USA > Vermont > Rutland County > Danby > The history and map of Danby, Vermont > Part 4
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The year 1777 was an eventful one for the people of this town, as well as others throughout the grants, The battleof Hubbard- ton was fought July 7th, and the situation of affairs as ont time were somewhat alarming. No one knew how soon he would be called upon to go into battle, or how von bis own fields would be the scene of strite.
The theatre of warfare was now, soon transferred to the south- ern part of the state. A portion of Burgoyne's army, cout to scour the country. after the battle of Hubbardton, passed through this town, on their way to join the main army. and it is said that the inhabitants were greatly alarmed at the sight of the British soldiers. A company of Militia was formed here about that time, and joined Col. Warner's regiment, at Manchester.
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
They were engaged in the battle of Bennington. which was fought August 16th, sometime after which they returned to their homes, to save. if possible, their unharvested crops, or enough to last them through the winter. We are told that a number of acres of crops in this town were not harvested that year.
At a town meeting held June 33d 1777. an additional commit- tee of safety were appointed. consisting of Cool. Thomas Chittenden, Joseph Sprague and William Bromley. Two additional selectmen were also chosen, who were Ephraim Seley and Thomas Rowley. Edward Vail was appointed assessor, to assist the other three elected at the last annual meeting. Stephen Rogers having refus- ed to act as treasurer, Stephen Calkins was appointed to fill his place.
During the months of July and August of that year, scouting parties of the British were sent all over the country. They sup- posedi that a large portion of the inhabitants on the New Hamp- shire grants were opposed to the rebellion, and that it was necess- ary only, to march an army through their country, and furnish them with arms, to bring them over to the royal standard. Very few were found who were willing to abandon the cause of their country for that of the King. It is said that there were tories in town at that time, but the settlers were generally true to the American cause. A few who were considered tories, were shot near their own door.
There is a large rock on the farm owned by Isaac Nichols. behind which, as tradition says, tories used to hide, which ha ; given it the name of "tory rock."
There is one instance of confiscated estate in this town, which will appear from the following order, copied from the Journal of tie "Council of Safety." at Bennington.
" IN COUNCIL OF SAFETY, 18TH JAN , 1778.
To --- , and the rest of the heirs of ----- , late of Danby. deceased, you are hereby notified to appear before this Council, on Thursday the 22d instaut, to show cause, if any you have. why the real estate of -, aforesaid. shall not be confiscat- ed to this state.
By order of Council, THOMAS CHITTENDEN, Prest.
JOSEPH FAY, Sec'y.
It had now become necessary for the town to raise some mon- ey to pay current expenses, and for the support of the Mihtia. The selectmen had disbursed considerable sins of money, and engaged more for the purpose of encouraging the Militia and for other uses. The listers had been therefore, at the last town meet ing in June, instructed to take a list of all the ratable estate possessed by the inhabitants of the town, as soon as possible, and return the same to the selectmen and committee of safety for the town, who were to make ont a tax of six per cent. on said list, and deliver the same to the constable for collection. This was to be paid into the treasury, and drawn out by orders signed by the selectmen or committee of safety.
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
The law at that time required the list to be taken in the follow- iug manner, viz : All male persons in town from sixteen years old to sixty, were set in the list, each person at six pounds ; ev- ry ox or steer, of four years old and upwards, at four pounds each ; each steer or heifer, of three years old, and each cow three pounds ; each steer or heifer. of two years, two pounds ; each steer or heifer of one year old, one pound; sach horse or mare, of three years old or upward. three pounds ; all horse kind of two years old, two pounds ; all horse kind of one year old, one pound each : all swine of one year old, or upward, one pound each. Every person having money on hand, or dae them, over and above all debts charged theron, the same was put in the aunnal list, at the rate of six for every hundred pounds, and in case the listers suspected any person had not given in the full sum of money on hand. or due as aforesaid, the listers were em- powered to call such person or persons before them, there to give in such list on oath. All lands after being improved for one year, either for pasture, plowing or mowing. or stocked with grass. and within inclosure, were set in the list at ten shillings per acre. Mills were also assessed at the discretion of the lis- ters, according to the particular improvements or advantages thereof. also. work-houses and work-shops. Attornies at law were assessed at the discretion of the listers. the least practition- er, fifty pounds, and the others in proportion, according to their practice. Ministers of the gospel were exempted from taxes, as well as persons disabled by sickness, lameness or other infirmities. The grand list of the town for the year 1777, amounted to nearly 250 pounds, or reduced to dollars, to $832.50, six per cent. of which would raise a tax of $49.95, which was thought sufficient to pay the expenses of the town forthat year. This was the first grand list taken in this town ofwhich we have any knowledge.
Another meeting was called Dec. 23d at the house of Edward Vail, but was adjourned until the first Tuesday of Feb. 1778. At this adjourned meeting. Stephen Calkins was appointed an ad- ditional member of the committee of safety, and Thomas Rowley was chosen chairman of that committec. At that time nearly all the affairs of thetown were managed by this committee. The British army having been defeated and driven from the vicinity of Vermont in the fall af 1777. the settlers of the town who had served with the millitia in repelling the invasion of Burgoyne, now began to return, and the inhabitants were allowed once more to devote their attention to their civil and domestic affairs.
To show the character of the settlers which then peopled the grants, we will give below an extract from a letter which Bur- goyne wrote to Lord Germain, August 20: 1777, in which he says " the Hampshire grauts in particular, a country unpeopled and ahnost unknown in the last war, now abounds in the most active and most rebellious rare on the continent, and hangs like a gathering storm on my left."
The annual town meeting of 1778 was held at the house of
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
Edward Vail, and Abraham Chase was moderator. Luther Colvin, Abraham Chase and Edward Vail were chosen assess- ors ; Wing Rogers, hayward : William Gage, John Wood and Edward Vail, fence viewers. The committee of safety for that year were Capt. William Gage, Lieut. Stephen Calkins, Thom- as Rowley, William Bromley and John Sweat. Edward Vail was elected pound keeper.
On the 12th of March 1778, a petition was presented to the Legislature of Vermont, then in session at Windsor, from six- teen towns on the east side of Connecticut River, praying to be admitted to a union with Vermont. The Legislature being some- what embarrassed by this application, voted to refer the question to the people. Meetings were held in all the towns in the state for this purpose. and a majority of them were in favor of the union. The inhabitants of Danby held a meeting for the purpose of voting upon this question, at the house of Edward Vail, the 9th day of April, and voted not in favor of the proposed union. and the committee of safety were instructed to make a report to this effect, to the Legislature, which was to meet in June follow- ing at Bennington. Thomas Rowley was the first representative sent from this town, to the General Assembly, which met at Windsor in 1778.
There was put upon the records of the town, in 1778, " A roll of the freemen of Danby." As some may desire to know who were residents of the town at that time, we will give below a copy of the roll, which contains the following names :
William Gage, Jr.,
Caleb Colvin,
Job Congor, Enoch Congor.
William Bromley,
Isaac Gage,
Jonathan Sprague,
Reubin Towers,
Daniel Bromley.
Jessie Tuttle,
Ezekel Ballard.
Micah Wilson,
Ebenezer Day,
Henry Herrick,
John Sweat,
Jerimiah Merrithew,
Joseph Day,
Samuel Barlow,
Luther Colvin,
Constant Vail,
Levi Sherman,
Obediah Edmunds,
George Gage.
Obediah Allen.
Charles Bromley,
Roger Williams,
Thomas Rowley, Jr ..
John Hambletou.
Stephen Calkins,
Nathan Rowley,
Thomas Allen.
Holmes Perkins,
Richard Latten,
William Merrithew.
Edward Vail.
William Garrett,
Titus Colvin.
Gideon Burlingin.
John Gage,
Joseph Wilbur.
Abel Haskins,
Elisha Fish,
Thomas Rowlee.
Mathew Wing,
Capt. William Gage.
Abraham Stewart,
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
Reubin Rowley,
John Brock,
Joseph Sprague,
Anthony Day,
Joseph Sprague, Jr.,
Aaron Griffith,
Bethuel Bromley,
Jonathan Jrish,
Ebenezer Wilson,
David Howard,
Stephen Williams,
Caleb Green,
Jeremiah Griffith,
Pelitia Soper,
Elihu Benson,
Dennis Lohdell, Jr.
Amos Brown,
Jacob Eddy,
Gideon Tabor,
Joseph Fowler,
John Haviland,
Ebenezer Merry,
Lemuel Griffith,
Caleb Phillips.
Thomas Dennes,
Dr. Ebenezer Tolman.
Water Tabor,
Lawrence Johnston,
Henry Lewis,
Joshua Bromley,
Denuis Lobdell,
YTT'11. Ir tham Dionley, 22,
Jolin Howard,
Job Palmer,
Selathel Albee,
David Coonly,
Benjamin Brownell,
John Holmes,
John Harrington,
David Irish,
Benjamin Tanner,
John Stafford
Hezakiah Eastman,
James Porter,
Mathew Wing,
John Marten,
Charles Leggett,
Gideon Baker,
Jesse Irish, Jr.,
William Wing,
Phillip Sherman,
Stephen Buxton,
Joshua Herrick,
William Lee.
John Lobdell
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The above list does not contain the names of all the males over twenty-one years of age, in town at that time. We find that Abrcham Chase, Wing Rogers, Ephraim Scley. Aaron Bull and Asa Haskins, and some others were residents of the town, and over twenty-one years of age, whose names do not ap- pear on that roll. Perhaps other names were omitted, but it doubtless contains the names of nearly all the freemen here at that time. Some of the persons whose names are on the roll, were children of the settler,, having come here with their parents. Among these were William Gage. Jr., Joseph Sprague. Jr .. William Bromley, 20, Charles and Daniel Bromley. Renbin and Nathan Rowley, Jesse Irish and Thomas Rowley. Jr., and some others.
The annual March meeting of 1779, was held at the house of Edward Vail, and Thomas Rowley was moderator. Several new offices were created that year, among which was the office of lister. leather sealer, town grand juror and tythingman. FA- ward Vail, Isaac Gage and Luther Colvin were appointed lister- : William Edmund -. leather sealer ; Stephen Williams grand jur- or ; Abel Haskins, tythingman ; and Roger Williams, hayward. But five highway surveyors were appointed that year, who were
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
Daniel Bromley, Edward Vail, Ebenezer Wilson, Caleb Colvin. and Israel Seley. Another town tax was voted to pay the in- debtedness of the town for the year ensuing, and it was voted to hold future town meetings at the house of Stephen Calkins, and warnings for which were to be set up at the house of Ed- ward Vail, William Gage and William Russell.
All persons residing in town at that time, and not having any real estate, thereby exposing the town to cost and charge, were warned out of the town. The following coppy of a warrant taken from the records, will show the mode of proceding in those cases.
" DANBY, APRIL YE 28TH, 1779.
To the Constable of the town of Danby. Greeting :
Whereas frequent complaints hath been made to us by some of the inhabitants of this town. that there hath latoly come into this town several persons and families, who still abide in town, who have no real estate, and by their continuance here, the town may be exposed to cost and charge.
You are hereby required forthwith to warn - and family to depart from this town, and make return to us or either of us forthwith.
Given under our hands the day and year above written.
THOMAS ROWLEY, STEPHEN CALKINS, Selectmen. LUTHIER COLVIN,
Danby the 9th day of May. A. D., 1779, This warrant faith- fully served according to law, by me,
EBENEZER WILSON, Constable.
There were two families warned out of town in 1779, two in 1783. ten in 1784, three in 1785, and two in 1786.
The annual meeting of 1780, was held at the house of Steph- en Calkins, and Thomas Rowley was moderator. There were five selectmen elected that year, and a second constable for the first time, and Reubin Rowley was elected to that office. Twelve petit jurymen were chosen in 1780, for the first time, viz : Isaac Gage, William Bromley, Jacob Eddy. Jonathan Sprague, Ed- ward Vail, Joseph Sprague, Ebenezer Wilson, Daniel Broniley, Jonathan Seley, Walter Gage, Ebenezer Sprague, Enoch Calk- ins and William Gage. A committee of five were appointed at that meeting, to inspect the indebtedness of the town, and make report at the next meeting. Edward Vail was elected brander of horses,-a new office created that year, and was agreeable to a law of the state, passed in 1779, which was that each town in the state should have » brand, to brand their horses, which should be stt on every horse, and horse kind. on the near or left shoulder. The Brand for Danby was the letter " 1," and the brander chos- en by the town was under oath, and made an entry of all horse kind by him so branded, with the age and color, natural and ar- tificial marks, in a book kept for that purpose. Each farmer
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
also had an ear mark, which was put upon his cattle and swine. This car mark was recorded by the town clerk.
In 1781 the office of sealer of weights and measures was cre- ated, and Lient. John Mott was the first one elected to this office. William Bromley was tythingman that year : Israel Seley, hay- ward ; and Obediah Allen, brander of horses.
In consequence of the state of the currency, or medium of trade, it was difficult to procure provisions to supply the army, witout calling on each town for a quota of such supplies. The quota for this town. in the year 1780, was 4284 lbs. wheat flour : 1428 1bs. of beef; 714 lbs. of salted pork ; 123 bushels of Indian corn, and 61 1-2 bushels Rye. It is said that the inhabitants be- gan to experience some hard times. Snow fell to a great depth during the the winter of 1780-81, and the weather was of unpre- cedented severity. The settlers being very poorly supplied with comfortable houece, and with forage for their cattle, suffered greatly from the effects of this.
The grand list of the town in 1779 was 2612 pounds 5 shil- lings, or 88,609.96, in 1780 it was 2856 pounds 8 shillings, or $9,512.70. A town tax of four per cent. was raised on this list. for the year 1780, which amounted to $380.50.
In 1781 the following warrant was issued. to the constable of Danby, for the collection of a direct tax, on lands in this town. As this was the first warrant issued for the collection of a state tax in this town, we will here introduce a copy of it.
" To the constable of the town of Danby Greeting :
Whereas the General Assembly at their session in Windsor. April 1781, did grant a tax of ten shillings on each one hundred acres of land in the town of Danby, except public and col- lege lands-
This is therefore to command you to collect of the several per- sons owning lands in the town of Danby, ten shillings on each one hundred acres, and in the same proportion for a greater or lesser quantity, any person or persons may respectively own as aforesaid, and pay the same to the treasurer, on or before the first day of April next, and if any person or persons shall refuse or neglect to pay his or her or their just proportion of said tax you are commanded to distrain his, her or their goods or estate. and the same dispose of as the law direets, and also satisfy your own fees. And when there is no owner residing in town, or ap- pears and pays the tax, on any portion of said land, you are di- reeted to dispose of so much of said land in the mode prescribed by law, as to enable you to pay said tax. and also to satisfy your own fees.
Given at the Treasurer's office, the 11th day of November. A. D. 1781. IRA ALLEN, Treasurer."
There being a good many non-resident proprietors of land here who did not appear and pay their tax by the time specified, that a large quantity was sold at public auction the following year. at
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
the house of Stephen Calkins, to satisfy this tax. A portion of the land was afterwards redeemed.
At the annual meeting of 1783, held at the house of Stephen Calkins, of which Ebenezer Wilson was moderator. it was voted that if any man in the town of Danby, shall bring the small pox into town, by way of innoculation. or by carelessness or neglect after having the same, shall be liable to pay a fine of ten pounds, lawful money, to the treasurer of the town. That disease was prevailing in some of the towns in the county to an alarming ex- tent. Among the officers elected that year, were Henry Herrick, tythingman : Edward Vail, sealer of weights and measures ; Joseph Fowler, leather sealer ; and Stephen Williams, hay- ward.
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Thomas Harrington was chosen moderator of the annual town meeting of 1784. in which year the office of justice of the peace was created in this town ; Edward Vail was chosen to that posi- tion, the first who ever occupied that office in Danby, and the only one elected in 1784. Mathew Wing and Lemuel Griffith were chosen fence viewers ; Isaiah Bull. grand juror ; Water Ta- bor, sealer of leather; William Garrett, tythingman ; Levi Thornton, hayward.
A special town meeting was held January 26th, 1784, and Roger Williams was moderator. Daniel Sherman and Edward Vail were appointed a committee for the town, to attend a gener- al meeting of town committees, to be held at Rutland for the pur- pose of settling the northern boundary line of the county. It was voted to hold future town meetings at the house of Abraham Chase, and that a sign post and stocks should be set up near the house of Abraham Chase. It was also voted to build a town pound upon the east side of the town. The ercetion of a sign post and stocks, referred to above, was agreeable to a law of the state, passed in 1779, which act was " that every town in this state shall make and maintain at their own charge. a good pair of stocks, with a lock and key sufficient to hold and secure such offenders as shall be sentenced to sit therein ; which stocks shall be set in the most public place in each respective town ; and in the same place there shall be a sign post erected and set up, at the charge of the town, and maintained in sufficient repairs : on which sign post all notifications, warrants. &c .. for meetings shall be set up." According to the laws of that time. criminal offences were punishable by whipping on the naked back. from ten to one hundred la-hes, according to the nature of the offense.
Another meeting of the inhabitants was called JJune 17th, 1784, to act upon a complaint entered to the town clerk, by several of the tax payers. who were unable to pay their state tax. by reason of a scarcity of grain, which was then used for currency. Jou- athan Seley, the collector, was instructed at the above meeting, pot to force a collection of those taxes until the last of November. following. The selecanen were empowered to lease the school lots, and Luther Colvin and Amos Colvin, were appointed a com-
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
mittee to lay out the 3d and 4th divisions of the school lots ju this town, which had not been laid out. Roger Williams, Ed- ward Vail, Ebenezer Merry, John Haviland, Jonathan Seley. John Burt and Capt. John Vail were appointed petit jurors for 1784. At a town meeting held the 20th of December, Doet. Ebenezer Tolman, Caleb Green, and Rowland Stafford were chosen a. com- mittee to inspect and adjust the accounts of the towu,
The annual town meeting of 1785, was held at the house of Abraham Chase, having been held at the house of Stephen Calk- ins since 1780. The number of selectmen was reduced to four at this meeting, and the number of highway surveyers increased to twelve. An additional Grand Juryman was also elected. The tythingmeu for that year were Jeremiah Merrithew and Thom- as Dodge. The grand list for that year was 3378 pounds.
The following receipt will show the amount of provision tax amoinet the town of Denby in 1781, for which an extent was issued by the Commisary General in 1784.
" RUTLAND, OCT. YE 20TH, A. D. 1784.
Received of Daniel Sherman and Edward Vail, in behalf of of the settlement Danby, the sum of 2123, 18., 9p., in full of an extent from the Commisary Gen'l of purchase, for the state of Vermont, against such settlement for their provision tax. for the year 17$1, and also, £2, ils., 9., in full for the fees or cost of collecting and settling said extent.
ASA HALE. Sheriff."
The proprietors held a meeting on the 3d Monday in Novem- ber, 1785, and voted to lay out a fifth division of land, which was to be 55 acres to each sight. Jonathan Wood was employed as surveyor and Abraham Chase, Luther Colvin, Ebenezer Tol- man, Thomas Ilarrington and Jonathan Wood, were appointed a committee to see that the land was laid out. and settle all dis- putes concerning boundaries. A number of disputes had arisen which were all finally settled by the above committee.
Another meeting of the proprietors and inhabitants was held on the first Monday of March, 1786, to hear the report of their committee, &c. John Burt was then appointed a committee 10 look up the charter of the town, and have it recorded. In 1767 a sixth and last division of land was made, which was 35 acres to each right. A draft was made and each proprietor had a day in which to lay out his lot, or make his pitch. There had been some gores left in making the surveys, which were all finally dis- posed of by the committee.
The first grist mill was built about this time by Stephen Calk- ins. I have been unable to ascertain the exact date, when this mill was built, but as it was a short time after the revolutionary war, it was doubtless not far from this period. It stood upon the west side of the streara, opposite the present saw mill of Nelaim Kelley, and was a great help to the settlers, as Manchester and! Salem, were, previous to that time, the nearest places to mill. The ledge where Calkins got his mill stones, is on the farm uow owa-
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HISTORY OF DANBY.
ed by Henry Kelley. The irons were brought from Bennington ..
The Revolution was now closed, and the population of the town began to increase quite rapidly. There was a large influx of settlers during the last year or two of the war. A good many soldiers came to this town, some of them remaining till their death. They were generally an enterprising and industrious class, and many of them succeeded in establishing a home.
Annexed, is a list of revolutionary soldiers, who settled in this town, together with their rauk, so far as we have ascertained :
Capt. William Gage,
Miner Hilliard,
Capt. Stephen Calkins,
Lieut. John Mott,
Jonathan Seley,
Elisha Lincoln,
Joshua Bromley,
Jolin Burt,
William Roberts,
Gideon Moody,
Jonathan Burt,
William Bromley,
Capt. Jolin Vail,
Jonathan Crandall,
Israel Phillips,
Ebenezer Wilson,
Dennis Canfield,
Henry Herrick.
Abel Horton,
John Brock,
Obediah Edmunds,
Rufus Bucklin.
Some of these soldiers drew pensions under the act of Con- gress. 1818, and all who lived until 1832, drew pensions, and a few of their widows.
The annual town meeting of 1786, was held at the school house then situated near the present residence of Walter M. Parris. Among those elected to town office that year, were John Palmer, leather sealer ; Samuel Merry and Benjamin Sutton, tything- men ; Darius Lobdell, brander of horses ; Jonathan Mabbit, fence viewer : Moses Vail, pound keeper. Roads had inercas- ed in numbers so rapidly, that it then required fourteen surveyors.
Town meetings were also held at the school house during the year 1786. At the annual meeting a committee consisting of John Burt, Peter Lewis and Benjamin Fowler, was appointed io settle with the treasurer. The petit jurors for that year. were Thomas Harrington, Ezekel Smith, Stephen Williams, Bradford Barnes, William Garrett, Rowland Stafford, Nathan Salisbury, Caleb Green and John Vail. A meeting was held April 11th, for the purpose of settling some lines and boundaries, in the first and second division of land ; It was voted that the strip of land left and laid out by the proprietors for a road eight rods wide, west. of the "town plot," be left for foutre consideration. This road had been laid out from the Tinmouth . lite. north and south through the town. but was never used for a highway. It was called a county road, rumming north through Timmouth, which was then intended to be the county seat. The grand list of 1780 was 8064 pounds 10 shillings.
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