Shrewsbury was chartered on the 4th of September, 1761, by Benning Wentworth, governor of New Hampshire, under George III, to Samuel ASHLEY and sixty-three others, only one of whom ever settled in town. Its organization was not effected until March 20, 1781. The town still retains its original limits except one square mile taken from Plymouth, Windsor county, and annexed to Shrewsbury, October 21, 1823.

      The first man that moved into town was the illiterate and eccentric but intelligent Captain Lemuel WHITE, who came from Rockingham, Vt., in 1777, and cleared the farm now owned and occupied by Willard SMITH. Here he built the first house in town. He was captain of the first militia, kept the first tavern, was the first representative, and yet could neither read nor write. His reply to a Mr. ALDRICH, who had sent to borrow his harrow, was that if Mr. ALDRICH would bring his land where the harrow was he might use it. The British at one time, while on a foraging expedition, turned their horses in his wheat field. It was in his house that the charter meeting of the town was held, when he was chosen moderator. He was one of the principal parties to the first wedding that occurred in town, July 23, 1778, when Zilpha BOWDISH became his wife. The first birth that occurred in town was that of his daughter Anna, on the 15th day of August, 1779. He died in March, 1813, of the epidemic, which prevailed at that time.

      Nehemiah SMITH and his sons, Nathan, William and Job, came from Smithfield, R. I., in 1780, and settled on land embracing the present farm of Solon SMITH. Their advent here, like that of nearly all the early settlers, was attended with perils and hardships which can with difficulty be appreciated now. This family were glad of the shelter afforded by a great rock until they had erected their log house. Then while they were clearing a space for cultivation and waiting for the grain to ripen, they subsisted solely by making potash and burning charcoal, which they carried to Troy, seventy-five miles distant, on horseback, and exchanged for grain.

      Ziba ALDRICH settled in Shrewsbury also in 1780, beginning near the farm now owned by Amos PRATT, on Mill River. This was the fourth family that came to town. In 1780, too, Jeffrey A. BARNEY came from Richmond, N. H., and settled on Mill River, on a tract embracing the present farm of David WATERMAN. Mrs. BARNEY traveled this distance on horseback and her husband on foot, driving two cows.

      Benedict WEBBER and his family began a settlement in Shrewsbury, in 1780. His mother, Mrs. William WEBBER, died on the 9th of April, 1782, from falling into a fire-place and being burned.

      Uriah COOK, a Revolutionary soldier, came here from Richmond, Mass., in 1780, and cleared the farm now occupied by Jerome ATWOOD.  His son, Hiram COOK, occupied the farm until his death, September 19, 1884. He left three children, still residents of Shrewsbury, Daniel COOK, Harriet, wife of Jonah S. ALDRICH, and Elvira S., wife of Jerome ATWOOD. David HOLDEN, another early settler, came at an early date on to the farm now owned by S. F. SMITH;

      John KILBURN, a surveyor, migrated to Shrewsbury in 1785, from Walpole N. H. In 1789 he was elected town clerk and remained in the office for forty consecutive years. It is said that during the Revolutionary War, he, with his wife, son and daughter, successfully resisted an attack of nearly four hundred Indians on their New Hampshire home. In 1836 he removed to Canton, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., where he died at an advanced age. So highly was he esteemed in Shrewsbury that at the March meeting held in Shrewsbury 1878, it was voted that a set of marble head stones be erected above his grave in Canton, at the expense of the town of Shrewsbury. The vote was carried out to the letter.

      Philip BILLINGS came to Shrewsbury in October, 1783, from Sunderlin, Mass., and settled on the farm recently owned by Enoch SMITH, of Clarendon. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and resided in town until his death in October, 1808. The house which he built in 1794 is still standing.

      Willard COLBURN came from Dedham, Mass., in 1790, and cleared and occupied the farm now owned by David C. COLBURN, his great-grandson. Nathan RUSSELL moved from Barry, Mass., in 1786, to the farm now owned by William RUSSELL. He died in 1856, at the age of ninety-two years, eighteen children surviving him.

      Phileman ADAMS, in 1792, came from Medway, Mass., upon the farm now owned by Perrin JOHNSON.

      Benjamin NEEDHAM came very early from Billerica, Mass. He and his descendants have shown themselves to be a family of soldiers. He was a soldier in the Revolution; his sons, Benjamin and Joseph, and a grandson, Benjamin, took active part in the war of 1812 ; another grandson, Horace, died while in service in the Mexican War; while his three great-grandsons, Benjamin, Joseph and Horace, were all engaged in the Civil War, Horace meeting his death in action at Richmond, Va.

      Jacob GUILD, of Walpole, N. H., and a Mr. MORSE, of Medway, Mass., in the year of 1795, came on foot from their respective homes, and cleared land embracing the present possessions of N. J. ALDRICH & Co. in the northeast part of the town. Captain ANDERSON came from Lunenburgh, Mass., in 1785; Samuel DENNIS came from Hardwick, Mass., about the same time. James ROBINSON kept the first store in town on the premises now occupied by Alvin ALDRICH. Job BUCKMASTER, Martin DAWSON, Abram GIBSON, Ephraim PIERCE and Moses COLBURN were also among the pioneer inhabitants of Shrewsbury.

      Four KINGSLEY brothers came to America in the eighteenth century and settled in Hartford, Conn. Salmon KINGSLEY came to Rutland county about 1775 or 1780 and took up his residence in Ira. He afterwards removed to Michigan, where he died in 1828. His sons were William, Joseph, Chester, Salmon, Dennis, Orrin and Hiram. Chester lived for a time in Burlington, but came to Shrewsbury in 1812. He was a clothier and wool-carder, and had a shop near the Clarendon line. He had nine sons, two of whom, Horace and Harrison live in Clarendon, one, Henry, lives in Middlebury, Chester lives in Salisbury Amos lives at Long Lake, Wis., Harvey lives in Rutland, at the age of seventy-eight years, and three are dead. He also had seven daughters, two of whom now live in Brandon. (See biographical sketch of L. G. KINGSLEY, of Rutland, in later pages.)

      The first school-house was built of logs, and stood in the woods near the site of Willard SMITH's residence. The first saw-ill and grist-mill were on a farm now owned by Webb SINCLAIR and were carried away by a freshet in July, 1811.

      Perhaps the most prominent of all the early settlers, and certainly the one most clearly remembered, was Nathan FINNEY. He was born on the 28th of June, 1858, probably in Massachusetts, and was the fifth man who made Shrewsbury his home. For a good many years he kept tavern on the farm now owned by Amos PRATT. He built the first framed house in town. His death occurred in 1813. Neighbors of his were Doctor Asahel HOLTON, a son-in-law, who resided, however, in the middle of the town; Captain Calvin ROBINSON and Martin ROBINSON, who lived about half a mile above FINNEY's, Captain Lemuel WHITE, already mentioned.

      Levi FINNEY, son of Nathan FINNEY, born August 20, 1787, married Orpha CLARK May 28, 1813, and succeeded his father in the old tavern in the same year. This was a famous place in its day, as the following well-written extract from the Vermont Tribune will testify. The author is Mr. L. DAWLEY, a resident of Cuttingsville: 

   "There is probably no place in town where so much convivial enjoyment has been indulged in as at what was once known as the old Finney Tavern. We remember over half a century ago the sign with the square and compass and other emblematical designs glittering in the sunshine of this ancient hostelry. The place was known from the Canadian provinces to Boston, and was a home for the weary traveler, and a resort for pleasure seekers and invalids in search of health. Colonel FINNEY, the proprietor, was far above the mediocrity of men, affable, jovial, of fine physique, a man of full habits and liberal indulgences, which called around him a large circle of friends. Two or three four-house coaches called daily at the door, the stables afforded room for at least one hundred horses, and were often filled. Immense droves of cattle were driven over the road from Northern New York and the lake towns to Boston markets, and, stopping over night at this old stand, would literally cover the meadows and hill sides with lowing herds. But those good old times are gone. Mails, passengers, freights and live-stock are now rushed by like the wind by steam. The old inn has been demolished (at least portions of it) and a commodious farm-house stands in its place. The worshipers of Bacchus no longer assemble there, the jovial song and the merry raps of the toddy-stick are heard no more. This valuable old farm is now owned by Amos PRATT, esq., was purchased by him at $14,000, the highest price ever paid for a farm in town. It is one mile below the village."

      The first town meeting was held on the 20th of March, 1781, and the following persons chosen first officers: Lemuel WHITE, moderator; Aaron ESTY, town clerk; Lemual WHITE, Samuel BENTON, and Nehemiah SMITH, selectmen; Benedict WEBBER, treasurer; Zebediah GREEN, constable; Samuel BENTON, Joseph RANDALL, William SMITH, listers; Samuel BENTON, grand juror.

      From this time on the town began to increase in population, so that by 1791, it numbered 383, and by 1800 had grown to the number of 748. One of the most prominent of the immigrants was Stephen GLEASON, who was born in Worcester, Mass., January 9, 1783, and came here from Petersham, Mass., in 1807. He settled in the middle of the town on the farm still owned by his son, H. C. GLEASON. Stephen GLEASON was undoubtedly the first postmaster in town, receiving the appointment as early as 1811. He remained in this office until as late as 1846. He died on the 19th of September, 1853.

      In 1810 the population of the town had still further increased to 990, in 1830 to 1,149, in 1830 to 1,289, and in 1840 it decreased to 1,218.

      This town suffered severely from the epidemic which raged with such fury in 1813. Nathan FINNEY, Esquire MARSH, Doctor Asahel HOLTON and others, all died of it.

      Mrs. Lydia MEECH, daughter of Nathan FINNEY, in an article contributed to the Vermont Historical Gazetteer, thus describes its works: " I was married at this time and lived in Glens Falls, N. Y. Father died of the epidemic March 29, 1813. It was the time of the breaking up of the ice. We went, my husband and I, in a gig, and men came out at Castleton to help us ford the stream. When we arrived it was a terrible time in Shrewsbury; many heads of families had died, all of the town was in sorrow. How we sat down and talked about it and wept; the frightful disease smote not only in Vermont but in New York State also. The heads of a family just below us at Glens Falls both died of it. . . Dr. HOLTON, who had married my sister, for six weeks slept only in his arm chair. He kept several horses and always one harnessed. He at length took it. His wife wanted to send to Wallingford for Dr. FOX. 'No,' said he, ‘I know all about the disease; it will do no good.' She sent, however, for Dr. PORTER, of Rutland, but he lived but a day and a half after he was taken."

      In the dark days of 1861-65, when treason threw off its disguise and endeavored openly to dismember the Union, Vermont, in common with other Northern States, and Shrewsbury in common with the other towns in Vermont, poured fourth her best blood and money with a lavish patriotism. The names of the following men who were soldiers from this town have been preserved:

      Volunteers for three years credited previous to the call for 300,000 volunteers of October 17, 1863. -- Orlando E. ADAMS, Duane C. BARNEY, 7th regt.; Oliver BARRETT, Joseph BELNEY, 9th regt.; George P. BIXBY, Peter BRADY, 5th regt.; Nathan L. BROWN, Edward R. CASWELL, co. C, 4th regt.; William E. CASWELL, Co. G, 7th regt.; Nathan DEFORGE, William A. DODGE, co. B, 9th regt.; William FISHER, John FLANAGAN, 5th regt.; Dwight C. GOULD, co. C, 4th regt.; Nathan W. HEWITT, co. I, 5th regt.; Hollis K. HOLDEN, 7th regt.; Squire H. HOLDEN, Co. C, 10th regt.; George M. HUNTOON, co. C, 4th regt.; John HUNTOON, Co. C, 10th regt.; Hiram J. HUNTOON, co. I, 5th regt.; Newton R. JOHNSON, co. C, 4th regt.; John LEONARD, George H. LEWIS, co. H, 2d regt.; William H. LORD, Charles S. MONROE, co. G, 5th regt.; Peter MADELINE, 9th regt.; Elijah NEEDHAM, Joseph NEEDHAM, co. C, 4th regt.; Archibald M. PERSONS, co. I, 5th regt.; George P. PHALON, co. I, 7th regt.; Eli J. PIERCE, co. C, 4th regt.; Peter POACHER, Co. B, 9th regt.; George PUFFER, Robert P. RIPLEY, James B. ROYCE, co. I, 7th regt.; Thomas RIPLEY, 9th regt.; John SMALLEY, James R. WILSON, co. B, 2d regt.

     Credits under call of October 17, 1863, for 300,000 volunteers and subsequent calls: Volunteers for three years. -- Edward ARMSTRONG, Benjamin E. CRAPO, John CRAPO, 11th regt.; Josiah W. CRAPO, co. H, cav.; Alfred DESANTELLS, Florence DRISCOLL, 11th regt.; David HEADLE, Levi HEADLE, co. E, 2d s. s.; John JOHNSON, William MANDIGO, John MCCLAY, 11th regt.; William RIX, co. I, 17th regt.; Curren A. SHIPPEE, Henry A. STARKEY, co. H, cav.; John THOMAS, 10th regt.; Rufus M. WHITE, co. E, 2d s, s.

      Volunteers for one year. -- Francis BELONY, Orrin B. COOK, co. B, 9th regt.; William H. H. CUMMINGS, co. K, 9th regt.; Albert KNIGHT, co. I, 7th regt.; Daniel PATCH, co. K, 9th regt.; Converse T. TRASK, co. B, 9th regt.; James R. WILSON, co. B, 2d regt.; Henry S. YORK, co. B, 9th regt.

      Volunteers re-enlisted. -- George P. BIXBY, William CASWELL, William FISHER, Mortimer K. HEADLE, James R. MARTIN, George P. PHALON, John PRATT.

      Not credited by name, two men.

      Volunteers for nine months. -- Nye J. ALLEN, Francis BELLAMY, Thomas CALLAHAN, Oren P. COOK, Benjamin E. CRAPO, Luther R. DYKE, Francis FISH, George W. FOSTER, John GILMAN, jr., Archibald HANLEY, Calvin B. JEWETT, John B. JOHNSON, George W. KINSMAN, Richard MARSHALL, Benjamin B. NEEDHAM, Isaac NEEDHAM, Edwin PIERCE, George D. PIERCE, Newton PRATT, William L. PRATT, Walter G. SAWYER, William D. SHERMAN, Almore E. WALKER, Henry L. YORK, 14th regt.

      Furnished under draft and paid commutation. -- Bradford B. ALDRICH, Jasper ALDRICH, Truman ALDRICH, Franklin M. PLUMLEY, Ira A. RUSSELL, Lyman A. RUSSELL, Harvey SAUNDERS, Nathaniel SPAFFORD, jr., Bensley TWINING, Volney W. Waterman.

      Procured substitutes. -- Simon GOULD, James RODGERS, Croman A. SHIPPEE, Ephraim S. SMITH, Henry A. WATERMAN.

      The population of Shrewsbury has varied as shown by the following figures: 1791, 383; 1800, 748; 1810, 990; 1820, 1,149; 1830, 1,289; 1840, 1,218; 1850, 1,268; 1860, 1,175; 1870, 1,145; 1880, 1,235.

      The first minister of the gospel who resided in Shrewsbury was Rev. Moses WINCHESTER, who was born in Westmoreland, N. H., March 1, 1798, and came here when he was eighteen years of age. Although not possessed of a theological education, he was an earnest Christian, and a fervent, preacher. Being the first resident clergyman in town he drew the ministerial land. He won the affections of the people here, notwithstanding his many peculiarities. At one time while visiting at the house of a neighbor, the hostess as they sat down to tea, apologetically remarked that she had nothing fit to eat, whereupon Mr. WINCHESTER, to her consternation, replied that if she had; nothing fit to eat, he would eat nothing, and left the table. He died March 6, 1868.

      The first church edifice erected in town was the Universalist Church at the middle of the town, which was built in 1805, on the site of the present meeting-house. The Universalist society was organized there in 1807 by John KILLBURN, jr. The membership numbers about twenty-five.

      A Christian church was organized at North Shrewsbury, November 9; 1822, by a council of forty-two, of which Pearl PARKER and Jonah ALDRICH were members. Rev. Noah JOHNSON was the first pastor. They erected a meeting-house in 1840 at a cost, including grounds and all, not exceeding $1,000. It will comfortably seat 300 persons. They were aided in the building of this edifice by the Universalists in town. The church building is now occupied by the second Advent Church which was organized April 19, 1877, by Rev. W. I. BLANCHARD, the first pastor. The present membership of this organization is just thirty, and the average attendance at Sunday-school is twenty-five. Rev. George F. EARLE, of North Springfield, Vt., preaches every other Sunday. The present church officers are W. GUILD, clerk; L. E. LORD, treasurer; Daniel. BALCH and L. E. LORD, committee to secure preaching.

      The Union Church of Cuttingsville was organized in 1842 by the Baptists and Congregational members of the community, who at once, under the pastorate of Rev. M. A. WICKER, erected the house of worship still in use. They were barely able to sustain themselves until 1859, when the trustees gave the. Methodists permission to occupy the church premises, and the Methodist Church was consequently organized. The present pastor is the Rev. W. W. GILLIS, and, the Sabbath-school superintendent is Miss H. M. CROWLEY. The average attendance at Sabbath-school is about twenty.

      Following are the town officers of Shrewsbury, elected in March, 1885: Town clerk and treasurer, E. O. ALDRICH; selectmen, C. C. HOLDEN, E. W. ALDRICH, L. W. BEVERSTOCK; constable, D. E. ALDRICH; superintendent of schools; Mrs. G. J. CROWLEY; listers, W. L. BUCKLIN, A. W. ALDRICH, Amos PRATT; overseer of the poor, W. L. BUCKLIN; agent to prosecute and defend suits in which the town is interested, C. C. HOLDEN.

      There is in town but one village of importance, viz., Cuttingsville, although there is a settlement called Northam, or North Shrewsbury, four miles northeast from Cuttingsville, which contains one store, a saw-mill and a church, and another at the middle of the town, so called, or Shrewsbury post-office.

      Formerly, too, there was something like a settlement around the old Finney tavern, called Finneyville. The post-office was established there as early as 1825, and remained until about 1848.

      This village owes its importance largely to the influence of the railroad, which makes it the principal market for the town and surrounding country. It could not be said to have had an existence as a village before 1835 or 1840. It derived its name from Charles CUTTING who lived here before 1825, and became proprietor of the mills. He has since given the same name to a Village in Indiana, and another in Iowa. J. B. STORY, still a resident of this village, came here in about 1831. According to his remembrance, which is very clear, there was but one dwelling-house on the site of the present village. It was a small single storied house, which stood where the hotel now is, and was occupied by Mr. BILLINGS, a hatter. The first house built here after that stood in the northwest part of the village on the lot now owned by James ROYCE. It is not now in existence. In 1831 Charles CUTTING was running the saw and grist-mill which occupied the site of the mill now owned and operated by Dana G. JONES. Ithel SMEAD was running the tannery now in the hands of James HUNTOON. In 1833 the house now occupied by William L. BUCKLIN was built by William MARSH, who kept store in it. It was thus used as a store and dwelling-house combined until about 1862, when Mr. BUCKLIN bought it. The first house on the east side of Main street was the one now occupied by A. S. ADAMS.

      Among the historical anecdotes concerning the early residents of this neighborhood, Mr. STORY tells one which ought to be placed on record. A Mr. BARTHOLOMEW owned hereabouts in the early part of the century a pocket or potato distillery, which he found it difficult to manage profitably under an extensive whisky tax. He accordingly applied to Benjamin NEEDHAM, who was an army officer, and lived then in a house now occupied by E. O. ALDRICH, about a mile east of the middle of the town, to have him induce judge Robert PIERPOINT, of Rutland, then assessor, to remove the tax. NEEDHAM, who was as powerful man with an imposing physique and a florid complexion, called on Judge PIERPOINT in Rutland, and took his hand, but having once obtained a grip on those judicial fingers, NEEDHAM positively refused to release them or diminish his painful pressure upon them until the "tax was taken off from Bartholomew's distillery." He carried the day.

      The village had only a gradual growth after 1830 until the railroad was opened thirty-five years ago. Then as might be expected the impetus created in business was very marked. Business centers were transferred, neighborhoods that had promised to be villages of importance became merely subjects of history. In Shrewsbury, Cuttingsville sprang at once into the relative prominence it could not help attaining, and has retained its superiority without dispute.

      The building now used as a store by C. E. ADAMS was built about 1835 by John BUCKMASTER and D. B. JONES, who sold general merchandise there for several years, and were followed by Jones & Dow, the members being D. B. JONES and Lucius DOW. They remained in the store a, number of years and sold out to P. H. BOBBINS and C. C. HOLDEN, who traded there until the union store was opened about 1854 or 1855. In 1860 A. S. ADAMS began his occupancy of the building, and remained until April, 1870, when he rented the store to George P. PHALEN, and removed to Arlington. In April, 1881, Mr. ADAMS returned from Arlington and in company with his son, C. E. ADAMS, succeeded PHALEN. C. E. ADAMS became sole proprietor of the, business in April, 1883.

      The general mercantile trade carried on by George FOSTER may be said toy have originated soon after 1830, in the present dwelling house of William L. BUCKLIN. That building was erected by William MARSH, who sold goods there for a time and sold out to A. B. BULLARD. In 1863 William L. BUCKLIN, who had been dealing in general merchandise near the depot since about 1853, purchased the stock and good will of Mr. BULLARD and moved into the brick store now occupied by Mr. FOSTER. Here he remained until June 22, 1865, when George FOSTER bought him out. Henry EITAPENCE opened his tin-shop, here in 1869. He is successor to Henry BARLOW, who had been dealing in tin ware for years before.

      The tannery of James HUNTOON, one of the oldest manufacturing establishments in this section, was built in the early part of the century. Ithel SMEAD ran it as late as 1830; Elnathan MATTOX, his successor, ran it for about fifteen years. Hiram W. LINCOLN and John MATTOX then operated it for a time. The present proprietor has had control of it for more than twenty years.

      The saw and grist-mill of Dana G. JONES stands on the site of mills which were originally erected in about 1821 by Mr. BLANCHARD. In 1830 Charles CUTTING had taken possession of them and ran them a few years. His successor was William MARSH. Then followed William BARNES, and William ROYCE, and John WEBB, and B. B. ALDRICH, and H. J. WATERMAN. These mills were destroyed by fire in September, 1844, and rebuilt by the owners. B. B. ALDRICH and Dana G. JONES came into possession in 1867, and in May, 1876, Mr. JONES became sole proprietor. The saw-mill will turn out about 5,000 feet of lumber per day, and the grist-mill about ten to fifteen bushels of feed per hour. The carriage shop of J. B. STORY was preceded by a shop built by Mr. BALDWIN in 1838 or 1839. It was destroyed by fire in September, 1844, and the present building erected the following spring by J. B. STORY and T. G. FOSTER. Mr. FOSTER died in 1873, since which time the surviving partner has carried on the business.

      Judge E. FISHER is the only lawyer in town. He was born in Clarendon, N. H., on the 20th of July, 1814. He began to study law with C. H. CROSBY, then of Cuttingsville, in 1848, and in the September term of the Rutland County Court was admitted to practice. He has long enjoyed an excellent reputation for ability and integrity, and has been State's attorney and side judge.

      The hotel, of which D. K. BUTTERFIELD is the present proprietor, was built about 1833 by Charles CUTTING, the founder of the village. Mr. CUTTING kept the house five or six years, and sold out to Mr. BARNES. After the lapse of another period of about five years Captain Jeremiah DOW purchased the property and conducted the business. He rented it a part of the time. In 1865 he sold out to H. TODD. D. K. BUTTERFIELD bought him out in the spring of 1877, fitted up the house in many ways and has already won a good name among the traveling public. He has succeeded also in attracting a number of summer boarders, who find Cuttingsville a delightful retreat, and this hotel a pleasant Summer home. Mr. L. DAWLEY, who kindly furnished the facts above stated, ran the house from 1860 to 1865, while Captain DOW owned it.

      The post-office was transferred from FINNEY's tavern to Cuttingsville not far from 1830. The first postmaster here was Erastus GUERNSEY. David B. JONES succeeded him in about five years, and was in turn succeeded by H. C. PLEASON. C. C. HOLDEN next received the appointment and remained postmaster for some years. Henry BARLOW followed him; A. S. ADAMS followed BARLOW, and in. 1861 William L. BUCKLIN was appointed. He retained the office until August 1, 1885, when the present incumbent, C. E. ADAMS succeeded him.

      This splendid tribute to the memory of the departed was begun in July, 1880, by order of John P. BOWMAN, of Creek Center, N. Y., to perpetuate the memory of his deceased wife and two daughters. For more than a year 125 men, sculptors, marble-cutters and granite-cutters, masons and laborers were employed in its construction. Its dimensions externally at the base are seventeen feet, six inches, by twenty-four feet, and twenty feet high from grade line to the apex of the roof. Seven hundred and fifty tons of granite, fifty tons of marble and 20,000 bricks have been used in its construction. The total cost of the structure, together with improvements in the surroundings, cost about $75,000.

      The first postmaster appointed at the middle of the town, Shrewsbury post-office, was Stephen GLEASON, who was appointed about 1811, and retained the office until as late as 1846. Dr. L. W. GUERNSEY, Dana BUCKMASTER and G. J. CROWLEY were respectively his successors. The present postmaster, William F. MORSE was appointed in the fall of 1870.

      The post-office at North Shrewsbury was established in 1871 by the appointment of N. J. ALDRICH. William GUILD succeeded him in 1876 and still remains in the position. Mr. GUILD opened his general store at the same time that he began the performance of his duties as postmaster. Mr. ALDRICH ran the store before him. 

      Willard GUILD is the only descendant now living in town of the early settler, Jacob GUILD, his grandfather, already mentioned; a brother and sister of Willard GUILD, Prudence M. (wife of Henry LORD) and Charles F. GUILD, are residents of Mount Holly.

      Dr. George RUSTEDT, the only physician in town, was born in Thorne, England, in September, 1851. He was admitted to the practice of medicine by the medical department of the University of Vermont, at Burlington, in 1876. He first practiced nearly a year in Ludlow, Vt., and then removed to Shrewsbury.

      The saw-mill of Lyman RUSSELL, in the south part of the town, was built before 1815 by Joel LOW, who used the building for a foundry and plow factory, the product being the old wooden plow of those days.  The iron for the foundry came from Troy. Paris RUSSELL, father to the present proprietor, bought the property of Mr. TRULL about 1832. Lyman RUSSELL has operated the mill since 1860. The capacity of the mill is about 300,000 feet annually. The steam saw-mill of N. J. ALDRICH & Co., with its predecessor, the old "up and down" mill, is of equal antiquity with the foregoing. It was built about seventy-five years ago by Elisha JOHNSON and Moses COLBURN. Fifteen years ago it was supplied with steam and the circular saw replaced the old machinery. N. J. ALDRICH and D. G. JONES bought the mill of Roswell WRIGHT.

      D.M. WHITE & Co.'s steam mill, in the north part of the town, engaged in the management of, nail-keg staves, is under the management of POMEROY & SIPPLE.
 

History of Rutland County Vermont With Illustrations And Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men And Pioneers
Edited by H. Y. Smith & W. S. Rann
Syracuse, N. Y.
D. Mason & Co., Publishers  1886
Chapter XXXVIII.
History Of The Town Of Shrewsbury
(pages 802- 812)

Transcribed by Karima, 2002

Childs' History of the Town of Shrewsbury, Rutland County, VT., 1881-82

Childs' Business Directory of the Town of Shrewsbury, Rutland County, VT., 1881-82