USA > Vermont > Bennington County > Bennington > Memorials of a century. Embracing a record of individuals and events, chiefly in the early history of Bennington, Vt., and its First church > Part 16
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
ZECHARIAH HARWOOD was unmarried when he came with his mother to this town. He was at that time nineteen years of age. He married Lovina Rice, daughter of Oliver Rice, of Hardwick, and born in 1751.
The names of Jedediah, Oliver, and Hannah Rice are on the old covenant, also on the roll of this church at its or- ganization. The name of Oliver Rice is on the list given in Paige's Hardwick Centennial Address of those who from Hardwick served in the French war, commencing in 1756.
Mr. Harwood settled near the north border of the town on the road now the main road to Shaftsbury. In early times vaccination had not yet been introduced into the town, and on occasion of the prevalency of small-pox, the town gave permission for innoculation with the small-pox,
1 See Vermont Evang. Mag. of that day. - P. HI. White.
2 Vermont Chronicle.
216
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
and appointed pest-houses, to which patients with this dis- ease should be restricted. In 1800, such a house was es- tablished in the north-east part of the town, under the charge of Mr. Harwood, who, though not a regular physi- cian, was believed to have peculiar skill in the management of the disease.
A Benjamin Harwood is recorded as a member of this church in 1762. If this is correct, it must have been the son of Mrs. Bridget Harwood, of that name.
BENJAMIN HARWOOD, son of Peter Harwood, mentioned in another place as the first male child born in Bennington, united with the church late in life, January 3, 1836. A. diary which he kept has been preserved, dating back to 1806, and continued for some four years, from which ex- tracts have been introduced into these pages. His son, Hiram Harwood, continued this diary down to 1836. It is comprised in some dozen volumes, most of them quite large, very legibly and neatly written, - a minute record of every day of life for thirty years.
The Zechariah Harwood above mentioned was a member of this church at its organization, and became a Univer- salist, said to be of the Winchester type.
This Mr. Winchester had been a preacher of Calvinistic doctrines, and became an advocate of universal restoration, preaching in Philadelphia, and afterward in various parts of America and England; and died in Hartford, Conn., in 1797. He published several works.1 He came to Ben- nington and preached. Individuals of prominence went to hear him. It is said that Judge Jonathan Robinson went to hear him, but would not let his children go, and did not say at home what was his opinion of the preacher's senti- ments.
1 Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge - Art. Winchester.
217
REV. MR. WINCHESTER.
General Ebenezer Walbridge, an early settler in Ben- nington from Norwichi, Conn., and highly distinguished in the civil and military annals of this town, and previously a member of the church, adopted Winchester sentiments.1
This case of Zechariah Harwood is introduced to bring to notice the fact that his third son, Perez, who had adopted his father's Winchester sentiments, became, after having arrived at adult age, and having reared a large family of children, converted to the faith of his ancestors. He em- braced the doctrines of this church and united with it, January 5, 1834. Four of his children and a daughter-in- law had previously, at one time, united with the church, September 4, 1817.
All his children, and very nearly all his grandchildren, resident in this town, have become members of the church. One of them, James H. Harwood, is a minister of the gos- pel. Thus the stream of descendants, turned aside tem- porarily from the faith of the ancestors, turned back again in solid body to that faith.
1 A communication in the "Vermont Gazette," of May 3, 1863, evidently from the pen of an admirer of Mr. Winchester, shows him to have had an insinuating and popular address. "The sentiments of the late pious Mr. Winchester, in coincidence with the above liberal mode, were once delivered in an agreeable manner in this town," etc. On his last visit to Bennington, " he happened to ar_ rive within a few miles on Saturday evening; laboring under some disease, but anxious to hear the reverend and pious Mr. Job Swift on the Sabbath ensuing, he rode several miles, across an exceedingly bad road." When arrived and in the service, he gave exceedingly fixed attention to Mr. Swift's sermon; at noon. he " walked with some difficulty to the house where the church generally con- vened, to pass that period in suitable exercises and prayer " (doubtless at "Grandmother Robinson's "). Here lie was recognized by " a leading church- member " " who had formerly had a slight acquaintance with him in Philadel- phia; " and a dialogue ensued, of which, as described, the following is a part. " Mr. Swift said," . - stating some doctrinal observation, - " and I . . conceive you could not fully coincide with him in those sentiments." - " Truly," resumed the worthy man . . " while plenty abounded and no one felt a lack, what need had I to repine at your helping yourself to a slice that would not have been so savory to my taste, and while all have abundance, let each re. gard his fellow with complacency."
19
218
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
The remaining son of Mrs. Bridget Harwood, who came with her in the first company of settlers, Stephen, was at that time ten years of age.
The Harwoods, according to tradition, were, - as were so many others of the early settlers of this town, - Sepa- rates. The descendants of this family are very numerous ; indeed, the most so of the three families (Robinsons, Saffords, and Harwoods), all so numerously represented in Mrs. Robinson's genealogical record. At present there are more members in the Bennington First Church of the name of Harwood than of any other.
A few extracts from the diary of Benjamin Harwood may interest the reader, as near-at-hand glimpses of a worthy man, such as cannot now otherwise be obtained : -
His honor. - " March 13, 1807. - Nathan Robinson received of me. this day ten bushels of wheat at 7s. per bushel. Nothing but honor made me part with the wheat at the above price, for I can get 8s. 7d. at Troy for it. Mr. Robinson bargained for the wheat last fall when it went at the price which he now gives."
An eye for beauty. - "June 15, 1808. - Nothing about us seems more pleasant at this time than a view of Mt. Anthony, every tree from its base to its summit being completely covered with green leaves."
His hospitality. - " Jan. 30, 1809. - Uncle Zechariah, his son Abel, and son-in-law Hugh, and their wives, and Ruth Harwood, came and made us a visit. Next arrived Mr. Moses Donaldson on his way home to Coleraine ; after him Mr. Stearns, wife, and daughter; and the last to come was our good friend, Mr. Case, of Hoosick, bringing with him brother and sister Stone, and their youngest daughter. Beside those I have mentioned, a considerable collec- tion of the young people of the neighborhood spent the evening here. Except Uncle Zechariah and his people, who returned in the evening, those whose names I have mentioned tarried here all night."
Entries like the last of the above frequently recur in the diary.
219
THE HARWOODS.
Old folks' mowing match. - " May 31, 1808. - Late in the after- noon Governor Robinson and his lady came here on a visit. The old gentlemen felt pretty smart, talked upon religion, and read the Bible most of the time while he was here. I am requested to men- tion one circumstance which occurred this afternoon, though not of more importance than many others mentioned in this journal. My father commonly mows his door-yard about this time. It hap- pened that he wanted to mow it to-day. So himself, Governor Robinson, and Mr. Warner, each took a turn at mowing, to see which one could cut his grass the most handsomely. The matter being left to themselves, each decided in his own favor. My father will be seventy-three years of age in July next, Governor Robin- son is about sixty-nine, and Mr. Warner sixty-seven."
Of the above-named Perez Harwood, it may be said that, a son, Henry, two daughters, Lucinda and Ruhama, a brother, Hiram, and a brother's wife, Sylvia, and a second cousin, Hiram, 2d, united with the church Sept. 4, 1817. He himself, as above, Jan. 5, 1834. He died at the ad- vanced age of eighty-nine, Dec. 9, 1859, - social and agree- able in conversation, firm in the faith of Jesus, and with a victorious hope. A grandson, Isaac Harwood, became deeply interested (1854) in an incipient missionary Sabbath-school movement in the north-east part of the town ; dying two years afterward, absorbed with prayer and desire for this school. His father, Henry, succeeded him, and has been succeeded by others in charge of the school. In the third and fourth years of its history it was blessed with a power- ful revival of religion in the neighborhood, and many con- verts, among them the Rev. Simeon Knapp, a devoted and successful minister of the Baptist denomination, who has since died.
Of the above-named Benjamin Harwood, his wife was Diadama Dewey. They were married April 18, 1786. She was born Jan. 5, 1766, Stockbridge, Mass., daugliter of Ab- ner Dewey, born in Westfield, Mass., and married, 1776, in
220
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
Bennington. She united with the church Sept. 22, 1825, and deceased June 22, 1854, aged eighty-eight ; clear-minded and bright-eyed to the last, and with vivid recollection of events occurring long since in the history of the town. A daughter and namesake, Mrs. Hiram Waters, united with the church Jan. 3, 1836, died Sept. 19, 1864 ; of superior loveliness, consistency, and excellence in all the relations of life.
GEORGE P. HARWOOD, son of Jonas, and grandson of Pe- ter and Margaret Harwood, united with the church Jan. 3, 1836, died May 14, 1868; was one of the trustees of the First Church.
II. £
SAMUEL AND TIMOTHY PRATT, with their wives, Baty and Elizabeth, came with the very first immigration. The names of all but Timothy are on the roll of the church at its organization ; Timothy Pratt is on the records as uniting with the church, with others, Jan. 3, 1765 ; also, " Esther, wife"- it is to be inferred second wife - " of Samuel Pratt."
The names of Samuel Pratt and Timothy Pratt are on the "muster roll 1 of the first company of militia in the town of Bennington, organized Oct. 24, 1764," of which John Fassett was captain. Their names are also among those of officers appointed at the first town meeting held March 31, 1762, at the house of John Fassett.
The names John Pratt and Silas Pratt are on a "list of the persons settled in Bennington prior to June 1, 1765, prepared from recollection, by Samuel Robinson, Esq., in New York city, in December of that year, and furnished the governor of that province." 2
1 Found among the papers of Capt. Elijah Dewey by his grandson, E. D. Hub- bell, Esq.
2 Vermont Hist. Mag., p. 144.
COL. SAMUEL ROBINSON. 221
The first settlers of this name came from Amherst, Mass., and settled in the easterly portion of the town. Among their descendants Stephen Pratt resided in what has since been raised and is now the Stark House. E. S. Pratt, residing where was the house of Roger Booth, is a descend ant.
ELISHA BILLINGS PRATT, who married Clara, daughter of Samuel and Aurelia (Mather) Safford, was son of Stephen Pratt.
III. LEONARD ROBINSON was the oldest child of Sam- uel Robinson, Sen. He came here, with his family, in the first company of settlers. He was born in Hard- wick, Mass., July 27, 1736. He married his first wife, Rebecca Billings, in Hardwick, and his first two children were born there. She united with this church April 14, 1765. He united with the church December 20, 1764. His frequently leading the Friday prayer-meeting, and " lining out the psalm " with a peculiar tone, has been spoken of as familiar to the old inhabitants. He was first sergeant in Capt. John Fassett's military company. He was forty-one years of age at the time of the Bennington battle, and in Capt. Samuel Robinson's company. From the Bennington battle anecdote related of him, among the incidents of that battle, in a previous part of this volume, his piety would seem to have been of that kind that " trusts God, but keeps the powder dry."
Late in life he removed to Swanton, and died September 29, 1827. He had sixteen children.
IV. COLONEL SAMUEL ROBINSON was second child of Samuel Robinson, Sen. ; "was born at Hardwick, Mass., August 15, 1738 ; was one of the first company of settlers 19*
222
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
who came to Bennington in 1761 ; married Hannah Clark, in Hardwick, Mass. ; and, for his second wife, in Benning- ton, Esther, daughter of Deacon Joseph Safford, and died in Bennington, May 3, 1813.
He was an active man in the New York controversy, and in the other early affairs of the town; in 1768 was chosen town committee, in place of his father, deceased ; commanded one of the Bennington companies of militia in Bennington battle; performed other important military services during the war, and rose to the rank of colonel. In 1777 and 1778, he had charge, as "overseer," of the tory prisoners ; and, in 1779 and 1780 represented the town in the General Assembly, and was for three years a member of the Board of War. He was the first justice of the peace appointed in town, under the authority of Vermont, in 1778, and was also, during the same year, one of the judges of the Special Court for the south shire of the county, and, in that capacity, sat on the trial and convic- tion of Redding.
Col. Robinson was a man of good natural abilities, and of much activity and enterprise in early life ; upright and honorable in all his dealings, possessing undoubted per- sonal courage, and beloved by all for the kindness, gener- osity, and nobleness of his nature and conduct.1
" He was one of the eight persons who, in 1781, certified, in writing, their approval of the efforts of Ira Allen to prevent the invasion of the State by finessing with Gen. Haldimand. His patriotism was never doubted."2
He left numerous worthy and respectable descendants, some of whom reside in this town, and others in different parts of this State and the United States.
DR. BENJAMIN ROBINSON, son of Col. Samuel Robinson,
1 Vermont Hist. Mag., p. 168. 2 Early Hist. Vermont, p. 468.
223
DR. BENJAMIN ROBINSON.
became a physician, and settled in Fayetteville, N. C .; obtained a wide and eminent practice in his profession, and was highly respected as a citizen. He was born in Bennington, February 11, 1776, and died in his adopted place of residence, in 1857.
In the " Vermont Historical Magazine " is the following interesting account of the introduction of vaccination into Bennington : "Dr. Benjamin Robinson, a young physi- cian, son of Col. Samuel Robinson, advertised, in the ‘ Ver- mont Gazette,' under date of December 17, 1800, that he was 'inoculating for the kine, or, as it is commonly called, the cow-pox;' and stating ' that he has the best Eu- ropean authority for warranting him in publicly declaring, that when a person has once had the kine-pox, he is forever infallibly secure against catching the small-pox by any pos- sible exposure.' And he stated, in some detail, the evi- dence on which his declaration was founded. In a publica- tion in the ' Gazette,' of the 2d of February following, Dr. Robinson, among other proofs of the efficacy of the kine- pox, states that he had inoculated Russell Haswell, He- man Robinson, and Samuel Follett, lads from thirteen to seventeen years of age, with the kine-pox; that after having it, they had entered the pest-house and been inocu- lated, by Mr. Harwood, with the small-pox, and ' were ex- posed to the contagion of ten or twelve persons in the vari- ous stages of the disease,' and that not one of them was in the least degree affected with the pest-house disease."
CHAPTER XV.
PERSONAL NOTICES.
SECOND IMMIGRATION.
EACON JOHN FASSETT was born April 1, 1720. He was one of the second company of settlers in Ben- nington, in 1761. At his house the first town meet- ing was held in March, 1762. He resided about half a mile south of the meeting-house, near what has been lately known as the Doctor Swift place. He kept a tavern, and the town meetings were at the house of " John Fassett, inn-holder," until 1767, when they were at the meeting-house. In October, 1764, Mr. Fassett was chosen captain of the first military company formed in the town (by which title he was afterward distinguished). He was one of the two representatives of the town in the first State Legislature. He died at Bennington, August 12, 1794, in the seventy-fifth year of his age.1
His name is upon " the old church covenant," and he was one of the members of the Bennington church at its organization, and the first clerk of the church. He took a leading part in its affairs. His name constantly occurs upon committees on business, in the church, from its com- mencement, and through the pastorates of the Rev. Messrs. Dewey and Avery.
He was leader of the choir, and, with very few excep- tions, the leaders of the choir, through the first century,
1 Vermont Hist. Mag.
225
COL. BENJAMIN FASSETT.
have been from among his descendants.1 He removed hither from Hardwick, Mass., and he was a stanch Separate, in principle and feeling, through life. A com- mon saying, which has been handed down, illustrates his punctuality and strictness in religious duties : "It is as true as that John Fassett will be at prayer-meeting at such an hour."
His children were Sarah (wife of.Dr. Jonas Fay), John, Jonathan, David, Nathan, Amos, Mary, Benjamin, and Hannah.
JOHN FASSETT, JR., united with this church under Mr. Dewey, August 29, 1765. He was one of the two repre- sentatives from Arlington in 1778, and was elected one of the Council in 1779, which office he held, with the ex- ception of the years 1785 and 1786, until 1795 ; and he was also a judge of the Supreme Court for eight years, 1778- 1786.2
COL. BENJAMIN FASSETT united with the church in the Wood and Burton revival, Nov., 1784. He was for some years leader of the choir. He came to Bennington with his father in 1761. He was a commissary in the war of the Revolution ; and served in other capacities in civil and military life, was an active business man, and died in Ben- nington years since, leaving numerous descendants.3
He married Betty, daughter of Capt. Elijah Dewey. She united with the church at the same time with her husband. They had three daughters, all of whom became members
1 The following are the names of the leaders of the choir for the first century of the church's history. Those in italics are descendants of Deacon John Fas- sett : Deacon John Fassett, Judge Jonathan Robinson, Col. Benjamin Fassett, Col. Jonathan E. Robinson, Nathaniel Dexter, Gen. Henry Robinson, Deacon Stephen Bingham, William Bates, Deacon John F. Robinson, Hon. S. H. Brown, J. Seymour Merrill, John Fay.
2, 3 Vermont Hist. Mag.
226
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
of the church ; Betsey (the second Mrs. Uriah Edgerton) and Sarah, in 1803; and Ruth (Mrs. Samuel Fay) Nov. 10, 1822.
Col. Fassett married his second wife, Mrs. Hetty Alvah, who also united with the church in 1803. Benjamin Schenck Fassett, Adeline, first wife of Edward H. Swift, and Mary, wife of the Rev. Gordon Hayes, were the off- spring of this marriage. A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hayes, Lydia, became the wife of a missionary, and resides in India. The last-named three children of Col. Fassett also became members of the church.
Deacon Fassett's daughter, Mary (Mrs. Judge Jonathan Robinson), and his son Jonathan, became members of this church, under Mr. Dewey - the former, Jan. 3, 1765 ; the latter, May 16, 1765, - and a daughter, Hannah, in the Wood and Burton revival.
Of the above, John Fassett, Jr., " was one of the nine or ten persons who were first concerned in endeavoring to prevent Gen. Haldimand from invading the State." 1 He was father of Col. Elias Fassett, of the thirtieth United States infantry, in the war of 1812. The following allusion to Col. Fassett is taken from Hiram Harwood's Diary of 1812 : -
" Monday, June 7, 1813. - Many of us went down to where Col. Fassett's regiment took its departure for Burlington, which they did in a brilliant manner." 2
1 See Biographical Sketches in Hall's Early Vermont, p. 463.
2 " Soon after the admission of Vermont, as a member of the Federal Union, this town became and long continued to be a recruiting station for the army. In the spring and summer of 1792, Gen. William Easton, afterward distinguished in the war with Tripoli, then a captain, recruited a company here, and at its head marched to Pittsburg and joined the army under General Wayne, then pre- paring for his campaign against the Indians. Men were also enlisted here for the army and marine service during the administration of the elder Adams, on the apprehended war with France. It was also a recruiting station during the war of 1812, and in 1813 the thirtieth regiment of U. S. infantry, under Col. Elias Fassett, was mustered and drilled here, preparatory to joining the army for act- ual service."- Vermont Hist. Mag., p. 136.
227
DEACON JOSEPH SAFFORD.
Col. Benjamin Fassett bought extensively upon the east- ern border of the town and resided there, afterward building and occupying the Dr. Morgan house, opposite the court house.
RUTH FASSETT (Mrs. Samuel Fay) was the mother of Samuel, Benjamin, and John Fay - a devoted mother, kind neighbor, full of hospitality, and much attached to her rel- atives and friends ; died Aug. 14, 1862, aged eighty.
II. DEACON JOSEPH SAFFORD was also one of the second company of settlers in Bennington, 1761. At the meeting in which the church was organized, and immediately after that business was disposed of, it was voted : -
" To receive in Joseph Safford and Anne Safford, his wife, into full communion with this church."
He, with Eleazer Harwood, was elected to the office of deacon, at the first election of this kind in the church on record.
His wife was Ann Bottom, of Norwich, Conn., born in 1710. He was born in 1705, at Ipswich, Mass. At the first town meeting he was appointed town treasurer, and one of the tithing men. At a proprietor's meeting, March 31, 1862, it was voted : -
"To give Esquire Samuel Robinson and Deacon Joseph Safford five acres of land, with the privilege within the said five acres to build a corn-mill on, and forty dollars in case it be built by August next." " Also, voted to give forty dollars to any one on the cast side of the town who should build a saw-mill by the first day of September next."
These men had the saw-mill done by the 16th of June ; and the time was, at proprietor's meeting, extended one month, in which they might finish the corn-mill and get the premium of forty dollars.
228
MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY.
Deacon Safford brought with him to this town the records of the Newint (Conn.) Separate Church. These are still preserved by his descendants ; and also a manuscript letter from the old church in Newint, signed by Daniel Kirkland, its pastor, to Joseph Safford and others, Separates, with a view to some further conference on the matters of differ- ence between the separating brethren and the old church. These records are interesting, as containing the record of Joseph Safford's formal election and installation to the office of deacon in the Separate church ; also their confession of faith, and covenant, with the signatures ; also an impor- tant case of discipline, spread out at length, showing their strictness and success in maintaining discipline in the church.
His daughter Esther was second wife of Col. Samuel Robinson and mother of ten of his children; Hannah (Mrs. Follett), Esther (Mrs. Hyde), Samuel, Benjamin, Polly, Betsy (Mrs. Sears, mother of Hon. Benjamin R. Sears), Safford, Hiram, Lucy (Mrs. Montague),1 Sarah (Mrs. Haswell). His daughter, Abigail, married Jonathan Scott, one of the early settlers here from Sunderland, Mass. His son, Col. Joseph Safford, married Marcy, daughter of Samuel Robinson, Sen. ; Anna, his first child, married Henry Wal- bridge ; Cornelius Cady, born in Norwich, Conn., married his daughter Elizabeth ; David married Anna Brewster ; his daughter Lucy married Samuel Montague (the Sunder- land family), and was mother of Elizabeth, wife of Deacon afterward the Rev. Eleazer Harwood, of Pittsford ; Jacob married Persis Robinson, daughter of Col. Samuel Robin- son, by his first wife, Hannah Clark, of Hardwick; his daughter Harriet married John Fassett, Jr.
GEN. SAMUEL SAFFORD was the eldest son of Deacon
1 Died Dec., 1868, æ. 79. - It was truly said of her, at her death, " All who know her must feel that they have lost a friend."
229
GEN. SAMUEL SAFFORD.
Joseph Safford. "He was born at Norwich, Conn., April 14, 1737, and was one of the early settlers of Bennington. He took an active part in the land-title controversy with New York ; and on several occasions represented the town in conventions of the settlers for defence against the York- ers ; and also for forming the territory into a separate State.
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.