———————————————
BY GEORGE LEE LYMAN, M. D.*
Chartered by Gov. Wentworth, June 7, 1763, to Edward
Burling and 66 others, to contain 23,040 acres, in a rhomboidal form, each side
to be 6 miles and no more.
Sept. 23, 1792, Nathan Moore "surveyed and run the
division line," which runs E. 5° S., cutting between 4000 and 5000 acres
off the south angle; to form, with parts of Williston and Bolton, the town of
Richmond.
FROM
TOWN RECORDS.
The first town meeting, warned by John Fasset, Judge of
Supreme Court, was held March 22, 1786. "Chose Jas. Farnsworth moderator;
Lewis Chapin, clerk; and Peter McArthur, constable."
June 13, 1786, "Chose Dea. Azariah Rood, Capt. Joseph
Hall and
Nov. 29, 1786, "By a permit from the General
Assembly, in
March 12, 1787. "David Stanton chosen
tavern-keeper."
March 20, 1788. "Chose Azariah Rood and Esquire James
Farnsworth committee to hire a candidate, and voted that we will raise money to
pay a candidate for preaching two months."
Sept. 28, 1789. Town tax granted to pay Mr. Reuben
Parmelee, for preaching the past season, £6 5s. 10d.
Sept. 7, 1790. "Chose Martin Chittenden
representative, and voted to give Mr. Ebenezer Kingsbury a call to settle in
the ministry."
Nov. 18, 1795. "Chose Noah Chittenden, Esq.,
superintendent to take care of and superintend the building of
meeting-house."
March 8, 1798. "Voted that the pole now ready to be
raised be the town sign-post."
March 2, 1801. "Voted to give liberty to the town to
set up the small pox next fall under the direction of the selectmen."
A register of Freemen was begun in 1785, with 6 names, an
addition of about the same number was made in 1786; more the next year, and so
on.
—————
* Since deceased. — Ed.,
830
THE
SETTLEMENT
of the town was commenced by three families in 1774,
broken up during the war and recommenced in 1783, from which time settlers
came in rapidly.
CHANGE
OF LIMITS
was made for the convenience of the settlers in the
RELIGION
IN
The town religion was Congregational. Mr. Kingsbury
obtained the "minister's right." Their first religious edifice was a
large, square roofed, wooden building—with "pews," a porter-cup
pulpit, and a pyramid of wood hung over it by a "slender thread" of
iron--near the center of the town and the middle of the "Green," a
square of 4 acres, around which Jericho Center was built. In 1835 this wooden
concern gave place to one of brick on the north side of the "Green."
EPISCOPAL.
Several families of the original settlers were
"Church people," as shown by the following from the town records:
"This certifies that Jos. Brown, Tim. Brown, Abel
Castle, Jonathan Castle, Nat. Bostwick, Chas. Brown, Jos. Brown, Jr., and Lewis
Castle are professors of the Episcopal, &c. ———— ———— Rector."
From them the north part of the town where they resided
was called "Church Street," and there a church organization was
maintained, for a few years, under the care of Rev. Bethuel Chittenden of
Shelburne, Rev. Reuben Garlick, M. D., and others; but, being few, their
organization was abandoned for a few years, till it was revived under the
ministration of Rev. Samuel B. Bostwick in 1843. They erected a church edifice
in 1853.
UNIVERSALISTS
were among the original settlers, particularly the
Thompson family, numerous and wealthy; the Gloyds and Dows, all of whom have
their representatives in children and grandchildren who, like their ancestors,
are independent in opinion as well as in property. They had preaching of their
doctrines early, but no religious edifice till 1846, at
THE
in
THE
was nob separated from that in Essex till about 1817, and
had no religious edifice till about 1825, when the academy was built at
FREEWILL
BAPTISTS
were formerly more numerous than at present, the
Methodists having absorbed most of them. Rev. Edward Fay was several years a
preacher of this persuasion. They do not now hold regular service.
was built about 1825, but did not go into successful
operation till March, 1827, when Simeon Bicknell, A. M., became connected with
it. Under his management the school attained the highest character of any in
this part of the state. After he left it, in 1832, it continued popular for
some years, but with "waning splendor" till it became extinct in
1845.
REV.
SIMEON BICKNELL, A. M.
educated at
great English schools. A scholar must obey implicitly, and
learn all it was reasonable to ask of him or emigrate,—no half-way measures.
He did not think it was reasonable to ask us, little boys, to learn much.
Mr. Bicknell was very much afflicted with sick-headache,
sometimes so severely as to disqualify him for business for a fortnight. This
had a great effect upon his temper, discouraging him generally and making him
restless and discontented with what he was doing. He taught Jericho Academy
five years with rapidly increasing popularity, when—tempted by more brilliant
promises— he removed to Malone, N. Y. The disastrous consequences of his
headache followed him, year to year, from one change to another, till in 1844
he went to
Honor to the man of insight, foresight and liberality;
Jericho, through us, has a full measure of honor for one of these in the person
of Hon. WM. A. PRENTISS, of Milwaukie, once the leading business man of
Jericho, and always a whole-souled, high- minded gentleman.
NATHANIEL
BOSTWICK,
of
ARTHUR
BOSTWICK, ESQ.,*
as merchant, hotel-keeper and civil magistrate, has been
thoroughly identified with the interests of
REV.
SAMUEL B. BOSTWICK,
son of Arthur Bostwick, Esq., was born March 10, 1815, and
as child and youth was remarkable for a singularly thoughtful and truthful
character, an obedient son, an affectionate brother, a faithful friend,
perfectly without guile and with no fear but the fear of doing wrong. Such is
his character in his mature and useful manhood. He fitted for college at
PHYSICIANS.
We believe the first physician in
DR.
ELEAZER HUTCHINS,
from
DR.
GEORGE HOWE
was the second physician permanently settled in town, and
the one who practiced longest. He was a native of
HON.
JAMES A. POTTER,
a native of New Fairfield, Conn., who was merchant,
farmer, town representative, judge of county court; a very active, enterprising
man; died in 1809, aged 38
LAWYERS.
Martin Post, Esq., was probably the first lawyer in town,
but his residence was not
—————
* Deceased, the past summer. 1866.—Ed.
852
long enough to make his history traceable at present. The
most eminent lawyers who have practiced in town are Jacob Maeck, Esq., a native
of Shelburne, now of Burlington, and Hon. David A. Smalley, Judge of U. S.
Circuit Court for the District of Vermont, now of Burlington.
HON.
NOAH CHITTENDEN,
oldest son of Governor Thomas Chittenden, born in 1753,
had entered public life previous to his coming to
Most of the original titles to land were lost by sheriff's
sale for taxes. By this means "Judge Noah" became the owner of nearly
or quite 2000 acres, by far the most opulent land-holder in town. He had, therefore,
a great influence, and was much employed in public business in town and
county. We remember him well—a hale, stout, vivacious old gentleman. He died
rather suddenly of apoplexy in 1835.
HON.
MARTIN CHITTENDEN
lived many years in
DEA.
THOMAS BARNEY
naturally comes next, as the son-in-law of Gov. Thomas
Chittenden. He was born about 1745. Mabel Chittenden, his wife, was born about
1750. They resided in the latter part of their life in
CAPT.
BARNEY'S FAMOUS EXPLOIT.
A number of Tories, in the vicinity of
—————
* Vide Middlebury, No. 1, page 50.
action of some sort was necessary, and resolved to try
alone to detain them till assistance could be brought up. Being near enough to
be heard but not seen distinctly, he commenced in a loud and well known voice
giving orders to a large company of minute men, and, at the same time, making
such a rush among the trees of cocking guns and cracking brushwood as he was
capable of, commanded the tories to "surrender or die instantly!"
Believing themselves surrounded by men whose disposition they knew was not to
be trifled with, in obedience to his orders they grounded their arms together
and retired to a seat on a fallen tree, which there was just light enough for
him to discern within convenient range of the battery which their guns supplied
him. Taking immediate possession of this battery, he told them that to stir
from the position directed would be instant death. Knowing him to be a man of
his word they obeyed, and he detained them there till help enough was rallied
to secure them all prisoners of war.
HON.
TRUMAN GALUSHA,
son of Gov. Jonas Galusha and grandson of Gov. Thomas
Chittenden, was born at Shaftsbury, 1786; married Lydia Loomis, of the same
place, in 1809. In 1819, he married Hannah, the only daughter of Hon. Noah
Chittenden, removed to
JEDEDIAH
LANE, ESQ.,
from
JEDEDIAH
LANE, JR.,
was the first college graduate from Jericho, Dartmouth
College; a few years merchant, and many years a teacher.
THE
LEE FAMILY.
Two brothers, John and Azariah Lee, from
DEA.
AZARIAH. ROOD,
from Lanesboro, Mass., was one of the three settlers of
1774, one of the first six freemen, first selectman, first deacon, &c.;
died in 1795, but left to fill his place his son,
THOMAS
DRAKELY ROOD,
who served the town in almost every responsible civil
capacity, and was one of the two deacons whose example formed our boyish, idea
of deacons—Dea. Rood and Dea. Lee—colleagues and contrasts for so many years,
so many that we should not be competent historians of any other deacons. Dea.
Rood was a tall, strong, energetic man, of a decidedly administrative cast of
mind, at the same time progressive and conservative, ready and decided in
action, wise and firm in council. Dea. Reuben Lee was a short, slight built
man, of delicate features, of a quiet, reflective turn of mind, modestly
shrinking from responsibility, and accepting no office but that of deacon.
Thomas D. Rood, with his youngest son, removed to Wisconsin in his old age, and
died there in 1855, aged 87. His sons were honored and efficient men, two
educated for the ministry—Heman Rood, D. D., several years at the head of a
theological seminary at Gilmantown, N. H., now of Hartford, Vt., and Anson
Rood, D. D., pastor of a Congregational
834 VERMONT
HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
church in Philadelphia for a number of years. He died
there.
THE
Three brothers, Benjamin, Billy and Eben, were among the
early and influential settlers, and their numerous descendants have always held
a respectable rank in town.
THE
FIELD FAMILY.
Two brothers, David and Jedediah Field, from Guilford,
Conn., were among the old and honored men in our boyhood, and their children
are among the honored men at the present time.
THE
CHAPIN FAMILY
consisted of three brothers. Lewis Chapin, first town
clerk, served in that office many years, was representative, &c. He and his
descendants are distinguished for liberal munificence. He gave four acres for
the site of the first meeting-house, and afterwards gave the site of the
academy. He died in 1827, aged 73.
THE
BLACKMAN FAMILY.
Four brothers, Nathaniel, Pliny, Lemuel and Prosper, sons
of Nathaniel Blackman, of Huntington, Conn. Nathaniel and Lemuel were
administrative men, town officers and civil magistrates; Pliny for many years a
successful merchant. Lemuel Blackman and Wm. P. Richardson, Esqs., for many
years read the sermons at "deacon meetings."
RODERICK
MESSINGER,
one of the three settlers of 1774, from Claverack, N. Y.,
pitched on Winooski river in the west corner of the town on the
"Governor's Right." In 1776 the inhabitants of the frontier being
warned by Ira Allen for the Council of Safety, he buried and otherwise secreted
the least perishable of his effects, and with the small remainder and his
family in a canoe proceeded down the river. At Hubbell's Falls he landed his
family on the bank and, to their great surprise, without saying a word of his
intention, backed his canoe into the stream and went down the rapids. At
Colchester Falls he unloaded the canoe and let it drift over. At the lake they
waited some time for the transports which had been sent down the lake to pick
up the flying inhabitants. When the transports came in sight, fearing their
encampment might be mistaken for one of the Indian's, grandmother Messinger
directed her oldest children—Phebe, then a girl of 13, and Rachel, the next
younger,—to climb a partly fallen tree and wave their aprons; supposing that it
would be taken for granted that aprons did not belong to the attire of Indians.
Phebe was the wife of Dea. Reuben Lee and mother's mother of this historian;
from her he received this narrative. During the war the family was in Pownal,
Lanesboro, Mass, Salisbury, Conn., and Claverack, N. Y. Mr. Messinger was
employed, under the Council of Safely, in the defence of the settlements in the
grants in 1777, at a block-house on his farm in Jericho, which was occupied as
a military outpost till, upon the approach of Burgoyne, the company stationed
there retreated to meet the enemy at Hubbardton and Bennington. After the war
Mr. Messinger re-occupied his farm, was postmaster and news-carrier for the
pioneers.
JOSEPH
BROWN,
from Great Barrington, Mass., one of the three first of
1774, settled in the north part of the town on the alluvion of the river to
which he gave the name. In selling his property in Great Barrington he received
his pay chiefly in land where the village of Stowe is now situated; but the
difficulty of crossing the mountains, and the remoteness of Stowe from any
settlement of that time, induced him to invest some property belonging to his
wife's inheritance in Jericho. He was about 6 miles from the ordinary
"Indian trail," and hoping that the Indians would not find his
settlement, he remained after Messrs. Messinger and Rood left. But in the
spring of 1777 the vicinity of the blockhouse, in the south part of the town,
induced him to take some land of Mr. Messinger and so live with the
"rest of the world." But while employed making fence around his corn
with his two sons, Charles and Joseph, Indians suddenly rose around them, and
with their demoniac yell announced that they were prisoners. They were taken to
Isle Aux Noix, where they met Burgoyne, who, accepting their submission to the
crown, ordered them to be discharged. This was done, and they were set on the
western shore of the lake. Here they were obliged to work some time to pay for
help to cross the lake, and nearly three months elapsed before they effected
their return to their settlement, which they found desolate, the rest of the
family having accompanied the party which retreated from the block-house after
the incursion of the Indians. Mr. Brown was,
JERICHO. 835
therefore, obliged to go to the south part of the state to
collect his scattered family. He returned to his farm, however, and was the
only settler in the vicinity, his only neighbors being hunters and trappers
scattered through the forests. In 1780 the party which sacked Royalton, passing
up Winooski river, found a hunter, named Gibson, skinning his game, and took
him prisoner. Mr. Brown's people were in the habit of entertaining hunters
hospitably, and but a short time before this Gibson had spent several days with
them, while sick. Not relishing the prospect of captivity, he told the Indians
that, if they would let him go, he would lead them to a white family. A number
of Indians were detached for this purpose, and led by Gibson took Mr. Brown's
family all prisoners. The traditions of their manners are illustrative of
savage notions generally. After entering the house, one savage ran towards Mrs.
Brown, brandishing his knife; but not seeking her life, as she supposed, only
her gold beads which he cut from her neck.
After plundering the house they had a high savage time
burning it and all which they did not deem desirable to be carried away.
Emptying the feather beds they had high Indian fun making the feathers fly, and
then used the bed-ticks for knapsacks. Mrs. Brown, as a woman well to do in
that time, had a scarlet broadcloth cloak. We can remember well when this was
the choicest article in grandmother's wardrobe. This article tickled the fancy
of one copper-colored rascal, and the last Mrs. Brown saw of it, it was
streaming from his neck as he disappeared in the forest at full speed. The
first night they returned to their camp at Winooski river with Mr. Brown's
whole family; with Gibson, whom they let go as agreed, but captured again
immediately,* with Mr. Brown's cattle and his two dogs. The next morning after,
however, they slaughtered one of the cattle, gave plenty of meat to the dogs to
fatten them, and when full fed they considered them in condition to kill, and
dispatched one of them; but when one of the savages approached the other dog,
which had been witness to the fate of his fellow, he sprang at the throat of the
Indian and brought him to the ground, treated a second in the same way, and
then fled from the tomahawks which the rest hurled at him and disappeared in
the forest, and sought and found civilized men again in a distant part of the
State. The second night they encamped at Mallet's Bay, where they compelled
Mrs. Brown and two children to stand in the water all night. At St. Johns, C.
E., they delivered their prisoners to British authorities, and received as a
bounty $8 a head. The family was distributed in that vicinity; Charles, the
elder of the boys, enlisted in the British service as a scout. In this capacity
he repeatedly traversed the northern frontier in many directions, visiting the
ruins of Royalton, as also a post-office kept in a hollow tree in Peacham,
through which by mails carried by scouts and hunters some limited communication
was kept up between Canada and the frontier settlements. This company of scouts
was mainly formed of captured frontiersmen and did not maintain very strict
discipline. At one time Charles, having boils which made it impossible for him
to carry a knapsack, was left behind by his company and he saw nothing of them
or of any human being for three months, living by hunting till he again fell in
with and joined his comrades. Mr. Brown did not hear of the peace till some
time after its establishment, the people wishing to induce him to settle in
Canada; but he returned to his settlement after having been absent 3 years and
8 months, poorer than he had ever been before—the destitution in which his
captivity left him rendering him unable to pay the taxes; for which reason he
lost his Stowe lands, and a considerable share of those in Jericho. Outliving
his hardships, however, he was after all able to leave his children in independent
circumstances, as his posterity are at this time.
JAMES
MARSH
was born in
—————
* Says another narrator of this capture, Lyman Thayer,
late of Shelburne now of Burlington: "Brown, on promise of release, had
agreed to lead them to a whole fami!y, which being done according to agreement,
he was released, but recaptured before he had proceeded two miles, whereupon he
appealed to their honor. 'Ugh!' ejaculated the treacherous Indians to the
treacherous hunter, 'we said we let you go, and we let you go, and now we take
you again;' and so marched him off finally prisoner with the hospitable family
he had so basely betrayed."—Ed.
836
pelled to surrender it, getting no compensation for his
improvements beyond help to move his family to Corinth, Vt. Leaving his family
there, Mr. Marsh proceeded to Waterbury, and making as much clearing as was
necessary for the purpose, he raised and gathered a crop of corn. The only
companionship he had this year was with one Col. Thatcher from
After hoeing his corn Mr. Marsh, his provisions now
almost exhausted, went to Colchester Falls to work for Ira Allen, who was then
building his dam, and agreed to furnish provisions for Mr. Marsh's family till
he could raise them; said he was expecting them every day from Skenesboro; that
a boat must arrive within a week. After working three weeks, waiting day after
day for the premised boat to come, alarmed by dreaming that his family had
starved, at daylight Mr. Marsh told Allen that he must go and look after his
family, hoping that he might be able to carry them a back-load of provisions.
But Allen was hurrying on his work and had installed Marsh as foreman of his
dam-builders; he was, therefore, unwilling to lose his services for a day,
refused to release him, and said that if he left he would never pay him for
what he had done. Mr. Marsh then asked for some food before leaving, and was
told to wait till breakfast. He
did not wish to go hungry to a starving family, so waited
for breakfast, then started on an Indian trot for Waterbury, where he found
they had lived, nine ef them, on boiled leeks and the milk of their cow for two
weeks. When he asked for food and his wife produced the unsavory mess, he could
not eat it—he had not starved long enough. He drank a little milk and started
for
From him we derive the only. authentic information of the
first schools in town. He had not been at school in his 18th year, his life so
far having been an unbroken series of hardships. At this time, however, he persuaded
his guardian to let him provide for himself. The next winter the first school
was opened in Jericho, between Mr. Messinger's and Mr. Chittenden's. The
teacher was an Englishman, a "Master" Henry, who became probate clerk
for Dr. Matthew Cole, beyond which his history is unknown to us. James this
winter commenced learning to read, boarded at Capt. Elon Lee's, 3 miles from
the school, and took care of Mr. Lee's “chores" to pay for his board, the
Captain being the "singing master" of this vicinity, and consequently
absent from home much of the time. The ancient Yankee "singing
master" was
838 VERMONT
HISTORICAL MAGAZINE.
one of the institutions. His modus operandi ought
to be commemorated. He was expected to know how to "learn tunes from a
book," to have a book, a good voice and a "pitch-pipe." He
boarded round and for those who were ambitious to learn the mysteries of
written notes he copied tunes to be learned; his book thus sufficing for his
diocese. His office, therefore, was no sinecure; it was busy.
James afterwards boarded at Mr. Brown's, in Church street,
and attended the school of
MASTER
DAVID FISH,
the most distinguished of the ancient Jericho school masters.
He settled in town early, married the daughter of Mr. Timothy Brown; taught
school 22 winters in Jericho, and several winters in Essex. He was one of the
"masters;" authority based on the rod, he neither spared it nor
spoiled the child; carried the ensign of office into school at the start and
appealed to it powerfully, though, of course, not frequently. After he had resigned
his vocation as superannuated he was repeatedly urged to "take the
school," after some teacher had been "carried out" by the scholars.
Many incidents are still remembered of his bringing unruly schools to order
after they had "revolted." In one of these, a large band of rawboned
youngsters had conspired to "carry out" Master Fish, putting forward
their "bully" and pledging to sustain him with "their lives,
their fortunes and their sacred honors." The leader transgressed the
"rules," was ordered to "take the floor," doff his coat and
"stand up to the mark." So far he obeyed. That was part of the plan.
For the rest he was to give blow for blow, and if necessary his comrades were
to "pitch in." The blow came with a "twig of the
wilderness" fit for an ox-whip, and he attempted to return it with his
"fists and feet, tooth and nail;" but he dashed his jaw against
Master Fish's fist and "was laid out." As he lay gasping, and his
comrades, who were all standing "eager for fight," looked on aghast,
the order came like thunder, "sit down!" and order was restored for
that school.
The plan in another school was to put forward the largest
girl in school. She rose and very politely asked, "Mr. Trout, may I
go out?" "Sit down," and business proceeded; but, at the close
of school for the day, the polite Miss was served with the beech like a
refractory horse. The "boys" did not try it.
The old master died in 1844, aged 75, at the residence of
his son and namesake, Hon. David Fish.
BEARS
abounded; sometimes carried off calves and swine; were
fond of young corn. It behooved the settlers to guard well the pig-stye and
the corn field. For the safety of the former a large dog was some dependence;
for the latter, they did the best they could "watching round," as
neighbors do upon the sick in Vermont.
John L.* had lost a calf and a hog by bears. A hog is
sometimes the hope of the family. Two brothers-in-law lived with J. L. in the
corn season, and neighbor H.'s corn was much sought by bears. Mrs. J. L.
(Huldah) was an anxious, timid woman. She was anxious for the hog and timid
about bears. In the latter respect the big, black dog Trump sympathized with his
mistress. But her brothers were "not afraid of bears," especially Hubbel.
"Let a bear come where he was round and he would catch no-matter-what, not
the hog." Neighbor H. needed help to watch his corn o'nights, and the hog
did not seem to need three brave men and a big dog to watch him; especially
when one of the men was Hubbel, and the big dog was a "Trump." John
and Talmon, then, must go with the "guns" to watch the corn. Hubbel
and Trump did not need guns to watch a hog. He could squeal and Trump bark, and
all would be effectually alarmed. Huldah, timid, sat up late. Hubbel, fearless,
was "up the ladder" in the loft of the log-house, in bed and asleep,
as a man fearless of bears ought to be. The hog squealed and Trump barked.
Huldah, alarmed, called: "Hubbel! Hubbel! a bear is catching the hog; dear
me, what shall we do?" Something to be done surely. Pig squealed more and
more piteously, and Trump barked more and more distractedly. Hubbel came down
the ladder with agility, but without his nether garments. No time to stop for
pants. Huldah caught a firebrand and sallied out, but not far, leaving the door
open behind her, called on Trump to "seek him," and waved the blazing
brand; Hubbel, just behind his sister (modesty, perhaps, would not allow
—————
* John Lee, we think.—Ed.
him to go before). The firebrand and light from the door
made darkness and nothing else visible. Trump "went in," but a biped
bear was prepared for him. Throwing his loose frock over his head, he rushed
speechless at the big dog, and the big dog rushed speechless for a safe place.
As he brushed past his mistress and between Hubbel's unclothed legs, upsetting
him, Huldah cried, "Dear me, the bear is coming into the house," and
dropping the brand she did that with alacrity. Hubbel followed with agility.
They closed the door with trepidation and surrendered the hog to his fate.
The pants were donned and they sat up because—they could
not lie down. "O if we had had a gun! what did become of Trump? Did the
bear kill him so quick he could not yell? It is all still. The hog must be
dead, &c."
In a little while John and Talmon came talking down the
path, and entering were apparently astonished to find the inmates awake
"with wide-distended eyes." "Dear me, John, I'm glad you've
come; but too late, the hog must be gone; the bear came this time in
earnest."
"Why, what could a bear do when Hubbel was here?
Where's Trump, too?"
"Gone; killed, I'm afraid; haven't heard him
since."
"Poh! I don't believe in your bear, he wouldn't come
when Hubbel was here."
Huldah, amazed, looked in John's black eyes which were
running over with mischief at the fate of hog, dog, and Hubbel.
"Ah, you rogue, John, you are the bear." Hubbel
looked at the black eyes and saw that Huldah had guessed it.
"You the bear, you rascal? The blaze dazzled my eyes
or I should have caught you, and you'd have caught it. And you'll catch it
now."
He did catch it; but he always had a bear story to tell.
So have we.
So the Green Mountain boys diversified pioneer life.
" Variety—the spice."
MILTON.
BY HECTOR ADAMS, ESQ.
The township of Milton lies on the eastern shore of Lake
Champlain; and is the N. W. corner town in Chittenden Co.
It is bounded N. by Georgia, in Franklin Co., E. by
Westford, S. by Colchester, and W. by Lake Champlain. A sand-bar extends from
the S. W. corner of the town to South Hero in Grand Isle Co., which renders the
lake fordable between the two towns a considerable portion of each year. In
the years of 1849 and 1850, there was a toll- bridge or turnpike built on this
sand-bar at a cost of $25,000, which renders the communication between the two
towns tolerably good at all seasons of the year.
The town was chartered by New Hampshire to Albert Blake
and 63 others, June 8, 1763, and contains about 28,000 acres.
[Grantees of Milton,—for which we are indebted to the
Vermont antiquarian, Mr. Stevens:— Samuel Rogers, James Wilmott, Jr., Isaac
Silvester, Isaac Rogers, Josh. B——, Josh. Kirkbird, Wm. Proctor, Alex. Moore,
Peter Cone, John Imlay, Josh. Haviland, James Haviland, Tim. Mc'Carty, Carden
Lee, Samuel Dodge, John Burroughs, James Burroughs, Wm. Burroughs, Wm.
Popplerdorf, Jr., Josh. Zabrisker, John Zabrisker, Richard Cornwall, Daniel
Bates, Thomas Liscum, Wm. Smith, Wm. Smith, Jr., Jacob Smith, Thomas Willet,
John Willet, Ralph William Miller, Josh. Royal, Benj. Lintott, William
Ferguher, Richard Sharp, Richard Evans, Samuel Kemble, Michael Duff, Paul
Miller, Paul Miller, Jr., Christopher Miller, Thomas Shreave, Philip French,
Philip French, Jr., Adolphus French, Henry Franklin, Benjamin Underhill, David
Buckley, Benjamin Blagge, John Bogie, John Gifford, John Gifford, Jr., George
Wood, John Turner, John Turner, Jr., Alexander Baker, Joshua Huckins, Henry
Dickenson, Hon. Richard Wilbird, John Downing, Esq., Daniel Warner, Esq.,
Samuel Emerson, Jr., Maj. Richmond Downing.—Ed.]
Besides the 500 acres reserved to Governor Wentworth, four
rights were reserved to public uses, among which, one for the use or schools,
and one for the first settled minister of the gospel. The name of the town, it
is supposed, was given it in honor of the distinguished poet of that name.
The town was first settled by William Irish, Leonard Owen,
Amos Mansfield, Absalom Taylor and Thomas Dewey, in February, 1782.
Among the other early settlers were Gideon Hoxsie, Enoch
Ashley, Zebediah Dewey, Elisha Ashley, John Mears and others.
Tradition informs us that the first settlers suffered many
hardships and privations, but