Calais, Vermont, USA (East, North) (Adamant) (Kents Corner) (Maple Corner) (Pekin)
1849 Calais

WASHINGTON Co. This township is watered by two branches of Winooski River, one entering it near the north-east the other near the northwest corner. They unite near the south line of the town, affording, in their course, a great number of valuable privileges for mills and other machinery. It is also well watered with springs and brooks. The soil is a warm loam, easily cultivated, well adapted to the production of all kinds of grain, and is not inferior to other towns in its vicinity for grazing. The surface of the township is somewhat uneven, but very little of it so broken as to be incapable of cultivation. The timber on the streams is mostly hemlock, spruce, and pine ; on the higher lands, maple, beech, &c. The lowest lands here are in general driest and the most feasible soil. The north line of the township intersects two considerable ponds. There are several other small, but beautiful ponds lying within the township, and which abound with trout and other fish. Long Pond lies in the north-west part of the town. In one autumn, 2,000 pounds of trout were taken from this pond with a hook, which sold for S8 per cwt. In the spring of some years, at the inlet of this pond, more than two tons of fish have been thrown out of the channel with the hands and with baskets. There are several springs in town, whose waters are quite brackish ; their medicinal qualities, however, have never been thoroughly tested.

Boundaries. North by Woodbury, east by Marshfield, south by Montpelier, and West by Worcester.

First Settlers. The settlement of this town was commenced in the spring of 1787, by Francis West, from Plymouth County, Mass., who commenced felling timber on a lot adjoining Montpelier. The first permanent settlers, however, were Abijah, Asa and P. Wheelock, who started from Charlestown, June 5, 1787, with a wagon, two yoke of oxen, provisions, tools, &c. and arrived in Williamstown, within twenty-one miles of Calais, the 19th. They had hitherto found the roads almost impassible, and here they were obliged to leave their wagon, and, taking a few necessary articles upon a sled, the proceeded toward this town, cutting their way and building causeways as they passed along. After a journey of two days and encamping two nights in the woods, they arrived at Winooski River, where Montpelier village is now situated. Here Col. Jacob Davis had commenced clearing land and had erected a small log hut, where they left their oxen to graze upon the wild grass, leaks and shrubbery, with which the woods abounded — proceeded to Calais and commenced a resolute attack upon the forest. They returned to Charlestown in October. Francis West also left town, and returned the following spring, as did also Abijah and Peter Wheelock, accompanied by Moses Stone. They this year erected log houses, the Wheelocks and Stone returning to Massachusetts to spend the following winter, and West to Middlesex. In this year, also, Gen. Parley Davis, then a new settler, cut and put up two or three stacks of hay upon a beaver meadow, in Montpelier, upon a lot adjoining Calais, a part of which hay was drawn to Col. Davis in Montpelier in the following winter, which served partially to break a road from Montpelier to Calais line. In February or March 1789, Francis West moved his family on to his farm, where he lived several years. Also, in March of this year, Abijah Wheelock, with his family, Moses Stone, Samuel Twiss with his new married lady, accompanied by Gen. Davis, from Charlestown, arrived at Col. Davis' house in Montpelier, with several teams. His house was a mere rude hut, constructed of logs twenty feet in length, with but one apartment, a back built at one end for a fire place, and covered with bark, with a hole left in the roof for the smoke to escape; and this on their arrival they found to be pre-occupied by several families, emigrants from Peterboro, N.H.; and in that mansion of felicity there dwelt for about a fortnight three families with children in each, one man and his wife, recently married, three gentlemen then enjoying a state of single blessedness, and a young lady; and among the happy group were some of the first settlers of Calais. On the 13th of April, racket paths having been previously broken, Messrs. Wheelock, Twiss and Stone prepared handsleds, loaded thereon their beds and some light articles of furniture, accompanied by Mrs. Wheelock and Mrs. Twiss, and Gen. Davis, proceeded to this town over snow three feet in depth, Mrs. Wheelock travelling the whole distance on foot and carrying in her arms an infant four months' old, while their son about two years of age. was drawn upon the handsled. Mrs. Twiss, the recently married lady, also performed the same journey on foot, making use of her broom for a walking cane. During the day the snow became soft and in crossing a marshy piece of ground, Mrs. Twiss slumped with one foot, and sank to considerable depth and was unable to rise; Gen. Davis, with all the gallantry of a young woodsman, pawed away the snow with his hands, seized her below the knee and extricated her. This incident was a source of no small merriment to the party generally, and of gratification to Mrs. Wheelock, who felt herself secretly piqued that Mrs. Twiss did not at least offer to bear her precious burden some part of the distance. They arrived safely the same day, and commenced the permanent settlement of the town. A large rock, now in the orchard on the farm owned by Dea. Joshua Bliss, once formed the end and fire place to the Log Cabin of the first settlers of Calais. In September of this same year, 1789, Peter Wheelock moved his family, consisting of a wife and six children, to this town. In 1790, James Jennings arrived with a family. Lucinda, daughter of Peter Wheelock, was born this year, and was the first child born in town. On this occasion it is said one woman travelled four miles, on foot, through the woods, in a very dark night.

Productions of the Soil. Wheat, 3,630 bushels; Indian corn, 5,089 bushels; potatoes, 24,246 bushels; hay, 5,899 tons; maple sugar, 24,420 pounds; wool, 14,160 pounds.

Distances. Eight miles north from Montpelier.


A gazetteer of Vermont... by John Hayward Boston - Tappan, Whittemore, and Mason 1849

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