Pioneer Families -
Extracted From
Chapter XVII
Early history of the town of Hopkinton :
history of East Village (Nicholville) and vicinity,
diaries of Elisha Risdon and Artemas Kent,
soldiers of the Civil War,
genealogical record of sixty of the pioneer families

Carlton E. Sanford
Boston: Bartlett Press, 1903

[Transcribed by Dave Swerdfeger]

IN this chapter is given the genealogical records of many of the pioneers of the town, of all that I have been able to gather sufficient data and information to make a fairly full record. The preparation of these records has required much time, labor, correspondence, persistence and patience. Had I had in the beginning a full comprehension of the tedious labor required, I now feel sure I should not have undertaken it. That there are some errors in dates and possibly a few in names I am quite satisfied, since considerable of my information came from elderly people who wrote feebly and indistinctly. I think it will be readily understood, if the reader will bear in mind that it is in continuous order; that the first, second, third and fourth generations are each carried slightly to the right, and that each generation always has the same indentation. ARTEMAS KENT b. Dorset, Vt., August 31, 1788; d. August 21, 1877; m. Sally Wead of Hinesburg, Vt., December 10, 1818; d. April 21, 1842; m. 2d, Rhoda Winslow, in 1845; d. June 28, 1875. He left home October 12, 1809, and came by way of Utica and Black River, reaching Hopkinton, November 30. He bought the tract across the road from the Truman Post farm, and soon returned to Dorset. On February 27, 1810, he again set out with horse, cutter and some effects, reaching Esq. Laughlin's in eight days, where he remained till April 25, when he began chopping on his land. While at this he boarded with Reuben Post. Mr. Post bought the Post farm in 1808, and was then living there in the frame house still standing and used by the tenant. He cut fifteen acres at this time and worked by the day and job for others till November 1, when he returned to Dorset. In March, 1811, he and his brother Trussell set out with yoke of oxen, sled and some goods, reaching Hopkinton safely after a time. His brother, being sick, returned early in June, but he kept at work clearing his land till December, when he began school-keeping in the west district for three months. This was in the Caleb Wright district, and the first log schoolhouse stood just across the north road east from Mr. Wright's. When school was over he continued the clearing of his land till winter, when he took passage in Harwood's sleigh for Dorset. In January, 1812, he returned with horse and cutter and lived with Elisha Risdon. Mr. Risdon married Amanda Post in 1811, and at once moved into the log house, on Potsdam road, which his father-in-law, Reuben Post, bought of Joseph Armstrong with the "Post farm." This made Mr. Kent a tramp of nearly a mile across the fields from his farm to his boarding place. He taught the same school again till February 7, 1813, when he took charge of Thads. Laughlin's hotel whsle he went to Middlebury to attend his parents who were sick. In the spring of 1813 went into partnership with Thads. Laughlin. He got title to the Kent home lot in the village, October 9, 1815, still held by his daughter, Adaline. Mr. Kent practised law in local courts, took an active part in church matters, and was a most useful and highly respected citizen of the town. He was a cousin of the celebrated jurist, James Kent. The foregoing data are largely taken from Mr. Kent's own diary. Had ten children: Julia H., b. October 2, 1819. Huldah, b. March 21, 1821; d. April I2, 1821. Ellen J., b. April 27, 1822; d. April 6, 1823. Ellen J., b. December 22, 1823; d. April 22, 1902, Detroit Mich.; m. Edwin C. Hinsdale, b. July 30, 1821, Hinesburg, Vt.; d. June 12, 1894. He was a lawyer and treasurer of Detroit eight years. Had three children: Dorothy, b. July 22, 1853; d. December 30, 1854. Genevieve S., b. September 28, 1855. Mary C., b. December 2, 1857. Adeline S., b. December 5, 1825; living at old homestead. Dr. Henry B., b. September 8, 1827; d. October 19, 1893; m. Phebe V. Miller, 1864; b. August, 1838; d. October 12, 1891. He practised medicine in New York City for thirty-five years. Had three children: Henry B., Jr., b. May 1, 1866; 1. New Brunswick, N.J.; m. Mary E. Kane, February 24, 1894. Had one child: Virginia P., b. November 26, 1894. Adeline S., b. April 14, 1868, Detroit, Mich.; m. Dr. William R. Chittick, April 30, 1894. No issue. Virginia P., b. February 25, 1870; 1. Berlin, Germany; m. Louis J. Magee, February 16, 1895. No issue. Fred H., b. November 12, 1831; bachelor; l. Detroit, Mi. He was a hardware merchant at Sterling, Ill., for 12 years, and ten years member of Chicago Board of Trade. Mary H., b. October 10, 1833; single; 1. Detroit, Mich. Charles A., b. October 11, 1835; 1. Detroit, Mich.; m. Frances E. King, April 30, 1874. No issue. He is a lawyer of most excellent standing at Detroit and was law professor at Ann Arbor University for eighteen years. Harriet M., b. October 15, 1839; d. April 2, 1898. ASAHEL KENT b. October 17, 1779, Dorset, Vt.; d. July 23, 1866; m. Olive Dunton, b. January 29, 1785, Dorset, Vt.; d. April 9, 1826; m. 2d, Charlotte Sheals (nee Nichols), b. May 6, 1791, Jamaica, Mass.; d. June 28, 1861. Settled and lived on the point formed by the union of the "Sanford road" with the Turnpike, afterwards known as the E. Harmon Risdon place. Came to town 1814 with an ox team and few goods. Had nine children by first and three by second marriage: Flora, b. March 10, 1805, Burlington, Vt.; d. September 30, 1869; m. Isaac Snell, September 1, 1827; b. August 8, 1800; d. January 6, 1882. Lived on south side of Turnpike opposite the old red schoolhouse and had a blacksmith shop down on the road and close to the brook with a frame outside of shop for swinging oxen to shoe them. Cleared his farm of one hundred acres where he lived. Had six children: John Milton, b. June 20, 1829; d. September 20, 1890, in old home; m. Elnora Gouldin, September 11, 1853; m. 2d, Martha Gouldin, October 15, 1884. Had five children: Frederick H., b. March 11, 1855; 1. Mentor, Ohio; m. Cora Lucas, 1885. Had three children: William, Helen and Elnora. Nellie F., b. November 15, 1858; 1. Adams, Mass.; m. Eugene Delancey. Addison, b. June 20, 1860; 1. Adams, Mass.; m. Adah Kimpton, October 25, 1888; d.; m. 2d, Jennie Kay, June 8, 1898. Had two children: Guy and Roy. Milton, Jr., b. February 15, 1874; 1. Hopkinton; m. Elsie Conlin, February 12, 1899. Had two children: Malcolm and Milton. Grace Elnora, b. December 14, 1875; 1. Parishville; m. Thomas Tucker, May 21, 1893. Had three children: Constance, Regnald and Melba. Olive K., b. December 28, 1830; 1. Webster City, Iowa; m. N. L. Gardner, October 23, 1854, of Berea, Ohio; d. June 30, 1889. Had three children: Nettie, b. August 25, 1855, Berea; 1. Webster City; m. O. O. Hall, August 27, 1877. Had two children: Della, b. April 9, 1878; d. 1898. James, b. 1881. Georgiana, b. 1865; d. in infancy. George N., b. February 9, 1868; 1. Webster City; m. Clara Munson, February 22, 1893. Had one child: George Lawrence, b. March 25, 1902. Franklin B., b. June 24,1832; 1. Columbia, Ohio; m. Jennie Thompson, October 23, 1861. Had four children: Herman, b. November 23, 1862; 1. Columbia, Ohio; m. Hattie Mandville, April 6, 1891. Had one child: Mary, b. 1893. Flora, b. April 26, 1865; 1. Burbank, Ohio; m. John T. Hoak, September 6, 1893. No issue. Lulu, b. December 17, 1877; single; 1. Columbia, Ohio. John F., b. April 1, 1881. Caroline A., b. September 7, 1835; d. 1867, Middleburg, Ohio; m. Parley Bassett in 1857; d. 1895. Had one child: Clarence, b. 1860; d. aged six weeks. Mary M., b. May 2, 1840; 1. Parishville; m. Thomas Dow, December 15, 1874; d. December 15, 1875. Had one child: Ella Violet, b. October 26, 1875; 1. Parishville; m. Leon Stone, November 15, 1899. Hiram K., b. November 14, 1844; 1. Madison, Ohio; m. Emma Smith, March 7, 1869. Enlisted in Co. B, 8th New York Cavalry, in September, 1864, and discharged July 1, 1865. Had three children: Judson W., b. June 11, 1870; 1. Madison, Ohio; m. Winnifred Norton, June 2, 1898. Had one child: Wayne Donald, b. April 20, 1901. Florentine A., b. June 6, 1871; 1. Geneva, Ohio; m. Thomas Patrick, October 18, 1901. Sanford S., b. April 20, 1875; teacher, La Junta, Cal. Rhoda, b. Burlington, Vt., February 17, 1807; d. February 29, 1880; m. Dr. Gideon Sprague. (See his family.) Austin, b. Burlington, Vt. , April 27, 1809; d. 1876; m. Louisa Bullene. They resided in Stockholm. Had one child: Edgar, resides in Oakes, N.D. Harmon, b. Burlington, Vt., in 1811; d. in infancy. Abigail, b. September 18, 1812, Burlington, Vt.; d. January 6, 1868; m. Nathaniel B. Goodnow, b. September 17, 1808, Louisville; d. May, 1885. Was a tanner and currier at Hopkinton. Had eight children: Mary K., b. September 7, 1837, Ottawa; d. January 31, 1874, Norfolk; m. James Munson, d. 1888. Had one child: Cassie A., b. November 12, 1867; 1. Webster City, Iowa; m. George Gardner, February 22, 1893. Had one child: George Lawrence, b. March 19, 1902. Charles K., b. January 12, 1839, Ottawa; 1. Hutchinson, Minn.; m. Eunice C. Stearns, May 6, 1869. Had five children: Morton S., b. July 4, 1870; 1. Hutchinson; m. Caroline L. Day, September 7, 1897. Had two children: Donald D., b. August 21, 1899. Dorothy M., b. May 3, 1902. Virgil P., b. March 31, 1872; 1. Buffalo Lake, Minn.; m. Phebe E. Morrison, January 4., 1899. Grace G., b. January 18, 1874; 1. Hutchinson. Charles DeForest, b. October 10, 1879; 1. Biscay, Minn. Warren Burt, b. March 8, 1881; 1. Hutchinson. Maria L., b. October 9, 1840; m. Warren J. Ives, b. February 22, 1838; d. March 2, 1899. Had six children: Ella F., b. December 9, 1859; 1. Glenco, Minn.; m. Frank D. Stocking, June 27, 1888. Had two children: Warren W., b. December 25, 1890. Amy F., b. June 2, 1893. Fred W., b. April 13, 1862, Hopkinton; 1. Hutchinson. Hallan Burt, b. October 14, 1873; 1. Helena, Mont.; m. Lola Brown, December 25, 1895. No issue. Matt C. G., b. September 14, 1875; 1. Helena. Genevieve A., b. August 21, 1879; 1. Hutchinson. Violet May, b. May 17, 1883; 1. Hutchinson. Edgar, b. March, 1843; d. May 5, 1844. Judson H., b. July, 1845; d. September 22, 1847. Augusta R., b. August 22, 1847; 1. Hutchinson; m. Aaron J. Hamilton, September, 1870. Had two children: Grace A., b. January 10, 1875, Hopkinton; 1. Hutchinson; m. W. D. Longfelt, August 29, 1901. Anna M., b. January 1, 1877; 1. Springfield, Minn.; m. C. E. Huff, November 7, 1901. Marcus A., b. February, 1850; d. December, 1853. Fred S., b. August, 1852 ; d. October, 1854. William, b. February 25, 1815, Hopkinton; d. February 20, 1873; m. Ann Robinson, d. January 3, 1862; m. 2d, Lodoskie M. Witters, b. August 19, 1832; d. July 19, 1890. Had three children by first and one by second marriage: Ellen M., b. April 6, 1845; 1. Fargo, N.D.; m. Rowlund Johnston, b. April 7, 1847. Had one child: William, b. May 15, 1870; m. Anna Vaughn, b. February 24, 1868. Had one child: George H., b. February 22, 1889. Judson B., b. June 23, 1849; L Buckton, N.Y.; m. Emma J. Merrill, in 1873. No issue. Charlotte E., b. October 20, 1850; d. August 29, 1876. Maud L., teacher; 1. Somerville, Mass. Olive, b. September 19, 1817; d. March 22, 1875; m. William Woodward, Stockhoim. No issue. Waity, b. March 20, 1819; d. February 23, 1897; m. William Manley, Dorset, Vt. Had one child: Fred, b. in Manley, Vt. Huldah, b. June 2, 1822; d. December 7, 1891; m. Calvin Tilden, b. 1824; d. July 30, 1869; m. 2d, Nathaniel B. Goodnow, March, 1870; d. May, 1885. Had four children: Florence K., b. 1850; 1. Winthrop, N.Y.; m. Wesley Munson, July 8, 1869; b. 1844. Had ten children: Carrie, b. August 25, 1870; m. Parker Rose in 1892. Had three children: Carl P., b. April 26, 1893. Mildred L., b. January 2, 1897. Marion F., b. October 14, 1899. Ernest, b. May 19, 1872; m. Mellrose Hall, 1896. Had one child: Arthur W., b. August 24, 1901. Burton, b. November 28, 1873. Hal, b. April 26, 1876. Cora, b. April 20, 1880; m. Orlo Ware in 1899. No issue. Ida, b. January 1 2, 1882. Jennie, b. September 5, 1884. Hazel, b. August 31, 1888. Fred, b. August 11, 1890. Guy, b. December 16, 1892. Ida M., b. 1854; 1. Stockholm, N.Y.; m. James Munson in 1881. Had three children: Myrtle, b. June 24, 1883; m. Wesley Kingsley in I900. Had one child: Clarence, b. September 12, 1901. Harry, b. February 4, 1887. Ethel, b. January 19, 1899. Walter, d. aged five months. Rolla M., b. June 23, 1859; 1. Nashua, N.H.; m. Eva L. Rhodes, November 2, 1881. Had three children: Calvin R., b. January 17, 1883, in Stockholm. Charles B., b. August 12, 1887, in Nashua. Harold, b. June 23, 1888; d. December 23, 1898. Catharine, b. March 24, 1831; resides at Ft. Jackson, N.Y.; m. Fred I. Hopkins, November 19, 1857. (See Hopkins record.) James, b. April 16, 1833; 1. Buckton, N.Y.; m. Eliza Varney; m. 2d, Mary Schoolcraft, d. 1897. No issue. Charlotte N., b. November 25, 1835; d. September 30, 1837. MOSES KENT, JR. b. October 25, 1780, Dorset, Vt.; d. May 10, 1849, Hopkinton; m. Jerusha Manley, b. January 2, 1789, Dorset, Vt.; d. January 3, 1850. He was the son of Moses, who was a son of Cephas, who moved from Suffield, Ct., to Dorset, Vt.>, in 1773, where he kept an inn. He was the first selectman of the place and on the Committee of Safety. The town of Dorset was organized in 1774. He was the first representative from Dorset in the state legislature in 1778. On the twenty-fifth day of September, 1776, fifty-one delegates representing thirty-five towns held a convention at his house for the formation of an independent state which was consummated January 15, 1777. He died December 5, 1809, aged eighty-five years. His wife, Hannah Spencer, d. November 5, 1821, in her ninety-fifth year. She was the mother of ten children. Moses, Jr., grandson of Cephas, came to Hopkinton in the winter of 1823 with ox team, sled and family and stopped for a time in the village when he purchased the tract on north side of the "Sanford road" just west of the Orin Andrews place. Mr. Andrews's log house was on the east side of the brook and Mr. Kent's on the west side. His son, Darius E., held the farm for some years and the father lived with him during his last years. Artemas, Asahel and Moses, Jr., were brothers, and cousins of the celebrated Chancellor James Kent. Had three children: Mary, b. 1812, Dorset, Vt.; d. 1812. Darius E., b. February 22, 1813, Dorset; d. March 2, 1886, Westfield, N.Y.; m. Jane A. Greene, February 7, 1842; b. December 15, 1815; d. December 26, 1884. He held the home farm until February, 1857, when he purchased the Eggleston farm, four miles west of Potsdam village, where he remained till 1860, when he bought the Dr. Richard Lawrence place on Elm Street in the village of Potsdam. In 1866 he removed to the Malory farm one mile from the village of Westfield, N.Y., and in 1869 to a residence on First Street in that village. He amassed a fortune for a man with his opportunities. Had two children: Salome Manley, b. October 10, 1844; 1. Westfield, N.Y. Emma Jane, b. March 31, 1849; d. May 30, 1868. Lucian H., b. August 4, 1816, Dorset, Vt.; d. March 9, 1900, Westfield; m. Mary Fay McEwen, June 9, 1849; b. February 20, 1824; 1. Westfield. Very soon after his marriage he settled on the Henry B. Sanford farm, a half mile west of his father, on the south side of the road opposite the Seth Putnam place. In 1857 he sold to Israel, son of Seth Putnam, and settled at French Creek, N.Y., where he remained till 1862, when he purchased the Overton farm near Westfield, N.Y. His wife was a daughter of Deacon George. McEwen of Lawrence and born at Hinesburg, Vt. Had seven children: Elmore Manley, b. June 7, 1850, Hopkinton; 1. Westfield; m. Edna M. Chittenden, June 20, 1889; d. June 26, 1897. No issue. George Stanley, b. June 5, 1852, Hopkinton; 1. Westfield; Hermon Lucian, b. January 31, 1854, Hopkinton; 1. Westfield. Henry Brainard, b. October 21, 1855, Hopkinton; d. June 25, 1890. Elwin Ransom, b. November 11, 1858, French Creek, N.Y.; d. November 14, 1890. Alice Carrie, b. May 18, 1862, Westfield, N.Y. Vernon Anson, b. January 17, 1866; 1. Westfield; m. Mattie Arnold, March 12, 1885. Had three children: Clara May, b. May 1, 1887. Emma Belle, b. September 3, 1888. Marion Louise, b. January 16, 1895.     INDEX