USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 33
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July 18, '65.
Round, William
18 10 F Dec. 1, '63.
18 10
F Dec. 4, '63.
Smith, William H.
21
14
Discharged Jan. 31, '63. Pro. Lieut. Feb. 14, '63.
Grover. Marshall W.
41
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They sleep, alas ! by Nilus wave, They slumber on the Danube's bed ; The earth is but a common grave For gallant France's immortal dead,
Arise, ye warriors of the past ! From out your long and dreamless sleep, And round your conntry'e banner cast Your shadowy squadrons deep.
Let him of Naples lead th' advance With charging steed like thunder crash, While Moskow's chief on Prussian lance, His stormy legions dash !
High waving o'er the ranks of war To soldier's eyes the guiding star, Arise and shine o'er all the field afar, O, white plume of Henry of Navarre!
And once again mount the war-steed, Fair Orlean's patriotic maid, Seest thou not thy country bleed ? O, draw again thy conquering blade.
And thon, victor on Chalon's field, When dread Atilla's mighty band Their fierce and haughty squadrons wheeled, And swiftly fled the Frankish land;
And let Austerlitz's sun arise In glory, and break the war-cloud That long has enveloped the skies And blackened France like a shroud.
'Tis vain, the leaders of the past Will never lead your hosts again, Save as spirit, with electric flash, May thrill the souls of living men. January, 1871.
DANBY.
BY J. C. WILLIAMS, EDITOR OF THE "OTTER CREEK NEWS."
Danby is situated in the extreme southern part of Rutland County, lat. 43 deg. 21 min. long. 4 deg. 1 min .; bounded by Tinmouth, Wallingford, Mt. Tabor, Dorset and Pawlet. It contains 24,960 acres, being a little more than 6 miles square. The mountains upon the south, running east and west, form a natural southern boundary, but with this ex- ception, it seems there was no reference bad to natural bounds in surveying the town.
The surface of the town is greatly diversi- fied by hills and valleys. Danby Mountain, sometimes called "Spruce," runs north and south through the entire length of the town, and intersects at nearly right angles with what is familiarly called " Dorset Mountain," on the south: Another range of hills extend through the eastern half, thus dividing the town into three sections, designated as the east, west and middle. The Green Moun
tains lie upon the east, west of which is Otter Creek valley. A portion of this valley is en- closed within the limits of Danby. The eastern range of hills terminates upon the south, forming a pass. Otter Creek flows through a small portion of the town, in the north-east.
The town is well watered by numerous streams, the two principal of which are Mill River and Flower Brook. Mill River is formed by the junction of a large number of small streams, one of which rises in the extreme south-western part of the town. Mill River flows by an easterly course through the town, winding and twisting among the hills, until it empties into Otter Creek, in the town of Mt. Tabor. Flower Brook rises in the north-western part of the town, flows southerly for about one mile, then flows west- erly and empties into Pawlet River, in the town of Pawlet. Danby Pond is situated near the center of the town, and its outlet flows into Mill river.
Mill privileges are afforded on all these streams, which the early settlers found to be of great advantage. No town in the State is better watered. In every valley among the many hills of this town, may be found brooks and rivulets, and springs of unsurpassed purity, one or two of which are said to pos- sess medical qualities.
The surface of the town in its primitive state was clothed with a luxuriant growth of all the variety of forest trees found in this latitude.
SETTLEMENT.
In 1760, Jonathan Willard and 67 others, petitioned to Benning Wentworth, Gov. of New Hampshire, for a charter for two town- ships, each of 6 miles square. Sept. 21, 1760, the petitioners held a meeting at the house of Nathan Shepard, in Nine Partners, Dutch- ess Co., N. Y. The notice for this meeting was signed by Samuel Rose and Matthew Ford, two of the petitioners. At that meeting Jonathan Ormsby was appointed clerk and Samuel Rose, agent to go to Albany and get what information he could, relative to ob- - taining a grant for the townships above re- I ferred to, in the western part of the Province of New Hampshire. Capt. William Lamson of Albany, had been employed by the peti- tioners to procure this grant, the result of whose proceedings Rose was to learn, and re- port at their next meeting. Rose was to
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have 12 s. per day for his services, and find himself. The following copy of a receipt will show how much money was raised for that purpose :
"Nine Partners, N. Y., ) Sept. 24th, 1760.3
Then received of Jonathan Ormsby, the Fun of Three pounds Two shillings, toward defraying the charge of going to Albany, in order to get what information I can how far Capt. William Lamson has proceeded in get- ting a grant for two townships in New Hamp- shire. I say, rec'v'd by me,
SAMUEL ROSE."
The meeting was adjourned to Oct. 8, but at this adjourned meeting, nothing of impor- tance was done, and Samuel Rose did not make any report.
The next meeting of the petitioners was held at Nine Partners, Oct. 15, 1760, Law- rence Willsee, moderator. Jonathan Willard, agent to go to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and procure a charter. He was to have $3 on each right, with what had been paid to Capt. Lamson. From an account of money received at this meeting, we learn that £58, 6 p. was raised, with which Willard was to proceed to New Hampshire, and if possible obtain a charter for two townships, and make report to the petitioners as soon as practi- cable.
The charter for a township to be called Danby was obtained the following year, and bears date Aug. 27, 1761. The township of Pawlet was granted to this same Jonathan Willard and 67 others, Aug. 26, 1761, and the township of Harwick (now Mt. Tabor,) about the same time.
The charter for the township of Danby, is the general form of the New Hampshire Charter.
The names of the original grantees of the township are as follows :
Isaac Finch, William Barton, Gideon Ormsby, John Willard, Samuel Hunt, Jr., Eliakim Weller, Noah Gillett, Col. Ebenezer Kendall, Samuel Hunt, Nathan Weller, William Ken- nedy, Nathan Fellows, Lainson Sheah, John Edmunds, Daniel Ford, Richard Joslin, Wil- liam Shaw.
·
By the Charter 250 acres were called a share, and the proprietors were to have equal shares in making divisions. All these rights were fairly located, but the 500 acres for the Governor, fell upon the mountain in the south-western part of the town, which land still bears the name of "Governor's Right."
The provisions of the charter were all nul- I.fied by the war which followed a few years after the settlement of the town, but the grantees retained their rights, although but few of them settled here. They donated some of the land to actual settlers.
As the charter directed, the proprietors of the township of Danby, held their first meet- ing at the Great Nine Partners, Cromelbow Precinct, Dutchess Co., Sept. 22d, 1761, Jona- than Willard, moderator, agreeable to the charter; Jonathan Ormsby appointed pro- prietor's clerk. As this was the first meeting under the charter, we will give below a copy of the doings :
" Voted that Jonathan Ormsby be Clerk.
Samuel Shepard be Constable.
= = Mr. Aaron Buck be Treasurer.
= The first division of land be 100 acres to each right.
Mr. Jonathan Willard be 1st Committee.
Mr. Jonathan Ormsby be 2d Committee Mr. Samuel Rose be 3d Com.
= Mr. Nehimiah Reynolds be 4th Committee
.¢ Mr. Moses Kelly be 5th Com. Mr. Daniel Dunham be 6th Com. Mr. Stephen Videto be 7th Committee.
" That the above committee set out from home the third Monday in October next. in division of land, &c.
Jonathan Willard, Samuel Rose, Matthew Ford, Lawrence Willsee, Benjamin Paliner, order to proceed on said busines, and make James Baker, Jonathan Ormsby, Joseph Soper, William Willard, Joseph Marks, Dan- Voted that the first hundred acre division lots be laid out and seized by the surveyor and committee. iel Miller, Daniel Dunham, John Nelson, Aaron Buck, Asa Alger, Joseph Brown, John Sutherland, Jr., Joseph Brown, Jr., Thomas Voted that one dollar be paid by each proprietor to enable said committee to pro- ceed on their business and make division." Brown, Jeremiah Palmer, Benjamin Ham- mond, William Blunt, Israel Weller, Benja- min Finch, Noah Pettibone, Samuel Shepard, John Weller, David Weller, Nehemiah Ray- nolds, Jonathan Palmer, William T. Barton. Jr., John Partilow, Joseph Alger, Hugh Hall Wentworth, Samuel Alger, Jonathan Weller, Lucius Palmer, Ephraun Reynolds, John Downing, Capt. Jolin Chamberlin. Moses Kel- logg, Reuben Knapp, David Willoughby,
The above meeting was adjourned until Oct 8th, following, but for some reason, was adjourned to Jan. 12, 1762, at the house of Roswell Hopkins, Esq., Nine Partners. It was then voted that the proprietors pay to Jonathan Willard, $2 each, for obtaining the grant.
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578
The first annual meeting was held by the proprietors, at the house of Jonathan Rey- nolds, inn-holder at Nine Partners, 2d Tues- day of Mar., 1702. Samuel Shepard, moder- ator ; Jonathan Ormsby elected clerk for the year ensuing. The report of the committee showed that a part of the first division lots had been laid out, but the shares not distrib- uted. The number of committee was reduce i from seven to three at this meeting, who were to finish laying out the lots. Jonathan Ormsby, Samuel Rose and Lewis Barton were chosen assessors, to examine the accounts of the property. The proprietors had as yet made no attempt at settling the land, for no one knew where his share was to be located, and would not until after the surveys were completed. The first committee appointed had surveyed out the townships of Danby and Harwick, and seized them by virtue of the grant.
Sometime in April following, the proprie- tors again met, and voted to pay the com- mittee appointed to lay out the land, 11 s. per day. This committee was engaged during the summer of 1762, in making the surveys, and Oct. 5th, following, another meeting was held at the Inn of Lewis Delavargue, to hear a report of their proceedings. This report showed that the work was not wholly com- pleted, and would have to be delayed until another spring.
Meetings continued to be held at the house of Jonathan Reynolds, and others at Nine Partners, until the spring of 1763, when we find Apr. 12, the proprietors met and ap- pointed a new committee, consisting of Dari- us Lobdell, Aaron Buck, Jonathan Palmer and Zephaniah Buck, who were instructed to proceed at once and finish laying out the land.
The surveys in the first division were com- pleted during the summer of 1763, and each one numbered, being according to the char- ter 68 shares, which the proprietors had vot- ed to be 100 acres each, in the first division. The 68 town-lots, of the contents of one acre each for a "town-plot" had also been laid out and numberel. We have been una- ble to learn the exact locality of these " town lots," as the book containing a record of them was burned. B.it as neuir as can be ascer- tainel they were located east of Danby Four Corners, on the farms now owned by J. E Nichols and Howard Dillingham. According to the charter, the lots were to be laid out
as near the centre of the township as pos. sible.
The proprietors met at the house of Cant. Michael Hopkins, in Armenia Precinct, Duch- exs Co., Sept. 5, 1763, for the purpose of locat- ing or distributing their lots, by placing the numbers in a hat or box, in the usual man- ner, and then drawing. Abraham Finch and Daniel Shepard were appointed to draw for each proprietor's lot. The draught as drawn by Finch and Shepard is exactly the same as enterel in the Proprietor's book of records of land for the township of Danby. Thom- as Rowley was surveyor in the first division, who had been employed by the committee for that purpose. Each proprietor was to pay his share of the cost of surveying, or forfeit his right.
In the fall of 1763, or spring of '64, a road was laid out hom Bennington to Danby by Darius Lobdel and Samuel Rose, and the fol- lowing summer was worked some. Those who worked upon this road were to receive their pay in land. It was cut for a bridle-path merely, and is the same route now used for a highway, leading from Danby to West Dor- set across the mountain. This was the only road leading to the township for some time, and accounts for that part of the town being settled first. This road was also used by the early settlers in going to and from Ben- nington, which was then the nearest market, and to Manchester, the nearest place to mill.
The annual meeting, 21 Tuesday of Mar., 1734, was held in Armenia Precinct; the following officers electel: Samuel Rose, moderator; Jonathan Ormsby, clerk ; Joseph Haskins, treasurer ; Nehemiah Reynolils and Samuel Rose, assessors; Joseph Soper, con- stable No business of importance was transacted at this meeting with the exception of settling up the affairs of the property. The proprietors agreed to donate land from the undivided portion of the township, to the person or persons who would make the first settlement. As yet no clearing had been made, and no attempts were made at settling until the following year.
The oldest deed on record in this town, bears date Feb. 21, 1703, given by John Howard to Benjamin Corey, viz.
" To all people to whom these Presents shall come Greeting : Know ye that I John Howard of Armema Precinct, in Duchess County, and province of N. Y., for and in consideration of the sum of Twenty Pounds
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DANBY.
Current money of New York, to me in hand before the ensealing and Delivery of these Presents, well and truly paid to my full satis- faction By Benjamin Corey of Armenia Pre- cinct afores tid, have therefore Bargained, sold, set over, given, granted, alienated, en- fcoffed, conveyed and confirmed, and by these Presents, Do Bargain, sell, set over, give, grant, alien, enfeoti, convey and con- firm and forever Quit Claim unto the said Benjamin Corey, his heirs and assigns, all my Right, Title, Interest, claim and profit that I have in two Townships, Lately grant- ed to a Number of Petitioners by the Gover- nor and Council of the Province of N. H., the one named Danby and the other Harwick, in said Province of N. H., and Lying on Otter Creek (that is to sav) one equal sixty- eighth Part of each of the said Townships, which are each six miles square, the Part in each township hereby Intended to be grant- ed, is one whole share or Right amongst the first Proprietors of said Township.
To have and to hold the said Two Rights or Shares in said Townships, with all the Privileges, commodities and Appurtenan- cies to the same belonging or in anywise Appurtaining unto him the said Benjamin Corey, his Heirs, Executors, and Administra- tors and Assigns forever, as a good Indefeasible Estate in Feesimple, and that the same is free from all incumbrances whatsoever, and that I the said John Howard have in my- self good Right and full power and Lawful Authority to sell and Dispose of the same in manner and form as above written. Fur- thermore I the said John Howard Do hereby covenant and grant to and with him the said Benj. Corey his Heirs, Executors, Adms. and assigns, shall and will forever warrant and Defend by these Presents from the Lawful claims and Demands of any Person or Per- sons whatsoever.
1
In witness Whereof, I the said John How- ard have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-first Day of Feb., Anno Domini, One thousand seven Hundred, sixty-three, and in the third year of his Majesty's Reign.
JOHN HOWARD. [seal.] Signed, Sealed and delivered In presence of us
ROSWELL HOPKINS, JOSHUA DICKENSON.
Dutchess County, s.s. ! Be it remembered that on the 21 Feb., 1763, Then came John Howard Personally who was the signer and sealer and granter of the within Deed of sale, Before me Roswell Hopkins one of his Majesty's Justice of the Peace for said County, Assyned and acknowledged the same to be his free and voluntary act and deed and I having perused the same and find no material Rasures or Inter'inations, allows the same to be put on Record in one or both of Town Books of Records for the town of Danby and Harwich.
ROSWELL HOPKINS, Justice of the Peace."
The next oldest deed bears record May 29 1764. The original right (100 acres) of Jo- seph Algur, deeded by his son to Jeremiah French.
In the summer of 1765, the first settlement of Danby took place. The pioneer settlers were Joseph Soper, Joseph Earl, Crispin Bull, Luthier Colvin and Micah Vail. It is quite certain no clearing had been made previous to that time.
Joseph Soper, who had previously visited the town with a view to settlement, came first, with his family, from Nine Partners, N. Y., and pitched on the farm now owned by James Stone. He found his way here by marked trees, bringing his effects upon the back of his horse. He soon made a clearing and built a log cabin, just south of where the woolen factory was built. It is now over a century since that log cabin was built. It
stood there as we are told, until about the year IS00, and although every trace has dis- appeared, yet the spot where the first house stood, is still looked upon with much interest.
Joseph Earl came next from Nine Part- ners, and commenced a clearing west of Soper, near the present residence of John Hilliard. As near as can be learned, Earl did not locate permanently until the follow- ing year, when he erected a log cabin, and was joined by his family.
Crispin Bull settled on the farm formerly owned by Alphonso Hilliard. He after- wards made the first clearing in the east part of the town, and built a cabin just south of where the school-house stands. Luther Col- vin and Micah Vail both came about the same time from Rhode Island. Colvin pitched on the farm now owned and occupied by L. R. Fisk, and Vail first settled on the farm owned by A. B. Herrick, south of the Cor- ners. The cabins of these first settlers were somewhat rude in appearance, logs hewn only on the inside, and pointed with mud, roofed with bark, having but one door and window, and enclosing only a single room ; boards for the floor hewn from logs.
These five families constituted the entire population in the spring of 1766. Those men had brought their families and effects with them, together with horses and oxen. They did not settle very near each other, but upon the undivided portion of the township, of which a certain number of acres were do- nated to them as first settlers. It is due to
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those and other pioneers of this town, to say that they were equal to the task before them; being energetic men, of athletic frames and rugged constitutions, they faced the dangers and hardships of a settlement in the wilder- ness, and gained for themselves a home. If it were possible, we would give a complete history of the pioneers separately, but we are unable to learn at the present time much concerning them. We shall, however, relate all that has been learned of them.
Soper, Joseph-see biography.
Joseph Earl, Crispin Bull, Luther Colvin and Micah Vail were all active and useful men.
There is no record of any meeting being held by the proprietors in 1765, and, if any was held the record is lost. The next meet- ing of the proprietors of which we have any account, was held at the house of Enos North- rup, in Charlotte Precinct, Feb. 27, 1766. The territory in this State west of Green Mountains, was then included in this pre- cinct, and a county by the name of Charlotte was constituted in 1772, by the government of N. Y., which then claimed jurisdiction over the New Hampshire Grants. The northern boundery of Arlington and Sunder- land was the southern boundery of the coun- ty of Charlotte. The house of Enos North- rup was situated in the southern part of that county, or in the northern part of what is now Bennington County.
Capt. Michael Haskins was moderator of that meeting, and it was voted that 60 acres in a square form, of the undivided land at the "mill place " be given to the person or per- sons, who would erect a grist and saw-mill there. This "mill-place" refers to the same spot where the first mill was afterwards built, on the west side of the stream, opposite the mill now owned by Nelson Kelly. No one availed themselves of this offer until a number of years afterwards.
The annual meeting of 1766, was held in Armenia Precinct, Mar. 27-Samuel Rose, moderator. The doings of this meeting are not of much importance. It was voted not to make another division of land at present, and sufficient land was to be left for a road between the township of Danby and Har- wick. It was also votel to give Samuel Rose all the land between No. 65 and the Harwick line, for his past services, which included nearly one whole share of 100 acres.
Among the settlers who came in the spring of 1767, were Timothy Bull, Stephen Calkins, Seth Cook, Nathan Weller and Peter Irish, each of whom erected a log-cabin, and com- menced felling the forest. They brought their families with them, together with cattle and swine. Timothy Bull settled near his son Crispin, in the south part of the town. Calkins settled where William Herrick now lives, and afterwards built a grist and saw- mill where Nelson Kelly now lives. Cook settled south of the Corners. on what has : since been known as the "Cook farm." Weller located himself a little north of the residence of William Otis, since known as the "Weller farm." Peter Irish pitched on the farm now owned by Nelson Colvin. These settlers by most dilligent toil, in which all the members of the families bore their part, soon had sufficient clearing to raise grain and potatoes enough to keep them from fear of actual want. As not much hay was rais- ed for several years, it was rather difficult to provide for the cows during the winter. But with a scanty supply of hay, and the help of browse which was plenty, they were comfort- ably wintered.
The proprietors held two meetings in 1768, one Mar. 8th, at the house of Samuel Smith, and the other Apr. Ist, at the house of Joseph Mabbits, in Armenia Precinct. Samuel Rose, moderator. After this, meetings were held in the township, which was being settled quite rapidly. Settlements now began to be male in the north and west part of the town, and in the fall of 1763, several had located themselves along Otter Creek. There were quite a number came to settle during 1768, among whom were Thomas Rowley, John Stafford, Jesse Irish, Daniel Vanolendo, Nathaniel Fisk and Joseph Sprague. There were at that time some 20 families in town -population about 60.
In the divisions of land, there seems to have been a regular system of surveys. Some of the settlers had located upon the undi- vided land, while others settled upon the rights purchased of the proprietors. The circumstances attending the proprietorship of the town, hal given rise to a class called "land jobbers," and speculators, who now began to purchase the land of the original grantees, and in many cases pail but a nom- inal sum. Actual settlers were often obliged to pay these speculators a heavy price, which
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was for a time some hindrance to the settle- ment of the town. The price was known to range as high as $ 15 or $ 20 per acre. This state of affairs, taken in connection with the troubles with New York, rendered the prog- ress of settlement slow for a number of years.
At this period, the troubles between New Hampshire and New York, were beginning to be embarrassing to the settlers.
ORGANIZATION.
The first annual town meeting was held Mar. 14, 1769, at the house of Mr. Timothy Bull, who then lived near the present resi- dence of Ezra Harrington,-Timothy Bull, moderator, Thomas Rowley, town clerk; Stephen Calkins, Seth Cook and Crispin Bull, selectmen ; Daniel Vanolendo, constable ; Nathan Weller, treasurer ; Peter Irish, col- lector ; John Stafford, surveyor ; Joseph Earl, Stephen Calkins and Seth Cook, com- mittee to lay out highways.
A town meeting was held Sept. 29, 1769, to see where it was best to lay out highways Voted to lay out 5 roads. The first as mark- ed from the notch in the mountain to Joseph Earl's which was the first road built in town; thence to be laid to Micah Vail's ; a road also to run from Micah Vail's house north, and one to run east. Another was laid out from the house of Jesse Irish to the house of Nathaniel Fisk. Irish then lived in the northern part of the town and Fisk in the eastern.
In 1769, the proprietors made a 21 60-acre division of land, laid out by Thomas Rowley Stephen Calkın and Crispin Bull, appointed a committee a committee for that purpose .- Two lots were laid out and dispose l of, to pay the expense of making this division. Another lot of 60 acres was disposed of for building and mending roads. Stephen Cal kins was appointed a committee to tave charge of the proceeds, after disposing of the land, and use them to the best advantage for that purpose.
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