USA > Vermont > Catalogue of the principal officers of Vermont, as connected with its political history, from 1778 to 1851, with some biographical notices, &c. > Part 1
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CATALOGUE OF THE PRINCIPAL
OFFICERS OF VERMONT: AS
CONNECTED ...
Leonard Deming
US 12022.4
TAS
HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
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itate itie Appendix.
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B
CATALOGUE
OF THE
PRINCIPAL OFFICERS OF VERMONT,
AS CONNECTED WITH ITS POLITICAL HISTORY, FROM ..
1778 TO 1851,
WITH SOME
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES, & c. BY LEONARD DEMING, . MIDDLEBURY, VT.
. 07 TiIs catalogue embraces Governors, Lieutenant Governors, Treasurers, Secretaries of State, Speakers and Clerks of the House of Representatives, members of both branches of the different Legislatures, Judges of the Supreme and County Courts, Clerks of the Courts, Sheriffs, States' Attornies, Judges, and Registers of Probate, the several Council of Censors, and Constitutional Con- ventions since 1792, Senators and Representatives to Congress. Also the Judges, Marshals, At- tornies and Clerks of the Circuit Court, and District Court of the State of Vermont.
MIDDLEBURY : PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 1851.
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, US 12022.9
1059 6 2 62100
1
Entered according to Act of Congress, May 29th, 1851, by LEONARD DEMING, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Vermont.
HA .. ) UNIV. RSITY LIBRARY
1931 63-7 43
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INDEX.
Page.|
Page. 97-99
Allen, Ethan Attorneys, United States
112 4 Representatives,
20-34-46
Aggregate of the Census
112 Lyon, Mathew
26
Addison County Representatives, = Officers
17 to 33 Leland. Rev. Aaron 75-88 Lost, Children 14 Lowry, Heman
6L
Auditor of Accounts
110
Bowker, Joseph
100 Librarian,
14
Bell, Jonathan
110 Members of Congress, Vermont
103
Bennington County Officers
Representatives
17-33 Olin, Henry
2L
Clerks of the House of Representatives, 46 Engrossing
9 Orange County Officers, 9 =
74-88
Caledonia County Officers,
89-99 Orleans
Officers 89-99
17-33
Representatives, 48-59
91
Representatives,
20-34-46 Preface, 4
111
Censors, Council of Children, Lost
47-48 Probate, Registers Orleans Co., (in part) 61 Painter, Gamaliel 49
104
Census of Vermont,
108 Representatives before 1788, 17-20
108
Constables of Middlebury,
6 Redding, David
60
Crafts, Samuel C.
22 Robinson, David
10:)
Chipman, John
110 Rutland County Officers, 74-88
10
Representatives
19-20-47-59
Debentures, Legislative Constitutional
105 Secretaries to Governor and Council,
10
District Judges and Officers,
112 Secretaries of State, 10 Senate,
14
Essex County Officers,
90-99 Speakers of the House,
9
66 Representatives
17-18-34-46 Sergeant-at-Arms,
14
Edson, Joseph
111 Sessions, where holden, 89-99 Senators from 1836 to 1850,
14-15-1,
Representatives,
20-34-46; Safford, Samuel
37-14
First Town Clerks.
6-33-46-59-72 Supreme Judges,
78
Fletcher, Samuel
109; Scott, Joseph
110
Calvin
110 Scott, jr., Joseph
110
Fuller, Nathan
111 Smith, Israel
111
Governors,
9 Towns, names of altered. 9 Treasurers,
9
Grand Isle County Officers,
91-99 Vermont,
34-46 Washington County Officers, 92-99
Titus Judge
91 Windham Officers, 74 10 88
Henry, Hugh
35 Representatives, 17-18-60 72
Haiglit, Stephen
11 Windsor
Officers, 74 to 88
Hall, Prince B.
111
Representatives, 17-18-60-72 85
Judges, Supreme Court
73| Willard, Dubartus
Jefferson County Officers, .
92| Webb, Greenleaf 11'
In the following pages, for Representatives, I have arranged the towns after the first insertion, br figures, alphabetical, by counties, so that a person can easily follow a town through, by observing i .. number at the beginning, and follow the same to 1850. Before 1788, the Speakers are in small cat, tals, and after that are in italic. The figures before the county officers, 1 denotes Chief Judge, ' Side Judges, 3 Clerks, 4 Sheriff's, 5 State's Attorneys, 6 Judges of Probate, 7 Registers Probate. Where inverted commas and a name are in one column, the person in the previru. column served a part of the year.
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= Representatives
19-20-47-59
Representatives,
Chittenden County Officers,
89-99 Paddock, Ephraim Judge
Councillors from 1778 to 1835,
12-13 Peck, John
Constitutional Conventions,
100 to Congress,
10
Franklin County Officers,
jr., Asaph
111 Scott, Harvey
110
3
Governors, Lieutenant
Representatives,
Hutchinson, Rev. Aaron
75 6. Reprentatives, 60 to "2
First Officers now living,
34 Senators to Congress
Election Sermons, Preachers of
74-88 Marshalls, United States
112
5 60 Lamoille County Officers,
35
TO THE PUBLIC.
1
It is expected in perusing a new book to find some reasons given why such a work is published. In this case an enquiry will be made, why is this work put forth when nothing new can be obtained from it, as the Journals of the Legislatures, Conventions, &c., and even Walton's Registers contain it all ? I admit that if a person had those Journals and Registers at his command, he might learn many facts of which he is now ignorant, and will probably remain so, if he depends on that source only for his information. You may go into any Town Clerk's Office in this State, and if you can find a complete set of the Legislative journals, you will succeed better than I have done in any office or Library that I have visited, not even the State Library contain the journals of 1786, but I found one in Rutland. The journals are nearly all scattered "few and far between." The University at Burlington have for many years been collecting a perfect set of those journals, but a short time since, they had not obtained them. As for the Registers nearly every one knows, that notwithstanding all the useful information therein contained, and that which every family ought to purchase yearly and preserve, is, soon after New year's day given to the youngest child to destroy, or deposited in the at- tic for the mice, to shelter them from the rude blasts of winter. The President of the Antiquarian Society, and some others within my knowledge, have been many years trying to gather up a com- plete set of Vermont Registers, but as yet have not been successful. As for obtaining the inform- ation herein contained, from Journals and Registers without costing a person ten times the price of the book, is folly to think of. But if a person does not wish for the information for himself or fam- ily, I have laid him under no obligation to purchase, as I have not a solitary subscriber in the State. A person may go into every town in this State that has been organized sixty years, and in nine out of ten he will be unable to obtain from any source, written or verbal, who have represented the town each year since its organization.
And furthermore, such a bold and fearless body of men as first settled Vermont, and safely car- ried her through all her various encounters with her numerous enemies, and safely landed her on the shores of this glorious Union with peace and plenty, deserve to have their names written in letters of gold and handed down to the last man of the last generation that shall inhabit the earth.
LEONARD DEMING.
Middlebury, May 30, 1851.
In arranging the following pages, I have endeavored to give the year in which the term of office began. In taking from the journals I found no difficulty of getting it right, nor from the Registers, only, I had to take the year previous. The term of office of the Legislative appointments in nearly all cases commenced on the first of December of the same year, but in Clerks ot Courts, and Regis- ters of Probate, it has been more difficult to get right, as some of the Courts and some of the Pro- bate Courts do not sit till after the commencement of the year following, and their appointments being made at those sessions, my correspondents have given me the wrong year. ButI have reme- died that in many cases, by taking a political view of the Courts that made the appointments, and the time the first Court was holden after the Judges were appointed. I have endeavored to give the facts as they were, but I do not flatter myself to suppose that errors do not exist in the work which I have not yet ascertained. Ihave already found some which will be mentioned in an crratta. I have in some instances had wrong information from correspondents, which they have afterwards dis- covered, and rectified, but too late to prevent the error occurring.
TOWNS, THE NAMES OF WHICH HAVE BEEN ALTERED.
Alburgh
before 1786 name Missisco Leg.
Chittenden in part
1816 " Philadelphia
Albany
= 1815 = Lutterlolı.
Danville in part " 1819 66 Deweysburgh
Bloomfield
1830
Minehead
Dover
1811 .. South Wardsboro
Bradford
1788
Moretown.
Brandon
1784
Neshobe
Grafton 1791 Tomlinson
Bristol
1789
Pocock
Grand Isle
1810 66 Middle Hero
Barre
1793
1832
Random
Hartland 1782
Hertford
Chester
46 1766 =
Flamstead&N.FI'd Huntington
1795 = New Huntington
Chelsea
1758
Turnersburgh
Isle La Mott
1830 66 Vineyard
Craftsbury
1790
66 Minden
Kirby
66 1807
= Hopkinsville
Charleston
66 1825
= Navy
Londonderry
1780
Kent
Clarendon
1761
Socialboro'&Dur'm Lowell
4 1831 " Kellyvale
Coventry
in
1842,3 "
Orleans
Morgan
.6
1801 66 Caldersburgh
=
Wildersburgh
Granville
1834 = Kingston
Brighton
Frar.klin 1817 Huntsburgh
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CONTINUED.
Mendon
1827
Medway& Park's'n' Sutton
=
1812
Billymead
Mount Holly
1792
Jacksons Gore
¡Troy
1803
Missisco
Mount Tabor
1805
Harwick
Vernon
1802 Hinsdale
Newport " 1816 66 Duncansborough
Vineyard
1802 .6 Isle La Mott
Peacham in p'rt
1810 =
Deweysburgh
Waterford
1797
Littleton
Peru
1804
Bromley
Whitingham
u 1780
Cumberland
Plymouth
" 1797
Saltash
Wilmington =
46 Draper
Sheldon
"
1792
Hungerford
Westmore 66
Westford
Sherburne
1800 =
Killingtou
Woodbury from 1838 to 1843 was Monroe
ERRATA.
Page 9 1st column, 3d line from bottom for 45 read 48.
18 5th
3d name "
top
Silas Goodrich read John Gray.
Oliver Smith " Silas Goodrich.
=
9th
12th "
14th
Burgess = Ebenezer Burgess.
below Daniel Jewett insert Samuel Taylor.
John Davison. Strike out Ryegate.
" between Noah White & Bildad Andrus, insert, Pelatiah Bliss.
27
2d last
4th line from top, for Calvin Eastman read Henry M'Laughlin.
11th line from bottom, for Jairus Hall 1810, read, John Roberts 1817.
60 38 bottom long line, for 1786, read, 1781. 53 " 4. after the word " that," read, declared Vermont independent. 4th and 5th columns, Ebenezer N. Briggs should be in Italic. 46 58
€4 Ist Aaron Leland 16
=
=
75 7th line from bottom, for Elisha. read, Aaron.
=
6
C The first Minister of, read, Of.
2d column for Jonathan Robinson, read, Josiah Fay.
76 1 st against 7 insert, Josiah Fay
77
last and first on page 78 insert, Wm, A. Griswold, to 1798.
78 4th column 5th
: Jonathan Hunt.
80
3d
81 4th
" and 82 for 1815 and 16
Charles Wright and Marshall Carter. Orsamus C. Merrill. Uel M. Robinson.
82 and 3
1817 to 1820 and 22 "
83 1821, 23 and 24
Hiland Hall.
84, 85, 86, 87, to 1844
William Haswell.
87
for 1845
Samuel H. Blackmer.
88
' 1846 -- 7
William Haswell.
from 1848
A. B. Gardner.
" 108 1st blank under 1830 should be filled with 33.
the against Goshen Gore North, same column, should be 200.
=
Harris Gore,
₩ 19.
and the footings added to correspond. the last column against Sheffield should be 797, the footing is right.
" 109 the blank against Easthaven for 1830 should be 33 and same added to footing. # 111 last column, 11th line from top for 1787 read 1788.
GENERAL ETHAN ALLEN,
Was born in Roxbury, Conn., in 1739. and died at Colchester, Vt., Feb. 15, 1789. The following is related of him as having taken place while a prisoner in irons on his passage to England. While closely confined to his cabin, he discovered that a pin or wire that fastened one of his handcuffs was broken. Extricating the pieces with his teeth, he was enabled to loosen the bolt and set one hand at liberty, by the aid of which, and his teeth, he soon had both at liberty, and he was not long in liber- ating his feet. But fearing a discovery might lead to worse treatment, he replaced his irons, bolts
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20
strike out Thomas P. Loid, he was from Alburgh.
66 Richard Skinner should be in Italic.
33
34
73 3d 66
for 1843, for Daniel Kellogg, read, Wm. Hebard, K. declined. for the bottum 3 but one, read 4
2d
Jonathan Robinson till 1794.
Andrew Seldon to 1807.
Jonathan E Robinson to 1813.
1825
Stephen Robinson.
..
= 4th .
John Gray
Oliver Smith.
Israel Smith
Joseph Clark.
Plainfield = 1797
:
St. Andrews Gore Waterville
1825 = Coits Gore
= above Elias Weld
6
: TOWN CLERKS.
and pins before the arrival of his keeper. It soon became a fine recreation for the General to take off and put on his irons at pleasure.
One day the Captain wishing to afford the crew some merriment. ordered that Allen be brought on deck. Hoping to frighten him, the Captain said : "There is a probability that the ship will founder-if so, what will become of us, especially you, Mr. Allen, a rebel against the King ? "Why," said Allen, " that would be very much like our dinner hour." " Why so ?" said the Captain not re- fleeting that Allen was not allowed to come on deck only when he the captain went down into his cabin to dine. " Well, you see, answered Allen, "I'd be on my way up just as you would be going below." This answer did not please the Captain, and he began a regulartirade of abuse against the American people. " In a short time," said the Captain, " all the rebels will be in the same situation as yourself." This was too much for Allen, and raising his hands to his teeth, soon snapped the bolts and pins, took off his irons and threw them overboard-seized the panic struck Captain by the collar, and threw him headlong upon the deck, then turning to the affrighted crew, he exclaimed in a voice of thunder . " If I am insulted again during the voyage, I'll sink the ship and swim ashore." This exploit had such an effect on the Captain and crew, that no further insult was offered to the General during the passage.
The following persons were elected Town Clerks in the years set to them, and have continued in 1 the office to 1851.
Cabot, Thomas Osgood and jr.
1802 Dorset, Heman Morse
1835 Elmore, Martin Elmore 36
Danville, Archelaus Sias
1819 Woodstock, Nahum Haskell 1835 Topsham. Lemuel Tahor 34 Starksboro, William Worth 2d 1835 Halifax, Darius Bullock 32
Bakersfield, Silas B. Hazeltine
1821 St. Albans, William Bridges
1936 Newfane, Nathan Stone
Middlesex, Horace Holden
1822 Wilmington, Stephen P. Flagg 1836 Stockbridge, Rufu- 1.yon 30
Walden, Daniel Wooster Salem, Samuel Blake Ira, John Mason
1822 Stowe, Joseph H. Bennett
1837 Sandgate, George Prek 27
Fairfield, Joseph Soule
1822 Jericho, John Lyman, jr. Wheelock, John W. Brown 1823 Hartland, E. M. Stocker 1824 Cornwall, Marens O. Porter
20 1837 Ryegale, James Whitelaw 27 1837 Lemington, Mills De Forrest 26 183- St. Albans, Jonathan Hoit 1838
Rupert, Henry Sheldon (one out) 1824 Albany, Luther Delano Shaftsbury, Hiram Barton 1825 Newfane, Otis Warren Guilford, John Lynde 1825 Somersett, Ephraim Rice 1826 koyalon, Calvin Skinner 2d 1827 Sudbury Jaines K. Ilyde
Brandon, Barzillia Davenport
Bridport, Ervin E. Grovenor 1827 Shelburne, Lyman Ilall
Rutland, Ambrose L. Brown Shoreham, Levi O. Birchard Barnet, John Shaw Burke, Asahel Burrington
1827 Northfield, Volney 11. Averill 1827 Newport, Seymour Lane 1827 Plymouth, Thomas Moore 1827 Hartford, Geo. E. Waler
Whitingham, Hosea F. Ballou 1840'N Brush. before 1793
1840'Samuel Painter, from 33 to June 97
1840 Darius Mathews, after that to 1819 1810
JEI CONSTABLES OF MIDDLEBURY. J&H Martin Fonte, appointed in 1787 J&H Joseph M'Donald 1796
1841 and Erastus Hawley " 17:14
I84ljare now nving ; the two first in this 18 H -town, and the other in Cambridge. 1×41 Out of fourteen that held the office 1841jof Constable since 1807, all but two
By this it may be inferred that exorcise tende to longevity.
Pomfret, Otis Chamberlin
Randolph, Benjamin T. Blodgett1833 Wells. Ausel Goodspeed, Halifax, Rufus K. Henry Sharon, Samuel Shuttleworth 1834 Brattleboro, Stop'a Greenleaf 42 North Ifero, Nathan Hutchin . 39 1834 ( !- aft-hory, Samuel C. Craft- 37 1834|Hinesburgh, Erastus Bostwick36
1838 ADDITIONAL FIRST TOWN CLERKS. 1839, Bakersfield, Stephen Maynard 1795 1839. Fletcher, Elisha Woodworth 1790 1839 Highgate, Jonathan Butterfield 1786 1-39'SSt. Albans, Jonathan Jloit 1788 1839, Monkton, Samuel Barnum 1:39 Rutland, Joseph Hawley 1839 Weybridge, -- Jackson 1839 1×39 FIRST SUPREME COURT CLERKS 1839'IN ADDISON COUNTY.
St. Johnshnry, Jerry Dickerman 1827 Shrewsbury, Lowell W. Gurusey Ix40 Loyal Cose, Aug. 21. 97 10 Jan. 92
Idle La Mott, Ira Hill Lessex, Amasa Bryant Craftsbury, Joseph Scott, jr.
1828 Panton, George Spencer 1829 Weybridge, Isaac Drake Cavendish, Ofis Robbins 1829 Middlebury, James M'Donald 1831 Newhitey, David Johnson 1831 Barre, Alvan Carter
Ludlow, Artemas Spafford Castleton, Ol.ver R. Harris
1831 Groton, Isaac N. Hall
Brownington, Che-ter Gilbert 1832 Morgan, Charles Cummins 1×32 Johnwee, Stoughton S. Pike There are others who have heredor threw are living. (If the mine Town Clerks that
Concord, Harvey G. Fry Stockbridge, Merrick Gav Moretown. Lester Kinsley Grafton, Benjamin H Bridgman1833 Fairhaven, Benjamin T. Gilbert 1833 !ofore served longer as Town Clerk .. 1:33|Berlin, Abel Knapp 1833 Fairlee, Samuel Smith 40 4.7 42
Orwell, Roswell Bottuin, jr. Hancock, Zerah Barnes
West Fairlee, Elisha Thayer 50 y'shave been elected since 1756, two only remain. Samuel Swift, ap. p antes in 1819, and James McDon. ald in 1811.
Br a letter which came a little too late. I make the following additions to Windham County.
Noah Sabin, Judge of Probate from 1781 till 1801, and Noah Sabin from and after 1801, should be, Noah Sahin. jr. Stephen R. Bradley was Register from 1781 to March, 1791, Noah Sahin, jr., to Dec, 1301, Phinchas White, to Dec .. 1809, Elijah Knight, Judge and Register, to 1813, Horace Baxter, R. 10 1814, Asa Keyes,to 1815, Horace Baxter, to 1>16, Stephen Tyler, to 1819, Daniel Kel- logg, to March. 1820, Charles Phelps, to May, 1820, Horace Baxter, to 1521, Munnis Kinney, to 1822, Charles Phelps and Ebenezer Huntington, to 1823, A. Keves, to 1824, H. Baxter, to 1825, Alexander S. Campbell, to 1827, Epaphroditus Ransom, to 1328, A. S. Campbell. to 1831, A. Keyes, to 1833, E. Ransom, to Oct. 2, 1834, James Crawford. to Dec., 1834, David L. Putnam. to 1836. James Crawford, to 1838, Charles Phelps, to 1841. James H. Phelps, to 1546, Abishai Stoddard, to 1849, Nathaniel Tracy Sheafc, to April, 1851, Benjamin W. Dean, 10 -. In the above dates, Dec. Ist is meant, when not otherwise mentioned.
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Lunenburgh, Stephen Howe, jr. Pittsford, Samuel H. Kellogg, Rochester, John Trask
7
VERMONT.
The tract of country now known by the name of Vermont, was, previous to the American Rey- olution, known by the name of " The New Hampshire Grants," and was divided into four counties, by the Government of the then Colony of New York, viz : Cumberland and Gloucester on the east, and Bennington and Charlotte on the west of the range of Green Mountains. But by a careful perusal of facts of those times it does most plainly appear that the inhabitants of the Grants were not very obedient subjects to those New Yorkers who volunteered to rule over them. Soon after the Declaration of Independence at Philadelphia, in July, 1776, the Green Mountain Boys, conclu- ded they were not under the rule of any earthly nation or government except their own. They therefore called a Convention of Delegates from the several towns, whielt Convention met at Dor- set, July 24, 1776, but no records show what steps were then taken, only it was adjourned to Sept. 25th, same year, when it again met at the same place, as appears from the following record :
NEW HAMPSHIRE GRANTS.
DORSET, September 25th, 1776.
At a General Convention of the several Delegates from the towns on the west side of the Green Mountains, the 24th of July last, consisting of fifty one members, representing 35 towns, and holden this day by adjournment, by the delegates on the east and west side of the Green Mountains, the following members being present at the opening of the meeting :
Capt. JOSEPH BOWKER, in the Chair. Jonas Fay, Clerk.
Towns. Delegates.
Towns. Delegates.
Pownul,
Capt. Samuel Wright, Dr Obadiah Dunham.
Poultney,
Mr. William Ward.
[ Mr. Simeon Hathaway,
Dr. Jonas Fay,
Bridport,
Mr. Samuel Benton.
Addison,
Mr. David Vallance.
Stamford,
Mr. Thomas Morgan.
Col. Thomas Chittenden.
Shaftsbury,
Capt. John Burnham, Nathan Clark, Esq. Maj. Samuel Safford, Col. Moses Robinson. Maj. Jeremiah Clark, John Burnham, Sen. Lieut. Joseph Bradley,
Colchester,
Lieut. Ira Allen. Mr. Gamaliel Painter.
Sunderland,
Col. Timothy Brownson. Col. William Marsh,
Rutland,
Col. James Mead.
Manchester,
Lieut. Martin Powell,
Wallingford, Mr. Abraham Ives.
Lieut. Gideon Ormsby.
Tinmouth,
Maj. Thomas Rice.
Dorset,
Mr. Abraham Underhill.
Rupert,
Mr. Amnos Curtis.
Panton, Mr. John Gale.
Bromley or Peru, Capt. William Uiley. '
Col. Seth Warner and Capt. Heman Allen, present.
Members from the east side of the Green Mountains :
Marlboro, Capt. F. Whittemore.
Rockingham, Dr. Reuben Jones.
( Mr. Joseph Hildriek,
Guilford, [ Col. Benjamin Carpenter,
Dummerston, Lieut. Leonard Spaulding,
Windsor, Mr. Eben Hoisington.
Mr. Joshua Webb,
Kent, now § Mr. Edward Aiken,
Westminster, Nathan Robinson, Esq.
Londonderry, [ Col. James Rogers.
Halifax, Col. Benjamin Carpenter.
Wilmington and Cumberland were represented by letters from some of the principal inhabitants.
Among the proceedings of this Convention at that time were the following: To take suitable measures as soon as may be, to declare the New Hampshire Grants a free and separate district, which vote passed without a dissenting voice. A committee of seven reported the wrongs and grievances suffered from New York, and the impolicy of any further connection with them, direct- ly or indirectly. Resolved, Therefore, that this Convention being fully convinced, that it is abso- lutely necessary that every individual in the United States of America should exert themselves to the utmost of their abilities in the defence of the liberties thereof ; therefore, that this Convention, may the better satisfy the public of their punctual attachment to the said common cause at present as well as heretofore, we do make and subscribe the following covenant, viz .:
We, the subscribers, inhabitants of that district of land commonly called and known of New Hampshire Grants, being legally delegated and authorized to transact the public and political af- fairs of the aforesaid district for ourselves and constituents, do solemnly covenant and engage, that for the time being, we will strictly and religiously adhere to the several resolves of this for any fu- ture convention constituted on said district by the free voice of the friends to American liberties, which shall not be repugnant to the resolves of the honorable the Continental Congress, relative to she cause of America.
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W'ells,
Maj. Roger Rose. Zacheus Mallery. Ogden Mallery.
Danby, Mr. William Gage.
Pawlett,
Capt. William Fitch,
S Capt. Micah Veal,
( Mr. Reuben Harmon,
§ Capt. Ebenezer Allen,
Mr. John Manly,
Neshobe now ( Capt. Timothy Barker,
Brandon, Mr. Thomas Tuttle.
S Capt. Joseph Bowker,
Williston,
Middlebury,
( Mr. Nehemiah Stow,
Castleton, Capt. Jos. Woodward,
Bennington,
¿ Maj. John Shephardson.
&
VERMONT.
The Convention met again at Westminster, January 15. 1777. The committee appointed to bring in a draught of a Declaration of Independence reported :
R ght 1. That whenever protection is withheld, no allegiance is due, or can of right he deman- dell. The cominittee then after repeating the wrongs from New York, offered the following de lar- ation : " This Convention, whose members are duly chosen by the free voice of their constituents in the several towns, on the New Hampshire Grants, in public mecting assembled, in our own names, and in behalf of our constituents, do hereby proclaim and publicly declare, that the district of territory, comprehending and usually known by the name and description of the New Hamp- shire Grants, of right ought to be, and is hereby declared forever hereafter to be considered, as a free and independent jurisdiction, or State ; by the name, and forever hereafter to be called, known, and distinguished by the name of New Connecticut, alias Vermont, &c."
This Convention after informing the Continental Congress of their doings, adjourned to meet at Windsor, on the first Wednesday in June.
The above declaration brought down upon us the wrath of New York, but notwithstanding that. those brave Green Mountain Boys, whom any nation or people on earth might well be proud of, followed up their declaration by the adoption of a Constitution the same year, and a Legislative session in March following. In February, 1779, the Legislature passed an act in the face and eyes of the New York law dividing the State into two counties, Bennington on the west and Cumber- ' land on the east of the Green Mountains, and divided each county into two shires each, Westmin . ster and Newbury on the east, and Bennington and Rutland on the west. That division of coun- ties remained till the extra session of the Legislature in Feb. 1781, when the County of Rutland was incorporated, from Bennington and Windsor and Orange counties were incorporated from Cumberland, and the name of Cumberland altered to Windham.
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