Essex

CUTLER, Benoni & Children

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 1002-1003 (extracts from 
a section on the history of Guildhall)

Benoni CUTLER was formerly a resident and , we believe a native of, Killingly 
[Windham County], Connecticut. He served as a soldier through the French and 
Indian War, and as Captain in the Revolution. About the close of the war he 
removed to Windsor [Windsor County], Vermont, and in the spring of 1784 came 
to Guildhall [Essex County, Vermont]; resided at first on the meadow, near 
the river, where Mr. RICE first commenced, being on the farm now owned by Mr. 
FISKE. A year or two subsequently he purchased the Twelfth settlers' lot and 
the 300 acre grant to OSGOOD and BAILEY, including the mills, etc. He was 
one of the first justices of the peace, and there was scarcely a year during 
his after life [life after moving to Guildhall] in which he did not hold one 
or more important town offices. He brought up a family of sons: Charles, 
Theophilus, William, Joseph, Royal, Erastus, and Zara; and two daughters, 
Rebecca and Lucy. He was also one of the seven persons composing the first 
church organization in town in 1799. He [Benoni CUTLER] died in 1806, being 
between sixty and seventy years of age, and one of the first to be buried in 
the north burying ground.

Charles CUTLER [son of Benoni] resided in this town [Guildhall, Essex County, 
Vermont] many years, and had a family of two sons: Gerard and Calvin, and 
several daughters. He was prominent and active in the public affairs of town 
and church, holding frequently office of responsibility. He finally removed, 
with most of his family, to the far West, where he lived to be upward of 
ninety years of age. His son Calvin was educated to the ministry, and 
settled over the Presbyterian church in Windham [Rockingham County], New 
Hampshire, and continued to sustain that relation for life.

Theophilus CUTLER [son of Benoni] resided in Guildhall [Essex County, 
Vermont] the greater part of his life, and was a man of enterprise and 
business capability. Was rather distinguished as a constable and collector 
of taxes. He raised a family of five sons and three daughters. He died at 
Lunenburgh [Lunenburg, Essex County, Vermont], being more than eighty years 
of age.

William CUTLER [son of Benoni], an enterprising, resolute, active man, 
possessing the confidence of his townsmen and of the church, was chosen 
deacon in 1819, and held that office until his decease, which took place but 
little more than two years after. He had five or six children, but none are 
living in this region.

Joseph CUTLER [son of Benoni] died in early manhood and left no family.

Royal CUTLER was born in 1778 at Windsor [Windsor County], Vermont. He was 
about six years of age when his father [Benoni CUTLER] came to Guildhall 
[Essex County, Vermont], and the whole of his after life was spent here. 
During his whole life he enjoyed the confidence of his fellow citizens, as is 
shown by the fact of his having been constantly entrusted with offices of 
importance by the town and county. As town clerk, selectman, lister, 
overseer of poor, treasurer for nearly twenty years, delegate to 
Constitutional Convention, justice of the peace, assistant judge of County 
Court, and judge of probate for six years, he was identified with the public 
interests of his fellow citizens in all branches during his entire life. He 
[Royal CUTLER] died in May 1856, in his seventy-eighth year.

Erastus CUTLER [son of Benoni], born about 1783, died in April 1832, aged 
forty-eight years, was a highly respected and useful member of society and of 
the church. He possessed the confidence of all his acquaintances; was 
honored repeatedly by his fellow townsmen and the church, of which he was for 
thirteen years an active and useful deacon; assisting his associates in 
sustaining meetings for religious worship on the Sabbath during such time as 
the church and people were destitute of a minister, and his premature death 
was much lamented. He left but one child, Mrs. William H. HARTSHORN.

Zara CUTLER, born in 1786 in Guildhall [Essex County, Vermont], was bred to 
the legal profession, and removed to Conway [Carroll County], New Hampshire, 
where he died in March 1861, aged seventy-five years. He united with the 
church in 1807. We will make no other comment upon his life and character 
than to refer to the action of the Carroll County Bar on the subject of his 
decease: Ossippe [Carroll County], New Hampshire, 24 April 1861 - At the 
recent term of the court in this place the following resolutions were passed 
by the Bar: Resolved, That it is with deep sorrow the members of Carroll 
County Bar learn the decease of Zara CUTLER, a member of this Bar, a man of 
sound judgment, discreet in practice, of strict integrity, exemplary in his 
deportment, and of irreproachable reputation." And at this meeting of the 
Bar, F. R. CHASE, Esq., of the same town [Guildhall, Essex County, Vermont], 
rose and with accents of deepest feeling, alluded to his long and intimate 
acquaintance with the deceased, a friendship dating far back in early 
boyhood, in the Sabbath School in Conway [Carroll County, State], of which 
Mr. [Zara] CUTLER acted as superintendent for nearly thirty years. Mr. CHASE 
paid a handsome eulogy to the character and many virtues of the deceased. 
And his Honor, Judge DOE, closed the solemnities of the occasion with a most 
appropriate eulogistic address.

Lucy CUTLER [daughter of Benoni] married Deacon Joel BASSETT, and after 
removed to Granby [Essex County, Vermont], where they resided for a 
considerable number of years, and finally emigrated to western New York. 
They had several children, who are supposed to be residing in that vicinity. 
[Benoni CUTLER's other daughter, Rebecca, is not individually mentioned in 
this writing.]

Very few of the quite numerous descendants of the twelve first settlers [of 
Guildhall, Essex County, Vermont, among whom was Benoni CUTLER] are at 
present residing in Guildhall, and no families bearing the name of BAILEY, 
HOPKINSON, HOWE, GROUT, BUDKNAM, OR WHEELER. Benoni CUTLER has but one male 
descendant in the town of the name. His family are probably as remarkable as 
any for longevity; five of his children living, in the aggregate, 418 years, 
or an average of more than eighty-three. The oldest person who has died in 
town [Guildhall] was, we believe, Calvin HUBBARD, September 1854, aged 
ninety-three years and five months. Anne, his wife, died September 1857, 
aged ninety-three years two months.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly