Dorset, Vermont, USA (East, North, South) (Freedleyville)
1849 - Dorset

Bennington Co. There are no considerable streams in this township. Otter Creek heads in Mount Tabor, runs south-westerly two or three miles, into Peru, then west three-fourths of a mile into this township, when it takes a northerly direction through a considerable natural pond, and leaves the township near the north-east corner. The Battenkill heads in this township, on the flat about twenty-five rods south of the bend in Otter Creek, and runs off to the south. Another branch of this stream rises in the south-western part, and unites with it in Manchester. Pawlet River, rises in the north-western part, and passes off into Rupert. These streams afford a number of mill privileges.

This township is considerably mountainous. Dorset Mountain lies in the north part, and extends into Danby, where it is called South Mountain. Equinox Mountain lies partly in the south-west comer. In this township are several remarkable caverns.

One in the south part, is entered by an aperture nearly ten feet square, which opens into a spacious room nine rods in length and four wide. At the further end of this apartment are two openings, which are about thirty feet apart. The one on the right is three feet from the floor, and is about twenty inches by six feet in length. It leads to an apartment twenty feet long, twelve wide, and twelve high. From this room there is an opening sufficient to admit a man to pass through sideways about twenty feet, when it opens into a large hall eighty feet long and thirty wide. The other aperture from the first room is about as large as a common door, and leads to an apartment twelve feet square, out of which is a passage to another considerable room, in which is a spring of water. This cavern is said to have been explored forty of fifty rods without arriving at the end. Considerable quantities of marble are wrought here.

Boundaries. North by Danby, east by Peru, south by Manchester, and west by Rupert.

First Settlers. The first settlement was made in 1768, by Felex Powell, from Massachusetts, Isaac Lacy, from Connecticut, and Benjamin Baldwin, Abraham Underbill, John Manley, and George Gage, from New York.

First Ministers. The Rev. Elijah Sill was settled over the Congregational Church in 1781, and in 1796 the Rev. William Jackson was settled over this church. The first minister of the Baptist Society was Elder Cyrus M. Fuller, settled in 1818.

Productions of the Soil. Wheat, 1,321 bushels, Indian corn, 5,595 bushels ; potatoes, 31,018 bushels; hay, 4,080 tons; maple sugar, 17,560 pounds; wool, 18,030 pounds.

Distances. Twenty-six miles north from Bennington, and ninety-one south south-west from Montpelier.

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

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