USA > Vermont > Windham County > Guilford > Official history of Guilford, Vermont, 1678-1961. With genealogies and biographical sketches > Part 3
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That your Petitioners rested some years without further application for a grant till a Patent to Colonel Howard comprehending all the property that some of your petitioners had in the world induced them to trouble your Excellency with two petitions lately presented, one praying a Grant to your petitioners and their associates of such part of the Township of Guilford as is not included within Colonel Howard's bounds such of your petitioners as reside thereon or had any claim thereto under the New Hampshire Title having settled with and given up or taken leases from Colonel Howard. And the other Petition praying for a grant of Twelve Thousand Acres of Land therein par- ticularly located as a Compensation for the Loss they sustained by Colonel Howards grant.
That your petitioners have always been stanch friends to the
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Official History of Guilford
interest of this Government, particularly at the time of the unhappy riots at Windsor, and in the year 1770 chearfully subscribed a petition to our Most Gracious Sovereign then circulating in this County humbly praying that the lands Westward of the River Connecticut in the Counties of Cumberland and Gloucester should remain to the Government of New York, for the truth of which facts they beg leave to refer your Excellency to the Gentleman who circulated the said Petition, one of whom is now at New York.
Your Petitioners therefore, confiding in your Excellency's Hu- manity, and the Tenderness of the Honorable board most humbly pray in behalf of themselves and their associates that your Excellency will be favorably pleased to grant to your petitioners His Majesty's Letters Patent for the residue of the Township of Guilford, and also for the said Tract of twelve thousand acres in the Names of the respective persons mentioned in the schedule subjoined to their former petition.
Guilford May the Eleventh, 1772.
Silah Barnard David Field Thomas Cutler
The confirmation of this grant by Governor Tryon raised such a storm of indignation throughout the whole country that Col. Howard was urged to release his claim and take a grant of lands in another locality, and in an attempt to bring this about Governor Tryon offered him £600 out of his own private purse, but the offer was ungraciously refused, much to his own loss, as his title vanished in the smoke of the Revolution, when all Tory ownership came to a sudden end.
EARLIEST RECORDED ROAD SURVEYS OF THE TOWN OF GUILFORD
We, the subscribers, regularly chosen by the freeholders and other inhabitants of the District of Guilford to serve in said Destrict as Comitioners for laying out Highways, we have laid out the following highway.
First, beginning at Brattleborough line near the house of David Joy, Esq., being the Northeast corner lot of said Destrict, thence Westerly as the way is now travelled, by Jeames Kings, William Ramsdalls, Samuel Nichols, Esq., and so by the mills, and thence to Hezekiah Stoell, and by the Meeting House, still Westerly down the hill, thence Northerly to Broad Brook; thence Westerly as the road is trod to John Shepardsons, and thence Northwesterly to the lot of Joseph Peck, and so to the house of Benjamin Carpenter; thence a new, untrodden way still about the same point of compass to the South end of the Governors Mountain, socalled, and between the Governors
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Official History of Guilford
Mountain and the Picked Mountain, so-called, and mainly about the same point to the line of Hallifax; then returned and began another rhoad at the foot of the first mentioned mountain; thence Easterly up the hill, and so to Edward Barneys, and so to Caleb Coles, and thence up the hill to Paul Chases barn, and so by the North side of said barn down the hill to John Barneys; the aforementioned Rhoads we marked with a marking iron upon the Northerly side of sd. Rhoads, marked thus, H W The marks under the letters to signify the number of rods the Road is in width.
Guilford, Aprial ye 23d, 1774 Recorded April ye 23d.
John Shepardson John Barney Thomas Cutler
Comitioners for laying out highways
A true copy; Examened Thomas Cutler, Town Clerk.
We, the subscribers, appointed and chosen Comitioners for laying out highways in the Destrict of Guilford have laid out the following highways.
First begining at the foot hill Westerly of the Meeting House near Broad Brook at the Bridgg West of Joseph Goodwins, thence Southerly, as the road is now travelled through Joel Bigelows land and the land lately owned by Ithamar Goodenough and over the Bridgg, thence direct to the spring about six rods West of the place where the potash works was built, and so Southerly through Adonijah Rices land, and so as the Rhoad is now travelled to David Stowells, and so to the South line of the Destrict of Guilford where sd. Rhoad meets the highway that leads from Greenfield to sd. Guilford.
The above sd. Rhoad is marked on the West side with a marking iron thus H W The marks below the letters are to signify the number of rods the Rhoad or highway is wide.
Guilford April ye 23rd, 1774
John Shepardson John Barney Asa Rice
Comitioners for laying out highways
A true copy. Examened Thomas Cutler, Town Clerk.
We the subscribers, appointed and chosen comitioners for laying out the highways in the Destrict of Guilford have laid following high- way; beginning at the house of Abijah Rogers, then Eastward by marked trees to Broad Brook, and through land of Capt. Jonathan
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Official History of Guilford
Hunt unto the road laid leading from Welds mill to Hezekiah Stowells about five and twenty rods West of said Hunts House.
Road marked thus H W
April ye 27th, 1774
John Barney Samuel Nichols Thomas Cutler
Comitioners for laying out highways
The District of Guilford: Certain of the early records of Guilford refer to the town under the appellation of the District of Guilford. The origin of this title was as follows:
On March 24, 1772 the Assembly of the Province of New York passed a bill entitled "An act for erecting a more convenient Court House and Gaol, for altering the terms appointed for holding the courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, and for enabling the inhabitants to elect supervisors and other county offcers in and for the county of Cumberland."
By its provisions the judges and justices of the county were directed to meet at the court house in Chester on the first Tuesday in the following May and form "into convenient districts" such parts of the county as were not erected into townships "under the Great Seal" of the colony. A description of these divisions was to be made in writing, subscribed by the judges and justices and filed with the county clerk, who was ordered to record it.
The districts thus constituted were to remain as divided until formed into townships. The people were authorized to assemble on the third Tuesday of May following, and elect for each town and district one supervisor, two assessors, two collectors, two overseers of the poor, two fence viewers, four constables, three highway commissioners, and as many persons for surveyors and overseers of highways as the majority of "the freeholders and inhabitants" of each town and district should judge necessary. The election for these purposes was to be held annually. The supervisors first chosen under the provisions of this act were to meet at Chester on the last Tuesday in May (1772) and by a plurality of votes ascertain the place where the court house and jail were to be located, and the place chosen by them was to be and remain the county town, if not disapproved of by the governor.
In accordance with the rules laid down in this act, the towns which had not received charters from New York were divided into districts, and on May 6, following, a notice of the divisions was posted in several public places, designed by Crean Brush, who had been ap- pointed clerk of the county of Cumberland.
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Official History of Guilford
The districts so formed were eighteen in number, of which "the 17th District comprehends Guilford."
First Town Meeting: Under the provisions of this act was held the first town meeting held in Guilford, so far as known. This was held on the appointed day, May 19, 1772, but at what place we find no record. Beginning with this date the town meeting records are com- plete, with the exception of the year 1775, when it is known that several meetings were held, and abstracts of the records of the same were made and published in 1850 in the Brattleboro Semi-Weekly Eagle, but the records themselves, for that year have disappeared. The record of this first town meeting held in Guilford is as follows:
May ye 19th, 1772, then the freeholers and other inhabeits of the Tract of land called Guilford in county of Cumberland and province of Newyork met together and by a majority of vots made choyce of
1. Samuel Nichols, Esqr. Moderator of said Meeting;
2. John Shepardson, Town Clerk.
3d. John Barney, Supervisor.
4d. John Shepardson, William Bullock, Othinil Wilkins, the Assessors.
5d. Chose Daniel Wilkins, Hazekiah Stoel, David Goodenough and Joel Cutler, Constables.
6d. Josiah Allen, Hezekiah Stoell, Josiah Scot, Othinial Wilkins, and Samuel Bixby Comitioners for laying out highways.
7d. Jotham Biglo, Micha Rice, Silas Rice, David Stoel and Jeams Bacon fence viewers.
8th. Hezekiah Stoell field driver.
9th. Hezekiah Stoell pound keeper.
10th. Josiah Allen, Colector.
11th. Thomas Cutler Town Treasure.
12th. Edmund Beamus, Gad Smith, Joel Cutler and John Barney Serveyors and overseers of the highways.
13th. Zephaniah Shepardson, Hezekiah Stoell and John Barney over- seers of poor.
14th. Daniel Boyden, Paul Chase, Thomas Cutler and David Stoell Swine Constables.
15th. Asa Rice sealer of weights and measures.
16th. David Stoell sealer of leather.
17th. Voted that sheep Rams should not go at large from the first of September to the middle of November next.
18th. Voted that Swine should not go at large this year.
19th. Adjourned sd. meeting to the third Tuesday in May next.
Pr. John Shepardson Destrict Clerk
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Official History of Guilford THE SECOND TOWN MEETING:
May 18 ye 1773 Then the Freeholders and other inhabitants of the District of Guilford in the County of Cumberland and Province of New York met togeather and by a majority of voetes made choyes of
1. David Joy, Esq., Moderator of sd. meeting.
2d. Thomas Cutler, Town Clerk.
3d. John Barney, Supervisor.
4th. Samuel Nichols, Esq. Treasurer.
5th. Lovell Bullock and Jotham Biglo Colectors.
6th. Benjamin Carpenter, Esq., William Bullock and John Shepard- son Assessors.
7th. Paul Chase, Joel Cutler, Zephaniah Shepardson and Silas Rice Constables.
8th. Asa Rice, Samuel Nichols, Esq., John Shepardson, Thomas Cutler, John Barney Cometioners for laying out highways.
9th. Zepheniah Shepardson, Daniel Lynds Jr., David Stoell, Jeams Cutler, William Ramsdale, Paul Chase, overseers of the highways. 10th. John Barney, Hezekiah Stoell, Zephaniah Shepardson, overseers of the Poor.
11th. Hezekiah Stoell pound keeper and field driver.
12th. Samuel Melody, Giles Robards, Gad Smith, Samuel Curtes Fence Viewers.
13th. Francis Rice, Seth Rice, Daniel Lynds Jr., and Joseph Gooding Swine Constables.
14th. Voted that Swin be sheet up and not go at Large this year.
15th. Adjourned to the thurd Tuesday june at 3 oclock afternoon.
Pr. John Shepardson Destrict Clerk
On the adjournment of the anuel meeting which was on June ye 15th, 1773, after the opening said meeting firstly made choice of Othinial Wilkins, Jun. clerk of said meeting. Secondly, Voted to dis- miss Jotham Biglo from serving in the offis of Colector for this year and chose Lieutn. John Shepardson to sarve in his place. Said meeting adjourned to the Third Tuesday in May next at the meeting house.
May the 17th, A.D. 1774.
Then the Freeholders and other inhabitants of the Town of Guil- ford in the County of Cumberland and Provence of New York meet together and by a majority of votes made choice of Ist. Samuel Nichols, Esqr. Moderator of sd. meeting.
2nd. Elijah Welch, Town Clark.
3rd. Lovewell Bullock, Supervisor.
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Official History of Guilford
4th. Elijah Welch & Timothy Root, Assessors.
5th. William Bullock and John Barney, Collectors.
6th. John Shepardson & Hezekiah Stowell overseers of the poor.
7th. John Shepardson, David Goodenough, & John Barney Com- mittee for laying out highways.
8th. Benjamin Carpenter, Othniel Wilkins, Junr., Abel Rice, Ichabod Packer, Timothy Root and Francis Rice and James Bacon, overseers of the highways.
9th. Abijah Rogers and Samuel Curtis, Fence Viewers.
10th. Stephen Shephardson, Manasseh Bixby, David Stowell, John Barber, Constables.
11th. William Biglo, John Rickey, Saml. Allen, and Ebenezer Toby, Hogg Constables.
12th. Voted hoggs shall be shut up.
13th. Hezekiah Stowell, pound keeper.
The meeting adjourned to thisday the 26th of May 1774
May 26th, 1774.
Then meet together according to adjournment and Ist dismist William Bullock from serving as collector, and made choice of Michajah Rice to serve in his room.
2 ly, Joel Cuttlar servs constable for John Barber.
Lastly, chose Thomas Cuttler assessor.
The meeting adjourned to the third Tuesday in May, 1775.
pr. Elijah Welch, Town Clerk
When the Guilford Men went to Dummerston: "On the 28th of October, 1774, Lieutenant Leonard Spaulding of Dummerston, then called Fulham, was committed to the common gaol for high treason against the British tyrant George the Third, by the direction of Crean Brush, his attorney; Noah Sabin, William Willard & Ephraim Ranney, Esq'rs; and Wm. Paterson the high Shreeve (Sherrif); and Benja. Gorton, the infamous Bildad Easton, and his deputies, upon which, on the following day, viz, October the 29th, a majority of the in- habitants met near the house of Charles Davenport, on the green, and made choice of sundry persons to serve as a Committee of Correspond- ancy to joyne with other towns or respectable bodies of peopel the better to secure and protect the rights and privileges of themselves and fellow creatures from the ravages and imbarassments of the British tyrant & his other immesaries.
"The persons made choice of were these, viz ;- Solomon Harvey,
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Official History of Guilford
John Butler, Jonathan Knight, Josiah Boyden, and Daniel Gates, by whose vigilence & activity Mr. Spaulding was released from his con- finement after about eleven days. The committee finding it necessary to be assisted by a Large Concourse of their freeborn Neighbors and bretherin Consisting of the Inhabitants of Dummerston, Putney, Guilford, Halifax and Draper (now Wilmington) who discovered a patriotic zeal and true heroic fortitude on the important occasion." The offense of Lieutenant Spaulding was merely a remark to the effect that "if the King had signed the Quebec bill, in his opinion he had broke his coronation oath." This was the first organized and effective resistance to British rule in America.
Thus it appears that from the earliest days the Guilford men were ready to take the risk of breaking a jail and releasing a fellow patriot when their help for such a righteous purpose seemed to be needed. How their good offices were appreciated by their Dummerston neighbors is shown in a later chapter, which chronicles the invasion of Guilford by Gen. Sam'l Fletcher at the head of three hundred Vermonters, among whom several from Dummerston, in charge of a cannon. The obnoxious "Quebec Bill" referred to was an act of the British Parliament establishing in Canada the laws of France, denying right of trial by jury and recognizing the Catholic Church as the established faith there.
On March 14, 1775, the day after the Westminster Massacre, an organized band of Guilford men reached Westminster, where about four hundred others were congregated, to share the glories and the dangers of forcible opposition to the King's officers. History has not preserved the number or the names of the Guilford men, with the exception of their leader, Othniel Wilkins, who seconded the sugges- tion, which was adopted by vote of the assembled patriots, to the effect that the Court House should be pulled down or burned, and that all those who had engaged in the "horrid Massacre" should be put in irons. The company were very determined in this purpose, but were prevented by the party from New Hampshire, who interposed and guarded all the doors and passages into the court house.
The preceding day was the occasion when William French, of Dummerston, was killed, and Daniel Houghton, also of Dummerston mortally wounded in an attempt of the Whigs, or Liberty Men, to prevent the holding of court by the New York officers. French was the first martyr of the Revolution.
The general feeling of unrest and anxiety which prevailed through- out the American colonies prior to the breaking of the dark storm of the Revolution was recognized in Guilford early in 1775, when its people, fearless and loyal to the colonial cause, but still adhering to the New York government as having lawful authority over this terri- tory, called a special town meeting and requested all those holding
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Official History of Guilford
commissions under the King, represented by Governor Tryon, of New York, to resign the same. The full proceedings of this meeting are here given:
Votes and Proceedings of the Town of Guilford, March ye 28th, 1775.
Then the Inhabitants of the Town of Guilford met together ac- cording to appointment for to act on a number of Articles Relating to the well being of this town and first by a majority of votes made choice of Benj. Carpenter, Esqr. Moderator of said Meeting.
2 ly, Voted to choose a Committee of Safety in this town, of Nine men.
3 ly, Chose Benja. Carpenter, Esqr., Jotham Bigelow, Simeon Edwards, Stephen Shepardson, John Barber, Othniel Wilkins, Jur., Docr. Elijah Welch, Josiah Allen, David Stowell, to serve this Town as a Committee of Safety.
4 ly, Voted that it be left to the direction of the above said Committee Whether the late Commissioners of this Town who have Received Commissions under Governor Tryon shall Resign said Commis- sions to said Committee or keep them.
5 ly, Made choice of Mr. Timothy Larabee to provide a stock of Ammunition for this Town, if to be had.
6 ly, Voted that we will be subject to the Laws of That Government that we are annexed to by the Crown. (i.e. New York)
7 ly, Appointed Thursday, the 16th of April, Next, as a Day of Public Fasting and Prayer.
8 ly, Voted that the Committee of Inspection shall appoint a Day when to Call the Town together for choosing necessary Town officers.
9 ly, Voted that this Meeting be Dissolved.
Pr. Elijah Welch, Town Clerk
Ten days later the feeling became so pronounced against the holding of Governor Tryon's commissions that a meeting of the town's com- mittee of safety was called for special action, with the following result:
"At a Meeting of the Committee of Inspection for the Town of Guilford, met together at the Dwelling House of Mr. Hezekiah Stowell, in said Guilford, on April ye 7th, 1775.
1 ly, Voted that we Recommend to all those Persons in this Town who have Received Commissions under Governor Tryon that they Resign said Commissions or Erase their Names out of a Certain Covenant Signed by the body of the people, to mitigate or soften the minds of the People.
2 ly, Voted to adjourn said Meeting to the 20th instant at Eight o'clock before noon, at this Place.
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Official History of Guilford
April ye 20th, 1775.
The Meeting opened at the time and place according to adjourn- ment.
1 ly, We Recommend to the Inhabitants of this Town that they take all proper measures for unity, one with another, and that no man cast any Reflections, one upon another, which will surely create Discord and Disagreement, and by Dividing we shall surely come to Destruction.
2 ly, We recommend to the People as aforesaid that they choose no Militia officers in this town at this time, but that every Person hold himself in a Habitual and actual readiness in any emergency whatever, and every man to appear at a minutes warning, and then and there choose Officers to lead us in such an expedition according to the Instruction of our Elders and Committee.
3 ly, The meeting adjourned to the Day of our annual meeting at twelve o'clock, at noon.
War with Great Britain now appeared to be inevitable. News of the battle of Lexington had reached the town. Unity and prompt action were vital. The Committee of Safety was called together and proceeded as follows:
April ye 29th, 1775.
The Committee having met together on Emergency,
1 ly, Voted, that we recommend to the People of this Town that they meet together on Wednesday, the 3d day of May next, for to choose Militia officers, and a Minute Committee in this Town, and the Committee was to notify said meeting. The Committee adjourned.
May ye 3d, 1775.
The People met together according to appointment, and after the opening the meeting
1 ly, Made choice of Benja. Carpenter, Esqr., Moderator of said Meeting.
2 ly, Chose Hezekiah Stowell Cpn., David Goodenough, 1st Lieut., Stephen Shepardson, 2d Lieut., and Simeon Edwards, Ensign.
And after the Militia officers were chosen we had the people's voice with regard to Field Officers, and they moved for John Hazeltine, Esqr., Head Col .; Benja. Carpenter, Esqr., Lieut. Col .; and Mr. Abijah Lovejoy, Major.
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Official History of Guilford
The meeting adjourned from the Meeting House to Capn. Stowells to Enlist a Minute Company, and after that the meeting was dissolved.
At a Meeting in Guilford May ye 22d, 1775.
1 ly, Made choice of Benja. Carpenter, Esqr., Moderator.
2 ly, Voted to send a Delegate to Westminster, to set in Congress.
3 ly, Unanimously made choice of Benja. Carpenter, Esqr., for said Delegate.
The people of Guilford sent Benjamin Carpenter to represent them in the Convention of the Town Committees of Safety, held at West- minster on the first of February, 1776, which chose a standing com- mittee of correspondence, that the county might be kept well informed as to the doings of the friends of liberty in the different colonies. William Bullock and Hezekiah Stowell were the Guilford members of this committee. Benjamin Carpenter was chairman of the convention, which among other things selected the field officers of the First or Lower Regiment. In this selection preference was given to those who had displayed especial zeal in the patriotic desire for independence of the British Government. Benjamin Carpenter was chosen Lieutenant- Colonel of this Regiment.
The officers for the Guilford company were chosen at once and were confirmed on the 1st of March, as follows: Captain, Stephen Shepard- son; 1st. Lieutenant, David Stowell; 2d. Lieutenant, Timothy Root; Ensign, Dillington Johnson.
In August, 1778 a change of officers was made, the following being chosen: Captain, Asa Rice; 1st. Lieutenant, Timothy Root; Ensign, Micah Rice.
The quota of troops assigned by the government of New York on the 7th of June, 1775, to be raised by the county of Cumberland was 125, and to hasten the enlistment a bounty of £4 each was offered by the Provincial Congress. At the special meeting held at Guilford on July 5, 1775, it was voted to make up the bounty of each man to £4 Bay Money, and that this should be raised by a rate, or proportionate tax, upon the people. At the same meeting it was voted to raise ten men for the service of the Colony.
Guilford, May ye 6th, 1776.
Then this town meet together according to request and made choice of Samuel Nichols, Esqr. Moderator of sd. meeting.
2nd. Elijah Welch, Town Clerk.
3rd. Voted to let none vote for committees, town officers, etc., but such as are qualified according to the direction of the Honorable
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Official History of Guilford
Continental Congress, and made choice of Israel Gurley, Timo- thy Root, and Hezekiah Stowell for a committee to inspect and see that there is no others that vote but such as are qualified.
4th. Made choice of Samuel Nichols, Esq. Israel Gurley, Deacon Thomas Cutler, Timothy Root, and Levi Goodenough to serve this town as a committee of inspection or safety.
5th. Made choice of Deacon Thomas Cutler, James Bacon, Lovell Bullock, Ithamar Goodenough, Zephaniah Shepardson, Hezekiah Stowell, Nathaniel Carpenter, David Stowell, John Noyes, Silas Cutler and Joseph Dexter surveyors of highways.
6th. Made choice of Asa Rice and David Goodenough overseers of the poor.
7th. Made choice of Hezekiah Stowell, sealer of weights and measures.
8th. Made choice of David Stowell, Joseph Cutler, and Stephen Shepardson a committee for laying out highways.
9th. Voted that those men that have blocked up the Roads by falling Trees or any other way shall clear them on their own cost.
10th. Voted that all roads that have been laid out by a committee chosen for that purpose shall be laid open by the 10th day of November next, and that any person may throw down bars and fences of those who neglect to fence out the road and the owner of such lots and inclosures shall substain the damages without any redres after the date above sd.
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