The surface is very mountainous and broken; the highest peak, and next to the highest in the State, is Mount Killington, located in the western part, on the line between this town and Mendon. The formation of Mount Killington is mostly gneiss; the summit entirely barren and sterile, frowns down upon the surrounding landscape from an altitude of 4,380 feet above the level of the sea. It is distant about ten miles from Rutland village, from which is a very pleasant drive, and in the sultry days of midsummer, its cool sides and summit attract many excursionists, the view of scenery it affords from above Mt. Killington House; being one of the grandest in the State. To the north of Killington, and crowding close on its base, is another prominent mountain, called Pico Peak. This elevation is thickly covered with a dense forest nearly to its summit, which is 3,917 feet above tide-water.

      The town is watered by several streams that have their sources among the mountains; the only one of any importance, however, is Quechee River, which rises in the northern part of the town, traverses its whole length and enters the town of Bridgewater on the south, having numerous small tributaries, whereon are situated a number of good mill-sites. There are but few good farms except those located in the valley of this river, where the soil is an alluvial deposit and very rich, producing quite readily, wheat, barley, oats, rye, buckwheat and Indian corn. Stock and dairy-farming, however, greatly exceeds the grain-growing industry. Many farmers have neglected both, and turned their attention to lumbering, which they consider more remunerative. The town in most parts has heavy forests of beech, birch, maple, hemlock and spruce, with some black and white ash. From the maple large quantities of sugar are manufactured, which forms quite an article of export.

      The population of Sherburne in 1880 was 450, and it was divided into seven school districts and had seven common schools, employing two male and eight female teachers, at an aggregate salary of $529.52. There were 124 pupils attending common schools, and the entire cost of the schools for the year ending October 31st, was $594.96, with Millie A. JOHNSON as superintendent.

      SHERBURNE, (p. o.) a small hamlet, located in the central part of the township, on Quechee River, contains one church, one hotel, one store, one blacksmith shop, one saw and grist mill, and about fifty inhabitants.

      NORTH SHERBURNE, (p. o.) a hamlet, located in the northern part of the town, contains one blacksmith shop, one saw-mill, one steam saw and planning-mill, and several dwellings. These constitute the only settlements approaching anything like a village in the township.

      Milo J. MOORE's saw-mill, located on Quechee River, near road 17, was built by J. P. and B. WOOD in the year 1858. Mr. MOORE employs six men and manufactures $3,000 worth of chair-stock, 200,000 shingles and about 300,000 feet of lumber per annum.

      Russell MADDEN’s chair-stock factory, located on Quechee River, near road 17, was built by Mr. MADDEN in 1876. He employs four men and manufactures twenty car loads of chair-stock per annum.

      Charles C. Willard's saw and grist-will, located in the western part of the town, on one of the tributaries of the Quechee, called Thundering Brook, has one run of stones and manufactures 2,000 feet of lumber per day.

      Owen W. Bates' saw-mill, also located on Thundering Brook, has the capacity for cutting 4,000 feet of lumber per day.

      D. M. WHITE & Co.'s saw-mill was built in 1880, and now operated by Reuben RANGER of Mendon, who employs twenty-five men and manufactures 10,000 feet of lumber per day.

      Lewis A. WILLARD's saw-mill, located on Thundering Brook, was built by him in 1872. Mr. WILLARD manufactures 25,000 feet of clapboards and 50,000 feet of lumber per week.

      Isaac A. MORSE's saw and planing mill, located at North Sherburne, was built in 1874, and enlarged and steam-power added in 1880, so the mill now has the capacity for cutting 10,000 feet of lumber per clay.

      A. D. ESTABROOK's saw and shingle-mill, located at North Sherburne, was erected in 1873, with facilities for cutting 6,000 feet of lumber and manufacturing 10,000 shingles per day.

      The settlement of Sherburne is said to have been commenced by Isaiah WASHBURN in 1785. At the organization of the town, in 1794, the meeting was held at the house of Nathan EDDY, inn-holder, when the following officers were chosen: Albro ANTHONY, town-clerk; John ANTHONY, Nathan EDDY, Sr., and Seth FULLER, selectmen; Samuel ANTHONY, Amasa FULLER and Richard ESTABROOK, listers, and Nathaniel EDDY, grand juror.

      The first marriage recorded is that of Nathan EDDY, Jr., and Rebecca SAFFORD, October 28th, 1794. The first birth recorded is that of Luther, son of Asa and ____ Briggs, some time in the year 1790. Asa settled at an early date in what is known as Sherburne Hollow, when bears were numerous. It is related of him, that while upon west mountain one clay, in the fall of the year, he caught a cub or young bear in his hands. He was closely pursued by the mother, and defended himself with a club. He would drive Bruin up a tree, and then run with the cub, until he would again have to defend himself from the attack of his pursuer. Being a tall, powerful man he succeeded in bringing home the cub. It was domesticated sufficiently to be admitted to the kitchen. When he sought winter quarters, he crawled into a large trough, hewed out of a log that stood partly in a temporary shed. The storms of winter came, his bed was covered with snow and ice, and he was completely frozen in. During the winter Mr. BRIGGS had visitors that wished to see the occupant of the trough in the wood-shed. He succeeded in removing him from his icy bed, and carried him into the house and warmed him by the fire. His bearship walked about the house, but was very cross at being disturbed in the midst of his winter's slumber, and returned to his resting place to await the return of spring. Bears have always beer: peculiarly abundant in Sherburne, there being quite a number found there at the present time. Elisha COLTON, son of Silas COLTON, who was one of the first settlers, has resided in the town about sixty-five years, and during that time has killed 100, three of them during the past year.

      The first hotel in the township was built by Josiah WOOD in 1825; the house is located on road 16, and is at present occupied by George A. PETTY. Park WOOD, son of Josiah, was a graduate of Union College, he studied law; and engaged in practice in Pekin, Ill. In January, 1832, he commenced a journey from that place to Chicago on horseback. When about forty miles west of Chicago, in crossing Fox River on the ice, his horse broke through, and they both struggled for a time in the water, but succeeded in reaching the shore, when the man crept to a tree and leaned against it. This account was given some days after by an Indian to the Indian agent, who immediately sent a person to the place, and it was found he had died there, his name being learned by papers found upon his person. He was a man of fine talent, and promised to be a useful member of society and a blessing to the world. The first store was built in 1835 by Rufus RICHARDSON, and kept by Charter BAXTER and Asa GAINES. John ANTHONY was the first Representative from the town. On the 4th day of December, 1798, an election was held at the house of Asa BRIGGS to elect a representative, at which six votes were cast for Samuel WILLIAMS, Esq.

      During the late war of '61 and '65, Sherburne furnished seventy soldiers, seventeen of whom did not live to see the war closed. She paid $13,500 in bounties to her soldiers, raising the larger part of the money by taxation, at the time it was used, leaving the town comparatively free from debt.

      The Union Church, located at Sherburne village, was organized by Noah JOHNSON in 1840. Mr. JOHNSON was the first settled minister in the town, and. organized the Church as a union institution, with about twenty-five members. This number has since increased to fifty, with no regular pastor at present. The building is a modest affair, erected in 1840, at a cost of about $1,000, raised by subscription. It will comfortably seat about 200 persons, and including the whole church property, is now valued at $ 1,000.

Gazetteer and Business Directory of  Rutland  County, VT.;
1881-82, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child;
Syracuse, N.Y.; Printed at the Journal Office
August 1881, Part Two, Pages 229-232.

Transcribed by Karima Allison 2004