USA > Vermont > Essex County > Guildhall > A history of Guildhall, Vt > Part 2
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"Friday, June 28. This morning fair weather. and wo went about the canoe, and completed the same by about twelve of the clock this day, and went over the river; and we concluded to let the men go down the river in the emoe, who were not likely to perform the remaining part of the journey, by reasons of sprains in the ankles. and weakness of body. They were four in number: and we steered our course for the great interval about east, north- cast: and we this day marched, after we left the river. about ten miles. And the land was exceedingly good upland. and some quantity of white pine, but not thick. hint some of them fit for masts." [The four men. referred to in the journal, it would seem, were about to take their chad ces noon the river, returning by the way of "No 1." |
.. Sotur lov, JJune 29. This morning was cloudy, but we swinger our prekes, and steered our course about north-west. tonn il-, and came to Connectient River. There it came tu tens all we camped by the side of the river, and it
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rained all this afternoon, and we kept our camp this night. The land was, this day's march, very good, and it may be said, as good as ever was seen by any ofus. The common growth of wood was beech and maple, and not thick at all. It hath a great quantity of small brooks. This day and the day past, there were about three brooks fit for corn mills; and these were the largest of the brooks that we saw."
[ It seems that the last two days march was between the Connecticut and Amonoosuck Rivers upon the high- lands of Bath, Lyman and Littleton, N. II .. and we now find them camping it the southern part of Dalton, N. II.]
"Sunday, June 30. This morning exceeding rainy weather, and it rained all the night past, and continued raining until twelve of the clock this day: and after that. it was fair weather, and we marched along up Connecticut River; and our course we made good this day was about five miles, east by north, and there came to a large stream which came from the south east. This river is about three rods wide, and we called it Stark's River, by reason Ensign John Stark's being found by the Indians at the mouth of this river. This River comes into the Connec- ticut at the foot of the upper interval, and thence we travelled up the interval about seven miles, and came to a large river which came from the south east; and it is about five rods wide. Here we concluded to go no further with a full scout, by reason of our provisions being almost all spent ; and almost all our men had worn out their shoes. This river we called Power's River. it being the camping place at the end of our journey; and there we rampel by the river." [It seems that John Stark had been taken by Indians while on one of his hunting expeditions along this stream, which runs through Dalton, N. II., and is now called John's River, because Stark's name was John perhaps ; but we think they had better have preserved the
original nie, and this would have perpetuated a histori- el fiet, and borne up a name that the whole Town would delight to cherish among them: but who is to know whether this is John Stark's River, or some other John's River? The river they called Powers' River is in Lan- raster. N HI .. and is now called Israel's River. This, too, we think ought to hear the name they gave it. instead of a wandering, and perhaps a worthless hunter; Captain Powers was the first man of English descent. who ever visited this section for discovery. He did it in imminent peril, and for the good of his country. How much more gratifying it would be to the present inhabitants of that town, and to all future generations of theirs, did they bear upon their river the name of the first man who ever by authority discovered their town ! There has been much wrong in these things in many of our towns.
Our worthy ancestors, who bore the toils and went through the perils of exploring and settling our forests, and of sul dning them, richly merited this cheop method of perpetuating a memorial of themselves. There is no record in the journal of any transaction on July Ist. It was probably spent in reconnoitering and viewing the adjacent. country, and it is more than likely that members of this company crossed the river into Guildhall. ]
".Tuesday, July 2. Fair weather, and we thought proper to mend our shoes, and return homeward; accordingly we went about the same; and whilst the men were this way engaged, the Captain and 2 men marched up the river to see what further discoveries they could make, and they travelled nhout five miles, and there they discovered where the Indians had a large camping place, and had been mak- ing canoes, and had not been gone above 1 or 2 days at most; and so they returned to the rest of the men again about twelve of the clock: and then we returned, and marched down the river to Stark's River, and camped.
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This afternoon it rained hard, but we were forced to travel, for want of provisions. This interval is exceeding- ly large, and the further up the larger. The general course of this river from north east by east as far as the interval extends." [The Captain and his two men pene- trated as far as Guildhall Falls, it would seem, and at this place were over 150 miles from civilized habitations. And here they first fell upon the trail of Indians, where they had been preparing themselves canoes to enable them to descend upon the frontier settlements. ]
"Wednesday, July 3. This morning cloudy weather, and thundered; and after the sun an hour high, it rained hard, and continued about an hour, and then we swung our packs, and steered our course west south west, aiming for Amonoosuck River ; and this day we marched about fourteen miles, and camped."
"Thursday, July 4. We marched on our course west south west, and this day we marched about twenty miles and camped."
"Friday, July 5. We marched about three miles to our packs at Amonoosuck, the sume course we had steered heretofore; and we afterward went over Connecticut River and looked up Wells River, and camped a little below Wells River this night."
"Saturday, July 6. Marched down the Great River to Great Coos, and crossed the river below the great turn and clear interval, and there left the great river, and steered south by east about three miles, and camped. Here was the best of upland and some large white pines."
Here the journal stops; the remaining pages cannot be found. We may suppose that they returned the same way they came, with hostile Indians pressing hard in their rear;
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for we le na fran Belknap, that by the middle of August 1754. the In Lans were committing their usual depreda- tions at Bakerstown. and vicinity.
From 1754 to 1759 (the year Quobee fell into the possession of the British, ) no efforts were made to dis- cover of setthe new territories; nor does it appear that much was done towards settling the northern Connecticut Valley in 1760; for our men were still in Canada. But in 1701 when the colonies no longer feared the French and Indians the spirit of emigration from the older settle- ments revivel and surpassed all that had been before witnessed. People from Connectient. Massachusetts, and New Hampshire were now preparing to transplant them- selves into the then great western valley of the Connect-
Gov. Benning Wentworth of N. H., about this time valore la survey to be made of the Connections River for isty miles and three tiers of townships to be laid out on each sale, but further surveys were not leon account of the numerous applivazios for grants, and in 1761, the year which Guil Hall was chartered, no less than sixty town- ships of six miles spune were granted on the west side of the Competent River, alour.
The Last we tried in this chapter to give a brief sketch of cathy Shoes, as well as the d'ex very of Guil that : some people In, bones that they fithers were in bed
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL.
Rogers' famished men, as they fled from the infuriated Indians of the St. Francis Tribe in 1759. Possibly this may be the fact, but Capt. Powers' journal of an earlier date by some years, convinces us that the traditionary tales which have so long existed, are all apocryphal.
The truth is, when Major Rogers disbanded his men for their greater safety, he appointed them to "rendezvous at the Upper Coos," which could not have been done, if the place had not been known. Some of Rogers' men, no doubt, made the Coos, and some passed through it, while others perished whose remains were found by the early set- tlers: tradition also tells us that valubles were hidden in the ground by these poor perishing men, and it is fresh in the minds of many how the territory of some of the meadows in the lower part of this Town, and vicinity, have been dug over- with what result?
Maj. Rogers left Crown Point Sept. 12, 1759, with two hundred men to destroy the St. Francis Indians. He came in sight of the village on the evening of Oct. 4th, and leaving his men to refresh themselves, he dressed himself in the Indian garb and went forward to reconnoi- tre the town. He found the Indians engaged in a grand dance, without apprehensions of danger. At four o'clock the dance was ended and the Indians retired, and at day- break the fatal blow was struck. The Indian method of slaughter was adopted: they were determined to revenge the blood of their friends and relatives and sparcd no
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL.
pains, completely destroying the village and its in- habitants. Of the three hundred souls, which the village contained, two hundred were slain on the spot, and twenty taken prisoners. The English lost only one killed and six slightly wounded.
Having reducod the village, they set out on their return with the five English captives retaken, and such articles of plunder as they could easily carry away. To avoid his pursuers he proceeded up the St. Francis River, and directed his course toward the Connecticut River. On his march he was several times attacked in the rear and lost seven men, but forming an ambuscade on his own track, he at length fell upon the enemy with such success as to put an end to further annoyance or pursuit. The men kept together until they had passed the easterly side of Lake Memphremagog. Their sufferings now began to be severe, not only from the excessive fatigues they had endured, but from hunger. Their provisions were ex- pended, and they were a distance from any place of relief. Here Maj. Rogers divided his detachment into small companies, ordering them to "meet at the month of the Upper Amonoosuck."
In the meantime, Samuel Stevens and three others pro- ceeded up the Connecticut River with two canoes from "No. 4" loaded with provisions; they landed at the mouth of the Pasgumpsie River, where "they encamped for the night;" but in the morning hearing the report of guns. and supposing it to be Indians, they reloade l and hastened
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL.
back. About noon Rogers arrived at the Passumpsie Riv- er, and observing a fire on an island, made a raft and pass- ed over to it; but to his surprise and disappointment no provisions had been left; his men were so disheartened by this discovery that thirty six more died before the next day. Rogers then gave up the command of his men and told them "to take care of themselves."
Some were lost in the woods, but Rogers and a few of his party, after almost incredible hardships, succeeded in reaching "No. 4."
Most authorities claim that Maj. Rogers and his whole company struck the Connecticut River at Barnet, follow- ing down the Passumpsic River ; but we should judge from the facts, that the only part of that river the larger part of his company saw, is where it enters the Connecti- cut: the direction we claim Rogers took from Lake Mem- phremagog is this-he followed the Clyde River to Bright- on, then the Nulhegan River to the Connecticut, and thus down to where he expected to find his provisions. Our reasons are-Ist, this is the most direct route to the Connecticut, 2d, "he told them to rendezvous at the Upper Coos;" what section was then known as "Upper Coos?" and again, he ordered them to "meet at the mouth of the Upper Amonoosuck, 3d, various articles have been found in this section which must have been abandoned by these men as they passed along, or, possibly found on the very spot, or near, where they layed down to die. Mr. Wm. Hendrick found the barrel of a musket on the side of the hill in his pasture near the river in town, which resembles precisely those carried in this expedition.
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Mr. Jonathan Crawford also found on his meadow in town, the iron part of a musket, similar to that found by Mr. Hendrick, and near which was a small mound. but there is no proof of its being the resting place of one of these brave men.
We do not claim that none of the expedition went by the way of the Passumpsic River, but that the larger part passed this way.
ESSEX COUNTY COURT HOUSE, CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, AND ACADEMY.
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CHAPTER 11.
Guildhall-Guildhall Village-Northumberland-Mill Brook- Burnside Brook and Mountain-Cow Mountain-Scenery- Natural History-Valley of the Connecticut.
Guildhall, in Essex County, lying on the west side of Connecticut River, opposite Northumberland and Lan- caster in New Hampshire, is boundel N. by Maidstone, S. hy Lunenburgh, and W. by Granby; in lat. 44º 32' N., and long. 5º 14° E., and contains 19,477 acres.
The soil is generally good, more especially on the plains and intervals, and is easily cultivated; the hills are better adapted to grazing. but newly cleared land produces ex- eellent crops. Agriculture is the main pursuit ; cattle, horses, sheep, swine and poultry, wheat, corn, rye, oats, buckwheat, peas, beans, potatoes, maple sugar, &c., &c., are the principal products.
There is a village in the north-easterly corner of the town, containing the County Buildings, Congregational and Methodist Churches, Academy, Post Office, various Stores, Public Houses, Factories, Law Offices, Black- smith Shop, &c., and is connected with Northumberland village, in N. H., by a toll bridge, which together with Guildhall village make quite a flourishing place: in North- umberland village are three Factories, two Stores, Post Office, Blacksmith Shop, Wheelwright Shop, and the Guildhall Station on the White Mountain Division of the Boston and Lowell Railroad.
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL ..
The market facilities are good by means of the Boston & Lowell R. R., also the Grand Trunk R. R., which has a station at Groveton in Northumberland, N. H., about three miles distant.
There are no streams that afford water power of very much note excepting the Connecticut River; hence the quantities of lumber which this town and vicinity produc- ed have been drawn to the river and driven to find a market south. There are many small streams in town. upon which mills have been erected at various times: Mill Brook, (formerly Spaulding's Brook ) rises in Granby, and by a round about way runs through a part of Maid- stone, and finally empties into the Connecticut, two miles below Guildhall Village; this brook took its present name from the fact that the first mills in town were constructed upon it. Burnside Brook rises back among the hills in town, and empties into the Connecticut about three quar- ters of a mile south of Mill Brook; it probably received its name from the circumstance of a Mr. Burnside, one of the early settlers of Northumberland, N. H., having at ono time resided on the river bank directly opposite its mouth; the high mountain, around whose base this brook courses, was also named "Burnside Mountain."
Cow Mountain stands near the Burnside, and the two appear like twins: this mountain received its name in a rather queer way ; in early days there lived in that part of the town known as the "North Road," a colored man called Bacchus, or as he was more familiarly known,
HISTORY OF GUILDHALL. 41
"Ohl Bacchus;" he had resided there a number of years. Ile was a powerful man and fond of sport; usually very good natured, but had a sufficient amount of temper when offended. At length, for some unknown reason he broke up house-keeping, and retired to the forest upon this mountain ; he took with him, however, another man's cow without leave, and for many days sustained himself in the woods, baffling his seekers, but at length he was captured and during his imprisonment, he died.
SCENERY.
To the lovers of natural scenery, the valley of the Connecticut in this town cannot be surpassed in loveliness. The beautiful meadows, the abrupt headlands, in the distance the towering summits of the White Mountains, and the variety of timber land, all conspire in rendering it a changing scene and one of peculiar interest and beauty. A delightful view is to be seen from the bridge which leads to Northumberland; the broad river in the foreground, the charming meadows with here and there a tall elm tree, then the terraces, and best of all, those wonderful Percy Peaks in the background. So lovely u scene will scarcely be observed any where else in the world, and on a pleasant day, with the river smooth, which furnishes the observer a large and perfect looking glass, the landscape and its reflection are beyond describ- ing. We give elsewhere a sketch of the Connecticut Valley two miles south of the Village. Many other views might be mentioned, but to gain a good idea of them requires a visit in person.
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL.
NATURAL HISTORY.
The reader will kindly bear with us upon this subject; we will give the best information upon it we can ascertain .*
ANIMALS. MOOSE OR ELK. This animil is quite extinct in this region, the last one killed near here, being in Brighton about the year 1858.
BEAR. The black bear is quite common in some locali- ties near, doing considerable damage at times, but is seldom seen in town. Ilis color is shining black, long hair not curled, and he presents a rather shaggy appearance.
Sometimes, when one is seen, the people turn out in large numbers, and frequently succeed in its capture. We will mention one bear hunt which occurred in town in 1842. As Mr. Richard and Geo. S. Boyce were milking their cows one morning, they heard a commotion among the sheep in the pasture, and looking in that direction saw a very large bear, who was trying to catch the sheep; Richard succeeded in getting his shotgun in working order, while Geo. S. contented himself with a stake; they had a very spritely dog which accompanied them in the hunt. They started up the hill, Richard with the gun going in one direction, and Geo. S. with the stake going another : their plan was to go around the bear and drive him down from the hill to the meadow. When they got above him, Geo. S. was the nearest, and as the bear was ascending the hill they must shortly come in contact with each other; as his brother had the gun, he thought ho woull let the bear pass, so stepping one side he let him go on until he . In classification &c. we have followed Thompson.
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL.
met Richard, who fired at him, but the shot being small, did not have much effect; but the dog gave chase, and as other men and dogs came to the rescue, they succeeded in driving the bear to the meadow, where they finally killed him. This bear was one of the largest ever seen in town.
WOLF. Formerly numerous, but now seldom seen. In 1837 and 1838 they were very plenty.
DEER. This beautiful creature is fast disappearing, and the hunting of them is considered very rare sport. Hon. H. A. Cutting gives the following in one of his valuable articles in the Vt. Gazetteer, and we take the liberty of presenting it. "In 1855, a youngster, while bathing in the Connecticut above Guildhall Falls, saw a young deer trying to swim away from some dogs; the young man finally caught him, and he was so tired that he conducted him home without difficulty, where he kept him for a time and then sold him to the manager of a menagerie."
Fox. This very ennning, sly, and cautious animal is quite common ; the color is generally dull red, with some- times a tendency to black; a black one is occasionally seen, but they are rare. Upon the female devolves the entire care of the young; they breed in April. There is no ani- mal which desires freedom more, and frequently when caught in a trap, it will gnaw off a foot to escape, and will refuse food, and die in captivity, rather than submit to restraint.
LYNX. Though much larger, it resembles the common cat, but has longer ears, and a shorter tail. It prowls about at night, and is very sharp sighted.
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HISTORY OF GUILDHALL.
In Feb. 1867, Mr. Seth Meecham killed a lynx, or bob cat, which was of tremendous size, standing as high as a table, and was a very savage looking animal. For a long time the inhabitants had been greatly annoyed, and serious damage had been done; besides other depredations, fifty sheep had been killed. Mr. Meecham, who then lived in the village, kept an eye out for him, and one day in the early part of the winter saw its tracks within thirty rods of his house. He followed them at various times, and once saw marks in the snow where it had jumped thirty five feet ; he finally set a bear trap in the "Frye pasture," so called, and after leaving it there for a time, he was successful in catching the lynx. Mr. Hubbard Willard told the writer that every winter one visits his pasture, and prowls around generally.
RACCOON. Looks somewhat like a fox, but is alliel to the bear. Gray in color, with rows of black and white alternately, but most strongly marked on the tail. They are very destructive to property, as well as treacherous.
HEDGEHOG. This very peculiar creature is still plenty in this region. Their defence is to roll up into a ball, and the sharp quills which grow on their back serve as a very good fortress.
WOODCHUCK. A very annoying animal to the farmers in town, destroying much of their erops; it necessitates almost constant trapping and shooting to keep them within bounds.
SKUNK. Too familiarly known to need any description, for it resides in every locality in town in reality. We will
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relate what has to us seemed a rather comical incident. It was a warm summer night, and all was quiet; my brother Charles and myself were sleeping in a room which fronts on the street, and opposite the Methodist parsonage, in which at the time, Rev. S. F. Cushman and family resided. It seems that Mr. Skunk was rendering to himself very important service in the parson's hennery; of course the hens at once began to cackle and make an unusual noise, which aroused the Rev. gentleman and family; he at once attired himself in his long dressing gown, and sallied forth to see what was causing the disturbance. Upon his arrival at the scene, it is needless to say he was shocked ! and it became very evident to him, as he was unarmed, that he must at once retreat, which he immediately did. In the meantime his wife had dressed herself, and was going with a lamp to meet her better-half, who, (she mistrusted by the sounds which were coming from him,) was in trouble; they met in the shed ; he at once called for firearms, but as they had none in the house, what was to be done ! His eyesight was beginning to get poor at this time, or else the light was too strong for him, and grabbing a carving knife and fork, he started back; his wife pleaded with him not to attempt entering the field of conflict until reenforce- ments could be summoned. Frank, their son, was sent out upon that important service; he first struck for Ben- ton's, but before arriving at this place, the B's. were aware of the trouble, and the one man and two boys, (all of whom were more inquisitive than brave, ) were starting for the parsonage.
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Upon meeting young Cushman, who announced what peril his "dad" was in, they immediately despatched him for Hod. * Quicker than a flash, the boy shot up the street; brawling at every step "a skunk is killing my father" &c, and for "help at the parsonage;" the village was generally aroused, and many at once hur- ried their steps to the aforesaid place. While this was transpiring the skunk had gone from the hennery to a pile of wood which was in the yard. At length a company was formed and the order was given, as the Commander drew tighter the strings which were around his gown, to ad- vance ! They went directly to the spot where the first. skirmish had taken place, but found no enemy; their sense of smell told them where to direct their course, and as the brave (?) men pulled over the wood, the parson awaited the chance to renew the fight, until at length we heard,- there he is-quick !! No sooner said than done; the fork Was thrust, and the poor, and almost defenceless creature was carvod ! It is needless to say more, only perinit us to add, that the skunk was not the only thing buried.
SABLE. Sometimes called marten and belongs to the weazel family: it is fast disappearing. Its food is princi- pally birds and mice, and sometimes hares and partridges.
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