USA > Vermont > History of eastern Vermont, from its earliest settlement to the close of the eighteeth century with a biographical chapter and appendixes > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81
From the time the fort was commenced until the first of June following, Captain Dwight's force numbered in all fifty-five effective men, of whom forty-three were English soldiers, and the remainder Indians. The latter belonged to the " Maquas" tribe, and were under the command of their sachems, Hendrick
* The site of Fort Dummer and the adjoining meadow belonging to it, form a portion of what is now known as the " Brooks farm."
$
17
INDIAN SOLDIERS.
1724.]
Maqua, of Connauchiwhory, and Umpaumet, who dwelt on the banks of Hudson river .*
Great importance was attached to the presence of the In- dians, and various means were taken to retain them in the ser- vice. On the 20th of June, 1724, a committee which had been appointed by the General Court of Massachusetts to examine a demand made by the Maquas, engaged in the service of that government at Fort Dummer, reported, pursuant to the pro- mise of Col. Schuyler, "that two shillings per day be allowed to Hendrick and Umpaumet, as they are sachems, and the first of that rank that have entered into the service of this province ; That none of ye Indians be stinted as to allowance of provisions ; That they all have the use of their arms gratis, and their guns mended at free cost; That a supply of knives, pipes, tobacco, lead, shot, and flints, be sent to the commanding officer at the fort, to be given out to them, according to his discretion ; That four barrels of rum be sent to Capt. Jona Wells, at Deerfield, to be lodged in his hands, and to be delivered to the command- ing officer at the Block-House as he sees occasion to send for it, that so he may be enabled to give out one gill a day to each Indian, and some to his other men as occasion may require." But with all these and other endeavors the Indians could not be induced to remain at the fort for more than a year.
From the time the fort was commenced those to whom it was intrusted seem to have exercised a care for the moral wel- fare of those who were there stationed. In the letter of Col. Stoddard, above referred to, he remarked on this subject: "Dwight thinks they should live a heathenish life unless a chaplain be allowed, and besides the advantage the English soldiers may receive from him, it may possibly be an oppor- tunity to Christianize the Indians, which the Assembly (in the former part) seemed very desirous of." In accordance with this wish the General Court voted on the 3d of June, that "Dr.
* The names of these Indians, with their residence, are contained in the annexed list.
Under Hendrick Maqua.
Ezerus of Connauchiwhory ; Kewauchcum of Westonhook; Cosaump of Wittaug. Under Umpaumet or Ampaúmet.
Wattunkameeg, Pomagun, Waunoouooseet, Faukaquint,
Noonoowaumet, Poopoonuck, from Hudson river; Suckkeecoo from "Scahticook."
2
18
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1724.
Mather, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Sewall, Mr. Wadsworth, be desired to procure a person of gravity, ability, and prudence," to be pre- sented to the Governor for his approval, as chaplain to the fort. Daniel Dwight, of Northampton, was chosen to this post, but it does not appear that he held it long. His pay was fixed at one hundred pounds for the year, and besides his duties as chaplain it was more especially enjoined upon him to " instruct the In- dian natives residing thereabouts in the true Christian reli- gion."
The soldiers were provided with goods and clothing by the commander of the fort, who received his supplies from the Trea- surer of the province of Massachusetts, and sold them at a more reasonable rate than they could have been obtained elsewhere.
No sooner were the necessary arrangements completed, and the fort garrisoned by English and by friendly Indians, than the hatred and suspicion of the Canada tribes in the employ of the French and of the Maseesqueeg or Scatacook Indians received a new impulse, and their reconnoitring parties began to be sources of the greatest annoyance. On the 25th of June the Indians attached to the fort discovered tracks to the south which appeared to have been made only a short time previous. A party of sixteen proceeded on a scout, and soon after fell in with about forty of the enemy ; but their force being too small to accomplish what they had wished, they returned without hazarding an attack. On the 11th of October Fort Dummer was attacked by seventy of the enemy, and four or five of its occupants were either killed or wounded. Col. Stoddard of Northampton, who was at that time intrusted with the defence of this quarter of the country, immediately marched from that place with fifty men, but the enemy had left the fort before he arrived.
Capt. Joseph Kellogg, who was engaged at this time in watching Fort Dummer, and two other garrisons on the western frontiers of Massachusetts, having received orders to scout, commenced sending out parties on the 30th of November. The routes which they took "for the discovery of the enemy" were various, and can be easily traced at the present time, the names by which the streams, mountains, and falls were then designated being in most instances the same as at present. Sometimes their course lay along the west side of Connecti- cut river, and ended at the Great Falls .* Again they would
* Now Bellows Falls.
19
SCOUTING PARTIES.
1725.]
follow up West river a few miles, and then striking across the country, reach the Great Falls by a different route. Sometimes their place of destination would be the Great Meadow, and anon we read that they "came upon Sexton's river six miles from ye mouth of it, we empties itself at ye foot of ye Great Falls, and then they came down till they came to ye mouth of it and so returned." On another occasion they were "sent up ye West River Mountain, there to Lodge on ye top and view Evening and Morning for smoak, and from thence up to ye mountain at ye Great Falls and there also to Lodge on ye top and view morning and evening for smoaks." Thus most of the winter was spent, in traversing the wilderness, fording bridgeless streams, and climbing mountains slippery with snow and ice. To such vigilance and activity it was owing that for nearly a year, and at a time when the Indians were exceedingly trouble- some and unfriendly, Fort Dummer and the adjacent garrisons were unmolested by them.
During the month of July, in the year 1725, Capt. Benja- min Wright, of Northampton, being on a scouting expedition with a corps of volunteers, consisting of about sixty men, ascend- ed the Connecticut river as high as Wells river, which stream he explored some distance ; and after having passed several small lakes, struck Onion or Winooski river, and followed it until within sight of Lake Champlain. Provisions becoming scarce, the party retraced their steps and returned to Northfield without meeting the enemy. In his journal, Wright mentions "a fort at the mouth of Wells river." As we have no other account of such an establishment than the one here given, the suggestion of Mr. Hoyt is no doubt correct, that it was "probably a small stockade, for the security of the scouts." On the 28th of Sep- tember, Capt. Dwight, of Fort Dummer, sent out a party of six men to scout in a westerly direction. On their return, while halting to refresh themselves, they were attacked by the In- dians, who, fourteen in number, came suddenly upon them. The scouts fired, but successful resistance was out of their power. Thomas Bodurtha of Springfield, and John Pease of Enfield, were killed; Edward Baker of Suffield, John Farrar of Ashford, and Nathaniel Chamberlain of Hatfield, were captur- ed ; and Anthony Wiersbury, a German, reached the fort in safety, being the only one of the party who escaped unharmed .*
* MS. papers in office Sec. State, Mass. Hoyt's Indian Wars, p. 215.
20
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1725-1731.
Although attacks were frequently made on the English settle- ments in New Hampshire and along the Connecticut, by the French or Abenaquis Indians, yet it must be remarked that this conduct did not arise from the enmity of France and Eng- land, for at that time those nations were at peace with one an- other. In order, if possible, to bring to an end the war in Ame- rica, commissioners were sent from Massachusetts and New Hampshire to Canada. They were politely received by the Marquis de Vaudreuil, Governor of Canada, but were unable to effect with him the object of their mission. A few depreda- tions were committed after the commissioners returned, but it was soon ascertained that the Indians were not averse to peace. In accordance with their desire, a treaty of that nature.was held at Boston on the 15th of December, and was ratified at Fal- mouth the following spring. This being publicly declared, the garrisons were withdrawn from many of the forts, and on the 27th of August, 1726, the forces " at the Block-House above Northfield" were ordered to be dismissed from the service. By a mistake, the order was withheld until news came on the 24th of November, that some of the Canada tribes were, by the com- mand of the Governor of Canada, " spirited out for mischief on the frontiers." On the receipt of this information, by the advice of the Lieutenant-Governor, the garrison was continued until the cause of danger was removed .*
Capt. Joseph Kellogg, who had been for many years a pri- soner among the French and Indians in Canada, and had learned the manner in which the peltry trade was conducted between them and the western Indians, having presented a memorial to the General Court of Massachusetts, on the 15th of January, 1727, in which he expressed his belief that the same kind of trade might be carried on by the Massachusetts government to good advantage, followed up this statement with a request that a trading-house might be established at Fort Dummer or further up Connecticut river. To this petition a favorable answer was given. In order to insure a continuance of the friendship of the Indians, the General Court agreed to supply them with such articles of food and clothing as they should need, and take their furs in exchange. Fort Dummer, being conveniently situated for a "Truck-house," was selected for that purpose, and was thus "improved" for many years, the business being
* MS. papers. Belk. Hist. N. H., ii. 70-80.
21
JAMES COSS'S JOURNAL.
1725-1731.]
under the charge of Joseph Kellogg, who bore the titles both of Captain and Truck-master .*
The Indians, finding that they could carry on a cheaper trade at this station than at the French trading-houses, resorted hither in large numbers, bringing with them, among other articles of traffic, deer skins, moose skins, and tallow. The fort was soon found to be too small to accommodate all who came to it, and Capt. Kellogg was accordingly ordered, on the 10th of April, 1729, to raise an out-house in some convenient place near the Truck-house, " for the reception of the Indians." At the same time he was directed to build a boat for transporting the supplies, to advance fifteen instead of fifty per cent. on pro- visions, and to supply the soldiers with clothing at the same price with the Indians. He was also permitted to sell beaver skins to the people residing in the vicinity who should desire to obtain them for the purpose of converting them into hats. In July, 1731, further improvements were made at the block-house by the addition of a store-house at the back of the main build- ing, and by repairs which had become necessary.
The route which the Indians usually took in going from Canada to Fort Dummer, was by Lake Champlain, Otter creek, and Black and Connecticut rivers. The government of Massachusetts being about to take measures to ascertain the exact course of this "Indian road," obtained from a certain James Coss or Cross, the following diary of a journey from Fort Dummer to Lake Champlain, performed in the year 1730. From it something may be learned of the manner of travelling in the wilderness in those early times, and of the hardships per- taining thereto.
" Monday, ye 27th April, 1730, at about twelve of ye clock we left Fort Dummer, and travailed that day three miles, and lay down that night by West River, which is three miles dis- tant from Fort Dummer. Notabene. I travailed with twelve Canady Mohawks that drank to great excess at ye fort and killed a Skatacook Indian in their drunken condition, that came to smoke with them.
* The first appropriation for trading purposes was made on the 19th of June, 1728, when the General Court voted to set apart "£1000, equal to about £333 6s. 8d. sterling, for the purchasing goods to be lodged at the Truck-house above Northfield, to supply the Indians withal." The Truck-master was ordered "to advance 50 per cent. on rum, sugar, and molasses, and 25 per cent. on European goods."
22
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1725-1731.
" Tuesday. We travailed upon the great River* about ten miles.
" Wednesday. We kept ye same course upon ye great River travailed about ten miles, and eat a drowned Buck that night.
"Thursday. We travailed upon the great River within two miles of ye Great Fallst in said River, then we went upon Land to the Black River above ye Great Falls, went up in that River and lodged about a mile and a half from the mouth of Black River, which days travail we judged was about ten miles.
"Fryday. We cross Black River at ye Fallst afterwards travail through ye woods N.N.W. then cross Black River again about 17 miles above our first crossing, afterwards travailed ye same course, and pitched our tent on ye homeward side of Black River.
" Saturday. We crossed Black River, left a great mountain on ye right hand and another on ye left.§ Keep a N.W. course till we pitch our tent after 11 miles travail by a Brook which we called a branch of Black River.
"Sabbath Day. Soon after we began our days work, an old pregnant squaw that travailed with us, stopt alone and was delivered of a child, and by Monday noon overtook us with a living child upon her Back. We travail to Black River. At ye three islands, between which and a large pound we past ye River, enter a mountain,| that afforded us a prospect of ye place of Fort Dummer. Soon after we enter a descending country, and travail till we arrive at Arthur Creek in a descending land. In this days travail which is 21 miles, we came upon seven Brooks which run a S. W. course at ye north end of said Mountain. From Black River to Arthur Creek we judge is 25 miles.
" Monday. Made Canoes.
" Tuesday. Hindered travailing by rain.
" Wednesday. We go in our Canoes upon Arthur Creek, till we meet two great falls in said River .** Said River is very Black and deep and surrounded with good land to ye extremity of our prospect. This days travail 35 miles.
* Connecticut river.
+ Bellows Falls.
# At Centre village in the town of Springfield. See Zadock Thompson's Ver. mont, Part III., p. 164.
§ In the township of Ludlow.
|| In the township of Plymouth, where Black river rises.
T Otter creek. ** Probably in the town of Rutland.
23
INDIAN COMMISSIONERS.
1725-1731.]
" Thursday. We sail 40 miles in Arthur Creek. We meet with great Falls," and a little below them, we meet with two other great Falls, t and about 10 miles below ye said Falls we meet two other pretty large Falls .; We carryd our Canoes by these Falls and come to ye Lake."§
The garrison at Fort Dummer, which had been reduced in 1727, was, in January, 1731, reinforced by the addition of ten soldiers, and from that time until the year 1750, it seldom numbered less than twenty men, and in times of danger often amounted to fifty. The Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdell| was in 1730 appointed to the chaplaincy of the fort, which post he probably held twelve or fourteen years, being much beloved both by the Indians and the English. T
In order to render trade with the Indians more advantageous, and to strengthen the bonds of peace and friendship, Capt. Kellogg received into the fort on the 8th of October, 1734, three commissioners from the "Scaticook" tribe, whose names and titles were, Masseguun, first captain ; Nannatoohau, second cap- tain ; Massamah, lieutenant ; and on the 1st of September, 1735, three other commission officers of the Caughnawaga tribe,
* Middlebury Falls.
+ At Weybridge.
# At Vergennes.
§ Bound MSS. in office Sec. State, Mass., A. xxxviii. 126, 127.
[ He was for several years a missionary to the Connecticut river Indians. In a letter which he wrote from Fort Dummer, dated January 26th, 1733, refer- ring to his labors, he stated that " a good disposition" was prevalent among the Indians, that on Sunday a number of them usually assembled to listen to him, that a child had been presented to him for baptism, to which he had refused to administer the rite because its parents were not Christians, that he had endea- vored to instruct the parents in Christianity, but had as yet met with no success. In 1743, Mr. Hinsdell erected a fort within the limits of the present town of Hinsdale, New Hampshire, and in the same year he and Josiah Willard, the com- mander of Fort Dummer, were appointed under-commissioners for the northern portions of Massachusetts, and the adjacent frontiers. This post they held until October 26th, 1746. Hinsdell's efforts in behalf of the growth and prosperity of the province were not unobserved, and on November 10th, 1748, Governor Shirley desired the General Court "to provide a few men for the defence of Mr. Hinsdell's fort below Fort Dummer for the winter season," a request which was undoubtedly complied with. In the year 1759, he resided near Sugar Loaf Mountain, in the town which is now known as South Deerfield, Massachu- setts.
T It is difficult to ascertain the exact date of transactions which occurred at this period, owing to the burning of the Town House in Boston, on December 9th, 1747, at which time were destroyed "The Books of Records of the General Assembly of Massachusetts, from July 5th, 1737, to September 30th, 1746, and of his Majesty's Council."
24
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1735-1738.
named Ontaussoogoe, colonel ; Thyhausilhau, lieutenant-colonel ; Conneighau, major. Yearly pensions were granted to them, and they remained in the pay of the truck-house until 1744, when it was again turned into a fort.
Massachusetts having deemed it necessary to renew a certain treaty which had been made with the Indians some years before, appointed John Stoddard, Eleazer Porter, Thomas Wal- lis, Joseph Kellogg, and Israel Williams, commissioners, who by agreement met Ontaussoogoe and other delegates of the Caugh- nawaga tribe, at Fort Dummer, on the 5th and 6th of October, 1737. Friendly speeches were made by both parties, the health of King George was drank, and the death of the Governor's lady deplored. Blankets and wampum were exchanged, and the representatives of the Indians and the English separated with expressions of mutual good-will and friendship .* In the same year the truck-house was burned, but whether entirely or par- tially, there is nothing on record to show.t
During this season of comparative quiet, Massachusetts and New Hampshire granted several new townships on their fron- tiers, the former extending her grants to the northward and westward, and along Connecticut river, above Northfield, em- bracing on the east banks of that stream the present towns of Hinsdale, Chesterfield, Westmoreland, Walpole, and Charles- town. These five towns were at first included in four, and for several years were known by their numbers. Beginning at Hinsdale, Charlestown was Number Four. As to the settlements west of the Green Mountains, the first of them was made by the French in 1731, at Chimney Point, in the south-west corner of what is now the township of Addison. But this, as well as the settlement at Fort Frederick, now Crown Point, on the west side of the Lake, was subsequently broken up, and the settlers, with the garrison of the fort, were, in the year 1759, removed to Canada.
* See Appendix B, containing an account of the proceedings at the renewal of the treaty.
+ The only hint of this circumstance is contained in a petition to Governor Jonathan Belcher, from John Sargent, dated Nov. 29th, 1738, in which he says he was " formerly taken prisoner to Canada, afterwards was under Captain Kellogg at the truck-house, north of Northfield, and was a great sufferer in 1737 when it was burned."
CHAPTER II.
CONFLICTS WITH THE INDIANS.
Boundary Disputes-Sartwell's Fort-Bridgman's Fort-Defences at Fort Dum- mer-Traffic with the Indians-Maintenance of Fort Dummer-Disputes between the Assembly of New Hampshire and the General Court of Massa- chusetts Bay-Declaration of War between England and France-Establishment of Forts-Indian Depredations-William Phips-Presents to the Indians- Attack on the Fort at the Great Meadow-Capture of Nehemiah How-For fear of the Enemy the Settlers leave their Abodes-Siege of Number Four, after- wards Charlestown-Burning of Bridgman's Fort-Second Attack on Number Four-Fight between Capt. Melvin and the Indians-Capt. Stevens's Expedi- tion-An Ambuscade-Account of the Captives who were taken to Canada- Running the Gauntlet-Capt. Humphrey Hobbs's Encounter with the Indians- Conflict near Fort Dummer-Brave Conduct of the Soldiers-Route pursued by the Indians-Fight at Fitch's Block-house-Propositions for Protection.
THE dispute between Massachusetts and New Hampshire as to the northern boundary of the former province, which had con- tinued since the year 1730, was determined on the 9th of April, 1740. The decision gave to New Hampshire a tract of country fourteen miles in breadth, and above fifty in length-a greater quantity than she had ever claimed-and took from Massa- chusetts twenty-eight new townships between the Merrimack and Connecticut rivers, besides a large amount of vacant lands. But the settlement of one dispute only gave rise to another. A part of the south boundary of New Hampshire, beginning at a point three miles due north of Patucket falls, was declared in the decision referred to, to be " a straight line, drawn from thence due west, till it meets with his Majesty's other governments ;" but the uncertainty which then prevailed as to the legal extent of "his Majesty's other governments," was the cause not only of a controversy in this instance, but of another which at a later period engaged the attention of New Hampshire, New York, and the " New Hampshire Grants" for many years.
26
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
[1740.
The command of Fort Dummer having been given to Capt. Josiah Willard in 1740, its former commander, Joseph Kellogg, was appointed Indian interpreter for the garrison, which office he held until the year 1749. Great pains were taken to obtain from the Indians then in the service of the fort, as much assistance as was compatible with their indolent dispositions ; and in order to remove one of the causes which had too long tended to lower their condition, they were deprived of the sup- plies of liquor which had for a long time composed a part of their rations. As the frontier settlements extended, it became necessary for the inhabitants to increase and strengthen their defences. The forts or, more properly, block-houses of this period were generally built with large squared timbers laid horizontally one above the other, in the shape of an oblong or square, and locked together at the angles in the manner of a log cabin. This structure was roofed, and furnished with loopholes on every side, through which to observe and attack the enemy. The upper story usually projected over the lower, and under- neath this projection other loopholes were cut, to enable those within to fire down on the assailants, in case of a close approach. In this manner did Josiah Sartwell build the fort which was afterwards called by his name. It stood about one hundred rods from Connecticut river, in the north part of what was for a long time Hinsdale, now Vernon, Vermont, and four miles south of Brattleborough. To the east of it ran the pub- lic road. It was taken down in 1838, after hav- Sartwell's Fort. ing stood ninety-eight years, and on its site there has since been erected a house which is owned and occupied by the Hon. Ebenezer How Jr., a great-great-grand- son of Josiah Sartwell, and a great-grandson of Caleb How, who was killed by the Indians. Bridgman's Fort, of similar con- struction, was probably built the same year by Orlando Bridg- man. It was situated one half of a mile south of Sartwell's Fort, on the east side of the road, and with the exception of
27
DEFENCES AT FORT DUMMER.
1740.]
Fort Dummer, was the only place picketed and secure in that vicinity. About the same time a settlement was made on the "Great Meadow," in what is now the town of Putney, and a garrison called Fort Hill was built in the centre of the "Mea- dow ;" but by whom it was erected or occupied is not known. On the other side of Connecticut river, Number Four, after- wards Charlestown, which, with a number of other townships, had been granted by Massachusetts in 1736, although but lately settled, had already begun to be a post of some importance. Another station of note was Hinsdell or Hinsdale's Fort. It was situated in the town of Hinsdale, N. H., nearly opposite to Sartwell's Fort, and was built by the Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdell, in 1743.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.