Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, Part 3

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836-, comp; Adams, William, fl. 1893, ed
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers
Number of Pages: 898

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The Green Mountain Freeman was established by Joseph Poland, in Jan- uary, 1844, with Rev. J. C. Aspinwall, a Methodist preacher, as editor. This was the organ of the Liberty party. Mr. Aspinwall retired from the edito- rial chair the ensuing fall. A few months later Rev. C. C. Briggs, a Congre- gational preacher and anti-slavery lecturer, became joint editor and publisher. In May, 1846, Mr. Briggs retired. Mr. Poland, on account of ill health, sold the paper to Hon. Jacob Scott, of Barre, in 1849, and during that year Hon. Daniel P. Thompson associated with Mr. Scott, and at the beginning of the next volume he was sole editor and proprietor. In 1856 the paper was pur-

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chased by S. S. Boyce. In 1861 the paper was sold to Hon. Charles Wil- lard, who was its editor the ensuing twelve years, and its proprietor until 1869, when he sold a half-interest to J. W. Wheelock, and the other half in 1873. Mr. Wheelock remained sole editor and proprietor until his death, in 1876, when he was succeeded by his son, Mr. Herbert R. Wheelock, and Hon. H. A. Huse had charge of its editorial work. It is proper to remark that after the organization of the Republican party thenceforward the Green Mountain Freeman was out and out Republican in politics. In March, 1884, Mr. Wheelock sold it to W. W. Prescott, then editor and proprietor of the WATCHMAN, to be merged in the latter, when it ceased to exist.

The Vermont Christian Messenger, the organ of the M. E. church in Ver- mont, as near as can be ascertained from material now at hand, was first pub- lished in Newbury in 1846. Walton's Register for 1848 reports it published in Montpelier in 1847. In 1854 it was removed to Northfield, and in 1859 again returned to Montpelier. During its existence it has been published by Rev. Elisha J. Scott, R. M. Manly, Rev. Alonzo Webster, C. W. Willard (commencing in 1861), J. W. Wheelock, from 1869 to 1874, and then by his son, H. R. Wheelock, until he sold it to Rev. J. R. Bartlett in the spring. of 1884, who took it to Northfield. In September, 1885, Mr. Bartlett sold it to C. C. Morse, who removed it to Swanton, Vt., and it was finally merged in Zion's Herald of Boston.

The Universalist Watchman, first published at Woodstock and then proba- bly at Lebanon, N. H, was removed to Montpelier in about the year 1836, and there published by Rev. Eli Ballou, who after some years changed its name to the Christian Repository.

The Green Mountain Emporium, a literary and religious monthly magazine, was commenced in Montpelier about 1838, by John Milton Stearns, published about one year, and removed to Middlebury.

The Temperance Star was commenced in Montpelier in 1841, under the auspices of the State Temperance society and the editorial care of George B. Manser. It was published about two years, and gave place to another tem- perance and moral reform paper, entitled The Reformed Drunkard, and pub- lished by F. A. McDowell. This also, after taking the name of Reformer, was in a year or two discontinued.

THE VERMONT CHRONICLE is the organ of the " General Convention of Con- gregational Ministers and Churches of Vermont." It was removed from Windsor, Vt., to Montpelier, in 1875, by Mr. Poland, and published by him and his successors. It is now owned and published by the Watchman Pub- lishing Company, and issued every week in quarto form. Rev. Charles S. Smith, editor.

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE JOURNAL, established by Joseph Poland, January I, 1881, is the organ of the Congregational churches of New Hampshire, has been published since it was started, at the WATCHMAN office, and is owned

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and continued by the Watchman Publishing Company. This weekly is also issued in neat quarto form.

The Rural Vermonter was established by Arthur Ropes, May 21, 1886. It was Republican in politics, devoted to the general interests of the state, and to agriculture. This was a journal of fine appearance and high character, edited by Mr. Ropes until July 5, 1888, when it was merged in THE VER- MONT WATCHMAN.

NORTHFIELD .- The Vermont Christian Messenger was removed from Mont- pelier and published in Northfield from 1854 to 1857, by R. M. Manly, who sold it to Rev. Alonzo Webster, who continued it here several years, when it was returned to Montpelier. (See Montpelier.)

The Northfield Star was founded by Wilbur Woodworth and issued from the Messenger office a short time between the years 1854 and 1857.

The Vermont Farmer was removed to Northfield from Montpelier in 1881. It was published by George H. Richmond until 1885, when it was sold to L. P. Thayer and removed to Randolph.

THE NORTHFIELD NEWS was established in November, 1879, by George H. Richmond. It was then an eight-column folio, and continued to be published by him until March 12, 1885, when Fred N. Whitney took possession. THE NEWS then had a very small list, but under the efficient management of Mr. Whitney it increased largely. In August, 1885, the paper was enlarged to a six-column quarto. It was purchased by E. Gerry & Co., in November, 1888, with Rev. E. Gerry as editor, and Frank W. Sault as business manager, by whom it is now conducted. The subscription list is increasing rapidly-a just reward of enterprising effort.

THE REVEILLE, established several years ago by students of Lewis College, is published monthly by the students of Norwich University, and its editors, who are chosen from the corps of cadets, hold their offices during one col- lege year. The object of THE REVEILLE is to give the students experience in journalism, and to furnish the Alumni a means of knowing the condition of their Alma Mater. F. E. Lamb is now business manager.

WATERBURY .- THE WATERBURY NEWS made its appearance Dec. 13, 1888, issued by C. C. Clough, editor and proprietor. It is independent Republi- can in politics, and is especially devoted to the rights of farmers. It is an eight-page quarto and is issued every Thursday. This is the first paper issued in Waterbury paying particular attention to local interests.

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Jacques Cartier, a distinguished French explorer and navigator, in the ser- vice of France, in 1535 entered the great gulf of Canada, to which he gave the name of St. Lawrence, sailed through it and up the river of the same name which he called the " River of Hochelaga," and explored the country as far as the city of Montreal, ascended Mt. Royal, from which he was the

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first white man to gaze upon the magnificient prospect which continues to delight the tourist, and was the first to behold in the panorama stretched be- fore him a part of the territory of the Green Mountain state. In 1540 Cartier again visited Canada and made an abortive attempt to found a colony. No further attempt was made to establish a settlement for more than half a century.

In 1608 Samuel Champlain, a French nobleman, with others, founded a colony at Quebec. Champlain, restless for adventures, and equally anxious to make further discoveries in the new world, waited only for spring, and an opportunity, to enter upon a long cherished plan of explorations with the high hope of finding a way to China.

The French had made friends with the native tribes of Indians that dwelt along the St. Lawrence, and in the adjacent country, and had astonished them with the deadly execution of fire-arms, and were regarded by them as a superior order of beings.

In the last part of the autumn he was visited by an ambitious young chief from the vicinity of Ottawa (then unknown), who prevailed upon Champlain to join him in the spring in an expedition against his enemies, the Iroquois, "The Five Nations," composed of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, who were their deadly enemies, and of whom all the other Indian tribes stood in mortal fear. Impatient of waiting for his west- ern allies, he set out a little past the middle of May with only a band of the tribe of the Montagnais, but as he moved up the St. Lawrence he was joined by his more powerful allies, the Hurons and Algonquins, with a chief from each nation. Few of them had ever seen a white man, and they viewed the steel-clad strangers in speechless wonder. After the ceremony of smoking, feasting, and speech making Champlain was obliged to return with them to Quebec, as they were determined to see the wonders of their architecture, the fame of which had penetrated the whole region.

On the 28th day of May the expedition set off, Champlain in a small shallop carrying himself and ten others, armed with guns similar to modern carbines. They passed up the St. Lawrence, entered the mouth of the " River of the Iroquois," so-named by Cartier sixty years before, now the Richelieu. Here his ease-loving warriors encamped for two days, hunted, fished, and again feasted, and regaled their French allies with fresh venison and wild fowl-and quarreled, too. About three-fourths took to their canoes and paddled towards home.

Champlain and the remnant of the party pushed on until they reached impassable rapids. Here he learned the value of an Indian's word. He had been promised that his shallop would pass without obstruction. But nothing daunted he sent back the shallop, and all but two of his men, who volunteered to go with him, and proceeded with the Indians, who lifted the canoes to their shoulders and carried them to the smooth stream above. Their forces consisted of sixty warriors with twenty canoes. ,

23.

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The Indians observed something of military system; some were in front as a van-guard of the main body, and as they were proceeding up the river a party was in the forest hunting for the subsistence of the whole, so as to husband their supply of parched corn, until they were in the vicinity of their enemies, when hunting would be impracticable. Thus they proceeded ; camped on the shore at night, until they passed the islands composing Grand Isle county, when they became sensible that they had entered the enemy's country and were on dangerous ground. They now moved only in the night, and lay all day concealed in the thick forest. If they did not fall in with their enemy on the lake to which Champlain gave his name, then known as the lake of the Iroquois, their destination was by way of Lake George and across the country to some Indian settlement on the Hudson river. But they were spared so long a journey. The night of June 29th they embarked at twilight from the west shore of the lake, near the site of Crown Point ; they descried a flotilla of Iroquois canoes about ten o'clock. in the evening. Each recognized his mortal enemy, and their mingled war- whoops made " night hideous."

By common consent the battle was deferred until daylight, when the allies, confident of their success, marched with steadiness to the conflict. They opened their ranks, and Champlain and his two friends passed to the front, with their carbines. The astonished Iroquois stared at the unwonted sight in amazement. The guns were leveled and discharged; two of the chiefs fell dead. The brave Iroquois stood firm, and filled the air with their arrows ; but the fire-arms continued their deadly work ; their terrific reports quailed their stout hearts ; they broke and ran, and the victory was won. Thus the French foolishly rushed into war with the mightiest and most powerful In- dian confederacy the world ever beheld, and engendered a hatred on the part of the Iroquois that descended to generations then unborn, and event- ually led to the annihilation of many of the Canadian tribes, and the weak- ening and dissolution of the Iroquois as the great confederation of the Six Nations. This deplorable expedition was the first exploration and discovery by white men of the Iroquois country and their lake of the same name, now the beautiful Champlain.

In their passage up the Champlain lake the Indians, representing the Hu- ron and Algonquin nations, informed Champlain that not only the lake but the country both sides of it belonged to their enemy, the powerful and dreaded Iroquois, and especially pointed out the country at the east as hav- ing rich valleys where the Indians raised good corn. There is indubitable. evidence that the Iroquois lived here, besides the testimony of their enemies, and their often-repeated claims for compensation for their domain, urged upon the legislature of Vermont. The resources of this "goodly heritage," Western Vermont, which these Indians claim was " given to their forefathers. by the Supreme Spirit forever," were such as to make it desirable. The moose and deer abounded, the mountains' rocky caverns were the homes of

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numberless bears, and the lakes and ponds were the homes of the otter and beaver. The shimmering lakes, sinuous rivers, and sparkling mountain streams swarmed with the speckled trout; and the mountains stood like giant sentinels to protect their winter homes in the thick wooded valleys from the fierce piercing wind.

It is admitted by the local historians who have mentioned the subject that at that time all of that part of Vermort west of the eastern range of the Green Mountains was in the possession of the Iroquois, but not perma- nently inhabited by them. Yet we find that they were so permanent that they built villages and cultivated its rich valleys; and we conclude they were as permanent as their Indian habits ever make them. Temporarily, and for short periods only, they may have moved across the country if on a thoroughfare, to escape the devastation incidental to a war of hostile tribes ; but were back again as soon as the cause was removed.

The further evidences that they were here at as late a date as 1735 or 1740 are the facts that the location of their villages, corn fields, and other signs were the undeniable testimonials that they left behind them. To be sure this was an outpost on their territory, and in all probability not so densely populated as the more central portion of the nation. The same occurs with the whole of the civilized world.

There was an Indian village in East Montpelier, on the Winooski, oppo- site the mouth of Kingsbury Branch, that contained as many as twelve fire- places, which were distinctly marked. These consisted of pavements made of small stones driven into the ground, and from one to two yards in diam- eter. Above, on Kingsbury Branch, about half a mile, was a corn field of an acre. Near this corn field an iron axe was found, of prehistoric manufac- ture, so far as we know. This curious relic is deposited in the state cabi- net of antiquities. This field in the primeval forest was found when Mont- pelier was first settled, overgrown with poplar trees about thirty or forty feet high, that were estimated to have been growing from thirty to thirty-five years.

Down the Winooski at the confluence of a small brook that flows through the " Norcross" farm was another Indian village, butonly the sites of very few lodges could be distinguished, but relics were found. The village was on the east side of the Winooski. Opposite there was an Indian corn field of about three-quarters of an acre, with unmistakable signs that it had been culti- vated at no remote period. This ground was also covered with such a growth of poplar as before described, and surrounded by primeval forest.

Down the Winooski, about half a mile, at a location known as "Light- ning Ridge," was a " Kitchen Midden," (the Dutch name for a location for a clam-bake,) which contained a cart-load of clam shells. And by the way, Winooski river abounds in large pearl-bearing, edible clams. The above place was clearly a feasting place of the Indians.

Still down the Winooski about seventy-five rods, on its northerly bank,

ABORIGINAL OCCUPANCY.

is a sandy hillock about twenty feet high, surrounded by swamp, and contains an area of one-third of an acre, which shows signs of having been a fortification. On this were found Indian relics, and boiling-stones which were heated by the squaws and alternately thrown into their wooden vessels to boil the succotash, meat, etc. Between this hillock and Lightning Ridge an earthen urn was found, which was preserved by Arthur Daggett, but is lost. Its counterpart may be seen in the state cabinet.' And forty rods below, at the confluence of Corliss brook, on the north side of the river and west side of the brook, is a little promontory, the site of another " Kitchen Midden," with a pile of clam shells as large as a hay-cock. On the farm of Hon. S. S. Kelton, on the river, were other Indian relics, (boiling- stones, etc.) A mile further down, near a venerable old elm tree, which bears the mark, nearly overgrown, of the old canal survey, is another " Kitchen Midden." Just in the edge of Middlesex, on the Winooski, are still evidences of another Indian village, corn field, and burial-place, where Indian weapons were found.

In Woodbury numerous Indian relics have been found, and the site of their present cemetery is the location of an Indian corn field. This town contains over twenty natural ponds, and consequently was famous hunting- ground. This was the home of the beaver and otter. That "Prince of the Red Men," Captain Joe, and his wife, Molly, frequented these lakes.

On the farm of Willard Cutler, late of East Montpelier, in the near vicinity of a pure spring, in a sheltered nook, several Indian hatchets, and a small cannon ball, of three or four pounds weight, were found. The ball and one of the hatchets are in the state cabinet for preservation.

On the farm now occupied by Mr. Parker, in East Montpelier, a neighbor of George Davis, was a well defined Indian clearing, near the brook, and beaver meadow. On the brook just named was the scene of an unwitnessed tragedy, probably about 1790. The pioneer and hunter of Berlin, Jacob Fowler, had a line of traps on this brook, and on visiting them on several occasions he found that some one had plundered his fur. At his next visit an Indian was on the ground just in advance of him, and Fowler discovered him in the act of robbery. They discovered each other simultaneously, and each took shelter behind a huge pine tree ; the situation resolved into a case of the death of one of the parties. Suffice it to say, Fowler was the victor.

From what is conceded, (that the Indians owned the territory known as Western Vermont,) and the facts herein presented, we conclude that the Indians not only owned the territory, but that it was also their home .*

* This conclusion is strengthened, in our opinion, by the researches of Mr. Charles H. Heath, of Montpelier, who has devoted considerable time and attention to the study of the Indian occupancy of this region.

WASHINGTON COUNTY.

LAND TITLE CONTROVERSY.

For a period of sixteen years there was a controversy between the authori- ties of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, relative to the boundary line- between the provinces, and a contest kept up in regard to the control of the territory in the vicinity of Fort Dummer and that on the opposite side of the river in Hinsdale. Finally, on the 5th of March, 1740, George II. de- creed that the line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts should be surveyed in accordance with certain special instructions, and in 1741 the line was run by Richard Hazen, and found to leave Hinsdale and Fort Dummer- to the north; whereupon the king recommended the Assembly of New Hampshire to care for and protect the settlers about Fort Dummer. From this royal recommend Gov. Wentworth, of New Hampshire, naturally sup- posed that the king recognized the jurisdiction of New Hampshire as ex- tending to the same point west as Massachusetts, namely, a point twenty miles east of the Hudson river ; and accordingly, on the application of William Williams and sixty-one others, January 3, 1749, he chartered a town- ship six miles square, in what he conceived to be. the southwestern corner of New Hampshire. This town was named Bennington, after Gov. Benning Wentworth, the first town in Vermont to receive a royal charter.

As early as 1763 Gov. Wentworth had granted as many as 138 townships of six miles square, lying west of the Connecticut, and the population in the territory, which had now come to be known as the New Hampshire Grants,. had become quite large. This prosperity and growing power New York could not quietly brook. So, during that year, Lieut-Gov. Tryon, of that province, 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." Finally, on application of the government of New York, it was decided by George III.,. in council of July 10, 1764, that the "western bank of the Connecticut river should thereafter be regarded as the boundary line between the Province of New York and Province of New Hampshire." The colonists were sur- prised and displeased at this decision, but peaceably submitted to it, sup- posing 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, Gov. Col- den 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 gov- ern themselves accordingly." He also at once proceeded 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

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

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 commissioning Benning Wentworth governor of New Hampshire, had de- scribed his province as reaching westward " until it met his other government," thus bounding it westerly by New York ; and that the eastern boundary of New York was a line twenty miles easterly from Hudson river, extending from Lake Champlain south to the western line of Massachusetts, was proven by statements in the 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 the titles acquired under them were made . void. The settlers were required to repurchase their lands, which some of them did, though the 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 proprietors. It was found, however, that it was easier to obtain judgments than it was to enforce them. The officers who attempted to serve the writs of possession were forcibly resisted, and sometimes roughly handled.

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 authorities 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 inde- pendence of Vermont, and endeavored to adjust all matters of dispute, having previously made grants to those who had suffered by adhering to her alle- giance, while Vermont, in turn, paid into the treasury of New York thirty thousand dollars.

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 territory treated of in this work, however, has none of the romantic stories and traditions of this period that grace the annals of localities earlier settled. The people of the New Hampshire Grants, as may well be suppossed, entered with an especially hearty zeal into this contest. Their schooling had been such as to render them an exceedingly undesirable foe to meet, as a large portion of the settlers had served in the French and

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Indian war, and during the twelve or fifteen years that had intervened had been almost continuously at strife with New York, and entertained a feeling of deadly hatred against King George and the British Parliament. It is not strange, then, that the " Green Mountain Boys " were soon both feared and respected by their adversaries.

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Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783-1889, Part 3

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836-, comp; Adams, William, fl. 1893, ed Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers Number of Pages: 898

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836-, comp; Adams, William, fl. 1893, ed
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Syracuse, N. Y., The Syracuse journal company, printers
Number of Pages: 898