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Subject: [GM-L] Migration from Westford, MA to Other Towns Part 4 - To Cavendish, Vermont
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2000 15:52:36 EDT

Subject: The Migration from Westford, MA to Other Towns (more NH towns)
Source: History of Westford 1659 to 1883 by Rev. Edwin R. Hodgman 1883

p. 164 Part 4

MIGRATION FROM WESTFORD, MA TO VERMONT

This State was received into the Union in 1791. It was for many years
called "The New State," being the first one admitted after the Revolution.
Many went thither in quest of new homes. The towns of
Cavendish, Ludlow and Mount Holly were settled and organized chiefly
by men from Westford, MA.

To Cavendish.
Josiah Fletcher in 1781. He was the first town clerk and a selectman,
chosen at the first town meeting, held March 12, 1782. He removed to
Ludlow in 1785. At the first town meeting he was chosen town treasurer
in 1792; was representative in the Vermont General Assembly at Rutland
in 1796, 1797, 180 and 1801. "A Christian of the highest character."

Thomas Dutton was one of the grantees of the township in 1762 but he did not
go there to reside.

Salmon Dutton, land surveyor. On the list of freemen in Cavendish
in 1782; also on the list for that year were:

Leonard Proctor
Joshua Parker
William Spalding
Ephraim Dutton
William Spalding, Jr.
Abbot Roby
Jesse Spalding
Jesse Fletcher

For 1786
Asaph Fletcher
Timothy Hildreth
Samuel Adams
Benjamin Spalding

For 1788
Aaron Parker
Isaac Parker
Jeremiah Hildreth

For 1792
Salmon Dutton Jr.

for 1795
Solomon Proctor

For 1797
Thomas Proctor

For 1799
Nathan Boynton

For 1801
John Parker
John White
Samuel White, Jr.

Salmon Dutton was moderator of the first town meeting in Cavendish,
and was chosen first selectman and treasurer.
Also in 1785, chairman of the committee to hire preaching, and later a
justice of the peace. The village of Duttonsville in Cavendish received its
name from him. He died in 1824 aged 80.

Capt Leonard Proctor, selectman in 1784 and 1785 and afterward held
various public trusts. A man of great force of character and skilled in the
affairs of the town. The village of Proctorsville, about one
mile from Duttonsville, took its name from him. His sons were all
active business men. His grandson, Redfield Proctor, son of Jabez
Proctor, became governor of Vermont. Captain Proctor died in 1827,
aged 93, and was buried in the "Proctor Cemetery" on the hillside,
overlooking the valley of Black River and the railroad.

Captain Joshua Parker.
Although his name appears among the freemen of 1782, it is probable
that he did not become an actual settler until some years later. He
was the father of Deacon Joshua Parker, born in Westford, MA in 1764
and was for a long time a resident of Cavendish; an officer in the
Congregational Church. Captain Parker died in the State of New York.

Ephraim Dutton was a land surveyor, and afterward settled in Ludlow.
His son, Joel Dutton, removed to Cato, NY.

Abbot Roby is probably the man whose birth is recorded in Dunstable
as Philip Abbot Roby, son of Samuel, and born 1754. He owned the
Patten farm in Westford, MA, and went first to Weathersfield, VT and
then to Cavendish, where he was lister (assessor) in 1783 and selectman
in 1784.

Asaph Fletcher, M.D.
His house in Westford, MA was the old Byam house, removed in 1875 in
order to give place to the present residence of Hon. J. Henry Read.
But the old mansion is still to be seen on Main Street (in 1883). He
removed to Cavendish in February 1787 and during the following summer
built for himself a house in a secluded spot over the hill, nearly or
quite half a mile from the river. This house, still standing (in 1883)
was built after the old style, with large stone chimney and ample fire
places. In this quaint old structure his son Richard Fletcher was born
Jan 8, 1788 - who became the emminent jurist of Boston, who graduated
from Dartmouth College in 1806. He afterward erected a substantial
dwelling near Proctorsville. During his long life he held many public
offices, and was a distinguished and useful man. He was a member of the
Legislature, for some years one of the judges of the County Court,
member of the Council, elector of president, and president of the County
Medical Society, before which he gave lectures. He died Jan 5,
1839 aged 92 years. His son Ryland Fletcher was governor of Vermont
1856 and 1857.

William Spalding, son of Josiah Spalding lived at the foot of Nubanussuck
pond. He married Esther Dutton in 1759. He took with him
to Cavendish his sons, John, who died there at the age of 99, William,
Asa, Joseph, Zedekiah, Zacchues and Jonas Spalding (an adopted son).
He died in 1803 aged 68.

Samuel White, son of Mark White born at Acton, MA 1744 was selectman
in Westford, MA 1781-82; removed in 1786 and the following year was
elected to the same office in Cavendish. He was a man of excellent
character and great influence; deacon of the church. His son Samuel
White, Jr. was born in Westford went with him. He gave his name to
Whitesville, where he carried on the trade of saddler. His son John
White also born at Westford, settled in Cavendish.

Capt Aaron Parker removed in 1788 and was selectman in 1790 in Cavendish.

Isaac Parker, in the list of freemen for 1788. Son of Moses Parker and
born in 1760 and died in Byron, NY

Nathan Boynton, removed to Cavendish in 1799. One bearing his name
was in New Ipswich, NH in 1766. It cannot be determined whether the
two are identical, but such is the probable case.

Jeremiah Hildreth removed to Cavendish in 1788. He returned to Westford
about 1794.

Timothy Adams removed to Cavendish in 1782
Thomas Chamberlin 1781
Elijah Chamberlin 1781
Ebenezer Stone 1781
Thomas Cummings
Oliver Harris

James Hall who was a British soldier born at Ashton-under-lime, England
who during the retreat of the Regulars from Concord April 19, 1775,
voluntarily surrendered to the Provincials and came to Westford, MA and
worked for Ephraim Hildreth, 3rd, whose daugher he married in 1784.

Thomas G. Hildreth removed to Cavendish in 1788
Nehemiah Green?
Isaac Green
Timothy Stone
John Stone
Isaac Patch
Nathaniel Hildreth
Samuel Adams 3rd, trader (returned to Westford)
Isaac Heald
Benjamin Wright
Jacob Abbot
Solomon Fletcher all in 1787

Isaac Parker, physician, son of Aaron Parker, Jr., and wife Dorothy
Dr. Parker was born 1752.

To be continued Part 5 - Migrants from Westford, MA to Ludlow, VT p.167
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

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