USA > Vermont > Addison County > Shoreham > History of the town of Shoreham, Vermont, from the date of its charter, October 8th, 1761, to the present time > Part 19
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On the house lot of the writer, in the village of Middlebury, several years ago, was ploughed up an Indian pestle of hard grey
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
stone, made round and smooth, and rounded at the ends, about fif- teen inches long and two and a half inches in diameter.
Mr. RUFUS MEAD, editor of the Middlebury Register, states, that on the farm on which his father lived, and his grandfather was an early settler, in the west part of Cornwall, have been found large numbers of arrow and spear heads, from two to five inches in length, and, among them, stone chips, worked off in the construc- tion of arrow heads, and many imperfect arrow heads, apparently made by unskilful artists, or spoiled in the manufacture; that at every ploughing for many years, these relies have been ploughed up. This locality is near a spring, and on ground sloping to Lemon Fair Flats. On this slope for some distance, the land is springy, and on several of the neighboring farms, similar relics are found. In that neighborhood was also found a stone gouge, in the regular shape of that tool, six or eight inches long, and two and a half inches wide. This tool Mr. MEAD thinks, was used for dig- ging out their canoes, the wood being first burnt and charred by fire. The arrows, he says, were of flint, partly light and partly black ; and he is confident they were made of materials which are not found in this country. Otter Creek, and Lemon Fair, which empties into it, are navigable for boats from the head of the falls at Vergennes to this place.
Deacon WARNER states, that on his farm in Cornwall, first set- tled by BENJAMIN HAMLIN, were found, at an early day, a great variety of Indian relics, arrow heads, spear heads, and other imple- ments of which he does not know the use : also chippings and frag- ments of stone, made in the construction of the articles, and defect- ive and broken implements. Some of the articles were made of flint stone, and some, designed for ornament, of slate. This locality is on a rise of ground near a Beaver Brook and Beaver Meadow. The brook empties into Lemon Fair, and is navigable for boats from that stream, except in dry weather.
About three quarters of a mile from the above, on the same Beaver Brook, and on the farm of IRA HAMLIN, is found similar evidence of the manufacture of Indian relics, among other things, gouges, chisels and arrows, of three or four different kinds of stone.
-
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY. .
This statement was received from Mr. HAMLIN, and communicated to us, with specimens of the manufacture, by RUFUS MEAD, Esq., who was also personally acquainted with the locality, and generally with the facts.
Major ORIN FIELD, of Cornwall, states, that on his farm, on the road leading south from the Congregational Church, scattered arrow heads have been frequently found, and Judge TILDEN says, that on his farm, not far distant, similar discoveries have been made. Major FIELD also says, that on the same farm, then owned by BENJAMIN STEVENS, he was shown by Mr. STEVENS, in 1807, what was re- garded as the foundation of an Indian wigwam or hut. It was a ridge of earth, about six inches high, in a square shape, the sides of which were eight or twelve fect long, the ridge running all around except at the cast end was a vacant space, apparently designed for a door way. The earth was thrown up, to form the ridge on the out- side. The ridges have now disappeared.
Major FIELD also says, that on the farm of his father, on which his grandfather was an early settler, in a burying ground on sandy land, in digging a grave in 1802, there were thrown up three Indian relics, of the same size and shape and in the form of a heart, about five inches long and three wide at the top. A smooth and straight hole, one-half inch in diameter, was bored through the length, the exterior surface being swollen to accommodate the hole. The sides were worked to an edge.
AUSTIN DANA, Esq., of Cornwall states, that on his farm, which adjoins Lemon Fair, he has often ploughed up large numbers of points, from one and a half to seven inches long, all which he thinks were designed for arrow heads, intended for shooting animals of different sizes, together with some which were broken, and a stone gouge eight or ten inches long, in the proper shape of that instrument. Pieces of the arrow heads he has often used for gun flints. He has also found, at three different springs on his farm, as many different pavements of stone, designed and used for fires in their huts, which have evident marks of the effects of fire. They are made of cob- ble stones, pounded down and made level and solid, like a pave- ment, six or seven feet in diameter. He says also, that on several
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HISTORY OF ALBION COUNTY.
farms lying north of his, he has seen hearths formed in the same way, and obviously for the same purpose. These are always on the border of the Fair. or of brooks running from the hills into it.
JESSE ELLSWORTHI, of Cornwall, states, that on his farm, near Lemon Fair, on low ground, he has found arrow and spear heads often, and a pestle. Some of the spear and arrow heads are grey, and others black.
On the farm of the late JOSEPH SMITH, in Salisbury, and other farms in the neighborhood. have been found also similar relics scat- tered over the land. But we do not regard it necessary to mention further cases o' this kind. Almost every farmer of whom we have inquired, has found them, more or less, scattered over his farm.
Deacon SAMIGEL JAMES, whose farm is in the south part of Wey- bridge and whose house is at the cast foot o" a ridge of land, about two miles west of the village of Middlebury, states that on the cast side of the road, which passes by his house, on a dry sandy hill, pear a Beaver Brook and meadow, are found many arrow heads, many of them imperfect, together with chippings and fragments of stone. which furnish evidence, that it had been a place for the man- ufacture of Indian implements. On the hill west of his house, was found a rounded relic, two inches in diameter, about a foot long, rounded at one end, and the other end made in the form of a gouge, two and a half inches wide, but not wrought to an edge.
PHILO JEWETT, Esq., o ' Weybridge, gave us a particular account of his discovery of Indian relic, but unfortunately our memoran- dum of his statement has been mislaid. He stated however, that on his farm, in the re ghborhood of Lemon Fair, and at a place near a large spring, at every ploughing, he has ploughed up large quanti- ties of arrow and spear heads, and fragments of the materials of which they were made, and some broken and imperfect articles ; on the whole, furnishing evidence of one of the most extensive manu- factories. He says also, that he has often used pieces of the stone, of which the articles were made, for gun flints.
COLUMBUS J. BO DISH, Esq., of Weybridge, states that on bis farm, next north of Mr. JEWETT S, and also on Lemon Fair, and near a spring, he has often ploughed np arrow and spear heads, and chip- 6
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
pings and fragments of the materials of which they were composed furnishing satisfactory evidence, that that was a place where the relies were manufactured. He says also, that in ploughing at one time, his plough hit a stone, at the bottom of the furrow, which he dug up, and found to be a stone gouge, about a foot long. He also states, that he has found on his farm, and in the locality of the arrow heads, places designed for fires in the Indian huts, which showed the effects of fire. These resemble those described by AUSTIN DANA, except that they are made of ledge stone, and raised a little above the level of the ground.
Mr. SAMUEL WRIGHT, resides on the farm in Weybridge, between Otter Creek and Lemon Fair, and at their junction, on which his father Capt. SILAS WRIGHT, formerly lived, and on which his brother Hon. SILAS WRIGHT, Jun., " was brought up from his in- fancy. It is the same farm, on which THOMAS SANFORD was the first settler, in 1775, and on which he was captured and carried to Canada, and imprisoned. Mr. WRIGHT says, that he has often found, and ploughed up on the farm, Indian arrow and spear heads, some of which were broken, also pestles and other implements. Hc ploughed up, in one place, where they had been buried, a collection of them, consisting of fifteen or twenty articles, some of which he presented to us. And he says, similar relics are found on all the neighboring farms. We have a perfect spear head picked up on the farm of his neighbor, JEHIEL WRIGHT, who says that other relics have often been ploughed up there. He says also that on the narrow strip of hard land, on the border of the streams, formed by the overflowing of the water, he has seen evidence of tillage, such as corn hills and potato hills, and that on the neighboring lands are heaps of stone, which show evidence of being burnt by fire kindled about them. These he supposes were built for their fire in the huts, to secure them from being burnt. Ile states also, that he learned from Mr. SANFORD, that sugar was made by the Indians, in an ex- tensive forest of maples there, and that their sap troughs were made
"In the large open ground, in the centre of Weybridge, in front of the Congre- gational church, the friends of Hon. SILAS WRIGHT, have erected a very handsome marble monument, and surrounded it by an iron fence.
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
of birch bark. If there is no mistake in this, the sugar. at least, must have been made on a temporary residence of Indians, during the Revolutionary war, or while the French were in possession of Crown Point. All signs of sugar making, by the original inhabi- tants, must have disappeared.
Hon. HARVEY MUNSILL, of Bristol, at our request has sent us the following communication :
" BRISTOL, April 221, 1850.
" HON. SAMUEL SWIFT-Dear Sir :- As it regards the Indians ever having made Bristol their permanent place of residence, for any length of time, I cannot say ; but there is strong presumptive evidence tending to show, that it has been, at least, temporarily their residence and hunting ground. For traces of their presence are markel by their having sentterel promiscously over the country many of their Indian relies, such as the stone axe, groovel gouge, ehisel, spear and arrow points, and some others. the names and uses to us unknown. A stone resembling arolling pin, was found several years ago at the southerly part of the town ; and a very perfect grooved gouge was found by my father, in his life time, and since my re- membrance, which, according to the best of my recollection, was about fifteen inches in length, which was deposited by him in the museum in Hartford, Connec- ticut. Some twelve or fourteen of the specimens, that I left with you, a short time since,-some perfect and some partly made,-were picked up by me, on my own premises in Bristol village, within a short distance of each other, that is, within twenty or twenty-five feet of each other, anil from the chips, and broken fragments of the same kind of stone, I have come to the conclus'on, that they were made on the spot. I have found many others, within a short distance front this location, when ploughing, which I have from time to time given away. About twenty years ago, there were two or three families of Indians, that came from Can- ala, and stopped a few weeks in the woods, a little north of Bristol village, between the road leading out of the village north to Monkton, and the mountain east, and among them was a very old man, who called himself about ninety-eight years of age, and who was quite intelligent, and couldl speak our language so as to make himself well understoo l. While they were stopping near our village, Capt. NOBLE MUNSON, and ABRAHAM GAIGE, two of my nearest neighbors, and myself, visited them for the purpose of making some inquiries respecting the Indian habits and customs ; and among other inquiries, how the stone spear and arrow points were inade, and where the stone, from which they were made, was obtained. To these inquiries, he said he could give us no information, for he had no knowledge on the subject. Ile also informed us that he had himself used a steel arrow point, made in the same shape of the stone arrow points, when he was quite young. He said it had often been a subject of conversation among their people, how the arrow and spear points were made, but he had never seen any one who could give any infor- mation on that subject, not even that which was traditionary. The stone, which' I left with you, which some call an axe, he said was used for sk'ning deer and other
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
gimo. The old man died very su llenty, while stopping near us and was buried in our burying ground ; the Rev. FRANCIS WHITNEY preached a funeral sermon, and all the Indians attended.
Respectfully yours,
HARVEY MUNSILL. "
The stone left with us aud called by some an axe. is about five inches long, two wide, and three fourths of an inch thick. and re- duced to an edge on one end. We have several instruments o." the kind, but generally of smaller size, and thinner. The relic which Judge MUNSILL describes " as resembling a rolling pin." would well serve the use of that household implement. and we might judge it to be designed for that purpose, if we could suppose the Indi- ans made much use of " pie crust." As their history now is un- derstood, it has generally been called a postle. It is a smooth round stone, twenty inches in length, two and a quarter inches in diame- ter in the centre, and tapering slightly toward the ends, which are rounded. It is now in the possession of the Ilistorical Society of Middlebury.
While commencing our inquiries on the subject of Indian relics, we saw in the possession of JUSTUS COBB. Esq., of the late firm of COBB and MEAD, an instrument ingeniously wrought, in the shape of a double hatchet, but the edges on each side were only worked down to the eighth of an inch. It is five inches long and two wide. In the centre is a smooth hole obviously designed for a handle, three fourths of an inch in diameter, and of about the same depth, the surface of the stone around the hole being swollen accordingly. It might have been intended to bore the hole through, or perhaps to fasten the handle with thongs. This relic, we understood, was found at the mouth of Otter Creek. Knowing that our friend, PHILIP C. TUCKER, Esq., is much devoted to similar inquiries, and believing him to be acquainted with all the discoveries in that neigh- borhood, we wrote to him for such information as he might have. His letter in answer to our request, is dated March 24, 1859. and encloses a letter from Mr. JAMES CRANE, who calls it a ". battle axe," and says it was picked up by his brother. GEORGE F. CRANE. at Fort Cassin, mouth of Otter Creek, "on the embankment thrown up during the last war, to prevent the British fleet from ascending to Vergennes ;" that he left it in the hands of Mr. Co3B, and he
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
adds, " I have picked up many Indian relics at Fort Cassin, and at other points on Otter Creek, in the vicinity of the Lower Falls, many of which are now in possession of P. C. TUCKER, Esq."
The first part of Mr. TUCKER's letter, relates to the same subiect. Ile then adds :-
" This point appears to have been a place long occupied by the native inhabitants of this region. Many arrow heads and some spear heads have been found there, and whenever the ground is ploughed, even to this day, it is not uncommon to find some things of that kind. Indian implements have been found in Addison, Panton, Ferrisburgh, Waltham and Vergennes. I have stone arrow heads, spear heads, a hatchet, a gonge, and some other articles, which I cannot give names to, fiom those different towns. Some of the latter, I showed to the celebrated Ojibway chief, who was here several years since, in the hope, that he could enlighten ne as to their intended uses. After examining them carefully, he observed, that he lad never seen any article like them among the Indians, and could not imagine what they were designed for.
Among other relics, I have a roughly formed arrow hen.I, made of copper. There s no appearance of any metallic tool having been employed in its formation, and it appears to have been pounded into form with stone. I think itan undoubtedlau- tique, and that it was made before the discovery of the continent by Europeans. It was ploughed up in Ferrisburgh, not more than one and a half miles from here, some eighteen or twenty years ago. As no known locality of copper exists in this region, it seems difficult to make even a rational guess, as to where the material for this arrow head came from. I have ome times made a visit to dream land, on this matter, and fancied, that it originated at Lake Superior, from the mines of which I have a specimen of native copper, which any one could readily pound even with a stone, into this or any other plain form."
" From the mouth of Great Otter Creek, through Ferrisburgh, Panton and Ver- gennes, to Waltham, say thirteen or fourteen miles, Indian relies exist upon both banks. and have often been discovered. I doubt not they extend much further, probably as far towards the head waters as comfortable canoe navigation extended. Many years ago, I think in 1829 or 1830, I had quite a favorable opportunity to examine one of these localities. At the arsenal ground in this place, some forty rods below the steam boat wharf, there is a bluff of land on the bank of the creek, a portion of which was ploughed up at the time referred to, for the purpose of using the earth to fill the arsenal wharf. ' While it was loose from the effects of the plough, a very heavy rain fell, and thoroughly drenched it, disclosing quite a large number of arrow heads, and a great amount of chippings, or fragments, establish- ing beyond a question. that one manufactory of arrow heads. at least, was upon this identical spot. And a most lovely spot it must have been too. when that man - ufacture was going on "
" Perhaps it would not be inappropriate to say a few words about the material used for arrow and spear headls, and other relics. The larger portion of the arrow heads in my possession, are made of that kind of boulder, common upon our lands,
.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
which the farmers dignify with the name of " hard heads," and which is a very hard silicious rock. Others are made from what I call black jasper, which is not an uncommon bouller rock in this region. I have one, which I am inclined to call chlorite .luke, and several which, with my limitel knowledge of mineralogy, I do not assume to name My best spear head, is of a light colored stone, and is seven inches long My hatchet appears to be a very fine grained clay slate stone, and is five inches long My gouge is a fine ene, thirteen inches long, and over two inches WAle, at the cutting en.l. and looks as much like chilorite as any other rock."
' o what uses the hatchets, gonges and spear heads were put. it is very difficult to say. Certainly the former could have done nothing effectually with wood, and tra lition, I think, his not told us, that the Indians ever used the spear as a weapon of ww. J'y own rough impression is, that the spear heads meant fish and not men . "
At the time of our first application to Mr. TUCKER, a request was published in the Vergennes Citizen, that any persons having information of Indian relics, would communicate it to him. On the 26th of April, 1859, he wrote us again on the subject, and among other things says : " The notice in the Citizen, had no other results than bringing in a few additional arrow heads. One piece of in- formation however, grew out of it, which I believe to be true, that iny copper arrow head, has another of the same metal to match it, and a far better one." It was ploughed up a few years ago, in Ferrisburgh : and, although he has not been able to see it, he says, " I have no doubt of its existence." In speaking of the Indian relics in Bristol, which Judge MUNSILL has described, he says, " I have very reliable information as to the existence of similar relics in Monkton, and particularly in the region of the pond. Some thirty years ago, an Indian burying ground was disclosed in that vicinity, and some four or five skeletons discovered, which were much talked about at the time, and which I quite well recollect." Mr. TUCKER states also, that about thirty-five years ago, he was shown on the farm of NORMAN MUNSON, Esq., in Panton, what was called an " old Indian fire place," which he thinks "showed evi- dence of fire, " and he thinks it could not have been made by any body but Indians.
In the possession of the Historical Society, are a mortar and pestle, found several years ago, on the farm owned by the late Col. JOHN HACKETT, on White River, in Hancock. The pestle is twelve inches long and two inches in diameter, and undoubtedly of Indian
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
manufacture. The mortar consists of a stone, eight inches square, and eight and a half inches deep. In the top is a round smooth cavity, which constitutes it & mortar, five and a half inches in di- ameter, and three and a half inches deep. This hollow was prob- ably wrought by the Indians, but the shaping of the stone shows rather evidence of civilized manufacture. We do not mention either of these as evidence of a permanent and ancient residence. They were probably left by the Indians in some of their excursions against the settlers at the cast. The White River would form a commodi- ous route for that purpose.
We have indeed little confidence in any thing, except the articles composed of stone, and those obviously made on the ground, as evi- dence of such residence. The forests must have covered and oblit- crated, and time wasted all other satisfactory evidence.
Anticipating the very natural inquiry, of what materials these relics were composed, and where the Indians found them, we wished, in addition to the information given by Mr. TUCKER, relating to those in his possession, to furnish satisfactory testimony respect- ing those in our possession. We accordingly requested Rev. C. F. MUzzy, who has made mineralogy, for many years, a prominent subject of examination and study, to examine the specimens, and give us the requisite information. Mr. MUzzy, was graduated at Middle- bury College in 1833, has since been a missionary in Southern In- dia, and is now on a visit to this country for his health. The fol- lowing is his reply :
" HON. S. SWIFT-My Dear Sir :- The slight examination I have been able to make, of those arrow heads and other curiosities, in your possession, has convinced me, that they are composed of Quartz Rock, Flint or Horn-stone, sometimes called Corneus Limestone, Chlorite Slate, and a species of Feldspathic, or Granitic Rock, and that they are found in this vicinity, either in situ, or as cratic bowlders. Of most, if not all of them, I have found specimens in this town.
Believe me yours, very respectfully. C. F. MUZZY."
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
FRENCH SETTLEMENT IN ADDISON COUNTY-CONQUERED BY THE BRITISH AND THEIR RETREAT-( RANTS OF LAND BY THE FRENCHI.
The first settlement by Europeans in the County of Addison, was made by the French, on the cast shore of Lake Champlain, opposite Crown Point, in pursuance of their plan to extend their settlements, and fortifications, and set limits to those of the English. In the year 1730, a few individuals or families, came up the lake from Canada, and established themselves at Chimney Point, in Addison, and built a block house and windmill, on the point where the tay- ern house now stands. The next year troops were sent out and erected Fort Frederic, on the west side of the lake, now known as Crown Point. They afterwards in 1756, built a fort at Ticonder- oca. Other settlers followed in the train of the army, and prob- ably most of them were in some way attached to the garrison. Both the French and English, regarded the control of this lake of great importance, as one of the most convenient lines of communication into each other's territory, in the northern part of America. The British, in the early part of that century, planned several expedi- tions through the waters of the lake to Canada, for the purpose of subduing that province to the crown of England, but they uni- formly failed. After the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, a season of peace prevailed, between the English and French, which gave the French in Canada, an opportunity to improve their condition ; and when wars afterwards succeeded, they were confined to other dis- puted territories, on this continent, by which the French were ena- bled to extend themselves in this direction without opposition. But during the French and Indian war, which commenced in 1755, one of the principal objects of the British, was to make an effective de- scent upon Canada, and for that purpose an expedition was set on
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