[This is an extract from Forests and Clearings: The History of Stanstead County, the Province of Quebec, by B.F. Hubbard (1874), pages 39-41 - my own commentary of this extract is provided for further explanation, in italics.]
THE MARLOW SETTLEMENT
In 1799, John Gustin, jun., Elisha Miller, Wm. Lanphier, John Gustin, sen., Josiah Gustin, and Abijah Mack, of Marlow, N.H., made a tour through the woods, a distance of 150 miles to Stanstead, and, after examination, decided upon locating near the Lake Shore. They had brought apple seeds, and planted three nurseries: one at Magog Point, one on No. 9, 4th Range, and the other on No. 6, 6th Range. Several fine orchards were afterwards produced from them.
[Lake Shore refers to Lake Memphremagog. The area that they found to settle is currently known as Marlington.]
In March, 1800, John Gustin, jun., Abijah Mack, and Elisha Miller, returned again to Stanstead with a two-horse team, loaded with farming implements and other necessaries. They were followed by Caleb White and Dexter White. These five put up a shanty which they occupied together until Fall.
[Caleb White is my 4th great grandfather, and Dexter White is his brother, my 4th great granduncle. At the time, Caleb was around 23 years of age, and Dexter was about 15. Caleb and his wife Martha, had their first child in March of 1800 - Roswell.]
Having found that there were several unclaimed lots in the vicinity of their encampment, they agreed that, before exploring, the choice of the different parties should be determined by lot. The numbers were then put into a hat and drawn. It was somewhat remarkable that every one was pleased with the lot that had fallen to him.
In the meantime these pioneers had purchased a yoke of oxen, a cow and a grindstone in common, and in June began their operations—each beginning a clearing of his own.
[It is quite obvious that these pioneer families all knew each other and trusted one another completely. They all lived in Marlow NH, and they all belonged to the Universalist Church in Marlow.]
They had previously sowed and planted a piece of ground which they had hired on shares, and their share of the crop furnished them with provisions for the ensuing year. In the Fall they secured their harvest, built a log house on the premises of Abijah Mack, and returned to their friends in New Hampshire. The next winter, 1801, Abijah Mack and Elijah Miller moved their families in, and in March following, Caleb and Dexter White returned. They all resumed their labors upon their farms, and were made comfortable in Mr. Mack's cabin.
The Spring was unusually forward. Abijah Mack sowed two bushels of wheat in March. No crop has been sown so early in the Eastern Townships since that time. Their labors that year were rewarded by an abundant harvest. Gustin, Miller and Caleb White built log houses on their own premises. Comfort Carpenter and Simeon Glidden built a grist-mill and a saw mill near the present site of Smith's Factory on Barlow River. Constant White, a millwright from Charlestown, N. H., superintended the work. He settled in Stanstead.
[The Barlow River is now known as the Tomifobia River. Smith's Factory was sometimes called Smith's Mills, and is now called Tomifobia. A grist mill (flour mill), and a saw mill, were the first mill types needed for the pioneers.]
In February, 1802, John Gustin and Caleb White moved their families in. The first part of the winter had been unusually open —no sleighing until the latter part of February. They improved the first fall of snow and started; but a thaw came on and left them on bare ground, almost at the beginning of their journey. The women and children had to walk over many of the rugged hills for which Vermont is distinguished. Mr. Gustin's ox team was thirteen days on the road, and the horse team was eleven days. This long journey served in some measure to render their log cabins acceptable homes. They were pleased with the attentions paid them by their now neighbors who came to welcome them—each seeming desirous of cheering and encouraging them by a particular relation of the difficulties through which they themselves had passed. They soon found that they were all engaged in the same enterprise—that they were placed upon a level and moved as equals, and that their interests were in a great measure identified. Consequently, the early settlers soon became strongly attached to each other, and the foundation of future society was thus gradually formed.
[Note that all their journeys back and forth were in the winter months. Travel in general was always better in the winter time when rivers were frozen over, since no bridges had been built yet. Travel during the warmer months was extremely poor, if not impossible. The first stagecoach lines set up in the Eastern Townships ran only in the winter months.]
THE MARLOW SETTLEMENT
In 1799, John Gustin, jun., Elisha Miller, Wm. Lanphier, John Gustin, sen., Josiah Gustin, and Abijah Mack, of Marlow, N.H., made a tour through the woods, a distance of 150 miles to Stanstead, and, after examination, decided upon locating near the Lake Shore. They had brought apple seeds, and planted three nurseries: one at Magog Point, one on No. 9, 4th Range, and the other on No. 6, 6th Range. Several fine orchards were afterwards produced from them.
[Lake Shore refers to Lake Memphremagog. The area that they found to settle is currently known as Marlington.]
In March, 1800, John Gustin, jun., Abijah Mack, and Elisha Miller, returned again to Stanstead with a two-horse team, loaded with farming implements and other necessaries. They were followed by Caleb White and Dexter White. These five put up a shanty which they occupied together until Fall.
[Caleb White is my 4th great grandfather, and Dexter White is his brother, my 4th great granduncle. At the time, Caleb was around 23 years of age, and Dexter was about 15. Caleb and his wife Martha, had their first child in March of 1800 - Roswell.]
Having found that there were several unclaimed lots in the vicinity of their encampment, they agreed that, before exploring, the choice of the different parties should be determined by lot. The numbers were then put into a hat and drawn. It was somewhat remarkable that every one was pleased with the lot that had fallen to him.
In the meantime these pioneers had purchased a yoke of oxen, a cow and a grindstone in common, and in June began their operations—each beginning a clearing of his own.
[It is quite obvious that these pioneer families all knew each other and trusted one another completely. They all lived in Marlow NH, and they all belonged to the Universalist Church in Marlow.]
They had previously sowed and planted a piece of ground which they had hired on shares, and their share of the crop furnished them with provisions for the ensuing year. In the Fall they secured their harvest, built a log house on the premises of Abijah Mack, and returned to their friends in New Hampshire. The next winter, 1801, Abijah Mack and Elijah Miller moved their families in, and in March following, Caleb and Dexter White returned. They all resumed their labors upon their farms, and were made comfortable in Mr. Mack's cabin.
The Spring was unusually forward. Abijah Mack sowed two bushels of wheat in March. No crop has been sown so early in the Eastern Townships since that time. Their labors that year were rewarded by an abundant harvest. Gustin, Miller and Caleb White built log houses on their own premises. Comfort Carpenter and Simeon Glidden built a grist-mill and a saw mill near the present site of Smith's Factory on Barlow River. Constant White, a millwright from Charlestown, N. H., superintended the work. He settled in Stanstead.
[The Barlow River is now known as the Tomifobia River. Smith's Factory was sometimes called Smith's Mills, and is now called Tomifobia. A grist mill (flour mill), and a saw mill, were the first mill types needed for the pioneers.]
In February, 1802, John Gustin and Caleb White moved their families in. The first part of the winter had been unusually open —no sleighing until the latter part of February. They improved the first fall of snow and started; but a thaw came on and left them on bare ground, almost at the beginning of their journey. The women and children had to walk over many of the rugged hills for which Vermont is distinguished. Mr. Gustin's ox team was thirteen days on the road, and the horse team was eleven days. This long journey served in some measure to render their log cabins acceptable homes. They were pleased with the attentions paid them by their now neighbors who came to welcome them—each seeming desirous of cheering and encouraging them by a particular relation of the difficulties through which they themselves had passed. They soon found that they were all engaged in the same enterprise—that they were placed upon a level and moved as equals, and that their interests were in a great measure identified. Consequently, the early settlers soon became strongly attached to each other, and the foundation of future society was thus gradually formed.
[Note that all their journeys back and forth were in the winter months. Travel in general was always better in the winter time when rivers were frozen over, since no bridges had been built yet. Travel during the warmer months was extremely poor, if not impossible. The first stagecoach lines set up in the Eastern Townships ran only in the winter months.]
In the meantime, Hosea White had come in and made a beginning on the east half of No. 11, 5th Range. In April, 1802, Rufus Lanphier, Daniel Miller, and Benjamin Bingham, settled in the neighborhood. In 1804, Ira Miller settled on No. 7, 4th Range, with his brothers Elisha and Daniel. In 1800, Silas Mack purchased a part of No. 6, 4th Range, on which he located. In after years, his two brothers, Asa and Franklin Mack settled on No. 13, 4th Range. These were the last emigrations from Old Marlow to Stanstead. The name Marlow was given to the settlement as commemorative of the native town of its first settlers.
[Hosea White was a brother to Caleb and Dexter. In the beginning, their community was called Marlow. It was renamed to Marlington later on. It is only a couple of miles from Griffin, previously known as Griffin's Corner. This was where many of the Marlow community moved to later on, including the White family.]
The beginning of the settlement was attended with much prosperity. A log school-house was built in 1805, and in 1817, a new house, much in advance of the times. This house has since been destroyed by fire. For many years the Marlow school ranked among the highest in the Eastern Townships. Many of the teachers of this school are still living, and some of them enjoy high positions in society.
[Note well that the first public building was a schoolhouse. New England was more or less a completely literate society by 1780. This was rare. The only other literate English speaking society that existed around this time was Scotland. England became a literate nation much later. Education was very important to these New Englanders who came to Canada. This particular schoolhouse served as a church for the Marlow community as well in the early days.]
The Marlow settlement comprises an area of about four square miles, extending easterly from the Lake Shore to the Griffin Corner settlement. It contains some thirty or forty neat farm houses, and a school house. The land ranks among the best in the Township.
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ReplyDeleteI want to thank you so much for sharing! My ggg was Hosea White. The family has lived in Oregon since 1885. I have tried very hard to understand what life was like for them in Stanstead. Your sharing has answered many questions including why the stage coach only ran in winter. Now explain what the White's were doing making shoes in such a remote area and I will be happy.
ReplyDeleteI too received the family tree that was wrong. After 15 years of searching I have come to same conclusions, that we descend from Resolved White not Perigrine.
I know how and when the plaque with the bad info got to Caleb White Sr grave in Griffin cemetery. My grandfather contributed money to the erection and I have his letters attempting to verify info. By the time the mistake was discovered by the "cousin" who created the plaque, my grand dad was in poor health and did not bother to find out what the mistake was.
The source of the problem was probably a will at Plymouth Rock, that lists "Josiah". At 2nd or 3rd look, one realizes it references Josiah Winslow not Josiah White.
I desire to fix the problem but do not want to replace one mistake with another. Wondering what documents have brought you to the conclusion.
Please contact me if you are interested in any details for above.
Rozanne
info@zandance.com
Hi Rozanne:
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for not getting back to you sooner.
I haven't been to this website for some time.
You are obviously a distant relative of mine, and I would love to talk with you further.
Regards,
Jim