RETURN TO YESTERDAY

RETURN TO YESTERDAY

By Clarence Streeter

The Old Farms

Chapter 5, Page 52:

THE WAITE PLACE –

Here is another old place, now grown up to trees and of the present day know it as the Waite place named after Martin Waite, the last owner to run it as a going farm.

Back in 1792, Samuel Hammond, an early settler, better known to us as a member of the “Boston Tea Party,” bought this place, lot No. 48 in Camden survey so-called, said lot containing 230 acres more or less, of John Jones, collector, for 1 pound, 10 shillings and 11 pence, the amount due for taxes.

This was doubtless wild wooded land at that time and Mr. Hammond had the land cleared, or some of it, and built a house and barn. Ten years later he sold it to his son Peter for $1,000. This included all of lot No. 8 excepting fifty acres off the south side which he had sold to Thomas Bogle. This fifty acres, after changing owners a few times, later became the farm home of Ivory Johnson, when he bought it of Nehimiah Bogle in 1835. His children, Caraline, Emory, Ellen and Clarinda went to school in District 4, 1849. He died in June 1866 and was buried in the West Wardsboro cemetery, age fifty-none. His wife, Mary, died five years later, age 56. This little farm too, has gone back to nature, although there are a few boards and timbers showing where the house stood.

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(Picture of the spot where Benjamin Converse was killed by a bull on a lonely mountain road)

In 1807 Joel Hammond sold the farm to Artemas Hammond for $1,000. Samuel Hammond was to retain his life lease under the new owner. Five years later, Artemas Hammond mortgaged his half of the farm to Nathaniel Hammond, another son of Samuel, for $397.92; later selling it all to Nathaniel Hammond, February 14,1817.

Samuel Hammond continued to live on the farm until his death at 94 on January 4, 1842. Margaret, his wife, died in 1833, age 81.

We understand that Nathaniel Hammond really took an interest in the farm. He had new barns built and had fifty-nine or more head of cattle on the place. While he did not live there himself, his home being in Boston, he had a man living there to run the farm. BENJAMIN CONVERSE was the farm operator at the time he was killed by a bull while returning from the Wilmington Fair. The tragedy occurred a mile from the Hammond’s farm o the mountain road that lead to Wilmington.

Shortly after Mr. Converse was killed, a neighbor, Levi Putnam, was also returning from the fair with horse and buggy, accompanied by his wife when they reached the spot where the bull and the dead man were. Mr. Converse (Mr. Putnam?) seized his lash whip and stepped from the buggy, intending,

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no doubt, to kill him also. Mr. Putnam struck at the bull with his whip, luckily striking the animal in the eye and inflicting so much pain that the animal lost interest in killing and went thrashing about in distress, allowing the Putnam’s to continue on home unharmed. They notified the Converse family of what had happened.

Mr. Hammond had a headstone placed at the spot, which is still there, although seldom visited, as the old mountain road has been but little traveled in the past fifty years. Very few living today remember hearing of the incident. (Horace Bissell ran the farm for some time.)

THE SHELDON PLACE

This old farm, although abandoned as a farm within recent years, has a most interesting historical background. The first resident owner was Ithamer Allen, whom it should be remembered was the third settler to come to live in town. He chose well in selecting this land for his home and farm, for it was comparatively level. Situated on a hilltop, it afforded some freedom from early frosts and fine view of the surrounding country and Stratton Mountain. The view was probably regarded in those days as of little account, since all the settlers’ time and energy was occupied with clearing land and raising crops to feel their families and livestock.

Unfortunately the barn on this place was struck by lightning some twenty-five years ago, and within ten years the house accidentally caught fire and burned to the ground. Since then nothing has been done to those once tillable acres and mother nature is fast restoring it to the forest.

Besides this land where he lived Ithamer Allen had bought a number of other tracts in town. At that time unoccupied land could be purchased for around $1 an acre, and a man like Mr. Allen who had a few hundred dollars could acquire quite an acreage of land in desirable locations that would soon be bought eagerly by incoming settlers seeking to establish their families in the new township.

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On April, 1799, Mr. Allen sold this farm of 360 acres and 150 acres off lot No. 51, across the valley to the south, to ELISHA CONVERSE for $3,260. This price would seem to indicate that there was a considerable area of cleared land on the farm at the time and also a house and barns. Elisha Converse was a hero of the Revolutionary time, having participated in the Battle of Bunker Hill.

A few years after buying the Allen farm, Mr. Converse sold 50 acres of his lot No. 51 to Jedidiah Kidder for $1.50 and then bought 25 acres adjoining his Allen farm from Abel Wilder for $1.75.

About the same time, he bought the south part of lot 74, 112 acres for $2. This must have been steep mountain land and not considered of value, or else someone was desperately anxious to be rid of it. At the time the militia met for drill up there the farm belonged to Mr. Converse, but likely still was known as the Ithamer Allen farm.

JOSEPH CONVERSE owned the farm until 1846, but whether he lived in Wardsboro all or part of that time we do not know. He sold it later to Columbus Orcutt for $1,700. Likely no one will ever know why this farm sold for such a low price compared with what it was valued at in 1816, but it could have been due to several factors.

Mr. ELISHA CONVERSE had lived with his family on this farm for sixteen years, and with the help of his family had cleared more land, improved the house and building to such an extent that he was enable to sell 304 acres of it with the buildings, to JOSEPH CONVERSE, a miller, of Palmer, Massachusetts, for $7,000.

The building may have burned, real estate might have suffered a severe drop in value, or under Mr. Joseph Converse’s management, the land may have deteriorated and the buildings, for lack of needed repairs, may have become unfit for use. Possibly, Mr. Converse, because of ill health, may have been forced to sell for the best of offer.

(continued…………………)

BENAJMIN CONVERSE OF WARDSBORO, VERMONT

It seems likely that Benjamin Converse was a son of Alpheus, Jr. and Polly Badwin Converse, born in Palmer, MA, 2 March 1803 (Palmer Vital Records)

Benjamin married Bennie Hammon of Southbridge, MA 23 June 1832. Benjamin listed as being of Brimfield, MA (Southbridge, MA Vital Records)

Beri Hammond married Benjamin Converse and had two sons and a daughter. Sons were Asa and Henry. Asa died. Henry Converse residing in Malden, MA in 1906 (Worcester County, MO Memoirs, Vol I & II)

Benjamin’s gravestone inscription states he died on 29 Sept, 1859, age 56. (W. Wardsboro Cemetery, W. Wardsboro, VT)

Beeri Hammond’s gravestone stands next to Benjamin’s. The inscription read: wife of Benj. Converse, died 31 Oct 1883 at age 73yrs. 7 mos. Next to her are stones for Samuel Hammond and his wife, Mary; Joel Hammond and his wife, Anna (W. Wardsboro Cemtery, W. Wardsboro, VT.)

A search of Wardsboro, VT death Vital Records failed to bring up a death certificate or death listing for Benjamin. The town clerk felt there might be one in one of the adjoining towns.

Benjamin’s lineage: Alpheus Converse, Jr.; Alpheus Converse; James Convers; Edward Convers; Samuel Convers; Sgt. Samuel Convers; Deacon Edward Conver.