Jericho, Vermont, USA
1849 - Jericho

Chittenden County. Jericho is watered with springs and brooks. Winooski River washes the south-western boundary. Brown's River enters the town at the north-east, from Underhill, and runs into Essex. little River, or Lee's Brook, so called, takes its rise in the east, and, running near the centre of the town, unites with Brown's River at the village, in the west part of the town. Mill Brook enters the township from Bolton, and runs into the Winooski about half way from Richmond to Essex. On all these streams are good alluvial flats, and the mill privileges are good, but the best and most numerous are on Brown's River, near the west village. The soil and timber is various in different parts. It is a good farming town, and well adapted to raising most kinds of grain and grass.

There is a village at the centre of the town, containing a good brick church, owned by the First Congregational Society, an academy, together with a number of buildings scattered around a handsome common, given by Lewis Chapin, one of the early settlers, for that purpose. There is another flourishing village at the comers, in the westerly part of the town.

Boundaries. Northerly by Underbill, east by Bolton, south by Richmond, south-west by Williston, from which it is separated by Winooski River, and westerly by Essex.

First Settlers. The settlement of Jericho was commenced in 1774, by Messrs. Messenger, Rood and Brown, with their families, from the western part of Massachusetts ; but the settlement was mostly abandoned during the revolution. Mr. Brown settled on the flats near Underhill, on what is now called Brown's River. He, with his family, consisting of a wife, a daughter, and two sons, remained unmolested during the fore part of the revolutionary war, and had made such improvement on his land as to raise most of the necessaries of life. In the autumn of 1780 the family was surprised and made prisoners by a party of Indians. At the time, a young man by the name of Olds was in the house, and made his escape to the Block house on the Winooski River, in the west part of the town. The Indians, after securing their prisoners, killed the cattle, sheep, and hogs belonging to Mr. Brown, set the house on fire, and started for Montreal. The prisoners suffered much on their journey through the woods, from fatigue and hunger, the most of their food being raw bear's meat. On their arrival at St. Johns, they were sold to British officers at $8 per head, and by them retained as prisoners nearly three years, during which time they were compelled to labor for their masters, and allowed but miserable fare. On their return they were enabled to keep a part of their land in Jericho, and by industry and perseverance accumulated a handsome property. The two sons settled, lived, and died on the same land where they were made prisoners, and were among the most respectable families in town. Their children still own and live on a share of the same land. Mr. Messenger settled on the Winooski River, and remained there until June, 1776, when Gen. Ira Allen called on him to leave for his own safety. Mr. Messenger, with his family and a small share of their effects, in a canoe belonging to Gen. Allen, proceeded down the river to what is called Hubbell's Falls, in Essex, where they unloaded. Mr. Messenger went over the falls in the canoe without injury, except breaking in the bow of the canoe. He changed ends, reloaded, and proceeded to what has since been called the Lawrence farm, where they stayed for the night. At the falls in Colchester they carried their load around, let the boat drift over, and arrived safe at the lake, where an open boat was waiting to receive them, with others, when they were transported in safety to Skenesboro', (now Whitehall,) and from thence to Bennington, and were there at the battle. On the return of peace, Mr. Messenger, with his family, returned to Jericho and settled on his old place, where he lived to an advanced age, an industrious and respectable farmer.

First Minister. The Rev. Ebenezer Kingsbury was settled over the Congregational Church in 1791 ; dismissed in 1808.

Productions of the Soil. Wheat, 2,412 bushels ; Indian corn, 4,566 bushels ; potatoes, 32,322 bushels; hay, 3,222 tons ; maple sugar, 1 1 ,300 pounds ; wool, 13,915 pounds.

Distances. Twenty-five miles northwest from Montpelier, and twelve east from Burlington. The great Northern Railroad passes in this vicinity.

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

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