Official history of Guilford, Vermont, 1678-1961. With genealogies and biographical sketches, Part 14

Author: National Grange. Vermont State Grange. Broad Brook Grange No. 151, Guilford
Publication date: 1961
Publisher: [Guilford] Published by the town of Guilford
Number of Pages: 612


USA > Vermont > Windham County > Guilford > Official history of Guilford, Vermont, 1678-1961. With genealogies and biographical sketches > Part 14


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).


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Montgomery, John Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777


Morris, William In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Newhall, David In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777 Exp. to Bennington Newton, Jonas In N.H. Regt. at Bennington Capt. Geo. Aldrich's Co. 1777


Nichols, Jonas In 1st (Lower) Regt. Guilford 1775 In Col. Wm. Mal- colm's Reg. N.Y.


Nichols, Samuel Jr. In Capt. Josiah Boyden's Co. 1777


Nichols, Thaddeus In Capt. Geo. Aldrich's Rangers 1778 N.H. (from Guilford)


Norton, John Ist Major, Ist (Lower) Regt. Col. Wm. Williams 1776 Nurse, Joshua Ensign 1st (Lower) Regt. Guilford 1782


Packer, James Private 3rd Ct. Reg't 1782 Buried Guilford


Parsons, Andrew Old North Cem. Stone marked Rev. Soldier. Pen- sioner


Partridge, Jasper Ist Guilford; In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Partridge, Thomas In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777


Paterson, Jona. In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777


Patterson, Eleazer Col. Ist Guilford 1778


Peck, Joseph Capt. Ist Guilford Co. 1782


Pratt, Asa In Capt. Geo. Aldrich's Co. Rangers N.H. 1777


Pratt, Ezra Ensign In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780 Pratt, Isaac In Service


Prouty, Richard Qr. Mr. Ist Guilford Co. 1778


Pullen, Nicholas In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Pullen, Matthew "Lt" Carpenter Cem.


Pullen, William "Lt" Carpenter Cem.


Ray, John Private In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777


Reed, Samuel Private In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777 Rice, Abel In N.H. Regt. 1777


Rice, Asa In 1st Guilford Capt. 1778


Rice, Francies In 1st Guilford 1775


Rice, Micah, Ensign In Ist Guilford 1778


Rice, Peter Capt. David Stowell's Ist Regt. 1777


Rice, Phineas Capt. David Stowell's Ist Regt. 1777 Richardson, Samuel In Capt. Josiah Boyden's Co. 1777 Rickey, Jonathan In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Roberts, Jeduthan In Capt. Geo. Aldrich's Co. Rangers N.H. 1777 Root, Elihu In service Mass. 1776


Root, Elisha Ist Lt. in 3rd Guilford Co. 1782


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Root, Samuel Ensign 1778 Capt. Eleazer Patterson's Co.


Root, Timothy 2nd Lt. Guilford Co. 1776 d. Dec. 12, 1843 aet. 100 yrs 4 months 15 days


Rose, Thomas In Capt. Joseph Stebbins Co. Cambridge, Mass. North- ern Army 1777


Russell, Barnabas In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Ryder, Moses Private In Capt. Joseph Morse's Co. 1775


Salisbury, Edward In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Salisbury, James In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777


Sarjeant, John Lt. Col. Ist Guilford Co. 1778


Shattuck, William 2nd Major of Col. Timothy Church's Reg't 1782 Shepardson, Enoch In Capt. Josiah Boyden's Co. 1777


Shepardson, Ezra In Capt. Josiah Boyden's Co. 1777; In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Shepardson, Jared In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Shepardson, John In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780; In Capt. David Stowell's 1777


Shepardson, Joseph In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Shepardson, Samuel Capt. 1795 guide for Vermont troops


Shepardson, Seth In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Shepardson, Stephen In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780; Capt. of Guil- ford Co. 1776


Shepardson, William In Capt. Stephen Shepardson's Co. Col. Wm. Williams' Reg't 1777


Shepardson, Zephaniah In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777


Sherburne, Henry Adj. in Ist Reg't 1776


Sikes, Samuel In Capt. John Carpenter's Co. 1779


Slater, John In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Slater, Joseph In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Smith, Isaac In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co.


Smith, Merodock In Capt. Josiah Boyden's Co. 1777; In Guilford Ist 1775


Smith, James In Guilford 1st 1775


Smith, Solomon In Mass. 1776 Capt. Wm. Warner's Co.


Stafford, Samuel Ensign in 2nd Guilford Co. 1782; In Capt. Starr's Co. 1780


Stafford, Stukeley Ensign In Capt. Thomas Rice's Co. 1777 In Guil- ford 1790


Starr, Comfort Capt. in Guilford Co. 1780


Starr, Pearly Private in Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Stevens, Simon Surgeon in Col. Samuel Denny's 2nd Reg't


Stowell, David Capt. of Ist Guilford Co. 1775


Stowell, Hezekiah Capt. of Guilford Co. 1775; Capt. in Ephraim Doo- little's Reg't 1775


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Taylor, Jeremiah In Capt. Wm. Green's Co. R.I. 1780


Thayer, Eseck In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


Torey, Abel In Ist Guilford Co. 1775


Walsworth, Elijah In Deerfield 1780 Hampshire Co. Militia


Walsworth, James Jr. In Capt. David Stowell's Co. 1777; Ist Lt. Ist Guilford Co.


Weld, Calvin Capt. Sheldon's Co. Col. Wells' Reg't.


Weld, Isaac Private in Capt. Moses Draper's Co. 1775


Wells, Isaac In Capt. Jos. Boyden's Co. 1777; Capt. Stowell's 1777; 2nd Lt. 3rd Guilford Co. 1782


White, William Ist Lt. in Ist Guilford Co. 1782; In Capt. D. Stow- ell's Co. 1777 wounded Bennington


Whitney, Ephraim In Capt. Josiah Boyden's Co. 1777


Whitney, Ephraim Jr. in Ist Guilford Co. 1775 Whittier, Andrew In service d. Guilford 1836


Wilder, Aaron Served in Ct. On penson rolls 1833


Williams, Wm. Capt. of Guilford Co. Killed at Castleton 1777 under Capt. Wells


Williams, Son of the above was in service also.


Yaw, Amos In Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Yaw, William In Capt. Comfort Starr's Co. 1780


The following soldiers are from the company rolls of Capt Josiah Boyden's organization from Dummerston, as it contained names from Guilford. All known Guilford residents have been given in the main list but some of these may have been from Guilford also.


Baker, John Bennet, Bank


Kelly, Samuel


Knight, Elijah


Boyden, Josiah


McClure, Thos.


Carpenter, Cephas Davis, Nathaniel


Putnam, Adonijah


Rice, Jonas


Dimick, Abel


Sargeant, Rufus


Dwire, John


Shepard, Jonas


Dutton, Thomas Gault, John Harris, Edward


Stoel, Asa


Wilder, John


Wilds, Isaac


The following soldiers were in a list of men connected with Guil- ford. As yet we find no definite tie with the town so we are listing them separately.


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Allen, Elijah Briggs, Gideon Chapin, Caleb Goss, Stephen Horton, Nehemiah


King, William, Sr. Phelps, Francis White, James Wilder, Jotham


The Fallstown (Bernardston, Mass.) Proprietors Treasury Book lists the following Guilford men as receiving money for services in the Revolutionary War: Jabez Denison, Isaac Guild, and Lt. John Sever- ance his son David's Bounty.


A Capt. Thomas Littlefield who died Mar. 10, 1818 ae. 91 was buried in the old Baker Cemetery. No other information is available.


Vermont Revolutionary Rolls, Page 388 Capt. James Blakeslee's Co. 1781


Joseph Shepardson Edw. Salisbury


Jasper Partridge James Bacon


Amos Yeaw


Moses Franklin


Gershom Noyce


Caleb Nurse


William Marsh


Eleazer Grover


(no Rev. marker)


Comfort Healy


Major Benj. Whitcomb's Rangers N.H. Rev. War Rolls Pages 700- 701 Nathaniel Carpenter, Cumberland Grants, Guilford. Where eng'd, Guilford.


David Goodenough Asa Pratt, Guilford Jeduthan Roberts Francis Akeley


Aquila Cleverland (killed) Jonas Newton Serg. Abel Rice


None of these are buried in Guilford


The following taken from the N.Y. State Documents-Colonial History, Vol 15 N.Y. in the Rev., page 277 is given as no other infor- mation concerning these two regiments has been preserved. As the 1st or lower Reg't was composed of men from the Guilford area, so the 2nd (Upper) Reg't was evidently from the Dummerston area.


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Second (Upper) Regiment Colonel Marsh, Joseph Lt. Col. Berrett, John 1st. Major Grout, Hilkiah Captain Marsh, Joel


Adj't. Spencer, Timothy Qr. Mr. Robinson, Amos 2nd Major Mathews, Joel


*


Cumberland County Minute Men


Colonel Hoisington, Joab Lt. Col. Smith, Seth Ist Major Tyler, Joseph


2nd Major Marsh, Joel Adj't Phelps, Timothy Qr.Mr. Hawley, Elisha


In 1778 Thomas Cutler, who had preceded Elijah Welch, then succeeded him for a one year term as Town Clerk.


Henry Sherburne and Levi Goodenough each served as Town Clerk (1779-80) thus showing the two factions. Mr. Sherburne, a loyal Yorker lived in Green River. He was one of the committee to defend the town against the "pretended State of Vermont." Levi Goodenough lived near the Carpenter Cemetery.


Among the town offices of this time we find: Pound Keeper, Leather Sealer, Sealer of Weights and Measures, Tything Men, Fence Viewers, Hog Constables and Haywards. (A Hayward in the United States is an officer who impounds stray cattle.)


Samuel Bixby, a tanner, who lived near the Center, was Town Clerk (1780-84.) He was one of the first "Vermont sufferers" to be granted land in New York. By 1788 he had settled in Bainbridge, N.Y. a town almost entirely settled by people who had fled from Guilford because of unjust persecution.


The Town Clerk, Elijah Welch served again (1781-82). Our next Clerk was Samuel Shepardson (1782-84), son of John Shepardson, the first Town Clerk. He was a tall, well proportioned man, weighing 285 pounds. His wife was Anna, daughter of Capt. John Barney. Only a cellar hole now marks the place, with no road leading to it, where Samuel Shepardson, his wife, and ten children once lived on the John Shepardson place back of the Springs Farm.


Vermont had declared her independence in 1777. It was Samuel Shepardson who introduced the bill establishing the first State Flag of Vermont. He is also credited with having composed the laudible in- scription on the monument of the Hon. Benjamin Carpenter, second Lt. Governor of Vermont in 1779. He did it as a tribute to his father's lifelong friend. You who have seen this inscription know that it is a masterpiece.


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SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE HON. BENJ. CARPENTER, ESQ. BORN IN REHOBOTH, MASS., A.D. 1726,


A MAGISTRATE IN RHODE ISLAND IN A.D. 1764 A PUBLIC TEACHER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,


AN ABLE ADVOCATE TO HIS LAST FOR DEMOCRACY, AND THE EQUAL RIGHTS OF MAN. REMOVED TO THIS TOWN, A.D. 1770


WAS A FIELD OFFICER IN REVOLUTIONARY WAR,


A FOUNDER OF THE FIRST CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT OF VERMONT. A COUNCILOR OF CENSORS, IN A.D. 1783,


A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, AND LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR OF THE STATE IN A.D. 1779,


A FIRM PROFESSOR OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH FIFTY YEARS. LEFT THIS WORLD


AND 146 PERSONS OF LINEAL POSTERITY, MARCH 29, 1804, AGED 78 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AND 12 DAYS, WITH A STRONG MIND AND FULL FAITH OF A MORE GLORIOUS STATE HEREAFTER. STATURE ABOUT SIX FEET-WEIGHT 200. DEATH HAD NO TERROR.


Little is known of William Smalley, Town Clerk (1784-85). It is believed that he lived near "Algiers".


William Bigelow: The next in order was William Bigelow (1785- 1810). For 25 years he served the town faithfully. He collected many old deeds and placed them on record. He also recorded marriages, which he had performed as Justice of the Peace, before becoming Town Clerk. He urged people to bring in the dates of birth of their children for record, also deaths in the family. He was truly a father of the people. Mr. Bigelow's home place is now known as "New Hori- zons".


Our country was still in its infancy, as George Washington became the first President of the United States and Thomas Chittenden the first Governor of Vermont during Mr. Bigelow's term of office.


Guilford had a population of 2,432, the largest of any town in the state, in 1791, when Vermont was admitted to the Union.


From the Guilford records, dated Dec. 2, 1785, "Voted that the Districts (School) should be numbered and that they should begin at the northwest corner of said town and run east." The town was then


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divided into nine districts with a clerk for each district. These districts were later divided until there were 14 districts in town.


The probate district of Guilford, not to be confused with "the dis- trict" set up by the assembly of New York in March 1772, was estab- lished by the legislature of 1779. The legislature, in an act describing the probate districts, provided that the state be divided into seven dis- tricts, in each of which should be held a Court of Probate of Wills, consisting of one judge, who shall appoint his clerk. The District of Guilford was established as follows;


"Then beginning at the northeast corner of Putney, running west- erly on the north line of the same tier of towns to the county line; then running south until it comes to the south line of the state; then easterly until it comes to the bank of the Connecticut River; thence running northerly on the bank of said river until it comes to the place of beginning; shall be one entire district and known by the name of the District of Guilford."


Town Brand: In 1779 an act was passed establishing town brands. The Guilford brand was established as a capital G, which was "To be set on every horse or horse kind, on the near or left shoulder". The act provided that the inhabitants of each town choose a suitable person to be a brander of horses in that town, and that an entry of each horse branded be made in a book kept for that purpose. All branding of horses over one year old was to be done at the town pound and not elsewhere save at the special order of the selectmen, under penalty of four pounds.


A further act of the same year compelled the branding or marking of all cattle, sheep and swine above half a year old, under penalty of three shillings per head.


Identification marks for cattle, sheep and swine were recorded in the Town records at about this time. As, "Be it remembered that all the cattle, sheep and swine in the town of Guilford that is marked with two square holes one above the other through the right ear, and a cross on the left ear, is Zephaniah Shepardson". Also in like form- "marked with a Swallows fork out of each ear is William Briggs."


Warning out of Town: Another curious custom was that of Warn- ing Out of Town newcomers, fearing that they might become town charges. If served such warning within the first year of their residence, they were unable to gain a residence. This law was in effect for 38 years in Vermont.


Many impecunious adventurers left for fields afresh upon being warned out by the town's officers, acting in self protection under au- thority of an act of the state legislature passed in October, 1801.


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The warning-out process continued for a considerable number of years, but not all who were served upon heeded the warning, and in a goodly number of cases the proscribed victims became affluent and in- fluential citizens.


State of Vermont; To either Constable of the Town of Guilford Windham County, S.S. in said County, Greeting;


Whereas by a Statute Law of this State passed the 6th day of No- vember, A.D. 1801, it is maid the duty of the Selectmen at their dis- cretion to warn such persons as they think are likely to be chargeable to their town who have moved into said town since the pasing of said Act to depart said Town-


You are hereby required to summon Simeon Smith, Catherine Felch (Alias Felt), Samuel Deane & Family, Stephen Streeter, Caleb How, John M. Coy, John Cotterell, Amos Willcocks, Samuel More- doch & Philip Yaw & Stephen Darling to depart this town .- Hearof fail not, but of this precept and of your doings herein due return make according to Law.


Given under our hands at Guilford this 18th day of October, A.D. 1802.


Selectmen of Guilford. Lovell Bullock; Peter Briggs, Cyrus Martin.


In 1803 11 persons were warned out.


On Oct. 21, 1816 the selectmen instructed the constable to warn Phoebe Ephraim and Joseph Derrah, (an Indian man and woman) to depart the town, and the notice was duly served on the 25th of the following month. (Book D. P. 76)


After receiving instructions from General Samuel Fletcher, the Northwest quarter of Lovell Bullock's Company was ordered alerted on March 22, 1781. In May, Capt. Bullock received another order from Col. Sargeant asking that the company be made ready to take the place of the State Militia.


In accordance with this, "Corpril James Chase" was "Hearby Re- quested to warn all the affective able body:d men in the Northwest Quarter of my Company to appear at Insign James Culler Dwelling- house on Monday Next the 19 of may Instant at one o'Clock In the af- ternoon the training Band Compleat with arms and amminison hearof fail not and make Return of your Doing, to me"


This according to order from Colo Sargeant, Guilford 17 of May 1781


Lovell Bullock, Capt.


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The names of the men that you have to warn are as follows


John Hix Samuel Nichols Calvin Weld Luther Weld


James Bacont Salmon Goodnough Isiah ?


Ruphus Chace Josiah Johnson (Allen)


Asa Stowel


Samuel Allen


Elijah Stowel


Comfort Healey


Ephraim Whitney Jnr Levi Hix


Oliver Salsbury


Job Salsbury


Sam'l Read Tim'y Chickering


Joseph Dansmore


James Denis


These men were to "hold themselves in the most finished readiness to turn out at the shortest notice to surpass any Riot or outrage which may be commited in Guilford or its Vicinity (meaning in the State of Vermont)". They were given authority to take prisoners and carry them to Westminster. It was also recommended that they form a "minut Company."


Town Pound: At the annual town meeting in 1785 it was voted that a pound be made "as near to Hezekiah Stowell's as convenient." Apparently an enclosure of some kind was erected soon afterward, as Mr. Stowell was chosen pound keeper in the next town meeting.


A special town meeting was called and held on April 11, 1798, when it was voted to build a town pound and one cent on the pound of the grand list was voted for that and other purposes.


The pound was soon built, upon land of Joseph Bullock, adjoin- ing the highway on the east side, about one fourth mile south of the forks of the road near the Taft blacksmith shop. The land covered by the pound was deeded to the inhabitants of Guilford on February 18, 1800 and was bounded "on the north to Richardson Houghton's land and on the west to the road that leads from Greenfield to Brattleboro and on the south & east to land now owned by said Joseph Bullock; said land contains no more than the pound covers, be the same more or less."


On September 16, 1812 a selectmen's order was drawn to Richard- son Houghton for two dollars, "for repairing the pound by one stick of timber put on the west end, putting posts & a sill and hanging the gate, also laying up stones and repairing the wall of said pound."


Hezekiah Stowell served for one year only, then Elihu Field was chosen pound keeper and served continuously for eleven years, or un- til the new pound was built, when Joseph Bullock was elected in 1798 and served until March, 1808 at which time Richardson Houghton was


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elected and served until 1813. Almirin Tinker was pound keeper in 1814 and Amos Hart was chosen in 1815 and served for twenty five years consecutively. The pound was strongly made of stone walls about six feet high, surmounted by heavy hewn timbers and furnished with a gate. It still belongs to the town, but for many years has been out of repair. It may be seen adjoining the roadside opposite the dwelling owned by Everett E. Thayer.


The Story of 'Bijah's Grave: Among the earliest settlers of Guil- ford was Abijah Prince, colored, who was commonly known only as 'Bijah. He was born in Connecticut in 1706, and was a servant in the family of Rev. Benjamin Doolittle, first settled minister in Northfield, Mass., after whose death he was for some time in the service of Captain Ebenezer Wells of Deerfield.


In 1764, with his wife, Lucy, he settled on Lot No. 187, next north- erly from the lot of John Noyes, on the hill northerly from the old Culver place, later known as the Daniels place, more recently owned by Charles Jacob, and later owned by Charles Scholtz, in Dist. No. 10.


This lot was given to 'Bijah by Col. David Field of Deerfield, who was one of the original proprietors of Guilford. After the settlement on Lot 187 'Bijah and his family soon returned to Deerfield, where they remained several years, but after a time returned to Guilford, where he died on Jan. 19, 1794. There was much trouble between 'Bijah and the Noyes families, for some reason which we are unable to discover, and 'Bijah was harassed and annoyed in many ways, his fences torn down, hay ricks burned and otherwise troubled and in- jured to such an extent that recourse was had to the highest tribunal within the state, the Governor's Council, whose records show the fol- lowing:


Tuesday, June 7th, 1785


"Present His Excellency Thomas Chittenden, Esqr., His Honor Paul Spooner, Esqr., The Honble Moses Robinson, Esqr., Peter Olcott, Benjamin Emmons. Thomas Moredock, John Throop & Ira Allen, Esqrs.


On the Representation of Lucy Prince, wife of Abijah Prince, and others, shewing that the said Abijah, Lucy and Family are greatly op- pressed & injured by John & Ormas Noyce, in the possession and en- joyment of a certain farm or Piece of Land, on which the said Abijah and Lucy now Lives, the Council having Taken the same into con- sideration and made due enquiry, are of Opinion that the said Abijah and Lucy are much injured, and that unless the Town Take some due Methods to protect said Abijah, Lucy & family in the enjoyment of


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their possession, they must soon unavoidably fall upon the Charity of the Town.


Therefore Resolved that His Excellency be Requested to write to the Selectmen of the Town of Guilford Recommending to them to Take some effectual Measures to protect the said Abijah, Lucy & fam- ily in the Possession of said Lands until the said dispute can be equally and equitably settled."


This apparently resulted in quieting the trouble, as nothing to the contrary can now be learned. Abijah and his family remained on their land until his death in 1794 at the age of 88 years.


He was buried on the farm, a few rods westerly from the highway, and the grave was marked with a lettered slate headstone, which re- mained there until about 1890, at which time the grave and a part of the headstone were pointed out to John E. Gale by George W. Frank- lin, who was a lifelong resident of that section of the town, but after the land came into the possession of Charles Jacob, who probably had no knowledge of the grave, the land was plowed over and the grave of the old colored pioneer cannot be located with certainty. The land has always been known as the "'Bijah Lot" and for nearly a hundred years 'Bijah's Grave was pointed out to the younger generations as a spot to be respected. Lucy came every year to visit the grave as long as she lived, probably about 1809 or 1810.


Abijah and Lucy had six children; the oldest, Caesar, born in 1756, came to Guilford in 1776, and was admitted to full communion in the Congregational Church at the old White Meeting House on the hill east of the village of Guilford Center. He removed to Sunder- land, Mass., where he died.


Duruxa, the second child, born 1758, died insane in Sunderland. Drusella, born 1760, was a poetess, and died in 1854; Festus, born 1763, could play upon any musical instrument without instruction. He went to New York and afterward to Dorset, Vt., where he died in 1818. Tatnai, born 1765, lived with Capt. E. Hunt at Northfield, Mass .; Abijah, born 1769, settled near Ballstown, N. Y.


The Apparition of Cold Spring Pitch: On the road leading north- erly from the Noyes place toward the center of the town was a sharp pitch, or steep grade leading out of a little hollow or ravine where there was a spring of very cold water, and known through the early days of the town's history as "Cold Spring Pitch". It is related that not long after the death of 'Bijah in 1794 a young woman of the Noyes family was passing over this road on horseback just at nightfall, and when she reached the foot of the pitch there suddenly appeared a fearsome apparition, so close and so startling that both horse and


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rider were tremendously frightened. The young woman clung to the saddle, while the horse bolted in a mad run up the pitch, down the road past 'Bijah's grave, and on to the Noyes homestead. The phantom was declared to be 'Bijah's ghost, but whether or not it was so, or some great owl or startled deer, distorted by a troubled conscience, is left for the reader to determine.


Sale of the School Land: By authority of the vote taken on April 7th, 1777, to sell the School Right, that tract or share of 350 acres, comprising the hundred acre lots Nos. 18, 59, 131, and 50 acre lot No. 63, was sold at auction to the highest bidder, a proceeding which met with some opposition and which was the cause of dissensions not fully settled until ten years later. Payment for the lands was made in specie, which was loaned by the town officers to the recruiting officers, for the purpose of encouraging enlistment in the continental army. When these loans were repaid, payment was made in continental bills, which had become so depreciated in value as to occasion considerable loss, but the fund as finally established, and known in later years as the "Original School Fund," was $1377.44.


At the annual town meeting, March 1, 1960, Article 15 section D was read and the town "Voted Article be accepted as read-To Cancel for the sum of One Dollar the debt due from the Town of Guilford to the Original School Fund." In this way we admit publicly that the town has spent $1377.44 on schools since 1777.


CHAPTER III Guilford, "The Metropolis"




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