First Settler

From Vermont Historical Magazine, History of Cabot, by John M. Fisher, 1881.

BENJAMIN WEBSTER,

of Salisbury, now of Franklin, N. H., uncle of renowned Daniel Webster, en­couraged by the liberal offers of the pro­prietors, came to this town in 1783, and made the first opening in the forest for a permanent settlement. The first clearing was made a little north of where George Smith now lives, on the line of the Hazen road. In the opening, Mr. Webster built the first log cabin. Its dimensions, we are not told, but assured it was sufficiently capacious to answer for a house, barn, shed, and all necessary out-buildings; and that this tenement completed, he returned for his family and moved them into town March, 1783, himself driving the cow, Mrs. Webster traveling on snow-shoes, and the hired man with Mrs. Webster's assistance, drawing the few goods they brought with them on a hand-sled, among which was a wash-tub, and in this tub their little daugh­ter two years of age, who afterwards be­came the wife of Hanson Rogers, Esq., and after raising a large family of children, died in the village of Cabot, Sept. 28, 1868, aged 88 yrs. 3 mos., 14 days, highly respected by all who knew her. On their journey from Peacham to their cabin, the snow was 4 feet deep upon a level; and upon their arrival they found it drifted into their cabin, to the depth of a foot and a half. It had to be shoveled out before they could enter, and then they had only the bare ground for a floor. After getting settled a little, Mr. Webster went to Newbury for provisions. While he was away, the sun coming out warm, Mrs. Webster tapped some trees and made 40 pounds of sugar. It is said she could chop as well as a man, and greatly helped her husband in clearing up his farm.

Nathaniel Webster Other early settlers

Simeon Hovey Webster was born in Cabot, Vermont about 1795, the son of Nathaniel Webster and Mehitable Smith. He and Dalinda Russell married in Cabot in 1823. They raised their family there. Simeon Webster died in Cabot in 1868.