USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 6
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The settlement of towns, in a wilderness region as extensive as was that of Vermont, is influenced in some measure by laws similar to those which govern contagious diseases. The proximity of neighbors, and distance to other settlements, are weighty considerations with him who seeks a home where " the war- whoop of the savage might wake the sleep of the cradle," and where great care and vigi- lence would be necessary to guard his little flock from destruction by the wild beasts of the forest. Hence, we see that the settlement of towns in this State, especially on the west side of the Green Mountains, which com- menced at the southern extremity of the State, progressed northward from town to town, with considerable regulanty in the or- der of time. A similar order of time is no- ticed, too, in the issuing of patents, with t .: e exception of the town of Bennington, which was chartered in 1749; when there was an interval of 12 years before any town north. of it received a patent.
It was during this interval that the French war broke out (1755) which extended in its operations from Canada to the adjoining col- onies of New England, New York, and Pennsylvania, and which was finally termin- ated by the great battle fought on the plains of Abraham. near Quebec, Sept. 13, 1760, in which the British arms were victo- rious. The French, disheartened by their losses, were thrown into great confusion ; and on the 18th of September the remainder of the troops and the city of Quebec were surrendered into the hands of the English." General Amherst, who had previously taken Ticonderoga and Crown Point, arrived be- fore Montreal, Sept. 8. 1700, " which place with the whole province of Canada was surrendered to the British."
This event at once awakened attention to
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the territory of Vermont, the adjoining prov- ince of which had been transformed from a hostile to a friendly neighbor. Applications for charters of towns were now made in rapid succession to Benning Wentworth, the Colonial governor of New Hampshire, who was disposed to grant them on the most lib- eral terms, so that the principal towns in the Counties of Bennington, (excepting the town of Bennington,) Rutland and Addison, were chartered in 1761. In most of these towns there was aninterval, however, of sev- eral years between the time the patents were granted and the commencement of settle- ments. By the terms of the charters an ear of Indian corn was required to be paid annu- ally by the grantees of each town until De- cember, 1772; after which, one shilling proc- lamation money was to be paid annually for each 100 acres.
In 10 towns of Rutland County whose charters were granted between the 26th of Angust and the 20th of Oct., 1761, settlements were commenced at the following periods :
Pawlet, 1761; Danby, 1765; Clarendon and Rutland, 1768 ; Castleton and Pittsford, 1769; Tinmouth. 1770; Poultney and Wells, 1771 ; Brandon, 1772.
In this progression of settlements, Bran- don, it is seen, was the last in the order of time compared with the towns south of it, whose charters were obtained as early, or during the same year.
The settlements north were, with very few exceptions, all commenced at a later period. Col. John Chipman made a " pitch" in the town of Middlebury as early as 1766; but left soon after, and did not return until the Spring of 1773, when he with Judge Painter, Benjamin Smalley and a few other families, commenced the first settlement, intended to be permanent, in that town. " But they, with others who came before the Revolutionary war, all left immediately after its commence- ment, and did not return until it was over.
While the women and children, however, were thus compelled to abandon their new Lomes, and return for a season, from whence they came, the men generally joined the de- fenders of their country, substituting, for a time, the weapons of war for the implements of husbandry.
Brandon remained the frontier town on the north, where the settlement was not bro. ken up by the war. In a few instances men
took their families to a neighboring town, or vicinity less exposed, to remain during the coufinement of their wives. The record of . births in the town, however, shows that there was no breaking up of the settlement by the war, these births having occurred at various periods of its duration.
"Pitching," before purchasing, was the common practice for several years. Indeed the purchase money, or consideration, was at that early day of such small account as to deter no one from coming into the town to settle, who had made up his mind to seek a home in the wilderness. Besides, the pur- chase of a proprietor's right, or any number of acres on such right, gave to the purchaser no advantage over any one else who had not purchased, of selecting any particular lot, un- til surveys were authorized to be made, which was not until September, 1774. It was the policy of the proprietors however to encour- age settlements by the most liberal means, for at their meeting, when they first " voted to lay out 110 acres for a first division lot," they also voted, that " each man shall hold his lot by pitching until he can have oppor- tunity to survey it." A committee was ap- pointed at this time, with "full power to em- ploy a surveyor, &c.," and who were directed "to begin on the business by the first Monday of September next," to which time the meet- ing was adjourned " to the house of Nathan Daniels, in Neshobe." That meeting was held at Williamstown, Mass., June 15, 1774, and was the first meeting held by the pro- prietor's when any action was had in rela- tion to surveys.
Although many pitches were made before title could be obtained to any particular tract or lot, the settlers had no fears of being ousted or disturbed in their possessions as the whole town was open to new comers. with the exception of a few spots here and there, which were indicated by the smoke is- suing from log-houses or the burning of & fallow of " new land "
Of the original proprietors, two only cam9 into the town to restde, Josiah and Benja- min Powers, both of whom died before the close of the Revolutionary war.
The first tree felled in this town, with g view to settlement, was in the month of Oc- tober, 1772, when Amos Cutler, then a . ingis man, came from Hampton, Ct., made an opening, and built a cabin, which he occu-
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pied alone during the following winter. It is doubtless true, as stated by himself and others, that he was the first white man that ever passed a winter in this town. April 5. 1773, John Ambler and David June, his son in-law, came into the town from Stamford, Ct., and made their pitch jointly, south of and adjoining Mr. Cutler, and extending, as it was afterwards surveyed, to near the north line of Pittsfield.
In the next class of settlers are included those who came here previous to, or during the Revolutionary war ; who are named in the order of time, as near as could be ascer- tained, at which they came. These were Josiah Powers, Eliska Strong, Thomas Tut- tle, Joseph Barker, John Mott, George and Aaron Robins, Benjamin Powers, Jonathan Ferris, Joshua Goss, and Samnel Kelsey. All but the last two are supposed to have been here before the commencement of the war.
In Thompson's History of Vermont, an error occurs, under tho head of Brandon, where it is stated that the settlement of this town was commenced in 1775; whereas we have in addition to much record testi- mony, two living witnesses, to prove the cor- rectness of the earlier period above men- tioned, Dea. Ashael June, and Stephen June, his brother. The former was brought into town by his parents in November, 1773, his father having returned to Connecticut at that time for the purpose of removing his family. The other was born here, Sept. 11, 1774, and both have resided here since that time. See biographies elsewhere.
"Pitching," as we have said, was the uni- form practice with the primitive settlers of selecting the lots which they designed for their future homesteads. For example, Mr. Cutler who made his pitch in October, 1772, did not purchase till June, 1774, when he bought the original right of Stephen Brown. In September after, he had his first division surveyed with which he covered his pitch, and soon after a second division, adjoining the first, thus bringing together 220 acres.
Such then was the mode in which these pioneer settlers and those who came to town at later periods selected their homesteads. When and where the original settlers on the principal farmas in town commenced, will be been under the head of personal notices.
Several settlements having been thus com-
menced before any action of the proprietors providing for surveys, it was thought prop- er to notice them in their order, before intro- ducing the proceedings of the proprietors the first meeting of which, (except the one to or- ganize, required by the charter, of which no record is to be found.) was held at Williams- town, Mass., the proceedings of which, with those of subsequent meetings, we copy from their records.
PROPRIETORS' MEETINGS.
By a provision in the charter, Capt. Josiah Powers was to give notice to the proprietors, of the first meeting for the choice of officers, which was to be holden on the last Tuesday of November, then next, of which meeting be was to be the moderator.
The next meeting of the proprietors, so far as the record shows, was not holden until 1774, and then in accordance with the follow- ing notice :
" According to a legal warning published in the Boston Gazette, to warn the proprietors of the township of Neshobe, on Otter Creek, to meet at the house of Benjamin Simonds, in Williamstown. (Mass.) on the 15th day of June, 1774, at one of the o'clock, afternoon. Met, according to warning and opened sd. meeting.
1. Chose Elisha Strong, Moderator, and Abraham Hard. P. Clerk.
2. Voted to run out the town lines, map the corners, and scale the Creek.
3. Voted to lay out the town plat and acre lots near the centre of the town, to ac- commodate.
4. Voted to lay out 110 acres, for a first division lot, the 10 acres, as a reserve for highways, if needed, through said lots. Each man shall. hold his lot by pitching, until he can have opportunity to survey it.
5. Voted that a Committee be chosen to lay out sd. town and lands. Doct. Benja- min Powers, Thomas Tuttle. Isaac Davis, Gideon Wheeler, and Robert Muzzy, chosen said committee, with full power to procure a surveyor to run out the town lines and the plat of acre lots.
6. Voted that the committee shall go into the town of Neshobe, and begin on the busi- ness of laying out the sd. lands, by the first monday.of Sept. next.
7. Voted that all the Mill places on Neshobe river that runs into the Creek, shall be reserved for the public use and ben- efit of said town, with a small quanity of land to accommodate each mill-place, ani that a committee, to be chosen by the pro- prietors, shall have power to dispose of the inill places.
Voted to adjourn this meeting to the first monday in Sept. next to the house of Na- han Daniels in Neshobe." " Attest, ABRA- HAM HARD, Proprietors' Clerk."
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The next meeting was the first the propri- eters ever held in Neshobe, and was in accord- ance with the adjournment of the last, Sep- temuber, (first Wednesday,) 1774.
"1. Met according to adjournment, and opened sd. meeting at the time and place.
Voted to chose an addition to the com- mittee for laying out sd. lands, &c. Amos Stone, John Wheelan, Noah Strong, and Ben- jamin Powers, Jr., were chosen.
Voted to raise 23 pounds, L. M. on D'ir proprietors lands, to be by assessment on . each right.
3. Chose Obadiah Wells to collect sd. tax.
4. Voted to lay out 110 acres for a 2.1. divi- rion, 10 acres for highways if needed through sarl lots, if the proprietors shall allow it af- ter this date. Said lots to be laid out in the same manner as the first.
5, Voted to lay out the 2d. Div., by pitches, and to begin on the first day of No- vember next after date, Sept. 6th day, 1774.
6. Voted that Elisha Strong, and Roger Stevens, are to have the privilege of the lowmust falls on Neshobe river, to build a saw. mill and grist-mill on; the saw-mill to go by the first of January next, and the grist- inill to be built within two years from this date ; and if accomplished within two years, they are to have the privilege given to them; but if the said Strong and Stephens do not complete and finish their mills within said time, they are not entitled to said vote."
This meeting is adjourned to the first mon- day in November next, at one of the O'clock in the afternoon, at the house of Nathan Daniels, in Neshobe.
Attest, ABRAHAM HARD, P. Clerk.",
"September 6. 1774. Then run for the town Plat in Neshobe. From the center of the town, run west, 60ยบ, North, 100 rods Thence north, 40 west, 100 rods-thence west, 12 south, 6 rods, to the center of the flat-thence south, $2 rods-theuce east, 42 rode, to a beach staddle to begin at, being the south-east corner-thence west, 81 rods, to a small beach-thence north, 164 rods, to a beach staddle-thence east, 84 rods, to a slake-thence south to first bounds began at, bring a beach staddle. Four rods through the middle, north and south, east and west, luid for a highway.
THOMAS BALDWIN, Surveyor."
The next meeting of the proprietors, of which there is any record, was held in ac- cordance with the following notice :
" Whereas application has been made to me by more than one sixth part of the pro- prietors of Neshobe, in the County of Rutland, and state of Vermont, to warn a meeting of the proprietors, these are, therefore, to notify +d. proprietors that they meet at the dwelling house of Cant. William Gage, in Danby, on wednesday, the 7th day of June, 1750, at 10 of the o'clock in the morning. Then and there to act on the following articles, viz.
1. Choose a Moderator to govern said Ceeting.
2. Choose a Proprietors Clerk.
3. See if the Proprietors will lay a tax to defray the expenses of laying out said town lines and acre lots, and other necessary charges that have already arose.
4. Lay out the 3d. Div. to each proprie- tor's right, and transact any other business thought proper on said day.
Bennington, Feb. 5th day, 1780. JONAS FAY, Assistant.
Test, SILAS WHITNEY, Pr. Clerk"
" Met according to the warning, on wednes- day the 7th day of June, 1730, at the house of William Gage, in Danby ; meeting opened and proceeded to business according to law.
1. Chose Gideon Horton, Moderator, to govern said meeting, and Silas Whitney, Clerk.
Voted to adjourn to wednesday the 4th day of Oct. next, at nine o'clock, A. M. to this place.
SILAS WHITNEY, Clerk."
"October 4th, 1780. Met according to adjournment. .
1. Voted to lay out the 3d Division, ac- cording to the method of the 2d Division.
2. Voted to appoint a Committee of three to make a plan of the town.
Thomas Tuttle, Noah Strong, and Nathan- iel Sheldon, were appointed sd. Committee.
3. Voted to raise a tax of three dollars on each proprietor's right, to defray charges of laying out said town. Chose John Mott, Nathaniel Sheldon, and Thomas Tuttle, to make the assessment of said tax.
4. Voted that Nathan Daniels be the Col- lector of sd. tax.
5. Voted to choose a Committee of three, to take care of the mill-places in Neshobe, where Roger Stevens partly built mills, and dispose of the privilege. with five acres of land around the falls where Roger Stevens set a sawmill, to some person who shall un- dertake to build the m.Ils.
Gideon Horton, Thomas Tuttle, and Na- than Daniels, were appointed sd. committee.
Voted to adjourn to the first Wednesity in June next, at nine o'clock in the morning, at this place.
SILAS WHITNEY, P. Clerk."
" Met according to adjournment.
Chose John Mott, Moderator.
Adjourned to the first wednesday in Sep- tember, 1781, to the house of Capt. Burt, in Danby, at 10 o'clock, A. M.
SILAS WHITNEY, P. Clerk."
" Met at the time and place, the Erst wednesday of September, 1781-opened the meeting and made choice of Thomas Tuttle, Moderator for the day.
1. Voted that two of the former Commit- tee shall be etapowered to sign the of I s .:- vey bills that are brought to their satisfaction from Thomas Baldwin's hand-writing. by the proprietors of said town of Neshobe.
Voted that the 3d Div. lots be laid out as they shall fall by draft, and to commence the first monday in April, 1782, and to be
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two pitches a day, until they are all got through.
3. Voted that this meeting be adjourned to the last thursday of March next, at 10 o'clock in the morning, to the house of Solo- mon Bingham, in finmouth. .
S. WHITNEY, P. Clerk."
As some of the proceedings of the propri- etors were afterwards revoked, they are here omitted.
"Tinmouth, March, (last thursday,) 1782. Met according to adjournment, and chose Thomas Tuttle, Moderator, and Nathaniel Sheldon, Clerk Pro tem.
Adjourned to the first wednesday of Octo- ber next, to the house of Elihu Smith, in Clarendon, to 10 o'clock, A. M."
" Met at the time and place, according to adjournment, Gideon Horton, chosen Mod- erator.
1. Voted to appoint a Committee of three to settle the accounts of the proprietors with the treasury of the three dollar tax. Gideon Horton, David June, and Silas Whitney, ap- pointed sd. committee
2. Voted that nine pounds be worked out from Pittsford line to the Mills in Neshobe, and that Nathaniel Sheldon be the man to see that the work be done, for which he is to have four shillings and six pence a day, for work on the sd. road.
2. Voted that Gideon Horton, David June, and Nath'l sheldon, be a committee to carry the chain to lay out lands.
3. Voted that no Surveyors shall survey or lay out land in Neshobe before they are sworn to a faithful discharge of their duties, and that no Committee or chainmen shall carry the chain before they are sworn.
Adjourned to the last Wednesday in Feb- ruary next, at ten o'clock, A. M., to this place. SILAS WHITNEY, Clerk."
" Met according to adjournment. Chose Thomas Tuttle, Moderator.
1. Voted to reconsider the vote laying out 30 acres, and to lay out 50 acres for a third division, and five acres allowance for high ways.
2. Voted to begin the pitches the 2d mon- day in March, 1783, and make two in a day, and that Thomas Tuttle, jr., receive the pitches and return them to the Clerk.
Adjourned to the Ist wednesday in June. 1783, to the house of Widow Spencer, in Rut- land, at 10 o'clock in the morning.
SILAS WHITNEY P. Clerk."
(Widow Spencer's house was kept as a tavern, and situated near the foot of Suther- land's Falls, on the east side, near the south line of Pittsford, on the old road to "Tie.")
"Met according to adjournment, at the time and place.
1. Voted to choose Capt. Tuttle, Nathan Daniels, and Noah Strong, as a committee to lay out the after drafts of the public rights.
2. Voted that the body of pine timber
be reserved for the view of the proprietors. John Mott was appointed a committee to carry the chain to lay out lan.i. John Suth- erland chosen proprietors' Clerk.
Adjourned to first wednesday in Nov. 1783, to the house of John Sutherland, in Neshobe, at the mills, at 12 o'clock at noon. SILAS WHITNEY, Pr. Clerk."
" November 5, 1783.
Met, according to adjournment, at the house of John Sutherland, in Neshobe, and opened the meeting.
1. Chose Gideon Horton, Moderator.
2. Voted that the 50 acre pitches stand good till the next meeting.
3. Voted that David June, Nathan Dan- iels, John Sutherland, Capt. Tuttle and Noah Strong be a committee to lay ont the high- ways from Pittsford line to the Mills-thence to Capt. Tuttle's house, thence to the creek- 4 rods wide. Then from Pittsford line on the creek, 2 rods wide to Sudbury line. Then from Pittsford line to Noah Strong's and Leicester line, 4 rods wide. Then on the west side of the creek, from Pittsford line to Sudbury line, 4 rods wide.
4. Voted that 3s. 6d. per day be paid for what work is done on the road from this time to the first day of April next, and from that time till the next meeting, 5s. per day.
5. Voted that John Mott, Noah Strong, and Ephraim Strong, be a committee to take account of work done on the road, and make return, &c.
6. Voted that a tax of 5 dollars be laid on each right for making highways through the town of Neshobe. John Mott was ap- pointed Collector.
7. Voted that the former committee make out this tax-bill, and that Gideon Horton be the treasurer of sd. tax.
8. Voted that 5 acres of the third divi- sion of the school right be laid ont on and around the largest falls above the mill falls.
Adjourned to the first Wednesday of Octo- ber, 1784, to this place, at 10 o'clock. A. M.
JOHN SUTHERLAND, P. Clerk."
October, 1781.
Met, according to adjournment, and made choice of
1. Thomas Tuttle, Moderator, and Gideon Horton, Pr. Clerk.
Test, John Sutherland, Pr. Clerk.
2. Voted to accept of three high ways through the town-that by Noah Strong's, through the east part of the town-the mid- dle road by David June's to the mills and creek, west road by Ephraim Strong's, in the west part of the town.
3. Voted to excuse John Mott from col- lecting the five dollar tax, and chose Nathan Daniels in his stead.
Adjourned to the 5th day of Jan., 1785. at 1 o'clock, P. M., to the house of Lorin Larkin." (Larkin now resides at the mills, which he purchased of John Sutherland.) "January 5, 1785.
Met, and the meeting opened.
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Voted that the acre lots be drawn for and recorded. Finding that the Records of the proprietors were destroyed when the town was burnt by the enemy. therefore, to save cost of laying the town and lots over again. it is now Voted that Thomas Baldwin's Field-Book, shall be well examined and drawn off into survey bills, and such survey billy as the proprietors' Clerk and two of the committee shall attest and sign, are to be ac- cupted as good surveys, and no surveys shall be accepted from Baldwin's Field- Book, ex- cept such as are signed by Baldwin, or the proprietors' Clerk and two of the committee. Voted that Thomas Tuttle, Noah Strong, and Nathan Daniels be the committee to sign the survey bills from Baldwin's Field-Book .. when they are examined.
Voted that all surveys by a sworn survey. or, and signed by two of the committee, shall be accepted by the proprietors.
Voted that the 50 acre pitches stand good until the next meeting, and that the propri- etors' Clerk receive the pitches.
Voted that Jedediah Winslow, Nathan Daniels and Nath'I Sheldon, be the commit- tee to receive and examine the accounts for work done on the highway, and deliver them to the Treasurer of the five dollar tax.
Voted that this meeting be adjourned to the first wednesday in April next, at 9 o'clock in the morning, to the house of Lorin Larkin. GIDEON HORTON, Pr. Clerk'
Although the proprietors continued to hold their meetings for many years, as their busi- nese after the organization of the town re- lated solely to their. private interests as land owners, it is not deemed worth the while to copy farther from their records, excepting ex- tracts from two of their meetings at which they made the final divisions on their rights, as follows :
" Nov 1, 1786.
Voted to lay out 25 acres on each right, for a 4th division."
"GIDEON HORTON. P. Clerk." " December, 1794, first Wednesday.
Voted to lay out 20 acres on each proprie. tor's right, for a 5th division."
"GIDEON HORTON, P. Clerk.'
ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN.
The organization, by the choice of the nec- essary officers, took place Oct 7. 1784. The law then in force required that such proceed. inge should take place at the time of the an. qual town meeting. which was then, as now. in the month of March, but the legislature. then about to meet at Rutland. soon after confirmed their doings by a special Act, the preamble of which sufficiently explains the reason of its passage, and the origin from winch the town derived its name.
" Ax Acr to establish the doings of a cer- tain town meeting in the town of Neshobe, and to alter the name of the said town of Neshobe.
Whereas, the inhabitants of the town of Neshobe, in the month of March last, were not sufficient in number to organize them- selves as a town and choose town officers, as the law directs, but upon the increasing of the number of said inhabitants, they did, on the 7th day of October instant, meet and choose town officers: And whereas, the in- habitants of said town have requested that the name of said town of Neshobe be altered to that of Brandon; Therefore,
Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted by the representatives of the treemen of the State of Vermont, in General Assembly met, and by the authority of the same, that such proceedings in the choice of town officers, and other acts as were had by the inhabi- tants of the town of Neshobe, on the 7th day of this instant October, 1784, which would have been valid and according to law had they been had and done in the month of March, as the law directs, be, and they are hereby established and confirmed as legal and authentic as though the same had been had and done in the said month of March, and that the said town of Neshobe shall be ever hereafter called and known by the name of Brandon
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