Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History Middlebury, Vermont Manuscript Collection Inventory Drake Family Papers, 1739-1886 Range 4B1-2 SMRC00371 Scope An invaluable source on the early days of Weybridge - especially the church of Weybridge and the development of Belden's Falls. Many of the early inhabitants of Weybridge are mentioned in the account books. The papers trace David Belding's movement to Weybridge from Swanzey, N.H. through deeds, and his land purchases in the Belden district. There is a detailed financial account of building the grist mill at Belden's Falls. One Drake or another supplied just about everyone in the area with building materials of various types - i.e. wood, brick, stone, etc. Also a valuable source for anyone interested in the nature of the devoted Christian, especially when coupled with information in the letter files. Asaph Drake's autobiography, in relating his spiritual development, also describes his youth - from his family, through his apprenticeships, to running away to Vermont. Background David Belding came to Weybridge in 1793 and located on Otter Creek at what came to be known as Belden's Falls. He bought the property from original owner Joseph McKee. Joseph and Eleazer McKee had established a sawmill at the falls in 1791. His premises were occupied in 1886 by Sylvia Drake and Polly A. Shaw, according to Smith's History of Addison County. Belding's wife was named Lucy. They had a daughter Angelina, who married Ebenezer Scott, and a daughter Louisa (born May 13, 1770) who married Asaph Drake on Dec. 15, 1796. Asaph Drake came to Weybridge in 1793 from Massachusetts and worked for David Belding, eventually marrying his daughter Louisa. They had several children: Elijah G. Lauren Isaac (born Mar. 8, 1802) David Belding Cyrus Bryant (1812-1878), minister, married Louisa Maria Smith (1815-1879) Solomon Mary L.B. Sylvia L. Polly A., married Fordyce M. Shaw, son of Dr. Zenas Shaw They lived in the brick house north of the Morgan Horse Farm in Weybridge, owned in 1990 by Olin and Sylvia Robison and identified in Beer's Atlas as belonging to "Asaph Drake est." In 1794 David Belding and his two sons-in-law, Ebenezer Scott and Asaph Drake, built a grist mill in partnership. "A year later [1795] a small furnace was established by the same men, or part of them, but it was not operated very long."
Asaph and Louisa's son Col. Isaac Drake was Town Clerk, 1840-1852; assistant town clerk and town treasurer in 1886. "He derives his military title from the office of colonel in the state militia." in the Beer's Atlas business directory for Weybridge, he was listed as "Farmer, raiser of cattle and breeder of Spanish Merino sheep." Observations on the site 1978 by F. Scott Morrison Observations from a walk taken between the Drake brick house and Beldens Falls. Thanks to the help of a man named Al from the horse farm I located the following: 1) A small grave yard containing the remains of David Beldin, his wife, and son, with intact head and foot stones for each. This plot is completely engulfed by forest at the moment. Surrounding it is rubble stone that must have been blasted in order to dig deep enough for the individual graves. 2) Foundation remains which probably were the Beldings' homestead. 3) The probable site of the Drake brick kiln. All that remains is a solid pile of brick about fifty feet in diameter on the inside of an oxbow in a stream. Most of the bricks appear to be the rejects left behind. Maybe I did not locate the kiln site, but merely the reject pile. The easiest way to located these sites is to go directly to Beldens Falls and proceed south along Otter Creek until a major stream appears on the right. Follow the stream until a sculptured ledge appears. This ledge would form a falls in high water, but in low water the flow become subterranean at this point. Just above this, maybe thirty feet, are the bricks. The grave plot is roughly 150 yeards to the east of this spot and the cellar remains at least 1/4 mile north of the burial site in the northeast corner of a large field. Sources of information F.W. Beers. Atlas of Addison County, Vermont. 1871. Rutland, Vermont. Charles Tuttle & Sons, 1971. (reprint) Asaph Drake's autobiography, in the Drake Family Papers. Middlebury Mercury (newspaper), 25 May 1803, obituary of David Belding. H.P.Smith. History of Addison County, Vermont. Syracuse, D. Mason Co., 1886. Related Collections Charity Bryant-Sylvia Drake papers Container List Volume 1 Account Book, 1786-1800 This book appears to have been first used solely by David Belding before he arrived in Weybridge and the entries probably refer to people in Swanzey, N.H. He seems to have been both a sawyer and surveyor at that early date. After his arrival, he seems to have been selling lumber, which suggests that he kept the McKees' sawmill running after they deeded him the land. On the bottom of each page,
are the accounts for erecting the grist mill mentioned in Smith's History. (See also Account Book, 1792-1825 in Folder 2.) Oct.8, 1795 Began the grist mill" Scott and Drake's names are integral parts of this work, but other names from around Weybridge also appear often, e.g. Bell, Jewett, Meeker, Wales, etc. In the back of the book are various sawyer bills to Weybridge residents and a description of a tract of land. In at least one case Belden charged for his services as a mason and carpenter. Even though he was in partnership with Drake and Scott, the records seem to be kept solely by Belding. Volume 2 Account Book, 1802-1823 A continuation of the forge accounts beginnng in 1802. Asaph Drake signed settlements as "executor" after a point. It appears that the forge was discontinued about the time of Belding's death as the entries stop until 1812, except for sales of wood and brick, shoeing horses and sharpening plows. The wood sales are for wood, not for sawing. The back pages of this book were used for Drake's early records of the church of Weybridge. 1805 List of donors to the church 1815, Sept. 8 "State of the Treasury of the Church of Weybridge" 1816-23 records of wine purchases and money received by contribution. On page 1 is a list of various books he lent to people. The bills for 1802 are mostly for kettles and "skillits". There is also an 1802 bill to Jonathan Nichols for heavy machinery. On page 7, in October of 1812 there is much wood sold to Benjamin Lawrence, possibly for building his blacksmith shop. Box 1 of 1 Folder 1 Drake and Belding Genealogies Folder 2 Account book, 1792-1825 First kept by David Belding (1792-ca.1800), mostly as a sawyer. Asaph Drake settled Belding's accounts after his death and continued to use the book himself. Drake's work was mostly shoeing horses and selling provisions. Between 1823 and 1825 he sheared sheep. On the back page is "an account of the work done at the grist mill." (David Belding worked 87 days; Ebenezer Scott 110 days; Asaph Drake 71 days). The account also includes the materials purchased for the mill. Folder 3 Folder 4 David Belding and David Belding Jr. - one folder This folder contains mostly loose receipts and land deeds. The senior Belding's last will and testament is also included in this group. The deeds, which date from 1777, pretty much prove that the Beldings resided in Swanzey, N.H. before moving to Weybridge. Their land purchases in this area have also been saved and are in this folder. These papers imply that Ebenzer Scott may have originated from the same place. David Belding's Estate inventory
Folder 5 Asaph Drake Autobiography Written in 1846, giving his family background and describing his spiritual development. Includes an account of running away from the blacksmith to whom he was apprenticed and coming to Vermont. Folder 6 Account Book, 1794-1806 This is the first blacksmith book and even though it predates Belding's death, the records seem to have been kept by Asaph Drake. Ebenzer Scott's name is not mentioned, (except in an account for smith work done for him on page 41), so he was apparently not a partner in this. Except for page 9, the first ten pages are missing. Page 9 can be found in Asaph Drake's loose papers. Folder 7 Asaph Drake, Personal receipts These papers include personal receipts (including one dated at Swanzey, N.H. in 1803), his executor accounts for Belding's estate, land deeds, guardian's papers for minors, and a general list of taxes in Weybridge for the year 1819. The deeds appear to show that he purchased Belding's land after the death of Belding. There are two patent bonds, one in 1828 for the use of "A Machine for preparing mortar, or grinding apples for cider etc..." and another in 1831 for sale and use of a patented dirt scraper "...for repairing roads, digging canals, etc..." One interesting receipt is a promissory note for 171.85 to Oliver Wellington in February 1831 signed by Elisha Smead and Asaph Drake. This may have something to do with the building of Drake's brick house. Included in the same folder as the deeds are some letters to Asaph, including at least one from Swanzey, N.H. Folder 8 Folder 9 Folder 10 Asaph Drake, Correspondence, land deeds Asaph Drake, Miscellaneous papers Miscellaneous Drake papers Folder 11 Account Book, Brick Kiln, 1822-1827 "Account of the Brick Kiln made in Partnership between Rufust Smead, Eli. G. Drake, and Lauren Drake" Sales of brick between 1822 and 1827 to individuals including Peter Starr, Joseph Hough, William Craft, Samuel Sargent. A good book for scaling amounts of brick needed for a chimney as well as the going price of brick. Folders 12-15 Col. Isaac Drake papers These papers include personal finances, a little correspondence, some military papers, and his (incomplete) records as Justice of the Peace and Town Clerk. His clerk and justice papers contain a smattering of writs, paupers records, and judgements, primarily during the 1840's, and the Weybridge Tax Book of 1832. There is an extensive inventory of books, papers, and clerk's records that was compiled in 1852 when he relinquished his position as clerk to Zenas Abbott. There is an 1868 inventory and appraisal of Sylvia Drake's estate. The military records date mostly during the 1830's and are calls to muster, writs for failure to meet, etc. that were addressed to him. There is also his commission to Lieutenant Colonel, dated
1834. There are some papers from his administration of Asaph Drake's estate and a record of the expenses incurred in raising school house # 6. Elijah G. and Isaac supplied all the brick 26,309) for $92.08. Folder 16 Folder 17 Folder 18 Folder 19 Folder 20 Elijah Drake, Mathematical copy book Mrs. Fordyce M. Shaw (Polly A. Drake) Primarily correspondence, also Fordyce Shaw's accounts as executor of Sylvia Drake's estate. It appears from the correspondence that the Shaws moved to So. Malden, Mass. at some point. Copy book (perhaps of Solomon Drake) Louisa Drake, card Weybridge roads