USA > Vermont > Windham County > Guilford > Official history of Guilford, Vermont, 1678-1961. With genealogies and biographical sketches > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
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GUILFORD, VERMONT
BASED ON 1938 MAPS OF
THE VERMONT HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01188 0439 E
DEDICATED
TO THE MEMORY OF
JOHN EPHRAIM GALE 1866-1945
A life-long resident of Guilford who, while he was Town Clerk (1904-1915), devoted much time and effort to copying early records. By his diligent research he collected a vast amount of material which has been of great assistance in the preparation of this book.
Official History of
GUILFORD, VERMONT® 1678-1961
With Genealogies and Biographical Sketches
EDITED BY BROAD BROOK GRANGE NO. 151
Published by the Town of Guilford and Broad Brook Grange No. 151 on the occasion of the Town's Bicentennial
1961
COPYRIGHT 1961 By the Broad Brook Grange No. 151
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA By The Vermont Printing Company, Brattleboro, Vermont
1759923
PREFACE
As one early historian said, "Had it not been a labor of love, it had ceased long ago."
In 1957, Broad Brook Grange chose the Guilford History as a project for Community Service work. During the next three years material was gathered, articles written and tentative plans made for its publication. As it is customary for a town to sponsor its own his- tory, an article was inserted in the warrant for the annual meeting of March 7, 1961. It was voted to arrange for the printing and publishing of a Guilford History jointly with Broad Brook Grange.
"Unless you understand the past, it's difficult to understand the present-or to visualize the future."
Written from an entirely different viewpoint from that taken by most historians, it does not depict the terrible New Yorkers and their noble opponents. In fact, in regard to some historic characters, it is definitely iconoclastic.
The original spelling, punctuation and forms of the minutes of the early meetings have been carefully followed. Many names were found to have two or more spellings, cemeteries were also known by more than one name. In listing them, the names in Mr. Gale's script were used in the headings. Some of the other names by which they have been known are Blanchard, Old North; Lee, Number 2; Christ Church, East Guilford, Algiers; Wallace, Collins-Williams, Stark, Ilin or Olden; Wilkins Hill or Green River.
Wherever possible the dates from town and state records were used. In some instances they were omitted because of conflicting authorities. Some interesting items were also omitted because the data given did not agree with the known facts.
The preparation of articles, typing of script, proofreading and indexing consumed many hours of volunteer labor. Of course, errors will be found-that is to be expected. The book committee hopes you will tell them of the mistakes so that a master copy can be prepared and used sometime in the future before another two hundred years have passed.
The genealogies are the result of contributions from interested parties.
"Those who reap the most abundant harvest are those who con- tribute most liberally of their own time and talent."
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019
https://archive.org/details/officialhistoryo00unse
CONTENTS
PAGE V
PREFACE
SECTION I
3
Indian Deed
4
The Stone Portrait
5
The Scout Path
6
Gallop's Canada
7
Benning Wentworth Grants
8
Charter of 1754
11
Charter of 1764
16
Royal Council Order
17
Colonel Howard's Grant
17
Petition of the Inhabitants of Guilford
18
Earliest Road Surveys
20
The District of Guilford
22
First Town Meetings
23
When the Guilford Men Went to Dummerston
25
Events of 1775-1776
26
Dorset Convention
31
Protest Meetings at Brattleborough
33
The Republic of Guilford
35
Guilford and the New State
38
The Claim of Massachusetts
41
Windsor Assemblies
43
Fourteen Years of Strife
44
No Tories in Guilford
44
Westminster Trial
47
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
49
Captain Comfort Starr's Company
51
Charlestown Convention-The Unions
54
Rescue of the Yorker's Cow
58
VII
viii
Contents
PAGE
Ethan Allen Invades Guilford
64
Guilford Raided by the Vermonters
69
The Execution of the Decree of Exile
72
Continental Congress-General Washington
76
Conditions Bordering On Anarchy
80
Yorkers Attack Inn at Brattleborough
84
The Last Invasion
86
The Shooting of Daniel Spicer
93
Yorkers Pardoned
97
"Quixting-Act"
99
Township Granted Yorkers
102
Distribution of Lands
103
School Lands
106
Two Pence On the Pound
111
SECTION II
113
Chapter I-Early Records
115
Gallup's Canada
116
Census of 1771 and 1772
117
Proprietors' Meetings
120
Early Mills, Shops, Distilleries
125
Chapter II-Revolutionary Times
131
First Town Meetings
131
Revolutionary Soldiers
132
William Bigelow, Town Clerk
141
Town Brand
142
Warning Out of Town
142
Town Pound
144
'Bijah's Grave
145
Sale of the School Land
147
Chapter III-Guilford, "The Metropolis" Census of 1790
148
148
Settlement of Difficulties
153
Contents
ix
Muster Reunion
PAGE 154
Washington's Message to Congress
155
Witches
156
Guilford Flag
158
Town Whipping Post
159
Royall Tyler
159
Thunderbolt
160 163
Quarries
Chapter IV-Early 1800's
167
War of 1812
167
Grand List-1812
169
Masons
170
Vermont Poets and Poetry
171
Origin of Vermont Asylum at Brattleboro
177
Hearse House
178
Guilford's Enoch Arden
178
The Rock-Rolling on East Mountain
179
First Public Library
180
Tontine Building
181
Town House
182
Propagation Lots
183
Chapter V-The Middle 1800's
185
Otis Elevator
185
Guilford Soldiers of the Civil War
189
Up and Down Sawmill
192
Guilford Cannon
193
Mineral Springs
195
Chapter VI-Industrial and Social Growth
200
The Robbery
200
1870 Industries
202
Registered Distillery
203
Graves Seminary
205
The Freshet of 1869
206
Green River Covered Bridge
206
X
Contents
Broad Brook Grange
PAGE 207
The Runaway
209
Guilford Free Library
211
Chapter VII-The Turn of the Century
212
School Officers
212
The Horse Trade
212
Guilford Creamery
215
4-H Clubs
Distinguished Local Citizens
215 216 223
Soldiers of World War I
D.A.R. Marker
223 225
Chapter VIII-Guilford to the Present
Floods and Hurricanes
225 225
Cannon Balls
226
Organizations
227
World War II
228
Military Honor Roll
232
Central School
236
Franklin Barbecue
239
Steam Sawmill
240
Milk Transportation
240
Town Representatives
242
Chapter IX
244
White Meeting House
244
Congregational Church
247
Baptist Church
247
Christ Church
250
Methodist Episcopal Church
252
SECTION III-LAND RECORDS
255
District 1
259
District 2
266
District 3
275
Taft Fund
Contents
xi
District 4
District 5
District 6
District 7
320 322
District 9
District 10
326 331 339 346
District 11
District 12
District 13
360
District 14
367
SECTION IV-CEMETERY RECORDS
379
Baker Cemetery
Billings Cemetery
Blanchard Cemetery
383
Carpenter Cemetery
385
Christ Church Cemetery
386 392
Franklin Cemetery
Groll Cemetery
392 392 393 398
Lee Cemetery
398
Stark Cemetery
402
Weatherhead Hollow Cemetery
402
West Guilford Cemetery
404
Wilkins Hill Cemetery
407
SECTION V-GENEALOGIES AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 409
INDEX 529
381 383
Colegrove Cemetery
Guilford Center Cemetery
Maplehurst Cemetery
PAGE 295 301 308
District 8
SECTION I
1
HISTORY OF GUILFORD VERMONT
G UILFORD is in the southernmost line of Vermont towns border- ing upon Bernardston, Leyden and Colrain, Massachusetts.
It is bounded on the north by Brattleboro, on the east by Vernon and on the west by Halifax. Its latitude is between the paral- lels of 42°44' and 42°50' north and longitude between 72°27' and 72°33' west from Greenwich.
The principal elevations in the town are Governor's Mountain, 1823 feet near the northwest corner; Peaked Mountain, 1527 feet nearby to the southwest; Owl's Head, 1430 feet southeast from Green River Village; East Mountain, 1424 feet the highest point of the range extending nearly five miles along the easterly side of the town. Northerly from its highest point is Peaked Hill, 1232 feet. Pulpit Mountain, an isolated peak, is southwesterly from Green River Village -1244 feet. The lowest elevation within the town is about 250 feet above sea level where Broad Brook enters Vernon. The flat on U.S. Highway No. 5, extending from the Episcopal Church to the Gale Farm, is 400 feet above sea level.
Many varieties of timber are native to this section and white pine, oak, hemlock, ash, beech, maple, basswood, butternut, elm and other kinds of less importance are found in profusion. The sugar maple is one of the town's most valuable assets and has been utilized since the earliest days of its settlement, when the pioneer with only the crudest of implements and apparatus could supply his family with a food product of inestimable value.
Guilford's principal streams are Green River flowing south along its western border and Broad Brook with its several branches, all were originally well stocked with trout and flowed into the Connecticut River near the north line of Vernon.
It is not believed that there were any Indian settlements or fixed habitations of the red men within the limits of this town, although it is known that they had used trails from the vicinity of Fort Dummer in Brattleboro through Guilford to what is now Colrain, Massachusetts. It is also certain that the great war party of French and Indians on
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Official History of Guilford
its return from Deerfield in March, 1704 passed through the easterly part of Guilford with two hundred French and Indians, one hundred twelve captives and such plunder as they could carry with them. Included was the bell of the first Deerfield church, which had been sent by ship from France for the church at St. Regis, Canada, but the ship was captured by the English enemy and sold with its lading at Salem, Massachusetts. The bell was hung between poles and carried as far as Lake Champlain where it was buried in the sand. Soon after- ward it was loaded upon a sled drawn by oxen, hung up and rung all the way into Canada where it has ever since remained at its first intended destination, the little church tower at St. Regis.
Only very few Indian artifacts have been discovered here so far as now known. These include single specimens from the vicinity of the known scout trails on the Bullock, Evans, Nebelski and Gale farm lands.
Broad Brook was the original northern boundary of the Squakheag Indian Territory and of the town of Northfield, Massachusetts as laid out by Wm. Clarke in 1672. The Indian name of this stream was "Wan-as-qua-tok" meaning "little river". The Nawelet, the chieftain of the tribe claimed no land beyond to the northward.
The principal Squakheag Settlements were on both sides of the Connecticut River in Northfield, Massachusetts and in South Vernon where they had a village called by them "Coassuck" and in the great bend or bow of the river in what is now Vernon. They had lived there a strong, sagacious and warlike tribe for many years prior to 1663, which date marks the beginning of their authentic history. The tribe had been greatly reduced only a few years before when it was ravaged by smallpox and had not recovered their normal strength when in that year they were attacked. Their great fort on the east side of the Con- necticut River was destroyed and defeated with great loss. They were driven from their homes by a strong war party of Mohawks from central New York who so shattered the Squakheags that they never recovered and after a short time sold their lands to the whites without reserving planting grounds or any privilege of hunting or fishing, a procedure contrary to their usual custom when transferring their ancestral lands.
The first visit of the whites to this region was in 1669 when a committee of four under Capt. Daniel Gookin, who was appointed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay, came up the river as far as Squakheag, "for the purpose of viewing the country".
In their report they recommended that the Court order this place to be reserved for settlement. The report was approved and the order made. In the following year a second group made a further exploration of this territory and ascertained that the Indians were ready and anxious to sell the tract. The settlements of the whites were rapidly
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Official History of Guilford
expanding and good lands were much in demand. Early in the spring of 1671 a party of Northampton men went up and purchased from the Indians a tract of 10,560 acres, covering the present village of North- field. A further purchase of 3,000 acres on the west side of the river was made in 1673 and finally, in 1678 the third and last purchase was made from the Squakheags which comprised the larger part of their ancient lands and hunting grounds. This was Nawelet's country and contained about 65,000 acres lying on both sides of the Connecticut River. The deed bears the date of August 13, 1678 and runs to William Clarke, Senior, and John King, Senior, agents for the proprietors of Northfield. The text being as follows:
"To All Christian People to Whom These Presents Shall Come, KNOW YE that Nawelet, Gongequa, Aspiambemett, Haddarawansett, Meganichcha, we, the Indians mentioned, and for good consideration moving us hereunto, and in particular in consideration of the sum of forty-five pounds in trade goods already in hand paid or secured to satisfaction, the said Indians above expressed do for themselves, their heirs, executors, etc., give, grant, bargain and sell, and by these presents firmly pass over a certain parcel of land lying in the bounds of North- field unto William Clarke, Sen., and John King, Sen., both of Northampton, being agents for the proprietors of Northfield, which is bounded as followeth, viz ;- Southerly against a river called Cowas, being on the East side of the Great River, and running directly over the Great River ;- The Northerly side running to a river on the West side of the Great River, called Wanasquatok, (Broad Brook) lying twelve miles wide, six miles on each side of the Great River. With all the privileges, benefits, advantages, commodities and appurtenances thereon and thereunto belonging, etc.
Witnesses
Johnathan Hunt Preserved Clap Wm. Clarke, Jun Peter Jethro Joseph Atherton Isaac Chauncey
Signed by Nawelet Gongequa Aspiambemet Haddarawansett Meganichcha
The Stone Portrait: One of the most interesting relics remaining as tangible evidence of early knowledge of Guilford by the white man and which will probably always remain veiled in mystery, is a crude carving upon a large brown stone which bears the representation of a human face and the date 1745. The stone is somewhat soft upon its outer surface and the carving was evidently done with a strong, sharp instrument, probably either a knife or the corner of a hatchet. The surface of the stone is somewhat moss-grown and is deeply pitted in
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Official History of Guilford
spots. It has every appearance of having remained in its present posi- tion for centuries. It is located upon the easterly slope of a wooded rocky ridge, near its summit at an elevation of about 800 feet above sea level and nearly 400 feet above Broad Brook, a half mile to the south- ward. The property was settled in 1771 by Jonathan and Arad Hunt, who built and occupied the first house. It was afterward owned many years by the Blanchard family, Lyman J. Huntley and later by the Lyon family and Arthur G. Beals, who so far as known was the first to discover the carving on the stone. The Evans Brothers are the present owners of this land.
Its late discovery may be readily accounted for by the fact of its lo- cation upon a high, rough, rocky slope, covered by a dense growth of heavy hardwood trees. The carving would not be noticed by one going down the hill and if going up, an easier route would naturally be chosen. Considerable excavation about the base of the rock, among the tough maple roots and detached rock fragments has failed to reveal any evidence of its purpose and why this carving was done is the source of much mystification and conjecture. The date cutting would indicate that it could not be the work of any Indian and if it marked a burial place a name or initials at least might have as readily been cut as the date.
The first road through Guilford followed the scout path from Brattleboro line to Green River and crossed Broad Brook near the present location of the Weatherhead Hollow Bridge. From points on the high hill near the carved rock the path could be watched at the crossing, the distance, air line, being but a few hundred yards and presumably savages accompanied by one or more French allies, occa- sionally watched the trail where it crossed the stream at a safe distance. Even if a strolling war party was loitering about the hilltop, knives and hatchets were not so common as to warrant their use in carving rocks without some motive other than idle amusement. While the main carving is most crude the digits composing the date, 1745, are well formed and indicate the graceful chirography of the French school.
The Scout Path: From the first occupation of Fort Dummer in 1724 for thirty years or more a scout path or trail was used for inter- course with the garrison of Hugh Morrison's Fort which was called the North Fort at Colrain, Massachusetts; this town adjoins Guilford at its southwest corner. This trail led from Fort Dummer westerly up the small stream called Venter's Brook to what is now South Main Street, thence southwesterly to Guilford and in a fairly direct course to Guilford Center, Green River and then south to Colrain. An en- counter between the scouts and Indians took place on this path on March 29, 1748 when Lieut. John Sargent and his son, Daniel, Moses Cooper, Joshua Wells and another of the garrison of Fort Dummer
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Official History of Guilford
started down the scout path for Colrain to procure oars and paddles.
When only half an hour on their way and not much more than a mile from their starting point and without a thought of danger from savages so near the fort, they were suddenly fired upon by a "consider- able" party of Indians in ambush and Moses Cooper fell at their first fire. He was not instantly killed but lived to reach the fort. Perceiving that they were greatly outnumbered, there being apparently no less than twelve or fifteen of the Indians, the little company immediately retreated toward the fort fighting as best they could while helping the wounded Cooper along the rough and thickly wooded trail. They had gone but a short distance when Wells was killed. The others had nearly reached the fort when Lieutenant Sargent was killed and scalped. His son, Daniel, was captured and later taken to Canada where he remained several years before returning to Fort Dummer. The exact location of this first encounter is not known and may have been either side of the Brattleboro-Guilford town line.
Gallop's Canada: In the year 1690 Sir William Phipps commanded an expedition from the Province of Massachusetts Bay against Canada and in his army was a Company under Captain Samuel Gallop. In May, 1735 the Great and General Court of the Province of Massachu- setts granted a tract of land six miles square to Captain Gallop, his soldiers and their descendants. Following is the oath to Nathaniel Kel- logg, the surveyor and Aaron Denio and James Corse, the chainmen who laid it out with the return of the Surveyor and the action of the House of Representatives, the Council and Governor Belcher thereon.
Hampshier ss Deerfield October and 26
Nathaniel calogg as sirvaior for the laying out of a tract of land granted by ye general cort to capt galop and company and aaron denio and james corse as chainmen for the above sd Land all pursanly apeard before me the subscriber one of His Majesty's justices and made yt in doing ye sd described work they would do it faithfully and trewly ac- cording to ye best of yr skill and judgment. Thos. Wells.
By vertue of a Grant of a Great and General Court at their session in May 1735 to Capt. Sam'll Gallop and others.
I, the subscriber have surveyed & laid out ye within Delineated Lands being ye contents of six miles square and tis bounded as fol- lows Viz. East & West on unappropriated lands, Northerly partly on Equivolent land, (Brattleboro) & partly on unappropriated land. Be- ginning at stake & stones in Northfield West Bounds on ye West side of Connecticut River in ye County of Hampshire which stake & stones is in the Northeast corner of Fall Fight Township. From which we run north 9° West 1930 Perch to a white Pine Tree Marked. Thence West
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Official History of Guilford
22°30' North 1360 Perch to Stake and Stones Which is in ye South Bounds of ye Equivolent Lands about which heap of stones there is several Trees Markd. Thence West 775 perch to Tow Hemlock Trees markd, a heap of Stones Lying Betwixt ye two trees which are about 12 perch East of a large brook running Southerly. Thence South 1875 perch. Thence East 2310 Perch to where we began. There is in each of these lines the allowance of one chain in Thirty for sagg of chain.
Surveyed Octr 1736 by ye needle of ye instrument pourtracted by a scale of 200 perch to an Inch.
pr me Nathaniel Kellogg Surveyor,
In Council Decemb 1, 1736 Read & Concurred Simeon Frost, Dept. Secry.
Sent up for concurrence, J.Quincy, Speaker.
Feb. 3 Consented to, J.Belcher.
The allowance of one chain in thirty for the sagg or "swagg" of the surveyor's chain in making the measurements may have been the precedent for a similar rule adopted by the Vermont Council on Nov. 12, 1779.
The white pine tree named as the northeast corner was very near the present northeast corner of Guilford and may have been the same corner tree named by Nathan Dwight in his survey of 1675, the great stump of which remained in part until about 1900 but has now wholly disappeared. The large brook running southerly, referred to as being 12 perch west of the Northwest corner of the tract, was the branch of the Green River running from Marlboro southerly through Hines- burg Village.
This was one of eleven grants of land made to the survivors of the ill-fated Phipps expedition and their descendants. Most of these lands were in New Hampshire, as the line was later settled, but all were supposed to be in Massachusetts at the time of the grants in 1735-36. These tracts were originally designated from other grants by the word "Canada" attached to the name given the town or its prin- cipal grantee. In that way Guilford first went on the records as "Gallop-Canada".
There was no settlement made under this grant and it does not ap- pear that any of the grantees ever asserted any title to any part of it, excepting that three of them, Samuel Field, Eleazer Hawks and John Arms were among the proprietors under the grant of Benning Went- worth in 1754.
Benning Wentworth grants: For forty-two years prior to the year 1741 there had been a partial union between the provinces of
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Official History of Guilford
New York and New Hampshire. They had but one governor, although each had its own council, its own assembly and its own laws, but in the year 1741 the long disputed question of boundary between them having supposedly been settled, this union was then dissolved and Benning Wentworth, Esq. was appointed by King George II as gov- ernor of New Hampshire.
Benning Wentworth was a son of the late lieutenant governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He had been a merchant in good standing, but was at this time bankrupt. This unfortunate circum- stance having been brought about through his failure to recover a large sum of money due him from the government of Spain for a heavy consignment of timber which he had furnished for the Royal Spanish Navy.
His salary as governor was at first two hundred and fifty pounds, but after a time the salary was doubled by the assembly. His impov- erished condition at this time, after a period of activity, affluence and reputation is here referred to as appearing to have a direct bearing upon his later action in the wholesale granting of lands outside his jurisdiction, which resulted in the rapid recoupment of his waning fortunes. He was removed from office by the British Ministry in 1767 on charges of "neglect of duty".
Governor Wentworth in his grants of townships on the Vermont side of the Connecticut River had reserved to himself no less than 65,000 acres. His father-in-law, Theodore Atkinson, received 5700 acres and Theodore Atkinson, Jr. 1600 acres. Richard Wibird, a mem- ber of the New Hampshire Council, had 4800 acres and Mark Went- worth, brother of the Governor had 3700 acres. Fourteen others of the Wentworth name received from 100 to 2000 acres-all free gratis.
In the year 1664, King Charles II granted to his brother, the Duke of York, "all the land from the west side of the Connecticut River to the east side of Delaware Bay." The province was named New York in honor of the grantee. While the Connecticut River was thus made the western boundary of Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as that of New Hampshire, grants and settlements were made by the two former provinces on the west side of the river without any serious objection being raised by New York until the granting of Bennington by the New Hampshire governor. This was the first town granted by him west of the Connecticut River. New York then asserted her right to these lands and after a protracted period of negotiations consented to the establishment of the western boundary of Connecticut and Massa- chusetts at a point twenty miles east of the Hudson River.
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