USA > Vermont > Rutland County > The history of Rutland county, Vermont; civil, ecclesiastical, biographical and military, pt 1 > Part 65
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I am not aware that the titles to land obtain- ed from the Allens were ever challenged, but most other titles failed. The town generally, for many a year, was annoyed by the presence of land claimants or their agents, and embar- rassed by lawsuits, etc., as described above. Frequeut resorts to the town and proprietors' records were made, until, finally, it was report- ed that they were stolen .. A vigorous search was made for them, but I believe they were never found, or at least not for many years. Those lots on which improvements had been made for a term less than 15 years, had better- ments assessed, generally very high, which some of the settlers preferred taking to that of buying the land the second time, which were left to the claimant or his agent. A case like this happened, when a man by the name of David Hoge took possession of a farm so given up. He was an Irishnaaa, and naturally a smart mian. but given to intemperance, very dogmat- ical and overbearing, disagreeable in Ins man- ners, and obnoxious to the people. Another
come an inhabitant of the town; he was friend- ly to the settlers and espoused their cause, and was often employed by them in their defense. He was a great hunter, and not only aided in the defense of their lands, but destroyed depredators on their other property. In those days there where frequent gatherings of men for sociality, and friendly exchange of views and sentiments. Those meetings were generally conducted in a spirit of harmony and kind brotherly feelings, closed and separated with a feeling of love. un- ion and esteem. But when General Hogy (as he was called) was present, the harmony of the meeting was apt to be somewhat marred by bis overbearing deportment, and the parting was not so very pleasant. At one of these meetings, he being somewhat excited with the " ardent," uttered some expressions which raised the ire of Squire Whelpley, who, in au unguarded mo- ment, entered into a contest of fisticuff, which was the occasion of the following effusion of some brain, which found a place in the Rutland Herald of those days :
LINES ON A CONTEST BETWIXT WHELP AND HOG.
A whelp and hog that rang'd the wood
In quest of prey and shack for food, Soon entered into warm contest
To prove whose title was the best.
Each claimed the prior right his fee,
For hog and whelp seldom agree, Meeting with swinish, dogish zeal,
Began to growl and grunt and squeal.
Says hog " You have my shack devoured."
Says whelp " 'Tis false, and you 're a coward, You scared my game, and made it shy." Says hog " You tell a cursed lie."
Then whelp, like a presumptuous dog, Made sudden thrust upon the hog; But as he miss'd to grab the ear, Ile made a plunge among the hair.
Then Hogg, as hogs are wont to do,
Turu'd wrathintly upon his foe, With snont and tusk, and frightful squeal, Whelp tell with a terrific yell!
And then such snarling, growling, squealing,
Grunting, gnashing, frothing, squealing ;
"Iwas most terrific and astounding, The stoutest hearts and nerves confounding 1
The hog, no doubt, would kill'd the whelp, Hlad not some eurs come to his help, And, pulling by the tail and ears, Relieved poor whelp from many fears.
The whe Ip then rose with piteous yelling, The hog a-grunting, cham ping, squealing, Were sent, each one, off in a hurry, And thus broke up the row and flurry.
The whelp went growling to his lair; The hog did to his sty repair ;
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There each to whine and squeal it out, . And muse on what they 'd been about.
The whelp had been an honor'd dog, Much more than ever was the hog, In killing deer, and wolf and bear, And taking them into his lair.
The hog had done the town much harm, Hlad rooted one man from his farin, And took his house for him a sty, Where he, with all his gruntlings, lie.
A whelp, you know, may run at large, Of house and fold may take the charge ; Are watching while their masters sleep, Tho' sometimes he may take a sheep.
But hogs, you know, should be confined ; To mischief they are much inclined ; If loose, unto the pound they bring 'em, Unless their masters yoke and ring 'em.
The embarrassments, losses and distress of the first settlers, and this confusion of claims, were occasioned by the original proprietors selling out and quitting their claim to oth- ers, all their right and title to lands in the town, more or less, without specifying the quantity, -the buyers making their estimation upon the charter limits, 6 miles square. The town falling short in its dimensions, and the speculators sell- ing by the quantity, and not very nice as to that the lands in the whole town might be sold two or three times over; the first sales be- ing recorded in the records in New Hampshire, the others in that of the town, some lost, and none very intelligible. The prior sales were sought for among all this confusion, and the de- cisions of the courts were made up upon these principles, according to the best light which they could obtain. For many years those who settled in the town were harrassed and distress- ed by ejectments and lawsuits; no man would buy a farm in town without a warrantve deed, and no one had confidence enough in his title to give one ; so that the settlement of the town was much retarded. These times continued until Judge Harrington came to the beneh. He was a friend to the settlers. His sentiment was that the earthi was made for the use of man ; that cach man had a natural and just right to all that he could use and needed for his use and comfort, and no more; that any man had a just and natural right to all that he, by his exertions and labor, made a piece of land more valuable and productive, it was his. And tak- ing into consideration the fatigues, deprivations and expense of getting on to their lands, mak- ing a beginning, and getting it in a way that they miglit obtain a support from it, together with the money they had paid, with its use,
the betterments, which must be paid in ruoney, began to be assessed very high. These decisions, together with the uncertainty of establishing their legal rights, caused ejectments, after a while, to become less frequent, and finally they were wholly suspended, and claimants sought re- dress in a re-survey of the town, as has been before related.
SUFFERINGS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
In the year 1777 there were 9 families in the town, occupying as many log-houses, all in the southeasterly part of the town. These 9 con- stituted the whole population. They were Benjamin and Uriah Hickok, William Trow- bridge. Samuel and Jesse Churchill, John Sel- liek, Abdiel Webster, Benajah Boardman and William Spaulding.
On the 6th of July, General St. Clair evacu- ated Ticonderoga. On the same day a party of Indians, and Tories painted like Indians, directed by a Captain Sherwood, came into town and made prisoners of Benjamin aud Uri- ah Hickok, and two young men by the names of Henry Keeler and Elijah Kellogg. Gen. St. Clair passed through the town the same day, and left colonels Warner, Francis and Hale with their regiments, as a rear guard. They encamped on the farm owned by John Sellick, a little north of where the Baptist meeting- house now stands. Sellick and his family had left the day before, and only one woman-Mrs. Boardman-and two small children were left in the house, who remained in the house dur- ing the whole time of the battle. And as there was no cellar to the house, she crept un- der the bed, there to shelter herself from the death-dealing bullets which were flying in every direction all round the house. After the battle was over she left, and with her children went on foot to Castleton. Benjamin Hickok, who was taken prisoner by Sherwood, was a very small man, and very spry ; and while being conducted through the thick woods, gave them the slip, made his escape, and returned home. On the following night, he, with his own and his brother Uriah's family, left their homes-the women and children on foot, in order to escape from danger. When they arrived at the desert- ed house of J. Hiekok in Castleton, they stop- ped for the remainder of the night, expecting to pursue their journey in company with Co- lenel Bellows' regiment, which was eneamped tliere. The Colonel had just commenced his mareh, when, hearing firing at Hubbardton, he marched buck, hoping to relieve his compan-
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ions by granting them his assistance ; leaving | these unfortunate families to pursue their flight unprotected and alone. But not arriving until the battle was decided, he marched back to Castleton. The other families who were south of' where the battle was fought, fled the next day.
On the morning of the 7th of July, Warner sent a detachment of men to warn Mr. Samuel Churchill ( who was north of his encampment) of his danger, and to assist them to escape. On receiving the information they fixed off as fast as possible. The women and children were mounted on three horses, and the men on foot. They had got but a little on their way when the firing commenced. They all pushed on as fast as possible, until they were among the slaughtering balls, and two of the horses on which the women rode were wounded. The old lady, when she saw her horse was wounded, jumped from his back, exclaiming, " I wish I had a gun. I would give them what they want." They all retreated back to their house, except John and Silas, who had their guns and entered into the engagement and fought bravely. Silas was taken prisoner, but John made his escape and went back to the house. On his way he hid his gun, cartridge-box and bayonet in a ledge of rocks, and could never find them afterwards. (More than 60 years after they were found, by a boy, very much decayed). At the house they were all surprised and taken prisoners by Sher- wood and his party, who had been lurking on the hills east of the settlement during the bat- tle, who, after plundering the house of all the provisions he could find, most of the clothing, and everything else that he could use, the bar- barous wretch ordered the women and children to leave it, or he would burn the whole together, at any rate the house should be burnt. One of the young women, taking her bed in her arms, with a heavy heart, proceeded to the door, then let it fall, saying, "You have taken all our pro- visions. all our meu prisoners, and now how can you be so cruel as to burn our house." Saying this she fainted and fell to the floor. This, with the cries and eutreaties of the others, so soften- ed his savage heart, that he left them their shel- ter, but deprived them of all their provisions, and much of their clothing. Samuel Church- ill, the head of the family, was taken some distance from the house into the woods by the Indians, and tied to a tree, and dry brush piled up around him; they, often saving, "Tell us where your flour is, you old rebel ;" Sher- wood suspecting that he had some concealed
which they had not yet found. After keeping him bound to the tree three or four hours, ques- tioning him about his flour, threatening and taunting him ; and he constantly asserting that he had none, &c. And while in the act of set- ing fire to the brush, Sherwood came forward and ordered them to desist, being thoroughly convinced that he had none. His cattle aud hogs were killed, and such parts as they could use were taken, and each one of them was or- dered to take as much as he could carry. Wil- liam was lame, having cut his foot a few days before, and could not travel ; him they released and sent back. Ezekiel being a small boy they let go. The others they marched off to Ti. The prisoners, inhabitants of Hubbardton, were Sam- Uel Churchill, the father, John and Silas his sons, Uriah Hickok, Henry Keeler and Elijah Kel- logg. The women and children being left des- titute of provisions, could not remain there. The British tories and Indians being south, they fear- ed to take a southern direction. No one of their acquaintances and friends left to consult with, and not knowing but all the country south was full of savages, they concluded to take an east- ern direction. One of their horses being lame from his wound, could not travel. They, with what clothing was left them and some blankets, fixed off as well as they could with two horses. The company consisted of 4 women ; 2 boys, one lame, 13 years old, and the other 11; two small children, one 3 years old, the other but a few months. Those who could not walk, were mounted on the two horses with what baggage they had. Thus equipped, this disconsolate fam- ily started off on their dreary and wearisome journey through the wilderness. for the place of their former residence in Sheffield, Mass. But instead of taking the most direct route, they took a round-about way, in order to avoid the enemy, and traversed the wilderness across the Green Mountain to Connecticut river at No. 4, now Charlestown N. H. Then again across the mountain to Sheffield, the place of their former residence, a distance, as they traveled, of not less than 350 miles. Much of the way there was not much road , and but few inhabitants. Their progress was slow and distressing. But the old lady, being a resolute, persevering character managed the expedition with much fortitude perseverance and economy.
The first night they put up at Capt. Benjamin Cooley's in Pittsford, who was very kind, and comforted them with the best their log-house afforded. The second day they arrived at the fort in Rutland. Here they were furnished with
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some provisions to help them along. The third night they encamped in the woods on the moun- tain. The fourth day they arrived at Capt. Coffin's, in Cavendish. Here they stayed two days, and were the recipients of his hospitality. And so, from place to place, until, in about 3 weeks, they arrived safe among their friends at the place of their destination in Sheffield.
wended his weary way, on foot and alone, to the place from which he had formerly moved. Here, with a grateful heart, he found his family, which arrived some days before, safe and in good health. The other prisoners remained such un- til October, when they were retaken by Col. Brown.
In the fall, after the capture of Burgoyne, Mr. Churchill moved his family back to Castle- ton -- 10 miles from his home. He with his boy's went to his place and worked. He saved some of his corn and potatoes; cut and laid up some poor hay for his horses, and in the winter moved his family into his house in Hubbardton. Mr. Spaulding and Uriah Hickok returned the next spring. No more of the inhabitants re- turned until the year 1780; and not many un- til '83, when a number of families moved into the town. In the spring of 1784 the inlabit- ants turned out and made a general search over the battle-ground and woods adjoining, gather- ing up what bones they could find, which had lain bleaching in the sun, wind and rain for 7 years (amounting to many bushels) and buri- ed them. Since that time there have not been many found. But, occasionally, when they have been discovered, they have been carefully taken care of and buried.
The men who were prisoners at Ti. were set to work in the day time where they could be with safety, and at night they were confined in cells. Mr. Churchill and Hickok were set boating wood across the lake. At first, for a while, a number of British soldiers would go with them: but they, working faithfully, and manifesting no discontent. were at length sent off with but one soldier : him they persuaded to go with them, and so, fastening the boat on the eastern shore of the lake, they all left. Mr. Churchill and Mr. Hickok left for their places of residence in Hubbardton. Here they found nothing but desolation, carnage and putrefaction. Not a live human being was to be found to gain any intelligence from, or condole with. In Mr. Hickok's house Jay the putrid body of a dead man : this they buried. and then proceeded over the battle-ground. Here they could discover nothing but a promiscuous mass of scattered fragments of putrid careases, clothing, fire-arms and direful desolation ! Proceeding on, still, to FIRST SETTLEMENT AND PROGRESS. the place of Mr. Churchill's house, where he The first settlers, most of them, were very poor, and had about as much as they could do to pay for their land and get here. Those who first came looked out their place, cut and clear- ed their path to it; cleared a patch and laid up logs for a house, covering the roof and ga- ble ends with elm bark, and for the floor split and hewed logs. After having done this they went for their families. The second reinforce- ment, most of them, brought their families with them, and camped with those who were here before, until they could build a shelter in the same fashion. There were no boards to be had short of 10 or 12 miles, and they were without the means of procuring them. In some instan- ces families moved into their house before its roof was on, logs chinked, door hung, or any thing over head but the bare beams, even in the winter. Many of them furnished themselves with tables, bedsteads and chairs, with no other tools than an axe and anger. For a fire place a stone back was built up in one end of their lionse, and stones, such as they could get, were laid down for a hearth. The first year they could raise nothing to live upou ; and what they had left his family and all he held most dear on earth, what a heart-sickening scene present- ed itself; nothing could they behold but death, desolation and destruction ! Here, where a few weeks before was a happy family, all in health and prosperity ; each one attending to his own domestic duties, and striving to render each oth- er cheerful and happy, now nothing to comfort or console! no living creature to be found ! the carcases and raeks of his animals lay, here and there, in a state of putrefaction! There was the tree to which he had been bound, the brush lying round, and the fire-brand amongst it. His harvest had ripened and was perish- ing. Nothing was left but what was heart. sickening and disgusting to the sensitive feel- ings of the two escaped, hungry, weary, de- sponding searchers for consolation, but finding none. They left these dreary, heart-sickening scenes. for the whole town was deserted, and not a solitary being left to enquire of, and pro- ceeded on to Castleton. Here Mr. Hickok was so fortunate as to find his family in health and safety. But Mr. Churchill uot finding his family nor gaining any intelligence concerning them, ( failed of bringing with them (which could not
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be much, for they had to elear roads, for l streams, and often partly unload, and carry their goods up hill on their backs; (the women and children walking most of the way,) they had to supply by any means they could invent-by fishing, hunting, or with roots and herbs, or by going where they could obtain it by work, and bring it home on their backs, etc. Joseph Churchill had an old continental horse, which was almost the only one in the vicinity. He took a pair of shoes which had been found by his oldest son, and started in pursuit of some grain. He fourd none that he could buy un- til he got to Manchester, more than 30 miles from home; got it ground at Fitelt's mill in Pawlet, and paid for the toll in money out of his scanty supply to bear his expenses home.
Janna Churchill eked out his first year with clams, a large mud turtle. woodehucks, etc. ; and the rest somewhat in the same way. The writer of this has seen a man with one half bushel of buckweat in a bag, (at Castleton mill) hold on to it, and would not let go, until the miller agreed to take money for the toll.
Those who were here before the battle have been named. In the years 1783-1 new arrivals took place, so that by the summer of 1784 there were about 20 families in the town. The new recruits were : James Whelpley, Samuel Wood. Joseph Churchill, Ithamer Gregory, Janna and Josiah Churchill. Nathan Rumsey, Joseph, Dan- iel. Isaac, Hezekiah and John Rumsey, and may be others, who all settled in the woods in differ- ent parts of the town, in a manner and form as before described.
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After the first year, when they had raised a little corn, beans, potato.s. wheat etc., they fared much better. Some of them had a cow, which ran in the woods in summer, and brows- ed in the winter. This was a great help to them, and some of their neighbors. The early inhabitants had to go to the west part of Cas- tleton to mill, 12 miles, through woods and upon a bad road. The mill had but one run of stones and ground slowly. In the winter they would go with an ox load, and be gone two or three days. But for a nun.ber of years, in the sum- mer, it was dlove with one large continental horse which had served in the Revolutionary war, and was used to hard service, and one boy, the only one in the neighborhood whom they would venture, and it almost became his trade. The way they managed way to load the horse with 3 bushels of grain, well balanced and fast- ened on-then put the boy on top and send him off: he would go and leave that grist, (for hel laid on, with dry kindlings and other small
could not wait to have it ground) and take an- other which he had left before, and come home. It would take him a whole day, and often a considerable part of the night. Of his night adventures, if he was so disposed, he migl.t relate many stories. One of them he will so much indulge his vanity as to relate :
It was in the month of October-the road muddy, and the night very dark. He had got to within about a mile of home, passing through a thick piece of brush, very slowly, in the mud, and traveling along very demurely. All on a sudden a snort, and a tremendous snarl and thrashing among the brush : and, with the aid of a little imagination he could see glaring eyes, and hear gnashing of teeth. The old soldier, although he had been accustomed to the roar- ing of cannon, the flashing of firearms and the whistling of bullets, perhaps without being much moved, was in this ease much frightened. He snorred, and even roared and splashied along as fast as possible with his load, the boy stick- ing close, and looking out on every side for pokers, which he imagined he could see and hear in every direction : but they finally both arrived safe at home, without any injury, ex. cept quite a fright. After this, in short days, when he saw he was like to be belated, he would put up about 4 miles back, where was a girl about his age, that was sometimes his companion on horseback to mill.
Their log-houses were apt to smoke, with on- ly a back of stone laid up; so, after a while, they would build from the beam out with split sticks laid cob-house fashion, and plaster well with clay inside, which remedied this inconven- ience. It was difficult to get their split log- floor level, so that their home-made table would be one side higher than the other, and their porridge-dish could not be full ; this they rem- edied by putting a chip under the edge. For their winter fires they would eut a tree one and a half or two feet through, (the larger the bet- ter) cut it up 6 or 8 feet long, (there was plenty of wood, and the men and boys liked to chop it); after getting these logs to the door, and placing them on rollers, with an axe s'uck fast into the end, the two largest boys would put shoulder to shoulder, with their hands hold of the axe-helve, and draw ; and. perhaps, a boy or one or two girls pushing behind, all with ruddy, laughing countenances. Having drawn it before the fire place. it is rolled on, and anoth- er, nearly as large, rolled on top, and a third is placed on long stones in front-the fire is now
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wood, until, perhaps, one-fourth of a cord might be on at a time : thus they had a fire that with little attending to would last 24 hours in the coldest of weather. Asahel Wright practised drawing in his logs with a pair of little stags.
Fish, especially the sucker, was a great ac- commodation to the early settlers of this town. This kind was very plenty and large. In the month of May they would make their ap- pearance at the mouth of the streams; when two or three young men, with a torch and scoop-net, would sometimes haul out a barrel of them in the course of a few hours. These The first roads in town were cut and cleared by the settlers as they needed them, and much labor and time were spent in their construction. The old Ti. road ran quartering through the town, and was very crooked, and was never of much use to the settlers. The first, except that, was cleared in a north and south direc- tion through the east part of the town, and was a thoroughfare for emigrants going north, for many years. being dressed, salted and smoked, might be kept good through the season. They would go well as they were, but much better broiled with a little butter. And even if they were kept well packed and salted in a barrel, they were at all times in season for boiling, frying or broiling. And should it happen that there might be a little pork with it, they were excel- lent with jonnycake and potatoes. The way they smoked them was to get a very limber The first tax that was assessed on the town was for making a road through north and south-west of the centre ; but it did not suc- bush- cut off the twigs, and then hang them on the limb, which being set in the large chim- ney might be smoked in large quantities at a | ceed. The next move for the same road was time. Many a family has been preserved from hunger by this kind of food.
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