunes to him and others concerned soon after deprived them of the means of prosecuting this design, defeating their purpose and dis- appointed my expectations, but I did not wholly relinquish the pur- suit from time to time during improvements on the engine. I recollect to have had repeated conversations with Chancellor Livingstone and Fulton on the subject. The Chancellor once visited me at this place and at his request and expense, I went once to see him at Claremont. I never had any doubt but that I had a right to take out a patent for the application of two wheels to a steamboat, and have often told both Mr. Livingstone and Mr. Fulton that I had. To the latter I once asserted this right on board his steamer with him, nor could I ever see the propriety or justice of Chancellor Livingstone having an exclusive right to steamboats in the State of New York, merely on account of the suspension of the efforts of Fitch and Co. when it was perfectly familiar to him that at much labor and expense and the employment of years devoted to the pursuit. I had actually succeeded, so that nothing was wanted to carry this mode of navi- gation into effect, but pecuniary means; especially when it is con- sidered that. I actually held patents relating to the subject at that time, and of which the legislature of New York do not seem to have been informed. I have often made passage on steamboats and do not see in their construction any new principle; and it seems peculiarly hard that the originator of these improvements, by which Messrs. 3aillee, ^Veimont - THE MOREY FAMILY 141 Livingstone and Fulton were enabled principally to succeed, should have had his rights overlooked and himself excluded from the use of them on the very waters where many of his experiments were made. I am, etc. Samuel Morey." There is Morey's own story, told by the pen of a man broken in spirit, deprived of his own, and probably even more, lost in the haze of doubt as to the sincerity of his fellowman in whom he had always placed unbounding faith. As he wrote, he carried on his experi- ments in later years and was to build another boat, the "Aunt Sally" which he launched on the waters of Fairlee Pond about 1820. Legend is that as a result of Fulton's success and Morey's failure in having his work recognized, he sank his boat and engine in Fairlee Pond about 1824. The most complete report of an attempt to find the sunken boat is one of the New Hampshire Antiquarian Society which appointed two of its members, G. A. Curtis and Edward Howe, to conduct a search. This was done on October 27, 1874 and their report was that they talked to several people who might have known the true story and the location was agreed upon. It was said "the boat was sunk, by the enemies of Captain Morey, by filling it with stones," and it was believed the machinery was in it, at the north end of the lake "in about 18 feet of water" at a point just off the present Bonnie Oaks Inn property. On the other hand, Dr. Willard Hosford was the close friend and physician of Morey's and he took no stock in the story, believing Morey would have discussed it at some time with him. In later years John Davis, whose family lived at the head of the lake, stated that as a boy he had talked to Hepzibah Williams of Orford who told him that he and two other boys "piled stones into it and pushed it out thinking it would sink before it got 10 rods from shore, but it floated all the way up here and we watched it until it went down." Over the past several years other attempts to find the boat have been made, but to date these attempts have proven of no success, although the name of "Aunt Sally" has been immortalized in story and poem. But Time is often the great healer of wrongs, and it is en- couraging to see the growing evidence in favor of Morey's claims by writers over the past two decades particularly. His hopes may have died with the man, but his legions of believers are becoming more vast, so that it is the hope of all followers of the truth and fairness that the dawn of the day when full credits and honors will be bestowed is not far off. Samuel Morey lived most of his life in Orford in the house he had built for himself in 1789 on the Ridge, moving to Fairlee about 1838. However, his Fairlee interests were many for several years previous and as we know his workshop was built at the outlet to Fairlee Pond. Morey was also a business man, being the owner of several acres of wood lands around the lake, from which he cut and hauled lumber to his mill. That he was also a merchant of sorts is shown 142 THE MOREY FAMILY - Saillee, ^Velmoni by a typical bill submitted to the town in 1807 for articles sold to the tavern: "1 pt. Cherry rum, 7 % cords hard wood @ 9, 40 lbs. salt @ 9, 2 % tons hay @ 54, 14 V* lbs. tallow @ 9, 70 lbs. cheese @ Y\, Vi bbl. salt @ 10." His interests were not all business, however, as he had a great feeling for the mysteries of fish life. In later years he dammed the outlet behind "Bonny Vale" and made an extensive study of fish. Of a more sportive nature, in 1809 he took some pickerel from Rumney Pond in New Hampshire and stocked the lake, there having been largely only trout up to this time, and the Legislature in 1810 passed a law preserving the pickerel for two years. That Samuel Morey was a man of some wealth was evident, being a large landowner through rights of inheritance from his father and subsequent purchases in his own right. His will indicates most of the land owned at about the time of his death at least was adjacent to the outlet from Fairlee Pond running from the south end to his saw mill and stretching easterly to the main road. We also know he was a large owner of wood lots around the lake and it is evident before his death that Morey had sold some of these properties or disposed of them in other ways. It is well known that Samuel Morey had the one daughter, Almira, who was married to Leonard Wilcox, in turn enabling the line of descendants shown on the family tree; but let us turn to his own will, dated March 21, 1843, for mention of another member of his family of which little is known. His will, in part, reads: "Be it remembered that I, Samuel Morey, of Fairlee, in the county of Orange and State of Vermont, being week (sic) in body, but of perfect and Sound mind & memory, blessed be almighty God for the Same, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following: — First I give and devise unto my grandchildren, Martha Wilcox, Samuel M. Wilcox, Mary Wilcox, Sarah G. Wilcox and unto Katherine Wilcox & George Wilcox all children of Leonard Wilcox and unto my adopted Child Ann Maria South- worth all my home farm with the appurtenances Situated in Said Fairlee, and containing all the land I own in house lots No. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 129, 130, 131, & 133 ...." He also left to his brother Moulton a yearly income of one hundred dollars as long as he should show need. That he was particularly fond of his adopted child would appear evident, as it was her future welfare he was thinking of November 3, 1841 when he deeded to Ann Maria Southworth the "north half of the house where I live with the cellar under the west part of the same and the chambers north of the chimney in the same with the right of using the South half of the back shed for keeping wood in." And so as we visit Samuel Morey's grave in Orford, where he is buried with his wife and daughter, we think of the man, said to be like Daniel Webster in physique and intellect, interested in his friends and neighbors, successful as a businessman, lover of nature, creator Saitlee, ^Veimont - THE MOREY FAMILY 143 of much that was to help speed our country in its growth and pros- perity, and yet denied the accolades of honor he so rightfully deserved. Although the writer has not attempted to determine the com- plete geneology of the Morey family, the following will give the direct lineage of Israel and Samuel Morey, with whom we are parti- cularly concerned: George Morey, born in England and died about 1720 in Norton, Massachusetts, married Hannah Lewis in Bristol, Rhode Island, Jan- uary 23, 1683. Their son John, born October 3, 1684, married Margaret Linsford about 1706. Their oldest son Linsford was born in Bristol on June 21, 1708 and died in Lebanon, Connecticut in 1772 where he had married Sarah Dewey about 1728. They had seven children of which the third child and first son was Israel, born May 27, 1735 and died in Orford on August 10, 1809. He married Martha Palmer (1733-1810) on July 14, 1757. Their first child Israel died in infancy (July 9, 1758 -June 4, 1759). The next son was also named after his father and was born in Hebron June 10, 1760. He married Theodora Phelps and later Mar- garet McHurd. Samuel was the next child, born October 23, 1762 and he died in Fairlee on April 17, 1843. On December 1, 1785 he married Hannah Avery and they had the one daughter Almira, who married Leonard Wilcox of Orford. The other children of Israel and Martha Morey were Moulton, born in Hebron July 4, 1765, married Patty Frissell and died in Orford February 7, 1854; Martha who was the first Morey child, born in Orford December 20, 1767. She married Samuel Bissell and died in Columbus, Ohio, June 1, 1820. Then came Darius, August 3, 1771 - July 23, 1825. He married Nancy Thyng and died in Fairlee. William Pitt Morey was born June 23, 1774, married Elizabeth Emery and died in Fairlee July 18, 1807. The last child was Sarah who was born in Orford November 6, 1777, married Dr. Edward Tudor and died in Middlebury, Vermont. Of particular current interest is the fact that the direct line of Samuel Morey still exists. It has descended to Ritchie Willard of Hartford, Vermont who is Samuel Morey's great, great, great-grandson, his great-grandmother being Mary Wilcox, the daughter of Almira Morey Wilcox. * 14 s&a&g Tftoftety K • NOWN throughout the length and breadth of our land, Lake Morey is not only a means of recreational and financial return to the people of Fairlee, but the beloved "second home" of its many sum- mer residents. Settled in the rural basin of Sawyer, Morey, and Echo mountains, it has been called a "Swiss lake in Vermont" and its beauties written of in poetry, song and story. Whether you have been coming to this lake for many years or have just arrived as a first-year camper, its beauty and restfulness will remain with you forever. It is for this reason, perhaps, more than any other that such a large part of the summer residents are of families who have returned every year for two and three generations. It is a family lake and as such creates the loving ties that bind. It is because of this love, too, that so many of the seasonal residents have become a part of the town and share its interests and growth along with their neighbors. Although they are unable to take an active voting part in the welfare of Fairlee, it seems only true to say that its problems are the problems of the Lake people and its success their hope. Although today the lake is encircled by a reasonably good maca- dam road, it does get bumpy and rough going in the Spring of the year. When its beauties for development were first discovered, it was reached only through a narrow wagon path that traversed the pine and birch woods on the west side. It was in 1888 that Mr. A. W. Kenny, a Chicago artist, saw the possibilities of this being a spot for the enjoyment of summer visitors. Being an artist, he was par- ticularly impressed not only with the natural beauty of the lake and its surrounding hills, but especially with the natural water falls cas- cading down the hill into a pool surrounded by ferns and plants which were behind the site he picked for a cottage. This was known as Glen Falls and, although today some of its beauty has been let fall into decay as a result of the 1936 hurricane and development of a gravel pit by the State, it is still possible to remember its full 3?aitlee, ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 145 grandeur in 'years gone by. Throughout the past half century many couples have climbed its wooded slope, hand in hand, musing only of its beauty and their love for each other. Mr. Kenny built his cottage and called it "Birchmere" in 1888. It is now the center portion of the cottage until recently owned by Mr. Charles Wakefield and has kept its original name. Mr. Kenny was to conduct an art school here and we can assume the glories of Lake Morey graced the canvas of many hopeful creators of the painted picture. One of the interesting things about this cottage is its spiral staircase made entirely of birch wood and limbs, creating an unusually rustic effect. The artist was not to be alone, however, as this same year saw the building of the Glen Falls House by Mr. George Spear, brother of Mr. Anson Spear who lived in Fairlee until a few years ago; his widow still living in the familj home at the south end of the Post road. We will hear more of the hostelry later, but it is interesting to note that from the first many saw the fine outlook for this as a summer resort. The next year saw a rapid growth on the west side. In the winter season Mr. George Winship, who owned a large tract, drew logs across the ice and started a development. On May 21, 1889 the town authorized completion of a road to run from the south end of the lake to the north on the west side. The Glen Falls House had its guests, one of whom was Mr. Charles Bracey, later to become a well-known photo- grapher and the owner of Bracey's Pavilion in the pine grove at the foot of the lake. A friend of his, however, was to be the second cottage owner, Mr. Fred W. Bradford. Upon visiting Mr. Bracey, he realized the beauty of the spot and after bumping over the stump-filled road on a wagon driven by "Allie" Adams so that often the wagon just seemed to bump from one stump to the next, he decided to build next to the "Birchmere" to the north. This cottage was called "Gluckauf" or "Pleasant View" but was sold in 1898. Incidentally, mention should be made of another engine which is in the Morey exhibit in the Vermont State Museum. This was a rotary steam expansion engine which expands and exhausts twice with each revolution, and was in- vented by this same Mr. Bradford. Due to other business interests Mr. Bradford never developed this engine so it became a commercial product, but it was first tested with satisfaction by Captain Lucas on the "Gypsy." Because of this Fairlee background, you might say, it is felt worthy to mention this brain child of one of Lake Morey's older and very long time admirers. At this same time Mr. Bracey built his first studio and the summer life of the lake had begun. With the completion of the road in 1889, the north end of the lake was also to see its start of construction. Mr. J. B. Peckett built "Cliff Mull" as it stands today owned by Mrs. Walter Gahagan, with the exception of the boat house which was built in 1894 by Mr. A. L. Blakely, a subsequent owner. This imposing structure was to remain "monarch of all she surveyed" until 1894 as 146 LAKE MOREY - ^ahlee, Belmont "BIRCHMERE" -FIRST COTTAGE ON LAKE MOREY "GLUCKAUF" — SECOND COTTAGE Saiilee, ^Vemont - LAKE MOREY 147 it stood on a prominent spot at the head of the lake. In that year Mr. Blakely moved one of the three cottages which Mr. Houghton had built across the road to the lake front and this was later bought by Mr. Walter Low and was the first of the Low cottages which now comprise "Breezy Beach." The other two cottages were to be moved across the road in the two following years. The future looked bright to others as well, as in 1889 Mr. S. S. Houghton, a wealthy Boston merchant, bought the Glen Falls House and also a large tract of land and began construction of fifteen cottages. The lumber for these was from his own tract on the east side and Mr. Houghton built what is now "Tallwood", "Highlands", and "Maples" to provide living quarters for his men who cut the lumber and hauled it across the ice where the construction was under way. In 1889 "Owls Nest" was built by Reverend L. P. Tucker and Reverend T. P. Frost con- structed a summer house. The boom was on! The next few years saw steady work for many, whether it was lumbermen felling trees, road gangs laying out "the Houghton road," still a boundary line to the east of many cottage deeds, teamsters hauling the logs on the winter ice, or the carpenters putting up the finished product — all done for the future enjoyment of many over the years to come. In 1896 the Bradford newspaper was to carry the comment "the cottages are nearly full, there ought to be more." They were not only full, the people stayed as late as possible to enjoy the beauties of Fall on the hillsides and we find a clipping under date of November 6, 1896 "Mr. Bracey has left the lake and the birds of the air and beasts of the field are left in full possession." Among other large developers were Mr. George Chapman of Bradford who, in the early nineties, bought sixty acres of grove and forest on the west side from the Glen Falls Brook to the Kibbey farm and his wife was soon to buy on the southeast corner to the "small Octagon" which had been built by Mr. Houghton, near the present cottage of Dr. Ceresoli (1907), later moved (1896) across the ice to the pine grove and used by Mr. Bracey. Possibly the best way to show the growth of the lake toward the turn of the century is to refer to a map made in 1898 giving the loca- tion of the cottages only ten years after Mr. Kenney first realized the possibilities and had built "Birchmere." Where possible any known change of name from the present is shown. Starting at the foot of Lake Morey was "Athenwood" which is now used by employees of the Lake Morey Inn. Next came "Rest-a-while" on the approximate site of "Sunny Shores." The hotel site was not to be occupied until 1910 when Mr. Kendall built the "Kaulin," but on this expanse of property were three cottages: "Big Octagon" (which burned in 1930), "Rosewood," and "Nessmere." Across the road about the present location of the office for Camp Wynona was the small "Octagon" that was later moved across the ice to the pine grove by Mr. Bracey. Continuing on < X o 3 pq S 03 Jaluee, ^Vetmont - LAKE MOREY 149 the lake shore was "Wildwood," now known as "Chelsea Lodge," and is not to be confused with the present "Wildwood" on the west side, which name was borrowed for sentimental reasons by the present owner. Then came "Lake Morey," now called "Ding Hao," and "Whip-poor- will" as it is still named today. A short walk would then take you to "The Maples" and its neighbors "Tiz-Ours" (original name unknown), "Idlewood," and "Birch Lodge." From this point until about the pre- sent location of Bonnie Oaks was undeveloped until a few years later. At this farther point was the Martin cottage called "Fairview," but it is no longer in existence. Next came the Lake Morey Farm owned by George Sampson where summer boarders were gladly welcomed. This had been the former home of the present Davis family and later became "Aloha Manor" as we know it now. At the northwestern corner was the Renfrew property which is now the barn and office buildings of Camp Lanakila. From its majestic location and command- ing a southern sweep of the lake was then "Cliff Mull" with its boat house as it stands today. Its neighbor to the west was the Blakely prop- erty, soon to be bought by the George Low family of Bradford who Were to become one of the oldest families on Lake Morey. At this time there was "Breezy Beach" now owned by Caroll Low, the boat house built by Ami and Selah George which has recently been remodeled and moved back from the shoreline by Kenneth Low, and "Pine Lodge" owned by F. G. Eberhardt. The present cottage of George Low called "Lowloch" was still across the road but was moved shortly after. Next was "Rosedale" now owned by Herbert Scott, with its nearest neighbor on the south being "Echo Dale" owned by G. L. Winship. This property, along with the cottage "Chattanooga" of Reverend E. L. Gulick immediately next, are both now owned by Camp Aloha. On the shore front were then two cottages, unnamed, where are now "Lakenwild" and "Fern Cliff." About the present sites of the Wark's summer house and Kerkof property were three unnamed cottages, although apparently one is now known as "Arajeb." Con- tinuing down the west side, were the Glen Falls House on the point, the studio of Charles Bracey and a cottage built by George Jackson, all of which subsequently burned. A few steps farther was the second cottage to be built on the lake, that of Fred Bradford, called "Gluckauf," later known as "Anse D'Entree" and today as "Lakeview." Still on its original site is the oldest cottage "Birchmere" with its neighboring cottage and boat house of Mr. Facey, the latter being burned some years later and replaced by the present year-round house of Mrs. Beverly Beamis. Then was "Owl's Nest," only recently (1954) burned. There was a short gap then until "Pine Rest," the present year-round home of Mrs. Steven Darling. Across the road were "Hill- side" and "Eyrie" where now is located "Undercliff." At the southern point of the lake in the pine grove was the "Pavilion" owned then by Mrs. M. L. Chapman, one of the real developers of lake property, 150 LAKE MOREY - Saitlee, ^Veimont :>-.::.:.' View from the Outlet of Lake Morey in 1880. MR. FRED BRADFORD IN LAUNCH "EAGLE" THE "GYPSY" — CAPTAIN ED LUCAS 3ahlee, ^Veltnont - LAKE MOREY 151 but which had been originally built in 1887 by Mr. Rogers for public entertainment and enjoyment. Away from the water side were also several homes of townspeople, such as Captain Lucas, and the Adams family, some of which are still standing. By 1898 the lake as we know it today had largely taken form. Among other cottages to be built was a new large one by Mr. Fred Bradford who had built the second cottage. This was called "Mudway- aushka," next south of "Highlands," and was sold in 1904 to the late Mr. Alfred Watson, although the cottage is still owned by his es- tate. Realizing the prospects of the east side, Mr. Bradford gave some of his land for a road on that side and bought for speculation fourteen lots. One of the annual bits of entertainment is the argument as to which side of Lake Morey is preferable. You can be assured both sides have their ardent supporters and the viewpoints have not changed since an advertisement of Mr. Bradford's in 1898 which read: "lots for cottage purposes 20 cents to $2.00 front foot — favor east side — one mile from depot — 'not very steep to road level — much cooler in morning for doing cooking, etc. — beautiful sunsets." This is an- swered by the west side adherents by the undeniable argument that the nights are cooler .for sleeping and the moon coming up over Morey Mountain is a beauty none can surpass. May the strife go on for many years and generations! The next decade was to see con- tinued growth, and although the general outlines had been made, from 1905 to 1910 many of the open stretches were to be filled in; the southeast corner was to see the cottages now owned by the Bugbees, the Hazens, the Mallarys, and the Jackmans; across the lake, the Babbitts, Wards, and Darlings; the growth around "Target Rock" at the northeast. Lake Morey, however, is more than cottages, camps, or hotels. Much more. It is people! It is believed quite unique to find a lake which has maintained the annual visit of so many families over a period of so many years. A few examples are several members of the Low family who first came to the lake in 1901; the family of Reverend E. L. Gulick, of whom we will read more later, arrived in 1897, the Warren Bugbees in 1904; the Herbert Millers in 1910; the Leroy Babbits in 1914; and many others of forty and more years possession. To these people Lake Morey means so much more than just a cottage for the summer; it means days or weeks of being with people they know and love, a countryside of clean woods and plants to enjoy, a lake as blue as the sky to swim in or sail upon, and pleas- ant memories to carry until their return. All of these things are not for just the cottage owner and his family, however, as the lake has fine accomodations for those who prefer to spend their vacation in hotel style. That the beauties of Lake Morey would attract the summer visitor in great quantities was the dream and hope of George Spear, the brother of Anson Spear, when 152 LAKE MOREY - £Fat%/ee, ^Velmont "KAULIN" — PREDECESSOR OF LAKE MOREY INN LAKE MOREY INN 3?aidee, ^Veimont - lake morey 153 he built the "Glen Falls House" in 1888. It was a large summer hotel- type of structure of thirty rooms located on the promontory known as Middle Point jutting out on the east side of the lake, just north of Bracey's studio. The following year it was bought by Mr. S. S. Houghton, who was to undertake the first real development of Lake property. Its success was immediate, but for various reasons the man- agement changed hands on several occasions. Some of the more pro- minent men to run it were Mr. Bracey in 1900, having followed a term of ownership by a Bradford syndicate when it was managed by Captain Lucas and his wife about 1897. The House had its private boat landing, pier, steamboat and boathouse, at the edge of a large picnic area enjoyed by many. Another happy season was planned for the summer of 1912 and had gotten off to an auspicious start with the boat pageant and fireworks display on Independence Day. The night of the 29th was to pass into history and the fireplace allowed to burn out to ashes; or at least that was the hope. In some manner, however, during the night a stray spark had gotten free on its danger- ous mission and the early hours of July 30th saw the hotel an inferno. Four people died as a result of burns or injuries and the ten o'clock train to Hanover took the injured to the New Hampshire hospital. The hotel was never rebuilt and the point remained a privately-owned property until 1956 when Reginald Cramer built the present tea room and developed the point into a restful picnic area and recre- ation park. During these years development had also taken place in the pine grove at the southern end of the lake. In the Town Meeting of 1890 it was voted to permit Nathaniel Rogers "to establish a Victualling Houcse to be known as "Pond View Pavillion on Houghton land to accommodate public with provision and all such drinks as legally sold." Actual building had been done in 1887 and it was soon sold to Mr. Chapman of Bradford, who developed a large tract on the southeast corner of the lake. In 1898 George Kendall, who was later to build the "Kaulin," bought the grove property and had plans for a 35-room hotel which was to be ready the following spring. Until this time the "Pavilion" had been used largely by picnic parties and was a large rustic type open shed. ^Mr. Kendall's plans were not to be realized, as he sold his interest in the "Pavilion" to Charles Bracey, who moved the "Small Octagon" cottage across the ice into the grove, moving the "Pavilion" some to the south, where it was used for dance parties. In his new studio Mr. Bracey conducted a small gift business, candy concession, and his photographic business. About 1912, the "Pavilion" was again sold, this time to Will Griffin. He carried on the various small commercial enterprises until 1915, when fire brought to an end the life of a pioneer development on the lake. , The largest hotel on the lake is the present Lake Morey Inn. In 1905 the town voted to allow Mr. George Kendall exemption from 154 LAKE MOREY - 3?ai*lee, ^Veimont ORIGINAL PAVILION — PINE GROVE LAKE ROAD NEAR PRESENT RUTLEDGE INN Saitlee, ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 155 taxes for five years if he would build a hotel to cost at least $8,000. This vote was to be questioned by the State of Vermont, apparently on the grounds of being discriminatory. In any event, Mr. Kendall built as planned in 1910 and named the building "Kaulin." It consisted of the center portion approximately of the present main building. Because of his personal management and extensive publicity of the advantages of Lake Morey and the town, Mr. Kendall was to see his enterprise grow with the years. In 1918 he sold to Mr. Robert Cookman and subsequent owners were Mr. Alfred Hall (1929), Mr. W. P. Lyle (1938) and, the present owner, Mr. Frank Ward in 1947. In 1920 the name was changed to "Lake Morey Club" and to "Lake Morey Inn" in 1924. In 1934 the stables were enlarged to their present size and in 1926 a major change was made by adding the annex. The south end of the lake was not alone, however, in the trend lo provide places for the tourist and hotel guest. As early as 1905 a Mr. Crocker bought the George Sampson farm at the head of the lake and took vacationers in his "Lake Morey House." This same farm was the home of James Davis and his sister Mrs. Rosaline Ordway, who still lives in Fairlee, and the house is now and has been since, the site of "Aloha Manor," a vacation spot for families, run more or less in conjunction with the other camps on the lake run by the Gulick family. A much larger hotel which has grown from a small beginning is "Bonnie Oaks." This was originally owned by Mr. O. N. Renfrew who had a large farm tract at the north end of the lake. Part of the land and a small cottage owned by a Mr. Martin and called "Fairview" was bought by Dr. E. H. Page in 1916 and he started the business at that time. Time was to necessitate many additions and today it is a large group of indivual bungalows with a main dining room. In 1944 Dr. Page sold his interests to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Stewart who maintained ownership until the spring of 1954 when it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Borden Avery, its present owners. About 1910 "Bungalo Inn" was established. This was a small group of three or four cottages situated at the lake's edge on the present site of "Twin Gables" about midway on the west side. Fire was to terminate this enterprise in November 1916 and since then the land has become private cottage property. Although it can be said the meals served at all the present hotels are good, for one who perhaps puts food at the head of his list of vacation requirements, the answer was started in rather an accidental way in 1917. Mrs. William Rutledge had occasionally taken a boarder or two but never considered it a serious vocation. In that year, how- ever, there was a small fire at "Kaulin" and in her neighborly way she agreed to help on the overflow. Her reputation as a cook was to grow and grow until by 1931 the few cottages they had with meager eating facilities were wholly outgrown. In that year with husband V 3?ai*lee, ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 157 RUTLEDGE INN ■ r A' Jk ?? BONNIE OAKS INN 158 LAKE MOREY - Saillee, ^Velmont "Bill" she built the present dining room and the menu with a choice of all you want including over thirty desserts has become famous in many scattered towns and cities ever since. By 1947 the burden was getting heavy and it was decided Bill and Ruth should retire from their labors. Complete retirement for these two was impossible, how- ever, as even after the business was sold to Gladys and Jack Webb, Mrs. Rutledge was to be found in the kitchen at the break of day busy helping with desserts, or Bill was chasing a meaty chicken to prepare for the festive board at "Rutledge Inn." And so the requirements of the summer guest have been and still are met with a degree of complete satisfaction from all angles. Whether you wish a family style of comfort with bountiful meals, a more secluded but friendly service during your stay, or the more formal hotel type of relaxation from the cares of a bustling city and its daily problems of helter skelter activities, the guest houses of Lake Morey can meet your needs. Rest, relaxation, games or what- ever you desire are all offered with a personal touch and desire to satisfy that is not always evident in the more commercial hostelry. Although the guest houses on the lake offer many types of re- creation from ping pong, golf and horseback riding to walks around the beautiful shores of Lake Morey, the "Casino" at the south end has served its purpose over the many years of its existence. It was built in 1906 by Guy Densmore and originally known as "Densmore's Casino." Mr. Densmore and his two sisters Bertha and Edna had a small orchestra that played at the "Glen Falls House" and the "Pavilion" and believed Morey a good place for a refined dance hall. It was advertised as the "new pleasure palace" and had dancing three nights a week with a sacred concert on Sundays. Although Mr. Densmore was to live until 1954, he did not stay at the Casino long after it was built and it was to change management many times until it was bought in 1930 by the present owner, Miss Laura Philips, and her father, William. Over recent years the bowling alley has been discontinued and Miss Phillips has added a tearoom and small cottages for rent. The beauties of Lake Morey have first been sighted by many as they arrived in their early years of life at one of the camps on the lake shore. Although not as many as on Lake Fairlee, the camps have played a vital part in the life of the community for many years and to them not only are returns of a more commercial nature due in large part, but many are the rewards of the spiritual guidance they have left on all who have come to know their work and leaders. In 1896 Reverend E. L. Gulick bought a large tract of land on the west and northern corner of the lake, and in 1905 Camp Aloha for girls was started. The attendance that year was 18 but the spirit and loving care of Reverend Gulick and his devoted wife were to see their ven- ture grow year by year until now the average enrollment is over 115. In 1915 their next major step was to be the establishment of a camp 160 LAKE MOREY - 3?aitlee, ^Veimont for younger children at Lake Fairlee to be called "Aloha Hive." In 1923 further growth was possible at Morey with a camp for boys, named "Lanakila," the attendance being about equal to its sister camp. They still felt the need to provide for families and not just the younger generations, which led to "Aloha Manor," where entire families can stay and play as a family. In all their camps and their activities it can be said a spirit of doing what is right and good for the town and the people pervades, and the kindness and beautiful spirit of Mrs. Gulick will long be a shining light in the history of Fairlee and Lake Morey. On the east side of the lake, almost directly across from Camp Aloha, Mr. and Mrs. David Conant opened "Hokomoko" camp for girls, in the summer of 1910. The one building was started in Novem- ber 1909 and was particularly noticeable because of its over three hundred feet of wide porches. This camp was said to be named after an old Indian Chief of the Abenaki tribe that was supposed to camp at times on the lake shore. There may be some question as to this as there are no records showing any Indians in Fairlee, their travels having stopped nearer Newbury. The camp was maintained until 1936 when it was closed for good and allowed to stand idle until the house was bought in 1951 by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Saladino and now is their home, although considerably remodeled into modern- style architecture. In 1914 Mr. George Kendall built Camp Wynona on the south- eastern corner of the lake. Wyona is said to be the name of an Indian girl who, being disappointed in love, threw herself off the Palisades behind Lake Morey. Another camp for girls, it was run as a private enterprise until 1941, when it was acquired by the Massachusetts Council of Girl Scouts from Mrs. Robert Cookman and is still main- tained by that organization. With these facilities available, many hundreds of girls and boys are able to enjoy the beauties of Lake Morey each year. They all are of first rank in the camping field and add much to the life of the town and vacationers with exhibitions of their skills in the water and canoe-handling, contributing in their way to make Fairlee a finer place to live. Of a more public nature, mention must be made of Fairlee Com- munity Beach which became available in 1948. It had long been felt that the town should take some measure to provide a proper bathing facility for its own children and the Town Meeting of March 1947 voted the creation of the Recreation Council. The same year Mr. Frank Ward gave to the town a parcel of land next to the outlet which could be used as a beach. The first year was successful enough to encourage the work of the Council and the following June the adjoin- ing property on which the ice house was located was purchased for $8,000 and a further $1,450 was voted to create a suitable beach and 3aillee, ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 161 0WE£gsSk ypffi ||h| ''■^^H ■■ ■■■ >:■■ ."■'■■■■■ HHBbHbHHHHHI m ** • Mkak • w ' " -V ^mBM CASINO — BRACY'S STUDIO — PAVILION GLEN FALLS HOUSE — LAKE MOREY 162 LAKE MOREY - Saitlee, Belmont bathhouse. It was also voted to extend the use of the beach to the school children of Orford. Since its inception the beach has become a marked success and now has a full-time swimming instructor, with the season ending in a display of water and swimming events parti- cipated in by the town children. As the children of town and the lake disport themselves gaily at the public beach or individual cottages, so do their fathers and bro- thers — yes, mothers and sisters too — spend many hours trying to emulate Isaac Walton. Fishing has always been a major pastime on these waters and we know as early as 1809 Samuel Morey brought pickerel from Rumney, New Hampshire to stock Lake Morey. Sev- eral times funds have been voted by the town or the Lake Morey Protective Association to provide for stocking of trout and bass and, although some spend hour after hour waiting for that telltale nibble, to many the day's end shows a handsome "catch." One report of this was worthy of public notice when the "Bradford Opinion" of June 9, 1905 wrote "Dick Hannaford, the champion fisherman, caught 67 fish, pickerel and perch, within 5 hours one day last week, averag- ing from Y^ — 3 pounds apiece." Proper enjoyment of the lake has, however, at times raised its consequent problems. One has been the proper control of the heighth of the water, largely because of the possible damage that might occur with the winter ice. Fishing through the ice is fun and enjoyed by many, but the pressures against cottages and shore lines can be serious. In 1898 the State made an appropriation to install a proper out- let at the south end. It was hoped by some townspeople that a suitable drive and walk could be installed at the lake's edge at the same time, but this was not done. Further appropriations were made in 1908. The question of water control then became a question of law, some believing it was the responsibility of the town, others of the State. In 1918 the Supreme Court of the State ruled it to be a State water body and since then the maintenance of the outlet has been under State control, although certain interested citizens assume cleaning it out. It was feared for some years that a severe storm of certain conditions might wash out the outlet and finally in 1953 another ap- propriation was made, resulting in the present new and larger concrete outlet which should serve for many years. Another problem was to be the use of fast speed boats on the water. With so many children involved, it was felt their safety was of prime importance and in 1933 Reverend H. L. Kelton, then the Fairlee legislative representative, sponsored a bill restricting speed to fifteen miles an hour on certain small lakes in the state, Morey being one of them. The bill was passed and it is generally believed to be one of the foremost factors in the splendid freedom from accidents the lake has had for many years. Speed has not been a requirement of fun, however, so far as boats Saitlee, ^-Vcimont - lake MOREY 163 have been concerned. Although today it is largely the younger mem- bers with their outboard motors or sleek little sailing craft enjoying the breezes under the clear blue skies of August, many years ago witnessed spectacular races between the rowboats and steam vessels of some of the cottage owners. For several years after the turn of the century, Independence Day saw great activity on Lake Morey. The cottages were decorated with bunting, lighted brilliantly at dusk with Japanese lanterns and private parties enjoyed talking over the events of the day. There had been the colorful parade of almost fifty decorated boats around the lake, to be followed by the spirited rowboat race between the more competitive. The high point was the steamboat race and, although the odds were usually in favor of the experienced Captain Lucas, the hopes of victory were always bright for Messrs. Bracey, Aldrich, and Dr. Worthen. It is lamentable that such celebrations as these had to come to an end but with the removal of some of the parties involved, the lessening of jollity perhaps caused by the first World War, and the normal changes brought about by the passage of time, such was to be the result. The past several years have seen only the usual holiday crowd of bathers and fishermen, interrupted only by the sound of an occasional fire cracker or Roman candle display. Although the writer has avoided in most cases giving any bio- graphical sketches in this history, it is believed an exception must be made in the case of a man who contributed so much to the life of Lake Morey and the pleasures of its summer visitors, not alone through his business enterprises, but through his character and the fact that one knew him. Such a man was Edgar Lucas, lovingly known as "Captain Lucas." The captain and his wife, Amy, a native of Orford, came to Fairlee about 1888, having been in the hotel business in Newbury. His activities on the Lake were first to be con- fined to running the dining room at Rogers' Pavilion in the grove and later a short period as manager of the Glen Falls House. The real life of this remarkable character was not to start, however, until about 1898 when he became the master of a passenger boat owned by Mr. S. S. Houghton which had been shipped to Fairlee on two flat cars from Boston. Soon Lucas bought the boat, called "The Pearl," and ran his own excursions around the lake for several years. The popularity of the man and his boat necessitated a bigger and more commodious vessel, resulting in the purchase of the "Gypsy," a boat soon to echo with the shouts and laughter of children and their parents as they enjoyed the trips around the lake shore guided by the steady hand of the kindly gentleman quietly puffing on his constant pipe, dreaming his dreams, thinking good of the worst, and loved by all. A capacity of fifty was still too small and in October 1915 the "Gypsy" was sold to a Mr. Tibbetts of Lake Fairlee, where it was to do service for several years, gradually being forgotten by its 164 LAKE MOREY - Galilee, ^Veimont CAPT. EDGAR O. LUCAS 3*aillee, ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 165 old friends on Lake Morey. Before the sale, however, Captain Lucas had begun work on the boat that was such a familiar sight on the lake until his death in June 1930. At his home, which was on the corner across from the golf caddy house, and no longer exists due to a fire, he had a small saw- mill and workshop. Here in February 1915 a boat built of cypress, forty-five feet long so it would carry one hundred and fifty passengers, the "Misitwalkit" was begun. For many years it was fired by a wood- burning boiler, replaced some time later by a gasoline engine. His trips were regular for which the fee was twenty-five cents for a trip or a season ticket, entitling you to unlimited trips, was available for the outrageous price of one dollar. It is fitting, perhaps, that this boat which came to mean so much in the happiness of so many should have been launched on Memorial Day 1915. It was to serve the captain well and until its unnatural retirement in 1930 missed only two days of its usual rounds both due to broken shafts. The high spot in each trip was the ceremonial blowing of the whistle in front of Echo Moun- tain with a succession of blasts and the quiet listening of all on board for the several echoes that were sure to come. This chapter in the history of Lake Morey came to a sad end June 10, 1930, when the Master of all boat captains gave the final command to Edgar O. Lucas. He, with his wife who died in 1928, is buried in the Fairlee Cemetery. The "Misitwalkit" was sold to Wil- liam Phillips almost immediately and for several years has been beached alongside the Casino. Its years of usefulness are over, but it still looks out on beautiful Lake Morey and may even have memo- ries of the days it was the darling of all, guided by that lovable pipe- smoking gentleman sitting in the stern. Although the summer colony at Lake Morey has as its chief purpose the enjoyment of a pleasant vacation away from the problems of maintaining a busy life in the work-a-day world, and perhaps the social obligations take precedence during the hours of the days and evenings, there is also a little more serious obligation they have as- sumed. With about twenty-five cottage owners shortly after the turn of the century, the idea that they had an obligation to protect as far as possible the beauties and health of the Lake caused them to form on October 16, 1907 the Lake Morey Association. At this meeting at Densmore's Casino a charter was drawn to "preserve the natural beauty of Lake Morey and its immediate surroundings, to safeguard the health and promote the interests of cottagers and property owners." To this day these remain the continued aims of the Association. The annual dues were fixed at one dollar and both Lake property owners and the townsfolks who had an interest in the program were encour- aged to join the fold. The first officers were: General W. H. Gilmore, president; Dr. Lewis Silver, vice-president; Irving A. Hazen, sec- retary and treasurer; Guy F. Densmore, Walter C. Low, H. F. Moore 166 LAKE MOREY - Saitlee, Belmont 'GYPSY" CAPT. LUCAS' "BARGE' zFaillee f ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 167 and Mrs. K. W. Millican, executive committee. Of interest is the balance of the list of the charter members, as today many of the same families are represented in the official work of the Association from year to year, almost a half century later: Messrs. Henry M. Silver, C. F. Pierce and son, Kenneth W. Millican, C. C. Bagley, E. L. Gulick, C. F. Thurber, A. W. Clough, C. B. Dodge, E. V. Lucas, E. E. Porter, C. F. Bracey, George H. Kendall, B. J. Staples, F. H. Moore, N. B. Hazen, H. H. Lee, F. T. Pillsbury, M. H. Pillsbury, Thomas Sinclair, and Irving A. Hazen. As is true, however, of organ- izations that are carried over several months in more or less dormant condition, we find that the original enthusiasm was not to remain endlessly, and toward 1930 the meetings became somewhat of a per- functory obligation and the life blood seemed to have been largely sapped from its veins. Possibly it was a case of "let George do it" when it came time for committee appointments and a little work was necessary which took from the peaceful hours of vacation rest. As a result, a need of reorganization and restatement of purposes was felt needed and this was done in September 1936 under the guidance of DeWitt Mallary and Lloyd Bugbee, so that since that time the Lake Morey Protective Association has maintained a prosperous and ever- effective function in the life of its members and the community. Although the annual reports have a very similar ring, whether it be 1910 or 1950, it is felt the programs followed have created a closer feeling of friendship with the village people and have resulted in a better understanding of their mutual problems. It has not been just a case of the annual meeting and dinner to which all are invited. Nor has it been merely a question of garbage collections, winter patrol of the Lake property, or disposition of dead fish. Some of the more important projects undertaken have been periodic stocking of the Lake with fish, a definite program a few years ago to rid the waters of weeds — although their control seems to be as evasive as changing the weather, — a planned campaign with the proper State authorities to clear up any health menaces, on occasions the entry of several floats in the Fairlee Day parade, the launching many years ago of a regatta, close ties with the work of the Federated Church, and such a provocative program as the attempted institution of pro- perty zoning on the Lake. In all these programs, and many more, the people of the town and the Lake have worked and pulled together, toward the common goal of betterment and to make Fairlee and Lake Morey a finer place to spend the days of summer enjoyment. LAKE MOREY IN NOVEMBER Somber and gray in the bleak autumn day The dark clouds above me are flying, While around me are strewn the leaflets of June, Withering, fading and dying. 168 LAKE MOREY - zHaillee, ^Veimont No longer I hear the notes, loud and clear, Of the Whip-poor-will joyfully singing, Nor, in the evening's hush, the voice of the thrush, The sweetest of melodies ringing. The hills once serene in their garments of green Now barren, forlorn and forsaken, And the cottages stare in sad, blank, despair To their lonely desertion awakened. The wind rustles by with a moan and a sigh Like a wail for the friends it has cherished, While the bright summer days have glided away And along with the flowers have perished. The murmuring pines, as they downward incline Seem to utter a lingering moan And repeat the refrain, again and again, "Alone we are left all alone." Thus, forsaken, I lay as day follows day, Chilled by the cold autumn blast; For the ice king draws nigh and I shudder that I Shall soon be bound in his grasp. But when the cold blasts of winter are past, When the rain and the ice king is ended; When the humming of bees and the birds 'mong the trees With the music of spring time is blended. When my bondage is done and my freedom is won, When my fetters the sunbeams shall sever, When soft zephers blow and the sweet flowers grow I will smile just as brightly as ever. And when once again I greet summer friends, Not a trace of my sorrow shall linger, But I'll look so serene they never will dream Of my suffering bondage in winter. Written by George W. Sampson Lake Morey Nov 23, 1896 — Opinion LAKE MOREY'S GHOST Peaceful lie Lake Morey's waters, Sheltered by Mount Fairlee steep; Birches bend to watch their image Mirrored in the crystal deep. 2*aillee, ^tyeiniont - LAKE MOREY 169 Long ago the Red men paddled Their canoe from shore to shore, Camped upon its sandy beaches, Learned to love it more and more. Then the White man, moving northward Saw its beauty, loved it too, Built his home and cleared the forest — 'Round it, little hamlets grew. Captain Morey, thinker, worker, Planned a boat propelled by steam, Built it, launched it, found his vision Had not been an idle dream. Then, alas! the friend he trusted Stole away from him the fame And the Captain sunk his vessel In the lake which bears his name. Broken-hearted, the brave Captain Soon was called to his long rest, But 'tis rumored that his spirit Haunts the scenes he loved the best. People tell of other people Who, on still and sultry eves Felt an icy breath go past them, With no rustling of the leaves, And each year when midnight cometh Of the day he sank his boat On the waters of Lake Morey Ghostly craft is seen to float. On her deck the eerie Captain Guides her swift and silent flight As she steams about her birthplace, Without ripple, sinks from sight. Rumor, as elusive ever As those misty floating shades, Has it that the Captain's spirit And the strange, frail craft that fades Shall be seen upon these waters Till upon the roll of Fame Man shall cross out Robert Fulton And replace it with his name. Florence A. Kendall From The Vermonter, Volume 33, Number 10, 1928 Saidee, ^Veimont - LAKE MOREY 171 FAIRLEE POND Surrounded by Mountainous Hills; Fed by crystal waters from Brooks and Springs Ever flowing down mossy covered Glen and rocky Falls to Fill the shores and feed thy fishes — Seventy odd years I loved thee well. Captain Samuel Morey of Steamboat Fame in 1790 used thee, to float his Sally Ann. Propelled by PADDLE WHEELS She set the pace, for everything in The Land. His State, Vermont, Honor due, Changed Pond to Morey Lake, for you — How fitting. Mankind have Danced, Wined, Dined, Upon thy Beautiful shores. Golf, Boating, Fishing, Bathing, talks Echoed from thy Palisades of time; Summer PIONEERS all passed along But me, I Halloo CARRY ON — that Echo Be for Eternity. Now that things are so changed these Later days; The Camps, Cottages all Around, I Blush with pride; to see the Mighty Progress that hath been thine As One might say; Over Night — GOD was good to thee. F. W. R. Bradford THteceUeuteoKi* XHE FOLLOWING few pages, before this story is brought to a close, were originally withheld by the writer because of printing limi- tations. Although of a miscellaneous nature, they do add to the history or little stories of Fairlee and feeling them to be of some value, it is gratifying they can be included and the reader's indulgence is re- quested because they do not necessarily follow in their logical context. CLUBS As is true of many churches, Fairlee has at various times formed church clubs and "circles" to carry on the social activities and many fund-raising campaigns. Some last for many years, others are per- mitted to gradually disappear from the scene of activity. Mention of some is worthy. In December 1909 the young girls of the church formed the Rose Circle which was to raise money to furnish a room at the parsonage and also for missionary purposes. The boys had a counterpart in the "Knights of King Arthur." This had been preceded in 1897 by the Paragon Club which was formed with twelve members to raise funds for the new Town Hall. We have already read of the Ladies Union during the 1880s which was to do another fine job in 1920 by raising sufficient to pay the parsonage mortgage. The largest membership was that of the Temperance Union formed with 258 members in 1860 but this was of short duration. Of more lasting life but not a church affiliate, was the Silver Leaf Grange formed in 1898 with twenty charter members, the Men's Club which was first suggested in January 1925, the same year the Community Circle was to be formed. One particularly splendid program these ladies had was the payment of the final note on the church of $200.00 in January 1936. Mention should also be made of the Nulli Secundus Club of young ladies in May 1921 and the Christian Endeavor Society which was to start in 1925, being reorganized in 1929 and again in 1932. Also quite active today in the social life of the town is the Rondo which was originally founded in 1920 and later became affili- ated with the national Federation of Women's Clubs in 1926. One of the oldest societies, as stated, has been the local chapter Galilee, ^Vetmont - MISCELLANEOUS 173 of the Grange. Although the Silver Leaf Grange 254 was formed in 1898 and is still active, it was actually preceded by Valley Grange 202 which was organized in April 1875 with 37 members. They met in various homes and were active about four years. They were then to disband but a tie to the future was to be maintained in that the office of authority the Worthy Master then used was given to Mr. W. C. Ordway when he was to hold that esteemed office in 1903 and it has been used by all successors to the chair. Among the 19 charter members of the Silver Leaf Grange formed on January 6, 1898 were many to be remembered for their deeds of kindness and love in the community, some being Mr. and Mrs. Waldo Woodard, Miss Minnie Closson, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brock, Mr. and Mrs. Sumner Perkins, Herbert Warren, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Dewey, Barzella Adams, H. A. Melendy, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Bythrow, Fred Abbott, Alger Warren, Miss Florence Paine (Mrs. William Leach), and Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Abbott. Until the fire of December 1912 the Grange met under the kerosene lamps in the church rooms; and then was forced to move into private homes and the Orford Masonic Hall until the new church was built in April 1914. Then, as now, their work was dedicated to various civic programs, help of the needy, and the performance of amateur dramatics to assist in raising funds for their work. LIQUOR QUESTION At the annual Town Meeting one of the articles of the warning reads "To vote on the following questions: (a) Shall licenses for the sale of malt and vinous beverages be granted in this Town? (b) Shall spirituous liquors be sold in this Town?" The sale or pro- hibition of liquor has been of vital importance to the people of Fairlee and Vermont for over a century. It has been a question capable of setting up definite factions, a subject much in the concern of the Church, and at times a political football. It can be said to the favor of Fairlee voters that they have let their conscience be their guide and as conditions have changed their thinking has been able to com- prehend the necessity of perhaps a change in their approved ways of life. The records early show the force of demon rum in the lives of the less strong willed and that advantage was taken of these poor souls by those hungry for pecuniary gain is evident. As early as 1778 the Governor's Council made it law that each town should license places of public entertainment to control the drunkenness and exorbitant prices that became a serious problem. That the tavern as run by Launcelot Granger in 1807 or later Phineas Bailey was licensed as the one outlet in Fairlee- is a matter of record. It was the usual procedure for one of the Selectmen to make the liquor purchases and sell to the tavern for the account of the town. The day books of Israel Morey show many entries for the sale of rum and other spirituous liquors. 174 MISCELLANEOUS - Saillee, ^Veimont That there was a temperance movement is known in 1860, and the Church itself was a strong advocate of prohibition. There is record of a license being applied for in 1848 when the Town Meeting denied the request by a vote of 30 to 29. The sentiment, or maybe political pressure, was to change three years later when one was granted to a Jonathan Austin. About this same time it might be said the forerunner of the state store was to come into use in several towns of the state. A local liquor agent was appointed by the townspeople and it was his responsibility to dispense all liquors, the buyers signing a record book of purchases. This apparently had its loopholes and did not work too satisfactorily as in 1868 we find "On motion of Alexander McLane Esq. and seconded by Hon. A. H. Gilmore it was voted to instruct the Selectmen not to provide any more liquors for the town liquor agency; nor to make agreement with any persons to sell liquors for the town, any further than to sell off such liquors as may be on hand on the first of May next — to the end that the Town will have and keep no Liquor Agency after the liquors now on hand are disposed of." Fairlee then became a dry town for almost sixty-five years. In 1903 the State invoked the local option law, under which the article of the warning quoted at the beginning of this subject became effective. Fairlee was not prone to change its mind, however, and denied the sale of liquors by the vote of 47 to 22. It is interesting to note that the difference of opinion was to increase more definitely during the next years and from then until after the First War the votes ran 45 — 6, 55 — 14, 25 — 3, and so on. With the change in world affairs and its indirect effects on daily living after the return of the soldiers and the aftermaths of war, the differences were to decrease. Still no approval but the trend was on its way. In 1934 the State took over liquor distribution in its State-owned stores and at a special Town Meeting in May Fairlee voted to have local sales in approved places 30 to 18. Since then the vote has been in the affirma- tive and today the cycle has been completed, it now being not 47 noes and 22 yeas but 95 yeas and 46 noes in 1954. To those who know Fairlee people, though, this is not a sign of weakening in their belief of what is for the good of all. Those who vote are just as adamant in their belief as they were a century ago. It is a sign of a change in times, the faster life we live even in small New England towns, a sign of — to some — progress on the road we travel. DISASTERS The location of Fairlee, with its high river bank, has been for- tunate in the major disasters of New England caused by wind or rain. We do find a reference in the early history books that in the early part of 1805, approximately, there was a staggering flood which caused considerable damage to the property of the early settlers and it is zFafolee, ^Veimont - MISCELLANEOUS 175 written, because of this John Baldwin, who was the first settler and lived at the south end of town, moved his family to parts unknown. Another flood occurred October 4, 1869 which did considerable damage around Bradford, but Fairlee was apparently spared. The "Aurora of the Valley," forerunner of the Bradford "Opinion" mentions in its story of the flood that it was the worst since one of 1828. Then on November 2, 1927 the waters were to raise their muddy heads again over the natural banks and, although the high water marks were to become matters of historic record on the New Hampshire shores, such fate was not to come to the Fairlee side. This sad destructive story was to repeat itself again on March 12, 1936 but fortune again shone on the Vermont town. Such luck could not be expected to hold indefi- nitely, however, as with the winds and rains of September 22, 1936 Fairlee was to know the fury of such unnatural velocities. Trees were uprooted, roofs dislodged, utilities put out of order. Sections of the lake road were one large jungle of broken limbs and felled trees. It is provident, however, that time and man hours of labor were soon to heal the scars, there was no loss of life, and property damage was not too great. What the winds and rains of the future may hold, no one can say; but to date the toll has been light compared to many towns in nearby areas. THE GLEBE It is believed that in all the charters granted by the governor of New Hampshire a certain tract was set aside for the Church of England and was known as "glebe" land. Under the charter of 1761 granted to Fairlee, this land consisted of house lots numbered 100 and 101 on the map, located on the west side of Lake Morey, parts of which are now owned by the Aloha Camp and Mr. Wakefield of "Birchmere" cottage. Although the rents from such lands were to be given to the Church, when we broke our allegiance with England, it is assumed such rights no longer were to exist. It is interesting to note, however, that the agents of the church in this country still maintain an interest and submit rental bills annually of a very small amount. This decision was made by our Supreme Court in 1830, but only after a long legal struggle and the whole history of this court case is the subject matter of several books for those who want more than a brief sketch of it. Such lands were at first considered to be the property of Vermont after independence had been gained. At this same time there was some agitation to start a state college and even the possibility of Dartmouth College locating in Orford was considered. In any event President Wheelock of Dartmouth offered to educate without charge any Vermont students in return for the glebe lands and other tracts which had been set aside under the charters for the Incorporated Society. The state legislature refused this offer in 1786 and the following year authorized the local selectmen to take charge 176 LAKE MOREY - Galilee, ^Veimont S^aitlee, ^Vetmont - MISCELLANEOUS 177 of the lands for seven years, using the income for town improvements. This proved to be an inefficient way of handling the funds and in 1794 the rents were to be given to the local religious bodies. The Supreme Court ruled this unconstitutional in a case brought by the Episcopal Church as the successor of the Church of England. In 1805 it was voted to use the lands for school purposes and, after a long legal fight, this vote of the legislature was upheld by the United States Circuit Court in 1815 on the grounds Vermont had succeeded to the rights of Great Britain. More legal entanglements followed and in 1830 the final decision was given in favor of the Episcopal Church, in which state the lands have remained to date. THIS and THAT The history of a town is not always completely told in its official records, the votes of Town Meetings, the statistics of births and deaths, or the appointment of Mr. So and So for constable or Miss Whatshername as librarian. Ofttimes it is the day to day hap- penings of only passing notice or the squib in the local paper about a person soon forgotten after his life span has run out. Such is the anec- dote that the present home of Ray Godfrey was known as the "spite house" being built by Alex McLane in the same design as one built by Frank Porter for his bride, the fair young lady on whom McLam had had designs and was to lose. Or it may have been just such an ad- vertisement as ran many years ago "Lost — valuable cow this week. Cause, the wind blew too many apples within its reach." Another sign of the way of life was the notice in 1898 "Uncle Ned Rogers we think is about one point ahead for at the post office there is a dish containing seven full blooded Plymouth Rock eggs laid by a pullet aged four months." Vermont winters are notorious but the 1899 one was presumed to be unusual, the forecast being "not within memory of the present generation have so many bears come into the open." The preceding Spring had apparently been dry, however, as special notice was made that the sidewalks should be wider as "it is quite dusty for ladies to ride on main road." Sidewalks seemed to be a matter of some public concern as we find at this same time "The Kendall boys have repaired the sidewalk in front of their house. A good example for others to follow." It was not always mechanical interruptions in the gentle flow of traffic, as in 1808 notice was posted that "horses, swine, or sheep shall not be allowed to run loose on common or highway — fine: 20 cents each horse, 10 cents each swine or sheep." Then the days of real progress were noted by special comment that Franklyn Trussell had installed his own radio in 1923 and was getting "quite distinct connections," having heard a Boston station. Would the day of getting a picture direct from across the ocean in your own living room ever be believed? It is not always incidents that throw their little light on the 178 MISCELLANEOUS - Saitlee, Belmont life and times of the past, sometimes it has been a favorite character associated with the day to day events. There was Hy Higgins, for example, known for his ability as a general tinkerer and clock re- pairman par excellence; and along with his manual agility went his particular superiority in the chewing of tobacco. Or there was the friendly sight of Mrs. Kate Brennan sitting in her window day after day making a new dress or major repairs on an old one for some Fairlee lady less experienced with needle and thread. Then there was Billy Deutchman, sometimes reverently called the "Dutchman" who lived on the bridge corner and had a particular penchant for cutting wood. The children, particularly, had a friend for many years after the First War named "Birdie" Reed. His wagon full of fresh cookies and cakes which he had gotten off the up train in the morning were eagerly awaited by the gaping mouths of the young in town and around the lake. And so we have the history of this little Vermont town situated under the cliff and its beautiful Lake Morey renowned in song and poetry. It has seen almost two centuries of growth, typical in many ways of its counterparts in the Green Mountain State. Many of its problems have probably seemed unsurmountable but the solution has always been reached with honest thoughtfulness. With such a history behind its people the future is secure and, whether your stay may be long or short, as a child or adult, life will have been a little brighter for having known this settlement of honest and friendly people^ called Fairlee. FAIRLEE CENSUS FIGURES 1790 239 1800 386 1810 983 1820 1143 1830 656 1840 644 1850 575 1860 549 1870 416 1880 469 1890 398 1900 438 1910 438 1920 459 1930 456 1940 535 1950 571 3?aillee, ^Vetmont - MISCELLANEOUS GRAND LIST FOR THE YEAR 1784 179 2 2 2 c *o "o "o ft to C r— 1 4) 01 o CO V 0) u O u id V c CO ■ ft O U ffi CO N »-« CO J ft John Joyner 4 2.00 John Simonds 1 9.00 Lucy Simonds 6. Ichabod Ormsbee 1 2 3 1 4 50 55.00 Samuel Smith 1 2 3 3 3 28 46.00 Guye Clark 1 9.00 Amesa Woodworth 2 1 8 17.00 Asa Aspanwal 2 1 2 1 22 33.00 Joel Woodworth 7/2 3.15 Israel Morey Jr. 2 1 2 16 25.00 John Marston 2 4 14.00 Daniel Freeman 1 3 10.10 Israel Morey Esq. 1 2 3 1 3 111 81.10 Wm. Marston 3 1 1 1 1 35 35.10 Edward Green 3 2 4 2 44. Bradbury Green 6. Peter Marston 6. Joshua Wiggins 2 4 20. Samuel Coburn 1 2 1 17. Jacob Marston 10 S. James Bachelder 14. Solomon Morey 1 1 4 14. George Wilson 6. Wm. Marston Jr. 1 2 2 1 5 23.10 Francis Hough 6. Elijah Blood 1 2 1 2 8 23. John Post 1 2 3 4 25. Michael Barstow 2 2 1 10. Stephen May 1 2 1 17. Ithamer Chapin 6. Eleabin Walker 1 3 10.10 Thomas May 1 4 1 25. Calvin Morse 1 2 2 20. Niles 1 3. Nathan Avery 1 2 3 1 26. Nathaniel Niles 2 2 3 2 7 38.10 Randal Niles 1 2 14. Ezra Bassitt 1 1 12. 180 MISCELLANEOUS - Galilee, ^Veimont xn "o ft C X O o U U (O u o X 2 *o u a) V >. CO 2 "o « >> 2 "o u > a 09 c ni CO 1 ft Oliver Bassit 1 6. Ephraim Carpenter 1 6. John Robertson 1 6. Joseph Daggit 1 6. Nathan Marvin 6 3. Ebenezar Baldwin 6 3. Nathan Fellows 1 1 9. Alpheas Phillips 1 9. List of the Town of Fairlee For the Year 1784 (Sig) SAMUEL SMITH) j. is 769.15 pounds WILLIAM MARSTON) 1S CrS Capt. Marston Stephen May Sam'l Coburn Ezra Bassit Peter Marston ~£aitlee, ^Veimont - MISCELLANEOUS 181 (^NOO'*000'tNro\od tN. 0\ (N O 't Watches Clocks Horses 1 year old Horses 2 years old do 3 years old ^ N ~" ^^^^^^^rg^ 2 year olds 2 "* ^ "° N CM 2 3 year olds n^voN- co n Oxen CM M M N CM H m Improved Lands m n *-< ^ >o ^ md -h i-l Q 9 ° S 2 o o fc Houses 22 2 S 2 2 < O < l-H o I— I « o POIIS - -H rt ,-H _ ^H T-H Chairs S B _, u R B rt -Bj3 *7l u ^ u ■ .2 c .5 'e « - *• Sg ii .3 ^ Jl o ' £««•-» cU -a « -d w u, » •*■: •*-■ u-3 C C hi in ~Z >— i " >— I TJ IS W t: .. _. © 10 to . , \o >rt *^ "■* "* ~* -*■ -* — CM ^H r-H Watches Clocks Horses 1 year old Horses 2 years old do 3 years old 2 year olds 3 year olds Oxen Improved Lands rO — i CO CO CM i— i CM \o o CO CM T-H T-H CM i-h CM -h o\ n- rt N rj- t n N 00 -h CM O M "* N <*> ,7) CM CM «-h CO i-h Houses o o Polls Chairs _ 5 «■» J3 -C _ § « " 5 /} o aj 1/5 r* tl !) C c c U « ^ k. " u 2 .o -° S 6 g - pi o s 'c pq 5 >> >. O «)(/) c o s o "o ° o ~a _ OOOOrtrtrtOO ^^J^^^S^S^ 184 MISCELLANEOUS - 3aitlee, C\7etmont omoooo©oogou~>oooio OCMOO^OO^^OOCMinioOCM O CM' t< CM' \d O tJ" \d 00 O r-< On — 1 i— 1 i— 1 -« 2 year olds CM CM PO rO r)- CM ""5 3 year olds CM » o CM O OOt^oOOOrO 1-1 N N H H H P0 H 00 o CM Houses 88 O o CM Polls -h Chairs fe a W) O a - -2, a • J <- "a 3 £ 'S « *-• m c 2 , ; u " « = £ « SfCS^Sg 5 3 « rf 43 S « PH W H ^ ^. 3 ^ g rtS „ rtj^PQcrt-M e2 « °rtJ3.2 t; w „ J m •-» ° ° 2 *-* f* l •** O {£ -s o , S fe+^r-i « £ £ £ S ,!i .S O rt g g g ^ i o * 3 « Galilee, ^Vetmont - MISCELLANEOUS 185 ©oooooomoooooo IOO LnioOOi0Ot^Ln>r}O"->OLn I O O Watches Clocks Horses 1 year old Horses 2 years old do 3 years old N '-' ^ 2 year olds n 3 year olds cm co co *-* *-< h cm ro Oxen N cm cm cm cm cm Improved Lands *> 2 2 * ^ Houses —< CM — i ^h PO ^H H O CM Polls Chairs c 'o as x: C rt a a. rt co > s _ i > rt i 6 O X c > ! m -a o > 1 LO Ih > — , IT; c en C en T3 13 CO bo be O o J3 o o o o J* co u ° 3 bo rt o JS O C ° te S rt « o £ £ -d rt § Galilee, ^Veimont - MISCELLANEOUS 187 FAIRLEE, VERMONT — CIRCA 1880 'THE TOWN UNDER THE CLIFF" University of Connecticut Libraries