"First Settler of Coventry, March 1800"
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At the time Coventry received its charter Orleans county was destitute of inhabitants and inaccessable by roads or thoroughfares of any kind, so the lands were of no value except for speculative purposes. In September, 1799, Samuel Cobb and his son Tisdale visited the township with a view to settlement, and, deciding favorably, proceeded to build a log house and returned for their families. In the following March they brought their families, making the first settlement in the town. Samuel's family consisted of his children, Samuel, Jr., Nathaniel and Silence. Tisdale had only his wife. They started from Westmoreland, N.H., March 15th, traveling on horseback as far as Brownington, which being the end of the road, they left their horses, and made the rest of the journey on foot. Samuel pitched on lot No. 11, the farm now occupied by Stillman Church. Tisdale located on lot No. 12.
In the following June, Samuel Cobb's wife, Silence Barney, born February 21, 1756, and his younger children, who had remained in Westmoreland while preparations were being made for their reception, joined their father. As soon as the Cobb's had fairly established themselves, they built a log-shop, in which they carried on black smithing. They were the only men of the trade in the northern part of Orleans county, and so had customers from all the region around.
The settlers thus mentioned constituted the adult population of the township in March, 1803, when it was deemed expedient that the town be regularly organized. Accordingly, application was made to Luke Chapin, Esq., of Newport, who issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held at the residence of Samuel Cobb, Thursday, March 31, 1803. The meeting was duly convened, when the town was organized by the election of the following officers: John Wells, Jr., moderator; Joseph Marsh, clerk; Timothy Woodbridge, constable; Samuel Cobb, treasurer; Samuel Cobb, Daniel B. Smith, and John Ide, Jr., selectmen; Perez Gardner, John Wells Jr. and Joseph Marsh, listers; Joseph Marsh, Samuel Cobb, John Wells, Jr., and Samuel B. Smith, highway surveyors; and Perez Gardner, grand juror. The first justice of the peace was John Wells, Jr., in 1802. Joseph Marsh was the first representative, in 1803.
(Source: Gazetteer of Lamoille and Orleans Counties, VT.; 1883-1884, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page 227-229)
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At the time Coventry received its charter Orleans county was destitute of inhabitants and inaccessable by roads or thoroughfares of any kind, so the lands were of no value except for speculative purposes. In September, 1799, Samuel Cobb and his son Tisdale visited the township with a view to settlement, and, deciding favorably, proceeded to build a log house and returned for their families. In the following March they brought their families, making the first settlement in the town. Samuel's family consisted of his children, Samuel, Jr., Nathaniel and Silence. Tisdale had only his wife. They started from Westmoreland, N.H., March 15th, traveling on horseback as far as Brownington, which being the end of the road, they left their horses, and made the rest of the journey on foot. Samuel pitched on lot No. 11, the farm now occupied by Stillman Church. Tisdale located on lot No. 12.
In the following June, Samuel Cobb's wife, Silence Barney, born February 21, 1756, and his younger children, who had remained in Westmoreland while preparations were being made for their reception, joined their father. As soon as the Cobb's had fairly established themselves, they built a log-shop, in which they carried on black smithing. They were the only men of the trade in the northern part of Orleans county, and so had customers from all the region around.
The settlers thus mentioned constituted the adult population of the township in March, 1803, when it was deemed expedient that the town be regularly organized. Accordingly, application was made to Luke Chapin, Esq., of Newport, who issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held at the residence of Samuel Cobb, Thursday, March 31, 1803. The meeting was duly convened, when the town was organized by the election of the following officers: John Wells, Jr., moderator; Joseph Marsh, clerk; Timothy Woodbridge, constable; Samuel Cobb, treasurer; Samuel Cobb, Daniel B. Smith, and John Ide, Jr., selectmen; Perez Gardner, John Wells Jr. and Joseph Marsh, listers; Joseph Marsh, Samuel Cobb, John Wells, Jr., and Samuel B. Smith, highway surveyors; and Perez Gardner, grand juror. The first justice of the peace was John Wells, Jr., in 1802. Joseph Marsh was the first representative, in 1803.
(Source: Gazetteer of Lamoille and Orleans Counties, VT.; 1883-1884, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page 227-229)
"First Settler of Coventry, March 1800"
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At the time Coventry received its charter Orleans county was destitute of inhabitants and inaccessable by roads or thoroughfares of any kind, so the lands were of no value except for speculative purposes. In September, 1799, Samuel Cobb and his son Tisdale visited the township with a view to settlement, and, deciding favorably, proceeded to build a log house and returned for their families. In the following March they brought their families, making the first settlement in the town. Samuel's family consisted of his children, Samuel, Jr., Nathaniel and Silence. Tisdale had only his wife. They started from Westmoreland, N.H., March 15th, traveling on horseback as far as Brownington, which being the end of the road, they left their horses, and made the rest of the journey on foot. Samuel pitched on lot No. 11, the farm now occupied by Stillman Church. Tisdale located on lot No. 12.
In the following June, Samuel Cobb's wife, Silence Barney, born February 21, 1756, and his younger children, who had remained in Westmoreland while preparations were being made for their reception, joined their father. As soon as the Cobb's had fairly established themselves, they built a log-shop, in which they carried on black smithing. They were the only men of the trade in the northern part of Orleans county, and so had customers from all the region around.
The settlers thus mentioned constituted the adult population of the township in March, 1803, when it was deemed expedient that the town be regularly organized. Accordingly, application was made to Luke Chapin, Esq., of Newport, who issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held at the residence of Samuel Cobb, Thursday, March 31, 1803. The meeting was duly convened, when the town was organized by the election of the following officers: John Wells, Jr., moderator; Joseph Marsh, clerk; Timothy Woodbridge, constable; Samuel Cobb, treasurer; Samuel Cobb, Daniel B. Smith, and John Ide, Jr., selectmen; Perez Gardner, John Wells Jr. and Joseph Marsh, listers; Joseph Marsh, Samuel Cobb, John Wells, Jr., and Samuel B. Smith, highway surveyors; and Perez Gardner, grand juror. The first justice of the peace was John Wells, Jr., in 1802. Joseph Marsh was the first representative, in 1803.
(Source: Gazetteer of Lamoille and Orleans Counties, VT.; 1883-1884, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page 227-229)
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At the time Coventry received its charter Orleans county was destitute of inhabitants and inaccessable by roads or thoroughfares of any kind, so the lands were of no value except for speculative purposes. In September, 1799, Samuel Cobb and his son Tisdale visited the township with a view to settlement, and, deciding favorably, proceeded to build a log house and returned for their families. In the following March they brought their families, making the first settlement in the town. Samuel's family consisted of his children, Samuel, Jr., Nathaniel and Silence. Tisdale had only his wife. They started from Westmoreland, N.H., March 15th, traveling on horseback as far as Brownington, which being the end of the road, they left their horses, and made the rest of the journey on foot. Samuel pitched on lot No. 11, the farm now occupied by Stillman Church. Tisdale located on lot No. 12.
In the following June, Samuel Cobb's wife, Silence Barney, born February 21, 1756, and his younger children, who had remained in Westmoreland while preparations were being made for their reception, joined their father. As soon as the Cobb's had fairly established themselves, they built a log-shop, in which they carried on black smithing. They were the only men of the trade in the northern part of Orleans county, and so had customers from all the region around.
The settlers thus mentioned constituted the adult population of the township in March, 1803, when it was deemed expedient that the town be regularly organized. Accordingly, application was made to Luke Chapin, Esq., of Newport, who issued a warrant for a town meeting to be held at the residence of Samuel Cobb, Thursday, March 31, 1803. The meeting was duly convened, when the town was organized by the election of the following officers: John Wells, Jr., moderator; Joseph Marsh, clerk; Timothy Woodbridge, constable; Samuel Cobb, treasurer; Samuel Cobb, Daniel B. Smith, and John Ide, Jr., selectmen; Perez Gardner, John Wells Jr. and Joseph Marsh, listers; Joseph Marsh, Samuel Cobb, John Wells, Jr., and Samuel B. Smith, highway surveyors; and Perez Gardner, grand juror. The first justice of the peace was John Wells, Jr., in 1802. Joseph Marsh was the first representative, in 1803.
(Source: Gazetteer of Lamoille and Orleans Counties, VT.; 1883-1884, Compiled and Published by Hamilton Child; May 1887, Page 227-229)
