SPRINGFIELD. STAMFORD. STARKSBOROUGH. gationalists built a meeting house in 1792, STAMFORD, a township in the south part and settled the Rev. Robinson Smiley in of Bennington county, is in lat. 42° 47', 1801, who was succeeded in 1827 by the and long. 4o 0', and is bounded north by Rev. Mr. Goodman. He continned five Woodford, east by Reedsborough, south years, and was succeeded by the Rev. D. by Clarksburgh, Mass. and west by PowO. Morton, who also continued five years, nal. It lies nine miles southeast from and was succeeded by the Rev. H. B. Bennington, 21 southwest from BrattleHolmes, who continued three years. Rev. borough, and was chartered March 6, C. D. Noble is their present minister. In 1753, containing, by charter, 23,040 acres. 1834 they built a new meeting house, and The surface of this township is very unthe same year the Episcopalians and Uni-even, and a considerable share of it waste versalists built a house in union. The land. The south part is watered by some Baptists built a house in 1836, and have of the head branches of Hoosic river. In since settled the Rev. B. Brierly. The the north part are several natural ponds, Methodist society is large, and is supplied the most important of which are Moose by circuit preachers, and the Universal- pond and Fish pond. The waters from ists are generally supplied with preach- this part run northerly into the Waling. The Episcopal church, called Union loomscoik. The streams here are all small. Church, is small and without a minister. The town is divided into four or five There are two villages, the centre and the school districts, and contains several north. The Centre village contains 5 stores, mills. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 112; 2 taverns, 1 cotton, 1 satinet and 1 cassi- cattle,572; sheep,1,259; swine,292; wheat, mere factory, each 4 stories high, a paper bu. 267; barley, 6; oats, 3,666; rye, 355; mill 100 feet long, an extensive sand pa- buckwheat, 398; Indian corn, 569; poper manufactory, a machine-card manu- tatoes,; 14,755; hay, tons, 1,652; sugar, factory, an oil mill, iron foundry, and va-21,050; wool, 3,059. Population, 662. rious other mills and machinery. This STARKSBOROUGH, a post town in the village is situated at the falls in Black north part of Addison county, is in lat. 44° river 4 miles from its junction with the 13' and long. 4° 0', and is bounded north Connecticut. These falls amount to 110 by Huntington and Hinesburgh, east by feet in an eighth of a mile, 50 of which Huntington and Buel's gore, south by are nearly perpendicular, and they are re- Lincoln and Bristol, and west by Monkgarded as one of the greatest curiosities ton. It lies 22 miles southwest from in the state. In some places the channel Montpelier, and 20 southeast from Burthrough which the river passes is not lington. It was granted November 7, more than 3 yards wide, and for 20 rods | 1780, and chartered the 9th of the same it passes through a deep ravine from 3 to month, containing 18,500 acres. A part 5 yards wide, walled by perpendicular of Monkton has since been annexed to it. ledges of mica slate from 60 to 80 feet The settlement was commenced in April, high. The village and all the scenery 1788, by George Bidwell and Horace about is highly romantic and interesting. Kellogg with their families. John FerThe North village is 3 miles north of the guson and Thomas V. Ratenburgh came centre, and contains 3 stores, 1 tavern, 1 into that part of Monkton which has grist mill, 1 saw mill, 1 tannery, and sev- since been added to this township, about eral shops. In other parts of the town the same time. The first settlers emigraare 1 grist and 5 saw mills. The produc- ted principally from New York and Contion of silk has received considerable at- necticut. Mr. Bidwell lived 52 years on tention here for a few years past, and the place where he settled, endured at more than 1000 lbs. of cocoons have been first many privations and hardships, but produced in a year. Among the minerals by industry and economy acquired a handmay be mentioned granite suitable for some landed property, and died April 13, building, quartz suitable for making sand 1840, aged 84. He was in his day one of paper, limestone, mica slate, tremolite, the principal men in the town and he is epidote, serpentine, titanium, scapolite, still remembered with gratitude and affecschorl, yenite, hornblende, garnet, alumi- tion. The town was organized in March, nous slate and galena. There are in 1796. Warner Pierce was first town clerk, town 17 school districts and one high and John Ferguson first representative, school. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 433; both chosen this year. The religious cattle, 2,643; sheep, 18,583; swine, 1,198; denominations are Congregationalists, wheat, bus. 2,305; barley, 873; oats, 17,527; rye, 8,260; buckwheat, 7,455; Indian corn, 3,181; potatoes, 46,603; hay, tons, 6,345; sugar, lbs. 13,247; wool, 48,412. Population, 2,625. Methodists, Friends and Freewill Baptists. The Congregational church was organized Aug. 7, 1804, but has had no settled minister. The Friends have a meetinghouse built in 1812, which was, in 1824, STERLING. STEVEN'S RIVER. STOCKBRIDGE, 1840.-Horses, 44; cattle, 456; sheep,. 1,087; swine, 207; wheat, bu. 536; oats, 738; Ind. corn, 262; potatoes, 10,870; hay, tons, 833; sugar, lbs. 5,400; wool, 1,806. Population, 193. STERLING PEAK. See Sterling. STEVEN'S BBANCH. See Barre. STEVEN'S RIVER, is a lively little stream, two branches of which have their sources in Peacham and one in Ryegate, and all meet about a mile east of the line between Barnet and Peacham. It runs easterly through the middle of Barnet, and falls into the Connecticut. On each of the branches which rise in Peacham, are several mills in that town. The branch that has its source in Ryegate carries one saw mill in that town, and passes through Harvey's Lake, which is a beautiful sheet of water, in Barnet, 1 mile long, and 200 rods wide at the widest part, and covering 300 acres. There are on this stream within the limits of Barnet a number of the only one in town. There were some cases of the epidemic in 1813, but it was less distressing here than in the adjacent towns Mrs. Hannah Lane died here in November, 1823, aged 100 years and three months. The principal stream in this township is Lewis creek, which rises in the southeastern part, and runs first westerly and then northerly along the western part. Huntington river waters the eastern part. The streams here abound with excellent mill seats. The surface of the township is very uneven. A mountain lies along the west line and extends into Bristol, called Hogback. Another range extends through the central parts from south to north, called East mountain, dividing the waters of Lewis creek from those of Huntington river. Here is a stream which is formed by the confluent waters of three springs that are not more than 20 rods asunder. They unite, after running a short distance, and form a stream sufficient for a saw mill, a full-mills and factories. At Stevens' village, ing mill, a forge and two trip-hammer shops, all within half a mile of its head. The soil is mostly loam. The timber is principally hard wood, with some spruce, hemlock and cedar. There are two small villages, both near Lewis' creek, in the westerly part of the township. The principal village contains a store, tavern, post office, forge, fulling mill, trip hammer shop, &c. There are in town 14 school districts, with 488 scholars, 1 grist mill, 1 forge, producing 60 tons annually of bar iron, 2 trip hammer shops, 3 saw mills, 1 fulling mill, 1 carding machine, 1 tannery, 1 tavern and 3 stores. The mills, are mostly situated on Lewis' creek and its branches. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 242; cattle, 1,087; sheep, 4,216; swine, 698; wheat, 1,478; oats,7,360; rye, 1,064; buckwheat, 396; Ind. corn, 5,800; potatoes, 30,200; hay, tons, 3,120; sugar, lbs. 10,690; wool, 10,260. Population, 1,263. STERLING, a township in the central part of Lamoille county, is in lat. 44° 35', and long. 4° 16', and is bounded northerly by Johnson, easterly by Morristown, southerly by Mansfield, and westerly by Cambridge. It lies 24 miles northeast from Burlington, and the same distance northwest from Montpelier. This township was chartered February 25, 1782, containing 23,040 acres. Sterling contains no large streams, and is but thinly inhabited. The settlement was commenced about the year 1799. Its surface is mountainous and part of it very elevated. Sterling peak, in the southern part, ranks among the highest submits of the Green Mountains. It contains two saw mills and three schoolhouses. Statistics of about half a mile from the mouth of the river, is a high fall, perhaps 60 or 70 feet. STOCKBRIDGE, a post town in the northwestern part of Windsor county, situated in lat. 43° 45', and long. 4° 18', and con taining about 48 square miles. It is bounded northerly by Bethel, easterly by Bar nard, southerly by Sherburne,and westerly by Pittsfield, and lies 36 miles south westerly from Montpelier, and 26 miles northwest from Windsor. The charter is dated July 21, 1761. The settlement of this township was commenced in 1784, and 1785 by Asa Whitcomb, Elias Keyes, John Durkee and Joshua Bartlet, with their families. The settlement of the town proceeded slowly for some years, The first grist mill and first saw mill were erected by the Hon. Elias Keyes, in 1786. The town was unorganized until about the year 1792. The prevailing religious denominations are Congregationalists, Methodists, Baptists, and Universalists. The Rev. Justin Parsons was settled over the Congregational church in this town and Pittsfield September 15, 1812. He continued till 1827, when a separate church was organized here, over which the Rev. Gilman Vose was settled from 1829 to 1831. The Rev. T. S. Hubbard, the present minister, was settled in 1840. In 1803 the dysentery swept off a great part of the children in this town, and in 1813 the spotted fever prevailed and proved very fatal. The town has generally been very healthy. White river runs through the northerly part of this town, and in its passage receives the fourth branch, or Tweed river, from the west. The mill privileges are sufficiently numerous, but those STOW. STRAFFORD. Among the at the Great Narrows in White River are | land which is not suitable for cultivation. the best. The whole river is here com- | A considerable part of the surface is very pressed into a channel but a few feet in level, and appears to be of alluvial formawidth. A post office is established here tion. There are here some of the handcalled Gaysville, and a small village has somest farms in the state, and they are sprung up. up. Steatite, or soapstone, is surpassed by few in fertility. The townfound in considerable quantities in the ship lies between the Mansfield mounnorth part of the town, but it is of a qual-tains on the west and a range called the ity inferior to that found in Bethel, Bridge- Hogback on the east, and contains no elwater and several other places in the state. evations of consequence. There are here 2 meeting houses,13 school minerals of this town may be mentioned districts, 2 grist mills, 4 saw mills, 2 ful-iron ore, some small veins of copper, and ling mills, 1 woollen factory, 2 stores, 2 steatite. There are in town 3 ministers, taverns, and 1 tannery. Statistics of 1840.5 attornies, and 4 physicians, 13 school -Horses, 333; cattle, 1,605; sheep, 8,- districts, a school for young ladies, 5 402; swine, 553; wheat, bus. 1,746; bar- stores, 2 taverns, 2 tanneries, 1 woollen ley, 30; oats, 8,347; rye,962; buckwheat, factory, 2 starch factories, 2 clothier's 3,008; Ind. corn, 4,982; potatoes, 42,680; works, 2 grist and 7 saw mills. Statistics hay,tons, 4,057; sugar, lbs. 34,320; wool, of. 1840.--Horses, 371; cattle, 2,679; 18,005. Population, 1,419. sheep, 7,484; swine, 1,011; wheat, bus. Srow, a post town in the south part of 2,636; barley, 37; oats, 9,241; rye, 262; Lamoille county, is in lat. 44o 28', and | Ind. corn, 5,337; potatoes, 75,957; hay, long. 4° 20', and is bounded north by Mor-tons, 4,812; sugar, lbs. 31,150; wool, 16,ristown, east by Worcester, south by Wa-628. Population, 1,371. W. H. H. B. terbury, and west by Mansfield. It lies STRAFFORD, a post town in the south 15 miles in a straight line northwest from part of Orange county, is in lat. 43° 52' Montpelier, and 25 east from Burling- and long. 4° 39', and is bounded north by ton, and was chartered June 8, 1763, con- Vershire, east by Thetford,south by Shartaining 23,040 acres. The settlement on, and west by Tunbridge. It lies 30 was commenced about the year 1793. miles southeast from Montpelier, the same The town was organized in March, 1797, distance north from Windsor, and was and Josiah Hurlbut was first town clerk. chartered Aug. 12, 1761, containing 24,It was first represented by Nathan Rob- 325 acres. The settlement of this towninson, in 1801, and for 13 years after- ship was commenced just before the revwards. He died in April, 1842. The re- olutionary war. The first town meeting ligious denominations are Congregation- on record was on the 18th of March, 1779, alists, Methodists, Baptists, Christians, and David Chamberlain was town clerk. and Universalists, most of which have Several of the early settlers became tories, regular preaching on the Sabbath. There left the country, and their property was are 4 handsome meeting houses, 3 at the confiscated. The first meeting house was centre and one in the west part of the built in town by the Baptists, in 1794, and town. The first was built in 1818, and the second in 1799. The Rev.Joab Young now owned by the Universalists and was the first settled minister. Christians; the second by the Congrega- settled by the Universalists in 1799, and tionalists, in 1840; the third by the Meth- died in 1816. There are at present 4 odists, in 1841; and a union house in the meeting houses, one belonging to the west part, also in 1841. There are four Congregationalists, and the others union small villages. The Centre village is lar- or free. The religious societies are the gest, containing three meeting houses, 4 Baptist, Christian, Methodist, Congrega. stores, 1 tavern, 4 attorney's offices, 3 tionalist, and Universalist. Strafford conphysicians, 1 trip hammer and a variety tains two pleasant villages. The upper of other shops, and about 50 families. village has a post office bearing the name Half a mile south of this is a village con- of the town, and is handsomely built taining a store, tannery, woollen factory, around a triangular common, the dwelclothing works, mills, &c. One mile still ling houses, stores, shops, and a new further south is a small village, contain-church, forming the sides, and the round ing a grist and saw mill, and several mechanics. The 4th village is a mile north of the Centre, and contains a tavern and several shops. The township is watered by Waterbury river and its several branches, which afford good mill privileges. Nearly all the town is capable of being made into good farms, and there is little He was The hill and old meeting house the base. The STRAFFORD. chinery. In the northeasterly part is a pond covering about 100 acres, called Podunk pond, which is a place of considerable resort for amusement and angling. In the southeast corner of this township is an extensive bed of the sulphuret of iron, from which immense quantities of copperas are manufactured. For the following account of the Strafford Copperas Works, I am indebted to the kindness of Justin S. Morrill, Esq. STRAFFORD. nished, may be seen in the cabinets of many scientific gentlemen in various parts of the country. After crystalization takes place the liquor is drained off, and the copperas is shoveled into the packing rooms. When dry it is usually put into casks holding about half a ton each, but frequently into casks of every size. sulphate of iron. The lye is now drawn off into large wooden reservoirs, and thence into the leaden vats as fast as wanted. In these vats the lye or liquor is boiled to a certain strength, tested by acidimeters, and then drained off into wooden vats, where it remains to crystalize. Branches of trees were formerly thrown in for the crystals to adhere to; but Mr. Reynolds, the present agent, has made an improvement. Pieces of joist Strafford Copperas Works. This estab- 3 inches square, 6 ft. long, laid across the lishment was formerly styled the Vermont | top of the vats, with holes bored, and Mineral Factory Company, but is now round sticks 18 inches long by of an 3 called the Vermont Copperas Company; inch in diameter, inserted at intervals of the owners, residing chiefly in Boston, about 6 inches, are now used with great having united this with a mine they own advantage. This makes a great saving of in Shrewsbury. It is situated in the ex- labor, although it has in some measure treme southeastern corner of the town,on destroyed the fanciful shapes which the the east side of a hill which contains an crystals formerly assumed upon some fainexhaustible ridge of the ore, or techni- vorite branch-and the poet, had he been cally sulphuret of iron. This mass of solid born on copperas-hill, would have writrock, in appearance, is usually covered, ten, "as the twig is bent the copperas is with what miners call the cap, a petri- inclined." The crystals are multangular, | factive soil of various depths, in which and of a beautiful transparent green colroots, leaves, and limbs of trees, beech-or. These twigs, with specimens varnuts, hazle-nuts and acorns are often found turned into stone or iron. There are 2 factories,each about 267 ft. in length by 94 in width. These contain 8 vats made of lead, 10 ft. by 12 ft., 21 inches in depth and three fourths of an inch in thickness, used for boilers. Lead is the only metal that will endure the operation of the copperas liquor, and this requires constant re- The mine was discovered in 1793, by pair. An unlimited quantity can be made; two men who were tapping sap-trees. the facilities for manufacturing being per- Tradition says they discovered a spontahaps unsurpassed in the world. The cop-neous combustion among the leaves, but peras made here is used by most of the it is more probable that they found copmanufactories in New England, and is peras in some wet spot spontaneously sent to all parts of the United States. It formed. The works were first commenis supposed to excel for dyeing purposes ced by Mr. Eastman, but were not sucany copperas offered in market. The cessfully prosecuted until within about process of making is as follows. The ore 30 years, when the stock was taken up in is blasted from the bed by means of pow- Boston, by the Messrs. Reynolds and the der. It is then broken into pieces with late energetic Col. Binney. President sledges, and afterwards the miners assort Monroe visited the works in his tour in and break it up still finer with hammers. the summer of 1817. In 1827 the compaIt is then thrown into large heaps, where ny employed from 30 to 40 hands to make it ignites spontaneously, or fire is some- about the same quantity of copperas they times set to it to hasten the process. In now make with ten hands. The present this condition it generally burns for the year they have made one thousand tons. space of two months; in that time the This, at the present market price, $2,00 sulphur is converted into sulphuric acid, per cwt., amounts to $40,000. Of this and unites itself with the iron, forming sum they pay out about $10,000 for sulphate of iron, or copperas. The smoke freight. They use 1,500 cords of wood gives to vegetation, and to all surround- annually, though they formerly used ing objects, a sterile and sickly appear- more. For many years the business was ance, but the health of the workmen is not continued under great discouragements, affected. These heaps of pyrites, being and at a loss. The stock is now valuable. now thoroughly pulverized by fire, are In 1824 the duty on copperas was fixed carried to places where water,from a foun- at two cents per pound. The price was tain on the summit of the hill, is made to then $3,00 per cwt. The British estabrun upon and leach this mass of crudelishments sent over large quantities in STRATTON. SUDBURY. SUNDERLAND. vessels, serving for ballast, hoping to glut | There are in town 5 school districts. Stathe market and break down all American tistics of 1840.-Horses, 49; cattle, 534; capital engaged in the business. But the sheep, 694; swine, 159; wheat, bus. 169; tariff has protected the manufacturer un- barley, 5; oats, 543; rye, 407; bucktil Yankee enterprise is nearly able to wheat, 405; Indian corn, 141; potatoes, compete with the low priced labor of 942; hay, tons, 837; sugar, lbs. 2,672; Europe. The company now sell the arti- wool, 1,637. Population, 341. | cle for two cents per pound, after trans- STRATTON GORE. Annexed to Stratton. porting it hundreds of miles. Smoky SUDBURY, a post town in the north quartz, hornblende, garnet, &c., are found part of Rutland county, is in lat. 43°. 47', at the mines. Sulphuret of copper being and long. 3°.54', and is bounded north also found in considerable quantities, in by Whiting, east by Brandon, south by connexion with the sulphuret of iron, or Hubbardton, and west by Orwell, and a copperas ore, attempts have been made part of Benson. It lies 47 miles south to work it for the copper. In 1829 a large from Burlington, 65 north from Benningfurnace was erected, and for several years ton, and 43 southwest from Montpelier. It the business was carried on extensively, was chartered August 6th, 1761, containand large quantities of copper were pro-ing 13,426 acres. The early settlers of duced, but the expenditures were such this township were generally from Conthat it was not found to be profitable,and in | necticut. The religious denominations 1839 the business was finally abandoned.* Strafford is divided into 13 school districts, with 623 scholars, and it is a curious fact that in 1810, with a less population, the number of scholars was 810. There are in town 3 stores, 2 grist and 9 saw mills. Statistics of 1840.-Horses, 340; cattle, 2,235; sheep, 12,182; swine, 1,095; wheat, bus. 4,382; barley, 166; oats, 8.460; rye, 293; buckwheat, 875; Ind. corn, 6,640; potatoes, 51,634; hay, tons, 4,909; sugar, lbs. 28,485; wool, 13,550. Population, 1,761. are are Congregationalists and Methodists. The Rev. Silas Parsons was settled over the Congregational church in Jan. 1806, and was dismissed in 1815. The Rev. Mason Knapen, was settled in 1819, and dismissed in 1830; the Reverend John Thompson, was settled in 1833, and dismissed Feb. 18, 1838. This church consists of about 45 members. They erected a meeting-house about the year 1805. Of the Methodist society, we have no particulars. Otter creek touches upon the eastern border of this township. The STRATTON, a township in the western other streams small. Hubbardton part of Windham county, is in lat. 43° 3' pond extends into the south part, and and long. 4° 8', and is bounded north by there are in town several smaller ponds, Winhall, east by Jamaica and Wardsbo- of which Hinkum pond is the most conrough, south by Somerset and west by siderable. On the outlet of this pond, Sunderland. It lies 18 miles northeast which falls into Otter creek, is one saw from Bennington and 22 northwest from mill, and on the outlet of another pond, Brattleborough. This township was set- which is the source of Hubbardton river, tled principally by emigrants from Mas-is another saw mill. The surface is unsachusetts. Among the early settlers even, and a high ridge of land extends were several families by the name of through the township near the centre Morsman and Patch. There are two reli- from south to north. The soil is genergious societies, the Congregational and ally a rich loam. The timber is princiBaptist. A meeting house was built here pally pine, beach and maple. There is a about the year 1809, which is occupied small village in the westerly part of the by both denominations. Bald mountain township, containing a meeting-house, a branch of West river rises in the eastern store, a tavern, and a number of dwelpart, on which are erected a saw andling houses. The town contains 7 school grist mill, the only mills in town. Deer- districts and school houses, 2 saw mills, field river rises in the western part, and 2 stores, 2 taverns, 2 tanneries. Statisruns south into Somerset. There are two tics of 1840.-Horses, 174; cattle, 954; natural ponds; one in the south part call-sheep 11,653; swine, 511; wheat, bush. ed Holman's pond, and the other in the 1,488; oats, 2,662; rye, 2,156; bucknorthwestern part, called Jones' pond. They cover about 100 acres each. The | waters of the former are discharged to the south into Deerfield river, and those of the latter to the north into Winhall river. wheat, 204; Indian corn, 3,890; potatoes, 13,315; hay, tons, 3,009; sugar, lbs. 550; wool, 24,718. Population, 796. SUNDERLAND, a post town in the eastern part of Bennington county, is in lat. 43° 4', and long. 3° 59, and is bounded north by Manchester, east by Stratton, south by Glastenbury, and west by Arlington It |