STARKSBORO'. 103
STARKSBORO'.
BY WILLIAM WORTH.
STARKSBORO' has two post-offices, Starksboro' and South Starksboro'; was granted by Vermont, Nov. 7, and chartered Nov. 9, 1780, to David Bridia and 67 others; has 5 public rights, 73 shares of 272 acres each; first settlement commenced April, 1788, by George Bidwell and Horace Kellogg, with their families.
The first justice of the peace was Sam'l Darrow, in 1790. The town was organized March, 1796; first town clerk, Warner Pierce; first constable, Solomon Holcomb; first selectmen, Joseph Bostwick, Abram Bushnell, and Luman Branson. [Some doubt of these being the first officers elected, except the town clerk.]
March 4, 1797, 2,726 acres of the town of Monkton was annexed, on which John Ferguson and Thomas Vradenburgh commenced a settlement, about the same time Bidwell and Kellogg commenced in Starksboro'.
The town was first represented in 1798, by John Ferguson. He had represented Monkton 3 years prior to the above annexation, and subsequently represented Starksboro' four years. First marriage, David Kellogg and Christiana Traver, March 3, 1793, by John Ferguson, Esq. First male born, Cyrus Bidwell, son of George, Dec. 11, 1790. [It is contended by some that Hannah Kellogg was born in the town before C. Bidwell.] Mrs. Hannah Lane died here in Nov. 1823, aged 100 years and 3 months. First physician, Enos Pearson, 1797. First lawyer, Ansel M. Hawkins, 1832. First ministers, Joseph Mitchell and Abner Wood, itinerant E. Methodists, 1798.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in this town in 1798. First number of members not known. Present number, 100. They occupy the Union, or village meeting-house, half the time. They also have a meeting-house in the north part of the town. Present ministers, Z. H. Brown and David Ferguson. The Union, or village meeting-house, was built in 1840.
The Congregational Church was organized Aug. 7, 1804. May 4, 1825, Rev. Henry Boynton was ordained and installed pastor of said church, but preached here but few times. There are now but few of that denomination in town.
A Freewill Baptist Church was organized Sept. 21, 1821. First number of members, 17; present number, 103. They occupy the village meeting-house one fourth of the time. Present minister, Mark Atwood.
There was for many years a large Society of Friends in this town, who built a meeting-house in 1812. In the winter of 1858 and '9, they sold the house, and it was taken down and the materials carried to Charlotte to be remodelled for a Roman Catholic church. A majority of their members have emigrated West, though there still remains a small society of them in the S. E. part of this town, where they have a meeting-house. There is also a Christian Church, who occupy the village meeting-house one fourth the time.
Present minister, Merritt W. Powers.
The soil is mostly loam; the timber principally hard wood, with some spruce, hemlock, and cedar; the surface very uneven.
A. mountain lies along the west line, mostly in Monkton, and extends to Bristol Notch, called Hog's-back. Another range extends through the central parts, from near the south line to the north, called East Mountain, dividing the waters of Lewis Creek from those of Huntington River.
The streams abound with excellent mill-seats. Baldwin Creek rises in the S. E. part of this town. Huntington River waters the east part. Running through the village is a stream which is formed mostly by the confluent waters of three springs that are not more than 20 rods asunder. They unite after running a short distance, and receive a small stream by ditch, and form a
104 VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
stream on which for many years were in operation a saw-mill, a fulling-mill, 2 forges, and 2 trip-hammer shops, all within little more than half a mile of its head.
But since the great depreciation in the price of bar iron, the forges have been neglected, and have run down; also, the trip-hammer shops and fulling-mill.
There are now in town 3 stores, 1 tavern, 2 grist-mills, 11 saw-mills, 2 clapboard-mills, 2 shingle-mills, 1 mill for staves and heading, 2 foundries, 1 carriage shop, and one tannery. Population in 1850 was 1,400.
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REV. ELIJAH HEDDING, D. D.,
LATE SENIOR BISHOP OF THE M. E. CHURCH.
[From the Northern Christian Advocate.]
LETTER FROM BISHOP HEDDING.
"I was born in Duchess Co., N. Y., on the 7th of June, in the year 1780. I was carried by my parents to the State of Vermont, in the year 1791. On the 27th of December, in the year 1798, I found pardoning mercy at the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, and was received as a probationer the same day, by the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the month of March, in the year 1800, I was licensed to preach the gospel of Christ. On the 15th of Nov. of the same year, I was called out by a presiding elder as a travelling preacher, and placed on Plattsburgh circuit, which lay on the west side of Lake Champlain, part in the State of New York, and part in Canada. After laboring there a few weeks, I was removed to Cambridge circuit, which lay N. and N. E. of Troy, and part in the State of New York and part In Vermont.
"In June, 1801, I went to conference, and was admitted on trial as a travelling preacher, by the N. Y. Conference, on the 16th of that month, in the city of New York, in John Street.
"The following year, I again travelled Plattsburgh circuit. In the year 1802, I was appointed to Fletcher circuit, which lay on the S. E. side of Lake Champlain, part in Vermont and part in Canada.,
"In the year 1803, I was ordained deacon, by Bishop Whatcoat, at Cambridge, New York, and appointed to Bridgewater circuit, in the State of New Hampshire. In 1804, I labored on Hanover circuit, N. H. This year, the east part of Vermont and the State of New Hampshire were set off by the General Conference, from the New York Conference to the New England Conference; consequently I became a member of the New England Conference.
"In the Summer of 1805, I attended the New England Conference for the first time, at Lynn, Mass.; was ordained Elder by Bishop Asbury, and was appointed to Barre circuit, Vermont. In 1806, I was appointed to Vershire circuit, Vermont. In 1807 and 1808, I travelled New Hampshire district, which covered nearly all that State. In 1809 and 1810, I labored on New London district, which embraced parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and a small portion of New Hampshire. In 1811, I was stationed in Boston; 1812, in Nantucket; 1813 and 1814, in Lynn; 1815 and 1816, in Boston, — all stations in Massachusetts.
"In 1817, I was appointed to Portland district, in the State of Maine, and my name so stands in the Minutes; but on account of my want of health for the district, Bishop McKendree changed my appointment a few weeks after Conference, and I labored that year in the city of Portland. "In 1818 and 1819, I was again stationed in Lynn. In 1820, I was appointed to New London, a station in Connecticut.
"In 1821, I was appointed to Boston district, Mass., but for want of health for that kind of work, I remained on the district but one year. In 1822 and 1823, I was again stationed in Boston.
"In 1824, I was ordained Superintendent, at Baltimore, Md., by Bishops McKendree, George, and Roberts, Consequently, it is perceived, I am 66 years old, that I have labored 6½ years on circuits, 5 years on districts, 12 years in stations, and 22 years in the superintendency.
"A sinner saved by grace, I live in hope of eternal life.
"ELIJAH HEDDING.
"AUBURN, N. Y., July 31, 1846."
From the above date, Bishop Hedding lived about 6 years, and continued in the discharge of the duties of his office till Dec. 1850, when he was attacked with acute disease, from which he but partially recovered.
We extract an account of his last days from his life, by Dr. Clark.
"With feeble steps he ascended from the altar into the pulpit; and at the close of the singing, fell down upon his knees, and with labored and broken utterance, poured out such warm and heartfelt expressions of praise to Christ, as indicated the depth of his own feelings. The theme of the sermon had been, Christ precious to the believer. His heart seemed to glow with the subject. The entire audience were bathed in tears. He arose from his knees; an expression of holy joy was upon his countenance; the suppressed sigh was heaving almost every bosom, and tears were falling like drops of rain. The minister of half a century, who had so often and so usefully occupied the sacred desk, slowly and silently descended from the pulpit for the last time."
At a later period, addressing his brethren in the ministry, he said, "I have served God more than 50 years. I have generally had peace; but I never saw such glory before, such light, such clearness, such beauty! Oh, I want to tell it to all the world! But I cannot. I never shall preach again; never shall go over the mountains, and
STARKSBORO'. 105
through the valleys, the woods, and the swamps, to tell of Jesus, any more. But oh, what glory I feel! it shines and burns all through me; it came upon me like the rushing of a mighty wind, as on the day of Pentecost."
Near the close of his life, the Rev. Mr. Ferris said to him, "Bishop, you are almost over Jordan."
He looked calmly up, and answered, "Yes;" then raising both hands, he said, scarcely above a whisper, "Glory, glory! Glory to God! Glory to God! Glory to God! Glory !" . . .
Placing his hands upon his breast, he said, "I am happy, — filled." Soon after this, his power of speech failed; his breathing grew tremulous and short; life ebbed gradually away, and at last its weary wheels stood still.
He died in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., at his residence, on the 9th of April, 1852, in the 72d year of his age.
THE BRITISH GRANT.
DEAR QUARTERLY: It may somewhat interest some of your readers to learn the ground of a troublesome lawsuit that grew out of the above-named grant, as every tax-payer in the State of Vermont has paid his share towards the expense of said suit. In the fall of 1845, there were a number of men found running a line through Ferrisburgh and Monkton. When they got into Monkton, the people told them they must stop, or explain their business. One of the company — Isaac G. Hatfield, of St. Johns, New Brunswick — then said, his uncle, Peter Hatfield, had a grant of land lying 12 miles east of the mouth of Otter Creek, where it empties into Lake Champlain, and that he was surveying to find it. He then showed the grant, and the Monkton people let him proceed; but before he reached Starksboro', he left his line, and came to get leave to finish surveying, — but he never finished. This was the first that any person here knew of the above grant.
In the spring of the year 1846, Peter Hatfield commenced a suit of ejectment in the U. S. Circuit Court for the District of Vermont, against Ira Bushnell of Starksboro', for the recovery of 4,620 acres. . . . .
The grants to Jaqueni and Hicht were dated 1774, 6 years before the legislature of Vermont granted the township of Starksboro'; and the landholders in Starksharo' said, if the legislature had granted them land that the State did not own, the State ought to defend the suit that Hatfield brought to recover the land; and said Bushnell and others petitioned the legislature upon the subject, and the legislature appointed as agent to defend the suit. Hatfield had the suit put over every term of the court for 6 years, and then discontinued it, and his bail paid the defendants' cost. Some part of the land that he attempted to hold is very valuable. He thought his grant would cover Starksboro' village. But there were two reasons why he did not hold the village: first, his grant did not cover it; next, his title was good for nothing.
Soon after Hatfield discontinued his suit, he gave a mortgage to John Munson, of New York, to secure the payment of $10,000, of this same land. This mortgage was signed over to Samuel Hunt, of Boston, who soon after died. His administrator wrote to Starksboro' town clerk. Mr. Worth wrote back, The land is claimed by an old British grant, dated 1774, and a suit has been brought to recover the land, and failed. The administrator did not think best to try to hold the land. The above mortgage and assignment came to Starksboro' for record. After this, Hatfield divided the land into 47 lots, (I mean that he divided it on paper,) and it appears said Hatfield gave bonds for large sums of money and a mortgage on each of these 47 lots for security. These 47 mortgages were all brought to Starksboro' and recorded. Our town clerk has received a great number of letters making inquiries: Is Hatfield's title to lands in Starksboro' good? How much does the land rent for? How much is it worth? Is it improved? &c. The public would do well to let Hatfield and his associates keep their bonds and mortgages.
I. BUSHNELL.
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THE WYANDOT'S FAREWELL TO HIS
HOME IN OHIO.
BY JOSEPH WORTH.
[This old gentleman, now upwards of 70 years of age, was one of the early settlers, and resided here many years, but now lives in Little Sandusky, Ohio.]
FAREWELL to the groves where my loved ones rest!
My wigwam is left; my trail is the West, —
Our hunting-grounds sold, my heart's full of woe,
To think I must leave them; alas! must I go?
Farewell, ye tall oaks, in whose pleasant shade
I sported in childhood, in innocence played;
My dog and my hatchet, my arrows and bow,
Are still in remembrance; alas! must I go?
Farewell, ye loved scenes, which still bind me like chains,
Where on my gay pony I pranced o'er the plains!
The deer and the turkey I tracked in the snow;
But now I must leave all! alas! must I go?
Sandusky, Tymoothee, and Broken-sword streams,
I ne'er more shall see thee, except in my dreams;
Adieu to the marshes where the cranberries grow, —
O'er the great Mississippi, alas! must I go?
Farewell, my white friends, who first taught me to pray,
And worship my Maker and Saviour each day.
Pray for the poor Indian, whose eyes overflow
With tears at our parting; — alas! must I go?
106 VERMONT HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
THE SABBATH–SCHOOL ARMY.
BY GUY C. WORTH, ESQ.
A NATIVE OF STARKSBORO', RESIDING AT UPPER SANDUSKY, OHIO. — EXTRACT FROM A FOURTH OF JULY ORATION, DELIVERED BEFORE A SABBATH SCHOOL AND CITIZENS' CELEBRATION.
THE Protestant denominations throughout the bounds of Christendom are training up and disciplining an army, which will go forth supplied with the munitions of its warfare, from the inexhaustible arsenal of eternal truth. Unlike other armies, it will clothe, provision, and support itself, for its tactics and scene of operations will not prevent it from planting, sowing, and reaping the fruits of the earth, or from engaging in other industrious pursuits. The warfare of this army will not be one in which force is brutally arrayed against force, but it will be a conflict of mind against the gross elements of sin and moral corruption, — an engagement in which heavenly truth shall be arrayed against human error, — a combat in which the bland and soul-subduing precepts of the gospel will meet and vanquish by the sword of the Spirit, — forged, polished, and burnished in the armory of heaven, — the passions and vices incident to poor fallen human nature. It will be an army which, while it is pursuing its military operations, will continually increase the wealth of the world; for it will teach men habits of industry, teach them diligence in business, and properly to husband the resources which are thrown around them by our common heavenly benefactor. It will be a generous, a noble, a magnanimous army, for it will bind up wounds, and exalt its fallen foes, and unite in one common brotherhood, with its own membership, all who are taken captive or who shall surrender to its chosen flag. It will be a benevolent, a philanthropic army, for the motto inscribed upon its ample banner will be "Good will to men." It will be an army in which, thanks be to God, there will be no exclusion on account of age, sex, or condition, — an army in which the best recruiting officers and disciplinarians shall be found among the devotedly pious mothers of the land, whose fair daughters will take their places in the ranks, side by side with their brothers, and render essential aid in bearing aloft and keeping spotless their snow-white ensigns, and in perfecting and garnishing the beautiful temples of civil, moral, and religions freedom, and in keeping wide open, and inviting all who will come within their spacious portals. It will be an army in which officers and soldiers shall alike win imperishable laurels, and the chaplets which shall bind their victorious brows shall be bright and fadeless as the ever-blooming garlands of eternity.
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