USA > Vermont > Windham County > Gazetteer and business directory of Windham county, Vt., 1724-1884 > Part 25
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To give some idea of the laws passed by the old republic of Guilford, we quote the following, passed the next year, 1777 :-
"Voted, Not to let any person vote in this meeting but such as have forty pounds real or personal estate.
"Voted, John Barney and Benjamin Carpenter be a committee to go to Windsor, in June next, to hear the report of the agent sent to congress, con- cerning a new State.
"Voted, That any person who shall, for the future, pretend to hold lands by bush fence possession, shall be dealt with by the town as a breaker of the peace, and a riotous person, etc. Attest.
ELIJAH WELCH, Town Clerk."
They further chose a committee to establish the price of labor, all kinds cf produce, goods, wares and merchandise. The report of the committee was adopted as the law of the town. All the articles mentioned were a legal-tender for debts, with a penalty of the article sold, or the value thereof, with costs. The punishment of offenders was various, such as the " beech seal," fines,
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etc .; but the most disgraceful of all was to be compelled to embrace the " liberty pole" with both arms, the time being specified by the committee of inspection, or judges.
In 1778 there was again an entire change of politics. It appears by the records that a warrant and notification for a town meeting was sent from the "Council of Benninton," and a meeting was held upon the same, when it was " Voted, not to act agreeable to said warrant," and the meeting was dissolved. In 1779, after doing the customary town business, it was " Voted, Lovell Bullock, Timothy Root and Henry Sherburn a committee to defend the town against the pretended State of Vermont, and to represent the town in county committee." " Henry Sherburn, Elliot and Hezekiah Stowell," all violent Yorkers, " were chosen to take special care of the powder and lead and other town stores,"-and the meeting adjourned to the next year. In 1780 a like meeting was held. There is the following record for 1781 :--
"Then all the people met together that means to stand in opposition against the pretended State of Vermont. Voted, to defend themselves against the insults of the pretended State of Vermont.
Voted, Peter Briggs and William Bullock for a committee to send to the Charlestown convention. Voted, that Hezekiah Stowell keep the names of those that are against said pretended State."
Also in May, 1882, was the following :-
" Then the people met in general, and voted to stand against the pretended State of Vermont, until the decision of Congress be known, withi lives and fortunes. Voted, to receive the instructions which came from New York, etc. Voted, and chose Henry Evans, Daniel Ashcroft and Nathan Fitch, to forbid the constable acting."
These appear not to be regular meetings of the town, but of the Yorkers, who had gotten possession of the town books and stores by a majority of votes in 1778. They in turn excluded the other party from the polls, by force of arms. Frequently a company of armed Yorkers came from Brattleboro, to stand sentry at their meetings, when skirmishes ensued and hostile shots were exchanged. The Whigs and Vermonters also kept up their system of govern- ment by regular and stated meetings, but their records were lost. In their turn they sent hostile scouting parties to Brattleboro, to the assistance of their friends in that town. The Vermonters had a sheriff in Guilford, and their party, also, had a constable, who continued to collect taxes for the support of their cause. Those who were friendly to the new State paid without com- pulsion, while the property of the Yorkers, both real and personal, was sold at the post for taxes. For that the committee before mentioned was chosen " to forbid the constable acting," and their doings were spread upon the rec- ords of the town, by proclamation, as follows :-
"To all the officers of the civil authority under the pretended State of Vermont : You are hereby forbid to proceed against any person, or persons, that owns the jurisdiction of the State of New York, according to what is recommended in a handbill, by Congress, bearing date June 2, 1780, and we hereby forbid the constable venduing those numbers hereby given him [refer-
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ring to certain lots on the plan of the town], and we hereby forbid on your apparel.
HENRY EVANS, DAN ASHCROFT, NATHAN FITCH,
Committee."
The Yorkers held a like meeting in 1783, April 29th, and adjourned to their annual meeting in 1784. From 1778 to 1783 the town was governed, principally, by their former laws. Both parties had their committees, and the Yorkers, although in authority, could not govern the town, yet, in connection with the Tories, prevented anything being done under the direction and government of the new State. During the years 1783 and 1784, the enmity of the parties was carried to an alarming extent. Social order was at an end; physicians were not allowed to visit the sick without a pass from the several committees. Handbills from various quarters inflamed the minds of the people. Relatives and neighbors were arrayed against each other. The laws of Vermont were disregarded by the partisans of New York, and her executive officers were openly resisted. Not alone was this the case in Guil- ford, however, but it was general throughout the county.
In this state of things, in the summer of 1783, Gen. Ethan Allen was directed to call out the militia for inforcing the laws of Vermont, and for suppressing insurrection and disturbances in the county of Windham. Allen proceeded from Bennington at the head of one hundred Green Mountain Boys, and on his arrival at Guilford he issued the following proclamation :-
"I, Ethan Allen, declare that unless the people of Guilford peaceably sub- mit to the authority of Vermont, the town shall be made as desolate as were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, by God !"
The Yorkers, having fired upon Allen and his men, were pursued, and all either taken prisoners or dispersed. Those taken were put under bonds for their good behavior, and were compelled to furnish supplies and quarters for the troops. Under Allen's martial law, the constable found no difficulty in the collection of taxes ; nor was he very scrupulous about the sum assessed in the tax bill. Produce, horses, cattle and sheep, and whatever else could be found belonging to the most violent Yorkers, were taken and sold for the benefit of the State.
From 1784 to 1791, in which latter year the troubles were allayed by Ver- mont's becoming one of the United States, no records of the proceedings of the town are preserved. In March of the last mentioned year, also, the town was, for the first time, duly organized under the laws and constitution of Vermont. William Bigelow was chosen town clerk, who came peaceably into possession of the papers and records of the town. such as were to be found. Samuel Shepardson was chosen constable, and William Bigelow, Benjamin Bucklin and Elihu Root, selectmen.
Tradition says that during the seven years in which no records were kept, both parties held public and private meetings, but that it was a perfect rule of anarchy. The Yorkers, although they had the town books, dared not record their proceedings in them, and both parties kept secret their own records.
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During this confusion and jealousy one party stole the records of the other, and hid them, together with their own, and many deeds and proprietor's papers, under the earth in the pound, in order to conceal them from the other. There they lay, through some sad misfortune, until they were totally spoiled. When discovered and dug up they could not be read. During that time the York- ers, having been so closely pursued by the military and civil authority of Ver- mont, and their property mostly confiscated, fled to the State of New York, and settled upon the grants made by that State to the New York sufferers. Almost a whole township, now called Bainbridge, located in the southern part of Chenango county, was first settled by emigrants from Guilford. This accounts for the rapid decrease in the population of the township from 1784. While the town was independent of any power superior to the "town meet- ing assemblies," refugees from the neighboring States flocked into it; but when the law came, they fled. The violent Yorkers found but little peace under the energetic and persevering measures of the State's attorney of Windham county. To him the people of Guilford were indebted for the estab- lishment of law and order, without the effusion of blood, and the dispersion of the riotous. Migrations have not only been westward, but they have been northward and eastward. Most of the towns in the northern and mid- dle parts of the State contain descendants from the inhabitants of the old town of Guilford. Since 1791 there has been nothing remarkable in the his- tory of the town. From that time the inhabitants have supported the char- acter of free and independent farmers, very jealous of their rights, and for many years noted for their strong prepossesions in favor of the political school of Jefferson.
Hon. John Shepardson, born in 1718, was a firm patriot of the Revolution, and held the offices of judge of the supreme court and member of the coun- cil for several years. He died in 1798.
Hon. Samuel Richardson, born in 1757, was a useful member of society, and had the honor of sitting as a member of the council several years. He died in 1813.
Hon. William Bigelow, one of the first settlers, and always a father of the people, born in 1751, was a judge of the county court, which office he held with honor to himself. He died in 1814.
Among the prominent early settlers of the town, after 1796, might be men- tioned the names of Hon. Royall Tyler, Hon. James Elliot, Hou. Richard Whitney, Hon. Micah Townsend, Hon. Henry Seymour, Hon. Gilbert Denison, Hon. Samuel Elliot, Hon. John Noyes, and many others.
William Marsh came to Guilford about 1760, and settled the farm on road 6, now owned by A. B. Akley. He worked at his trade of shoe making and cleared up his farm. His son William, born about 1764, married for his second wife Olive Bixby, of Guilford. He lived upon the homestead farm and cared for his parents. Of his ten children only three are known to be living. Olive, his daughter, married Bernard Lynde, who died in 1864. She now lives with her daughter, who married S. L. Sibley of this town.
Dowells Google
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TOWN OF GUILFORD.
Manassah Bixby came from Rehobeth, Mass., about 1770 and settled upon the farm now owned by Paul Morris, on road 8. He died in the town. His son Thaddeus was born and always lived in the town. Some of the descend- ants of this family still reside here.
Abel Torry came to Guilford in 1770 and settled in Weatherhead Hollow with his family of nine children. His son David was taken prisoner at the surrender of Quebec. Jonas, another son, died while on duty at Plattsburg, N. Y., in the Revolution. None of the name are left in the town, though sotne of the descendants still reside here.
Hon. Benjamin Carpenter was a member of the first convention in Ver- mont, held at Dorset, in 1776. In those trying times with the brave sons of the Green mountains, when they had not only to oppose the powerful State of New York, the claims of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the Tories and Yorkers at home, and the menacing threats of congress abroad, but also the power of his Majesty's legions in war, that brave patriot, with an allow- ance of three days' provisions upon his back, would cross the Green mountains on foot, by marked trees, to attend the legislature at Bennington, for the pur- pose of devising ways and means of defence against all the enemies of the State. As delegate to the assembly, as a member of the council, and as lieutenant-governor of the Vermont, he deservedly holds a conspicuous place in the history of the same. A large white marble tombstone, in the western part of the town, marks his last resting place, and upon which is engraved the following inscription :-
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE HON. BENJ. CARPENTER, ESQ. BORN IN REHOBOTH, MASS., A. D. 1726, A MAGISTRATE IN RHODE ISLAND IN A. D. 1764, A PUBLIC TEACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, AN ABLE ADVOCATE TO HIS LAST FOR DEMOCRACY, AND THE EQUAL RIGHTS OF MAN. REMOVED TO THIS TOWN, A. D. 1770, WAS A FIELD OFFICER IN REVOLUTIONARY WAR,
A FOUNDER OF THE FIRST CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF VERMONT. A COUNCILOR OF CENSORS, IN A. D. 1783,
A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, AND LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE STATE IN A. D. 1779, A FIRM PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH FIFTY YEARS. LEFT THIS WORLD
AND 146 PERSONS OF LINEAL POSTERITY, MARCH 29, 1804, AGED 78 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AND 12 DAYS, WITH A STRONG MIND AND FULL FAITH OF A MORE GLORIOUS STATE HEREAFTER. STATURE ABOUT SIX FEET-WEIGHT 200. DEATH HAD NO TERROR.
In his early life he seems to have been of a roving disposition, for his ten children were born in five different towns of Massachusetts, Rhode. Island,
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and Connecticut. He removed to Guilford with John Barney and others, from Rehobeth, in 1770, six years after the town was granted to the original proprietors, where he became an ardent patriot and one of the foremost advocates of separate State sovereignty for Vermont. Aside from the offices mentioned in his epitaph, he was also one of the council of thirteen appointed to revise the State constitution, in 1785. He was descended from the patriaich, William Carpenter, who came from the South of England in the little ship Bevis in 1638, with his wife and four sons. It is interesting to observe that Richard Dummer, an ancestor, probably, of the Dummer for whoin Dummerston and Fort Dummer were named, was a passenger by the same ship. Settling first in Weymouth, Mass., the Carpenter family removed to Rehoboth with the first settlers of that town, in 1643. Joseph Carpenter, one of the four sons born in England, and great- grandfather of Benjamin C., became a constituent member of the Bap- tist church in Swanzey, the oldest church of that order in Massachusetts. in 1669. The late Senator Matt. Carpenter, of Wisconsin, and the late Hon. Abbott Lawrence, of Boston, were among his numerous posterity. Cyrus, the youngest of Benjamin Carpenter's ten children, was borr. in Killingly, Conn., in 1769, and was brought as an infant by his parents to Guilford, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a hardworking farmer and a much respected member of the Baptist church. He reared thirteen children, all of whom lived to have families of their own. His first wife, Betsey Barney, was the mother of four sons and six daughters, all of whom made their homes in other States. The fourth son, Mark, however, spent the later years of his life in his native county, serving the Baptist churches in Brattleboro, West Dummerston and South Windham successively, as pastor. He died at his residence in Townshend in 1882, at the age of eighty, leaving five sons scattered in various parts of the world. Cyrus's second wife, Betsey Putnam, was the mother of two sons and one daughter. The eldest of these three children. Edwin B., resided in the old homestead in Guilford for some years after his father's death. He was early engaged in the manufacture of reed organs in Brattleboro, and is still engaged in the same business in Mendota, IIL, while his eldest son Edwin P., has recently established a factory of the same kind in Brattleboro, right under the shadow of the successful and powerful firm of Estey & Co. He will doubtless do everything that pluck, energy, and fair dealing can do to build up his native town and at the same time achieve an honorable success.
Daniel Lynde, from Worcester, Mass., was among the early settlers of the town. He reared seven children, one of whom, Daniel, Jr., born in 1791. resided here until his death, at the age of seventy-one years. He was thrice married and reared fifteen children, eightt of whom are living, and four in Windham county, viz. : Thomas J., in Brattleboro ; Louis H., in Dummers- ton ; Mrs. G. N. McClure, in Guilford. William W., born here in 1829, has been in business in Brattleboro since 1868. He represented the town of
.
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Marlboro in the legislature thirteen sessions, was State senator in 1870-71, and was quarter-master-general of the State from 1871 to 1875. He mar- ried Calista J. Person, daughter of Ebenezer Person, of Marlboro, September 5, 1852, and has one daughter, wife of Hugh M. Adams. Another daughter, an infant, died in 1860.
Aaron Wilder came here from Providence, R. I., about 1773, and took up a piece of land on road 38, the farm now owned by his grandson, W. J. Wilder. After a residence of three years he returned to Providence, and served about a year in the army. He then came back to Guilford, and died here in 1844 Abigail, his wife, died in 1843. Of his two sons and six daughters, only two are living. Aaron, who was born here in 1789, is the oldest resident of the town. He lives with his son Joseph M. He married Clarissa Smith of Guilford, and had five children, two of whom are living, Joseph M., and Emeline, who married Jonathan Aldrich. Sarah W. Bullock, a daughter of Aaron Wilder, the pioneer, was born in Guilford in 1791, and now lives in the old house built by her father about 1795. John, another son of Aaron, was born about 1796, and died here in 1864. He married Lovinia Rose, who died in 1881, aged eighty-two years. They had one son, Warren J., who still resides here.
John Barney, born in Pomfret, Conn., in 1730, married Rebecca Martin, of Rehoboth, Mass., and came to Guilford in 1764, where he reared a family of twelve children. In 1772 he was chosen a supervisor of the town, and during that year his son Aaron was born. Aaron remained at home and cared for his parents in their passing old age, both of whom died in 1807. He represented the town in the legislature a number of years, was town clerk several years, and did a large amount of work as a justice of the peace, and was also a general of militia. He died at the age of sixty-two years. His youngest son, Aaron C., also held many of the town trusts, and died at the age of sixty-nine years. After his death the old homestead, which had been in the family's possession ninety-nine years, was sold to J. C. Cutting, who now occupies the same. William W., the eldest sun of Aaron C., lives about half a mile from the old homestead. He represented the town in the legislature during the years 1861, '74 and '80, and is the present town clerk.
John Noyes came here from Connecticut about 1775, and settled in the south part of the town. He built a log house and cleared the land around it. The seed for the first blade of grass grown upon his farm was sown by his wife. There was then no mill nearer than Deerfield, Mass., a distance of eighteen miles. Mr. Noyes represented the town when the legislature met at Windsor, and though not a lawyer by profession, he pleaded law to some extent. He died in 1827, aged more than eighty years. He had six sons and one daughter. Two of the former, Isaac and James, settled here. The lat- ter married Mary Taylor and settled on the homestead farm on which he was born. He was a justice of the peace for many years. He died in June, 1864, aged eighty-three years and eleven months. His widow died in February,
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1865, aged eighty-three years. His son, Jeremiah T., was born on the old farm, August 24, 1820. He married Sarah A. Dennison, who bore him one son, Charles S., who lives in Brattleboro. His second wife was Augusta Carpenter, by whom he has two children.
David Thurber came with his family of nine children, by means of an ox team, from Richmond, N. H .. in 1776, and settled upon the farm now owned by his grandson, Edward Thurber, on road 3. He represented the town in the legislature one term. Hej was a member of the Baptist church, and labored zealously to promote its interests. He died respected by the com- munity. His son Edward, who was eight years old when his father came to Guilford, married Betsey Wells, and settled on the homestead farm. His influence as a pacificator won for him the respect and confidence of his towns- men. He had ten children, only two of whom are living. Amos, his son, now lives on road 3. Amos's first wife was Almira Worden, of Halifax ; his present one, L. L. Thurber, the widow of his brother John W. Edward Thurber, a grandson of the pioneer of the family, who succeeded his father to the homestead farm, married Aurelia M., daughter of Capt. Jesse Wilkins. He has been a member of the Baptist church for fifty-one years, and is still an active religious worker. He has been a lister and assessor for several terms. The house he now occupies was built by his father in 1799.
Vine Haynes came from Groton, Conn., in 1778, and settled on the farm now owned by Russell L. Roberts, who married a granddaughter of his, on road 35. He was a carpenter and cabinet-maker, and endured many hard- ships and privations while clearing his land. He brought with him to his new home his wife, Molly Brown, and their six children. Three children were born to them after their settlement here. Amnang these was Asa, on the homestead, on which he always lived, in 1784. He, like his father, was a carpenter, and was also a Methodist minister. He married Sally Briggs, by whom he had nine children who grew to maturity. Five are living, among them a daughter, who became the wife of Russell L. Roberts.
James and Rufus Chase came from Rehoboth, Mass., during the Revo- lutionary war, and settled on the John H. Rudd farm. James afterwards removed to the west part of Dummerston, and lived to be ninety-three years of age.
John King came here from Connecticut about 1783, bringing his kit of joiner's tools with him upon his back. Some years after he returned to Con- necticut and married Sarah Marvin, of Middletown, in that State. He re- turned with her to Guilford, and settled in the center of the town, removing a few years later to the farm now owned by Mrs. C. A. King, where both died at a good old age. Of their nine children, all of whom reached maturity, not one is living. Their son Joseph, who was born in this town, married Katha- rine Bangs. He was a carpenter, and died in 1861, aged sixty-six. Two of his nine children are living, Frederick H., at Miller's Falls, Mass., and Frank R., now living with his mother on road 30.
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Calvin Weld came from Plymouth, Vt., about a hundred years ago, and settled on the farm now owned by his grandson, Isaac A. Weld, where he died. His son Isaac, who was born here in 1800, married Sally Archeraft, by whom he had four children, Isaac A., Calvin J., Louisa, and David. He was a gunsmith, and in addition to that business carried on the manufacture of ox-bows. He died February 12, 1873, and his wife June 11, 1865. The old house, built nearly a hundred years ago, is still standing and inuse.
David Bixby settled in the east part of the town something more than a hun- dred years ago. He subsequently removed to the west part of the town, to the farm now owned by Lemuel Whitney, where he died. His son Stephen, who came with him to Guilford, married Desire Gore, and lived on the old homestead. His son Daniel, who was born in 1808 and has always lived in the county, married Betsey Jones, and has two children living, Melissa and Nelson H.
Abijah Rogers, who was a descendant in the seventh generation of John Rogers, the English divine, who suffered martydom by burning in 1555, came to Guilford at an early day and settled in the central part of the town. on a part of the farm now owned by J: L. Bullock, on road 7, which he cleared up and on which he died. His family is said to have been the thirteenth to settle in Guilford. He had four wives and sixteen children. His daughters all married and settled in this vicinity and raised families.
Jabez Franklin, son of Aaron, and a native of Rhode Island, settled in Guilford, on the farm now owned by his son Jedediah, on road 41, previous to 1794, and died there. He served in the war for independence. He was twice married. His first wife was Sarah Star, who bore him seven children, Luther, Comfort, Abigail, Anna, Jabez, Sarah and Samuel. His second wife was Sarah Darling, by whom he had two children, Jedediah and Benjamin. Jabez, the only surviving child by his first wife, was born on the homestead farm in this town in 1794, and still lives adjacent to it, on the farm on which he settled at his marriage with Sarah Fulton, of Coleraine, Mass., who died in 1872, having had two children, Hannah, who died in 1854, and J. H., who resides with his father. Both children of the elder Jabez by his second wife are living, Benjamin, in Boston, and Jedediah, on the old homestead. The latter was born in September, 1808, and married Sarah Bartlett, who bore him nine childrer ..
Philip Franklin was among the early settlers of Guilford. He located on the farm now owned by Maria, widow of Philip F. Franklin, on road 40. His son Joel married Fanny Grout, and settled upon the old homestead. The latter's son Philip married Louisa Sargent, and for his second wife Maria Mowry, of Leyden, Mass. He died April 19, 188 1.
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