The surface, though possessing no lofty mountains to form grand and imposing scenery, is most admirably adapted to agriculture; it contains some hills, yet is mostly a fine level country, undulating in some parts, with just enough of hollow and dale to lend a pleasing diversity. Its soil is unsurpassed in productiveness, varying from the softest mold to the stiffest clay, and producing prolific crops of all the fruits and grains indigenous to this latitude. The streams that drain and irrigate the soil flow principally north into the Winooski, or Westerly into Muddy Brook, the largest being Allen's Brook, which rises in the easterly part of the town and flows a northwesterly course into Winooski River, and Sucker Brook, flowing a westerly course from the central part of the territory into Muddy Brook. The most common of the forest trees are maple, beech, birch, pine and hemlock. Much of this timber has been utilized, especially the pine growing on the sandy tracts in the northwestern part, but not to such an extent as it would have been had the streams afforded more mill privileges, as in this latter respect the natural facilities of the territory are deficient, there being but two good mill sites in the township.

       Underlying the western portion of the town is an extensive bed of marble, cropping out in ledges in some places, affording several very good varieties. East of this, having a mean width of about three quarters of a mile, lies a bed of clay slate, extending through the whole length of the town from north to south, while the rock formation of the residue of the territory is composed of talcose conglomerate. All of these ledges or veins, however, are cut and intermixed by other substances incident to these formations throughout the State. No valuable minerals have been found hoarded in these storehouses of nature, yet nature has not been unkind to the fair township, as the lofty pines, maples, and hemlocks will testify, towering above the broad expanse of upland meadows and verdant intervales along the banks of the Winooski. No better farming lands exist, while the products find a convenient mode of transportation to populous marts in the Vermont Central Railroad, which passes across the northwestern corner of the town, with a station at North Williston.

       In 1880, Williston had a population of 11,342, was divided into ten school districts and had ten common schools, employing one male and fourteen female teachers, at an aggregate salary of $1,193.20. There were 208 pupils attending common school, while the entire cost of the schools for the year, ending October 31, was $1,428.37.

       NORTH WILLISTON, a post village and station on the Vermont Central Railroad, located in the northwestern part, contains a store, school house, cheese factory, blacksmith shop, machine shop, etc., and about twenty dwellings.

       WILLISTON, a post village located in the central part of the town, on Allen's Brook, contains three churches (Meth., Cong. and Universalist), two stores, one carriage shop, two blacksmith shops, one shoe shop and about thirty or forty dwellings.

       Smith WRIGHT's refrigerator and cold storage buildings, located at Williston, village, have facilities for storing several hundred tons of poultry, meats, etc. Mr. WRIGHT has been very successful in preserving the commodities thus stored, so that he often has goods shipped to him from distant States for storage.

       WHITCOMB & FAY's steam mill located at North Williston, was originally established by Hiram J. FAY, in 1862 or 1863. In 1866, he took Roswell B. FAY and ____ ROOD into partnership with him, and the new company enlarged the saw mill and erected a grist mill, and in 1871, the whole was destroyed by fire. A stock company was formed soon after, under the title of the North Williston Mill Co., and the mills re erected under their orders. The saw mill now manufactures 850,000 feet of lumber per annum.

       The North Williston Machine Shop was established by R. B. FAY, E. F. WHITCOMB and Addison M. FORD, in 1871. The institution is now principally employed in the manufacture of chair stock.

       Miss Lotica ALEXANDER's cider mill, located on road 33, was built about fifty years ago, and is now in good running order E. R. COLE's blacksmith shop, located at North Williston, was built about thirty years ago for general blacksmithing purposes. Mr. COLE has done a very successful business here since he took charge of the establishment, about five years ago.

       North Williston cheese factory, located near the railroad depot, was built in 1868. The factory now receives the milk from 400 cows.

       Lewis H. TALCOTT cheese factory, located on road 27, manufactures into cheese the milk from 700 cows, 275 of which are his own property.

       R. B. Brown & Son's butter tub manufactory, located at North Williston, was established by WILKINS & LOGGINS in 1872, who conducted the business about two years, when it was taken by the present firm, who employ ten men manufacturing $12,000.00 worth of butter tubs per annum.

       The town farm, consisting of about two hundered acres of land, situated in the northwestern corner of the township, is owned by the towns of Williston, Essex, Jericho, Shelburne, and Hinesburgh.

       About eleven years after the issue of the charter of Williston, in 1774, settlement was commenced here by Thomas CHITTENDEN, the first governor of Vermont, who came on with a large family of children, and was followed by Jonathan SPAFFORD, Elihu ALLEN, John CHAMBERLAIN and Abijah PRATT, in 1775 and '76. But soon the horrors of war broke up the settlement, and obliged the settlers to seek places of greater safety, fleeing before the advance of the enemy from Canada, as, indeed, was the case with settlements in other towns in the northern part of the county. In Williston, before all could make good their escape, they were attacked by the enemy. John CHAMBERLAIN was attacked in his house, by Indians, and a hired man and a child killed by them.

       Soon after the close of the war settlement was again commenced, the settlers coming, most of them, from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, among whom were the MURRAYs, the TALCOTTs, the SPAFFORDs, MILLERs, BROWNELLs, FRENCHes, ISHAMs and others, all men of enterprise and respectability, and most of them possessed of large families. On the 28th of March, 1786, the first town meeting was called, at which the town was duly organized by the election of the following officers: Robert DONNELLY, town clerk, and Joel BROWN, constable. In 1787, the first board of selectmen was chosen, Jonathan SPAFFORD, David TALCOTT and Asa BROWNSON. The first justice was Amos BROWNSON, chosen in 1786, and during this year the first representative, Jonathan SPAFFORD, was elected. The first born was Cyrus BRADLEY, August 4, 1786.

       Thomas CHITTENDEN, or Gov. CHITTENDEN as he is more familiarly known, was, as previously mentioned, the first to commence settlement in this town, and was also one of the first and heaviest landholders in this locality. Gov. Chittenden was born in Guilford, Conn., January 6, 1730, of parents in very moderate circumstances, his father being a small farmer. Young CHITTENDEN was trained to a life of economy and toil, his only educational advantages being those afforded by the common schools of his native town. Until the age of eighteen, he pursued the ordinary round of a farmer's life, when he became enchanted with the idea of becoming a sailor. Accordingly, he found a merchant vessel about to sail from New London to the West Indies, on which he enlisted as a common sailor. But his bright visions of a daring sea-rover's exploits were doomed to disappointment, for before the vessel upon which he had embarked reached its destination, it was seized by a French man of war, its cargo confiscated and the ship destroyed. Not wishing to be burdened with the crew of the ill fated vessel, the Frenchmen put them ashore upon an uninhabited island, whence, after much suffering, they were finally rescued, and CHITTENDEN reached his home, wiser in the ways of the world, and thoroughly disenchanted of the idea of becoming a sailor. Soon after his return, in October, 1749, he was married to Miss Elizabeth MEGS, a kind hearted, robust young lady, of congenial habits and education, one eminently fitted for the station she was destined to attain as the wife of the Governor of democratic Vermont. They soon after removed to Salisbury, a new town in northeastern Connecticut, where they resided twenty four years, Mr. CHITTENDEN soon becoming one of the leading inhabitants of the town, representing it in the assembly of the colony for several years, and holding the office or colonel of the militia. Becoming a landowner in Williston, he was tempted by the pleasing and productive locality to give up his home in Salisbury, and begin the life of a pioneer, coming to this town in 1774. When driven off by the incursions of the enemy, in 1776, he took up his residence in Arlington, where he remained until the close of the war, then returned to Williston.

       Here, aside from the high political stations he attained, he enjoyed the fellowship and love of his friends and neighbors, and became particularly noted for sociability and hospitality, his house being at all times open to the ever welcome guest. Of his residence, Col John A. GRAHAM, in a book of his travels in Vermont, published at London in 1797, says: "About ten miles from Burlington Bay, in Williston, which is on the south side of Onion River, is the beautiful and elegant residence of Governor CHITTENDEN. The buildings are of brick, finely elevated on a well chosen spot of ground, which commands a boundless prospect, over a vast country of intervale lands of thousands of acres, of which the Governor is owner in fee." The buildings are standing to day about as they were then.

       It is indeed just that CHITTENDEN should receive the title of "The Father of the State," for the formation of the territory of Vermont into a separate State, the successful progress of its government, and its final establishment against the powerful opposition of other governments, were owing in a great degree to his almost unerring foresight, unhesitating firmness and sound judgment. He was chosen one of the council of safety by the convention that formed the State constitution in July, 1777, and became at once the president of the body; was chosen the first governor of the State, in March, 1778, and from that date until 1797, he was annually re elected to that office, with the single exception of the year .1789, when, there being no choice, Moses ROBINSON was elected by the legislature. Then next year Gov. CHITTENDEN was re chosen by a large majority. During the whole period of his administration, he exerted a powerful and healthful influence over the affairs of the State, and had the pleasure of witnessing the triumphant success of his earnest efforts, in the prosperity and happiness of a grateful people, whose political affairs he had for years been greatly instrumental in guiding. He resigned the office in the year 1797, on account of failing health, and died on the 25th of August of that year, leaving an unsullied reputation, pure and spotless as the snowy sheet upon which we write. His descendants are numerous, several of whom have occupied high political positions in the State and county. In the quiet cemetery at Williston village is the grave where rests all that was mortal of this good man, marked by a marble monument, upon which is traced the following inscription: 

       In the same cemetery is another monument marking the last resting place of his son, Martin, who was also a governor of the State, bearing the following inscription:

       Martin was born in Salisbury, Conn., and came to Vermont with his father. He was a member of congress from Vermont, from 1803 to 1813, and governor of the State in 1813 and 1814. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1789.

       Hon. Lemuel BOTTOM, another pioneer whose memory the people of Williston still cherish with pride, was one of the most substantial and enterprising of the early settlers. He began his residence here in 1786, and early gained the entire respect and confidence of his townsmen and neighbors, by whom he was returned to many town and county offices, remaining an earnest, conscientious worker for the public weal until death cut short his labors, in 1815.

       Col. Isaac McNEIL was also prominently identified with the best interests of the first inhabitants of Williston, coming to this town from Litchfield, Conn., the first lawyer who dwelt within its limits. Possessed of an education and rare ability, he could not remain long unnoticed by the public, and consequently was soon elected to offices of town and county trust, continuing to be thus honored until his death, in 1807.

       Jonathan SPAFFORD, who came here soon after Gov. CHITTENDEN's first settlement, was a man eminently endowed by Nature to endure the hardships incident to pioneer life, as well as to assist in laying broad and deep the foundations of a prosperous settlement. Strong in frame, with an equally well balanced and hardy mind, he carved a niche in the history of Williston, and a place in the hearts of its inhabitants, during his long life among them, that still remains, though his body has long since united with the dust in the province of Upper Canada, where he died at an advanced age.

       Solomon and Elisha MILLER were also prominent among the early settlers, coming to this town at an early date, locating upon land which now comprises the center of the village of Williston. Solomon was born at West Springfield, in 1761, and at the breaking out of the Revolution entered the American army, where he served with honor, participating in the battle of Bennington, and the taking of Burgoyne. Soon after the war he removed to Vermont, locating in Wallingford, where, in connection with Nathaniel CHIPMAN, he was engaged in the iron business, remaining until 1786, when he took up his residence here, and was soon chosen town clerk, which office he retained from 1794 to 1815, a period of twenty one years. He was also clerk of the supreme and county courts for twenty years, and judge of probate about the same length of time, serving also as a member of the State council for several years. He died in 1847, aged eighty seven years. Elisha also died about the same time, and his son, William, is still a resident of the town.

       Elisha WRIGHT, from Connecticut, came to Williston some time previous to 1797, locating upon the farm now occupied by his grandson, Orson H., remaining until his death, in 1830. In 1797, soon after his settlement here, his son John was born, who died here in 1874. Smith, son of John, is the present postmaster at Williston village, and has served his townsmen as associate judge two years, from 1868 to 1870, and has also represented the town of St. George four years, 1852 '53 and 1860 '61. He is largely engaged in farming and dairying, having a herd of fifty cattle, and also extensively connected with the poultry trade, having handled $60,000.00 worth of poultry during the past year.

       Beriah MURRAY, from Claremont, N. H., located in Williston at an early day, together with his son, Calvin, who subsequently died in the town of Hinesburgh. Calvin's son, David A., is still a resident of this town.

       John CHARLES, a German, came to this continent when eight years of age, locating in Montreal. When still quite young, and early in the history of Williston, he took up his residence here, where he died, after raising a family of twelve children. H. L. CHARLES, the eldest of the children, has carried the mail between Williston village and North Williston twenty-seven consecutive years.

       Dea. Jonathan TALCOTT, one of the early settlers of the town, came here from Connecticut among the first inhabitants, locating upon the farm lately occupied by his son, Roswell. Four years after the birth of the latter, Dea. TALCOTT died, and young Roswell was sent away among friends, where he remained until he became of age, then returned and took up his residence on the old homestead, remaining until September, 1881, a period of fifty-nine years, when he removed to the place he now occupies on road 12.

       John BUSHNELL was also one of the early settlers of Williston, coming here from Connecticut. The exact date of his settlement w e are unable to state, though it must have been previous to 1795, as his eldest son was born here, and is now eighty seven years of age. Mr. BUSHNELL, after a long and useful life, died here, in 182 1. His son, Hiram, born here in 1798, is still a resident of the town.

       Obadiah WALSTON, from Connecticut, came early in the settlement of the town, remaining until his death, at the advanced age of eighty seven years. His grandson, Obadiah, born in Richmond, came here when fifteen years of age, locating on road 38, and is still a resident. Charles WALSTON, residing on road 40, is also a grandson.

       Jonathan ALEXANDER, born in the town of Sutton, Conn., came to Williston at the age of nineteen years, with his fortune, consisting of twenty five cents, in his pocket. He remained here until his death, aged over eighty three years, leaving 156 acres of land to his daughter, Lotica, which, by economy and prudence, he had accumulated from an original investment of twenty five cents.

       Elisha BRADLEY, from New Haven, Conn., immigrated to Huntington about ninety years ago, and subsequently removed to this town, where he died, in November, 1848. His son, Sylvester, born here, died February 5, 1873. They both resided upon the farm now occupied by Oras BRADLEY.

       Jehiel ISHAM, from Connecticut, came to this locality at an early date, locating in St. George, where he died in 1847. His son, Ezra, born in St. George, died in this town. Ezra's sons, Addison, John D., and Jackson, still are residents here.

       Stephen N. WARREN came to Williston at an early day, and subsequently died in Fairfax. His son, Charles E., now residing on road 43, was born here.

       Daniel SHAW, from Taunton, Mass., came to this town in 1790, and died here in 1804. His son, Daniel, Jr., came with him, and survived his father six years, dying in 1810. Daniel was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and built some of the first houses in Williston village. His daughter, Mrs. LOCKWOOD, is a resident of the town.

       Jacob HINSDILL, born in Connecticut, came to St. George previous to the year 1800, and died in this town at the age of seventy six years. His son, Giles S., now residing on road 2, was born in St. George in 1805.

       Thomas METCALF immigrated to this country from England during the first half of the present century, and coming to Vermont located in Underhill, where he remained until 1854, when he took up his residence in this town.

       George A. CHAPMAN, born in Cavendish, Windsor Co., Vt., came to Williston in 1840, though he remained but a short time, two or three years, then removed to Jericho where he resided for a number of years, then returned to this town and located where he now resides, on road 8.

       Gardner G. BROWN, born in the town of Broome, Can., came to Williston about forty five years ago. He was for a time engaged in mercantile pursuits on Muddy Brook, but is now a farmer.

       Moses BATES, born in Thompson, Conn., in 1777, came to Colchester while yet a young man, and died there March 16, 1849. His son, George, born in Colchester, came to Williston, in 1853, locating upon the place he now occupies, on road 2. His dwelling was built by his grandfather, Zachariah HART, who occupied it nearly sixty years, and died here at the great age of nearly one hundred years.

       Andrew PINE, from Tinmouth, came to Williston in 1818, remaining about ten years, then removed to the western part of New York, where he soon after died. His son, Joseph, born in Tinmouth, now resides on road 22.

       John PATTEN, born in Ireland, came to Williston in 1830, remaining until his death, in February, 1875.

       Charles CURTIS, residing on road 36, was a soldier during the late war, having enlisted in the 13th Mich. Infantry, at Paw Paw, Mich., in 1861, from which he was discharged in 1862, for gunshot wounds. He subsequently reenlisted, in the 16th N. Y. Cavalry, at Oswego, N. Y., and was finally discharged in 1864.

       Timothy BLISS, from Massachusetts, located in Essex at an early day, where his son, William, was born, who was killed in 1816, by a fall from a mill. Alanson, son of William is now a resident of this town.

       Rev. Alden S. COOPER, who now resides in Williston, is one of the oldest Methodist ministers in this locality, though he is now superannuated. Mr. COOPER was born in Westfield, Mass., August 12, 1807, and commenced preaching at North Madison, Conn. He has been instrumental in bringing many souls to the true life, for which he has already begun to receive his endless reward, in a ripe, happy old age.

       Nathan and Henry FAY, brothers, came to Richmond from Bennington, in 1783, where they remained until their death. R. B. FAY, born in Richmond, July 5, 1808, came to Williston in September, 1839, where he still resides.

       Leet A. BISHOP, son of Rufus BISHOP, an old resident of Hinesburgh, now occupies the old Martin CHITTENDEN place, on road 26.

       Eliab FORBES, born in Bridgewater, Conn., located in Burlington at an early day, where he died, February 22, 1810. His son, Ira L., born in Burlington, May 12, 1802, is now a resident of this town.

       Charles A. SEYMOUR, born in New Haven, Vt., July 26, 1796, came to Williston twenty two years ago, where he now resides on road 23, at the advanced age of eighty six years.

       David CASWELL, from Tinmouth, removed to Huntington at an early day, being one of the first settlers of that town. His son, Seymour A., born in that town, came to Williston about eighteen years ago, locating on road 12, where he still resides.

       James N. DOW emigrated to this country from Ireland, in 1846, locating in Quebec, thence to Montreal, and from there came to Vermont, where, after several years' residence in towns in this vicinity, he finally located in Williston, on road 38, where he still resides.

       Wright CLARK, from Royalton, V t., came to Williston about 1830, and located upon what is called the METCALF place, where he remained until 1835, then removed to the Gov. CHITTENDEN farm. He was twice married, had a family of thirteen children, and died here April 20, 1866. His son, Hiram A, married a daughter of Roswell B. FAY, in 1861, and has a family of five children. He is the present town representative, and occupies his father's old farm.

       John BROWN, from Massachusetts, came to Williston in 1800, and located upon the farm now owned by William WHITNEY, and subsequently upon the farm owned by his son, William. He died here in 1855, at the great age of ninety seven years. Of his large family of children, only one is now living. William, upon the old homestead, aged eighty six years.

       Edward BROWNELL came to Williston about the year 1800, and located upon the farm now occupied by his grandson, Edward He had a family of eight children, and died at the age of seventy eight years. Beriah, the father of the present Edward, married Lucinda SANFORD and remained on the old homestead. Of his six children, three are now living -- Edward, Elias, and Martha.

       Samuel D. WHITNEY came to Williston about the year 1828, and located on road 48, where he resided until his death in 1852. One of his sons, George W., now occupies the old homestead, and is extensively engaged in farming.

       Horatio D. CRANE, now residing on road 12, is the son of Orrin CRANE, who settled in Jericho from Orange County, Vt., about 1830. His sister, Lucy, is the wife of John JOHNSON, residing on road 23. His brother, Charles M., and sister, Lydia E., reside in Los Angeles, Cal.

       Peltiah BLISS, from New Hampshire, settled in Essex previous to 1800, remaining until 1830, when he removed to this town, and died here in 1876. Six of his children survive him, four in this town, as follows: Clement P., on road 4; Clarissa (Mrs. A. STEVENS); George J., on road 22; and John, on road 12.

       John PATTEN located in the southern part of the town, about forty five years ago, and died here in 1875. Of his children, John P., George W., James, and Louisa (Mrs. J. M. CHAPMAN), now reside here. George W. Patten's mother, daughter of Ozeb BREWSTER, one of the earliest settlers in Richmond, now resides with him, aged 84 years.

       Thomas NORTHROP settled in Georgia, Franklin County, in 1817, and subsequently, at a later day, came to this town, locating where he now resides, at Williston village. Mr. NORTHROP was married in 1822, has had a family of four children, two of whom are now living, and has led a happy married life of nearly sixty one years, being now eighty six years of age, and his wife eighty-two years old.

       Charles KEEFE, from Montreal, located in Richmond during the year 1838, and after a few years' residence there removed to Jericho, and finally came to this town, locating on road 24, upon the farm now owned by his widow, and son Andrew. He died March 9, 1873, aged sixty three years. His sons, James and Charles, reside upon the farm.

       Eldad TAYLOR, from Sunderland, Vt., came to Williston in March, 1786, and died here in 1796, aged sixty three years, leaving a family of eleven children. They married and intermarried with the people of Williston until the TAYLOR family became the most numerous in the township. Death, removals, and intermarriage, however, has left not one of that name in the town, though there are descendants by intermarriage, among whom are members of the FAY family, one of the oldest and most venerated in the State. The first of the FAY family in this country was John, who emigrated from England to Massachusetts at an early date. Several of his sons subsequently removed to Bennington, and thence spread through the State. His grandson, Jonas, is welt known through his decided stand with the Green Mountain Boys, and his is, perhaps, the most prominent name in history of any of the family, though several are noted, one of whom, John, lost his life at the battle of Bennington, in the contest for American Independence. The representatives of the family in Williston are Alfred C., Daniel B., Julia R., and Roswell B., with their families.

       R. D. MUNSON, residing on road 24, has made himself quite noted by the invention and construction of a very novel and singular piece of mechanism, a clock and universal time indicator, called the musical, calendar and union clock. It is a very ingenious and even wonderful piece of mechanism.

       The Congregational Church, located at Williston village, was organized January 23, 1800, with sixteen members, and Rev. Aaron C. COLLINS was installed as its first pastor. January 29, of the same year. In 1813, the church was re organized, as the only means of eliminating certain heresies which had crept in, and Rev. James JOHNSON became its pastor. The present church edifice was erected in 1832, and rebuilt in 1860. Rev. Franklin W. OLMSTED is the present pastor of the society.

       The Methodist Episcopal Church, also located at the village, was organized in 1800. Rev. Stephen RANDALL was the first pastor. The present house of worship was erected in 1843, and rebuilt in 1868. It will accommodate 500 persons, and is valued at $2,000. The society now has ninety members, with Rev. Robert W. SMITH pastor.

       The Universalist Society, located at the village, was organized in February, 1844, with fifty one members. Rev. Eli BALLOU was the first pastor. Their church building was commenced in 1859, and dedicated in 1860, a neat, brick structure. Miss Myra KINSBURY is the present acting pastor of the society.
 
 

Transcribed by Karima Allison ~ 2004