USA > Vermont > History of eastern Vermont, from its earliest settlement to the close of the eighteeth century with a biographical chapter and appendixes > Part 74
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"Two men, by name Daniel Twichel and John Flynt, in the summer of 1755 (somewhere between the third Wednesday in March, 1755, when Daniel Twichel was appointed select-man, and the 17th of August, when the Kilburn fight took place, but probably in August), had gone back to the hills, about a mile and a half north- east, on what is now the Drewsville road, to procure some timber for oars. Here they were shot by the Indians. One of them was scalped, the other cut open, his heart taken out and laid in pieces upon his breast. This was the first Christian blood spilt in Walpole. The bodies were buried on the spot, which is accurately pointed out at this day. This event made a solemn impression on the settlers. They imagined that Twichel's spirit continued to hover over them, warning them of the wiles of the savages, and crying for vengeance on them. A remarkable rock in Connecticut river, where he used to fish with unfailing success, was for a long time held in religious veneration; anda nglers are still tempted to Twichel's Rock, as to a place where their luck is under the propitious influence of his memory.
"Shortly before this, an Indian by the name of Philip had visited Kilburn's house in a friendly way, pretending to be in want of provisions. He was supplied with flints, flour, etc., and dismissed. Soon after it was ascertained that this same Indian had visited all the settlements on the river, doubtless to procure information of the state of their defences. Governor Shirley about this time sent information to all the forts in this region, that five hundred Indians were collecting in Canada, whose aim was the butchery and extinction of the whole white population on the river. Greatly alarmed, the sparse population, unwilling to abandon their crops, had strengthened their feeble garrisons, and bravely determined to stand by their rude but promising homes.
. " Col. Benjamin Bellows had at this time about thirty men at his fort, about half a mile south of Kilburn's house, but too distant from it to afford him any aid. About noon on the 17th of August, 1755, Kilburn and his son John, in his eighteenth year, a man by the name of Peak and his son, were returning home to dinner from the field, when one of them discovered the red legs of the Indians among the alders, 'as thick as grasshoppers.' They instantly made for the house, fastened the door, and prepared for an obstinate defence. Kilburn's wife Ruth and his daughter Hetty were already in the house. In about fifteen minutes, the savages were seen crawl- ing up the bank east of the house, and as they crossed a footpath, one by one, one hundred and ninety-seven were counted. About the same number, it afterwards proved, had remained in ambush, near the mouth of Cold river, but joined the attacking party soon.
741
APPENDIX E.
" The savages appeared to have learned that Colonel Bellows and his men were at work at his mill about a mile east (on what is called the Blanchard brook, near where it is crossed by the Drewsville road, it being built at. that distance from the fort on account of the convenience of a waterfall), and they intended to waylay and murder them before attacking Kilburn's house. Colonel Bellows and his men were now returning home, each with a bag of meal on his back, when the dogs began to growl and betray the neighborhood of an enemy. The Colonel, knowing the lan- guage of the dogs and the wiles of the Indians, instantly adopted his policy. He directed his men, throwing off the meal, to crawl carefully to the rise of the land, and on reaching the top of the bank, to spring together to their feet, give one whoop, and instantly drop into the sweet fern. This manœuvre had the desired effect to draw the Indians from their ambush. At the sound of the whoop, fancying them- selves discovered, the whole body of the savages arose from the bushes in a semi- circle round the path Colonel Bellows was to have followed. His men improved instantly the excellent opportunity for a shot offered by the enemy, who were so disconcerted, that without firing a gun, they darted into the bushes and disappeared. The Colonel, sensible of his unequal force, hurried his men off by the shortest cut to the fort, and prepared for its defence.
" The cowardly savages had, however, no intention of coming again into the range of his guns. They determined to take their vengeance out of a weaker party, and soon after appeared on the eminence east of Kilburn's house. Here the same treacherous Philip, who had visited him and partaken his hospitality so short a time before, came forward under shelter of a tree and summoned the little garrison to surrender. 'Old John, Young John,' was his cry, 'I know ye. Come out here. We give you good quarter.' 'Quarter!' vociferated old Kilburn, in a voice of thunder. 'You black rascals, begone, or we'll quarter you.' It was a brave reply for four men to make to four hundred ! Philip returned, and after a short consul- tation the war-whoop rang out, as if, to use the language of an ear-witness, 'all the devils in hell had been let loose.' Kilburn was lucky and prudent enough to get the first fire, before the smoke of the battle perplexed his aim, and was confident he saw Philip himself fall. The fire from the little garrison was returned by a shower of balls from the savages, who rushed forward to the attack. The roof was a perfect 'riddle-sieve.' Some of the Indians fell at once to butchering the cattle, others to a wanton destruction of the grain, while the larger part kept up an incessant fire at the house. Meanwhile, Kilburn and his men-aye, and his women-were all busily at work. Their powder they poured into their hats for greater convenience; the women loaded the guns, of which they had several spare ones-all of them being kept hot by incessant use. As their stock of lead grew short, they suspended blankets over their heads to catch the balls of the enemy, which penetrated one side of the roof, and fell short of the other. These were immediately run by these Spartan women into bullets, and before they had time to cool, were sent back to the enemy from whom they came .... Several attempts were made to force the door, but the unerring aim of the marksmen within sent such certain death to these assailants, that they soon desisted from their efforts. Most of the time the Indians kept behind logs and stumps, and avoided as they best could the fire of the little Gibraltar. The whole afternoon, even till sun-down, the battle continued, until, as the sun set, the savages, unable to conquer so small a fortress, discouraged and baffled, forsook the ground, and, as was supposed, returned to Canada, abandoning the expedition on which they had set out. It is not unreasonable to suppose that their fatal experience here, through the matchless defence of those Walpole heroes and heroines, was instrumental in saving hundreds of the dwellers on the frontiers from the horrors of an Indian massacre.
" Seldom did it fall to the lot of our forefathers to win a more brilliant crown than
742
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
John Kilburn earned in this glorious exploit. Pcak got the only wound of his party, receiving a ball in the hip, from exposure at a port-hole, which unhappily, for lack of surgical care, caused his death on the fifth day. The Indians never again appeared in Walpole, although the war did not terminate until eight years afterwards. John Kilburn lived to see his fourth generation on the stage, and enjoying the benefits of a high civilization on the spot he had rescued from the savages. He possessed an honest heart, lived uprightly, and died in peace. A plain stone in Walpole burying ground thus commemorates his departure, and speaks his eulogy in a brief, expressive phrase :-
IN MEMORY
OF
JOHN KILBURN
Who departed this life for a better
APRIL 8, 1789,
In the 85th year of his age. He was the first settler of this town in 1749.
"In 1814, his son, young John, last visited the scene of his youthful exploits He died among his children, in Shrewsbury, Vermont, in 1822. One of his sons died in this town only a year or two since.
" What amount of destruction Kilburn made among the savages it was impossible to tell, as it is well known they carefully carry off and conceal their dead. It is said that Indian graves have been dug up at Cold river, and on the line of the rail- road in that neighborhood, and six graves were found on the site of the Island House at the Falls, in 1833, which may possibly have been those of victims in this fight."-Historical Sketch of Col. Benjamin Bellows, pp. 24-29.
APPENDIX F.
PROPRIETORS OF WESTMINSTER.
Referred to on p. 93.
The names of the proprietors of the township of Westminster on the 11th of June, 1760, when the time for fulfilling the conditions of the charter was extended, were:
John Hulburt, Josiah Willard,
Valentine Butler, Joseph Alexander, Nathan Willard, Susannah Gilson, Oliver Willard,
John Hunt,
John Taylor,
William Willard, John Peirce,
Anthony Peirce,
Andrew Gardner, Jr.,
James Jewel,
Manassah Divel,
Simon Hunt,
743
APPENDIX F.
John Arms,
William Wilson,
Wilder Willard,
John Arms, Jur.,
John Moor,
Solomon Willard,
John Moor, Jr.,
Ebenezer Fields,
Daniel Whitmore,
Samuel Allen,
William Willard, Jr.,
Billey Willard,
Prentice Willard,
Caleb How,
Ephraim Dean,
Jonathan Hubbard,
Elijah Cady,
James Hills,
Asa Douglass,
Josiah Willard, Jur.,
Samuel Ashley,
Benjamin Farwell,
John Alexander,
Samuel Cummings,
Samuel Greely,
Josiah Brown,
Jethro Wheeler,
Peter Powers,
Jonathan Thare,
Robert Fletcher, Jr.,
Joshua Wells,
Timothy Latherbee,
Submit Foster,
Minister,
Nathan Willard, Jr.,
Henry Sherburn,
Joseph Hubbard,
Samuel Smith,
Joseph Ashley,
John Downing,
Nathaniel Mattoon,
Samson Sheaff.
Jonathan Willard.
Besides these fifty-nine shares, there were also fourteen others located at the north end of the town, of which two were held by His Excellency Benning Went- worth, and one each by John Wentworth, Robert Usher, John Chamberlain, Jona- than Cummings, John Usher, Jonathan Cummings, Jr., David Stearns, Byfield Lloyd, Richard Wibird, and Theodore Atkinson. One share was appropriated for a Glebe for the Church of England, as by law established, and another for the bene- fit of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
APPENDIX G.
DIVISION OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY INTO DISTRICTS.
Referred to on p. 184.
"Cumberland County, 6th May, 1772.
"PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given, that the third Tuesday in May Instant is appointed by Law for the Freeholders and Inhabitants of each respective Township in the said County, and of each respective District (an abstract whereof is hereunto subjoined) to Elect and Choose from among the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the same respectively, one Supervisor, two Assessors, two Collectors, two Overseers of the Poor, three Commissioners for laying out the Highways, and also so many Persons to be Surveyors and Overseers of the Highways, as the Major part of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of each Town and District shall judge necessary, two Fence viewers and four Constables. AND that the last Tuesday in May Instant is likewise appointed the Day for the Supervisors so Elected for each Township and District, to Assemble and meet together at the Court House, in the Township of Chester in the said County, then and there by Plurality of voices to agree upon,
744
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
determine, and Ascertain the Township or place within the said County, where a Court House and Gaol shall be Erected and Built.
" An abstract of such parts of the County of Cumberland as are formed into Districts.
"The 1st District comprehends Hartford, and extends North to the County line.
" 2d District comprehends Pomfret and Bernard, and extends North and West to the North and West lines of the County.
" 3d District comprehends such parts of Woodstock and Bridgewater as lye in the County, and extends West to the County line.
" 4th District comprehends Reading and Saltash, and extends West to the West bounds of the County.
" 5th District comprehends Wethersfield.
" 6th District comprehends Cavendish and Ludlow, and the Lands to the West thereof not erected into Townships, until it extends to the West line of the County.
" 7th District comprehends Andover, and the lands to the West bounds of the County.
" 8th District comprehends Springfield.
" 9th District comprehends Rockingham.
" 10th District comprehends Tomlinson, and the Lands to the Southward not erected into a Township, as far South as Townsend line, and to the Northward of an East and West line from thence, to the West bounds of Westminster, and the Lands not Erected into Townships to the Westward, as far as the West bounds of the County.
" 11th District comprehends Townsend and the Lands partly to the Eastward thereof not erected into a Township, and the Lands to the West- ward thereof not erected into Townships to the West bounds of the County.
" 12th District comprehends New Fane, and the Lands not erected into a Town- ship to the West thereof, so far as the West bounds of the County.
" 13th District comprehends Fulham.
" 14th District comprehends Marlborough.
" 15th District comprehends so much of Wilmington or Draper as lieth within the County, and extends West to the County line.
" 16th District comprehends Halifax.
" 17th District comprehends Guilford.
" 18th District comprehends Hinsdale.
" A full description of the above Districts is lodged with the Subscriber, to which Recourse may be had if necessary.
"Crean Brush, Cl."
745
APPENDIX H.
APPENDIX H.
CENSUS OF JANUARY 16TH, 1771.
Referred to on p. 188. CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Towns.
White Males under 16.
White Males above
16 and under 60.
White Males 60
and upwards.
White Females
under 16.
White Females
above 16.
Black Males.
Black Females.
Total.
Heads of Families.
Andover
Bromley .
Kent
4
9
1
8
6
28
5
Brattleborough
103
102
8
110
79
1
403
75
Chester.
38
35
4
45
30
152
30
Cumberland.
3
4
3
4
14
4
Fulham.
54
54
3
37
40
1
189
44
Guilford
124
92
5
116
94
3
2
436
75
Halifax
100
83
4
74
68
329
55
Hertford.
48
31
1
35
28
1
144
25
Hinsdale
28
28
5
16
30
107
19
Marlborough
6
24
1
6
12
1
50
22
Newfane
12
14
1
14
11
52
8
Norwich
53
66
39
48
206
40
Pomfret
13
14
4
6
1
1
39
6
Putney.
94
74
4
60
69
301
51
Rockingham.
48
62
4
52
57
1
1
225
50
Sharon .
17
19
1
14
17
68
12
Springfield
43
30
1
36
31
141
27
Townshend
33
40
1
35
26
1
136
25
Weathersfield
2
8
6
4
20
4
Westminster
136
107
8
110
117
478
77
Wilmington.
16
19
5
17
14
71
14
Windsor.
50
57
3
46
46
1
203
35
Woodstock.
9
13
10
10
42
10
Total.
1080
1033
60
949
887
7
8
4024
744
GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
White Males under 16.
White Males above
16 and under 60 .-
White Males 60
and upwards.
White Females
under 16.
White Females
above 16.
Black Males.
Black Females.
Total.
Total
178
185
8
193
151
6
1
722
Hartford.
46
48
56
40
190
13
- Williams's Hist. Vt., ii. 478. Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv. 1034. Brattleborough Semi-Weekly Eagle, Thursday Evening, May 2d, 1850, vol. iii. No. 76.
746
. HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
APPENDIX I.
THE "WESTMINSTER MASSACRE."
Referred to on p. 241.
The more accessible sources from which the account of the "Westminster Mas- sacre" has been drawn, are named in the annexed list.
March 21st, 1775. MS. Council Minutes in office Sec. State N. Y., 1765-1783, xxvi. 425, 426. Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv. 903, 904.
22d, 1775. Depositions of Oliver Church and Joseph Hancock, in Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv. 904-910. Brattleborough (Vt.) Semi-Weekly Eagle, Thursday Evening, September 20th, 1849, vol. iii., No. 13.
23d, 1775. "A relation of the proceedings of the people of the County of Cumberland and Province of New York," by Reuben Jones, in Slade's Vt. State Papers, 55-59. American Archives, Fourth Series, 1775, vol. ii., cols. 218-222. Journals of the General Assembly of the Province of New York.
" 28th, 1775. Deposition of John Griffin, in Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv. 910-914. Brattleborough (Vt.) Semi-Weekly Eagle, Monday Evening, Sep- tember, 17th, 1849, vol. iii., No. 12.
66 30th, 1775. Journals of the General Assembly of the Province of New York. American Archives, Fourth Series, 1775, vol. i., cols. 1321-1324. April 3d, 1775. See authorities cited under March 30th, 1775.
" 5th, 1775. Dispatches of Lieutenant Governor Colden to Lord Dartmouth, in MSS. London Documents in office Sec. State N. Y., xlv. Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv. 914-916.
May 5th, 1775. MSS. Council Minutes in office Sec. State N. Y., 1765-1783. xxvi. 435. Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv. 917, 918. Brattleborough (Vt.) Semi-Weekly Eagle, Monday Evening, September 24th, 1849. vol. iii., No. 14.
The "State of the Facts" made by the judges of the court, and epitomized on p. 223, is in these words :-
"New York County of Cumberland court of common Pleas, And court of General Sessions of the Peace holden at the court House in Westminster this Fourteenth Day of March A. D. 1775. Whereas a very melancholly and unhappy affair Happened at this Place in the evening of yesterday The thirteenth Instant and Whereas it may be that the Same may Be represented very Different From what The same really was We his majesty's Judges and Justices of the said Courts being chiefly there Present have Thought it our Duty thus to relate a true state of the Facts Exactly as they happened.
" Many threats having for several Terms past been Thrown out by evil minded persons that they would With Violence break up and Destroy the courts of our Sovereign Lord the king in this county and threats of A more Daring and absolute nature than formerly having been thrown out by certain Evil Minded persons Against the setting of this present Court the Sheriff tho't it Essentially necessary to raise a Posse For the Courts Protection and having Raised about sixty Men armed some With Guns and some with staves he arrived At there head before the Court House about five o'clock In the afternoon of yesterday When to the Great Surprise of the said Sheriff and Posse they found the court house Taken into Possession and the several Doors thereof Guarded By a large number of Rioters (supposed to be about an Hundred in the whole) armed With clubs and some Few fire arms. The Sheriff
747
APPENDIX I.
then endeavored to Go in at the Door of the court-house, but was prevented by Threats And menaces; whereupon he read the King's Proclamation, with a very loud voice commanding In his Majesty's name all persons unlawfully assembled Immediately to Depart, and thereupon Demanded Entrance again But was again refused and Prevented by threats and menaces as Before. The Sheriff then told the Rioters that he would Leave them a short time to consider of their behaviour And to Disperse, and if they would not afterwards allow Him Entrance into the said court- house That he would Absolutely Enter it by force. But the Rioters made scoff at this Measure replying the hardest must fend off. The Rioters a little time after- wards wanted to choose committees to Parley but was answered that they could not Parley to consider whether the King's Court Should proceed or not. Judge Chan- dler informed them that if they had any real grievances to complain of if they would Present a Petition to the court when sitting it should be heard the Sheriff then gave the Posse Liberty To refresh themselves and about two Houers afterward He Brought the said Posse Before the courthouse again and then again Demanded Entrance in his majesty's Name but was again refused in like manner as Before. Whereupon he told them that he would Absolutely enter it Either Quietly or by force and commanded the Posse to follow close to him which they Accordingly Did and getting near The Door he was struck several Blows with clubs, which he had the Goodness in General to fend off so far at least as not to Receive Any very Great Damage but several of their clubs striking Him as he was going up the steps, and The Rioters Persisting in maintaining Their Ground, he ordered some of the Posse to fire, which they accordingly did. The Rioters then fought Violently with their clubs and fired some few fire arms at the Posse by which Mr. Justice Butterfield received a slight shot in the arm and another of the Posse received a slight shot in the head with Pistol Bullets: but happily none of the Posse were mortally wounded. Two persons of the Rioters were Dangerously wounded (one of whom is since dead) and several others of the Rioters were also wounded but not Dangerously so. Eight of the Rioters were taken prisoners (including The one which is since Dead) & the wounded were taken care of by Doct. Day, Doct. Hill and Doct. Chase. The latter of which was immediately sent for on Purpose. The rest of the Rioters Dispersed giving out Threats that they would collect all the force Possible and would return as on this Day to revenge themselves on the Sheriff and on several others of the Posse.
"This Being a true state of the facts without the least Exaggeration on the one side or Diminution on the other We humbly submit to Every Reasonable Inhabit- ant whether his majesty's courts of Justice the Grand and only security For the life liberty and property of the publick should Be trampled on and Destroyed whereby said persons and properties of individuals must at all times be exposed to the Rage of a Riotous and Tumultuous assembly or whether it Does not Behove Every of his Majesty's Liege subjects In the said county to assemble themselves forth- with for the Protection of the Laws and maintenance of Justice.
" Dated in open Court the Day and Year Aforesaid.
" Thomas Chandler, Noah Sabin, Step'h Greenleaf, Benj'a Butterfield, Bildad Andross, S. Gale, Clk."
The following account of the affray was published at Salem, Massachusetts, in the Essex Gazette, under the date of March 14th-21st, 1775 :-
" We hear a body of people armed with clubs and some few fire arms, to the number
748
HISTORY OF EASTERN VERMONT.
of about one hundred, assembled at Westminster in the County of Cumberland in the province of New York, on the evening of the 13th day of this instant, being the evening before the day of the sitting of the Court of Common Pleas for said County, for the purpose of preventing the Courts sitting there, and took possession of the Court House. The Sheriff of the County being previously advertised of their design, raiscd the Posse Comitatus to oppose them, and came up to the Court House a short time after the rioters had seized it and attempted to enter the same, but was opposed by them. He informed the rioters that the Court House was the property of his Majesty, and that he was the keeper of it, and demanded entrance into it, and ordered them to disperse, which they peremptorily refused to do. Several attempts were made oy the Sheriff and the Posse to enter the house without force, which were resisted by the mob. The Sheriff then informed the rioters that he was determined at all events, to have possession of the house; if he could not get it without, lie would get it by force. He then read the riot act to them, and ordered them to disperse within one hour, and told them, that if they did not disperse within that time, and cease their opposition to his entrance into the Court House, he would most certainly order the Posse to fire on them ; to which they replied, 'Fire and be damned ! If you do, the hardest fend off.' The Sheriff told the rioters he would not have them flatter themselves that he would not fire on them, for he was absolutely determined to do it if they continued obstinate. He then with his Posse, left the house for the space of about three hours, during which time all possible arguments were used to dissuade the rioters from their purpose, which they treated with neglect. They then sent to those of the Judges of the Court then in the town, to know if they would treat with a committee from their body, whether the Court should do business. The Judges returned this answer ; That they could not treat with them whether his Majesty's business should be done or not, but that if they thought themselves aggrieved and would apply to them in a proper way, they would give them redress if it was in their power. But this was by no means satisfactory to them. At the expiration of the three hours, the Sheriff and Posse returned to the Court House and again attempted to enter it, but were beat back by the rioters with their clubs. He told them he would most certainly fire on them, if they did not desist. They answered, 'Fire and be damned ! Fire and be damned !' The Sheriff then ordered his men to fire upon them, which they did and wounded one mortally (who is since dead) and several others very badly, one of whom is thought to be dangerous. The Sheriff, after a few shots, ordered the fire to cease, and his men to enter the house with clubs, which they did, when a stout resistance was made by the rioters for some time; but they were finally dispossessed and nine or ten of them taken prisoners. The rioters fired once or twice on the Sheriff's party, but did no damage. The next day the rioters were reinforced by a large number, armed with muskets, and being much superior to the Sheriff's party, took him and about twelve others and confined them in close gaol."
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