USA > Vermont > Windsor County > History of Windsor County, Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 16
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Town of Stockbridge .- Volunteers for three years credited previous to
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ROLL OF WINDSOR COUNTY SOLDIERS .- 1861-65.
call of October 17, 1863 :- Amasa and Cyrus Adams, Lyman C. Aldrich, Selden Barnes, Charles and William H. Blackburn, Norman H. Blanch- ard, Francis A. Boutwell, Edward C. and George A. Brown, John Burn- ham, Bingham H. Caswell, Elias B. Claflin, Henry W. Collins, Thomas R. Cunningham, Edward J. Curtis, Benjamin F. Gearing, Edgar J. Gaffield, Levi B. Goddard, William B. Hepworth, George H. and Hiram A. Kim- ball, Renselaer Longly, Jabez R. Maxham, John E. Morse, Stephen M. Pingree, Benjamin M. and Fernando L. Rumrill, Myron E. Savage, Franklin S. Sawyer, John A. Scabie, James M. and Lyman J. Smith, Rodney R. Thayer, Charles C. and Joel D. Waller, Edward Wheeler, Jeremiah E. Wilson, Charles Woodbury. Volunteers under and subse- quent to call of October 17, 1863 :- Henry Adams, Timothy C. and Ross Aldrich, Wesley F. Baker, William R. Blanchard, Erasmus C. Butterfield, Ezra S. Burnham, Charles W. and William A. Chamberlain, Alfred Cur- tis, William A. Dow, Joseph Flawthrop, Volney R. Flanders, Samuel N. Goldthwait, Walter Green, George Hale, Joseph Hale, David Johnson, Franklin Kimball, William H. Lucas, Rufus S. Mack, Andrew McNuff, Alanson E. Packard, Oscar W. Pain, Timothy Pendergast, Amasa Phil- lips, Perry F. Pierce, Sumner W. Rich, Benjamin, jr., and Hiram A. Rog- ers, Charles B. Rumrill, Allen A. Savage, Ira N. Smith, Michael Tear- ney, Walter Thompson. Volunteers for one year :- Loren Adams, Dustin Bowen, jr., Oliver E. Brewster, Peter H. Brooker, Austin H. Dickerman, Joseph E. Goddard, George D. Hale, George O. Hassam, John T. Knowl- ton, Patrick Marr, jr., Isaac and Warren Morse, Warren L. Pierce, Amos L. Stratton, Isaac N. Taggart, James S. Williamson. Volunteers for nine months :- Chauncey L. Angell, Levi H. Blanchard, Elisha P. Boutwell William A. Chamberlain, Waldo S. Fisher, James H. Furber, Charles A. Goldthwait, Royal H. Goodell, Sumner A. Hodgkins, Francis E. R. Kid- der, Chester F. Larned, Rufus S. Mack, Oscar W. Paine, Franklin Pills- bury, Ira P. Rathburn, Arzo A. Rice, Orlando J. Richardson, Charles B. Rumrill, Joseph J. Smith, jr., Joseph M. Taggart, John White. In United States Navy :- James E. Bailey, George Baker, Henry W. Bugbee, An- drew Cuthbert, John Gibbons, William Jackson, George Sinclair, James Smith, Henry Stackpole, Lyman Williams.
Town of Weathersfield .- Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 :- Michael Agan, Thomas Agan, Henry Al-
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
len, C. Volton Bailey, Owen Bartley, Fred A. Bates, Calvin H. Bemis, Francis J., John W. and Leonard E. Bennett, Carlos and Thomas Bry- ant, Eben M. Cook, John Coyn, Arzo Craigne, John Daily, George and Justus Dartt, Isaac N. Davidson, John Deady, Henry E. De Camp, Morti- mer Demary, Levi W. Field, Byron Fleming, Thomas B. Garry, James H. Goldsmith, Franklin N. Grimes, Thomas Hadley, Charles W. Haskill, Carlos and James N. Hatch, William L. Hobson, Austin S., Henry O. and Theodore L. Hutchinson, Charles Jarvis, Thomas W. Kendall, John B. Kenney, Lysander J. Keys, John A. Kimball, Chris. C. Lee, George L. and Oliver H. Marcy, George W. and Selden A. Nichols, Adam Per- kins, Seymour G. Phillips, William Piper, Orsamus B. Robinson, David W. Sanderson, David B. and Hiland Smith, Joseph Spafford, Orlando C. Spaulding, Leonidas, Lycurgus and Paschal P. E. Strong, Algernon M. Squire, Stephen L.Taylor, Joseph and Joshua Upham, James Weston, Ar- temas H. Wheeler, Willis W. Wood. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 :-- Fred A. Bates, Edward G. Bloxson, James C. Bowen, Rosalro Bradish, John and William H. Brinn, Chas. F. Carlton, James S. and William J. Davis, John R. Dean, Fred H. Hobson, George C. and Richard M. Howell, Dalphus Pelkey, Eugene P. Robinson, Daniel Smith, Arzo B. Stiles, Simon P. and William H. Todd, Horace M. Walker. Volunteers for one year :- Carlos and Thomas D. Bryant, Eben M. Cook, Alba Dart, Robert H. Delano, Silas M. Demary, Jerome B. Douglas, Charles L. Ellsworth, Lewis Greenwood, Eben S. Haskill, Thomas Hobson, jr., Henry Hutchinson, Aaron P. Knight, Jo- seph Leroy, William D. Livingston, Charles W. Mitchell, Joseph Rollin- son, William M. Smith, Henry W. Spafford, John S. Spaulding. Vol- unteers for nine months :- George P. Bennett, George W. Billings, Otis M. Bowen, Charles H. Boyd, Elliott and Rosalvo Bradish, Charles D. Brink, Austin S. Bronson, Servitus E. Connor, William Danforth, Alba Dart, George H. Dean, Henry E. De Camp, George and Shepard A. Dick- inson, Martin H. Graves, Edward H. Hammond, Piam O. Harris, Eben S. Haskill, Clark Hill, Benjamin F. Johnson, John P. Knight, Bryant N. Lockwood, Lisime Marcotte, Martin H. Newhall, Martin O'Grady, Syl- vester Putnam, Olney F. Qnimby, Carlos C. Roys, Charles F. Sheldon, Joseph Spafford, Harland R., Luzerne R. and Paschal P. E. Strong, Will- iam F. Swift, Arthur C. Taylor, James B. Taylor, William E. Thompson,
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ROLL OF WINDSOR COUNTY SOLDIERS .- 1861-65.
Barton A. and Wesley W. Walker, Henry C. West, Henry C. White, John M. Wright. In United States Navy :- William H. Strow.
Town of Weston .- Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 :- Alexander Abbott, David Allen, Harvey K. Aus- tin, Albert D. Beckwith, Leroy A. Britton, Joseph Butterfield, Peter S. Chase, Sumner W. Coburn, John H. Colby, Nelson O. Cook, Austin Fenn, George W. Fuller, James Hale, William W. Hesselton, Adelbert R. Hill, Rosalvo S. Jefts, Willard R. F. Johnson, Frank Larbush, Ransom M. Patch, Ambrose, Loren C., Silas H. and William H. Pease, Henry H. Peck, Bur- ton Roberts, Marshall W. Rogers, Henry and James M. Stevens, Joseph Stone, Luther Stuart, Warren P. Tenney, Sidney A. Way. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 :- Will- iam Barry, John P. Bryant, Samuel Draggon, Stephen F. Farr, Almon H. and Freeman J. Hale, Nathan and Sidney L. Holt, William B. Nutting, James S. Pease, Rollin Perry, Martin V. Robbins, Cileston Sylvester, John J. Tracey, Henry F. West, Jay Wilkinson. Volunteers for one year :- Charles Allen, Milon N. Beckwith, Henry N. Bliss, David W. Bolster, Joseph L. Harrington, David M. Kirk, Rufus B. Kirk, Vernon A. Marsh, Levi Moore, John McAuliff, David Mossey, Jesse Parkhurst, Henry H. Phillips, Frank B. Shattuck, Loren Shippey, Albra H. Wood- cock. Volunteers for nine months :- Adelbert Allen, William D. Ball, James H. Bryant, Peter Fagan, Alonzo Farley, Asa G. Foster, Hiland H. Hesselton, Sidney L. Holt, Nathan W. Johnson, Thomas O. Moore, Henry J. Parker, Samuel A. Patterson, Clark W. Pease, Harrison C. Shattuck, Judah H. West, Sylvanus Winship. In United States Navy :--- Charles Brown, Almon H. Hall, Eldridge Mansfield, Leland H. Perry.
Town of West Windsor .- Volunteers for three years credited to call of October 17, 1863 :- George Anderson, John Brown, James Burns, Henry R. Brannock, Thomas F. Burnham, Wilbur F. Cady, Edmund E. Cushman, Benjamin D. Gates, Theodore Harrison, Albert S. Lamson, James Livingston, Norman W. Lumbard, William H. H. Ralph, Joseph Robinson, Henry H. and Stillman H. Walker, Herman White, Thomas E. Woods. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call to of October 17, 1863 :- Thomas Adams, Joseph Aldrich, Henry C. Alex- ander, Isaac W. Batchelder, Seth Blanchard, James Boyle, John D. Brooks, Charles H. Brown, Reuben Chase, Charles J. F. Cushman, Michael
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
Feeley, John Freeman, Thomas Jones, Edward H. and George H. Lane, Henry E. Marsh, James F. Nason, Rufus Noyes, John Railey, John Rogers, John H. Rowe, Selim R. Sands, George M. and Joseph F. Savage, John Sowles, Oliver F. Sillings, Edwin S. Taylor, Andrew G. Tolman, Ward C. Walker, William Weaver, Herbert O. White. Vol- unteers for nine months :- Melvin Bannister, Aretus B. Blood, Dennis A. Borne, Charles B. and James H. Bowers, John W. Cady, Benjamin F. Carpenter, George W. Cook, Eugene Delano, Morris L. Dimick, Henry H., Ira M., Jabez H., Stephen F. and Ulysses H. Hammond, Martin A. and Wilbur A. Herrick, James W. Mansfield, George H. Par- ker, Edgar F., John W. and Norman E. E. Perkins, Gilman S. Parsons, Abel Prince, Erastus and Hosea W. Read, Fred G. Rice, Fred. Robin- son, Edgar M. Ruggles, Charles L. and John A. Savage, Farwell G. Shedd, Ira C. Small, Charles Spaulding, Edwin S. and James W. Taylor, Rosto E. Turner, Winslow W. Wait, George and Henry Walker, Ben- jamin Warren, jr., Ira V. White, Daniel W. Woods.
Town of Windsor .- Volunteers for three years credited previous to call of October 17, 1863 :- George L. and Henry D. Bates, Wilmer C. Barnard, Joseph S. Bickford, Levi F. Blake, Thomas C. Bond, Zenas C. Bowen, Charles H. Boyd, Brigham Buswell, Samuel A. Cady, Peter Caldwell, Thomas Cass, Dwight E. Clement, George L. Colpoyes, Joseph H. Culligan, Jerome C. Dow, Thomas Ensworth, jr, William Evans, George and Samuel N. Fitch, John Gauthier, William Green- wood, James Hadley, Byron O. Hoisington, Chester Holcomb, Horace A. Houghton, Hendrick R. Howard, Ezekiel T. Johnson, William M. Jones, John B. Kellogg, Henry M. Lull, Frank Menard, Charles E. Moore, Samuel E. Mower, Franklin W. Newman, John F. Noyes, Lo- renzo D. Partlow, William D. Paul, Francis E. Porter, Richard F. Rich, Truman Rose, Henry T. Seaver, William A. Sloane, Herman L. Small, Joseph A. Smith, Homer W. Stevens, Henry G. Stiles, Dan. E. and Henry J. Stone, William J. Towne, William C. Tracey, Arthur T. and Daniel Ware, Stillman C. Wheeler, Henry P. Whitcomb, Edward Wil- son, Alvin Woodruff. Volunteers for three years under and subsequent to call of October 17, 1863 :- Charles E. Ballou, James Brady, James Brown, George H. Bullson, Benjamin F. Carpenter, Michael Carrigan, Philip Darcius, Charles Day, Robert L. Delea, Charles C. Dinsmore,
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ROLL OF WINDSOR COUNTY SOLDIERS .- 1861-65.
William Ditmur, Edgar W. Gage, Charles W. Gleason, Alonzo Hall, Prentiss Hibbard, Ballister Horton, Carroll V. Kenyon, Franklin S. Lam- son, Edward Moran, Charles Morey, Edward Newman, Hollis, Horace and J. Henry Norris, William H. Noyes, Orice Oakes, Norman B. Reed, Charles H. Stuart, Charles T. and James A. Stone, Charles D. and Samuel F. Sturtevant, Michael Sullivan, Ephraim Toothaker, Sullivan M. Waldron, John White, George B. and Sias T. Worthing. Volunteers for one year :- George I. Bates, Edward Blanchard, Elbridge M. Don- ahue, William Evans, Charles H Hill, Felix Micott, Julius C. Peck, Alfred Pierce, Simeon W. Pomeroy, Frederick L. and John B. Small, Charles H. and George S. Thompson. Volunteers for nine months :- Francis Barron, Elmer F. Benjamin, Henry S. Blanchard, H. Harrison Brewer, William Brown, Charles F. Butman, Charles H. and William P. Cady, William H. Clayton, Albert and James G. Coates, Charles H. Dake, Urias E. Damon, George R. Dinsmore, John W. Fleming, Will- iam H. Foster, John Gay, Almond Hall, Eleazer B. Haywood, Edward R. Hopkins, Allen E. Houghton, Robert H. Johnson, Harrison L. Marcy, Frederick P. Mather, Edward and Edward D. Moran, Michael Murphy, Augustus Newman, Ezra T. and Lucian Parker, Frederick L. Small, Charles, Charles T., and Guy A. Stone, Otis Thomas, Charles H and Henry B. Thompson, Sullivan Waldron, Roderick R. Williams. En- tered service :- Edwin N. Brown, Owen Raymond, Austin Sloan. In United States Navy :- Samuel Cross, Albert A. Green, John Lawler, John Whipple.
Town of Woodstock .- Volunteers for three years credited prior to call of October 17, 1863 :- William D. Allard, Henry G. Anthony, Austin G. Barber, Lucian Barnes, Andrew J. Beal, William W. Benson, Stephen Bishop, George E. Bridge, Lewis Bumblebee, Morris Burnham, Peter Caldwell, Rush B. Carlton, Thomas Cass, Lorenzo H. Cox, Royal Darby, Edw. W., John and William Davis, Charles, Charles A. and Theo. L. Dean, Hiram S. English, Peter H. Farrell, Irving J. Faunce, George Fletcher, Henry H. French, Francis A., Hartwell, and Hartwell L. Frink, Moses George, George P. Gilbert, Orlando B. Gillingham, George W. Grow, Samuel N. Hastings, William K. Heath, Rufus A. Holmes, Henry A. Houghton, Charles E. and Leonard L. Hubbard, James H. Hurlburt, Charles H. Jillson, Charles D., Henry L. and William Jones, John B.
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
Kellogg, Jacob Keyes, Elias H. Kidder, Orrin T. Leach, Martin J. Lucas, Mitchell Maney, Alonzo A. Martin, George H. Mellish, Frank and Henry H. Metcalf, Michael McGill, John McGowan, Andrew McKain, Jno. A. Mckenzie, William Oberly, Ed. N. Ordway, Edwin R. Paine, Edwin H. Perkins, Edward, Jacob and Charles Perry, Charles Pierce, Charles P. and George S. Pratt, Thomas C. and William H. Rahue, George C. Ran- dall, Alfred F. Ray, Chauncy E. Raymond, Martin T. Ricard, Isaac E. Rounds, Charles Royce, Fred M. Saunders, Luther Severance, George W. Shattuck, Charles F. Smith, Charles Staples, Benjamin F. Strong, James F. Stiles, Daniel E. Taft, Aug. Tewksbury, De Algeroy Thomp- son, Augustus Troedean, William C. Vaughn, Henry Vondell, James Vondall, Alvin L. and Nathaniel P. Walker, Henry G., Samuel G. and Stephen P. White, Pardon A. Whitney, Edward Wilson, Charles J. Win- slow, Charles A., Dana C., Edwin S. and George B. Woodward. Vol- unteers for three years under and after call of October 17, 1863 :- Ben- jamin B. Allen, William Bliss, Leander Bordeau, Elisha Bradish, Jno. Browe, George Bullard, Silas Burdoo, Edward Carrigan, Henry E. Chad- wick, Edson A. Chamberlain, Francis, jr., and Francis Chenette, William Clark, Henry O. Cummings, George H. Day, Charles F. Fisher, Oscar Gardner, Sabin Gartin, Moses George, William D. Gilbert, Clark M. Hall, Gardner C. Hawkins, James Hazard, David Hewson, Henry E. Howe, John Hurlburt, David Ledue, Henry H. Lewis, Jno. H. Mann, jr., Jno. W. Marsh, Lewis L. Marsh, James Masure, Edward H. Mero, Charles F. Myers, Fred Parkhurst, Worthington, Pierce, Jerome J. and William C. Pratt, Benjamin F. Putney, Leander J. Sanderson, Julius Sault, Charles Scott, Chris. D. Seymour, Asa W. Stowell, George W. Taft, Oscar A. Tyrrell, Charles B., Charles B., jr., and William H. Wentworth, Eli White, Norman B. Williams, George H. and Sylvester Woodward. Volunteers for one year :- Nelson H. Atwood, George E. Bridge, Fred C. Blossom, John Campbell, Nathan C. Claflin, Henry M. Clark, Homer Darling, Carlos B. Dutton, Fred Fallon, Jno. C. Fisher, George C. Hagar, Elbert Hewitt, Henry A. Hill, Thomas Keene, Walter P. Leonard, Newman M. Lincoln, Albert L. McClay. Benjamin S. and Jno. C. Morgan, Addison F. Palmer, Edward A. Perry, Payson A. Pierce, Winfield S. Robinson, Benjamin S. Sargent, Asa A. Shaw, Edwin K. Slack, Albert H. Switzer, Charles Veo, Gideon Vincent, Darwin E. and Henry O. Washburn, John
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T. Woodward. Volunteers re-enlisted :- Rush B. Carlton, George P. Gilbert, George D. Keyes, Henry L. King, Ichabod W. Mattocks, An- drew McKain, George S. Pratt, William H. Rahue, Alfred F. Ray, Charles F. Smith, Frank H. Stiles, Louis Vaundell, Samuel B. and Ste- phen P. White, Dana C. Woodward. Volunteers for nine months :- Horace Bradley, Edwin R. Carroll, Sylvanus Chamberlain, Alonzo D. Clapp, Hiram O. Cobb, Samuel W. Cox, John Defoe, George E. Dimick, Elbridge K. Dodge, Philip Duphinney, Charles H. Eaton, Edwin C. Em- mons, Charles H. English, Friend P. Fletcher, Charles H. French, Will- iam D. Gilbert, Marshall C. Goff, Chris. Grundell, John W. Hagar, Oscar F. Hemenway, Seaver Howard, Fred Howard, James L. Hoyt, Ed- win M. Jaquith, Calvin A. Laws, Ezra H. Lovell, Lorison Lucas, Lewis L. Marsh, Zebb Cobb, Chris. C. Metcalf, Orrin G. Miller, Fred Parkhurst, George W. Perry, Worthington Pierce, Dan F. Pingree, Jos. S. Pratt, Benjamin F. Putney, Lake Ransom, George L., Henry G., Isaac P. and Wallace O. Raymond, Asman W. Richardson, Laurgautis H. Rood, Ed- win H. and Mark E. Slayton, Orlando C. Smith, Wallace W. Southgate, Elliot Thomas, Harvey and William S. Vaughn, Charles B. White, Seth J. Winslow, Henry C. Wood, Crayton A. Woodbury. Entered service :- George A. Bailey, Eliphalet B. Cram, Henry A. Fairbanks, James Mc- Kain. In United States Navy :- Charles Case, Samuel Cross, Albert A. Green, John Lawler.
CHAPTER XI.
THE BENCH AND BAR OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
TO O properly understand and fully appreciate the history of the judi- ciary of any nation or commonwealth, and the worth and attain ments of the magistrates and practitioners at its bar, some knowledge of the origin and development of the machinery and spirit of this branch of civil government is necessary.
The sentiment is commonly expressed that the judicial system of the State of Vermont is largely copied or derived from the common law of 23
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
England, and slightly from the civil law of the Continent. In many respects this is true, and resemblances may be traced therein ; there are certain changeless principles running throughout the laws of every State and people from the time of Moses to Elizabeth. The statute and com- mon laws of England are the recognized fundamental principles upon which are based the legislative and constitutional enactments of this com- monwealth, although directly the constitution of Vermont was modeled and based upon that of the State of Pennsylvania.
But long before the adoption of a constitution for Vermont the people of the region were living under a form of government established by the province of New York, by which the district now forming Windsor county was made directly subservient to the laws of the judiciary of that province. Counties were erected and courts organized ; but that judicial authority was questioned and opposed, and finally set aside. It can hardly, therefore, be considered essentially within the province of this chapter to refer at any length to the organization of courts other than those established under recognized and competent authority.
An old adage teaches us that "necessity knows no law"; and it is well-known that necessity-stern necessity-made it indispensable to the safety of the inhabitants of the New Hampshire Grants that some means should be devised by which the opponents to the policy of the majority of the people could be held in check, that the inimical conduct of the Tory element might not become dangerously contagious ; for, if once be- come rampant, that element would certainly have endangered and en- tirely overthrown the institutions of the infant State, and passed its con- trol into the hands of the New Yorkers.
And it was stern necessity, too, that impelled Ethan Allen and his compatriots to establish an informal court for the trial and punishment of the New York officers sent to the grants with warrants of dispossess and arrest ; but the penalty and judgment of this court seldom went beyond a severe reprimand, and the not infrequently "impressive " effects of the "beech seal." Necessity, also, made it incumbent upon the authorities of the " separate jurisdiction " to establish courts of confiscation, not alone that Toryism might be checked, but that the means might be provided wherewith to defray the expenses of the government in political affairs, and as well to provide and maintain an armed force for aggressive and
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THE BENCH AND BAR.
defensive warfare, which, during that period, was waging against Great Britain.
But after the independence of Vermont had been declared, and after the constitution of the State had been adopted, assuming these trans- actions to have been absolutely right regardless of the fact that they were not then sanctioned by the general government, the authorities were in a position to organize courts and administer the affairs of the State more " in due form of law."
The fourth section of the original constitution of the State of Vermont declared that "Courts of Justice shall be established in every county in this State." This was adopted in 1777, but it was not until the next year that officers were chosen under its provisions. This brought into exist- ence the first courts of the two counties, Cumberland and Bennington, that then embraced the entire territory of the State. The county of Cumberland, of which Windsor county then formed a part, was divided into two shires-Westminster and Newbury-for which judges were chosen as follows: 1 Major John Shepardson, first; Stephen Tilden, second; Hubbel Wells, third ; Deacon Hezekiah Thompson, fourth; and Nathaniel Robinson, fifth, judges for the shire of Westminster. And General Jacob Bailey, first ; Jacob Burton, second; William Heaton, third; Reuben Foster, fourth; and Captain John French, fifth, judges for the shire of Newbury. In June, 1778, Samuel Fletcher succeeded Hubbel Wells, and Joshua Webb succeeded Nathaniel Robinson, in the shire of Westminster; and Deacon Smalley succeeded Jacob Bailey, John Burnett succeeded Jacob Burton, and Benjamin Baldwin succeeded John French, in the shire of Newbury.
The persons above named were judges of what has been termed a Special Court for Cumberland county ; and they cannot be said to have been either Supreme, Superior or County Court officers, as those dis- tinctive courts were not then established; at least no record evidence of any such establishment during that year is to be found.
In 1779, at a legislative session holden at Bennington, in February, the General Assembly passed an act "constituting and establishing one Superior Court in the State of Vermont." This court was provided to consist of five judges, and terms of court were appointed to be held
1Journal of the Assembly, March 24, 1778.
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HISTORY OF WINDSOR COUNTY.
" within and for the county of Cumberland, at Westminster, on the sec- ond Thursday of March next," and for the same county at Newbury on the second Thursday of September next (1779). And the same Legis- lature, on a later day of the session, passed another act, entitled, “An act regulating Trials and Appeals," which reads in part as follows: " Whereas, no county courts have been established in the State; which makes it necessary that all such cases or actions as would otherwise be heard before such county courts, should now be heard and determined in the superior court, Be it enacted," etc,- directing County Court actions to be determined in the Superior Court until County Courts be established, etc.
But the laws passed at this session of the Legislature were declared to be " temporary laws," and remain in force only until "the rising of the General Assembly in October next." In October, however, an act was passed extending the operation of all laws previously passed until the close of the Assembly's business in March, 1780. The October Legisla- ture also passed an act directing that judges of the Superior Court be chosen by the joint ballot of the Governor and Council and the House of Representatives. And further, another act fixed the fees of an at- torney practicing in the Superior or County Court at £6; but this was repealed November 8, 1780.
In the month of February, 1781, the county of Cumberland was di- vided, and out of its territory the other counties of Windham, Windsor and Orange were erected. This was followed by the organization of the new counties for all purposes, among them the establishment of County Courts ; and provision was made for the election of one chief judge and four assistant judges; to be chosen by the people of the counties respect- ively. And about this time or a little later there was annexed to this county a considerable body of land east of the Connecticut River, due consideration for the people of which district was at once had in the ap- pointment or selection of Windsor county officials. Whether the first judges for the county of Windsor were appointed or elected is a trifle uncertain, but that the election was held and judges chosen on the day first appointed, the last Tuesday of March, 1781, would appear to be discredited from the fact that a number of officers were taken from the New Hampshire side, while the annexation of the towns from that local-
1. Collammo
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THE BENCH AND BAR.
ity was not perfected or completed until the 5th of April following. The records bearing upon this subject appear to be silent, and the only reliable evidence regarding the selection of judges of the County Court for the county is found in the proceedings of the Governor and Council for the year ending 1781. From the transactions of that body it ap- pears that on the 16th day of April, while in session at Windsor, Elisha Payne of Lebanon, N. H., was nominated and appointed chief judge, while Joseph Marsh, Benjamin Emmons, Bezaleel Woodward and John Weld were in the same manner chosen side judges. Thus was constituted the first regular County Court of Windsor county, and the above named persons comprised the first bench of justices.
It should be stated in this connection that the record of the proceed- ings of the Governor and Council, upon which the above appointments were made, has the qualifying statement "are hereby appointed for the time being," etc., thus confirming the opinion that the judges for 1781 were not elected by the freemen of the county. Deming, in his catalogue of Vermont officers, does not mention any judges for Windsor during the year 1781.
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