William A. Dow of Waterford, Passumpsic, and St. Johnsbury: A Railroad Story

An extended period of sorting my late husband Dave Kanell's research turned up this wonderful photo this month, labeled on the back "William Dow's House." The photo was taken by Charles F. Shepherd (21 Main Street, St. Johnsbury, according to the 1890 St. Johnsbury directory), whose wife was Emma A. Smith (married August 7, 1884); the photographer also stamped his work "Passumpsic Vt," indicating he had a studio there. Note the buggy to the far right of the photo.

William A. Dow was born in Waterford, Vermont, in 1850, to Joseph and Lydia Jane (Keich/Keach) Dow. William worked for the Canadian Pacific Railroad, with some express agent labors, and as a Western Union agent in McIndoe Falls, say Dave's notes. In 1880 he married Mary Agnes Smith (1958-1908). His brother John K. Dow (1845-1853; wife Beverly, 1845-1913) was a member of Company H 13th Regiment Vermont Volunteers in the Civil War, John was born in Cabot; his death in 1863 was of "typhoid."

Dave's notes indicate that William also owned a home in Cambridge, MA.

As you can see from the newspaper article (St. Johnsbury Caledonian, November 10, 1915), William Dow's notoriety at that date came from his tragic death at the railroad crossing in East Ryegate. Mr. Howard Harris, one of two auto dealership partners in Boston, was driving Mr. Dow in his brand new automobile, purchased two days earlier in Boston. "Neither one had any idea that a train was approaching the crossing and the automobile was nearly over the track when it was struck near the rear wheel by the engine," the newspaper reported. A train, presumably the next one along the tracks, brought Mr. Dow to St. Johnsbury, and he was treated at Brightlook Hospital for concussion, by "Drs. Ross and Fitch," who failed to find other injuries; he did not survive the next day, dying of heart failure.

In addition to its ties to Waterford and Passumpic (presumably where the house in the photo stood) and St. Johnsbury, this material connected to today's Dow family in the region. William Dow's paternal ancestry goes to Joseph Down 1822-1905, Jacob Dow 1776-1831, Ebenezer Dow 1737-1817, John Dow 1695-1738, Thomas Dow 1653 (born in Hampton NH)-1728, Henry Dow Jr, 1615-1657. [Henry Dow Jr., in the small world of northern New England ancestry, is one of my 10-great grandfathers.]

An additional newspaper article in the St. Johnsbury Republican, also on November 10, 1915, adds that the car was a Regal; that William and Mary (who came from Littleton, N.H.) had an adopted son Earl Dow of Littleton); and that relatives called to town for the funeral included Mr. and Mrs. John Bacon of Danville (Mrs. Bacon was William's sister), Mr. and Mrs. George Smith of Littleton, Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Smith of Hardwick, and Mr. and Mrs. B. R. Smith of Passumpsic, as well as A. J. Richardson and family of Littleton. William Dow's surviving brothers were Edward Dow of South Dakota and Dexter Dow, "whose whereabouts are unknown."

 

Albert Peter Dussault, 1909-1985: "What a way to live" (Waterford and St. Johnsbury, Vermont)

Albert Dussault, age 7.

[Much appreciation to Andy Dussault of St. Johnsbury, who provided his father's autobiography, with permission to share it here. Please see the related post for a picture that includes Albert at age seven -- we'd appreciate help identifying the other children in the photo.]

 

Autobiography of Albert Peter Dussault

Nov. 26, 1909  -  Jan. 2, 1985

 

            I was born at Cloquet, Minn. on November 26, 1909.  My father, Emile N. Dussault was a millright.  We moved to Waterford, Vermont in August 1914 on the Andrew McKee farm,  above the Lee Farm (near Stiles Pond), as my grandfather (H. Lebrun) bought it.  I attended the Graves School – Lottie Hill was our first teacher - from 1916  until February 14, 1924, then I went to St. Gabriel’s School in St. Johnsbury, Vt.  I graduated  on June 15, 1926.  Before 1926, I worked summers at Moose River Gardens, worked for Sherm McGinnis haying, and at the Carreau farm.  Also, worked for the State of Vermont as water boy with horse & wagon with tank - filling it out of the brook and Lee Farm water tank for a steam shovel.

[The next three photos, provided by Andy Dussault, show Albert and some of his siblings -- there were 15 Dussault children, and their farm was on Fairbanks Mountain, adjoining the Lee Farm. -- BK]

 

            In my young life, while in school - I drove 1, 2 and 4 horse teams and also oxen at Cary Maple.  Chopped wood and all other work in the woods.

            Then came my Walk into Life, June, 1926. Went on top of Hulbert Hill, my 1^st job out of school - pick and shovel.  $3.00 per day for brother Joseph and I as he worked there too.  2^nd job, striking for blacksmith sharpening drill bits for jack hammer   -  rock drilling.  The first trucks I drove were an Aviation and Liberty dump trucks for the state of Vermont. Then came a day the driller let me drive the Nash Quad about ½ mile.  It  drove  from the 4 wheels and it steered from the four wheels, solid rubber tires, in high gear 14 miles per hour.  Also, this was a drilling outfit and included a four wheel trailer on which was a Blacksmith Shop for sharpening rock drills.  In November 1926, this rig went to the sand bar in Grand Isle  to build the Sand Bar Road and bridge.  From this time on I knew I wanted to be a truck driver, and I was for a good many years. 

In November 1926, I hired out to Bertha Lee to care for a barn full of cows and other farm animals.  Then in February 1927, went up on East St. Johnsbury Mountain to drive team for Joe Morin for  one month and lived in the camp atop of mountain. Worked one month for Laperle.   During the winter of 1927, we walked half way to Littleton at 10 to 15 degrees below zero and that night slept in livery stable in Littleton with the teamsters. Next morning, left for Lincoln, NH, on a load of grain, got there between 8 to 9 p.m. that night.   Hired out as tractor  operator,  and left  for the woods the  next  morning at  5 a.m.  operating a Cletrac Tractor for Parker and Young – Lincoln, N.H. for 2 ½ months until spring.  One summer I worked for Swan Construction. (They built the St. Johnsbury Garage on Railroad Street.)

Then came my career for Harry Dolgin  in the spring of 1927 in the junk yard and used auto parts for  two years until 1929.  Driver and learned some mechanic from Charles Kirker at Dolgin’s.

             I worked for Costa on the delivery route for one summer.

            In 1930, worked two months at Fairbanks Scale Works, and for six weeks drove milk truck for Floyd Easter.

            In 1930, Memorial Day night made my first trip to Boston for St. Johnsbury Trucking with Wesley Fairbanks with #11, a K-W Brockway.  Then was given #19, a Model A Ford on  Swift’s Mountain run delivering beef to stores and hotels.  In the winter of 1932, Francis Fisher and I took a load of furniture to Alexandria, Va. We left St. Johnsbury on  Monday, Feb. 14th and returned that Friday night. 

I drove and worked as mechanic and rigger.  I drove #19 - #25 - #21 - #11 - #13 - #10 Big Steve - #59 better known as Caroline, a wrecker and low bed tractor – then came Big Bertha #200 an Autocar wrecker and #282 an International wrecker.  I also ran the Boston terminal for 6 weeks during the winter of 1935, then drove  #40 - #32 - #65 - #42 ten wheeler, #9 - #7.  I drove Model A Fords, 240 Brockways, Republic, Northways, Garfords,  Libertys, Aviations, Auto Cars, Sterling Diesel  chain drive,  Bulldog Macks chain drive and many more.

Sept. 23, 1937 I got married.  Worked local for 10 months then went back on the road with #65 a new DS 60 International tractor. I drove the first tractor trailer in the northern part all winter during  1935 & 1936.  In the spring of 1939, ran the St. Johnsbury terminal  for 3 months.  Then went to manage the Newport terminal until May 30, 1941.  This is when I left for the machine shops in Conn. We moved to Farmington cutoff in Connecticut in June 1941 and worked at Fuller Brush and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft.   In Sept. 1943, the Braults (Gerry & Gemma) and us (Albert, Noella, Andre, Denise, Robert) returned to Vermont.  We lived in a trailer park behind a filling station on Shelburne Road in South Burlington.

   On Nov. 21, 1943, my mother died in Burlington, Vt.  

I worked at Bell Aircraft  as a machinist until the end of World War II. In 1945, opened Dussault’s General Auto Repair until March 1947 at 220 Shelburne Road.  During the spring of 1947, we returned to St. Johnsbury and I did general auto repair until July.

            In July 1947, my father and I started building  our house  on Higgins Hill. (1249 Concord Ave.)  Moved  in on Paul’s first birthday, Dec.17th.  While up there (Higgins Hill)  worked for Warren Motors, then contracted carpenter work until 1-1949.  Then back to St. Johnsbury Trucking again as mechanic, rigger, driving  and moving heavy equipment.

We sold our house, and on October 1^st, 1950, the family and I went to California for 3 years, then came back in September, 1953.

            In California, I worked as carpenter in Chico, on western grain silos installing roofs.   Then went to  Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo  (Jan, 1951), California for 15 months as a heavy machinist in the inside  machine shop.  Then  on June 2, 1952, moved to Cohasset, CA in the Sierra Nevada Range.  (Pop, Andre and Bobby worked for Uncle Walter in the woods for four weeks – he didn’t pay any of us.)  For 3 weeks worked as truck driver and rigger for Butte Creek Rock Co.  Then in Sept. 1952 I went to work for  Chico Wood Products (Sam Fortino) who had a garage in Chico and a  logging operation  and  sawmill in Cohasset, as driver, mechanic and jack of all trades.  Driver in the tall timber of the Great North West and cat skinner – jammer puncher.  Heavy log truck driving  (Federal tractor with a 300 Cummings diesel) during the days and  as a mechanic on logging trucks and dozers, TD 24 International and D8 Catepillars nights and during the winter.  I ran a board saw for one week in the Cohasset mill.

            Then in August, 1953 came back to Vermont.  Left $3.75 per hour wage and back to  St. Johnsbury Trucking for  $1.25  per  hour  as  mechanic,  wrecker driver and heavy equipment moving until  March  9, 1954.   At 7:30 a.m. got both legs broken by a bucket on a 2 yard link belt shovel. (The accident happened behind West’s Garage in Errol, N.H.

    I was in St. Louis Hospital in Berlin N.H.  for  4 weeks . By July 1958 I had had 5 operations – bone graft and skin grafts.  Then I was in the St. Johnsbury Hospital  until July 9, 1954.  My right leg was in a cast for 38 months.   

            I then worked for Brault’s Mobile Homes  hauling ten ft. wide mobile homes from Marlette, Michigan and Nanticoke, Pa.  One from each place a week.  Then in the fall I bought a truck of my own and hauled for Chamberlain of Thomaston, Conn. until the spring of 1959.

           I started a trailer sales of my own in 1959, (St. Johnsbury Mobile Homes) until I sold to Geo. Secilian April 14, 1972 and he quit in 1974 and I lost  $55,000.00 and he took off.

I even owned a pumper fire truck. Moved to Waterford 6-17-72 and bought and sold tractors, dozers, and bucket loaders  - trucks and cars.  Sold house and moved to a mobile home on North lot.  Then retired.  What a way to live -  ask me.   The worst thing in life is retiring  - for the birds.

            My mother wanted me to go to high school and I told her I wanted to be “a mechanic and truck driver”  and I did, except   7 years in machine shop and 2 years a general “Building Contractor” and Repairs.

            In August 1977 went to Cloquet, Minn.  “flew” out and back to see our Bro. Robert’s (3/9/1911 – 3/25/1912) grave and Margaret Lasor  - went with Clement  -  what a way to travel.

 On August 8^th, 1982 left Derby Line for Cloquet, Minn. at 1:30 p.m. with Bro. Joe.  We returned 8-12-82 at 9:00 p.m. 2301 miles, having Bro. Robert’s  body returned  70 years and 5 months after his death (as they had promised their mother).

 

DRIVING RECORD

Truck Driving 1 ½ to 2 million miles without a chargeable accident.

I loved truck driving and hauling heavy equipment and logging in The Wild West.

The man that let me drive my first truck was – George Sterns – State of Vt. Driver and Mechanic.

Only dumb people retire.

Places we lived until October 1982

#1  -  Oct. 1937   Just married in Beebe Plains, P.Q.  - 39 Maple St.  St. J.

#2  -  Oct. 1938   Upstairs 72 Portland Street Andre’s first home. He was 10 days old.

#3  -  Newport, Vt.  1939  -  Denise born Jan. 14, 1940.  Born at home – Indian Point and                

         Elm Street.

#4  -  Oct. 1940  moved to Winter St. (in Newport)

#5  -  June 1941 moved in a 15 ft. trailer on Farmington Cut-off. Conn.

#6  -  Oct. 8, 1942  Robert was born at St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, Conn.

#7  -  While in this spot moved from Schultz 15 ft. to 18 ft. Platt trailer.

#8  -  Then to a 29 ft. Howard trailer.

#9  -  Moved to So. Burlington – Shelburne Road – (Sept. 1943)

#10 – Moved to Fort Ethan Allen housing.

#11 – Moved to Queen City Park where we bought our first home.

          Dec. 17, 1946 - Paul was born in the DesGrosbriand Hospital, Burlington, Vt.

#12 -  Back to St. J. on Portland St.  1947 and built our house on Higgins Hill.

#13 -  Moved to Higgins Hill,  Dec. 7, 1947     -    July 14, 1948  Clement born  St. J.         

          Hospital.

#14 – Sold house to Geo. Hall went to Chico, California at East 17^th St.

#15 – Moved to Vallejo, Cal.  Eugene born August 8, 1951

#16 – 1952 moved to Cohassett, Cal. In 25 ft. trailer & an outbuilding.

#17 – Moved to Nord Ave. Chico, Cal.

#18 – Moved back to Vt. In Aug. 1953 Portland St. upstairs over Mrs. Fales.         

#19 – Moved downstairs in Mrs. Fales  apt.

#20 – Moved to Marion Ave. in back apt.

#21 – Moved in Taylor’s side apt.

#22 -  1961 in Zabarsky’s apt. Corner of Concord Ave. and Lafayette St.

#23 – 1962 moved on Memorial Dr. in Knowlton House until we sold in 1972.

#24 – Moved in New House on Hulbert Hill, Waterford.

#25 – Moved in Mobil Home  14’ x 64’.

 

 

BAPTISMS                                                                                   BIRTHS

Andre baptized in Notre Dame Church, St. J. Vt.                         Born Oct. 24, 1938

Denise baptized in Star of the Sea , Newport, Vt.                         Born Jan. 14, 1940       

Robert baptized in St. Patrick’s Church,  Farmington, Conn.       Born Oct.   8, 1942

Paul baptized in St. Anthony, Burlington, Vt.                               Born Dec. 17, 1946

Clement baptized  in Notre Dame Church, St. J., Vt.                    Born July  14, 1948

Eugene baptized in St. Basil’s, Vallejo, Cal.                                 Born Aug.   8, 1951

 

                          

TIMES AND PLACES IN FLORIDA

1975   -  1976  Kissimmee + (2 weeks Ft. Lauderdale with sis. Jean)

1976   -  1978   stayed home.

1978  -  1979   Pompano Beach

1979  -  1980   DeLand , Fla.

1980  -  1981   Belleview, Fla.

1981  - 1982   Belleview, Fla.

                      

 

 

Edited by Andre Dussault

Typed by Gertrude Dussault

March 2003

                                                      Revised March 9, 2012

                                                    Revised January 21, 2016

 

[For more stories of Waterford, Vermont, history, please do browse the blog here; you can use the "search" box at top left for topics like schools or dams.]

Waterford's Religious Centers: The Baptist Ministers and Churches

Today's Union Baptist Church, Waterford,  VT. Photo courtesy of the church website, http://www.ubcstj.org

The "White Village" of Lower Waterford today has only one church, and it is not a Baptist one -- but the longing to worship in the "spirit of Roger Williams" (1603-1683; Puritan who became a Reformed Baptist) came along with many of Waterford's early residents whose roots had first been in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In 1796 Silas Davison arrived in Waterford, where his farming career vacillated with his landholdings. He preached in Barnet as well as Waterford, and Dr. C. E. Harris in his Waterford history (A Vermont Village) says that the Rev. Davison was "ordained in John Wood's barn."

Baptists in Barnet and St. Johnsbury found the journey to the Rev. Davison's home for his services was too difficult, wrote John D. Thyng in a note added to Frederick Palmer Wells's History of Barneet, Vermont. So a "call was sent to the Baptists in these two towns to meet at Passumpsic on Sept. 24, 1811, that village having been chosen as the most central point" (J. D. Thyng again).

Eight people had been meeting at "Bro. Silas Davison's house" and became half of this "Baptist Church of St. Johnsbury and Waterford." The church's second pastor would be the very well known Rev. George B. Ide, and "scores [of people] were added tp the church." With a membership of more than 200, it became the largest Baptist church in Vermont, until a decline began around 1843. The intricate history of these years includes the "Millerite doctrine" and reorganizations that stretched across into New Hampshire as well. Various buildings were outgrown. A bequest from Jonathan Lawrence of about $2,000 and the land on which the Passumpsic Baptist Church now stands (plus a farm in Waterford) led to the 1895 construction of the church seen today in Passumpsic, designed by architect Lambert Packard.

Things became more complicated during the late 19th century. In 1869 a Free Will Baptist Church was organized in St. Johnsbury, and in 1875 it gained a church building, which burned in 1881, was rebuilt in 1882 (seating capacity 300!), and when its congregation later merged into a second one (see next description), the building was taken over by the First Church of Christ Scientist (it still stands, next to the Fairbanks Museum). Another congregation, the First Baptist Church, was organized in St. Johnsbury in 1874 and in 1875 gained a church building on Railroad Street. In 1916 the two St. J Baptist congregations merged to form the Union Baptist Church, which thrived in its Railroad Street home, adding a school in 1976.

Railroad Street (St Johnsbury) building that housed Union Baptist Church, 1916-1992 (and earlier, the First Baptist Church).

The Union Baptist Church outgrew its home in St. Johnsbury, and in 1992 it completed construction on a much larger building, including a school wing, in Waterford. The first worship service held there was on October 25, 1992, bringing the Baptist group back into the town where the Rev. Davison had launched his own church meetings so many years before.

Groundbreaking, for 1992 structure - photo from UBC website, annotated by Tanya Powers.

This year, 2016, is the centennial of the merger of those churches, and Union Baptist Church plans to celebrate its history in July. A complete narrative of the church and its many leaders will be compiled by then. So this post is simply a "place holder" for that long version that we can look forward to.

Power Plant and Business in Neighboring St Johnsbury, Vermont, Circa 1910

This winter, we'll work on more of the details of Waterford's water-powered mills, which ranged from traditional sawmills, to a tannery, and an oil mill (linseed!). And of course, Waterford's 20th and 21st centuries are strongly influenced by the three linked power dams on the Connecticut River (including Moore Dam, the one that most affected the town's history, and Comerford, with its amazing construction in 1928-1930, explored elsewhere on this blog; the third is McIndoes).

So it's a good time to look at this postcard of a power station that still exists, at the confluence of the Moose and Passumpsic Rivers in the next town west, St. Johnsbury. (Click on the images to see them enlarged.) My ever-researching husband Dave dates this postcard at about 1910; the "reverse" treats economic hard times pretty cheerfully! Local residents and dedicated visitors will recognize this mill site, where today's "Old Mill" fitness club and neighboring restaurant prosper. A fishing platform is being installed a short distance downstream, at Fred Mold Park. Changes! But good ones, we hope.

Three cheers for O. V. Hooker and Son, promoting their sturdy business through the power of the press and postcards, a century ago.

The Frosty Bar, Short Update

Construction progress as the Frosty Bar (just outside Waterford, on Route 2) continues its change back to a drive-in restaurant (seafood included, we hear!).

20th-Century Restaurants Near Waterford

It was a pleasure to post the image of the Countryside Restaurant; here are two other dining spots just west of the Waterford/St. Johnsbury line where the buildings are still on the sites, but things have changed a great deal! The first is Aime's Restaurant and Motel (the local pronunciation of Aime in this case is "Amy"). Now with a dark blue exterior, it's a convenience store and gas station called Pettico Junction. When this postcard photo was taken -- maybe the 1950s? -- it was one of the popular dining spots, and for many years included wild game on the menu.

The second and third images (courtesy of Dave Kanell-- thank you!) are the front and back of a postcard of Gerard and Susan Pilette's Frosty Bar, a bit further west along Route 2 (across the road from the current Fairbanks Scales structure). I remember stopping here with my small children, maybe around 1982 or a couple of years later. Now the building is painted white, and after many years of being empty, a "P" sign has announced permitted construction taking place. Wonder what's next? And will the Holstein go back onto the roof??

Use the "Comments" button below to add your memories of these or other Waterford-area eateries.