USA > Vermont > Windsor County > Royalton > History of Royalton, Vermont, with family genealogies, 1769-1911 > Part 18
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Lieut. Stevens owned a lot down the river, what is now called the Howard place. He had arisen early and with his oxen had gone down to this farm to get a load of pumpkins. He also had a horse with him and his dog. There is a good deal of con- tradiction regarding the doings of Lieut. Stevens on this day. One who claims to have heard the story from his mouth, says that when he was told the Indians were coming, he hitched his oxen in the brush near the William Goff house, now the Wal- ter Webster place, and started for home. As he was running his dog got in his way and tripped him. He heard the Indians coming and turned to flee, was again tripped by his dog and had to take to the woods. This would throw out the whole story of his service in helping others to escape. According to the tradi- tion that has come down in the Rix family Mrs. Rix mounted her own horse, and used for a bridle a neck scarf, as she did not have time to get the bridle from the lower barn, some distance from the house. Some critics of Gen. Stevens, who thought he took too much credit to himself in giving his account of the raid to Zadock Steele, have said for publication that he ran to Barnard and staid several days. The Vermont Revolutionary Rolls dis-
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proves this. He was engaged with others in Capt. Parkhurst's Company. The charge would be unnoticed had it not already been made public.
When the Indians reached the mouth of the branch, where Joseph Havens was erecting a house, they set fire to the building, but it would not burn, the timbers were so green. Joseph was with them as a prisoner, or else was captured there. It is not certain where he was taken. When he saw them firing his house, he cried out, "- you! Cut it down." They tried to do so, but gave it up. That building was taken down afterwards, and taken to the Robert Havens farm and erected into a house for the family, but not on the same site on which the first build- ing had stood. At the mouth of the branch the savages divided, one party went down the river on the east side, another on the west side, and a third went up the river on the east side. There was no road then on the west side beyond the Handy fordway, near Capt. Joseph Parkhurst's.
The party going down on the west side had to ford the river. The red men must have known where the old fort fordway was, and perhaps crossed there. If so, some of them went up the river as far as the Handy fordway, and it was probably these Indians whom Mrs. Handy met. The main body went down the river, and would first come to the house of Elisha Kent, where Lester Corwin now lives. Mr. Kent thought his wife too feeble to walk to Sharon, and they went to the house of their nearest neighbor, Daniel Rix, and took two of the Rix girls with them into the woods, according to the Kent tradition. Mrs. Rix fled as before stated. The Rix family say that Mr. Rix was in Con- necticut at this time, and of course could not assist in the escape of his family. Pretty good evidence that he was not in Royalton is the fact, that he was neither in Capt. Parkhurst's company nor that of Daniel Gilbert, when he pursued the enemy, and it is most improbable that he failed to shoulder his gun and march with the rest, if he were in town. A mere handful of the older men were left at night to gather up what remained of their once happy homes.
Mrs. Rix had a young babe, Jerusha, less than two months old, and six other children, the eldest, Susan, then sixteen years old, the next, Garner, eleven years old. It is hardly likely that she could take six children on her horse, so it seems quite prob- able that the Kent tradition is correct, and the two girls went with the Kents to a hiding place in the woods. The settlers knew it was the men and boys whom the savages would capture. Little Dan was then five years old, and as he saw the old white horse led to the door, he thought the family was going to meeting, and clapping his hands, exclaimed, "Danie dot on his meetin' toat.
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Danie doin' to ride on old Whitey's back." Mrs. Rix ordered Garner to hide the old Bible or take it with him. He hid it in a hollow log, and it was the only thing saved from the house except the clothing on their backs. Garner had to follow as well as he could the flying heels of "old Whitey," but he was not swift enough, and the Indians caught him. He had a little club and he showed fight. When Mrs. Handy begged for his release, his captor said, "No, No! Big heap fight in that boy. He make brave Injun warrior." The ten-year-old Joseph was snatched from the arms of the agonized mother, who was forced to ride on with only three of her brood of seven children, not knowing what would become of the others. In all likelihood they would have taken her horse from her, had it been a young and valuable one.
The next family below Mr. Rix was that of Medad Benton, who all escaped, but whose house was burnt. As far as can be judged, this family consisted of Medad, now about fifty, his wife and four or five children. His only son Jonathan was now seven- teen, old enough to carry a gun and fight for his country. The youngest child had her sixth birthday the Saturday before. Me- dad's name is in the list of soldiers belonging to Capt. Joseph Parkhurst's company. This list, however, is not strictly to be relied upon. Rufus Rude is named as one of this company, but he died the year before. It is possible that he had a son of the same name, but there is no proof of this.
Below Mr. Benton was the land of Nathan Morgan. There is nothing to show that he had a house or a family. He may have lived with his father, Isaac. He also was in Capt. Park- hurst's company. -
The lot of Elias Stevens was below that of Mr. Morgan. If there was a house on it which was occupied by a family, the fact is not known. Mr. Stevens was here at work as has before been stated. Hurrying on in their fiendish attack the Indians next came to the house of Tilly Parkhurst, what is known as the Wil- liams place. The family had been warned as stated by Mr. Steele. Mr. Parkhurst was about seventy years old, and did not join in the pursuit of the savages. He had four children, Molly, then sixteen, being an only daughter. She is said to have been milking when Lieut. Stevens warned her. She was his half sister, Mr. Parkhurst having married the widowed mother of Lieut. Stevens. Her brother Phineas was on the other side of the river doing duty in warning the people. The family, in- cluding two younger boys, escaped.
The woods held a considerable number of the terrorized set- tlers, and the road was filled with many others fleeing in the direction of Sharon. The house next in the course of the savages was that of Ebenezer Parkhurst, probably near the Quimby place.
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Mr. Parkhurst was attending the session of the Legislature at Bennington, as a representative from Sharon. On the minutes of the Journal of the House, October 21st, is this record : "Capt. Ebenezer Parkhurst desired leave to return home on account of the invasion of the enemy-Granted." News traveled slowly in those days, yet it seems strange that it should have been four days before he heard of the raid, especially as the militia turned out for miles around. Owing to the absence of her husband and the fright of her fleeing neighbors and friends, Mrs. Parkhurst was left to take care of herself and children as best she could. She was the daughter of Reuben Spalding of Sharon. She had good reason to fear the Indians, for her mother when a child in Connecticut had witnessed a Sabbath Day massacre of all the children of the settlement, who had not succeeded in making their escape. Mrs. Parkhurst had six children at this time, the oldest but ten, and the youngest fourteen months old. Her daughter Polly was born on the 8th of the following January. Roswell, whom the Indians captured, was not quite seven. The rest of the family were allowed to go unharmed.
The next place was Samuel Benedict's, who lived not far from the cemetery at the mouth of Broad brook, perhaps near the Chilson residence, as a broad brook ran near his house. The story of the destruction of the Benedict home has been written by Joel Blackmer, a son of Miriam Benedict, who married a Blackmer. Miriam was the oldest child of Samuel Benedict, and nearly five years old at the time of the raid. The dreadful scenes she witnessed were indelibly stamped in her memory. Her story is given in Mr. Blackmer's words, as it was told to him by his mother.
"When it was told at her father's that the Indians were coming, she and her little brothers and sisters ran out and hid by the bank of the White river. This was in the morning and both her parents were gone from home. Soon after the Indians came to the house, her father was about returning, and was observed by them. They beckoned to him to come to them, but perceiving that their dress was different from the English, and mistrusting that they were Indians, he stepped out one side the road and secreted himself behind a log.
While he was thus concealed, but imperfectly, strange as it may seem, an Indian actually came and stood up on the very log behind which her father lay, and the Indian's shadow was seen by him. The Indian stood a few moments, when another one was heard to exclaim, 'Up the hill he runs like the Devil!' upon which he left the log and ran up the hill. Mr. Benedict remained still in his hiding place.
While the Indians were pillaging the house, Mrs. Benedict who had rode away that morning on horseback, returned. As she rode up to the door an Indian from the other side of the house presented him- self with a gun in his hand and pointed it at her at first. He then laid down his gun and approached her with a hatchet, shaking it and saying to her, 'Off! Off!' She complied and the Indian took the horse. She went into the house then and found two others there gathering up
GROUP OF SUFFERERS, OCT. 16, 1780. Mrs. Jerusha (Rix) Hutchinson.
Mrs. Lucy (Pierce) Parkhurst, Wife of Dr. Parkhurst.
George Avery. Taken prisoner in Sharon. Phineas Parkhurst, M. D. Wounded by a shot from the Indians. Rode to Lebanon, N. H., giving the alarm. He was then nineteen years of age.
ROYALTON Great Bridge Letters, CM6. 179
HE Poffeffor follis TICKET thal be entitled to the Prize which may be drawn againft it's er, agreeable to the Scheme.
dans LeartManager.
GROUP OF RELICS. For explanation see topic, "Relics."
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articles of clothing, &c. in the house to carry away. Soon they stepped to the door, upon which she cut her gold beads from her neck, and kept them in her hand, thus securing them from the savages. The Indians seemed to be in great haste. They took what they could easily carry or find, and, leaving the house unburnt, they departed.
Here was joy in the midst of sorrow! Their house was plundered, and that in a new country, and the winter just approaching. Yet the family by a remarkable Providence were permitted to remain together and mutually console each other in this season of distress."
A short distance below Mr. Benedict's was the shanty of George Avery. Mr. Avery wrote an account of his early life and capture by the Indians. A part of his narrative is given here. His picture will be found with the group of "Sufferers." The manuscript was loaned by a great-great-granddaughter, Mrs. S. L. Clark of Plainfield, N. H.
"I was 21 years old Jany 23rd day AD 1780. I had left my parents care and theire good rules and admonitions; I was an unsteady youth and leaving strict discipline seemed to be set more at liberty from its yoke. This was in the time of the Revolutionary war that separated the American provinces from Great Britan. I was a soldier stationed at Milford, Connecticut that winter. The next summer in august I was in Sharon Vt clearing land intending to be a farmer. A giddy youth with vain expectations to be something in the world. I come- pare myself to the words of the poet. Through all the follies of the mind, he smells and snuffs the empty wind.
I was too regardless of the Sabbath, lived a careless loose life with other comerads of the same cast which I resided with occupied in the same way. One Sabbath forgitting the day of the week, we wear at work, at husking corn. An old lady passed by us with solemn coun- tenance agoing to meeting. She never chid us, but I began to think there was something wrong, and told my mates, I guessed it was Sab- bath day. Why they replied. My reply was, The old lady had on her Sabbath day mouth; It was my rudeness alltho I had strong convic- tions of our carelessness forgitting the Sabbath.
That night following I slept with my comerads on the floor of the shantee. I dreamed I was beset by serpents the most hideous and numerous that I ever saw, and awoke in the horrible fright; but my fears soon vanished, and I was soone asleep again, and dreamed of being besett by Indians and as frightfully awakened as before- But haveing no faith in dreams, my fears soone vanished, it was now broad daylight. That morning I went to a neighbor for our bread, while my mates cooked breakfast When I returned I met my companions af- frighted running to the woods, but I did not apprehend so much danger as they did from Indians. I thought of going to the camp and save my cloaths I made light of it, and told them I would get my break- fast first-I went and got my cloaths and hid them. I but tasted the breakfast. I saw others flying for safety, and spoke to one. He said some had turned to go and fight the Indians. I thought of going a very short distance from us and I should know if they had. But turn- ing a few rods I was surprised by the sight of two Indians very near me. The foremost one with tomohok in hand we were face to face suddenly borth stopped He waved his hand Come Come I answered the Indian Come and took to my heeles and ran for escape followed the road on the River bank but a little Jumped into the bushes on its bank out of his sight and made for foarding the River the two fol-
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lowed me the tommahok one caught me in the back of the collar of my cloaths and gave me a few blows with his instrument and a few greeting words How How (that is Run Run) Here I was as really affrighted as I was in my dreams but a few hours before (But the dreams did not here occur to my mind) The two Indians stripped me of my outside garments I being lame, at that time, They took me by each arm and I ran between them, to return to theire company which they left that were destroying Horses and cattle and had taken pris- oners They had killed two of the inhabitants in pursuing them viz pember and Button. They spent the chief part of the day in burning and killing property .-
The night they encamped near the place of theire distruction. This first encampment was in Randolph Woods the 16th of Octr 1780 About 350 Indians and 26 prisoners. The Indians made fiers and shelters of Hemlock boughs to encamp by for the night as many as 20 or more. The prisoners had different masters at different camps. The prisoners were striped of outer garments by their masters and collected at the chief officer's encampment. We stood huddled together the fier between us and the officer An Indian came to a prisoner took him by the hand to lead him off. The head officer told the prisoner to go with him and hede fare well; A prisner nearby me whispers me, I believe he will in another world-I asked why-He replied He had contenental cloth and was a soldier when taken By this I was frightened. Then others were led off, in the same way-I think my turn might be about the 6th or 7th Judge reader my feelings if you can, for I am not able to express them in any other way but by confusion in thoughts, like one to die violently. I expect I became quite fantick. When I was led a short distance through woods to the camp where the Indians were cooking all looked calm and peaceable to my view and astonishment The silly phantick thought struck my mind Theyl fat me before they kill me. Soone however they brought a strong belt to bind me aimed it at my body to put it around me, then took me to a booth (or shelter) I was laid down under it feet to the fier Stakes drove down in the ground each side of me, my belt tied to them stakes Thus I was staked to the ground: To look up there was long Indian Knives fastned to the boughs. This condition looked frightful-but I had gone through the greatest. Still here is no Safety.
They gave me here of their supper but I cannot tell the relish of it that night, after supper 4 Indians lay on my belt that tied me to the stakes two upon each side of me so that I could not move but that they all would feele the belt move When I looked at the fier there was the guard an Indian Smoking In the morning The Vermont Melisha routed them They fired on the Indian out guard The Indians in confusion and rage onstaked theire prisoners My belt was taken and put round my neck and tied to a sapplin another I see bound to a tree while they packed up. Theire eyes looked like wildfier. One uttered to his prisoner bumby bumby (as tho death at hand) After ready to march I was loosed from the Sapplin loaded with a pack and led by the halter on my neck and my leader with tommahok in hand and to follow after my file leader Each master of a prisoner (as I understood afterward) had orders to kill his prisoner if closely per- sued and then they could take their flight from their enemies in the woods In this case no one could predict the result; life and death is set before us
Here must follow a multitude of thoughts which none can know but by experience Many vain wishes I had in this unreconseiled state O that I were nothing so that they could not torment my body Then
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again, Why is it thus with me, is the reasonable enquiry (It seemed according to the circumstances when I was taken I might have got out of the way) Now my dreams rushed to my mind. This made me feele that I had to do with my Maker God. I felt in His hand a guilty sinner. I compared myself like unto a bullock unaccustomed to the yoak. Such feelings I never had before in my life brought to my view; my sins roled over me like the waves of the sea, roling after each other untill I was overwhelmed, it seemed He told me all ever I did. I felt the evil of my life, and the Divine Justice of providence I was still as to a murmur against God I was soone calmed in mind. I saw they were overruled by God the Indians could do no more than they were permitted to do. They could do no more than a Wise and good disposer pleased I seemed to feele that calmness to think that were the Indians permitted to kill I could look them in the face calmly The words in Isaiah came to my mind He was led as sheap to the slaugh- ter and as a lamb dumb before his shearer was dumb so opened he not his mouth. As I was literally so led; I have thought on my tryals sence it might be the occasion of these blessed words of coming to mind. My mind in this tryal was calm I was silent as to a murmur. I opened not my mouth My soul was stilled it was God that did it.
But who can give peace, and still the murmor of an unreconciled mind, but God; under such tryals of mind and providence? (But I have enough to complain of myself as a sinner against Divine goodness which provokes chastisement)
I had at this time the Holy Bible and Watts Hymn Book in my bosom, that we used to read and meditate in our Journey, which I took from a house that the Indians burned The Indians would take this from my bosom to see what I had got and return them. In one of our stops, in reading the 38th psalm as applicable in part to our case, it drew many tears from sum of us-These books was read by us on our Journey to Cannada and consoling to use when prisoners We had no where to look but to God in our troubles But as sinners we have still that body of sin that provokes chastisement and causes grief to the soul which we hope will mortify the deeds of the Body to die unto sin to live unto God - I have digressed from the Historical part of my work to show the exercises of the mind in such tryals and the goodness of God in them is more than I can express. I now return to the Indian history:
I traveled with them 5 days Taken by them on monday Octr 16th we came to Lake Shamplan on friday 20th at Colchester and crossed over in Battowse to the Grand Ile that day. (They had killed two of the inhabitants in persuing them viz Button and Pember Allso in the camp the first night they killed two of theire prisoners viz Kneeland and Gibs) Nothing further transpired thus far that is very interest- ing to relate. We went down the Lake from the Grand Ile, to the Ile o Noin Saturday 21st tarried there that night for refreshment by victuals & rum Sabbath 22 we arrived at St Johns Cannada, where was more Rum, that day and a market for theire plunder. I was dressed drolely I had on an Indian blanket with my head poked through a hole in its middle, hanging over my body, with a high peaked cap on my head, my face painted with red streaks, being smoked over theire fiers looked very much like an Indian, being sett at a parsel of their plun- dered goods. The refugees at St Johns came to the parsel that I was set at to buy, looking at me one of them says to his mate, is that an Indian; his mate replied no, his hair is not Indian (Thus look and se Indian captives) The Indians this day (Sabbath) take up there march for thire Home Cahnawaga, many of them very drunk and often those
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loaded down with theire plundered goods would sowsed down in mud as road was much soaked by the snows melting of at this time. Some of those loaded drunken Indians in this plight were three days trav- eling 25 milds
I was taken by my Master Indian to Cahnawaga at his home we arrived on monday or tuesday from St Johns. I tarried there at my keepers two or more days when all the party or the scout of Indians came in. Then the Sachem Fooumo came to my quarters, and took me to the centre of Village, Where the Indians and Squaws gathered around I was on a seat at the Chiefs feet, He making a Speach over me to his audience I sat in suspence (not knowing his language or designs I had fears as might be to run the gauntlet or some evil But my sus- pence soone ended. I was led off by an Indian lad bye past the Specta- tors to the door of a house and meet by Squaws with a Blanket & hat, and Water and soap to wash; and found that was the place of my residence Theire I found another young man a prisoner to them I enquired of him if he understood the meaning of this last manover I had passed through. He said he did. He had experienced the same We were both of us (by this Seremony) adopted into that family to fill the places of two Indians which had recently died there and we made up theire loss. I enquired of him how he knew. He answered the Indian interperter Tracy told him. But what I saw afterward which was more affecting. That they displayed the Scalps of our pris- oners (those they killed) in the same seremony.
I lived with them something 6 or 7 weeks perhaps untill my owner belonging to another tribe came for me, and took me to Montreall to take his bounty for me I was dressed decently to follow him by two old squaws; as soon as I was sold and Delivered to the Brittish a prisoner I was stripped to the shirt by my former Indian owner- I was taken thence to the guard house allmost naked they covered me with an old thin blanket coat in the cold season of the last of Novr keept under guard naught to eat for 2 or more days before I had orders for rations, from thence I was taken to grants Iland near the City a Rany night followed the prisoners was in tents then in cold winter weather We prisoners had no tent pitched for the night we roled ourselves in the tent cloth for a cold weet night-I never drew rations on the Island I complained to the officer of prisners of lame- ness, and carried from thence to the Hospital half starved the next day, being shifted without orders for provision (from place to place). I was allmost starved. I was lame when I was taken with a scorfioul- ous humor in my legg A surgeon and phisian tended the Hospital they were kind to me, especially the Doctor When I got better of the I
sore leg the phicisian ment to take me to his House to serve him was borth very dirty and naked
from thence I was conducted in such a plight in a cold winter day to the commesarys, (by the Orderly man of the hospital) for cloathing, and got none from thence to the Doctors, lef there for the night chilled with cold fatigued and sick-hardly able to rise next morning I was called upon by the Doctor examined by Him, and sent back to the Hospital a mild to travill in a cold N Wester I went directly there and took my place in the Bunk; I was soone senseless of all that passed. The time was lost to me, for a space and deranged views and thoughts followed When I had come to reason or sense of feeling I had acute pain in the head, my eyes seemed as if theyd be thumpped out in this case the Doctor ordered half of my head shaved the left side Three blister plasters were applied on my head neck and back that on head and neck never blistered-and the back one scarce a blis-
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