USA > Vermont > Orange County > Gazetteer of Orange County, Vt., 1762-1888 > Part 23
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This places the company upon the banks of the Oliverian river, in the present town of Haverhill, N. H. Their journey was continued the following morning, they proceeding on the highlands between the valley of the Con- necticut and that of the Ammonoosuc, and on the night of the 29th encamped in the southern part of Dalton, N. H. On June 30th the party had proceeded as far as Lancaster and camped by a river which they named Powers river, but which is now known as Israel's river. They had also named another river to which they had come in their march this day, Stark's river, after John Stark, and which is now called John's river. Here they rested one day, during which time Captain Powers, with two of his men, penetrated about five miles further up the river, where they came upon a large Indian camping place, (at present Northumberland, N. H.,) where the Indians had made
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WHEN FIRST SETTLED BY THE WHITES.
canoes and had not evidently been gone "above one or two days at most." They returned, and their stock of provisions being well nigh exhausted, started upon their return to Concord the next morning.
On the night of July 5th they encamped just below the mouth of Wells river, in the town of Newbury. On the morning of the 6th they "marched down the Great River," says the journal, " to the Great Coos, and crossed the river below the great turn of cleared interval, and there left the river, and steered south by east about three miles, and there camped. Here was the best of upland, and some quantity of large pines."
At this point the journal ends, and imagination only can trace the balance of the journey of this little band through the primitive forests to the territory of which we write.
The French and Indian war soon came on, and from this time until after the close of the hostilities nothing more was done toward exploring or set- tling the " Cohos Country."* In 1761, however, immediately after the war, there being no longer any fear of the French and Indians, the spirit of emi- gration descended upon the inhabitants of New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut, and this year seventy-eight townships were granted in the Connecticut valley, sixty on the west side of the river and eighteen on the east. The continual passing of troops through this valley during the war caused their value to be known. Col. Jacob Bailey, of Newbury, Mass., and Capt. John Hazen, of Haverhill, Mass., who for services in the French war had been promised a charter of a township each, in the Coös, on condition that they would themselves commence settlements thereon, determined to act in conjunction, and lay out their townships, one on the east and the other on the west side of the river, opposite. Bailey was not able to leave his affairs in Massachusetts as early as Hazen, and it was agreed that the latter should proceed and make the first settlement on the east side of the river, and Bailey should follow and locate on the west side as soon as he could arrange his affairs to that effect. In the summer of 1761 Capt. Hazen sent out two men, Michael Johnson and John Pettee, with his cattle, who took possession of the Little Ox Bow, in Haverhill, N. H. On the 18th of March, 1763, the two coveted townships were granted, one taking the name of Newbury and the other Haverhill.
The first settlement in Orange county was commenced in March, 1762, in the town of Newbury, by one Samuel Sleeper. Mr. Sleeper had reached Charlestown with his family, and was looking out for a way to get on through the wilderness from there to Newbury, when he fell in with a Mr. Glazier Wheeler and his brother from Shutesbury, Mass., who had come up on a hunt, and hired Wheeler to take them upon his sled to Newbury. Thomas and Richard Chamberlain, with their families, were the next settlers. They both settled on Musquash Meadow, in Newbury, in 1762. John Hazleton
Coos was originally spelled Cohos.
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also located in Newbury. and had a daughter born the same year-the first white child born in the county. The first male child was a son of Thomas Chamberlain, and was named Jacob Bailey Chamberlain, in honor of General Bailey.
Thomas Johnson came into the settlement in the service of General Bailey, in 1762. In 1763 Noah White and Col. Jacob Kent arrived, and in 1764 the settlement was blessed by the arrival, with his family, of General Jacob Bailey, the man who had been the first and chief mover in the settle- ment.
LAND TITLE CONTROVERSY.
The settlements made in the state previous to the year 1741 were sup- posed to be within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts ; but during that year it was ascertained that they were north of its northern line, and within the sup- posed jurisdiction of New Hampshire. This idea met with no opposition until 1763, when the population of the New Hampshire Grants had become quite large. But during that year New York laid claim to the territory, by virtue of a grant made by Charles II., to the Duke of York, in 1664, which included " all the land from the west side of Connecticut river to the east side of Delaware Bay." Upon application of the government of New York, it was decided by George III., in council of July 20, 1764, that the western bank of Connecticut river should thereafter be regarded as the boundary line between that state and New Hampshire. The colonists were surprised and displeased at this decision, but peaceably submitted to it, supposing that it merely effected a change of the jurisdiction to which they were subject ; and the government of New Hampshire, which at first remonstrated, soon acquiesced in the decision. But on the roth of April, 1765, Lieutenant- Govenor Colden, of New York, issued a proclamation, giving a copy of the order of the king, changing the boundary of the territory, and notifying " his Majesty's subjects to govern themselves accordingly." He also at once pro- ceeded to grant the lands to others than the New Hampshire claimants, and when the latter applied to the New York government for a confirmation of the grants they already held, such enormous patent fees were demanded as to make it impossible for them to comply.
It was well known in New York that these lands had long been granted by New Hampshire, that they were actually occupied under such grants, and that the new patents were procured in utter disregard of the rights and claims- of the settlers. It was also well known by them that the king, in commis- sioning Benning Wentworth governor of New Hampshire, had described his. province as reaching westward "until it met his other governments," thus bound- ing it westerly by New York; and that the eastern boundary of New York was a line twenty miles easterly from the Hudson river, extending from Lake Champlain south to the western line of Massachusetts, was proved by the
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LAND LITLE CONTROVERSY.
charter of the Duke of York, upon his accession to the throne of England, in 1685. But notwithstanding all this, New York insisted that not only was the jurisdiction changed thenceforward, but also that the grants made were vacated and that the titles acquired under them were made void. The set- tlers were required to re-purchase their lands, which some of them did, though the great majority of them peremptorily refused. The lands of such were granted to others, who brought actions of ejectment in the New York courts, where they invariably obtained judgments against the original pro- prietors. It was found, however, that it was easier to obtain judgments than to enforce them. The officers who attempted to serve the writs of possession were forcibly resisted and sometimes very roughly handled.
This strife brought out peculiar talents on the part of the Green Mount- ain Boys, as they became known, bringing to the surface such champions as Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, Remember Baker. and others whose names now are as familiar as household words. And thus it happens that many of the towns of Orange county have two charters, one from New York and one from New Hampshire, while others can show only the charter from New York, with its great seal. The quarrel continued for full a quarter of a century. In 1769 the king prohibited the governor of New York from issuing any more grants "until his majesty's further pleasure should be made known." Meanwhile civil disturbances and open defiance to the New York civil au- thorities continued to such an extent that, in 1774, a law was passed by that province ordering the surrender of all offenders under the penalty of death. In reply, the people of the grants returned a public letter, threatening death to any who should aid in arresting any of her citizens. About this time a . plan was made for the formation of a royal province, but the Revolutionary war soon joined the two provinces in a common cause, so that their personal quarrel gradually raged less furiously. In 1789 New York acknowledged the independence of Vermont, and endeavored to adjust all matters of dis- pute, having previously made grants to those who had suffered by adhering to her allegiance, while Vermont in turn paid into the treasury of New York $30,000.
One complication arising from the land title question, which particularly affected Cumberland county, was the annexation of several New Hampshire towns to Vermont, as follows : On the 12th of March, 1778, a petition was presented to the Vermont legislature by a number of the towns in New Hampshire, praying that they might be allowed to become a part of the former state, and subject to its jurisdiction. The application having been entertained in the Assembly for several days, was finally submitted to the people. When the discussion of the subject was renewed, on the 11th of June, at the summer session of the legislature, thirty-five of the representa- tives, expressing the views of the towns to which they belonged, declared in favor of the union, and twelve against it. Sixteen towns were accordingly added to the territory of Vermont, viz .: Cornish, Lebanon, Dresden (a name
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given to the district belonging to Dartmouth college, but used only a short time), Lyme, Orford, Piermont, Haverhill, Bath, Lyman, Athrop (now di- vided into Littleton and Dalton), Enfield, Canaan, Cardigan (now Orange), Landaff, Gunthwaite (now Lisbon), and Morristown (now Franconia). Al- though no act was passed to that effect, they were regarded as a part of Cum- berland county, and were so referred to whenever it became necessary to legislate concerning them. Great dissatisfaction, however, prevailed on both sides of the Connecticut relative to this annexation. In vain were all the efforts of the legislature to restore peace. The experiment of annexation, hazardous in the beginning, soon began to assume an aspect threatening the very foundation of the new state. In this crisis, the General Assembly, on the 23d of October, 1778, resolved to lay the subject before their constituents and request them to instruct their representatives how to proceed in relation to this unfortunate connection at the next session of the legislature. The impolicy, as well as the injustice, " of aiding in the dismemberment of New Hampshire," was too apparent to the friends and supporters of Vermont, to admit of a doubt in the course proper to be pursued. On the 12th of Feb- ruary, 1779, the instructions of the representatives on this point were can- vassed, at the winter session of the legislature, and, in conformity with these instructions, the union was declared " totally void, null and extinct."
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
With Vermont, the Revolutionary contest possessed a double interest, and while she lent her aid to redress national grievances, she also maintained a spirited contest on her own account. resolving to secure her independence from New York. The part taken by the famous Green Mountain Boys is almost too well known to need especial mention. Yet, while it is always con- ceded that they were brave and resolute, it is added that they were untrained, and surprise is often manifested that they showed such remarkable fighting qualities ; a little reflection, however, will show that they were not without training in arms and particularly in the art of Indian fighting. The fertility of the Vermont soil, of which the most extravagant stories used to be told, was first made known in the older states by the soldiers who crossed the ter- ritory in the French and Indian war. Upon the conquest of Canada, these men, largely young and unmarried, would naturally be the first to go to the new country, as it was called, and such in fact was the case, to a degree, so that the settlements had at the outset a considerable sprinkling of trained soldiers. And further, it should be remembered that nearly all the settlers were enured to hardship and danger, and were expert in wood craft and the use of firearms, so that a militia company, such as was formed in Cumberland and Gloucester counties in 1775, was a fighting force which could hardly be excelled for a rough country, and was even able to appear to advantage in an open field of battle.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
The strong current of emigration which after the conquest of Canada, in 1760, ran to the north from the older New England states, had, at the open- ing of the Revolution, effected the settlement of a great part of Eastern Ver- mont, progress of course being made most rapidly along the natural high ways of the country, the rivers and lakes, so that in 1776 there is estimated to have been 900 men capable of bearing arms in the eastern part of the state. In 1775 the Green Mountain Boys captured the military posts on Lake Champlain, and the advance of the American army into Canada which followed afforded a protection to Vermont settlements which many person were not slow in taking advantage of ; but as the enemy in turn regained possession of the lake the year following, the settlers were left entirely without protection, and in that condition, mainly, they remained until the close of the war. The more exposed points in the region of the lake were abandoned in 1776, until there were very few settlements north of the present line of Bennington county ; but there were no demonstrations then made upon Vermont soil, and this vicinity, as did also most other parts of the state, remained undisturbed. It was of frequent occurrence that scouting parties of tories and Indians, with a few British soldiers, would be led on at dead of night to kill, take captive and burn. General Bailey, Colonel Johnson and Rev. Peter Powers, three excel- lent and prominent men of Newbury, by their distinguished devotion to their country had become eminently obnoxious to the British, and they resolved on their capture. General Bailey and Mr. Powers were successful in eluding their enemies, but Colonel Johnson was captured in the spring of 1781 and held to the close of the war, being on parole of honor for a portion of the time. The year 1780 found the little state entirely unprotected from the common enemy at the north, and engaged in a bitter contest with New York. It was during this year that occurred the memorable raid upon and burning of Roy- alton. The expedition was designed against Newbury, for the object, as was supposed, of capturing a Lieutenant Whitcomb, who, in July, 1776, while on a scout, had wantonly shot General Gordon, a British officer, and robbed him of his watch and sword. The British deeply resented this attack as un- worthy of an officer, and were desirous of getting Whitcomb into their power. The following account of this sanguinary incursion we take from Thompson's Vermont :-
"The party, consisting of about 300 men, mostly Indians, was commanded by one Horton, a British lieutenant. While proceeding up Winsooki river, they fell in with several hunters, by whom they were told that the people of Newbury were expecting an attack, and were well prepared for defense. This information induced them to turn their attention towards Royalton. They accordingly proceeded up Stevens and Jail branch, and down the first branch of White river, to Tunbridge, where they lay in their encampment during the Sabbath, and on Monday morning, it being the 16th of October, they commenced their depredations at the house of Mr. John Hutchinson, who lived near the line between Tunbridge and Royalton. After making Mr. Hutchinson and his brother Abijah prisoners, they proceeded to the
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house of Mr. Robert Havens, where they killed Thomas Pember and Elias Button. They then went to the house of Joseph Kneeland, took him and his father, and Simeon Belknap. Giles Gibbs and Jonathan Brown. Pro- ceeding thence to the house of Mr. Elias Curtis, they made him and John Kent and Peter Mason prisoners.
" Thus far the business was conducted with the greatest silence, and the prisoners were forbid making any outcry upon pain of death. They at length arrived at the mouth of the branch, where they made a stand while small parties proceeded in different directions to plunder the dwellings and and bring in prisoners. By this time the alarm had become general, the in- habitants were flying for safety in every direction, and the savages filled the. air with their horrid yells. One party extended its ravages down the river into Sharon, took two prisoners and burnt several houses and barns. Another party proceeded up the river, made prisoner of David Waller, a young lad who lived with General Stevens, plundered and set fire to the General's house, and advanced in that direction about three miles, killing the cattle and plundering and setting fire to the buildings as they passed.
" After completing their work of destruction they returned with their booty to the place where they commenced their attack in the morning. From this place they proceeded across the hill to Randolph, where they encamped for the night on the second branch of White river. In the course of the day they had killed two persons, taken twenty-five prisoners, burnt upwards of twenty houses, and about the same number of barns, and killed about 150 head of cattle, and all the sheep and hogs that fell in their way ; having suffered no loss themselves, and scarcely met with any opposition. Surprised, affrighted and scattered from one another, the inhabitants could take no steps for their defense ; the news, however, soon spread, and a number of men immediately marched from Connecticut river, and the adjacent towns. By evening they amounted to several hundreds, and were collected at the place where the at- tack commenced. Here they organized themselves, and chose for their com- mander a Captain John House, who had served several campaigns in the Con- tinental army.
"Early in the evening House began his march with this undisciplined but brave corps, in pursuit of the savages, who were at this time encamped seven or eight miles ahead. The night was dark, and he was guided amidst the logs, rocks and hills, with which the wilderness abounded, only by a few marked trees. When they supposed themselves near the Indians they pro- ceeded with great caution ; but as they were passing over a stream which was crossed upon a large log they were fired upon by the enemy's rear guard, which had been posted behind some trees near the place, and one man was wounded. House's party returned the fire, killed one Indian and wounded two others. The guard then retreated to the Indian camp, and House ad- vanced within about three hundred yards of the same, where he waited till daylight without commencing an attack.
" Fatigued by the business of the preceding day, and now suddenly awakened from profound sleep, the savages were at first filled with conster- nation and thrown into the utmost disorder. They, however, soon recovered from their fright, and were not long in concerting measures for their own safety. They sent out an aged prisoner to inform the Americans that, if they proceeded to make an attack, they should immediately put all the prisoners to death. The proceedings thus far had caused two to be put to death, one to retaliate the death of the Indian who had been slain, and the other for re- fusing to march, in the expectation that the Americans would relieve them.
1602)
WAR OF ISI2.
These were tomahawked as they lay upon the ground. Having placed their warriors in the rear to cover their retreat. they silently left their encampment, proceeded to Randolph, where they took one prisoner, passed through the west part of Brookfield, and, by the way of Winooski river and Lake Cham- plain, to Montreal. House and his men were waiting for the dawn of day and deliberating upon the message brought them by the prisoner, till the In- dians had departed and were far beyond their reach. They, however, fol- lowed upon their trail as far as Brookfield and then returned, having lost the opportunity of attacking the enemy by their caution and delay. On their way to Canada the prisoners were well treated, and with respect to provisions fared as well as their masters. Of the twenty-six who were carried away one died in captivity. and the rest were liberated the next summer and returned to their friends."
In 1782 a party of British and Indians, after killing one man and taking one prisoner at Newbury, proceeded to Corinth where they compelled the in- habitants to swear allegiance to the British king. Other towns were also vis- ted by small parties of the enemy in the course of the war, and while the inhabitants were wholly at their mercy, these parties did very little injury, and probably had orders from the British generals not to molest the settlers.
The surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, October 19, 1781. virtually ended the war. Provisional articles of peace were signed at Paris, France. by commissioners, November 13, 1782, and September 3, 1783, the definite treaty of peace was signed at the same place and was ratified by the Congress of the United States, January 14, 1784. The families who had been driven from the county once more returned to their peaceful homes, and e'er long the waving grain was bending gracefully in the place of the stately forests, and the peaceful hum of business took the place of the roar of cannon and the trumpet of war.
WAR OF 1812.
The yoke of the mother country having been thrown off, the American col- onies rapidly advanced in progress. Vermont expanded into a free and in- dependent state, and was finally annexed to the Union, March 4, 1791. In the mean time, the French nation, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, had arrived at the zenith of military glory, and was giving England great cause for fear and trembling. England, in turn, seeming to forget that her American off- spring had arrived at maturity, and was able to protect its own institutions, continued her acts of tyranny. Looking upon herself as mistress of the ocean, during her wars with Napoleon, she utterly disregarded the rights of the United States as a neutral nation. Her cruisers would stop and search American vessels, and seize such able-bodied seamen as were needed, on the pretext that they were British subjects. All American frigate, not in a con- dition to resist, having been subjected to this indignity, almost within sight of an American port, after receiving several broadsides for denying the right of such search, the President issued a proclamation ordering all British ships- of-war to quit the waters of the United States. Congress also laid an embargo
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ORANGE COUNTY.
on American vessels, detaining them at home, but afterwards substituted a non-intercourse act, prohibiting trade with Great Britain. All intercourse between this state and the people of Canada was prohibited, without a per- mit from the governor, under a penalty of $1,000.00 fine and imprisonment at hard labor in the state penitentiary for a term of seven years.
Notwithstanding all this, England persisted in her offensive course. All hopes of obtaining concessions on the impressment question from her were at length abandoned. George III., who was still on the throne, had become insane, and the men who had managed affairs were as short-sighted as his advisers had been forty years before, whose foliy had provoked the Revolution. Longer submission to their arrogant claims was deemed unworthy of a free nation, and war was therefore formally declared by the United States, June 18, 1812. The majority of the people of Vermont considered the declara- tion of war rash and imprudent, believing that the required issue could have been brought about by legislation ; but notwithstanding this feeling, the Gen- eral Assembly of the state passed the following resolution :-
" The constituted authorities of our country having declared war between the United States and Great Britain and dependencies, it is our duty, as citizens, to support the measure, otherwise we should identify ourselves with the enemy, with no other distinction than that of locality. We, therefore, pledge ourselves to each other, and to our government, that with our individ- ual exertions, our examples and influence, we will support our government and country in the present contest, and rely on the Great Arbiter of events for a favorable result."
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