USA > Vermont > Orleans County > Irasburg > History of Irasburgh to 1856 > Part 1
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Gc 974.302 Ir14h 1645501
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GE
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01096 3194
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https://archive.org/details/historyofirasbur00unse
HISTORY OF IRASBURGH
TO 1856
ANONYMOUS
Extract from Vermont Historical Society Proceedings new series, Vol. I, no. 3, 1930
1930
1645501
NEW SERIES
1930
VOL. I No. 3
PROCEEDINGS OF THE VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A HISTORY OF IRASBURGH
TO 1856
ANONYMOUS
This account of the town which Ira Allen presented to his bride. Ferusha Enos, as a marriage settlement, is contained in a manu- script never before published, in the archives of the Vermont Hist- orical Society. From internal evidence it is clear that the account was written in 1856, probably to be read before the "Natural and Civil History Society for Orleans County" of which mention is made elsewhere in this issue. There is no indication as to the author. The most unusual feature of the town's history is the fact that the land remained so long in the possession of the family of Ira Allen, under a system of leasing which resembled the English landlord and tenant system. This was, of course, a mere fraction of the vast landed estates of the Allen family in Vermont. and it is the only instance in which their leasing policy persisted. When this account was written, Kansas and the slavery question were uppermost in people's minds. Reference to The War means the War of 1812. Smuggling at the time of that war, and the embargo which preceded it, remind one of similar difficulties along the border at present.
A N Eminent Divine, a very godly man, on entering his room called for the newspaper, saying "I want to see how God is governing this world. His mind had been so directed that in the various events of the day he saw the continued providence of God. As it is so, the various scenes of life, the events occurring
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in a nation's progress are but the delineation of the providence of God in the ages that are passing by, and history is the record of his progressive government.
For the Christian therefor history must be important for it shows God in his works. Not less for the statesman than the Christian is history necessary. It shows him not only how God governs the world, but also what effects may be expected from certain causes. Under the same circumstances the same causes will produce the same results almost as certainly as the cen- trifugal and the centripetal forces hold the planetary system in its accustomed place and propel it onward around its great center. For future guidance every nation should have the history of its past career carefully and faithfully written: and the same rule may apply to states, and even to towns. To arrive at the greatest usefulness every statesman, yea, every man, should be an historian.
Within a short time some interest has been awakened to com- pile the early history of our towns, from the generation that is now passing away. And we must conclude that this labor is im- portant if it be for no other purpose than just to teach the present generation. the hardships and toils of the past.
For this purpose a society has been organized in this as in other counties, and, urged by that society, rather than invited by the inhabitants, I have with some labor made out a brief but crude account of Irasburgh.
Up to the close of the last century this was nothing but an unbroken wilderness. And unless it had been traversed by some of the expeditions sent by England or the Colonies via the Canadas this wilderness had not been visited by the feet of a whiteman. The red man with his tomahawk and bow and arrows alone disputed with wild beasts for the supremacy of the forests of Irasburgh. True, from the discovery of a shirt of mail, a description of which will be given before I close, it has been conjectured that an expedition headed by Major Rogers of New Hampshire passed this way. This expedition was fitted out by Gen. Amherst then the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in America, for the purpose of destroying a village of St. Francis Indians on the south side of St. Lawrence river not far from Three Rivers.
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Rogers embarked at Crown Point, Sept. 12, 1759, in batteaux, and landed at Missisco Bay with 142 men. Leaving his boats concealed by bushes and two men to watch them, he pushed on for St. Francis. The second evening after he left the bay his rangers overtook him and informed him that his boats had been taken by 400 French and Indians. Keeping this information to himself, he sent a few men to notify Gen. Amherst of their con- dition, urging him to send provisions from No. 4 to Coos on Connecticut River, intimating his determination to return that way. He was completely successful in surprising the village of St. Francis, and finding several hundred scalps. His men were so incensed that they massacred all sexes and ages; and burnt the village utterly. Out of 300 residents, 200 were slain on the spot and 20 taken prisoners. Rogers then started up the St. Francis for Coos through this county, and from this shirt of mail alluded to, and some things found at other places, it has been supposed he passed through this town. Charlestown fitted out several boats, and sent up provisions under Sam Stevens and three others. They landed at Round Island at the mouth of Passumpsic river. But the next morning hearing the report of fire arms they reembarked fearing Indians, and moved down the river. Soon after, Rogers arrived. Seeing the fire, but finding no provisions, many of his men died of grief and privation. He subsequently reached Charlestown having lost 49 men. With this exception no white man's foot had broken these solitudes till a much later day.
Irasburgh was chartered by the Legislature of Vermont to Ira Allen and sixty-two associates February 23, A. D. 1781. From its principle proprietor, Ira Allen, it was called Irasburgh in the grant, and previously to 1790 the other proprietors deeded their rights to Mr. Allen for a nominal consideration, showing that he was the real proprietor at the first and that his associates stood then simply for convenience.
It is bounded Northerly by Coventry, Easterly by Benton, and a small part of Brownington, Southerly by Albany, and Westerly by Lowell, Coventry gore and a small part of Newport and contained originally 23040 acres. In 1793 a survey and division of the town was made by James Whitlaw. Still there was no inhabitant of all this beautiful territory, and the earth enjoyed its repose.
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In 1798 Mr. Caleb Leach came into the town, then an unbroken wilderness and becante the first actual settler. He came in March, and transported his effects, not on a railroad car nor on ,a job wagon, or a sleigh nor even an ox sled, but on a simple handsled which seems to have been the principle vehicle for those times even in other towns. He pitched his log cabin in the East part of the town on lot No. 108. To him was born the first child in town. After him came various individuals whose names appear on the record. Their residences I have been unable to locate. Among them were Foster Page, James Leach, and Simon French, all of whom signed the petition for the organiza- tion of the town in 1803.
Prior to October, 1802, James and John Richardson settled on the farm now owned and occupied by Mr. Amos Chaument[?] and one of them kept the first tavern in town. It stood at the four corners of roads running from Barton to Coventry, and from Glover to Brownington, and came to be a considerable stopping place in time of the embargo and the War of 1812. It is related that at that time on a certain evening forty span of horses meeting from opposite directions put up at this house, on the hill. Soon after Mr. Leach, Mr. Amos Conant came in, and to him was given the first lease recorded on the book of records, bearing date August 4, A. D. 1802. He located on the road to Barton Landing on the farm now occupied by Mr. Rufus Edmonds.
About the same time Mr. Jeremiah Morrill settled on the hill, north from the village, on the farm now owned by Mr. Spencer D. Howard and from him that locality received the name of Morrill hill which it has ever since borne. Mr. Morrill was reputed a mighty hunter and sought with his rifle the noble moose, which was at that early day very common in this new region. Many interesting stories of his prowess as a hunter are related, which I have not time to repeat here.
Among the first inhabitants was Mr. Levi Sylvester who settled on the farm now occupied by Mr. William S. Flint. At his house emigrants found a genial hospitality. Indeed that attribute attaches itself to the pioneers of all new regions. They are more sympathetically hospitable than the same men will be when the country is older. Pioneer life is well calculated to bring out the kinder affections of our nature. Mr. Benjamin Hardy a Rev-
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olutionary soldier was also among the first arrivals in Irasburgh. He settled on a farm now owned by Mr. Henry Summers. He was for many years one of the selectmen of the town holding the office almost by possession.
The same year of Jeremiah Morrill's arrival came in Jeremiah Morrill, Jr. and Philip Morrill, both of whom also settled on Morrill Hill, near Mr. Jeremiah Morrill, Philip Morrill where Mr. Emerson now lives. Soon after, and before 1802, Mr. Benjamin Burton moved to Irasburgh and settled on a hill south of the village on a farm now occupied by Mr. Larabee, which has from him continued to bear the name of Burton Hill until this day. In 1804 Mr. Ralph Parker put up a saw and grist mill for the accommodation of this region. It stood near where the present grist mill owned by Mr. Ira H. Allen now stands. In considera- tion he received a deed of one hundred acres of land including the site of the present village, which was then almost an unbroken forest. In that deed, which was dated A. D. 1805, a proviso was inserted that if this town should ever become a county town no public buildings should be erected on this lot, or if they were, Mr. Parker was bound to exchange this lot for other lands of equal value in some other part of Irasburgh. A provision which eleven years after went into effect.
A year or two after the erection of these mills, Mr. Eben Burton built a hotel and put up a small store which he occupied for a limited time, being the first merchant of Irasburgh.
Nathaniel Kellam and a large family of boys came in, in 1805, and settled on the farm now owned by John H. Keller[?] The father subsequently became deacon of the Baptist Church and had a high reputation for eloquence and ability in prayer. When volunteers marched to Troy in time of the war, entirely unknown to him some one in the secret made a bet of three dollars and eight gallons of whiskey that he would offer a better prayer than the Chaplain sent on by the authorities. The op- portunity soon offered and the praying made. It is unnecessary to add that the Deacon won with ease. At that early day the road (such as it was) generally passed from hill to hill. Coming from Glover one led over Burton hill, past the place owned by Hubbard Hastings down Morrill hill to Coventry. Their en- gineers seemed to think the highest ground the best for the trans- portation of their commodities. And when they moved on hand-
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sled, a mode of locomotion rather slow, they had this advantage, that when they arrived at the top of the hill they could get upon their load and slide down the other side.
The first meeting of the proprietors of Irasburgh was held at the dwelling house of Ralph Parker, Esq. in Glover, November 12, 1801. Mr. Parker was chosen Moderator and Heman Allen Proprietors' Clerk; and the meeting was adjourned to the last Monday of December following. Agreeable to this adjournment they met at the same place on the 28th of December, 1801, at which time the proprietors voted to accept the survey and division made by James Whitlaw in the year 1793, and establish it as the permanent division of the town. To defray the expenses of that survey and some other outgos they voted a tax $6.25 on each proprietor's share, and elected Roger Enos, Jr., collector. As the taxes were not paid, the town, or that part of it owned by delinquents, was advertised for sale at public vendue, to take place the 4th of March, 1803. The sale coming on, it appears from the record that the proprietors were all in default, for the record stands thus:
"Glover 4th March 1803
Then opened the vendue for the sale of the delinquent rights in Irasburgh agreeable to the foregoing advertisement, & after selling all the lands in sd town (public rights excepted) adjourned the same to the 5th Instant at 8 o'clock in the forenoon at this place attest
Roger Enos Junior Collector"
Mr. Heman Allen was the sole purchaser and the whole was deeded to him accordingly. As some informality crept in to the proceedings, the legislature, on the 27th day of October, 1804, passed a "special act enabling the proprietors of Irasburgh to ratify and confirm their former proceedings." Agreeable to this law the proprietors met at the dwelling house of Amos Conant, Esq. in sd. town on the sd. day of June, A. D. 1806, and after choosing by ballot Ralph Parker, Moderator, and Amos Conant, Proprietors' Clerk, they proceeded to ratify their former (agreeable to Pact) proceedings, and establish the sale, and transfer of all the lands in the town agreeable to sd. vendue," and Heman Allen became sole proprietor of all the lands in sd. township, doubtless holding under Jerusha Allen, the wife of Ira Allen, for whom he acted.
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The last division of the town took place A. D. 1807, and the return was made and recorded February 9, A. D. 1807. February 13th, 1803, a. petition was made signed by names heretofore enumerated and addressed to Amos Conant, Esq., Justice of the Peace, for an organization of the town. March 12, ISO3, the town was organized, agreeable to the petition. Amos Conant was the first town Clerk, and his son Samuel Conant the first Constable.
As before said, Caleb Leach was the "first settler" and as a consideration received the gift of one half of lot No. 108, lying in the east part of the town, now owned by Mr. Hiram Kellam. Mr. Leach was something of a man in the estimation of his fellow pioneers, and was chosen first selectman, on the organiza- tion of the Town, -and he was continued in that office the two following years. He was again chosen selectman in 1807, and this year represented the town, being the first representative ever sent from Irasburgh. He was continued in the same offices the year ensuing and filled other offices subsequently. Gathering ideas from the records, Mr. Leach appears to have been a man of good character, and fair influence and ability. He continued in town, holding various offices and prosecuting his business until after the war. Becoming somehow involved in the disputes or combinations which grew up along the border, he finally sold out and left town about the close of the war. And what has been said of his character, was also, to a good degree true of the other "first settlers" of the town. The first lease recorded was given to Amos Conant, who was the first Justice of Peace and the first Town Clerk, and held these offices or one of them for many years after, showing that he was a man of good character as well as of fair intelligence and influence. His son, Samuel Conant, who, Mr. Thompson erroneously informs us, was the first town Clerk, was the first constable of the town, and was a man of high respec- tability, and fair influence up to the time of his leaving, which was the fore part of last year. He is now a resident of Jamesville, Wisconsin and is much missed in town, although he was never town Clerk. Such appears to have been the prevailing spirit and character of the primitive inhabitants of Irasburgh. They were strong men, and had many excellent traits of character. Men hardy and robust, they partook largely of the character- istics of pioneers of a new settlement, enduring hardships and
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privations which would appall many of their successors on the same soil, extending to others all those acts of kindness that are so becoming to good citizens. There may have been some exceptions, but on the whole the primitive inhabitants of Iras- burgh were worthy men. But in the time of the war it is said there came in a set of men, who might well be denominated forerunners of the "Border ruffians of Kansas" who considered it fair and right in those rude times to seize upon whatsoever was valuable and appropriate it to their own use, in absence of the owner. As for timber, even the best of pine was taken as lawful plunder and appropriated for the benefit of whoever could use it at home or draw it to the mill, and as there were good choppers in those days one family has been mentioned who were so reckless that they would cut down the largest pines just for the fun of seeing them fall.
Such being their loose notions of morality it is not strange that they came to be looked upon as a kind of squatter sov- ereigns and to be considered Ishmaelites, whose hands were against every man and every man's hand against them, and to be a terror to the whole region. And it is further said that, when any thing particularly bad was done in the neighborhood, when their reputation was known, it was common to say "That's another Irasburgh scrape." Yet this bad odor which attached itself to some of the inhabitants was not really characteristic of the town in general, but rather of an organization that went together as a Club and made their forays abroad, creating terror and disgust amongst those who knew them. And this may have arisen in part from the fact that a Customs house officer was stationed here to prevent smuggling, and many attached themselves to him, claiming to be good whigs whose business it was to look to the Tories, who it was known would aid the enemy with their cattle and produce if they could. And many also claimed to act as officers, who had really no authority but their own passions or pleasures, and this became a lively type of the "Territorial Militia" of Kansas at a much later day.
But if they were a terror to the peaceable inhabitants they were not less so to the smugglers, whose road to Canada lay in this direction. Of all things, it is said, they feared the Irasburgh organization. Scores of anecdotes are told of their operations with this class of men.
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: It would seem that there was a fair share of honest love of country, and that not much could be laid against them as giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Much allowance must be made for the day in which they lived. They were here, just on the borders of the State, and a state of war will always produce demoralizing results in such localities. Men become reckless of life in their border forays, and they naturally and easily lose the nice distinctions of property and private rights of individuals, especially where the exposed family is somewhat suspected of "disloyalty to the cause.
We need to live in Kansas to appreciate or even understand charitably the proceedings of some there who are reputed good men. And we should go back to those days of trial, to learn all the influences brought to bear upon these people then entitled the "Irasburgh Gang." In this view future generations often have to be generous to the infirmities or the irregularities of the past.
If not left by the expedition already alluded to, it was perhaps in some of these forays that the "shirt of mail," found by Shubael Goodell in the west part of the town, fifteen years after the war closed, was left by someone who had disincumbered himself of its protection, that he might travel, or flee with greater facility. Sitting down there to rest, he was, perhaps, destroyed by wild beasts, and his protecting garment left. I find the description in the Independent Standard, December 5, and shall venture to insert it here as the editor has it.
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"This curious relic was discovered by Shubael Goodell in the west part of this town in the spring of 1827. It was rolled to- gether and lying at the foot of a large birch tree, between two con- siderable roots. The story goes that Mr. Goodell, at work near by, set down his jug upon this very relic, and that when he again took up his drink, he heard the jingle or saw the chains which, on further examination proved to be a regular shirt of mail, no doubt of European manufacture. The upper part was made of iron or steel, after the manner of steel money purses, but much thicker, with rings about one fourth of an inch in diameter, and the lower part was made in the same manner, of gilt or brass wire, the shoulders of double thickness. It was evidently well calculated to protect the wearer about the body and shoulders against the arrows or spears of an enemy. When found it was
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much corroded with rust, but retained its entire shape, although giving evidence of having lain there a long time. It was subsequently purchased by Lieut. Wilson of the U. S. Artillery, for the purpose of being deposited in the National Museum at Washington. What a host of curious conjecture clustered around this ancient relic! Did some wanderer, long, long ago, lost, benighted in the wilderness, sit down there to rest, and then, frightened by a savage, or wild beast, fly and leave it behind him? Or did some savage after having taken it from his victim as a trophy, tire of carrying his prize, lay it down there to abandon it, or to be recovered at some future time? Could that shirt of mail speak, what a history it would open up to us." (Note: It is said now to be in the Peels Museum, Philadelphia).
There were doubtless many interesting events connected with the first settlement of Irasburgh, not, however different to any great extent from those which accompanied the settlement of all our towns. And, as the original settlers are now all gone it is difficult to gather up even what incidents there were. On the day of the Battle of Plattsburgh a meeting was held at the usual place where reading meetings were held, a school house near Mr. Ira Allen's. The two deacons had commenced meeting as usual, prayers had been offered, and singing, when the sound of the cannons was heard. At this, the people left the house and went out upon the hills near, and sat there listening to the booming of the guns till about 3 o'clock P. M. when they went home filled with lively anxiety as to the result. (It is said also that two of the prayers offered were on the opposite side of the question.) Before dark the next day a horseman came into town entirely unknown, rode up to the farm houses, and reported that McDonough was victorious on the Lake, and the British were driven out of Plattsburgh. He then passed on without giving his name and no one knew how far he had ridden or where he stopped for the night. By the regular course of mail and tele- graph it would take longer for the news to come from Plattsburgh now.
This leads me to the interesting fact that victories were heard of in remote localities in a very short period of time even long before there were regular means of communication as at this day.
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:. Two days after the battle of Quatre Bras, when Napoleon drove Blucher back upon Wavre, previous to Waterloo, the natives of India opposed to the British forces there, had heard that Napoleon had been victorious over the Allies. The news had been telegraphed in their own way, and was true so far as that the Austrians were driven back.
Up to the spring of 1809, the inhabitants of Irasburgh had depended upon Craftsbury and neighboring towns for a physician. In March of that year, Dr. John Woodman, brother of a Mr. Woodman now living in Barton, came in here and was the first physician of Irasburgh. He did not remain however for any great length of time, and was succeeded by others.
The same may be said of the law, even a little later. Salmon Nye, admitted to the bar March, 1817, was the first lawyer who settled here, commencing his practice in this place which he had previously made his home. The people of enterprise and thrift did not neglect one kind of spirituality. For at the close of the war, or soon after, there were no less than five whiskey distilleries within the limits of the town.
Irasburgh became the shire town of Orleans County, A. D. 1816. Previous to that date, courts had been held alternately at Brownington and Craftsbury, which were half shire towns. But Mr. Ira H. Allen and his mother, who were the principal proprietors of the town, were able about this time to make arrangements with the county so that this, the central town in the county, should become its capital, the Allens giving the site for county buildings and also being at the expense, or the principal expense of their erection. The first court was held here August 1816. Considerable opposition however was raised against the arrangement by the rival towns, some of the people going so far as to threaten to prevent the session of the court at Irasburgh even if they had to resort to force. But this fierce opposition soon died away and the people very happily came to the wise conclusion that as this was the center of the county, it was the best location that could be selected for the capital. From that time business has progressed favorably, although in consequence of the prejudice existing in the minds of many from the fact that some of its lands are under lease, it has not made such rapid progress as, with its facilities and advantages, it otherwise would. Black River runs through the town in a northeasterly
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