The East Middlebury Historical Society
Scroll down to see what we have been up to recently!
Scroll down to see what we have been up to recently!
2025 Holiday Caroling at the Partridge Community House
December Craft Fair
In mid-December, the Community House welcomed local craft vendors for our holiday fair!
Sam Yelton discusses the role of the 14th Vermont Regiment in the Civil War
During our July meeting Sam Yelton presented an entertaining disucssion of the Vermont 14th Volunteer Regiment during 1862-63. Company E of the 14th included men from East Middlebury and Middlebury. For video links to his presentation please click on the YouTube links below.
14th Vermont Regiment Part I: https://youtu.be/ISTuxxKxn90
14th Vermont Regiment Part II: https://youtu.be/kyQpaz5WCS0
Six Generations of a Vermont Family
The links below lead to video excerpts of Duke Whitney's talk at the August meeting of the EMHS. The talk was well attended (about 30 people) and the audience was deeply engaged in the speakers comments regarding Vermont in the Revolution, the role of "Hessian" fighters and the early settlement of Ripton, Goshen, East Middlebury and Salisbury.
Part 1 https://youtu.be/o3BXvspp8kg
Part 2 Part 1 https://youtu.be/o3BXvspp8kg
2025 Community Picnic a hit for the EMHS!
The East Middlebury Community Picnic was held on June 1st. Dispite threatening weather the event went as planned and was well attended. The EMHS provided a children's activity, doorprizes, t-shirt and booklet sales, and lead the assembly in singing patriotic songs. See photos of the picnic and a brief video below and THANK YOU to all of the EMHS members that made it possible! A special thanks to Laura Fetterolf, Sarah Partridge librarian for preparing a lovely commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Community House and creating bookplates and tote bags with the original library logo.
To read Laura's moving commemoration of the Sarah Partridge Community House and Library please click on "Home" (top of this page/right) and then (at the bottom of the drop-down list) "100th Anniversary".
Photographs of the Historical Society Christmas Carols at the Partridge Community House 12/13/24
Video of Christmas Caroling on YouTube click on the video below
Check out our history of East Middlebury Movie on YouTube! Comments and corrections welcome.
End-of-Year Luncheon for the EMHS
Members enjoyed a very tasty luncheon and convivial conversation at the Waybury Inn on December 13th.
Check out the Historical Societies New Project at the East Middlebury PO!
Each month will feature a new exibit in the display case by the entrance to the post office. Pictures of the October and November displays are featured below. If you have ideas for future displays let us know at EMHS.VT@gmail.com .
Floods of 2023
The Flood of 1938
Dedication of the East Middlebury Iron Works May 28th, 2023
The East Middlebury Historical Society and the East Middlebury Prudential Committee are pleased to announce the dedication of a sign marking the location and history of the East Middlebury Iron works. The dedication ceremony took place at the site on Sunday, May 28th at 2:00 p.m.
The ruins of the East Middlebury iron works are located just below the Highway 125 bridge on the Middlebury River.
Beginning in the late 18th Century and continuing through 19th and into the 20th, East Middlebury hosted a profusion of industrial endeavors including a carriage factory, a glass factory, multiple blacksmiths, sawmills, a toy factory, a window sash business, and at least two iron forges.
Two publications that provide a wealth of information about the Iron Works: Two hundred Years of Soot and Sweat: The History and Archaeology of Vermont's Iron, Charcoal and Lime Industries (1991. Victor Rolando) and a 2005 archaeological report on the East Middlebury iron works site prior to the construction of the new bridge.
The three forges were “bloomery” forges. The earliest forge (The Eagle) began in the 1820’s and was located above the current bridge. It was reportedly washed away in a flood in 1831 and no trace of it is visible today. The East Middlebury works operated from 1831 to 1890 and today consists of the ruins of several buildings. Period sources record that in the late 1860s, the facilities of the ironworks consisted of a large charcoal and ore shed, a forge building containing three bloomery hearths each 16 feet tall and each with its own large waterwheel, one trip hammer, a smaller waterwheel house, and a dam. Penstocks connected the dam with the water wheels and pipes supplied cooling water for the forged iron.
These iron works were sited in East Middlebury because of the availability of waterpower (the first dam on the Middlebury River here was built around 1790), iron ore (mostly from Crown Point) and charcoal. The river was needed to cool the smelted iron and operate the 400-pound trip hammer used to remove impurities from “wrought” iron. Charcoal was needed to extract the iron from ore. The hardwoods of Vermont provided what seemed an endless supply of the charcoal needed to fire the iron furnaces.
Unlike other parts of the country where charcoal was prohibitively expensive and “blast furnaces" (fired by coal and producing cast iron) provided a higher quality product, bloomeries produced a relatively low-tech, relatively cheap, one-stage product (think nails, horseshoes, wagon wheel rims, door hinges, etc.) that were in great demand by earlier settlers. The charcoal for the East Middlebury works came from large kilns in Ripton.
The iron was produced by a process of loading the furnace with layers of charcoal and iron ore. This was then heated to the melting point of o2,800 F. On average it took about four tons of iron ore and 270 bushels of charcoal to produce two tons of wrought iron in a bloomery.
By the time of its close in 1890 the East Middlebury Iron Works found itself unable to compete with larger, more efficient works in the south and mid-west and the economy of Vermont began to shift to the romantic, back-to-nature tourist industry.
Information about the site is included in the second edition of East Middlebury Historical Walking Tour. This booklet is available from the Sheldon Museum bookstore or from the East Middlebury Historical Society. The EMHS meets April through November on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Sarah Partridge Community House.
The East Middlebury Historical Society
America's Treasure Towns
Our intrepid researcher, Francis Favreau, has found a fascinating artical from 1966 published in Woman's Day magazine. The article contains a lot of information about Middlebury and the history of the area. It even includes to "authentic" Addison County recipes. Some of you may remember this being originally published but for me it was a treat! Use the link below to access the article.
https://1drv.ms/b/s!AlylWxogeJCdgb4Bo2Gionhy4wtonA?e=hTfgLb
EMHS Member Recipient of VHS Award
EMHS member Bruce Yelton has been awarded the League of Local Historical Societies and Museums Achievement Award. This award recognizes the exceptional work being done by individuals and community history organizations throughout the state to collect, preserve, and share Vermont’s rich history. Over the past six years Bruce has helped in the creation of this website, provided technical support for presentations, indexing of archival material, production of a "Historical Walking Tour" of East Middlebury, creation of a searchable index of Propect Cemetery, and multiple presentations ranging from "Carlton's Raid" to "General George Crook". Currently Bruce is campaigning for the installation of a sign commemorating the East Middlebury Ironworks (1831-1890), the last operating iron works in Vermont.
Presentation of the award will occur during the LLHSM's 68th Annual Meeting (https://vermonthistory.org/league-meeting) in Manchester, VT. This meeting is the largest yearly gathering of local history and museum professionals in the state.
The following is a paper written by John Haltigan of Pittsburg, PA . He has kindly advised us that we may publish it on our website.
MIDDLEBURY in the
BREAKTHROUGH OF THE CONFEDERATE LINES AT PETERSBURG, VIRGINA
The 3rd BATTLE OF PETERSBURG – APRIL 2, 1865
In his History of the Town of Middlebury in the County of Addison, Vermont, Samuel Swift lists the population of Middlebury in 1850 at 3517. Estimating fifteen years later, the population at approximately 4,000, it is an exceptional footnote in the history of the Civil War, that three sons of this village along the banks of Otter Creek, would play highly significant roles in one of the most dramatic and decisive events of the war that took place in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 2, 1865.
Finally, after ten months of relentless siege by Union forces under General Grant, the heavily defended fortified Confederate line outside the city of Petersburg, Virginia would be broken. The breakthrough by Union forces, would lead to the rebel evacuation of Petersburg and Richmond and ultimately result in the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert Lee a week later at Appomattox.
The rebel fortifications were a long line of deep rifle pits with high relief fronted by strong lines of abates with lines of pointed stakes between them. Every few hundred yards were batteries equipped with artillery. In the vanguard of the wedge shaped assault over an open field approximately 500 yards wide, was the 2nd Division of the Sixth Corps of the Union Army of the Potomac. Three brigades made up the 2nd Division and in a remarkable occurrence, the 1st and 2nd Brigades, each with approximately 5,000 infantry soldiers were commanded by officers from the town of Middlebury, Vermont. The 1st Brigade consisted of the 62nd and 93rd New York and the 98th, 102nd and 139th Pennsylvania regiments, and was commanded by Middlebury native Brigadier General JAMES M. WARNER.
James M. Warner was born in Middlebury in 1836, the son of Joseph Warner, a prominent merchant, officer of the 1st National Bank and a trustee of Middlebury College and Jane Anne Meech Warner. Warner attended Middlebury College for two years but in 1855 was accepted as a cadet and transferred to West Point from which he graduated in 1860. He was appointed in September of 1862 as a Colonel in command of the 11th Vermont regiment also known as the 1st Vermont (Heavy) Artillery, which served as part of the northern defense forces surrounding Washington D.C. In May of 1864, the 11th Vermont was called upon to take part in General Grant’s Overland campaign and they first saw action in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in which Warner was severely wounded. He returned from convalescence in July and was promoted to the command of the 1st Brigade of the Second Division of the Sixth Corps, a position he would hold to the end of the war.
The 2nd Brigade was the famous Old Vermont Brigade, made up on April 2, 1865 of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 11th Vermont Regiments. The long time commander of the brigade, Lewis A. Grant had hours prior to the beginning of the assault been wounded by a piece of shrapnel and his place as commander of the Vermont Brigade was assigned to the Lt. Colonel commander of the 2nd Vermont regiment, AMASA TRACY, ironically also from Middlebury.
Amasa Tracy, born in 1829, was a native of Maine, who had moved to Middlebury around the age of fifteen. Early in the war Tracy enlisted at Vergennes in the 2nd Vermont regiment where he was elected 1st Lt. He participated in the first major engagement of the war the Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. Tracy was badly wounded on May 3, 1863 on Marye’s Heights, during the Battle of Chancellorsville, VA. He was soon promoted thru the ranks and commissioned a Lt. Colonel in 1864. Tracy commanded the old Vermont Brigade at the Battle of Cedar Creek in October 1864 where he was again wounded and for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry. He would be promoted to brevet Colonel of Volunteers for gallantry for his role in the final assault on the rebel lines at Petersburg. After the war, Tracy operated a store in Middlebury for a number of years prior to serving as Middlebury postmaster for twelve years.
At the very “tip of the spear” in the charge, was the 5th Vermont Regiment, one of the six regiments in the Old Vermont Brigade under Tracy’s command. It has been credited with being the first regiment to plant their colors inside the Confederate fortifications. Company B of the 5th Vermont was primarily raised in Middlebury and Company F included not only men from Middlebury, but also from adjacent towns of New Haven, Cornwall, Bridport and Salisbury. One non – commissioned soldier who was among those who played a major role in leading the heroic charge of the 5th Vermont, was still another Middlebury resident, the 22 year old first sergeant of Company B, JAMES GRACE.
James Grace was born in Middlebury in 1843 and enlisted in May 1861 early in the war in the 90 day 1st Vermont He would later in September of 1861 reenlist as a sergeant in the 5th Vermont regiment and was wounded on May 4, 1863 at the Battle of Salem Heights, VA. He would be commissioned as a 1st Lt. in the 5th Vermont prior to the end of the war.
Two soldiers in the 5th Vermont regiment from nearby Addison County towns paid the ultimate sacrifice during the breakthrough assault. Corporal LEWIS YOUNG of Shoreham and Corporal JULIUS BAKER of Salisbury were both killed in action. Private LESTER HACK from Salisbury was credited with capturing the colors of the 23rd Tennessee Regiment, for which he later would receive the Medal of Honor.
James Warner died in New York City in 1897 at the age of 61. Amasa Tracy died in 1908 at age 79 in Middlebury. Both are buried in West cemetery in Middlebury and their graves are shown below. James Grace migrated west after the war and died in 1914 at age 71 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he is buried in Forest Home cemetery.
The breakthrough of enemy fortifications at the outset of the 3rd Battle of Petersburg on April 2, 1865 was one of the most significant military events of the Civil War. For the small community of Middlebury, Vermont, and surrounding areas it is an honor that its sons demonstrated such high level leadership and heroic roles in this famous battle, that would result in the demise of the Confederacy.
Austin Peck: Civil War Veteran and Entrepreneur
Austin Peck (1832-1926) was a life-long resident of East Middlebury. He served in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War and left a treasure trove of letters sent from Northern Virginia during his service. This collection of letters over such an eventful period (1861-63) of the Civil War is remarkable, as is Austin's description of conditions in the camps, illness, high prices, and endless marching. Austin participated in some of the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg campaigns. He made it home and lived a long and active life. The photographs taken of him in uniform and as a old man are below.
The men on the front porch are (left to right) Bert Peck, Austin Peck, and Pat Galvin.
Nominate your East Middlebury Home or Historic Site for inclusion in the next edition of the Historical Walking Tour by clicking on the link below and providing the information requested.
Click here to go to the nomination form: https://form.jotform.com/220414956712050
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the newly revised 44-page Historical Walking Tour for $3,00 please email Linda Kelton (keltonh@yahoo.com) to arrange for delivery and payment.
Outing to the Ann Storey Cabin by the EMHS
August 2021
The Widow Storey's Experience: In the early spring of 1776, Indians, most of whom sided with the British, began pillaging and burning homes in the vicinity, homes that had been abandoned when their owners fled to the south. One of her children spotted smoke at their nearest neighbor's home, about a quarter of a mile from their cabin, and the family quickly gathered their valuables and put them into a canoe at the bank of the river, a few steps from their doorway. “Unobserved by the Indians, we shoved off our boat, and were soon fairly out of their reach in the deep water of the swamp… We stationed ourselves back in the swamp, at a considerable distance from the house, where we could observe their movements and make sure the hour and direction of their departure. Here we saw Mr. Grave’s house and our own burn down at the hand of our cruel foes.” Ann says that the family immediately resolved to rebuild their home and before long had erected another dwelling made of smaller trees, since they had no team of horses or oxen to haul logs. According to family tradition, the rebuilt cabin had a trap door that led into a crevice in the ledge beneath, which could then be followed toward the river. The cabin was eventually replaced with a plank home.
To keep the family more secure from possible future attacks, Ann and her children dug a horizontal cavern on the west bank of Otter Creek. The mouth of the makeshift cave was large enough to admit their canoe with all the family lying prostrate inside. Once inside, the canoe could be hidden and bushes used to conceal the mouth of the cave. The family stored food and slept at a somewhat higher level inside the cave, above the waterline, coming out to cook, eat in their home, and work on the farm during the day.
From Wikipedia
See the video of Mona's testimonial at this link -->https://youtu.be/AWRX2XWGhws or click the image above.
Photograph: Left to Right:
Unknown
Elaine Warren
Rhoda Goodro Perry (Joyce’s sister)
Joyce Goodro Thomas
Wyman Thomas
Unknown friend of Wyman’s from college
Butler "Red" Thomas (Wyman’s brother)
Pete Perry, Rhoda’s husband
To view the Wikipedia page for East Middlebury click on the link below. Suggestions for additions, references, photographs, etc. are welcome.