CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM Comaa UntvaraHy Ubmy F 59W59 J61 TiiiiiiriiW IHH H Ml M MmM H n M M Rl RH HI nt R 3 1924 028 838 690 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924028838690 / (^_ • : (- < /^j ,', ,0, v~ /- ■'^- Green Leaves From WHITINGHAM, Vermont: A HISTORY OF THE TOWN. By CLARK JILLSON. WORCESTER, MASS. ; PRINTED AT THE PRIVATE PRESS OF THE AUTHOR. 1894. 4 2£/3 4 PREFACE. In presenting this book to the public we do so at the earnest request of the author's many friends. A few words of explanation may be necessary. The author began the History of Whitingham, his native town, several years ago, but a severe illness, from which he never recovered, brought the work to an unex- pected standstill. Unfortunately no manuscript had been prepared for its completion, but the last twelve pages were ready for the press, and the work of printing them has been done at the private press of the author's much esteemed friend, Mr. Franklin P. Rice. As far as completed, this work is an accurate History of the town, and can be relied upon as such. The author spent much time in careful research, and the labor con- nected with the printing of this volume, excepting the last twelve pages, was performed by his own hands. We therefore present the book to the public for its historical value, and especially to preserve the handiwork of our beloved father. Franklin C. Jillson, Mary Jillson. 1894. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Petition, ii. Certificate, 13. Charter, 17. CHAPTER II. Location and General Description, 37. Hills, 38. Rivers, 40. Ponds, 42. Geological Features, 45. Bowlders, 47. Springs, 49. Forests, 51. Wild Beasts, 54. CHAPTER III. Early Settlement, 57. Petitions, 65. Organization of the Town, 67. The First Grand List, 70. Another Land Grant, 72. Other Petitions, 73. Sup- plementary Grant, 77. Official Restriction, 79. Burial Grounds, 80. Whil- ingham Gore, 95. Gambling by Lottery, 106. Prominent Citizens, 107. CHAPTER IV. Witchcraft, 109. The Golden Era, 113. Suicides, 122. Accidental Events, 125. CHAPTER V. Churches and their History, 131. Seventh Day Baptist, 152. Methodist- Episcopal, 154. Reform Methodists, 158. The Church of Christ, 161. Con- gregational Society, 164. Baptist Church, 166. Universalists, 179. Free- will Baptists, 188. CHAPTER VI. Education and Schools, 195. Whitingham Academy, 202. Town Business, 206. Mercantile Operations, 212. Farmers' Interest Company, 217. Town Structures, 220. Post Offices, 223. Pauperism, 228. Lawyers, 231. Green Leaves From Whitingham, Vermont. WHITINGHAM. CHAPTER I. PETITION, CERTIFICATE AND CHARTER. ERMONT unfortunately remained in dispute for nearly half a century. From the day Benning W'cntworth was constituted Governor of New Hampshire, July third, 1 741, to the admission of X'ermont into the fed- eral Union, February 18, 1791, there was a contest between New \'ork and New Hampshire, each claim- ing Vermont as its own. In this strife Vermont was called "The New Hampshire Grants," and several townships were chartered by both governments, while each tried to enforce its pretended jurisdi6lion and authority over the same township at the same time. Previous to the Revolution the South-eastern portion of this territory was known as Cumberland, and was erefted into a County by that name, as early as 1766. I o Green Leo vcs from The South-west part of this county had been called "Cumberland township," but had not been chartered by that name, consequently its limits were undefined. On the seventh day of January, 1 767, a petition was presented to the lieutenant j^^ovc-rnor of New \'ork, by Nathan Whiting, Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley, David Baldwin, Andrew Myers, Samuel Whiting, Robert Aiton, Amos Hitchcock, and Nathan Haines Whiting, for the grant of a town- ship covering a portion of this territory, which was referred to a committee of his majesty's council who reported, favorably, and the. petition was granted. The patent was ordered to issue, but for some valid reason the matter was delayed for nearly three years. On the twenty-sixth day of January, 1770, Colonel Nathan Whiting renewed the petition in behalf of himself and his associates, setting forth that the lands prayed for were vacant and had never been granted, but were still vested in the crown. He also stated that this land was part of a tra ss: > J I have compared the preceding with th? original Pctitiun on file in this olflcc, and do hcrobv cirtify that the same is a correct transcript therefrom, and of the whole of said original. Given under my hand and the seal of office of the Snri-tiiry of State, lit the oity of Albany, this nineteenth day of July in the year one thousand eight hundred and oiahtv. s^mtd/OTP S> T^ood'^ hep. SKCnKTABY OF STATE. Mliitingliam, Vcrnioiit. 13 Within two months after the date of the above pe- tition an order was passed direfting that a patent be issued upon said 'petition, as prayed for by Colonel Whiting and his associates. Instead of saying, "Or- dered, that the petition of Colonel Nathan Whiting and his associates be granted, and that a Patent be issued in accordance therewith," the following elabo- rate Certificate was wrought out with special care : (Tcrtificatf. \Y THE Honorable Cadwallader t'olHen I':s(|uire his Majesty's I Lieutenant (Governor and Commander in C'hiefof the Province of .New York, and the Territories depending thereon in America. Andrew Elliot Esijuire Receiver deneral of the said Province and Alexander ("olden Esquire Siincyor General of the same Province Commissioners appointed h\ his Majesty's Instrudlions for the Setting out all Lands to be granted within the Province of New York. To all to whom tliisc Presents shall come (Greeting. lyju-reas Xathan Whiting, Samuel Fitch, l-^lcazer Fitch, James Smedley, David Baldwin, Andrew Myers, Sannit-l Whiting, Robert Aiton, Amos Hitchcock, and Nathan Haines Whiting by their humble Petition presented unto his late Excellency Sir Henry Moore Baronet then Captain C.cncrai and Governor in Chief of the said Province and read in his Majesty's Council for the said Prov- ince on the twenty sc\Liith day of January which was in the year of our Lord one thousand se\ en hundred and sixty seven did set forth among other things that there was a certain Tradl of Vacant unpatented I-and vested in the Crown lying on the West side of Connecticut River adjoining to the present Line between the said Province and the Province of Massachusetts Bay and known by the Name of Cumberland and that the Petitioners did intend if they could obtain a Grant of ten thousand acres thereof to make a speedy and effectual settlement thereon, and therefore the Petition- ers did humbly Pray his said late Excellency by his Majesty's 14 (.jrccn Leaves from I.ftUTs PateiU to grant to cac h of the l'^;litioncr^ and their re- siic(iivL- heirs the (^iiaiuiiy of one tliousand ai res of the said Tract of Land, W'hit h Ktition having been then referred to a Committee of his .Majesty's Count il of tlie said l'rovin( e of New York. His Majesty's Council of the said I'rcninie did afterwards on the same day in I'lirsuanceof the Report of the said Committee humbly advise and ( onsent thai his said late Excellency should by his Majesty's Letters I'atent grant unto the said Petitioners and their heirs the Quantity of ten thousand at res of the T^nds described in their said Petition, under the Quit Rent, Provisoes Limitations and Restrict- ions prescrilied by his Majesty's Instrudlions. And Whereas the said Nathan \\'hiting in behalf of himself and his Associates hath by his Petition presented unto the Honorable Cadwallader Colden Esquire his Majesty's Lieutenant Co\emor and (Jommander in Chief of the said Province and read in his Majesty' Council for the said Province on the thirty first day of Januarv in the present Vear of our Lord one thousand se\ en hundred and se\'enty set forth — That the Petitioner and his Associates had procured an adbial sur- vey of the Lands aforesaid, and Tind the \'acant Land to contain onl\- the quantity of Seven thousand at res. That the same tho' part of the Lands formerly claimed by the (iovernment of New Hampshire have not been granted liy that C.overnment but still remain Va( am and vested in the Crown : and therefore the Petitioner did hmnhly Pray that the Letters Patent ordered on the said former Petition might issue for the Quantity of I^nd so found to he \ai ant and in the Names of Nathan Whitini,', Samuel Fitch, Kleazer Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew Myers, Robert Aiton, and S,niiuel Hoyer. who are all the Persons at present interested in the s;tid Linds antl ftir- ther that the said seven thousand acres of Land to;;ether with tiv.' following Trafts (part of the aforesaid Tra6l called Cumberland) granted to or sunexed for reduced oflficers to wit three thousand acres granted to the Petitioner Nathan Whiting ; Two thousand acres {^ranted to Lieutenant James I'.iidington ; Two thous;ind acres granted to Lieutenant John Nordberf^h : One thousand at res granted to Lieutenant Thomas E;theriiij;ton ; Three ihousimi acres surveyed for and siine granted to Cajnain John Walker; Two thousand acres surveyed for and since granted to Lieutenant Whitingham, Vermont. 15 Thomas Gamble ; and two thousand acres surveyed for and since granted to Lieutenant Dennis Carleton might be eredled into a Township by the Name of Whitingham with the usual Privileges ; on reading and due consideration whereof it was ordered by the said honorable Cadwallader Colden Esquire Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief as aforesaid, with the advice and consent of his IMajesty's said Council that the Letters Patent ordered on the said former Petition sKould issue in the names of the said Nathan Whi- ting, Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew Myers, Robert Alton and Samuel Boyer for the Quantity of the said Lands so found to be vacant and the same together with the several other Tra6ts above mentioned, be eredted into a Township by the Name of Whitingham with the usual Privileges granted to other Townships within the said Province In Pursuance whereof and in obedience to his Majesty's Instrudtions aforesaid We the said Commissioners do hereby certify that We have set out for them the said Nathan Whiting, Samuel Fitch, i^lia/cr Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew M)ers, Robert Aiton and Samuel Boyer, all that certain Traft or Parcel of Land within the Province of New York Situate lying and being on the West side of Conne<5licut River in the County of tlumberlancl being part of a larger Traft heretofore called and known by the Name of Cumberland. Beginning at the North east Comer of a Trafl of three thousand acres of Land granted to the said Nathan \\'hiting as a rcfluccd Officer, and runs thehce along the North Bounds of the last mentioned Tradt, and the North Bounds of a Trafl of Land granted to Lieutenant James l':dding- ton, and the North Bounds of a Tradl of Land granted to Lieuten- ant Thomas Gamble, North eighty degrees \\'cst, four hundred and fifteen Chains ; then South ten degrees West one hundred and seventy eight Chains to the Line run for the Bounds of the Massa- chusetts Bay Government ; then along the said Line North eighty degrees West sixty five Chains ; then North ten (kgrL-us East three hundred and ten Chains and two Rods to a Tra6l of two thousand acres of I.and granted to Lieutenant Dennis Carleton ; then along the South Bounds of the last mentioned Trad, South eighty de- grees East one hundred and twenty four Chains to a Tradl of three thousand acres of I^nd granted to Captain John Walker ; then 1 6 Grccii Leaves from along the West licjunds of the last mentioned Tradl South ten de- grees West seven Chains and two Rods ; then along the South Bounds of the said last mentioned 'iract and the South Bounds of a Tradt of two thousand a( res of Land granted to Lieutenant John Nordbergh three hundred and fifty six Chains ; then South ten de- grees West one hundred and twenty fne Chains to the Place where this Tract first began containing six thousand nine hundred acres of Land and the usual allowance for Highways the said Traifl of six thousand and nine hundred acres of Land, together with the other Tradls aforesaid, to be erecfled into a Township by the Xame of U'hitingham, and to be bounded limited and described as fol- lows ; that is to say, Beginning at a Hemlock Tree and a Beach Tree growing close together having two large stones laid between them, "Standing in the Line run for the Bounds of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay ; and which Beach Tree is marked with these Words The Comer of Cumberland ; and runs thence North ten Degrees East six Miles; then North eighty degrees West six Miles ; then South ten degrees West six Miles to the aforesaid Line run for the Bounds of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and then along the said Line South ten degrees East six Miles to the said place of P.eginning and in setting out the said Tract of six thousand nine hundred acres of Land, We the said Commissioners have had regard to the profitable and unprofitable acres, and have taken care that the Length thereof doth not extend along the Banks of any River, otherwise than is conformable to his Majesty's In- strul page. Rich with the spoils of time, did ne'er unroll." This Charter not onl)' gave Whitingham its name, the only one it ever had as an incor[)oratt'd town, and minutely defined its limits for all time, but it disclosed the history of its territory as far back as i 766, four years before it had any legal existence as a town. Previous to 1770 this tract of land, comprising 36 square miles, had not been chartered b}- an\- legal or illegal authority as a township. It was part of Cum- berland county and retained the county name while it remained vacant and unchartered as a town, though its limits had Ijeen encroached upon b)- several indi- vidual grants previous to 1770. James I-'ddington. John Nordbergh, Thomas Etherington, John Walker, Thomas C.amble, and Pcnnis Carleton, were the grantees, they being at some time officers in the colo- IV/tiiijighain, Tennotit. 31 nial service. There is an old map in the archives of New \'ork, showing the territory now Whitingham, previous to 1 770. On this map HaHfax is designated by its present name, Wilmington is called Draper, under its second charter, and Whitingham is called "Cumberland Officers," clearly indicating that it then had no name, and was identified by reference to the offiqers who had some granted title to the soil. In 1767 Colonel Nathan Whiting and nine others, supposing that the vacant and unchartered lands in Cumberland County were sufficient for a township, petitioned Sir Henry Moore, Governor of New York, for a grant of these lands whereon th< y proposed to make a permanent settlement. Upon this petition a Patent covering 10,000 acres was ordered to issue, but upon actual sur\cy it was found that there were only about 7,000 acres then vacant, and the Patent was not issued. On the 26th day of January, 1770, Colonel Whiting, in behalf of himself and six others, renewed the above petition, praying that the Letters Patent before ordered to issue might be issued to them, covering not only the 6,900 acres found to be vacant, but 15,000 acres granted to individuals at sundry times before, making in all a total of 21,900 acres, with a liberal allowance for highways. It was stated in the revived petition that the seven petitioners were then all the persons who were inter- ested in these lands, four of the original petitioners having withdrawn from participation in this enterprise 32 (jrccn Leaves from and one other had been added to the Hst. To these seven persons, Nathan Whiting, Samuel Fitch, Elea- zer Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew Myers, Robert Aiton and, Sanuiel Bo)er, the grant prayed for was made, and the saitl lands were then eretled into a town, the name of wliich has never been changed. In describing the boundary of W'hitingham no mention was made of Draper (now Wilmington) or Halifax, and in the Charter of those towns no refer- ence whatever is had to Whitingham or Cumberland. There was no reason why Whitingham should have been cited as it was not in existence, Halifax having been incorporated in 1750 and Wilmington in 1751. But in describing the boundary of Readesborough which was chartered after Whitingham, but during the same year, Cumberland is referred to as "a tract (not a town) known by the name of Cumberland." The original boundar)- description of the towns adjoining Whitini^diam will be of interest especially to civil engineers, who will be puzzled to establish a reconciliation between the several siirve\s. By the survey of Halifax it appears that its west line runs at right angles with the north line of .Massachusetts, and at the same time due north. The east line of Whi- tingham runs north, ten degrees east. These lines are evidently not parallel, as the Whitingham line does not run "due north" from the southwest corner of Halifax, but ten degrees cast of north, and also at right angles with the Massachusetts line. MliitiiigJiam, Vermont. 33 The southeast corner of Halifax was seemingly well established, it being on the Massachusetts line and half a mile west of Green River ; but whether the hemlock and beech trees mentioned in the Whiting- ham boundary were six miles from said corner does not appear from the record. But the fa6l that the east and west lines of both towns are at right angles with the Massachusetts line, together with the well defined way in which W'hitingham is described, very clearly shows that "due north" in the Halifax bound- ary is controlled by the right angle which applies to both towns, and is so minutely defined by the concise description of Whitingham. The following boundary descriptions, Halifax and Wilmington chartered by New Hampshire and Whi- tingham and Readesborough by New \'ork, will tend to show how towns were made a century ago; and those minute methods are not altogether unworthy of careful comparison with the more artistic work of recent date and origin. The Charter of Whitingham is one of the most elaborate, carefully prepared and clearly expressed public documents of that time, and will bear study by the critics of this wise generation. Boundary of Halifax. "Beginning at a mariced tree standing half a mile West of Green River in the boundary line between the Government of the Massa- chusetts Bay and New Hampshire, and from thence due West on said boundary line six miles and at the end of said six miles to turn off at a right angle and run due North six miles, and at the end of 34 Cii'ccn leaves from said six miles to turn off at a rii^dit angle and run due East six miles and at the rml of said six miles to turn a right angle and run due South six miles to the tree first mentioned." — Chartered in 1750. Boundary of IVUmiiii^hm. "Beginning at the North West Comer of a Township Called Halifax lately granted to Oliver Partridge llsf). and others his asso- ciates thence running AN'est ten degrees North by the Needle six miles thence running North 10° East six miles Thence running East 10° South six miles thence running South 10 degrees West six miles to the comer firet mentioned." — Chartered in 1751 ■ Boundary of U7ii/iii(;/ia>ii. "Beginning at a Hemlock Tree and a Beach tree growing close together, ha\>ing two large stones laid between them, standing in the Line run for the Bounds of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and which Beach Tree is marked «ith these words, The Cor- ner of Cumberland, and runs thence North ten degrees East six miles ; tlien North eighty degrees \\"est six miles ; then South ten degrees West six miles to the aforesaid Line run for the Bounds of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and then along the said Line South ten degrees East six miles to the said Place of Beg^in- ning." — Chartered in 1770. Boundary of Readesborough. "Beginning at a Black Spruce-pine tree, marked by Phineas Mun with the letters S F, for the S. E. Comer of a tracSt called Stamford, standing in the line mn for the bounds of the Province of ^L■^ssa- chusetts Bay, & running along S*" line S. 80° E. 320 Chains, to the west botmds of a tradt known by the name of Cumberland- then along the west bounds thereof & the west bounds of a tra6t called Draper, N. 10° E. 960 Chs : to a tradl called Somerset- then along the south bounds of Somerset, N. 80° W. 320 Chains, to the Ivist bounds of a tradl called Woodford- then along S*" East bounds of Woodford & the East bounds of S" Stamford S. 10° \\. 960 Chains to the beginning. — Chartered in 1770. Mliitiitghani, Vermont. 35 It has been claimed that the original charters of the towns in \'ermont, issued by New York and New Hampshire, if not void at first soon became so, and that the change of government, brought about by the Revolution, obliterated all that had been done under the authority of Great Britain. At first sight this proposition presents a show of probability, but a mo- ment's reflexion will dispel all troublesome doubts. Stamford in Bennington county was chartered by New Hampshire in 1753. It was chartered again by the same authority in 1 764 and called New Stamford, but in 17S3 the town voted to continue under the name of Stamford a/ias New Stamford. But a short time elapsed before the original name was adopted, and unless some freak in Matun: has jostled it out of place, it ma\- now be found wIutc the original char- ter fi.xed its location, ready to answer to its original name. \\ ilmington was chartered b)- New Hamp- shire in 1 75 1, and by the name of Draper in 1763. This last name was repudiated and the former name assumed, so that the Wilmington of 1751 is the Wil- mington of to-day, bounded, described and named by its first charter, the same being adopted by Vermont. It must be remembered that all this happened be- fore the Revolution and under the jurisc!i(5lion and authority of the king of England. The absolute right to grant townships by charter under authority of the crown within the territory of \' ermont, previous to 1775, was never disputed. The local question raised 36 (ivcoL Leaves from was between two governors as to the scope of their jurisdiction and not that of the British government. The animosity engendered between the New Hamp- shire Grants and the province of New York, though of long standing and exceedingly bitter, was not so malignant but what Vermont paid New York $30,cxx) to terminate the dispute; besides, Whitingham was represented in the General Assembly at its first ses- sion in 1778, without being invited to change its name or location, both of which had been established eight years by the province of New York. The Charter of Whitingham was legally issued by ample authority, from which the town derived its ex- istence. Its name, established by this Charter, its position upon the face of the earth, so clearly set forth by the terms of the survey, both essential, and with- out which no American town legally exists, are now recognized by the laws of Vermont, and to that ex- tent at least this grand old Charter is now in force. jl: II I i i iTii''' ■ ■^'^' ■ ■» '■ " I I I " " ■■ ■■ ■■ " ' " " »' I CHAPTER II. LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION. hitinyhHttt^ thus elaborately de- scribed, so carefully bounded and chartered under the great seal of the Province of New York, with such display of Royalty and legal precision, was then a wilderness, six miles square, upon which the foot of civilized man had but infrequently trod. It was situated in the southwesterly part of Cumberland county, and its place on the face of the earth was in lat. 42 deg. 47 min. north; long. 4 deg. 9 miii. east. The county lines were subsequently changed and Whitingham, though not disturbed in location, now occupies the southwest corner of Windham county and is bound- ed on the north by Wilmington, east by Halifax, south by Heath and Rowe in Massachusetts, and west by Readesborough in Bennington county. 3S iri-coi fxavcs from It is 2 I miles southwest from X<:ufanc, the county seat, 20 miles soutlnvest from Brattlcboro, 18 miles southeast from I'xnnington, 20 miles easterly from No. Adams, 22 miles nortliwest from Greenfield, and 125 miles south of Montpelier, the capitol of \ermont. There are but few level acres, fit for cultivation, in the whole town. Ravines, ridges, rocks and hills, are abundant, and present such a \ariet)' of attractive scenery as to make it one of the loveliest places of resort for the student of Nature, to be found in Xew England. It is not so intensely wild as to absorb its beauty in an incomprehensible grandeur, but its nat- ural charms are so blended with each other as to produce the most complete harmony between man and Nature, and inspire a solemn reverence for divi- ner things. HILLS. The center of the town, where was built the first church, and where the postoffice, the stores and the tavern were established and remained for more than half a century, is located upon an eminence belonging to a range of hills which run in a southerlj' diretlion from Wilmington to Rowe. From several of these high points may lie clearly seen an extensive tra(5l of pi6luresque country, in \'ermont and Massachusetts. Among these elevations is Burrington Hill, noted for its bleakness during the winter months and its refreshing breezes in the heat of summer. Whitingham, Vermont. 39 Streeter Hill, in the southerly part of the town, is a sightly spot upon the very summit of which William Streeter and his family resided for many years. The ground descends in every diredlion from where the house stood, and from this spot can be seen Haystack mountain in Searsburg, Monadnock in Jaffrey, N. H., W'achusett and Greylock in Massachusetts. Tenney Hill, near the Massachusetts line, is one of the highest in town, and the view from this point in all direftions is magnificent, covering a wide field of surrounding country in Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Greylock, the highest land in the Bay State, is 3505 feet above tide water, Monad- nock 3186, Wachusett 21 18, Tenny Hill 2109. In the easterly part of the town, near the village of Jacksonville and east of North River is a rocky elevation known as Hosley Hill, and on the other side of the river are the Coleman and Tippet Hills. The hills in the westerly part of the town near Lime Hollow and along the easterly banks of Deerfield River, for several miles, are extremely rugged and the land about them unsuited to cultivation. The best crop raised here consists of the grandest natural scenery to be found in New England. Whoever stands upon the summit of any of the lofty hills of Whitingham and thoughtfully gazes down upon the checkered landscape, dotted here and there with unpretentious dwellings, variegated with the re- sults of rustic civilization, tinted with the crimson 40 (ri-rrn lu^avcs from flush of autumn and overspread with the mellow i^dory of a Si^ptember suns(;t, will plead to linger un- der the enchantment of Nature's charms till the gray t\vili<4^ht drops her sable curtain at the golden feet of retiring day. RIVERS. Deerfield River, a stream of considerable size and importance, flows through a portion of the town at its northwest corner and also at its southwest corner, which is in conformity with the original "set out," wherein care was taken "that the Length thereof doth not extend along the Banks of any River otherwise than is conformable to our said Royal Instruclions." This stream rises in Stratton and runs in a south- easterly direftion about 50 miles and falls into the Connedlicut near Greenfield, Mass. Upon this river and its many tributaries there are numerous mills and manufadlories, and their falling waters are utilized as they pass down to the sea. The "Iron Horse" has pursued his ambitious course along the rocky banks of this fretful stream as far north as Readesborough, where an extensive mill for the manufacture of paper pulp has been recently established. The watershed in this vicinity comes so near being: perpendicular that this stream, during a shower often expands into a torrent in a few minutes, and those who own land on both sides of the river are some- times obliged to remain away from home over night in case of a sudden and unexpe6led sliower. W'liitingham, Vermont. 41 A few miles beyond where this river leaves the town of Whitingham, at a point not many rods below the Zoar bridge, is a large rock projedling from the north shore into the river about 20 feet. This rock is 15 feet high and from 2 to 5 feet thick. The a6lion of water and pebbles has perforated its center and made a large opening through it in the form of an arch, 10 feet high and 5 feet wide. This lusus natures is called by Prof. Hitchcock, the arched rock. North River runs in a southerly direction through the northeasterly part of the town, and after passing through a portion of Halifax unites with the Deer- field near Shelburne Falls. There are many other streams in town flowing north, south, east and west, which indicate an uneven surface, well supplied with water. These streams furnish motive powei- for the mechanical industries of the town. Wonderful changes have evidently been made in this locality by the acflion of ice and water, when both were more plenty than they now are. The water courses have been worn down or changed through volcanic acflion, during the lingering ages of the past, so that nearly all the streams in Windham county are much lower than the surrounding country, and often their banks are found to be extremely rugged. In some localities water- worn rocks are found far above where the streams now run. Along the Deer- field at various points are cavities of unequal size in solid rock, called pot holes, some two feet in diameter 42 (ji'ccn Leaves from and three feet deep, which have been worn by the unccasini^r j_ryrali()ns of small pebbles actetl upon by water; and in many instances these cavities are far above high water mark, and show beyond question that the wonders of Nature are silently fashioned and the details of their grandeur wrought out through the drowsy flight of uncounted years. ' I'ONDS. There are no large bodies of water in this town, for the reason that there is not room enough between the hills to entertain any collection of surplus water worthy to maintain the dignity of a lake. But there are several small sheets of water, some of which will yet become of great value as storage reservoirs. This is especially true of Sadawga Pond, which can be made to contain an immense quantity of water, by raising the dam at the outlet, and this is now about being done, whereby the water will be raised six feet. This pond is the best known of an) in town, and is located about one mile westerly from where the first church was eredled. It has an available area of more than 500 acres, but of late probably less than 200 acres have been covered with water. It has upon its surface a float- ing island of some 50 acres in extent, which accumu- lation is increasing from year to )c\-\r, and within the last 50 years has somewhat changed in form and size. / / li itingh am, I 'ermont, 43 It was claimed that this pond derived its name from a "lone Indian" who continued to dwell about its shores after his tribe had "moved on." It is said that "Old Sadawga" lived by hunting and fishing, and that he occasionally made a business trip to Northampton and Springfield to dispose .of his furs, baskets and other articles, and that while going down Deerfield River in his canoe he was wrecked at Shelburne Falls and drowned. As this Indian was known to the first settlers of the town, his tradition- ary fate is not improbable. Adjacent to this pond was a large tra6l of intervale land called Sadawga Meadows upon which no timber grew, but it never failed to produce a liberal supply of grass. Before the tcTwn was much settled these meadows were resorted to by the pioneers, for the purpose of cutting the grass and making hay for win- ter use, and it appears that this territory was then treated as common land, and that persons came there from a long distance and from other towns to cut the grass and make their hay. Nathaniel Davis went there one day in August to cut some grass. When night came on his work was unfinished, and he concluded to remain till the next day. He was without shelter and exposed to wild beasts of an unfriendly character, but a little prepara- tion would serve to make him comparatively safe. He built a fire and prepared a bed of hemlock boughs upon which he retired for the night. The climate in 44 GrccH Leaves from this locality was not such as to require artificial heat in mid-summer, but fire was an essential factor in such a wild lodgini^ room as this. Nature's starry canopy was above him, and around him an unbroken wilderness added to the loneliness of the hour. No voice \yas heard save the dismal hoot of the owl, and its echo from hilltop to hilltop. Sometime in the night Mr. Davis was awakened by screams which sounded like a human voice, and he answered back in a similar tone. In a moment he saw a huge catamount rushing towards him, where- upon he began to stir up the smouldering embers, and at the sight of fire the animal, with apparent re- luctance, withdrew and disappeared in the darkness. In the northerly part of the town there is a small natural pond, in early times called Beaver Dam, since that Rider Pond, but recently, for some years, Fuller Pond. It formerly covered 50 acres, and is so situa- ted as to have an outlet at each end both of which reach the Deerfield, one near the north part of Whi- tingham and the other in Coleraine near Shelburne P'alls, but about 30 miles apart. This body of water has decreased in size so that in a dry season less than 5 acres are covered witli water. Traces of the old dam, probably built centuries a!:;o, are still visible, and under the earth may be fountl parts of trees of considerable size bearing tooth marks of the ix;a\er. Near the northeast corner of the town is a sheet of water known as Rdlicrts' Pond, coverino some thirty l]lntingham, Vermont. 45 acres. A small stream runs from it but none into it from the surface, except the rainfall, which can have but little to do with the amount of water it contains, as the watershed is quite limited. The water in this pond is said to be very deep, and trout were caught there in abundance years ago, but of late there are at least two fishermen to one fish. In the southeasterly part of the town there is a pond covering some 40 acres whidh was formerly called Beaver Pond, the dam having been originally built by beavers. The farm on which it is situated was once owned by David Eames, and since by Lis- comb Brigham and Dea. L. A. Warren. It is now owned by James Shippee. This pond is used as a reservoir for the Hagar Mills, formerly belonging to Captain Levi Lamb. GEOLOGICAL FEATURES. I Nearly all soils are composed of disintegrated and decomposed rocks, and partake largely of their chem- ical qualities. In the process of disintegration animal and vegetable substances are more or less mingled therewith, but not to such an extent as to obliterate the distinctive elements of their composition. As a general thing in New England we may expedl: to meet with a soil that contains about 66 per cent, of silica, 16 per cent, of alumina, 6 per cent, of potas- sa, 5 per cent, of oxide of iron, and a small quantity of lime and magnesia, but in Whitingham oxide of 46 (h'ccii Leaves from , iron and carbonate of lime are more abundant than is here indicated. In the southwesterly part of the town are several inexhaustable beds of limestone of a superior quality, and about 50 years ago the manufafture and sale of lime in the winter season was the chief employment of the farmers. This industry flourished from 1820 to 1840, when wood began to be scarce and it became necessary to abandon the business, which was grad- ually done till only 2 kilns are now in use, and those only occasionally in the fall and winter. About 1830 there were as many as 9 kilns in full operation, 3 be- ing at Lime Hollow, 2 in the vicinity of the Timothy Jillson place, i at the Newell place, and 3 in the Dix neighborhood. John Parsons and Benjamin Battles were the lime kings of Lime Hollow. The common at the center of the town was the grand receptacle for casks of lime, several hundred being frequently stored there awaiting transportation. The rock formation in this town is mostly gneiss, but its component parts are not so blended as to constitute a first class granite for building purposes. In the easterly part of the town talcose schist abounds to some extent, but not in such form as to render it of great commercial value. Gold, silver and lead, have been discovered in sev- eral localities, but not in quantities to warrant any extensive outlay in mining operations, though some of the ore, recently found, is said to be quite rich. ir/iiti/toJuvii, I'crnioni. 47 There are numerous veins of quartz in the rock form- ation where traces of gold may be found, but whether these veins are sufficiently extensive and rich to be- come remunerative is yet undetermined. A mining company was formed here and incorporated by the Legislature in 1867, but no startling results have been developed during the 20 years of its existence. There are several clay deposits in town, and among them may be mentioned the one about a mile south- westerly from the center, formerly worked by Nathan Green, who made brick there for several years pre- vious to 1837. The first brick ever made in town was manufactured near Heath line, in the southeast- erly part of the town, by Singleton Williams. The scenographical geology of Whitingham will bear comparison with any country on the globe where it is safe for man to travel. There are higher moun- tains and deeper valleys even in New England, but they are so much less accessible as to detract largely from their beauty and modify the enchantment of their grandeur. - BOWI.nKRS. Diluvium or drift is composed of sand and gravel in which may be found rocks generally rounded more or less by attrition, and frequently of enormous size. It is not uncommon to find them hundreds of miles from the place of their origin, sometimes in elevated 48 Green Leaves from positions ami completely exposed to view. They are called bowlders, i;rratic blocks, and lost rocks. The; lari^cst bowlder in New England, called the Green Mountain Giant, may be seen in the westerly part of the town upon a hill 500 feet above the Deer- field and within two miles of that stream. It stands upon a Hat rock, is 40 feet in length, its horizontal circumference 125 feet, its cubic contents 40,000 feet, and its weight 3,400 tons. Nearly a mile below Jacksonville there is a bowlder standing on a plain not much above the ri\er, 61 feet in circumference and 10 feet high above the ground. Its angles have not been much worn as is commonly the case with bowlders, but it looks like a block split from an immense ledge and not transported a great distance. Near this place are several gravel mounds, probably produced by the adlion of ice and water du- ring the glacial period, at which time this rock might have been transported down the \alle)- in a mass of gravel or an ice floe, which prevented it from being much worn by atrition. The result of glacial a6lion is often noticed in Vermont, and it is not uncommon to meet with a moraine even in this hilly country; and these deposits are made up largely of gravel, interspersed with bowlders of \arious sizes from a few pounds weight to several tons. There are many other largi; IxnvUliTs in the town, the best known being the one domiciliated on a flat rock at the highest point on Tenney Hill. The top IV/ntiiio/idim, Vermont, 49 of this bowlder is nearly on a level with Wachusett. Near this spot Prof. Hitchcock erected a signal pole to aid in his examination of the geological features of Massachusetts, and a general survey threof, as he had been commissioned for that work, June 26, 1830. While engaged in the survey he visited this bowl- der several times, and became much interested in the unobstru6ted view from its apex. The real history of these erratic wanderers has not yet been written, but they evidently came from a northern latitude un- der control of some powerful agency, as shown by their present location and in man)- instances by striae now visible, more ancient than the advent of man. Sl'RINGS. No town in Vermont is better supplied with pure cold water than Whitingham. Gushing from the hillside, it winds through the dank meadows in limpid streams, uncontaminated by mineral or vegetable de- posits to any considerable extent. At the foot of Streeter Hill, on the westerly side, is a spring from which flows quite a brook, at all sea- sons of the year. This spring is 26 feet deep and for several rods around it the soil will quake when stepped upon, indicating a large body of water below. The stream from this spring takes a northerly course and is known as Carley Brook. On the west side of Tenney Hill a swamp within which is a large spring furnishes water for two brooks. The one running 50 (}rccn Leaves from north is known as the Ycaw Brook, and that running south the Porter Brook. Nearly all the small brooks in Whitingham origin- ate in springs within the limits of the town. This is so with the stream ni:ar the Willis place, where Col. Isaac Martin run a c^rrist mill 70 years ago. Fuller Pond is fed by springs and the stream running from it is supplied by them. The stream from the Pierce Meadow uniting with North River at the Jillson place, the Coleman Brook, the stream in the southeast part of the town, known as the Branch, the brook near the Stone place, the Toby Brook crossing the road which leads from the Hezekiah Murdock place by the shingled school house to Readesborough Bridge, the stream just north of the center running into Sa- dawga Pond, and numerous others are supported in dry weather exclusively by springs. In the village of Sadawga there is a mineral spring to which many resort on account of its medicinal and hygienic qualities. An analysis of its waters show that they contain muriate of lime, carbonate of lime, muriate of magnesia, carbonate and per-oxide of iron, allumina with an acid trace. It is said to be a spe- cific for cutaneous eruptions, scrofulous humors, dropsy, gravel, chronic ulcers, liver complaint and many other diseases. This spring was disco\-crecl by David Eames in 1822, who claimed that the use of its waters saved his life. Mr. Eames believed what he said about it, Wliitingliamy Vermont. 5 i and while he Hved constantly recommended its good qualities to his neighbors and friends. While this water has some medicinal qualities, its taste is not much different from ordinary spring wa- ter and its hygienic properties, as represented by the chemist, are in no way disclosed by its taste. FORESTS. Previous to 1780 the town was well covered with a heavy growth of timber, beech, birch and maple being the principal hard woods, and spruce, hemlock and balsam, the soft. No pine timber of any great value ever grew in W'hitingham, and only now and then an oak, but hemlock trees in some parts of the town were of immense size, ranging from 2 to 5 feet in diameter and at least 100 feet high. The most valuable tree indigenous to Whitingham is the sugar maple. It grows tall and large, straight and graceful, with a foliage unsurpassed by any other tree in Vermont. From this tree is obtained the much admired birdseye and curly maple lumber, so eagerly sought by manufadlurers of costly furniture. But its chief value lies in its sweetness, which is developed by skilful processes into a merchantable commodity known as maple sugar. This industry being one of the earliest resorted to after the first log cabin was construfted, it may not be improper here to call attention to some of the methods employed 75 years ago in the manufa6lure 52 Grcot Leaves from of siii^ar, which appears to have been an enterprise requiring sonic energy, combined with a strong re- liance on doubtful expedlation. It required a strong constitution to cope with the hardships to be encoun- tered in this sweet employment. The collection of maple sap was performed in the rudest possible manner. The first thing done would be to make a quantity of troughs wherein to colledl: the saccharine fluid. They were made by cutting logs about 3 feet long from an ash tree 1 2 inches in diameter. These logs were split once through the center and then "dug out" with an axe, making two from each log, with capacity to hold about 10 quarts. The man who could make 30 of these troughs in a day was considered smart. The next thing to be prepared was the spouts to condudl the sap from the tree to the trough, which were split in a curved form from straight grained timber and sharpened at one end, a cross sedlion of which would appear thus ^. An instrument made of steel, called a "tapping gouge," the sharp end of which was of the same form as the spout, would be driven into the tree and the circular spout firmly set in the cleft. Then, with an axe, a notch would be cut in the tree an inch or more deep, dirc(5lly above the spout. This was called "boxinj;," and was very injurious to the trees. Tiiis being done the trough was set under the spout, and thus the sap was col- ledlied. It then had to be gathered into one place. W'hitiHgham, J^ermont. 53 which was done by the use of a sap yoke, so called, made to fit the shoulders, with a string at each end upon which wooden hooks were suspended. Upon these hooks buckets were carried, one on either side. It was not a pleasant task, but when the snow was very deep snow shoes or "rackets" were worn. In this way the sap was collected and turned into hogs- heads at a central place. The next thing in order was boiling the sap, and in preparing for this it was necessary to remove the snow from a spot of ground perhaps 1 5 feet square. Two posts were then set in the ground about 12 feet apart, the upper end of which terminated in the form of a Y. Upon the top of these a pole was laid, the same being about 8 feet from the ground. Two logs 2 feet or more in diameter and 1 2 feet long are then laid parallel to this pole and about 2 feet apart. Chains are then thrown over the pole and about 4 kettles suspended thereon and between the logs. When these kettles are filled with sap and a fire built under them the boiling process goes on till all the sap on hand is boiled down to a syrup, after which it is strained through a fine cloth and then again boiled till it will grain when cooled. This last process is called "sugaring off," and is quite an event in coun- try life, full equal to an old-time husking. But the fun comes in at a point whea the syrup may be laid on snow and become plastic like wax, and in a state of sweet submission to sweet admirers. 54 CJ recti Leaves from During March and the early part of April, the farm- ers of Vermont are adlive in the manufafture of this material, and it is estimated that 25,000 gallons are now annually made in Whitingham. The fires kindled in the various sugar camps about town in early tim,es, became beacons in the night, to be seen by widely separated settlers, indicating that industry was struggling for life in the wilderness. w I L I ) B E A s r s . While the town was in an uncultivated state, and for a while after it began to be settled, there were numerous wild animals in the forests, some of which were not pleasant companions to be alone with, es- pecially in the night time. There were over forty species in Vermont, and Whitingham had its share. The largest of all was the Moose, which is of the the deer kind, and taller than the horse. The male is equipped with a pair of horns weighing from 50 to 60 pounds, the head being over 2 feet long, and the whole animal having an unfinished look, not pleasant to behold. When running it overreaches with its hind feet and is often thrown down in that way, which was probably the cause for a belief of the ancients, who claimed that this animal had frequent attacks of epilepsy, and was ohliocil to smell of its hoof before it could recover. Bears were plenl)' when the town was first settleil, making it necessary td guard domestic animals from Whitingham, Vermont. 55 their visitations, but they are rarely seen at the pres- ent day. Fifty years ago Daniel Olden killed two in / his cornfield in one night, in an adjoining town, one of which weighed nearly 400 pounds. Wolves were the most troublesome and dangerous of all the wild animals therabouts, on account of the ferocity they manifested in the destruction of sheep. It was not common for them to attack mankind, but they have always been considered an unpleasant sub- je6l for a man to meet alone, unarmed. A wolf was killed in Vermont that weighed 92 pounds. When the town was organized, in 1 780, there were plenty of Deer, and at the first town meeting one of the officers elefted was a "deer rief," whose duty it was to enforce the laws for the proteftion of deer. This was an affair of the town, not provided for by charter, as all the officers therein mentioned are in atlive service to-day. A birdseye view of W^hitingham would disclose a pi6lure of unequalled beauty. Near the westerly line of the town, extending its entire length, is the Deer- field valley through which winds that beautiful river, a thou.sand feet below the adjacent hills. On the easterly side of the town is the valley of North River nmning nearly parallel with the Deerfield, both of which recieve the surplus waters of Rider pond, the same meeting again in friendly embrace, after passing beyond the limits of the town. Between these streams and far above them, the 56 (irccn Leaves from hillsides and even die hilltops are decorated with for- est, field and hamlet. In the springtime the dark green shade of the opening buds, delicately tinged with the opal blush of pioneer blossoms, welcome the ruddy light, the herald of day. In autumn, the dying foliage in its winding sheet of crimson and gold, dis- pels every thought of decay and fills the mind with adoration and delight. But when we take a view of the town as it was in 1780, we shall find few attra<5lions for the settlers, and many obstacles with which they had to contend before the soil could be made produ6live. The cli- mate, the location, the lack of a well defined policy in matters of civil government, went far to discourage a speedy and successful settlement. But the pioneer settlers of W'hitingham were a hardy race who defied the opposition of the elements and of man. They caused the forests to vanish be- fore their sturdy stroke, and took issue with wild beasts or unfriendly men, established their independ- ence by solemn decree, and forced civilization to establish a new free state, the first to be admitted into the Federal Union. CHAPTER III EARLY SETTLEMENT. N THE 12th day of March, 1770, by virtue of the authority of King George, Whitingham became the property of the following persons, as tenants in common: Nathan Whiting, Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew Myers, Robert Aiton, and Samuel Boyer. It was ten years before the town was organized by the choice of officers, during which time large accessions were made to its population. A census was taken in 1771 showing the condition of W' hitingham's progress previous to that date. White males under sixteen years of age 3 WTiite males over sixteen years of age, and under sixty, . . 4 White females under sixteen years of age, 3 White females over sixteen years of age, and under sixty, . . _4 Total, 14 Heads of families, . . 4 • 58 Green Leaves from There were no colored people in town at this time. This census gave Westminster a population of 478 ; Guilford, 436; Halifax, 329; Wilmington, 71. From all the fadls I am now able to gather, Robert Bratten and his family were the first to settle perma- nently in Whitingham. They were from Coleraine, and returned there three successive winters before making their residence continuous. Their first visit was in the spring of 1 77 1 , and their abode near Deer- field River, in the northwest part of the town. They followed up North River by where Jackson- ville now is, to Wilmington. Mrs. Bratten ascended a tall tree and discovered the Deerfield valley, and their course was turned in that diredlion. They had marked trees as they came along so that they might find their way back, for they had no chart or compass. They drove before them a cow, and carried their cooking utensils on their backs. A small iron kettle was used as a water pail, milk pail, and for cooking ; and as the population increased the milk of one cow was divided among several families. Their log house was located near the river above where Cyrus Wheel- er now resides. Its site now covered with forest trees and the hearth-stone around which merry chil- dren played, lie unnoticed under the fallen leaves. On the 19th day of May, 1780, known as the dark day, Mrs. Bratten set out an apple tree near this spot which has since borne the name of "Grand-mother Bratten's apple tree." / / li itiiigha til , / crmont. 5 9 Silas Hamilton was a native of Brookfield where he was born in i 740. He went to Deerfield in 1 760 and there commenced the manufa6lure of felt, and on the 27th day of July, 1763, he married Hannah Hoyt of Deerfield, who was born Sept. 6, 1744, in the "Old Indian House" and was a grand-daughter of Ensign John Sheldon. In 1 768 he was the owner of 200 acres of land whereon he erefted pot and pearl- ash works. About 1771 he reached Whitingham. In 1778-9 he represented the town in the General Assembly of Vermont. In 1 780, with 7 associates, he obtained a grant of 3,000 acres of land in the north- east corner of Whitingham, and the same year he was Selecflman and Treasurer. He became involved in some financial trouble while he held this position and mortgaged all his property, real and personal, to to secure the town. Soon after this he removed to Western, Mass., where he adhered to the Rebellion of Daniel Sha)s, just a century ago. He was arrest- ed, tried, convifted, and sentenced to stand one hour in pillory and to be publicly whipped on his naked back 20 stripes. The charge against him was, "I'or stirring up sedition in this Commonwealth." He was a man who took an active part in all the affairs of the time, never failing to carefully vindicate what he advocated, even when his life was in peril. Bratten and Hamilton have been considered the first settlers of the town, but by the census of 1771 It would seem that there were four families in town 6o Green Leaves from instead of two. Who they all were does not appear. In 1780 Sihis Hamilton, Amos Peabody and Eli- phalet Hyde, sold a lot of land. Their signatures to the deed were witnessctl by Calvin Newcomb, Philip Bartlett, Edward Harris and Lydia Harris, all four of whom signed by mark. It is now thought best to secure witnesses who can write their own names. When this early settlement was in progress the town was without roads and the people were obliged to travel by marked trees. Their grain had to be ground as far away as Greenfield, the same being transported there and back on foot. It is said that one of the early settlers went to Greenfield on foot, bought an iron five-pail kettle and half a bushel of meal, both of which he brought home on his back, more than 20 miles, without food except a little meal which he mixed with water in his hand. After the trail between Whitingham and Greenfield became better known, it was customary to employ one person to go to mill for several families. This service was performed on horseback, and it was im- portant that the person who conduced this business should not himself be a full load for the horse, and to avoid this Mrs. Dalrymple, who was a very small woman and could manage two bushels of grain and ride herself, was more frequently employed than any other person. She died at the age of 103. The first child born in town was John Nrlson Jr., and Thomas Riddle who was on a visit anione his lVhif7ni[/ia>ii. I'ernumt. 6i friends was the first person who died in town. His home was in Connecflicut, and there being no means of transportation except on horseback, it became necessary to bury him in Whitingham. During lo years previous to 1780, when the town was organized, the inhabitants were quite extensively engaged in an industry which might have been re- munerative at the time, but. of no permanent advan- tage to the soil, and by many thought to be a great and lasting injury. This consisted in cutting off the wood and timber and burning the same for the ashes, which were leached and the lye boiled down to salts or potash. These salts were then put into sacks and transported on horseback to Greenfield or elsewhere, to be exchanged for such goods as a farmer might need. All this appears simple and commonplace, and the right of carrying these sacks 25 miles through an unsettled country in this primitive way, was not seriously contested. It required much care to man- age this material while in transit, for in case there should be an) leak in the sacks the horse would be sadly injured thereby. To overcome this difficulty the person in charge of the horse would peel sheets of birch bark as he went along and place them under the sacks to prevent galling the horse. This way of clearing off th(.* land and carrying off what the soil so much needed, was a lasting injury to many of the best farms in Whitingham, and one from which they can never rfecover. If half of the 62 Green I^nrvcs from cleared lainl in this town was covered with original timl)CT to-da)', where most needed, it would increase the \akiation of the town mort; than fift)' per cent. Hut this was a period of j^rcat privation on the part of the settlers. They had taken up their aljode on a sterile soil, away from the comforts of civiliza- tion, among wild beasts, and in a climate not to be admired in winter. It was now towards the close of the Revolution. Independence had been declared by the colonies four years, and by \'ermont three years, but up to this time there had been no record of any religious (expression on the part of the people. At this time the English government was not ver)- much respedled in Vermont, and the inhabitants sought to acquire titles to their lands through the , General Assembly. About 1 780, Silas Hamilton and seven others petitioned for a grant of 3,000 acres of land in Whitingham, and the petition was referred to a cornmittee who reported as follows: — The Hon:l (".knkr.m. Asskmt.i.y : Your Com : tee Rcjidri as their opinion th.it the three thousand acres of Land in the i'liwiishiii of Whitingham as Re- ferred to in the Pettion nf Sil.is Hamilton ho granted to said Hamilton and the settlers named in said Petition thay Paying a Meat Consideration - - and that his lv\i l.mcy and Council be Directed to Make - of \'ermont. The second grant after the organization of the town was made to Samuel Wells, Jonathan Hunt, and Arad Hunt, for 3,000 acres, by a Resolution of Whitingham, Vermont. 73 the General Assembly, and in 1787, a supplementary grant was issued to Jonathan and Arad Hunt. Tuesday October 22, 1782. RESOLVED, That there be and is hereby granted and con- finned to Messrs. Samuel Wells, Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt three thousand acres of land lying in Whitingham with the usual allowance for highways in such proportion as they heretofore claimed the same under a grant from the late government of New York, for such fees as the Governor and Council shall judge reason- able, upon this condition, that the said grantees convey to each setder now adhially dwelling on said land one hundred acres to be laid in such form as the Committee hereinafter named shall diredt, and to include the improvements made by such settler within four- teen days after such settler shall have paid or secured to be paid to the said grantees to the satisfaftion of said Committee such sum or sums of money as said Committee shall judge just. Provided, That the said grantees shall not be holden to convey as aforesaid except as to such settler who shall pay or secure the payment as aforesaid within one month after such Committee shall have determined the price to be paid by them and notice thereof given to them respedlively — said land hereby granted bounded as follows viz : Beginning at the northwest comer of a trad of land granted by the late government of New York to Lieut. Thomas Etherington and runs thence north 80° west 178 chains, thence south 10° west 177 chains, then south 80° east 1 78 chains, and then north 10° east 177 chains to place of beginning, and further Re- solved that Col° Zadock Granger and Cap' Whitmore of Marlbo- rough and Luke Knowlton Esq. of New Fane or such other person or persons as the parties shall mutually agree on shall be a Com- mittee for the purpose aforesaid. OTHER PETITIONS. Between Sunday, September 28, and Wednesday, Oftober 8, 1783, three petitions were made and dated 74 Green Leaves from at Whitingham, praying that the General Assembly might grant the petitioners a tradl of land containing from three to six thousand acres. One person who signed the first petition signed the second, four who signed the first signed the third, and three who signed the second signed the third. It is evident that some kind of excitement prevail- ed in town when these efforts were being made to obtain land, and that there were three sides to the struggle for territory, which resulted in a total failure, none of these petitions being granted. TO THE Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Vermont. THE PETmoN of the Subscribers Settlers of the Town of ^\'hitmg- ham, County of Windham, Humbly Shews that your petitioners Did petition your Honors in a petition Dated Sept. 22, 1778 Setting forth our request for a tra(5l of land to be Granted to us lying in s* Whitingham Granted formerly by New York since the Prohibition to Col. Fitch and his associates & sent it by our Representative, But have Received no. answer we would at this time Renew our Request for the s"" land containing about six Thousand acres, Bounded east on the East line of s* Whitingham, North on land formerly claimed by Capt. Walker and one Norbury, by two York pattents and west on and south on Col. \\hiting Grant, and a Grant formerly made to Lieut. Garabell, York pattents. Your petitioners Some of us Removed here Near or quite ten years ago taking Encouragement to Cultivate the land, then a wild wilderness thinking the land to be Ungranted to an\- person Expect- ing for ourselves (at least) the ]iri\ilege of a Settling Lot, and it appears Easy for your Honors to Conceive that we have undergone a Great Deal of Hardship & toil in Making and Repairing Roads and bridges in this Remote part of the State, which may be in time and is Even Now an advantage to the public and an Encourage- Whitingham , Vermont. 75 ment to Others to settle here to the Benefit of the State provided a title to the Soil can be obtained.- Your Honors will (we trust) with a single Refledtion feel for us under our present Discouragements when we inform that some that have been here in order to settle have Returned for want of a title of the land, and some of us that have undergone such Hardships are almost Ready to follow them, Especially considering that as the matter Now Stands we cannot be accommodated for a place of public Worship, nor even a place to School our Children for the want of a title to the land. We Do Humbly pray that the said Land may be Sold or Granted to us by the Authority of this State for a Reasonable price, Refer- ence being had to the Great Hardships your petitioners have un- dergone as above mentioned. The Granting the Just and Reason- able Request of Your petitioners must Greatly Redound to the Honor of this State, advance the Settlement of that part of s* Tradt of land which Remains unsettled, And Do Justice to your Petition- ers. Whitingham, Sept. 2g, 1783. Leonard Pike, Nathan Green, Kujah Pike, Levi Shumwav, James Reed, Amos Green, BiLLE Clark, Je&sa Graves, Jona. Thompson, Joshua Colkman, Nathaniel Streeter, John Marks, John Rugg, Fnx:H Lamphire, Joseph Doubledav, JONATH.\N SHOMXVAV, JoHN NeI^SON. TO THE Honorable General Assembly of the State of Vermont naw sitting in Westminster. The petition of Amasa Shumway and others. Humbly Sheweth, THAT Your petitioners since the year 1772 have entered upon and settled a Trad of Land in the Township of Whitingham, Con- taining about 3,000 acres, bounded as follows, viz' East on Halifax Town Line, South on the South Line of Whitiiigham,— West on Lieut. Gambell's New Vork Patent ; (since granted by this State to Amos Green, and others) North by lands claimed by Col Fitch by Virtue of a New York Patent : which above described Trad was granted by the Government of New York to Col. Whiting after the J 6 Green Leaves from prohibition of the British Kiny in Council in the year 1764; which l,;inils your i'ciitioners consider as reverting to this State, from the illcj,'aiiiy of the Grant in the first instance, as well as from the Non- fulfilment of the Conditions on the part of the said Whiting. That since the Settlement as aforesaid, the claim of said Whiting, by Virtue of his said York Crant, has been renewed ; which if suf- fered to take Place, will deprive your petitioners of the Means of Supporting their Families, and divest them of the Hard earned Re- ward of their past Labours and Sufferings. Wherefore your petitioners pray your Honorable body for a rea- sonable Consideration, reference being had to the great expense they have been at and the hardships they have undergone in culti- vating and settling a wilderness making Roads building bridges &c, and thereby encourage and enable them still farther to promote the Settlement of the State atid their own happiness by providing for a preached Gospel and the education of their rising posterity ; both which blessings in their present situation they are destitute of — and your petitioners as the\- are in duty bound will ever pray. Whitingham October 2, 1783. Amasa Shumwav, Eliphalet Gustin jr.,Chandler KwiPHrRE, EuPHALET Gustin, Jamf.s Malleit, Eleazer Gleason, Benajah Lamphire, Levi Shum\vay, Benja. CRnrENDEN, Jonathan Euccomb. TO THE HONORABLE The General Assembly of the State of Vermont. THE Petition of the subscribers settlers of the Town of Whi- tingham County of ^\'indham humbly petition your Honors for a tradt of land lying in Whitingham formerly granted to Col. Whiting by New York since the prohibition S*" tracft containing about four thousand acres Bounded East on the l^ast line of s* Whitingham North on land formerly granted to Col. Filch by New \"ork and South on Massachusetts Bay West on land granted by the Ccnei-al Assembly to Molton and Green and C^ompany Your petitioners some of us have lived a number of years taking incorgenient to cultivate the land then a wild wilderness thinking the land free for Uliiiingham, Vermont. 'j'j granting expecting for ourselves att least a settling lot and it ap- pears easy for your Honors to concieve that we have undergone a great deal of hardship & toil in making roads and bridges in this remote part of tlie State which may be in time and is even now an advantage to the public and an encouragement to others to settle here to the benefit of the State provided a title to the soil can be obtained. Your Honors will we trust with a single refleftion feel for us that have undergone such hardships are almost ready to quit our settlements especially when considering that as the matter now stands we cannot be accommodated for a place of public worship nor even a place to school our children for the want of a title to the land. We do humbly pray that the said land may be sold or granted to us by the authority of this State for a reasonable price reference being had to the great hardships your petitieners have undergone as above mentioned the granting the just and reasonable request of your petitioners must greatly redound to the honor of this State advance the settlement of that part of s"* tradl of land which re- mains unsettled and do justice to your petitioners. Whitingham October y, 1783. Jonathan Thompson, Benj. Critfenden, James Read, EuPHALET (lus^riN, Daniel Wilcox, Amos Green, Bknjamim Lampee, Lieut. Williams, Jesse Graves, Amasa Shumwav, James Macmulej , Samuel Thompson, Nathan Conn, Jhhn Mack. SUPPLEMENTARY CRANT. This grant was made in such a way as to render its location doubtful, unless the three lots were more clearly defined than was customary in those days. But notwithstanding the representations of the petitioners in relation to their penis, there seemed to be an increasing demand for a chance to extend the limits of civilization, eredl churches and schools, the 7 8 Green Leaves from great need of which was made apparent by the style in which the public business was transacted. , J, I The (IdVKKNoK, CotjNcii, And (;KNKk.\L Assembly of ) riiK SiAi r. OF Vi-.KMovi-. To all people to whom these presents shall come, GREETING: KNOW YE THAT whereas Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt Esquires, our worthy friends, have by petition requested and obtained a grant of land within this State, for the purpose of settle- ment. We have therefore thought fit for the due encouragement or their laudable designs and in consequence of their faithful per- formance of the conditions of the grant of land aforesaid and do by these presents in the name and by the authority of the freemen of the state of Vermont, give and grant unto the aforesaid Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt their heirs and 'assigns forever the Lots or Pieces of land hereafter bounded and described as follows, viz : Three lots in the Township of Whitingham being a part of three thousand acres of land granted to Captain John Walker a reduced officer, said lots containing one hundred and ninety six acres in each lot and are numbered two three and five as expressed in a certain indenture of release made to the said Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt by Samuel ^^'el!s and is contained in a grant made by the Legislature of this State to Messrs. Samuel \\l-11s and the afore- said Jonathan and. Arad Hunt on the 22d day of October 1782 of three thousand acres of land in the aforesaid Whitingham, the aforesaid three lots of land containing in ' the whole six hundred acres or thereabouts, reserving to the use of the Public the usual allowance for highways. To have and to hold the aforesaid Lots and Pieces of land as above described, with all the privileges ap- purtenances belonging thereunto the above said Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt and each of their rcs|)ei5ti\e heirs and assigns forever, their doing and performing the settlement and duty required by Law on other (".rants made by this State. In Testimony whereof I have hereimto set my hand and caused the seal of this Stat^ to be affixed this 25th day of OiSlober 1787. TMOMAS CHUTEN'DEN. Whitingkam, Vermont. 79 Such a large number of petitions to the Assembly in a single week, coming from a sparcely populated seftion of the State, urging the claims of the peti- tioners with so much native shrewdness, was clearly indicative of advancing prosperity. OFFICIAL RESTRICTION. The people of Whitingham at this time, as a rule, were law abiding, so far as they had any law to abide by. But habits of intoxication sometimes required a check from some official source, in cases where the law could not be appealed to with satisfa(5lory results. In 1787, the Sele<5lmen of Whitingham adopted a method unique in its conception and salutary in its application. The number of cases treated by this humiliating process is unknown, but one specimen has been preserved and may be found among the town records, recorded by Amos Green who was then Town Clerk. The Sele6lmen who issued this sug- gestive hint were Samuel Day, Daniel Wilcox and Isaac Lyman. It has no parallel in municipal di6tum, and is as follows: Where as the Mismanagement and Bad condudl of Calvin Fuller of Whitingham in times Past has apparently Brought him self into such Difficulty that his Family may feel the fatal effe(5ls of it in many Instances, Perticularly afor their Daly support, which to Pre- vent we, the subscribers. Do agreeable to Law hereby take Inspec- tion of S" Fuller's futer affairs under our Emediate Care, and hereby Notify the PubTick that we &&. as Overseers on S"" Fuller's futer affairs, and warn all that is or may be concerned with S* Fuller to Govern themselves accordingly. Whitingham, June 30, 1787. 8o Green Leaves from Money was so near an unknown quantity among the farmers that the town made provision in 1 786 for the payment of town taxes in products of the farm. Voted, That the town tax be paid in wheat at 4 s. per bushel, Rey at 3 s., Com at 2 and 6, Oats at i and 6, Flax at 8 d. per pound, sugar at 5 d. per pound. BURIAL GROUNDS. The early burial places of Whitingham were estab- lished by private enterprise as necessity seemed to require. The first burials were in the northwest and and northeast corners of the town, in private lots, with no monument or sculptured stone to mark the places where rest the first settlers. The Roberts burial place is located in the northeast corner of the town and is one of the oldest known. There is no record of its conveyance for burial pur- poses, and it was probably used as a private yard at first but more recently it has been used as a public ground This lot is about 8 rods long by 6 wide and contains numerous graves, most of which are marked only by field stones. The earliest date found here is that of John B. Angell who died August 9, 1802, but this is i)y no means the oldest grave. Burials were undoubtedly made here previous to 1 780. Near the Davis Bridge over Deerfield River, are several graves marked by field stones only; and on the "upper flat" just east from the river and near the U7iitingham, Vermont. 8i Nehemiah Blanchard place, are like indications of a private burial place. These burials were some of the earliest in town, about which history and tradi- tion are both equally silent. Near Rider Pond is a burial place called the Fuller Burying Ground. It was a family lot, not now in use. A mile westerly from Jacksonville is a spot which has been reserved by conveyance as a burial place, where John S. Gallup buried several children. This is fenced and cared for. In the northwest corner of the town is a family lot known as the Jewell Burying Ground. It contains only a few graves, but they are well cared for. About one mile southerly from Jacksonville, near the highway, is a lot one rod square where Joshua Coleman, Ruth Coleman his wife, Joseph Coleman and two children were buried. This lot is fenced and reserved by conveyance. It was more than tweiit)' )ears after the town was chartered before any well defined effort was made to secure land and establish a burial place by authority, and then the diversity of opinion was such among the inhabitants as to cause a delay of twelve years more before the town had control of a place to bury its dead ; the land then was a gratuity from Jona- than Carley, a soldier of the Revolution, the only consideration expressed in the deed being his good will. This yard was 1 1 rods long and 4 wide, it be- ing located in the southwesterly part of the town 82 (ircen Leaves from near tlie Newell place. Burials here have been quite extensive, but more than half the graves are marked only by field stones, bearing no inscription. Here the donor and s(!veral of his family rest, undisturbed by the hurrying footsteps of avaricious men. March ist, 17S4, the town "Voted that Daniel Wilcox, Thomas Blodgett and James Roberts, be a Committee to look out some suitable places for Bu- rying yard in said Town." In 1790, an attempt was made to secure a burial place, and the town "Voted to 'Except' the land for a burying Place of Calvin Munn and fence the same with Posts and boards spiked on." Nothing was done about the fence du- ring the year, but on the 7th of March, 1 79 1 , the town "Voted that Capt. Wilcox, Nathan Green and Major Lyman, be a Committee to 'serch' for a more con- venient place to bury the dead than the one now im- proved for that purpose." The Munn lot was here undoubtedly referred to and disapproved. These earnest efforts to secure burial places about this time may seem strange to some, but it must be remembered that necessity, present or approaching, develops its own remedy and teaches to all mankind the solemn fadl that "coming events cast their shad- ows before." In this case there seems to have been ample cause for unusual activity in providing suitable and convenit.nt burial places, when we come to kno^ that in 170;; one fourth of all the children in town died with scarlet fever. Whitingham, Vermont. 83 This occurred before the gift of Mr. Carley, which was brought about in part by a vote of the town to "fence the burying ground, on condition that the owners would deed the land to the town." Whether this committee ever found a place where they were willing to be buried does not appear, but 2 1 years later the town secured the lot half a mile north of where the first church stood, it being con- veyed to the town by Amos Green. This yard was much used before the town had control of it, and as it contains only half an acre, but few have been buried there for many years. The deed covered not only the burial lot but the old common, and was dated at Whitingham, May 25, 181 2, as follows: THAT I Amos Green of S. Brimfield in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, for and in consideration of the sum of Twenty Dollars received to my full satisfadlion of the Seledlmen and inhabitants of the town of Whitingham in the County of Wind- ham and State of Wmiont, do freely give, grant bargain, sell, alien, release, convey and forever quitclaim all my right, title, interest or demand in or unto a certain piece of land situate in said Whiting- ham, Containing four acres, and is the same tra6l on which the Meetining House in said town now stands, bounded and described as follows, Viz : Beginning at a stake & stones standing on the east side of the highway near the southwest comer of the Garden of Ja- bez Foster, Thence running east ten degrees south forty rods to a stake and stones, Thence south 10 degrees west 16 rods to a stake and stones, thence west 10 degrees north forty rods to a heap of stones, thence north 10 degrees east to the place of beginning, be- ing 16 rods. And also one other piece of land containing half an acre laid out for burying ground adjoining the highway that leads by the dwelling house of Caleb Murdock, and is bounded west on said highway, and north and east on said Murdock land. 84 Green Leaves from ffo i\\\Xi uud to hold the above bargained iV granted premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging to them the said Sclciftincn and their successors in office and the said inhabitants as aforesaid for the purpose of a Common and Burying \;ir(l, I hcrcl>y engaging for myself my heirs and assigns forever to warrant secure and defend the aforesaid premises against the law- ful claims and demands of any person or persons whomsoever, claiming by, from, or under me. 3(n Witllfr^.S ^t'Urrcof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 25th day of May, a. d. 181 2. IN PRESENCE OF ) Jabez Foster, [■ AMOS CJRKKX. l. s. Nathan Green. ) %\\\\t of Vrvmont. | May 25th, 181 2. Then personally appeared WINDHAM COUNTY, ss. j Amos Green signer and sealer of the within instrument, and acknowledged the same to be his free afl and deed. Before me Jabez Foster, Justice of the Peace. July 8, 181 2. Then the foregoing deed was recorded in the town records of W'hitingham. By me, Jabez Foster, iViwn Clerk. On the 5th of April, 1808, David Cutting convey- ed to the town '4 acre of land in the southeast part of the town, the same to be used as a burial place. This lot was enlarged May 13, 1833, when David Cutting and Levi Lamb conveyed to the town 31 square rods for its enlargement. This lot is in gen- eral use and known as the Cutting Burying Ground. Some of the early burials were made at this place. About the year 1810, a tradl of land containing nearly half an acre, part of the same being in W'hi- tingham and part in Readesborough, was, b)- agree- ment between Lemuel Blanchard (if Readesborough and Mr. Olds of Whitingham, set apart for burial Whitingham, Vermont. 85 purposes. It is located in the southwest part of the town and not now used. The first person buried here was Lemuel Blan- chard, who died June 9, 181 1, aged 62 years, and the last was Mrs. Fanny Shippee Shumway, who died May 13, 1880, aged 56 years. This spot is known as the Battles Burying Ground, it being near where Benjamin Battles lived. October i, 1825, Nathan Green Jr. conveyed by deed to Rufus Carley, David Hosley Jr., Benjamin Reed, Nathan Green, Edmund Bemis, Hezekiah Murdock and Alfred Green, one acre of land to be used as a common burying ground. This lot is situ- ated near the south end of Sadawga Pond. Near the geographical center of the town, north- easterly from the pond and easterly from the village of Sadawga, is a burial place which was deeded to Whitingham, May 21, 1832, by John Kingsbury in consideration of $10. December 27th, 1873, the town purchased of Norris D. Tainter 35 rods on the east side of this lot. When the new part was laid out and improved it became one of the finest and best arranged burial places in town. This lot is near the north end of the pond and within half a mile of the village, and known as the Sadawga Burying ground. The Jacksonville Burying Ground lies easterly from the village, and occupies a commanding posi- tion. It was conveyed by Billy Johnson to John R. Stacy, Samuel Hosley, Samuel Brown Jr., Parley S6 Green Leaves from Starr Jr., Martin Brown, Laban J. Childs, Adin T. Childs, Daniel D. Wilcox, Putnam H. Pierce, Jonas Brown, Elias Stone, Willard Foster, Joseph Corkins Moses Morley, Newton Smead, F. & J. Sprague, and J. W. Brown, March 15, 1842, and is 80 rods square. It was to be forever used as a burial ground, free to all, it being managed by an incorporated company, which secures a more uniform method in laying out and improving the grounds. A retrospective glance at the history of the burial grounds of Whitingham will show how little thought was bestowed upon them in early times. The dig- ging of a single grave in some unfrequented field was equivalent to establishing a cemetery for a cen- tury to come ; and I am inclined to the opinion that every one of the 16 above alluded to was first used without the san6lion of public authority. It is a deplorable fa(5l that many of those who en- dured the hardships incident to the first settlement of the town, struggling against opposition to their untiring efforts to advance its interests in the scale of civilization and give it honorable rank among the growing munici|)alities of the State, have gone down to their i^ra\ cs, forgotten b)- succeeding generations, without memorial or inscription to tell the story of their lives, or point to the places where they were tenderly laid in the obliterating sleep of death. The cold, gray stones, so carefully arranged by affedlionate hands, onl)' suggest the unsatisfactory Jl'/iiiijigham, Vermont. 87 presumption, "Here lies," and the pall of departed generations lingers between the living and the dead, like the shadow of remorseless oblivion. The records relating to burials in this town are quite incomplete, both in the town clerk's office and by way of inscription upon stones and monuments in the several burial places. Many prominent and well known citizens of W'hitingham repose in unmarked graves, beyond the reach of history or tradition. The following inscriptions may be found in the yard north of the common : — Nancy, daughter of Jesse & Deborough Hull. Died Sept. 25, 1784, aged 2 ds. In memory of Mrs. Sally Lyman & infant, Wife & Son to Maj. Isaac Lyman, they died Aug' 22,"'' 1 79 1. After a short but distressing illness, in ye jg"" year of her age. Her agreable disposi- tion and ingageing behaviour rendered her Parrentaily Dear to her family, her Friends and the Publick. As you are so once was we As \vc are so you must be. Betsey & Jemima, Dau's of Mr. Clark died 1794. B. M 6 ys, J. ,1: 9 ys. Nancy, dau. of \Vm. Clark, died 1 794 m 6 ys. Jonathan Shumway died Jan. 7, 1795 M 10. Polly Stockwell, Died Jan. 14, 1795, Aged 2 years. Joel, Son of Jesse & Deborough Hull. Died Feb. 9, 1795, aged I day. standing in the south line of Col. Fitches grant — then irhiiiHi^/iam, Vermont. 97 north Si degrees & 30 minutes west J90 chains to a stake & stones then south 8 degrees iS; 30 minutes west 1 74 chains & 50 hnks to the bounds began at, containing five thousand & sixty acres & eigh- t\- perches. Bounding south on the State of Massachusetts Bay east on Col. \\hitings patent north on Col. Fitches patent and west on Reedsborough and that the same hereby is incorporated into a dis- tiidl by the name of Whitingham Gore and that the inhabitants that do or shall hereafter inhabit said distri(5l are declared to be enfran- chised and entitled to all the priviledges and immunities of citizens & exercise all legal power & authority in support of their internal right as fully & amply and ( ?) other incorporated distri<5ts within this State do by law exercise and enjoy. To Havk and To Hold the said granted premises as expressed in the aforesaid grant with all the privileges & appurtenances there- unto belonging & appertaining to them & their respe6live heirs & assigns forever upon the following conditions Viz : that each pro- prietor of the said distri(Sl of Whitingham Gore his heirs or assigns shall plant & cultivate five acres of land & build a house at least eighteen feet square on the floor or have one family on each respedl- ive right within the term of four years from the time of surveying the out lines of said Gore on the penalty of the forfeiture of each respective right or share of land not so settled & improved as afore- said and the same to revert to the freemen of this State to be by their Representatives regranted to such persons as shall appear to settle and cultivate the same that all pine timber suitable for a Xavy be reserved for the use and benefit of the freemen of this State. In Testinwtiy -whereof we have caused the seal of this State to be affixed at Rutland this 20 day of Odlober Anno Domini 1 796 & in the 20th year of our independence. Witness our well beloved Thomas Chittenden Esquire Governor of our said State Captain General & Commander in Chief of all the Militia of the same. By his Excellency's command | jhOMAS CHIITENDEN. Truman Squire Secretary. J yS ( J real Ij;ax'es from Wlicn the State of \'ermont came to exercise perma- nent jurisdiction over the New Hampshire Grants, the town of Whitingham was in an uncultivated con- dition, and most of the Land (Grants issued by the State, in W'hitingham, were made in consideration of the advancement of agricultural pursuits, and cov^r a period of i6 years, from 1780 to 1796, inclusive. By reference to the original grants it will be seen who were the favored petitioners : — 1780. Silas Hamilton, Thomas Sterns, John Butler, James Roberts, Abner Moor, James Angel, Charles Dodge, and Eliphalet Hyde. 1 78 1. Robert Bratten, and seven others whose names are unknown. 1782. Samuel Wells. 1787. Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt. 1796. Amos Green, Samuel Moulton, Thomas Day, James Howard, Seth Howard, Benjamin Nel- son, Benjamin Blodget, Benjamin Blodget Jr., Samuel Nelson, Solomon Moulton, Asaph White, William Nelson, Thomas Blodget, Abisha Blodget, and Daniel Wallace. The critical reader will not require to be reminded of the fa(5l that the state of \'ermont always respedl- ed the early New \'ork charter, and did not fail in a single instance to locate all those grants in Whiting- ham — not in Cumberland. In the early conveyances of land in W'hitingham, the rights supposed to exist under the Charter were Whitingham, Vermont. 99 carefully quitclaimed, showing how this whole subjedt was understood at that time ; and there are numer- ous land owners in town to-day who can trace their titles dire6lly to the New York Charter, to a time when Col. Whiting and others released their rights for a consideration ; and what is more convincing, these rights were held under the Charter and sold since the town was organized and the state govern- ment established. Such was the case with Eleazer Fitch when he sold to Daniel Wilcox, in 1786, and with Nathran Whiting when he quitclaimed his right in the north half of Whiting's grant to William An- derson, the same year. Any lawyer or layman, not overcharged with stupidity, will comprehend this matter at once. The Centennial Address, delivered at Whitingham, Aug. 18, 1880, contains the following sentence: The Charter granted in 1770 is now the charter of the town, recognized by the State, and in full force. Two or more ignorant persons, in their egotism, have thrust themselves before the public, evidently expeding to win applause, by their silly criticisms of the above statement. They claim that this charter was illegal and void. The fa(5l that this alleged illegality was not discov- ered for more than a century, and even then, patent- ed by two or three disappointed pessimists, amply answers all propositions of this sort. Every lawyer, lOO ijy cot Leaves from familiar with the history of Vermont, Icnows that the charter of Whitingham was legal when granted. It is also claimed that the State government super- ceded the charter, while the Revolution obliterated c'\ery vt:slig(- of British authority then existing; even annulling all chartered rights and titles. The supreme courts of several states, and of the United Siaics, have settled this matter so plainly as to convince all those who are willing to acknowledge themselves below their Creator. The supreme court of Massachu.setts has decided, and confirmed its decision, that persons and corpo- rations now hold their titles by virtue of English charters, granted before the Revolution. In the celebrated "Dartmouth College Case," in which L)aniel Webster won a national reputation, as a lawyer, this question \\as fully settled. Dartmouth College had been chartered by the King in 1769, and in 1S16 the New Hampshire Legislature undertook to alter the charter and reor- ganize under the law. The Supreme Court of the United States decided that the charter was a contract then in force, and that its alteration by the State would be unconstitutional and void. This settles the whole question. The Charter of Whitingham was a contract, made In and between two or more parties. The Constitution of the L'ni- ted States ])rovided for its survival, and it is in force to-day. Whitingham, Vermont. loi There is one other notable fact connected with the history' of the tra6l of land now known as Whiting- ham. All laws, resolves, charters or grants, passed, issued or promulgated by any public authority, state or town, since 1770, recognize no such town as Cumberland; and history conclusively shows that such a town never existed in this locality. Whoever assumes that such a town did exist here, must admit that the inhabitants thereof were as near the "dunce block" a century ago as some dilapidated egotists are at the present time, for their documents were dated at Whitingham, and their contra(5ls and other busi- ness transactions were made in the same town. 1 have recently seen some original documents, found among the effefts of Silas Hamilton, who was one of the first settlers of Whitingham. He was also one of the first seledlmen, and the first repre- sentative to the Assembly of \'ermont. If Whitingham was Cumberland previous to the promulgation of the Charter, these documents show how early it was respedcd by the inhabitants of the town, who forthwith adopted the charter name and have continued it to the present time. W'hitiiii^luun. Nov. 21, 177 J. I, James Carey, for Value Ret civtd, promise to Pay the sum of six pounds Lawful money of the bay Province on or before the first Day of June 1772. N. B. Sd sum is to be paid in clearing of Land, viz., to cut Down the wood and Pile up the small stuff fit for Burn- ing, and cut up all the wood twelve feet in Length, excepting 40 trees, said Land to be cleared in Whitingham for Silas Hamilton at the time aboye sd, as witness my hand. I02 Green Leaves from If Whitingham had no legal existence in 1 771, ex- cept through a bogus charter, as some have claimed, how does it happen that those who lived there knew no other town in which to make and date their con- tracfls? What reason had they to drop the name of Cumberland if the new name was illegal and void ? November ye 5th, 1776. This day gave Silas Hamilton full ij.jwcr to sell my house and possession in Whitingham on T. Ethamton's [Etherington] Patent, and to Return the sum of ten Dollars worth of Neat Catel by the Last of May 1777, to me the subscriber as witness my hand. Samuel DARBy. A military order, dated "Windsor 5th of June 1777," signed by "Samuel Fletcher, Colo." is addressed "To the Capt., or the Inhabitants of Whitingham," calls for its quota of men, "to march to Rutland for the defence of the Frontier of this State, the same to serve two months from the day they march unless sooner discharged." On this order is a memoranda giving E. Davis, Nathaniel Davis, Eliphalet Gustin, Robert Bratten jr., Robert Nelson. John Nelson jr., Benjamin Nelson and William Nulson credit for ser- vices rendered under the order. Why did James Carey, Silas Hamilton. Samuel Darby, the Military .Xuthorit)' of \'ermont, and the above named soldiers, with such singular unanimity, adopt the name of Whitingham, if no such town existed? It did exist, and beyond all question was organized under the New \oxV charter, on the first Tuesday in May, 1771. It has been claimed that the Whitingham, Vermont. 103 first town meeting was not held till March 30, 1780, and the Centennial was celebrated with that under- standing; but since that, fafts have been developed showing a much earlier organization of the town. This is shown by the business transadlions of the prominent men of the town, by military orders and responses thereto, and by documents signed by town officers, previous to 1780. It is also shown by some of these documents that the town was well known by its present name within two years after the date of its charter, seven years before the State claimed to exist, and twenty years before it was admitted into the Federal Union. It is plain that this town was not known as Whiting- ham till it was so named by the charter; and the faft that business transaftions were dated at Whitingham, within eiorht months from the time the charter was O signed, is almost conclusive proof that the municipal machinery was put in working order as soon as the charter was made known to the inhabitants and an organization could be effedled. On the following page is a Warrant, issued by the sele<5lmen of W^hitingham, by authority of the Free- men of the State, two years before the first town meeting of which there is a record. This Warrant was served by a Constable of the town, and the proper return duly made, showing that the municipal government was in working order long before 1780. 104 Gi 'coi Lea I 'cs from N, •\-t-oify x'^'j ;^^M ^M4 ^it11i4 Whitingham^ Vermont. 105 Intelligent persons are not apt to date their contracfls and other documents in a town that has no legal or corporate existence. This warrant and the return thereon indicates both. The officers who made and served this precept were evidently well informed as to their duties, their work indicating years of experience. All dispute about the "township of Cumberland" is forever settled, when we take into account the fa6l that the county of Cumberland, organized in 1766, covered this traft of vacant land. As a matter of course it took the county name, in the absence of any other, and continued to be called Cumberland till it was erefted into a township in 1770. The census promulgated in 1771 was taken before the town was chartered, at the time it was surveyed, while it was vacant, unorganized and unchartered. Since March 12, 1770, it has been known as Whi- tingham and nothing else. During the early years of the town's existence, when money was extremely scarce, with no market nearer than Greenfield, the inhabitants fell in with io6 Greeti Leaves from such customs as prevailed in many parts of the state where strange devices were resorted to, such as GAMBLING BV LOTTERY, for the purpose of raising money for religious pur- poses. Churches, roads and bridges, were built, loss by fire repaired, the state debt paid, by lottery. These lotteries were not only legalized by towns, but the state was concerned in the same demoralizing business. Vermont has passed twenty-four adls granting lotteries for various purposes, the first being dated Feb. 27, 1783, and the last one Nov. 8, 1804. Nov. 8, 1792, an a6l was passed granting a lottery to raise ^1^150, for building a bridge over Deerfield river at Readsboro. I am glad that no church was ever built or repaired in Whitingham with money raised by lottery. It was thought that these exhibitions of chance had a tendency to lift the burden of taxation, but it only changed the responsibility from one class to another, by bringing the gamblers to the front in religious and charitable work. With all these artful methods for raising money, the town continued to grant special fa\ors to its citi- zens whenever relief seemed necessary. On the 4th of March, 1793, the town "Voted to raise .\ tax of one Penny on tlie Pound on the hst of 1792, to be Paid to the treasurer by the first Day of June Next to Be Paid in town orders or Good Maple Sugar at six pence Pr Pound." Uliitingham, Vermont. 107 The liberality of the town in allowing its citizens to pay their taxes in "truck and dicker," and the raising of money by games of chance, did not turn out to be a complete remedy for all the financial ills, and nu- merous farms were sold under the hammer. On the 30th day of May, 1798, the town colle6lor, Amasa Shumway, held a great sale of land in Whitingham, to satisfy demands for taxes. Seventy-five lots were sold at low prices. One hundred acres in lot No. 7 sold for $1,37, and another lot of 79 acres sold for 98 cents. It would be interesting to know if any of the titles under this sale were ever perfedled. The last year of the century was the most prosper- ous the town has ever seen. Large numbers were added to its population, log huts were abandoned and more modern houses built. The forests were cleared away, roads and bridges built, schools estab- lished, and general thrift pervaded the town. The first meetinghouse was built this year, which was a great relief to church goers, some of whom had waited thirty years for the good time to come, when they might enjoy the benefits and pleasures of having a suitable place for the public worship of God. This house was made free to all denominations, by a vote of the town. The population of Whitingham at this time was 868. PROMINENT CITIZENS. Among the early settlers and those prominent in io8 Green Leaves from business and town affairs, near the close of the last century, were Nathan Green, James Roberts, Jabez F"oster, Amasa Shumway, David Eames, James Reed, Reuben Lamphear, F"rancis Porter, Amos Green, Calvin Munn, Jonathan Hall, Baxter Hall, Reuben Brown, Amos Brown, Joshua Coleman, Samuel Day, Ambrose Stone, Samuel Parker, David Jillson, Wil- liam Goodnow, Jesse Hull, John Roberts, Samuel Preston, Isaac Chase, Joshua Newell, Levi Boyd, Abraham Chase, Abiather Winn, Martin Stickney, Abel B. Wilder, Eli Higley, Jeremiah Kingsbury, Samuel Martin, Hezekiah Murdock, Thomas Nelson, Walter Eames, Abiel Russell, Joseph Hammond, Levi Lamb, Patrick Peebles, Eber Atherton, John Brigham, William Stone, Elisha Putnam, Benjamin Reed, Josiah Brown, Jonas Brown, James Warren, and many others. While these men were interested in town affairs, they took special pride in the success of agricultural pursuits, in which they were all more or less engaged. . '•-'-''iy.-f CHAPTER IV. WITCHCRAFT. N these early times the inhabitants were dependent upon tradition for most of their knowledge concern- ''f^w wvs^t '"§^ ^^^ outside world, and were p^^ i»^^ often misled by ignorant theorists and designing pretenders, in mat- ters pertaining to the supernatural. It is true that some of the pioneers were educated before they reached Vermont, but their children were less fortunate, there being no regular schools or church service in Whitingham previous to 1800. Ghost stories and tales about haunted houses ter- rorized the timid and prepared the minds of young persons to tolerate, without investigation, numerous superstitions of the most rediculous sort. Among other entertaining topics was the solemn fire-side rehearsal of some startling display of Sa- tanic control over earthly affairs, always setting forth T lO (irccii Lca7'cs from the great danger of incurring the awful displeasure and sure revenge of the prince of darkness. Demonoloj^ry, or Witchcraft, was known more than twenty centuries ago, and thousands of innocent per- sons have been burned at the stake or otherwise put to death on suspicion of being in league with the evil one. This delusion found victims in New Eng- land in the 17th centur)-, and many were tried and executed upon charges now believed to have been without the slightest foundation in truth. More than a hundred years after the culmination of this fallacy was exploded in Massachusetts, it had a legendary existence in W'hitingham, reprerented in. the person of an elderly lady by the name of Lam- phear, who had the unjust and uncomfortable repu- tation of being a witch. When night folded its draper)- about the homes of the mountaineers, and the family had gathered around the ample kitchen fire, some experienced person would recount, with an air of solemnity, the wonder- ful traditions of the most stupendous delusion the world ever saw. Their words would almost material- ize the dark spirit of the champion of evil, and chil- dren and timid persons even came to believe that witches were a part of the economy of Nature. Some consoled themsehcs I)y constant companion- ship with a horse shoe, while others, less artful and more superstitious, were destined to suffer the most IVhitingham, Vermont. 1 1 1 acute agony of mind and body, as the old lady rode her phantom steed through the midnight air. Julius Clark, a young man who lived near Mrs. Lamphear, claimed that he was bewitched by her, and so thoroughly under her influence that he was unable to leave his bed for ten years. When the old lady died he at once recovered and lived to old age. Another man supposed himself to be one of her vidlims, and would exert himself in every possible way to avoid her influence and control. He claimed that on going to his barn one morning he found his cattle on their backs, while everything around seem- ed wrong side up. This he said was the work of the old woman. This man related numerous instances where he thought the spirit of this harmless old lady was wont to revel among helpless vidlims, but the revelry was probably in his own distempered brain. Mrs. Lamphear lived where J. Seymour Houghton now resides. Not far away, upon the old road lead- ing towards the Capt. Bond place, was the residence of Hezekiah Whitney who had several sons, all pre- tending to be well stocked with Vermont courage. They wanted proof before they were willing to allow that Mrs. Lamphear was possessecl of supernatural power, but it is evident that they were ready to believe what they saw, and liable to see more to the square inch than philosophers had dreamed about. It is said that on a certain day one of these boys was driving a yoke of oxen, when one of them went 1 1 2 Green Leaves from through the bow and was seen walking several paces ahead of the other ox, the bow retaining its place in the yoke. The maker of this stor)- is not known. Mr. James Upion, who lived near Mrs. Lamphear, had offended her in some way, and he claimed that she sought revenge by telling him that his children would be sick and his cat would die. Upton defied her power, and told her that she could not make his children sick or kill his cat, in any supernatural way; but not long after some of the children were sick and the cat died, as predicted. This story was fre- quently told by Mr. Upton who pretended to believe in its truth, and that the old lady was responsible for his trouble. Mr. Upton was an intemperate man and might have seen snakes. Mrs. Lamphear was a widow with two sons, Reu- ben and Chandler. Chandler had a daughter who lived with her grandmother and firmly believed her to be a witch. This shows what ignorance and su- perstition will do for mankind. At this time it had been settled for nearly a hun- dred years, that witchcraft was a miserable delusion, and yet it was a notorious fa<5l that nine tenths of all the inhabitants of Wliitingham believed Mrs. Lam- phear to be in league with the devil, as a witch. This old lady, perhaps a little eccentric, was with- out doubt entirely innocent of all these suspicions. Good education, sound judgment, a clear consci- ence and a belief in witchcraft, cannot live together. Whitiitgham, Vermont. 113 and if any person or persons deserve criticism for tolerating, in any form, the witchcraft delusion in Whitingham, let it fall upon those who were foolish enough to allow their, credulity to overshadow their reason, instead of holding up to ridicule an innocent and harmless old woman. THE GOLDEN ERA. From the time Whitingham was chartered, up to as late as 1815, there prevailed throughout all this region of country, a superstitious notion that large quantities of gold and silver had been buried here- abouts, and that numerous mines of treasure had been discovered or dreamed of, in most of the New England States. Probably this sentiment sprung, in a measure, from the exploits of Capt. William Kidd, who was sele6led in 1696, as the proper person to clear the seas of pirates, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Straits of Malacca. Kidd was placed in command of a gal- ley of 287 tons, with 30 guns. It is supposed that his original intentions were honest, but he soon turn- ed pirate himself. He was hanged May 24, 1701, at Execution dock, London, for the murder of one of his own men. He had, before this, buried money and merchan- dise to the amount of ^14,000, on Gardiner's island. This property was found, and more than a hundred I 14 (irccji Leaves from years later people w(.-re digging all cner .\e\v Eng- land after Kidd's .i^^old. It will be rememlicred that there was a reservation in the charter of \t'hilingham, of all gold and silver mines. This combination of circumstances led many credulous persons to infer that Whitingham was not only rich in buried spoils, but that its mountains concealed undeveloped mines of gold, silver and precious metals. Meetings were held for the pur- pose of comparing notes, and to relate the success each person had experienced in mining affairs, and to unfold and make patent their fantastic dreams of future success in finding pots of money. .All this business had a brilliant future — in imagination. I have had the good fortune to obtain so much of a history of this money question, that something more than a mere xas^ue statement can be presented. .Silas Hamilton, at that time, the foremost man in\ town, kept a note-book wherein he made a record of what he could learn about mines and buried coin. Although his book exhibits the outlines of a su- perstition, it becomes interesting as tending to show what the people, at that time and in that locality, were thinking about. Before these notes were made, Mr. Hamilton had held the highest offices the town could bestow upon a citizen. He was also a land owner, bcnng possessed of 2200 acres in Glasten- bury ; 1020 acres in Whitingham ; 500 acres in Strat- ton; 150 acres in Windsor; 125 acres in Shutesbury; niiitingham, Vermont. 115 100 acres in Halifax ; and 86 acres in Marlborough. He was a representative man without question, but he kept a record of current events of a very pe- culiar sort. It is original, unique, and without a rival in form or substance. I herewith give a portion of this strange document, as follows; — Leverit mine meeting Adjourned to the third Wednesday in March 1786 to meet at Israel Hubbard in Leverit. Hinsdale mine Proprietors, Isaac Barrit, Zadock Barrit, David Davis of Gilford, Lozor Robbins of Westmoreland, John Barrit of Hinsdail. Mine meeting to be held at Silas Barritt's House in Hinsdail on the first Wednesday in april Nex at Nine o' clock. Mrs. Woodbury & her Dafters have Dreemed Sundry Times in a Remarkable manor of money or hid Treasure in Brookfield on her husband's farm in Brookfield in the bay state. Mr. Woodbury can Inform of a Chest of money hid in Wood- stock South Part in ye Bay state. Hannah Bancroft Informs that one Col. Enuch Putnam's Sistors Dreemed of a Pot of money Sd Dreemor is in Danves Massachu- setts. John Stevenson of Brookfield he & his mamey Dreemed in a Remarkable manor of finding a Large Quantity of (money) in Brookfield Sd Stevenson ma\ be found in Oakham moving in the Spring 1786. Joshua Randol of Rutland Informs of a Xaluahlc mine in ye town of Thompson in Conne(5ticut and Blood's mine Near Dudley pond in ye Bay. Ebenezer Felton of N Salam Dreemed of money hid. Mrs Putnam of Newsalem Dreemed of finding a pot of money in Oldsalam near high water mark. Mr. John Prentice can Inform of a Large Quantity of money hid. 1 1 6 Green Leaves from Elisabeth l^mmonds of I'l'ti rihan Drucmed of money hid Near Col. Warner's in Hardwick &c &c. Mrs. Ruth Williams of (Irecnwich near Newsalam line Informs of a V.ihiaMc 1,(.M(I mine in a mountain Near her Owdling house in Sd Salam line. The Indian Inrmnpmenl was on David Sloan's Land in Pelham. Rachel Pain in SliuUsbury Dreemed of a Pot of money being in the Town of W'csltown between Mr. Rand's and & Mr. Mr. John Boyeston of Mouniirut- at the falls Informs of a box ■of money in Hartford in Connedlicut above ye firry at the Loir End of the Cove, also in Middletown is Seven Chests of money Hid at the Loer end of the stretes. Mr. James Glass Informs of a Trunk of money In Cloverock on the west side of Hudson Ri\cr, near loo Rods from said River Right against the Town on the luist side of a sandy hill. Mrs. Qushman of Mounticu Informs of Mr. Ebenezer Slate's finding a Gould mine in his well upon his farm in Barnerdston and that her Sun .\sahel Qushman found a Carbuncle on his father's farm in Stl Barnerdston. Mr. John Trask of Neusalem Informs me of hid Treasure found formerly by Absalem Herod of Sd Salem. Sd Treasure is in sight of Boston bay. Mr. Jonathan Emmond Informs that Mr. John Perce of New- salam Dreemed of finding a largo Quantity of money in old Salam Sd Perce Can Inform of more hid Treasure. InQuier of Capt. Henery Slawton and Cajn. Haley of Bedford about 3000 pounds hid. Mr. Israel Hendricks Informs of a Sil\ or Tankard of Guineys hid in a mountain in North elastic King's Bridge in New \'ork state Sd mountain b\' a great Public Road as the pass to New- York. Said town lays below Bedford. Mrs. Downing of W'air Infornis that there is a mine of silver at ye flat rock on Coy's hill in Brookficld. Jobe Hewett of BcUhertown in Massachusetts Informs of money hid in the Town of Stolen in Sd state. InQuier of Mr. .Mnal IMiiiittgham, Vermont. 117 Drake in the Town (-)f Sharon near Said Stoton. Dreemed of find- ing Goald wedges in the same town. Mr. Israel Randol Informs of t>vo Chests of money in Eastown or Stolen in a Swamp Near the Great Road from Tanton to Bos- ton near Capt. in Sd Stoton. Mr. Nathan Kingsley of Belchertown Informs that Solomon Hinds of Greenwich can Inform of money hid towards Boston. Hid Treasure in Suguin Island Near Casco bay, a Great Quan- tity. Mrs. Cheney Near Pelham meetinghouse or in Belchertown Dreemed of a Pot of money hid on her farm in Pelham. Mr. Lamb Informs that Bezalel Perce Informs that his Brother of South Hadley Dreemed of a Large Quantity of money hid near mount tom the west sid of Conne(flicut River. Mrs. Downing Informs yt a Pyrot hid money on mount tom Near Connedlicut River on the Sid of ye mount, towards Nortli- ampton. .Mrs. Chapin of Row Informs that ther is a p(jt of monay hid on her father John Brown's farm in Lesester in Bay State under a grape vine. Mr. Zebbelon Perce of Colrain Informs that Robert Mirefield of Sd town Dreemed of finding an arthen pot of money in the town of Roxbury in Bay htatc. .\ hogshead of hid Treasure by see shore, Inquier of Mr. Brittan of Westmoreland in New Hampsherr State & he can Inform of that & other Hid TrcaMirc^i. Mr. Barns of Gilford Inlurms that on the Southwest part of Gardners Island near a clear Sjjring of water and within Ten or a Dozen Rod of where the Tide Riseb is Hid a Large Chest of mon- ey. Also on Fishers Island on the Narrowest Place of the Island Northward of Sum scattering Trees within a Rod of Sd Trees. .Mso on the west part of Sd Island within a Rod of Hay harbor a hogshead of money hid. Sd Barns Dreemed three times in one Knight abought Sd Hogshead of money. ,\ Tree or Stump uf a Tree the west sid of Sd Hogshead, a Rock the East sid a bout two Il8 Green Lcai'cs from or three feet in haith. Also on fishers Island on Hawks Nest pint Near west (ireat Harber below high water mark. (apt. Deneson of (Hlford in Wniicjnt State Informs of hid Treasure on fishers Island. For further information Inquier of Capt. John Avery of the Lower part of Oroten in Connedlicut. Also Capt. Doneson Dreemed of hid money on fishers Island on mount Prospeft near a Rock not the bigness of a haycock, Sd Prospedl is on the West Knd of the Island. Silas Barret of Hinsdail Informs that Mr. Garcy who has Left his wife at Higgins' in Chesterfield in New Hampshire and gon to New sity in albany and changed his name and Corting a new wife has found a silver mine soposed to be in Roxbury in Varmont State. Mrs. Barrows' Sister Wheeler of Shutesbury Dreemed of a pot of money hid in Middlebury on her fathers farm now owned by Capt. Jobe Perce, Sd pot is in a myrey Swamp ten Rods from the house west. Jesse Kendel of Athol Informs of a mine on his father's farm in \\oburn and of 3 pots of money in Lexington near Boston. Mr. Jonathan Goodail Informs that Thomas Sawyer of Wendol Dreemed that he (S: .Asa Goodail Got a pot of money to the West- ward. -Mrs. Wheeler of Shutesbtu-y Dreemed of finding a two Pail Pot- full of money on Capt. Jobe Perce's or her father's old farm iu Middlebury below the orch^ard near a spring of water. Mrs. Isaac Fay of Hardwick Dreemed in a remarkable manner of a Gould & Silver Treasure on his old farm in Sd Hardwick. Mrs. Polly Reed has Dreemed of finding hid money in Hard- wick in James Page's farm west of his house. Mr. Jonathan Allin of Greenwich can Inform of a Large Quantity of Hid Treasure. His I Jaltcr Betsey Dreemed of a Pot of money near her father's House in Sd ( 'rreenwich. Said .Mlins Boy Dree- med of an old Log full of money North of Sd .Mlins House. Govener Wimhrop's Mine is in Sturbridge in the State of Massa- chusetts, in the South part of Said Town Near the Hawards. Oliver Nuton who formerly lived in Belchertown and now lives llliitingham, Vermont. i 19 in Western can Inform of a Noted Kimester in Filadelfia Who will Pay hard mone\- for ^'aluable oars and for Reads Diamonds 1-6 pr oz. A method to Tak up hid Trt^asure (viz). Tak Nine Steel Rods about ten or twelve Inches in Length Sharp or Piked to Perce in to the Erth, and let them be Besmeared with fresh blood from a hen mixed with hogdung. Then mak two Surkels Round the hid Treasure one of Sd Surkels a Littel Larger in surcumference than the hid Treasure lays in the P2rth the other Surkel Sum Larger still, and as the hid treasure is wont to move to Xorth or South East or west Place \our Rods as is Discribed on the other sid of this leaf. The manner of placing the rods in proper position is described by a diagram, of which ifhe following is an exact copy both in form and size, as it appears in the notes made by the hand of Silas Hamilton, who appears to have been a leading spirit in all visionary schemes wherein gold, silver, or other precious met- als were supposed to be the objedl of pursuit. I20 Green Leaves from The following letter was found in the same book with the notes, w hich seems to have been copied as a part of the information then being obtained in relation to mines and buried treasures. ,'\ orVianiplon, April yr 17, 1787. Mr. John Cargel Sr : — I have seen your Place in Cohos in New Hampsheer. I would inform you ther is in the town of Rowe & VVhitinghatn a Vast Body of the Best of Iron oar which I have seen and a curios stream of Water for furnace & Iron works &c. a Good Gristmill & sawmill Inhabitants Plenty. Silas Hamilton owns ye mine and lives in Sd Whitingham in Vermont, a Great markit for Iron there. Doubtless Esqur. Hamilton and you can come to an agreement to Vast advantage to Each of you. HIS William Williams x Jones. MARK The events referred to in the last five pages might, without refledlion, seem commonplace; but a more interesting chapter, touching the early history of the town, could not well have been written. It is the work of the first settler, showing what he and others were thinking about, and how much faith they had in vague superstition. The fa<5l that these dreams and premonitions were considered of sufficient im- portance to be placed on record by one admitted to be the peer of any of the early settlers, in the matter of intelligence, warrants our present belief that such visions, so adroitly described, were not entertained without some hope of realization. Whitingham, Vermont. 1 2 1 Conference meetings were frequently held, wherein all information relating to the finding of mines of gold and silver, or of hidden treasure, was reported. Mr. Hamilton was careful to write it down, and what he preserved tells its story after the lapse of more than a hundred, years. It seems that the belief in hidden treasure was so firmly rooted in the minds of the people that a reg- ular system prevailed whereby mines and pots of money might be discovered. They appear to have had their machinery for extra<5ling precious metals from the ground, and in using it they were advised to place the steel rods over the money to be raised, in which case it would be necessary to first find the money. This being done it would seem unnecessary to employ much machinery except a spade. I well remember hearing these circles and rods spoken of as necessary in finding hidden treasures, and that in digging for money it was important to commence the work about midnight and avoid utter- ing a word while the work was going on. Whoever spoke during such labor, dissolved the spell, and nothing could be found that night. So far as is now known the spell was broken every time. The importance of maintaining profound silence on such occasions shows a kind of felonious shrewd- ness on the part of the manipulators, who well knew that nothing would be found, and that it would be 1 2 2 Green Leaves from necessary to satisfy the credulity of those who were foolish enough to believe in rods, and circles, and spells, to the extent of losing their sleep and running the risk of seeing a ghost while engaged in this ludi- crous enterprise. If nothing was found, the claim that the spell was broken in some mysterious way would always satisfy those who were simple enough to dig in the ground to verify a dream. The mine meetings, the rehearsal of gold-tinted dreams, the solitary and silent midnight struggle with ghouls, and the resort to mystery, all had some tendency to call attention to the locality where such nonsense had its dupes; but it must have been a little discouraging to those who were inclined to be- lieve in dreams, when they found that none of the glowing visions of Silas Hamilton were ever realized. SUICIDES. Self-destru(5lion is the culmination of another and more serious delusion. Its causes are too numerous to be mentioned here. Several instances are re- corded in Jewish history, and the Greek and Roman philosophers deemed it a crime. But it seems that this offence cannot be prohibited or even regoilated to any great extent by law. Its tendency is to defy all law and ignore all restraint, and no adequate remedy can be devised, except in cases where im- agination is the sole cause, like that related by Plu- tarch, where an unaccountable passion for suicide Whitingham, Vermont. 123 prevailed among the Milesian virgins, till a decree was issued that the body of every maid who commit-' ted self-murder should be drawn naked through the streets,- when this remarkable frenzy subsided. The statute law of England, diredling that the body of the suicide should be buried in a cross-road, and a stake driven through it, was absurd, vindi6live and barbarous, and yet it was not repealed till 1823. Those who contemplate self-destrudlion frequently adopt some of the most appalling methods of which the human mind can conceive. One of the ancient philosophers threw himself into the crater of Mount Etna, and in 181 1 an Englishman jumped into the furnace of a forge. In 1820, a Frenchman threw himself into the crater of Vesuvius. The means generally employed by a suicide are so unnatural and violent, indicating so plainly the de- thronement of reason, that all sane persons now look upon such unfortunates with pity instead of revenge. Whitingham has not been wholly exempt from this terrible scourge. It is not to be expecfted "that every case has been recorded or preserved by tradi- tion, but the following fa<5ls are here presented and placed upon record. Sam LEI. Martin cut his throat with a razor, Odo- ber 3, 1829, at the age of 59 years. He was a resi- dent of Jacksonville, then known as Martin's Mills. Schuyler- MuRDOCK cut his throat with a razor, 06lober 24, 1830. At this time he represented 124 Greett Leaves from Whitingham in the Assembly of Vermont, and this fatality happened in Montpelier while the legislature was in session. Several days previous he appeared to be deranged while attempting to speak upon a bill before the house, and was advised to withdraw. He was a man of intelligence, and much respefted at home and abroad. His age was 34 years. Dexter Brigham, son of Edmond Brigham, closed his life by taking poison, administered by his own hand, November 4, 1832, at the age of 32 years. John Pike, son of Orris Pike Sen., shot himself, April 9, 1854, at the age of 38 years. Albert \Y. Chase, son of Warren Chase, took laudanum and died. May 11, 1857, aged 23 years. Sylvester J. Dix, youngest son of Jonathan and Polly (Reed) Dix, committed suicide by throwing himself from a high beam in his barn and thereby causing immediate death, Dec. 25, 1863, at the age of 29 years. RoLLiN O. Plumb, son of Hiram Plumb, hung him- self in his father's barn. May 28, 1869, at the age of 1 7 years and 6 months. No cause was known. RuFUS Carlev drowned himself in a small pond near the residence of Peter Holbrook, November 2, 1870, at the age of 82 years. Cause unknown. Willis H. Wheeler, son of Zechariah 2d. and Caroline I. ( Allard) Wheeler, hung himself, Sept. 14, 187 1, at the age of 23 years. Edson L. Fuller, after having been convi(5led of Whitingham, Vermont. 125 murder, hung himself in Bennington jail, March 2, 1882, at .the age of 62 years. ACCIDENTAL EVENTS. Accidents are not without cause, but they belong to that class of events that occur before the cause which produces them is known; and in some instan- ces no satisfadlory cause is ever fully demonstrated so as to be comprehended by all minds alike. Only such accidents as have resulted in death are here recorded, and probably some have been omitted through necessary reliance upon tradition. Squire Buss Sen. was killed at the raising of Bax- ter Hall's house, in 1 798. This house was afterwards owned and occupied by Dr. Charles. H. Denison. Nathan Eames, son of David and Esther (Bacon) Eames, fell from a chamber window, his head strik- ing upon the edge of an iron kettle. About nine days from that time he began to complain and died soon after, September 14, 18 14, aged 6 years three months and 9 days. Nathan Sherman, cousin of Rev. N. D. Sherman, was drowned in Deerfield river, in 1817, aged 21 ys. Asa Smith, son of Elijah Smith, was scalded to death by falling into a kettle of boiling water, in 1820, at the age of to years. Abiathar Winn was killed by the kick of a horse, September 3, 1821, at the age of 45 years. David Hall, son of Capt. Baxter and Patty (Put- 126 Green Leaves from nam) Hall, drank a solution of potash which caused his death, Feb. 27, 1823, at the age of 17 years. Dr. Charles H. Demskn fell at the raising of Stephen Putnam's barn, and was injured so that he died May 4, 1836, aged 45 years. Alton Streeter was instantly killed in a sand pit, a short distance south of the Nathan Green place, Oftober 9, 1832, at the age of 43 years. Sally Cutting, dau. of James and Cynthia (Win- chester) Cutting, was scalded by the upsetting of a teapot as she lay in her cradle, in 1832, aged 6 mo. James Upton was found frozen and dead, near the ceptre of the town, February 19, 1833, aged 49 years. Nancy Maria Jillson, daughter of Stephen and Nancy (Corbett) Jillson, was drowned in a wash tub, July 30, 1834, aged i year and 8 months. Daniel W^heeler, son of Deliverance and Betsey (Whitman) Wheeler, was drowned in Deerfield river, July 4, 1834, aged 51 years. LuciNA Parsons, daughter of John and Sarah (Ballou) Parsons, was drowned in Deerfield river, while attempting to pass over in a boat alone, Aug. 17, 1836, aged 25 years and 6 days. Ambrose Boyd, son of James Boyd, fell and died, August, 1840, at the age of 40 years. Jonathan Dalrvmple, son of Jonathan Dalrymple, was killed while blasting rocks, in 1842. Charles Edwin Lamb, son of Levi and Lucy (Fair- banks) Lamb, was drowned July 19, 1843, aged 4 ys. Whitingham, Vermont. 127 Calvin Reed was found dead between the Alfred Green place and the house of James Jillson, where he then resided, March 21, 1859, aged 65 years. Levi P. Fiske was killed by falling from a load of shingles, May 29, i860, aged 31 years. The horses were not injured, but they collided with another team and that horse was killed, the driver barely escaping. D. P.\lmer Wheeler, son of Deliverance and Mary (Briggs) Wheeler, injured one of his feet which resulted in lockjaw, causing his death July 2, 1861, at the age of 10 years 2 months and 24 days. HoLLis A. Tyler, son of Samuel and Charlotte (Sprag^e) Tyler, was drowned in Deerfield river, July 4, 1 86 1, aged 14 years and 6 days. Alma Pike, daughter of Jesse and Lydia (Upton) Wheeler, wife of Albert L. Pike, was drowned in Deerfield river, June 10, 1866, aged 25 years. Flora Blanchard, daughter of Kinsley and Cor- delia (Bliss) Blanchard, was drowned in Deerfield river, June 10, 1866, aged 12 years and 6 months. George W. Carley, son of Newman B. and Mary J. (Williams) Carley, was drowned June 21, 1871, at the age of 14 years. Walter M. Smith, son of Joseph E. and Eliza (Carley) Smith was drowned June 21, 1871, at the age of 10 years. Arthur B. Wheeler, son of Otis B. and Sylvia Ann (Chamberlain) Wheeler, was scalded by the up- setting of a teapot, and died June 18, 1871, aged 2 years 1 1 months and 23 days. 128 Green Leaves from Henry Burrinoton (Tobey), adopted son of James and Lucy A. (Russell) Burrington, was drowned in Sadawga pond, August 29, 1871, at the age of 15 years and i month. Edward Baknkv Gai.ll p was found dead near the Philander Hall place, Nov. 29, 1871, aged 52 years. Abbot W. Davis, son of Arad and Rosetta ( Bish- op) Davis, was drowned in Deerfield river, July 3, 1873, aged 17 years. Tyler Hicks was drowned in the pond near Jack- sonville, June 29, 1874, at the age of 41 years i month and 6 days. Albert L. Pike, son of Orris Pike Jr., was instant- ly killed by a falling tree, June 26, 1877. Tklman Dix, son of Jonathan and Polly (Reed)Dix, fell from a load of logs and was killed, the sled pass- ing over his body, December 6, 1880, aged 61 years. Henry W. Gale, son of Luther Gale, while at work in his wood lot, was caught under a log where he remained nearly two days, and died September 25, 1881, aged 36 years. Albro C. Corse, while submitting to a surgical operation by physicians, died almost instantly, March 29, 1 88 1, aged 21 years 5 months and 25 days. Wesley Hicks, son of Emerson and Eliza (Priest) Hicks, had his toe injured by machinery, resulting in lockjaw and death, February 13, i882,aged33 years. Zeciiariaii Wheeler 2d., son of Daniel Wheeler, was killed by a falling tree, December 10, 1884, at the age of 5 7 years* Whitingham, Vermont. 129 Thomas Flinn was instantly killed, Feb. 1 1, 1886, by falling from a scaffold in his barn. Harriet Shumway, daughter of Captain Amasa Shumway, was drowned in a watering trough, Sept. 20, 1887, aged 81 years, 2 months and 12 days. Edward E. Putnam, son of Charles and Mercy Putnam, was instantly killed by a limb falling from a tree, Nov. 22, 1887, aged 42 years 27 days. There have been two or three other fatal accidents in this town, but thus far it has been impossible to obtain sujfficient data from which to make an accu- rate statement of fadls. Among so many fatalities perhaps it is not strange that there should be some remarkable coincidences conne<5led with them, all tending to show how little we know of what is likely to happen to destroy our happines or take our lives. When the Hall-Denison house was being raised, in 1798, Squire Bliss Sr. was present and killed, while assisting at the raising ; and the same Dr. Denison was killed 32 years after at the raising of a barn. In 1871, Willis H. Wheeler hung himself; 13 years after his father, Zechariah Wheeler, 2d. was killed by a falling tree. Alma Pike was drowned in Deer- field river in the presence of her husband, Albert L. Pike, in 1866. Eleven years later Mr. Pike was in- stantly and accidentally killed by a falling tree. George W. Carley and Walter M. Smith, cousins, were drowned at the same time and place. Carley 1 30 (irccu Leaves from was a good swimmer and the water not very deep. In some of the cases here mentioned, it will be discovered that the casualty occurred just over the line in another town, but the persons suffering injury had either been long residents of Whitingham, or were then residing there, being only temporarily over the town line. In the hurry and confusion of a(5live life, with ambitious competition foremost in all business affairs, it is easy to overlook the grief of others and become a stranger to sorrow, till the "grim messenger" enters our own household and there strikes down the idol of a happy family, his chosen victim. But those who think, will be reminded by these pages of the fa6l that the forty-eight deaths here alluded to, were sudden and"unexpe(5led. The child, the youth, the middle aged, and the grey haired man, joined in the solemn march of "dust to dust" without preparation or warning. The little circle of friends wept over the graves of their comrades, the routine of business was resumed, the sorrow forgotten, till the story of some new fatality called attention to the past and revived the cruel pangs of unremembered grief. Forty- eight times has this been repeated in W'hiting- ham, — inexorable as the decree of fate itself. CHAPTER V. CHURCHES AND THEIR HISTORY. ANY OF The early settlers were from much more populous towns, and accustomed to hearing the gospel preached every Sabbath ; but when they undertook to es- tablish new homes among the mountains of Vermont, their church privileges had to be abandoned till they became sufficiently numer- ous to build a church and support preaching. On the 26th day of March, 1781, the town "Voted, that the Sclekmen shall run a Senter Line through the town east and west, north and south, and Lay out Uvo main roads as near the Senter Lines as the land will allow of." These roads q a , , // crossed each other near James \j U \4^X Reed's house, since known as // y the Eli Higlcy place. .At this time no effort had been made by the town 132 Green Leaves from to establish a church, but on the 24th day of June, 1780, the first steps were taken by certain individuals for the erection of a house adapted to public worship. It appears that Wilmington, Marlboro' and Halifax, were interested in this enterprise, and persons from the four towns joined in signing subscription papers, to secure labor and materials for building the house. The wording of these papers indicate that no or- ganization had been formed, of a sectarian charadler, but that the people felt the need of religious instruct- ion, and were willing to unite in a common effort to support a minister of the gospel. The first paper seems to be a reminder of spelling schools, but has no signatures. The second bears the names of some of the prominent men of W'hitingham as shown by the following. Both are exadl copies. Halifax Dec' r ye 20th 1780. We the Subscribers Do this Day Covenant & Engage hereby Volentarily the Several Gifts or Donations aforesaid to each of our foUoing Names Severally, money or whatever other substance For the Purpose of Erecting a Fraim & Civering the Saim the Summer Encuing this Date in the Senter Four mile Distant Part of Halifax, Whitingham, Wilmington, & Marlborough, for the Purpose of Sup- porting the Puljlick worship of God. In WrrNESS Whereof we have hereunto set our hands. Whereas we the Subscribers being Desireous to Have the Gos- pel propegated amongst us and our posterity Trained up in The ways of Christianity have hereunto Set our Names with the labour &c. that we will give towards building a House of Worship As Near the four Comers of Hallifax, Molborough, Wilmington and Whitingkam, Vermont. 133 Whitingham As may be a Convenient spot found for to set said Meeting House Viz : June ye 24th, 1781. Silas Hamilton six days work & one Thousand Boards. Levi Hall six days work & one Thousand Boards. Jamfs Roberts two days work. James Gardner four days work. JoNOTHAN Rich six days work. John HLall five days work. Joel Hall six days work. Israel Guil six days work. Jasper Hunt four days work with a team & three Thousand Shingles. James Cose four days work. RuFUS Cose four days work. Levi Adams four days work. Hazael Shepard six days work & one Thousand Boards. Benjamin Barton two days work. Repley Merril two days work. Isaac Lyman four days work. Amos Peiabodv ten days work. *" John W'oou one gallon Rum. ^ Zebulon Ames Six days work. Thos. Hunt five days work. This contemplated house of worship was never built, though the subscription of 92 days work, three thousand feet of boards, three thousand shingles and a gallon of Rum shows a liberal spirit. After three years had passed away the people were not sure that the cross-roads indicated where the "Senter" of the town was, therefore, on the first day of March, 1784, the town "Voted, that the Seleftmen find the Senter of Said Town and make report at the Next March annuall Town Meeting." 134 Green Leaves from If any report was made it was not recorded; but it is evident that the sele<5lmen had been on the lookout to find a suitable place whereon to build a church, near the centre of the town. The above vote was the first aflion taken by the town, as such, towards locating a church. It appears that the seleftmen had driven a stake where they thought the meetinghouse ought to stand. This is indicated by a vote of the town passed on the 7th day of September, 1784, when it was "\'oted, that the Town will not except the spot the Sele6lmen put the Stake for the Meetinghouse." This stake was probably near where the church .was finally built, for after rejefting this location the the town "\^oted, that the meetinghouse [be] East- erly from James Reed's house about 60 or 70 Rod on the hill amongst the windfalls." Further prepa- rations were made to secure ample room for the transadlion of business and the location of a church on the seventh of March, 1785, when the town voted, "that the Road be Surveyed & Recorded ten rods wide that leads from Mr. Graves' westerl)- by the spot of Land Voted by the town for the Place to build a meetinghouse, Sd wedth of rods beginning fifteen rods East of the meetinghouse place thence running as the road is now laid to the road that leads through the town north and South." Jesse Graves lived near the foot of the hill where the new road to Jacksonville intersects with the old If7i itingham, Vertnont. 1 3 5 road a few rods easterly of where it passes between the sites of the old church and the academy building. The southerly part of the lot east of where the old church stood and between it and the wall running south from the easterly corner of the Pound, was a part of the ten rod road laid out in 1785. This ten rod road was only about fifty rods in length, and when the change was made under the survey of 1784, the land taken to make this wide street was on the north- erly side of the original road. On the 2 1st day of July, 1788, the town "Voted, to meet on the second Monday of September next to clear off a place to build a meetinghouse." It was six years before the town passed another vote relating to the church. During all this time meetings were not regularly held, but now and then a preacher would find his way into this churchless community, many of whom were glad to welcome him to their homes, where they would invite their neighbors to listen to his spiritual teachings. The first recorded Warrant for a town meeting was for the meeting held on the 3d of March, 1794. The time of this meeting was occupied in discussing matters relative to building a meetinghouse. On the 6th day of July, 1795, the town transaefled the following business : — Voted, that they will build a house for public worship 40 feet wide and 50 feet long, by a majority of 29 against 8. Voted, to raise the amount of ^200 in timber, boards, shingles. 136 Green Leaves from and money, in the following manner : — Said timber boards and shingles sufficient to eredl and cover said frame to be apportioned out in manner following, that each man that is liable to be rated for the purpose of building Sd house shall have his proportion of timber, boards and shingles apportioned out to him by the com- mittee to be appointed to superintend the building of Sd house, each of said articles to be apportioned to each man according to his list in Sd Town, and of what sort and dimention, and that whoever fails of delivering his proportion of timber set to him as aforesaid, at the place where the said house shall be built, by the first day of June, 1 796, and his proportion of boards and shingles at the same place by the first day of July, 1 796, shall be considered as having forfeited his privilege of providing such article or articles as he shall be deficient in at either of the times appointed as above for the delivery hereof and shall be liable to pay the money in lieu thereof. Voted, to appoint a committee of three persons to superintend the building of said house. Voted, that persons of every religious denomination have free access to and in said house on every day of the week without ob- strudlion or molestation. A Committee of three was appointed, consisting of Samuel Day, James Roberts and Jabez /^ Foster; two being y^ Seledlmen, Foster and Roberts. Jesse Graves was eledled Moderator. Without any regard to the location of the house by a former vote, on the 29th day of Sept. the town "Voted, that the meeting house be set on height of land a few rods east of the school house in the cen- ter school districfl." The schoolhouse stood on the north side of what was called the "common," nearly opposite the present hotel. Whitingkam, Vermont. 137 The preliminary arrangements for building a meet- ing house seemed now to be complete, except to contrail with some person to perform the labor ; but there was still opposition to the scheme, and several influential men were arrayed against its being built. On the 1st day of Feb., 1796, an effort was made to reconsider the vote of July 6, 1795, but it failed by a vote of 22 to 13. An attempt was then made to postpone the building for one year, which was de- feated by a vote of 14 to 8. On the twenty-first day of March, 1798, the following plain proposition was presented to the voters for their consideration : "will you build a meetinghouse?" The town voted no. A negative vote on such a proposition was a sad surprise to many, for the reason that the voters well knew that a house of public worship was needed, and that it was the duty of the town to build and support such a structure. This vote was supposed to annul that of July 6, 1795, and that satisfied its advocates. On the 1 8th day of March, 1799, the town consid- ered church matters again, as follows : — Voted, that the said house shall be built 45 feet by 50 on the ground, and that said house shall be compleatly finished on the outside, painting excepted, and glazed ; lower flowers Leyed, and Door made and Hung ; to bee Well boarded, claboarded and shingled, and as many and as large Windows in proportion, and as well set, as they are in Wilmington meeting-house, and to be compleated on or before the first day of December Next. Voted, that said house shall be eredled on the flat on the top of the Hill on the common East of the Center School House in said Whitingham. 138 Green Leaves from Voted, that the building of said House be set up by the Mod- erator to the Lowest Bidder for one third cash and two-thirds Neat Stock, said cash to be paid on the first day of October next. Voted, that the Town Will Raise six hundred and ninety Dol- lars to Defray the ICxpcnsc of Building said House, to be Raised on the List of 1 798. Voted, to underpin the meetinghouse ^^'ith Stone Laid in Lime, to be compleated as soon as the House is Ready for Raising. This meeting house was framed and raised during the summer and autumn of 1799, by Levi Conant of Halifax, and was finished off later by Justus Hall, also of Halifax. When the frame was raised, James McKnight, the father of Parley McKnight, stood on his head on the ridge-pole. The contra6l for under- pinning was put up at vendue, and David Eames bid it off for $25.50. On the 3d day of March, 1800, the' town "Voted, that all Town meetings in futer shall " Be Warned to be holden at the Meetinghouse in Whitingham." On the 5th day of June the town "Voted to accept the meetinghouse that is Built in Said Town for a Town House. Voted, to accept the underpinning of said House." The inside was unfinished, and bench- es were used instead of pews. A part of this strudlure was used for a purpose other than peace or good will to men, unless those virtues were enhanced by the smell of powder. On the 14th day of November, 1803, the town Voted, to raise the money that is necessary to purchase the military stores necessary to supply the town as the law dire<5ts. Whitingham, Vermont. 139 Voted, that the place to deposit said stock of amunition shall be in the upper loft of the meetinghouse in a chest to be made at the expense of the town for that purpose. On the 19th day of May, 1806, a meeting was held "to see if the Town will have a Porch or Porcher to adjoin the meeting house." On the 14th of June it was "voted, that the town will have a Porch in front of the meeting house." The word "Porcher" may be found in the records of Whitingham, not elsewhere. On the 14th day of April, 1806, the town Unanimously voted, to sell the Pew Ground at Vendue, for the purpose of finishing the meeting house, and that the construdtion of the meeting house shall be as follows, viz : One seat on the right and one on the left of the Broad Alley, and the remaining part of to be converted into pews in the most convenient manner ; ahd one tier of pews in the Gallery to be con- yf j^ verted into seats in the most con-^^^.^^t^ ^p^f/Tfl/f/lX, venient manner Chose Jona. Hall, Amos Brown and Ambrose Stone Committee to sell and superin- tend the same. Stephen y ^ • Hodgrass and Justis Hall ^^^T^.^T'O'^^s^'o-yiA-- were agreed upon as a Com- ^ mittee of acceptance when the meeting house shall be finished. It was understood that this house was for the use of all denominations, but the town regulated all these matters. On the loth day of April, 1809, the town Voted, that the Baptist shall have the use of the meeting house half the time for the space of one year 3 months alternately to be ended on the loth day of April next. This house stood on a hill, in a climate far from being mild in winter, and yet it was used for religious 140 Green Leaves from and town meetings during nineteen winters before there was any fire in it, no cliimney being put into it when the house was buih. 1 ime brought changes, and on the 21st day of Dec, 1818, the town voted "to have a stove and pipe eredled in the meeting house, provided it can be done by the proprietors thereof." This vote savors of sarcasm, as the pro- prietors were the inhabitants of the town. No further change was made till 1834, when there was a call for a belfry and a bell. This luxury- could not be indulged in by the town, therefore, it was done by subscription, and a few persons bore the burden. Alfred Green Sr. was the contractor, and Alfred y ^ Green Jr. the archit'jct, -^yr ^y f^ who secured the ser\i- » // ^^^ °^ David Jillson Jr. to help put the last tim- bers in place at the top of the belfry. I remember clearly these facfls, was present and know whereof I affirm. During the earl)- progress of this enterprise there were plenty to give advice, but the two men who went to the top were not mo- lested in their labors. The distance between the top of the belfr)- and the ground interfered somewhat with communication, but the confusion of tongues was not so complete as to destroy all the emphatic words in the English lan- guage; but it had a wonderful effect on the courage of those who assumed to be in supreme authorit)' Mliitmgham, Vermont. 141 near the earth. The strudlure was completed, and many a brave youth went up — after the stairs were buih inside — to see where the bell was to hang, and explore the adjacent country. A bell weighing 830 pounds was secured and put in place under competent super- vision, the tones of which linger in my memory to- day. It was said to have been of proper size and oldcihiuii 1NI834. weight for a country town. The tongue weighed 20 pounds, and when present was the chief spokesman; but there were times when the tongue was absent on some mysterious mission, leaving the bell a silent partner. It appears that the key to Mr. Higley's hay scales would fit the lock on the belfry door, and that the custodian of that key, whose every day countenance displayed a comical trace of solemnity, was still in condition to enjoy a good joke, even though it cost a night's repose. :^^;M- ^ ^^'^ ^ ;:^ 142 Green Leaves from Two or more noted wags concentrated their com- bined magnetic power upon this key to such an ex- tent that it passed from the hands of said custodian to their own. They were then masters of the situa- tion, and could dictate comparative silence on the fourth of July. The first time this little episode occurred, the tongue was hid in the tall pulpit of the old church; the second, in the desk of the Baptist church, where Elder Lamb officiated ; and the third time it vanished from public view altogether. A new tongue was then made, weighing four pounds more than the old one, and it is claimed by one who ought to know, that the old one was secretly made into a crow-bar. It is well known that Nehemiah Sprag^e rang and tolled this bell, when the tongue was missing, with a blacksmith's hammer ; and it is said that he tolled it in this way when the tongue was in place. Some person having more brass than brains has undertaken to pervert history, and say that Sprague never struck the bell with a hammer. I know that he did. On monday night, July 3, 1837, I was sent to obtain the key to the belfry, so that the "fourth" might be opened in due form. The person to whom 1 was sent (Rufus Chase) said that the key had been /""^jT) p j^/ ''''"^ "s^d ^^ ^'^y before and ^1 it^tM^ L/ha^fy no\. returned. Before u midnight a key was found and the belfry opened. It was understood by the Whitingham, Vermont. 143 boys that this key came from the hay scales. The bell was struck at 12 M., by Nehemiah Sprague, with a blacksmith's hammer, the tongue having been stol- en the night before, for it had been rung on Sunday. I know these fa6ls. The bell was injured that night, and a change in its tone noticed. From that time ^MI||kM[^ i^ grew gradually weaker, and within six dgBBui weeks it was tolled for the last time at ^^M the fu- neral of Martha Hall. Sprague used the hammer on this occa- sion, but it was well known that the bell had been failing for more than a month. This bell was replaced by one weighing 1 105 pounds. The new one was used several years, and then it disappeared. At length it turned up in Sadawga and was hung in the belfry of the the Methodist church, (now Baptist) under an agreement that the church should never acquire title to it by possession. Not long after 1 840 the decay of the old meeting- house became painfully perceptible, and finally it was abandoned for religious purposes, being only used as a town house. Efforts were made to have it kept in repair, and Hon. Parley Starr offered to pay quite a sum for that purpose, but a favorable vote of the town could not be obtained and it was abandoned. When the villages of Jacksonville and Sadawga became somewhat populous, town meetings began to be held in those places, and the old house was left 144 Green Leaves from to the mercy of the elements. Piece by piece it was carried away by relic hunters and those too lazy to furnish their own fire wood, till it was stripped of its inward beauty, its windows destroyed, its doors de- molished, and the whole structure defaced. When Whitingham celebrated its centennial anni- versary, in 1880, the east side of this house had been torn away, and the speakers' stand erefled close to, and partly within, this open space. The oration was delivered by Clark Jillson, of Worcester, Mass., a native of Whitingham. His remarks in relation to the old meeting house were as follows : — Eighty-one years ago to-day, this very spot was busy with the preparation for the eredtion of this grand old strudhire : and the inhabitants of the town who have permitted the mutilation of its walls and allowed it to be shorn of its inward beauty — its unique pulpit, its square pews, its extensive galleries, so tastefully decora- ted, emblematic of New England life two hundred years ago — ought to be indicted for the desecration of the altar of their fathers. Your modem churches, built to gratify the morbid tastes of those who worship fixtures more than Deity, lack that spiritual presence that every person cannot help but feel when he enters this conse- crated temple. It was built by a sturd\' race of men, living entirely by the labor of their own hands, but having brains suflficient to ad- mit of a conscience. Two, at least, of your modem churches have had a private burial, while this ancient building still stands. If it had been left unoccupied and undisturbed it would have outlived them all, standing upon this hill, a monument to the memory of our fathers, a memorial of their unflinching integrity, their perse- verance under stress of limited means, their unfaltering fidelity to to the Christain faith and their willingness to do what they thought to be right. Unless some prompt and judicious action is had by the town, another eighty years will make it more difficult to tell Whitingham, Vermont. 145 precisely where this house stands than to point out with precision many an individual grave in yonder burial place ; and yet this is the spot where the result of industry and formerly the pride of the town, must soon perish. After the lapse of another hundred years this church, the academy, and other historic structures, will be known only in history. The skill of an artist could in no way be better employed than in placing beyond the reach of destruction the forms of these important landmarks. These prophetic words were verified too soon. On the night of Oct. 14, 1883, this house was cut down by some reckless vandal whose soul was steep- ed in the dregs of depravity, whose unholy work was too disgraceful to bear the light of day. Farewell, dear old landmark of our fathers ! Your presence was a benediftion, your loss will be a perpetual sorrow. The external appearance of this house in 1799, will be clearly understood by referring to the cut on page 141, where it is represented precisely as it was then, except the addition of the porch and belfry. It had rather of a chilly look, and resembled a huge barn more than a church. In each gable end was a circular window which furnished light for the loft where the military stores of the town were kept. In 1806 the inside was finished and the pews built. These pews were about 8 feet square, with a seat on all sides except against the door. These seats were simply a hemlock board about eight inches wide and hung on forged wrought iron hinges, so that when the congregation stood up in prayer time or during the singing, these seats were turned back against the 146 Green Leaves from inside of the pew so that the worshippers could lean against the high top-rail of the pew. At the close of a prayer the seats were turned down with the full force of their weight, causing a sort of nerve-rending clat- ter, a terror to those who desired to keep free from all levity in church. The pulpit was direftly in front of the entrance. It resembled a modern bay window in a second sto- ry, except that it stood on an og^ and his daughter now living (18S9) makes the fol- lowing statement about the application of this story to Whitingham : — Grandfather was appointed Class leader, an office which he re- tained thirty \cars. He was a man who had great memory, and fond of telling anecdotes, but I never heard him, or any one else, tell the one you mention, and I doubt its truth. The story of Mr. Kent applies to the year 1802, and the chief a6lor is represented as a sort of crank who assumed that the Methodists were disturbers of the public peace, and that if he could be elected Ti- thingman order might prevail. The Tithingman in 1 801 was Joseph Hammond, and he was re-eled:ed in 1802. This is absolute proof that he was not the man who sought this office, as stated by Mr. Kent, for he was already in office. It was not unusual to 150 Green Leaves from eleft t\v(j Tithingmen, and in 1802 Mr. Hammond had an associate. This man had seen similar service before, and iiis name was Dea. James Glass. There seems to be no evidence to indicate that Dea. Glass could not discriminate between a prayer meeting and a mob, therefore, the Kent-Brown fable, finds itself to be the adopted child of the "prominent member of society" who has been "especially adlive in train- ing the minds of young men," and a leading literary spirit (as shown by his works) and public counsellor for "a quarter of a century!" Previous to building this church there had been occasional preaching in town by ministers of various denominations, resident and non-resident. It is not known who preached the first or last sermon in the old meeting house, but it was probably occupied by nearly every clergyman who had preached in town or in the adjoining towns, at some time during its eighty-four years of existence. One of these was Rev. David Lamb, wJio was born in 1745, brought up a Congregationalist and fitted for college ; but the "new lights" (Baptists) gained his favor and he embraced their views, but never went to college. His wife was Sarah Clark, but her early history is unknown. They had six children, two sons and four daughters. At the age of 40 he was teaching school in Charl- ton, Mass., from which place he removed to Klllingly, Conn., and from there to W^est Springfield. Wv was Whitingham, Vermont. 1 5 1 stridl about the observance of the Sabbath day, and, while in KilHngly preached so much solid truth on the subjeft of Sabbath breaking that his services were not in accord with his hearers, and he was asked to retire that freedom might prevail. Soon after he removed to West Springfield a revi- val broke out in KilHngly, and Elder Lamb was sent for. He was then conqueror. His enemies having received light, were prepared to shower blessings on their heretofore discarded pastor. Elder Lamb came to Whitingham in 1 796 and re- sided here for more than twenty years. He was in Whitingham three years before the first church was built and for 20 years after, and was one of the first to preach within its walls. In March, 1802, the town "Voted, to allow Elder Lamb Ten Dollars for his services in town the year past." He was well ed- ucated for that time and a forcible preacher, but was never settled in Whitingham. He died in 1820, at the age of 75 years. He was an ardent and constant advocate of the christian cause, and one of those who was willing to set up nights to forward his work, and he appears to have been honest in purpose. The following lines which I found, written by his own hand, show his style of composition and the line of his religious thought : Lord give me Strength to die to sin, to run the Christian Race : To live to God and glorify the riches of his Grace. My lovely Jesus while on earth did rise before 't was Day, And to a Solitary Place He went, and there did pray. 1 5 2 Green Leaves from I'll do as (lid inv blessed Lord, his footsteps I will trace ; I long to meet him in the Grove and view his Smiling Face. And when my Soul has found, her Love I'll let him go no more ; But bring him to my fathers House, that all may him adore. Now let all Drowsiness be gone, let me enjoy my Lord, And let my Mind be Swallowed up in his eternal Word. If Meditations all 1 )ivinc, at midnight fill my Soul, Sleep Shall no longer, all my Powers and Faculties Controul. But I'll arise and Sing and pray, and Spend Such Hours of Joy ; In praising him whose Name doth all my powers employ. Yet if my Nature doth require with Sleep a little Rest ; Dear Jesus, let it be no more than thou Shalt think it best ! Wrote in ■\\Tiitingham, Nov. 27, l«ilH, by David Lamb, in the G4th year of his age. SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST. In i6i8 there was a violent controversy in England as to whether the Sabbath of the fourth command- ment was in force among christians; and on what ground the first day of the week was entitled to be distinguished and observed as "the Sabbath." In 1628 Theophilus Brabourne published the first work advocating the seventh day, or Saturday, as the true Christian Sabbath. Although a clergyman he and his adherents were treated with great cruelty. After the restoration of Charles II., in 1660, there were a dozen or more congregations in England ob- serving the last day of the week for public worship, but in 1 85 1 there were only three Seventh Day Bap- tist congregations in England. Whitingham, Vermont. 153 In America this denomination was more prosperous, its first appearance here being at Newport R. I., in 1 67 1. They were then known as Sabbatarians, but in 1 8 18 the general conference rejected that name and adopted that of "Seventh Day Baptists." Their views generally correspond with those of the Baptist, except the peculiarity of observing the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath. They support a pros- perous Mission at Shanghai, China, several schools in the United States, a tract and publication society, and issue a weekly and monthly periodical. They have about 100 churches and nearly 10,000 members. One literary light says, "a portion of the inhabi- tants called themselves Seven Day Baptists." This probably refers to some extinct seft, whose chief delight consisted in making public proclamation that they were Baptists seven days in a week. The Seventh Day Baptists, of whom I now write, were of a different order and never very numerous in Whitingham. However, it is said that a Seventh Day Baptist church was organized here about 1788. There is no doubt that several persons in town were of that belief, and that an effort was made to organize a church, but no records have been found to show that it was accomplished. Elder Williams was of that persuasion, and for a few years promulgated his do6lrines in this vicinity, but no considerable number of persons adhered to his tenets, and after a few efforts had been made 154 Green Leaves from to establish that sedl the whole enterprise was. aban- doned. It is not certain that Elder Williams resided in Whitingham while he was connecfled with the Seventh Day Baptists, but he preached there, several years, and when his society failed to become popular some of the members, together with himself, merged with the Baptists who organized a church in 1808. METHODIST E PI SC () I'A L. John and Charles Wesley, both students at Oxford, England, with a few associates, organized a meeting in 1 729, for their mutual moral and spiritual advance- ment. They were young men of good habits, un- doubted integrity, and religiously inclined. At the end of six years their organization consisted of less than 20 persons, George Whitefield of Pembroke College, the celebrated open-air preacher, being one of the number. This little band of reformers became an objedl of ridicule ; but its members pursued their labors with such methodical diredlness as to cause a student of Christ church to apply to them the name of "Method- ists." They were denied admission to the churches, but they continued to assert their belief in private houses, barns, market places, and the open fields. Their converts were despised and utterly neglect- ed by the church, which resulted in the formation of organizations called "the United Societies." Whitingham, Vermont. 155 I" 1735 John and Charles Wesley visited America, and the people here were deeply interested in their new methods of presenting the claims of religion as they understood it. Whitefield also visited America six times, and his labors were attended with eminent success. The same year Whitingham was chartered he was here, and died at Newburyport Mass., Sept. 30, 1770 at the age of 56 years. At this time Wesley's societies had a membership of 29,179. The first conference was held June 25, 1 744, in London. The forms of Methodism are nu- merous, but it is not my purpose to explain wherein they differ. In fa6l, the difference is so slight that it requires considerable skill to tell where the lines should be drawn between the several orders. The Wesleyan Methodist of Great Britain and the Methodist Episcopal church in this country, seem to take the lead in point of numbers and importance. Among the other divisions may be mentioned the Calvinistic Methodists, the Methodist New Connex- ion, the Primitive Methodists, the United Methodist Free church, the Bible Christians, the Primitive Methodists of Ireland, the Reform Methodists, and some others. M members of either of these divisions are apt to feel at home in any Methodist meeting, and not so particular where they are as what they do. There were a few persons in Whitingham soon af- ter the town was chartered who claimed to belong to the Methodist Episcopal church, but they were not '^^'^ 156 Green Leaves from possessed of sufficient numerical strength to warrant tlie employment of a regular preacher. In 1779 Nathaniel Davis came to Whitingham from Bennington. He was only 18 years of age, but came to stay. He cut'" the first tree on the farm where he lived and died. His death occurred on the 2nd day of March, 1840, on his 79th birth day. He was converted when about 21 years of age, and from that time he was aftive and a leader in the Methodist Episcopal church. His opinion in church affairs was second only to that of the minister, and to his good judgment may be traced much of the early prosperity of Methodism in Whitingham. Most of the early preachers were supplied by An- nual Conference, only a few of them being residents of the town at the time of their appointment. Those earliest in the service were comparatively strangers, but they exerted a salutary influence on the people. Among these early advocates were, Peter Van Ness, Michael Coats, Joseph Mitchell, Daniel Bromley, Elijah Ward, Asa Kent, Phineas Peck, Caleb Dustin, John Tinkhajn, Ebenezer Fairbanks, David Goodhue, Laban Clark, Andrew McKain, Major Curtis, Sam- uel Cochran, Reuben Harris, Cyrus Culver, John Reynolds, Stephen Richmond, Gilbert Lyon, Daniel Breyton, David J. Wright, Phinehas Dean, Samuel Whitingham, Vermont. 157 Eigherny, and Sherman Minor. The work of these preachers covers a period from 1798 to 181 7. There was a minister belonging to this denomina- tion, a native of Whitingham, who began to preach at the age of 20 years. He died in 1875, at the age of 91. This remarkable man was Rev. Ebenezer Davis, son of Nathaniel. His long life was conse- crated to the welfare of others. He died as he had lived, a true, conscientious and devoted christian. When the Reformed Methodist church was organ- ized here, in 1829, he became a member and its first pastor. He was the only Methodist clergyman in town for many years, and his memory will long out- live the present generation. In 1862, a new church was built at Sadawga and preachers were supplied most of the time from the Methodist Conference. When any vacancy occurred Shubael Atherton, a native of the town, supplied the desk. He was a powerful preacher, but there is no record that he was ever assailed by a Tithingman. This church edifice was owned by four persons, who sold it to H. C. Coates as trustee of the Baptist Society, in whose behalf it was purchased. Terms of payment were agreed upon so that 's of the amount was to be paid May 7, 1877; "4 June 19, 1878; '4 April I, 1879. This church is the remainder of the first Baptist church, as it was in the palmy days of Elder Amherst Lamb, of whom more will be said hereafter. 158 Green Leaves from The records of the Methodist Episcopal church, previous to 1858, are not very complete in dates, but they show that Rev. John L. Smith was pastor in 1843, ^"d in 1849-50; John Taylor in 1852 Moses Spencer in 1858 ; Michael R. Chase in 1859 Zenas Kingsbury in 1860-61 ; N. Adams in 1862 Shubael Atherton in 1863; A. J. Roberts in 1864 John S. Little in 1865-6; Hubbard Eastman in 1 867-8-9-70- 1 -2 ; J. H. Gaylord in 1873; E. H. Bartlett in 1874 ; Hubbard Eastman in 1875 -' R- B. Fay in 1877-8-9; F. T. Lovett in 1880; J. Hamil- in 1881-2-3 ; H. F. Forest in 1884; Royal C. Vail in 1885-6; W. E. Sargent in 1887; George A. Armstrong in 1888; Edward B. Harris in 1889. REFORM METHODISTS. A disagreement about church government led to the formation of several independent churches, and among them was one in Readsboro, Vt., as early as 1814. In a book entitled "Church and Se6ls," pub- lished in 1850, may be found this statement: — The Reformed Methodist church had its origin in Readsborough, Vermont, on the i6th January, in the year 1814. It was organized by a small seceding body of Episcqpal Methodists, at the head of which were a few local preachers and exhorters, the most promi- nent & influential of whom was the Rev. Elijah Itailey, for some time a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal church. This new denomination was duly org^anized at Bal- timore, Md., in 1829, and soon after a church was Whitingham, Vermont. 159 gathered in Whitingham. Joel Jillson, who had b^en dissatisfied with some minor method, was clerk till 1838, and Sylvanus Pike until 1842, when Royal C. Streeter was ele6led to fill that position, an pffice he retained with great satisfadlion to the church, as long as it existed. This church was started with nine members. Rev. Ebenezer Davis being pastor thereof. From its be- ginning to 1 840 .meetings were held at private hou- ses in more than 40 different places, in a single year. In 1840 the Reform Methodists and Universalists formed a union, for the purpose of building a church. This house was erefled by Eli Green, and located near the residence of Dr. Waters Gillett, about a mile southwest from the old meeting house. It was oc- cupied by these denominations nine years. Soon after this church was built, the Universalist society found a strong rival in the Rev. Mr. Bailey of Wilmington, who organized a church and held meet- ings in this house. Nehemiah Sabin and John Brig- ham were chosen deacons. A Sunday school was opened and a Bible class formed, of which the writer was a member. Rev. Hosea F. Ballou, the regular Universalist pastor, did not approve of such innova- tion and it soon ended in collapse, but not without having accomplished some good. May 3 1 , 1843, the Wesleyan Methodists organized i6o Green Leaves from at Utica, N. Y. One of their principal features was opposition to slavery. They also took a strong dis- like to intemperance and secret societies. It was not long before the Reformers in Whitingham began to feel the influence of these doctrines, and there were some in the church who thought they ought to be re-reformed, therefore, on the 13th day of Dec, 1845, the society voted that Rev. Ebenezer Davis should give the Universalists the first chance to pur- chase their half of the meeting house ; and if this was not accepted then to convey it by deed to the W'es- leyan Methodists, if thought proper. About this time nine of the most a6live members, impressed with the idea that the whole body of re- formers were about to unite with the Wesleyans, withdrew from the Reform Methodist church, and organized themselves into a church or society to be known by the name of '"The Whitingham Wesleyan churchy To those knowing the members of this church before, the transformation seems more like a dissolving view than otherwise, the same preacher and the same clerk being retained. Feb. 5, 1847, ^^v. Ebenezer Davis, Dorathy Da- vis and two others united with the new church, and here the record closes; but its influence on the hearts of the christian people will not perish or pass away. When the Methodist church was built, at Jackson- ville, many withdrew from the South church, and it was finally abandoned by both denominations. Whiiingham, Vermont. i6i These churches (the Episcopal and Reform) have been so closely allied in their general purpose and work as to make it necessary to deal with them as different branches of the same church, having similar labors and duties to perform, and hoping for similar if not identical results. The South church, after being abandone'd as a house of worship, soon began to show signs of decay, and finally it was torn down under cover of darkness, by wanton hands. The exaft spot whereon it stood cannot be identified with certainty, and no picture of the house exists. Less than a quarter of a century from the time it was demolished, no trace of its loca- tion can be pointed out except by memory, and no person on earth has any definite idea of its size, its height, its number of pews, or its external or internal appearance ; and when another generation shall have passed way, were it not for this book, no living soul would know that such a building ever existed. THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. This church resulted from an effort to inaugurate a union among the Protestant denominations in west- ern Pennsylvania. From the most reliable sources of information on this subjedl, it appears that Thomas and Alexander Campbell founded this se6l in 1809 ; but such a church was organized in Whitingham Oct. 25, 1804. which makes that town the pioneer in this 1 62 Green Leaves from new, and perhaps peculiar form of religious service. It was thought, by taking the Bible alone as a guide, allowing liberty of opinion in relation to mat- ters not fully revealed, that the various divisions of religious society might be made to harmonize. This secft had an inclination to unite with the Baptists, but there were some essential points upon which they could not agree. Their sentiments are expressed in the following outline form of religious faith : 1 . I believe that all Scripture given by inspiration of God is pro- fitable fQr teaching, for conviftion, for corre(Stion, for instrudlion in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfedl and thoroughly accomplished for every good work. 2. I believe in one God, as manifested in the person of the Fa- ther, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, who are, therefore, one in nature, power, and volition. 3. I believe that every human being participates in all the con- sequences of the fall of Adam, and is bom into the world frail and depraved in all his moral powers and capacities, so that with- out faith in Christ it is impossible for him, while in that state, to please God. 4. I believe that the Word, which from the beginning was with God, and which was God, became flesh and dwelt among us as Immanuel or 'God manifest in the flesh,' and did make an expia- tion of sin, 'by the sacrifice of himself,' which no being could have done that was not possessed of a superhuman, superangelic, and divine nature. 5. I believe in the justification of a sinner by faith without the deeds of law, and of a Christian, not by faith alone, but by the obedience of faith. 6. I believe in the operation of the Holy Spirit through the word, but not without it, in the conversion and saniflification of the sinner. Whitingham, Vermont. 163 7. I believe in the right and duty of exercising our own judg- ment in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. 8. I believe in the divine institution of the evangelical ministry ; the authority and perpetuity of the institution of baptism and the Lord's supper. This church was organized 06lober 25, 1804, with nine members, to wit; Reuben Brown, Sally Brown, Sarah Brown, John Cooley, Stephen Tainter, Na- thaniel Peck, Susanna Pike, Martha Morley and Rachel Gaines. Nov. 21, 1804, the church voted unanimously to invite the Rev. Preserved Smith to take the pastoral charge of the church. On the loth day of Dec, 1804, the town "Voted, to join with the church in said Town in giving to the Reverend Pre- served Smith a call to settle in said Town as their Minister, and that they will present to him as a salary Three Hundred Dollars annually as a compensation for his services during his ministry amongst them." In the early part of the present century the church and town were supposed to be one and the same in religious matters ; and in this case it appears that the town formed a combination with the church of Christ, and for two years furnished preaching for that denomination. The town had been chartered more than 30 years, and this was the first time it had un- dertaken to maintain a church by diredl taxation, in accordance with early New England custom. The Rev. Preserved Smith, thus called by the town, was the minister of Rowe, Mass., who had been dismissed from the church in that town. Although 164 Green Leaves from he had preached considerable in Whitingham and was well acquainted with the people, he declined the invitation and preached his farewell discourse the next Sunday. The cause for this procedure on the part of Mr. Smith has dropped out of sight, but his last discourse disclosed his dislike of what the town had done, and he told his hearers that he thought it would be wise to finish the meeting house before proceeding to settle a pastor. This suggestion was not lost, for the house was finished in 1806. CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. November 25, 1806, the town "\'oted to form into a society by the name of the First Congregational Society in Whitingham." This change of name was evidently for some good reason, now unknown, but the church existed many years with a long succession of pastors. After Mr. Smith left, came Isaac Stone, Thomas H. Wood, Alvan Tobey, Ezra Fish, John Spaulding, and William Riddel. Mr. Riddel was in- stalled over this church Sept. 27, 18 15, and July 12, 18 1 8, the church "Voted to send for an ecclesiastical council from three nearest sister churches, to dismiss Mr. Riddel from the pastoral care of this church, in consequence of the inability of the society to fulfill their contract with him for support." This vote would seem to indicate that the town or church, or both, failed to recognize the value of reli- Whitingham, Vermont. 165 gious teaching, or that the minister tax was not more appalling than heathenism. This church worshipped in the old meeting house, but its light went out in 1823, after a hard, earnest, and honest struggle to benefit mankind. This house being free to all reli- gious denominations, it is not now easy to tell where some of the preachers belonged. Several of them were never installed over the church they appeared to represent. Rev. John Spaulding was said to have been a pastor of this church, and he was also pastor of the Baptist church in 1809, when first ordained. The members of this church consisted of not far from 50 persons, among whom were, Lydia Carnegy, wife of Andrew ; Polly Cooley, wife of John ; Molly Peck, wife of Nathaniel ; Elizabeth Preston, wife of James ; Lydia Wood, wife of Eli ; Ruth Stone, wife of Willi- am ; Sarah Carley, wife of Joseph ; Jerusha Bigelow, wife of Thomas ; Sally Bigelow, wife of Samuel ; Ly- dia Waste, wife of Ebenezer ; Betsey Haynes, wife of Jonas ; Polly Smead, wife of Isaac ; Sally Blan- chard, wife of John ; Abigail Hosley, Rachel Gaines, Rachel Hammond, Mercy Tainter, Patience Walker, Sarah Martin, Mary Murdock, Rebecca Smith, Re- becca Bascom, Lydia Stone, Clarrissa Stone, Miss Susan Stickney, Jonathan Carley, James Preston, Eli Wood, John Fuller, Stephen Billings, Isaac Smead, John Blanchard, and Joseph Marsh. Joseph Carley was baptized by the Rev. Preserved Smith, Dec. 16, 1804, at the age of eighty-six. 1 66 Green Leaves from ' BAl'TIST CHURCH. The last execution for heresy in England, by burn- ing alive, was at Litchfield, April ii, 1612, and the person so executed was Edward Wightman, a Baptist. Roger Williams, who introduced this do6lrine into America, was banished from Massachusetts in 1635. In 1639 he formed the first Baptist church in this country, at Providence, Rhode Island. This religious se6l, established as it was by an exile and known as the "New Light," was looked upon with suspicion by the other churches, and treated by them with pro- found contempt. But this little band of earnest and faithful thinkers were well grounded in fidelity to the christian faith, and not to be intimidated by persecu- tion or banishment. On the 8th day of September, 1808, a few persons assembled in the meeting house in W'hitingham, and organized by elecfling Walter Ernes clerk. They vo- y"^ tea to send to four Baptist /laut^e^ ^ A churches to assist them in forming a church of their own. The churches invited were of Guilford, Col- raine, Heath and Halifax. Whitiui^liam Sept 8th t8o8. A number of brethren met accor- ding to appointment first took under consideration the duty we owe to God opened our meeting by prayer then proceeded to consider the duty we owe to oneanother and the local distance from Sister Churches Considering Church priveliges and our desires for the advancement of Gods kingdom in the world. After those serious Wkitingham, Vermont. 167 Considerations we mutually agreed to form into a Church if thought Expedient by Council proceeded to Choose Walter Ernes to Serve as Clerk and agreed to Send to four baptist Churches of Christ to assist in imbodying Said Church (Viz) first Guilford first Colrain Heath & Halifax, agreed to adjurn said meeting till Said Council Shall meet. By virtue of this meeting an ecclesiastical council w as formed and convened at the meeting house in W'hitingham Oftober 18,1808. IVhitingham Oct the 18th 1808. at an Eclesiastical Council Con- vened at the meetinghouse on the request of a number of Baptist Brethren in this place (Viz) from the first Church in guilford Elder Jeremiah Packer Brethren John Noys and Joseph Olden, first Chh Colrain Elder Thomas Purington Brethren Hezekiah Smith & Isaac Chapin from Heath Church Elder George Witherell brethren Aa- ron Gleason & Stephen Davenport from Halifax Chh Deacon Sam- uel Wood and David Allen and brother James Tucker, first Chose Elder Purington moderator and Deacon \\'ood Clark, after Sol- emn prayer to God for Diredlion brother \\ilson from Sumerset Church & brother 2^nas Cary from ist Colrain & Deacon Asa Hackett from 2d Colrain Chh being present were aded to the Council. Proceeded to Examine the articles of faith, and Coven- ant, and voted to Accept them & the Brethren and Sisters that Ascent and Consent to the same are as follow. BROTHERS Josiah Brown Walter Emes Joseph Stone Jonas Brown Joseph Olden Joel B. Emes James W'arrun Joseph Brown James. Carpenter William. Franklin SLSTERS Millicent Brown Katharine Emes Sarah Franklin Lois Brown Leah Olden Esther Emes Susannah How Dorcas Saben Lucy Tarbell Ollive Emes 1 68 Green Leaves from After due examination found them to be experienced in the reU- gion of Christ and baptised by emertion, voted to give them fellowship in uniting together as a church of Christ in gospel order. Voted that Mlder Thomas Purington & Elder George Witherel ar- range the articles of faith and Covenant this Day adopted by them. Voted that l^lder Purington give them the Right hand of fellowship as a Church of Christ, And F_;ider Packer to Charge them to Con- tinue in gospel Order and to walk worthy of the Vocation where- with they are called. Thomas Purington Moderator Samlf.i. Wood Clark. October 2j, 1808. The following persons were bap- tised and united with the church : Salem Shumway, Jamima Shumway, Patty Houghton, Katharine Ernes 2d, and Anna Green. Nov. 18, 1808. The church met according to agreement, ist Opened our meeting by prayer. 2 secondly Chose Brother Josiah Brown moderator. 3 thirdly Chose Brother Walter Emes to serve as Clark. 4 fourthly red the articles of faith, and covenant and received them mutually as ours. 5 fifthly Chose Brother Jonas Brown to serve as deacon in this Church. 6 sixthly agreed Deacon Brown should Provide Book and other articles useful in the church. 7 seventhly Dissolved Said meeting. The pulpit was supplied by Elder George Witherel of Halifax, Elder Thomas Purington of Heath, and Elder Mansfield Bruce of Wilmington, until the i8th of 06lober, 1809, when Elder John Spaulding was ordained and became the regular pastor. The farmers in this region had been brought up to work, and they were not satisfied to have their minister idle, therefore, on the 17th of Feb., 1810, they "Voted to hire a farm and purchase stock for the Elder, at the expense of the church." Whitingham, Vermont. 169 There is nothing on record to show that farming and the Elder disagreed, but it does appear that soon after the vote was passed to give him work, it was thought expedient to find out how much he respefted "the root of all evil," and on the 6th of March, 18 10, the church "Agreed that if Elder Spaulding would stay, they would contribute to his support so that he should lay up property as fast as the brethren." He thereupon filed a demurrer, wherein he claimed that a stated and definite sum should be offered and pledged. This proposition was answered by a vote to pay one hundred dollars per year ! The Elder accepted that amount for one year, but on the 9th of May, 181 1, he was dismissed on his own request. The disadvantage of being rich was set forth in a public manner when the church, April 5, 181 1, voted, "that the expenses of the church for the present year be averaged as near what each brother is worth as they think proper." This would seem to be apply- ing scripture to finance in a practical way, by making it "easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man" to obtain his religious instru6l- ion free of cost. From this time up to December, 18 16, the pulpit was supplied by various persons, many of whom the people had never before seen, among whom may be mentioned. Elder James Carpenter of Readsboro, Elder Mansfield Bruce of Wilmington, Elder Thorn- 1 70 Green Leaves from as Purington o^ Heath, Elder Henry T. Smith and Elder Charles Brooks. Mr. Brooks preached twelve Sabbaths, and on the 15th day of August, 18 16, at the close of his labors, was paid 30 dollars. December 12, 18 16, Rev. Linus Austin was invited to preach, and the church voted to give him j^ioo per year. Such an allowance, not very promptly paid, would not command the highest talent at the present time, or cause a man of moderate ability, even then, to feel that he ought to exert himself beyond his strength to save what appeared to be so cheap. Elder Austin was ordained January 8, 18 17, Elder Hines, Witherel, Wilson and Brooks being, present. Elder Hines preached the sermon. Elders Witherell and Wilson performed the laying on of hands, and Elder Witherel gave the charge, Elder Hines the right hand of fellowship. On the 20th day of Sept., 18 1 7, he was chosen standing moderator. He con- tinued his labors with this church till March 20, 1826, when he was dimissed at his own request, and letters of recommendation were issued to himself and Tem- perance Austin, his wife. He was Postmaster six years, kept a store, and was a man of more than or- dinary ability, but a little eccentric, and many a good joke has been enjoyed at his expense. In those days the sale of Rum was not looked upon as a crime, and it was expefted that all who were in trade would keep a stock of "Medford." The Elder was so near like his neighbors that he was not to be Whitingkam, Vermont. 171 counted out or accused of being too virtuous for his calling, and so the boys claimed that after preaching a powerful sermon, on his way home in company / ' ^^ ■/ with some of -^ c^^/^lA^ X-o*-^ hisparishon- ers, he remarked, "I have just recieved a barrel of Rum and should be glad to let you have some for haying, if you need it." In 182 1 twelve members petitioned for dismissal from the church, praying that they might be made a separate church, and that Bro. James Carpenter be assigned to the work of the ministry. An ecclesiastical council was thereupon called from the churches of Wilmington, Dover, Heath and Whi- tingham. This body met Ofl. 18, 1821, and chose Elder George Robinson Moderator, and Elder Arad Hall Scribe. Prayer was offered by the moderator, after which Elder Geo. Witherel of "Hoosuck," w^as ■ added to the council. After proper consideration the council voted to constitute the new church and to as- sign Bro. Carpenter to the ministry. The church had numbered some over 90 members, but by reason of these dismissals, and from other causes, the whole number in 1822 was 77, and in 1824 the resident members were 61. What has been said of Elder Austin will, in part, account for the convening of the above mentioned council. Elder Paul Hines, and his wife Sally, were admit- ted by letter from the church in Chesterfield, N. H., 172 Green Leaves from in Jan. 1826, and March 31, 1826, he consented to preach '1 of the time, which duty he performed till January 7, 1827, when he was dismissed, without having been settled. Up to this time the Baptist church in W'hitingham was constantly in trouble, by not being able to find a permanent and satIsfa6lory minister, who could make himself popular with the people. Elders With- erel, Purington and Bruce, were from other towns. Elder Spaulding, though duly settled, was not in love with his compensation. Elders Carpenter, Smith, and Brooks, were only temporarily employed ; and Elder Austin was thought to have been tainted with politics and other worldly affairs to the extent that he became Postmaster, and had the whole town to please in his several vocations. He showed ability, especially outside the church, though he was much better inside than some were willing to allow. When he found the people took notice of the in- compatibility of his several employments, he had good sense enough to retire from the church and bring the controversy to an end. The Baptist church deserved better success, and a new prosperity attended it when the next pastor was employed. Among other applicants was one young man whose experience as a spiritual teacher was not known to the inhabitants of Whitingham. He was without influential friends, without money, without reputation as a preacher ; but his devotion to work, Whitingham, Vermont. 173 his unflinching integrity, his determination to suc- ceed in the gospel ministry, had been noted by some of the older brethren, and the church in Whitingham was advised to give Amherst Lamb a trial. He was born in Gerry, Mass., (now Phillipston) July 28, 1796. His parents removed to Guilford Vt. when he was but four years of age, and there he was brought up and educated in the common schools, where reading, writing, arithmetic and self-reliance, were the chief branches taught. He mastered them all, and began to preach at the age of 20. His first efforts were experimental, it being deemed impru- dent for so young a man to stand in the sacred desk and undertake to enlighten grey haired veterans as to their spiritual obligations. He made no failures, but grew stronger from day to day, till he was or- dained as a minister of the Baptist denomination in Dec, 182 1, at the age of 25 years. With no expe- rience, except to preach an occasional sermon, he was introduced into Whitingham by letter from the Guil- ford church, and was chosen pastor Sept. i, 1827. He continued to preach there until the 24th April, 1836, when he delivered his farewell discourse and went away. He, and his wife Fanny, were popular with his people, and while he was pastor the church increased in membership so that in 1832 the number was 92. When he\left the church the soul of that religious body departed, and it required no unusual forecast to declare the place vacant. His next labor 1 74 Green Leaves from was in Charlemont Mass., where he went to reside. Here he came to be much respe6led, and here he spent about nine years of the best part of his early manhood. May 1 1, 1845, he returned to his former church and congregation in Whitingham, where he was in a6live service till May 1, 1859. After this he preached occasionally in Heath, Colraine and other places. He was Superintendent of schools in Whi- tingham, and in 1865-6 he represented the town in the Legislature of X'ermont. Elder Lamb died May '/i /y 29, i870,atthe years, mourn- ed by the entire community, irrespedlive of religious creed or political preference. He was a power in the church, not "behind the throne," but on it, and asserted a personality' in and out of the pulpit, that took deep root in the minds of thinking people. His sermons were logical and convincing, without the slightest show of egotism or afifedlation. He was modest, tender hearted, pure minded and strong ; a combination much needed in the christian ministry. He was the soldier's friend, and the friend of his family. When those who fell on the battle field, in the Rebellion, were brought home to rest among their kindred, the services of Elder Lamb were sought by all denominations as be- ing potent when consolation was most needed. His sympathies were demonstrative and always reliable. Whitingham, Vermont. 175 He was an American, and loyal to his native country. In 1834, the Baptist society built a meeting house a short distance south of where they had worshipped for 26 years. This building has been abandoned and is now fast going to decay. The worshippers have removed their church relations to Sadawga, where they bought the Methodist church as before stated. During the absense of Elder Lamb, from 1836 to 1845, the desk was supplied by several ministers of fair ability and good intent. Elder Tristian Aldrich commenced his work May I, 1836, and remained till May 14, 1837, when Elder Alden B. Egleston began his labors. He wavered in his religious tendencies and was remonstrated with several times by the deacons and leading mem- bers of the church, in relation to his change of front. On the loth of November, 1838, he abandoned his church and joined the Methodist. Whether this was considered by him essential to salvation does not ap- pear on record, but he undoubtedly had a motive in taking such an important step, and it has been said that his failure to carry the Baptist church with him was the principal cause of his return. Elder Egleston lacked individuality and stability of purpose, but he claimed to be a sincere christian ; and the fa6l that he changed his religious views a v couple of times might have indicated that he wanted to be right. On the 28th day of June 1842, Alden B. Egleston and Laura Egleston, his wife, returned 176 Green Leaves from to the Baptist church and were restored to full fel- lowship therein. The church then "Voted to give them letters of dismission and recommendation to join any other church of the same faith and order where God in his providence should cast their lot." Elder 1^'oster Hartwell was the next minister, and the last one previous to the return of Elder Lamb. His services closed June 9, 1S44, and the church gave him and his wife, Augusta M., letters of dismis- sal and recommendation. On the 15th day of Odlober, 1857, Elder Erastus A. Briggs began to preach in town, and was ordain- ed as pastor of this church, June 7, 1858. He was a young man of much promise, but died on the 4th day of June, 1861. Aug. II, 1 86 1, Elder Thomas Wrinkle came to Whitingham, from the church in Colebrook Ct, and Sept. 9th became pastor of the church here, but was dismissed Aug. 7, 1864, by his own request, as he had entered the army in January, of the same year. Elder Thomas P. Briggs, a brother of Erastus A , came to Whitingham, preached to the people, and then became pastor, continuing to maintain that position till he resigned, April 4, 1869, when Samuel •p. I'-verett, a licensed preacher from Rowe, Mass., occupied the pulpit till he received a call to become pastor. This call was accepted, and he was ordained June I, 1870. He resigned Nov. 26, the same to take effedl Jan. i, 1872. Whitingham , Vermont. 177 Elder E. D. Wilcox, of North Adams, supplied the desk a portion of the time after Elder Everett went away till June i, 1872, and Rev. James H. Parmelee preached several months after that, during the same )ear. Elder W'illiam D. Hall of Springfield Vt. was the next preacher, commencing Dec. i, 1872. He was ordained June 12, 1873, and closed his labors oa. 25, 1874. Nov 8, 1874, the church voted unanimously to have Bro. E. D. W^ooster supply the desk. He was then a young licensed preacher, teaching school in one of the towns near by. He completed his term of ser- vice March 7, 1875. O" June 20, 1875, Rev. Jonas Galutia Bennett commenced his labors under a call from this church which was accepted Aug. i, 1875, but he resigned Oft. 15, 187$. Rev. Jacob Davis of Rowe, Mass., supplied the place a part of the time till April i, 1877. April 22, 1877, the church voted to give Rev. Lorenzo Tandy a call to become pastor, .which he accepted, and offi- ciated in that capacity till May 4, 1879. June I, 1879, Rev. Origen Smith commenced his labors in Whitingham. He lived in Brattleboro, and while on his way here to preach, fell from his wagon in a fit of apoplexy, Dec. 20, 1884, aged 72 years. Mr. Smith was a native of Wilmington where he was born in 181 2. A more extended sketch of his life may be found in the personal notices. 178 Green Leaves from January 4, 1885, ^^^- (^eorge Colesworthy began to preach for this church, and his labors have been continued to the present time with good success. An effort was made to prevent the ravages of time from destroying the house in which this church wor- shipped, but its destiny was fixed by immutable law, and it stood in the path of decay. When business declined at the center of the town, and many of the people removed to the villages, this strudlure became desolate and in 1884 it was abandoned. This takes from a location formerly frequented on the Sabbath day by numerous sincere Christian worshippers, the last vestige of religious influence, the last structure emblematic of Christian hope. The following named preachers were ordained by this church at the times herein mentioned : — John Spaulding, 061. 18, 1809 ; Linus .Vustin, January 9, 181 7 ; Chas. Brooks, Jan. 9, 181 7 ; James Carpenter, 0<5lober, 18, 1821 ; Erastus A. Briggs, Jan. 7, 1858 ; Samuel P. Everett, June i, 1870; \\'illiam I). Hall, June 11, 1873. The following Deacons have been chosen as indi- cated in the following list: — Jonas Brown, Nov. 18, 1808; Nathan Brown, Nov. \i. iSi?; Thadeus Thayer, by letter from Dummerston church, .\ul;. 2, 1S18 ; Esmond Bemis and Aldis Brown, Ajiril 2. 1836 : Linus A. Warren, March 4, 1848 ; Royal C. Stroctcr, ()(5t. 2, 1862, who has ser\'ed till the present time. Dea. Jonas Brown died February 24, 1836. Dea. Nathan Brown was dismissed tn join the Bennington church, March 5, 1836. Uen. Edmond licinis died Sept. 28, 1854 ; and Whitingham ; Vermont. 179 Dea. Linus Austin Warren was dismissed June 4, 1865, to join the y ^ - .yj church at Shelbume Falls. He QiJv ^ ff\h //"tyh/y^ returned, and June 6, 1869, join- ed the church and adled as dea- con till his death, March 10, 1888. The Clerks of this church have been elefted in the following order and at the times specified: — Walter Ernes, Nov. 18, 1808; Nathan Brown, Sept. 13, 1809; Edmond Brown, March 26, 1836 : Chandler P. Putnam^ Jan. 3, 1850; Rev. Amherst Lamb, March 8, 1851 ; Rufus Brown, May 9, 1857; George E. Higley, May 11, 1862; Royal C. Streeter, Sept. 3, 1864. Chandler P. Putnam was dismissed from the clerk- ship at his own request, March 8, 1 85 1 ; and Elder Lamb was dis- missed from the same office for the same cause. May 9, 1857. This church has existed more than eighty years, during which time it has maintained an honorable position among similar institutions throughout New England. Its membership has been composed of a very respectable and conscientious class of men and women ; its ministers zealous workers in the line of their duty, some of whom have been unsurpassed by any spiritual guide among the hills of Vermont. With such a record, covering a period of nearly 3 generations, this church, under its new lease of life at Sadawga, ought not to outlive its usefulness for centuries to come. UNIVERSALISTS. The doftrine of Universal Salvation began to be preached in this country, about 1750, and when the i8o Green Leaves from Rev. John Murray arrived from England in 1770 and began to preach, large accessions were made to that denomination. In 1S12, a Universalist society was organized under the direction of Rev. David Ballou of Monroe, Mass., and meetings were occasionally held in Whitingham till 1832, by various preachers, among whom was Rev. David Ballou, Rev. Samuel P. Skinner, Rev Elhanan Winchester, Rev. William S. Ballou, Rev. Mr. Newell, and some others. An important event occurred in Whitingham, a record of which has been kindly placed in my hands, by the Rev. Thomas J. Sawyer of Boston. It relates to the United States General Convention of Univer- salists for the New England States, and more direftly to a session held by that body in Whitingham in 18 15. The following extra6l from the record will show the general tenor of that notable gathering: — The ministers and delegates of the churches and Societies united in the belief of 'the restitution of all things which God hath affinti- ed by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began,' met at the house of Brother Stephens, in Whitingham, Vermont, on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 1815, according to adjournment of last year, and united in solemn prayer, offered by Brother Hosea Ballou. The convention was organized by eletSling Richard Carrique, Moderator, Samuel C. Loveland, Clerk, and Russell Streeter .Assist- ant Clerk. After the credentials of the delegates had been recei- ved, Hosea Ballou, Paul Dean, and David Ballou, were appointed to receive- and report on all applications for ordination or letters of fellowship, during the session. The Convention was then adjour- ned to meet Weilnesday morning at 7 o'dock, at which time pray er was offered by David Ballou. Whitingham, Vermont. i8i The members of this convention included some of the ablest preachers in the denomination, many being in the prime of their manhood, and well qualified to vindicate and uphold the dodlrine of "the restitution of all things," such being Universalism 75 years ago. Hosea Ballou was 44, then one of the leading Uni- versalists in the country. The first meeting of the general convention of Universalists was held in Ox- ford, Mass., Sept. 14, 1785, when Elhanan Winchester was chosen moderator, and Daniel Fiske clerk. The chara6ler and importance of this convention is, to some extent, indicated by those present, taking part in the deliberations of that body. The central figure in this convention was the Rev. John Murray, who was the founder of this sect. Representatives from various societies were present, among whom was Elhanan Winchester, Shippie Townshend, Abijah Adams, Francis Liscombe, Daniel Melvil, John Laz- eel, Ebenezer Sumner, Noah Wiswall, Caleb Rich, Samuel F"rench, Laban Bates, and many others. In convention at Charlton, Mass., Sept. 17, 1787, the Society of Whitingham was received into fellow- ship with the general convention. Under the care of this body the organization in Whitingham remain- ed for fifteen years, with no regular pastor. In 1 832, Hosea Faxon Ballou, son of Hosea Ballou, canie to Whitingham to preach the doftrine of uni- versal .salvation. He was born in Hardwick, Mass., in that part of the town set off in 180 1 as a part of 1 82 Green Leaves from Dana, then being incorporated. He was thirty-three years of age when he came to preach in Whitingham, not liberally educated, but a faithful adherent to the cause he tried to advance. He was a good citizen, and his influence always counted on the side of good morals and good government. He remained and preached in Whitingham a quarter of a century, and then removed to Wilmington, where he died May 20, 1 88 1, The society to whom he preached being a class of men and women of respeftable standing in the community, it was at once conceded that Elder Ballou was a proper yp >^ person' to advocate jf^-^K-x^^ v &CJi-^x.-*'^ the cause in which' he took so much interest. He was sustained and encouraged by such men as John Roberts, Samuel ^y^^Z^ Preston, William Jillson Jr., Heze- kiah Murdock, Rufus Carley, Elisha Putnam, Parley Starr Jr., Benjamin Reed, Wm. Hull, Levi Sumner, Rufus Chase, Nathan Green Jr., Ledyard Haley, Ephraim Smith, Hezekiah Whitney, James Putnam, Rufus Hosley and many others. Elder Ballou not only made himself popular with the leading men of the town, but with all classes, and he was frequently called upon to serve the town in public office. He was town clerk 1 7 years, repre- sentative to the Legislature two years, (i 845-1 855) Mliitingham, Vermont. 183 and served 3 times as delegate to constitutional con- ventions. His advice was valuable, for the reason that his honesty of purpose was recognized by all. He was interested in the public schools and often called to act in some official capacity connedled with educational work. The Universalist society at Jacksonville was organ- ized Dec. 31, 1849. Leonard Brown was chairman. ^ ^ Cyrus W. Car- /y U yv which office he 1/ retained for 15 years, and probably performed more real labor for the church than any other man, living or dead. At this meeting the society adopted a constitution and by-laws ; also a "profession of faith," as follows : 1. We believe the Holy Si riptures of the Old and New Testa- ments contain a revelation of the charadter of God, and of the du- ty, interest, and final destination of mankind. 2. We believe that there is one God, whose nature is love, re- vealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by one Holy Spirit of Grace, who will finally restore the whole family of mankind to holiness and happiness. 3. We believe that holiness and happiness are inseparably con- ne6led, and that holiness ought to be careful to maintain order, and practice good works, for these things are good and profitable unto men. Parley Starr Jr., David Jillson Jr. and Obed Foster were chosen directors. Leonard Brown, Parley Starr Jr., David Jillson Jr., Philander H. Sumner, James 184 Green Leaves from Roberts, and Samuel Murdock, were chosen a com- mittee to make a plan for a meeting house and deter- mine its location. They were also to ascertain how much money could be raised by subscription to for- ward the enterprise. In less than four weeks the committee reported, and the society voted to build a meeting house in accordance therewith. James Roberts, David Jillson Jr., and Leonard Brown were the building committe. Under a con- tradl made February 2, 1850, George Porter built the house, which was finished during the summer. Rev. Hosea F. Ballou, who preached first at the old Meeting House, then at the South Church, also preached here once in two weeks till 1857. Some might say that Elder Ballou was slow, and that whatever he accomplished was done with studied deliberation. While this is, to some extent true, it is also a fact that his quiet way of transafling busi- ness was more efifedlive, and brought about more marked results than any spasmodic effort of hand or brain. To those who knew him, it might seem as if but little was being done through his agency, but it must be remembered that aggregates are more easily comprehended than the solitary units that combine to make up the sum total. The life of Elder Ballou was not devoted to frivol- ous things, nor was he idle or indifferent to the grand march of evolution ; and when his long life had been rounded to more than four-score years, a retrospefi:- Whitingham, Vermont. 185 ive glance over that interesting period of time will show that he was a very busy man. This letter contains so much of the soul of the venerable man who wrote it, that I deem it important to let him tell his own story : — Wilminglon, July 10, 1880. Hon. Clark Jili^on, Sir : — I can appreciate your desire for information, in» regard to the organization of the Universalist Society in Whiting- ham, but I have no means at hand by which to give you that information. From age and infirmity I am unable to look up any records at present. The first Society was organized before my acquaintance there. Whether they have any records in regard to it is problematical. Who first preached there I do not know. I succeeded Rev. William S. Ballou about 1832. The steeple was placed on the Old Church that year and a bell added. TIk- meeting house near Dr. Gillet's was built by the Universalists and Methodists, I think in 1.S40. and, if I mistake not, the old Universalist Society run down. Before the Universalist meeting house wa.s built in Jacksonville there was a society formed there which still exists. I preached there quite a number of years, since which time Rev. Jeremy Gifford, and Rev. John H. \\'illis have been settled there. .\t a later date the I'niversalist house was built in Sadawga, and a society formed, which keeps up its organization. Bro. Gifford and several others have preached there. I left V\hitingham 23 years ago last April, and am writing only from present recolledlion, and should be very glad, if able physically, to make a thorough search for documents, but seldom leave my house — am indeed unable to do as I could wish. I have preached in 5 1 towns, all over the county, and much in contiguous parts of Massachusetts and New York. I have attend- ed as many as 1400 funerals and 500 weddings. Have been elected 5 times to the legislature and constitutional conventions. 1 S6 Green Leaves from 15 years a Justice of the Peace, 20 years connefted with savings l)anks, ami now Presicicnt and one of the Dire(5lors of the Wilming- ton savings bank. I have assisted in the settlement of more than 50 estates, liesiiles laboring more or less with my hands. Altogeth- er I have' made a busy life of it up to 80 years the 4th of April last. Nou will please excuse any apparent egotism in an old man, conscious of liaving filled a small nicTie in the history of his time as well as, under the circumstances, I have been able. Now it only remains to me, still to trust in the Providence on which I have always placed my reliance, and to whom I feel ex- ceeding grateful for all past favors and the implicit hopes I still entertain that He will do all things well. I have no fears in regar'd to the future, and am as ready to leave this world as I e\er expe(ft to be. I hope you may feel the same resignation to the Divine will in your declining years, and that you may thus be be blessed in your household and among your friends. v.. Re.p.«fu,., Vou„. g^^^^ gf^^S^ Elder Ballou's modest reference to egotism shows in him an unconscious and remarkable lack of that quality, in that he failed to mention the most impor- tarit office he ever held, which was that of town clerk 17 years in succession, elected by popular vote at the annual town meeting, and if he had not left town his term of office would undoubtedly have been ex- tended to 40 years. He was succeeded in the ministry h)- Rev. Jere- miah Gifford, who preached most of the time up to 1877, ^"<^ 3.t times since then. Elder GifTord was never educated for a preacher, but he was born for a Universalist minister without any question, and his love for his chosen profession was so intense as to U'hitingham, Vermont. 187 render him absolutely unfit for any other occupation. His sermons were generally forcible and at many times eloquent and exceedingly attraftive. Elder Gifford was born in Savoy, Mass, Feb. 9th, 1820. His father, David Gifford, was an honest industrious man, rich only in his ability to maintain a clear conscience and deal justly with all men. Jeremiah was not an apt scholar, nor a great lover of books, but he managed to do his own thinking in a very quiet way. He was inclined to solitude, and cared absolutely nothing for notoriety. He was ^A modest and avoided publicity to his own .^ /S^ disadvantage. He distrusted his ability, and was actually driven into the pulpit by force of circumstances. He was apt to begin his sermons in a diffident way, and strangers failed to become interested in his remarks or in his appearance while he re- membered that he was Jeremiah Gifford, but after that crisis was passed he became absorbed in his theme, and the minds of his hearers would unconsciously drift into the delightful realm of admiration. His vocabulary was remarkable for a man of limited education, and many a scholar has been charmed by his rhetorical efforts. Elder Gifford spent a large portion of his life in Wilmington where he died, Sept. 7, 1886. 1 88 Green Leaves front The church at Jacksonville, dedicated in 1850, start- ed under the guide of Elders Ballou, Gifford and Joy Bishop, who preached alternately till 1857, when El- der Ballou removed to Wiln ington. Elder Gifford remained till 1877, preaching part of the time here, and the remainder at Sadawga and other places. Since Elder Ballou left several other preachers have supplied the bulpit, among whom might be named Elders N. C. Hodgden, John H. Willis, R. M. Byram, and W. R. Pratt. July 2, 1862, the Universalist Society at Sadawga dedicated the church they had just completed, and its pulpit has since beeri supplied by Rev. Jeremiah Gifford, Rev. John H. Willis, Rev. Nathan D. Sher- man, Rev. M. B. Bishop, Rev. Warren Hicks, and several others. Elder Hicks went west, and there becam popular, but has recently died. FREEWILL BAPTISTS. The denomination known as Freewill Baptists was founded by Benjamin Randall, who was one of Geo. Whitefield's hearers at Portsmouth N. H., Sept. 28, 1770, two days before his death. The eloquence of that celebrated Divine and the unexpected tidings of his death, resulted in the conversion of Randall, who entered the ministry in 1777, as a Baptist. He was soon called to account for advocating a new docflrine. In 1780 he organized a Freewill Bap- tist church in Durham, N. H., and from this small Whitingham, Vermont. 189 beginning has sprung up a denomination employing nearly 2000 ministers. Their efforts in behalf of education have been of great value to this country. On the 30th day of May, 1830, a meeting was held in Whitingham for the purpose of organizing a Free- will Baptist church. The following named persons were present : Elder Abner Leonard of Hinsdale, N. H. ; Elder Daniel Leonard of Dover, V't. , Licentiate Dea. Abiel Hathaway of Dover, Vt. ; John Baldwin of Dover, Vt. ; Dea. Calvin Bucklin and Enos Mar- tin of Halifax, Vt., and Dea. Solyman Bell of Col- raine, Mass. These persons formed themselves into an ecclesiastical council. Elder Daniel Leonard was chosen Moderator and Elder Abner Leonard Clerk. The following persons being desirous of forming a church, were then and there examined as to their dodlrinal views of the Scriptures : — Mary Ball, Julia Griffin, Lewis Fuller, Nancy M. iiumham, Claricy Bigalow, Origen Ball, Polly Corlcins, Sally ^V^ Bigalow, Aaron Qiaise, Lucy Chaise, Josiah Blanchard. Sumner Bigalow, Elizabeth Griffin, Caleb Corkins, Viets Griffin. They also related their experiences, and after ex- pressing a desire to be formed into a church, "and agreeing together to watch over each other in love, and to take the Holy Scripture for their rule and practice," were organized into a church, with full power to a6l as all other churches of Christ, by re- ceiving the hand of fellowship by Elder Daniel Leon- ard, who was really the founder of this church. igo iircen Leaves from The church then "voted to send three messengers to the Dover (Quarterly meeting, to be holden in Guilford on the 4th and 5th days of September next in order to join the Free Baptist connedlion." // Ay /J ^ Josiah Blanch- ^'^^^^^ 4fle;cr^cA^> ard. Lewis Ful- ^-^ ler, and Aaron Chase were the delegates. On the 14th of Novem- ber, 1830, the church "voted that Jaspar Hunt, Lewis Fuller and Josiah Blanchard, make inquiries of the church and society as to the expediency of building a meeting house. " The church and society were separate organizations and kept separate records. The society was organized on Saturday, Xov. 20, 1830, less than six months after the church. The first vote taken after ele6ling Luther Pierce clerk, was about building a house for public worship. On the 27th day of Nov., 1830, the society voted to build a meeting house on land of Josiah Blanchard at the foot of the hill east of his house. On the loth of March, 1831, the society voted to recall the vote of Nov. -2 7, 1830, as to the location of a new meeting house, and at the same time voted to build the house on land of Viets Griffin, east of his house. Josiah Blanchard, Jaspar Hunt and Lewis Fuller, were chosen a com- ^^ , > _^ mittee to draft a plan •dZtytytJ'tJ^ /.■^/O^^^i.Y^ of the house, "The , "" posts to be as low as will answer for arching above ll'liitiiigham, Vermont. 191 the windows ; and to make a contra6l for its ere6lion, call a public sale of pew ground, let out the joiner work and find out the expense of the house." At meetings held March 19th and 22nd, 1831, eight pews were sold for $151.50, at an average of about $19.00 each. May 9, 1831, "Voted to recall the vote passed for eredling a meeting house on land of Viets grififin. Voted to ereft a house on land of ^ James Roberts, across the road, opposite the former place." May 20, 1831, Horace Roberts conveyed a parcel of land to the first Freewill Baptist Society, as a site for a meeting house. This lot had a front of 170 feet, contained about half an acre, and cost $50. During the summer of 1831 the church was built, and in 1833 the pulpit was furnished with a cushion and new trimmings. Jan. 17, 1833, Silas Warren was appointed a committe to superintend the build- ing of sheds, Jaspar Hunt to draw up a constitution. Oclober 18, 1840, the Society met and transacted the following business : — The Freewill Baptist Society of Whitingham being met accord- ing to previous appointment, organized by choosing Ezra T. Butter- field Moderator and Harvey Brown Clerk. Voted to be govern- ed in future by the following regulations as an amendment to the constution : — Whereas, The public worship of God is, in our opinion, an insti- tution which ought to be regarded with deep interest and pun6l- ually maintained in all churches wherever pradticable, and, Whereas, The Freewill Baptists in Whitingham need assistance in order to support preaching ; therefore, being well-wishers to the cause of religion and desiring the peace and happiness of society 192 Green Leaves from and the good instrudtion of the rising generation, do hereby form ourselves into a society to act in unison with said church in all bu- siness matters pertaining to the regulation and maintenance of public worship, to use our influence to promote union and har- mony, to refine and moralize the community, in short, we associate ourselves together by obserN-ing the following articles or rules : 1. This Society shall be called the Freewill Baptist SociLiy of Whitingham. 2. Its objedt shall be to maintain and support a preached gospel that virtuous principles may be disseminated and a divine require- ment regarded. 3. In order to carry the wishes of this society into effedl they may appoint such officers as are necessary therefor, which will con- sist of a clerk to keep a record of their doings, a committee to manage and superintend the affairs of said society, and if necessary, a coUedtor and treasurer. 4. All monies raised by the society for preaching or any other expenses that shall or may accrue, shall be by voluntary subscrip- tion. , 5. This society shall hold a meeting at least once in each year, to regulate matters, appoint officers, and do all proper business that the good of the society may require, and oftener at any time when expedient. Any person may be a member of this society by signing the con- stitution, or may be dismissed by requesting the clerk to take his name from the roll. Chose Origen Ball, Harvey Brown and Ezra T. Biitterfield, com- mittee. Chose Charles Blanchard colletlar. Voted the society turn out on Saturday, the lytli day of Oct.. inst., to get a year's supply of wood. This church and society dissolved about 184(3, after an existence of 16 years. The meeting house was taken down in 1852, and the spot where it stood will soon be forgotten. It ought to be marked by a permanent monument. It is a part of the history of Whitingham, Vermont. 193 the town. The Httle congregation that assembled in that consecrated temple, was composed of earnest, faithful worshippers. They are worthy of respedlful remembrance. When the church and sheds were moved away, the lot on which they stood, by the terms of the deed, reverted to the former owner. The ministers of this church have been. Elders Daniel Leonard, Calvin Bucklin, Jacob Couliard, Ransell Barrett, and Peter S. Gates. The clerks of the society were, Luther Pierce, Harvey Brown and Ezra T. Butterfield. Aaron Chase is supposed to have been the only clerk of of the church. The church record contains the following deaths of church members: Lucy Chase, May 25, 1832; Polly Corkins, August 2, 1840; Rachel Blanchard, March 30, 1843; Julia Ann Gates, April 4, 1844. At one time, through the untiring efforts of Dea. Caleb Corkins, Dea. Benjamin Cook, and a few zeal- ous members, this church promised better results; but the interest of the members, and even that of the pastor, began to wane, and in the course often years it became disorganized, and soon abandoned forever. The brief sketch here presented, of churches and church work in Whitingham, indicates the loyalty of the people to the various forms of religious faith. The Baptist, Methodist and Universalist denomin- ations have been more liberally patronized than any other, but none of them were unworthy of that re- speftful consideration due to all honest efforts in 194 Green Leaves from behalf of every moral advancement among mankind. Any 'ism without an honest motive behind it, is dangerous to the commonwealth. All 'isms, honestly maintained, contribute to the perpetuity of good gov- ernment, and while the church and the state are both founded upon a well balanced aggregate of differen- ces, both are safe — the church from ill considered infidelity, the state from lawless anarchy. Well balanced conflidling interests, make the most powerful union. All Nature sustains this proposition. The planets, in their combination of forces, sustain this theory, by giving to each an individual orbit; and if any one should fail to maintain its position, the entire solar system would become a wreck. CHAPTER VI. EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS. HE FACILITIES for obtaining an education in Vermont, previ- ■ ous to the present century, were quite meag-re, many of the towns not maintaining a public school. Whitingham had been incorpo- rated more than a quarter of a centur)- before the town was divided into school dis- tri6ls. There were but two or three school houses in town previous to 1800, and within my memory schools were frequently kept in private houses, and the cost thereof paid by private subscription. A few families could unite in the thinly populated distri6ls and accommodate themselves at so low a figure that no reasonable person could afford to raise and defend the slightest objedlion. 196 Green Leaves from The whole amount paid by the town treasurer at different periods was as follows: — * 1813 . . . Si;,0.65 1835 . . . $278.78 1825 ... $210.36 1888 . . . S584.85 I'hc amount paid in the largest distridl by the town was 1S13 . . . Siy.o.S 1825 . . S19.17 1835 ■ ^24-91 The amount paid in the smallest district was i8i3...$2.27 1825... $3.20 183S...I5.83 March 2, 1789, the town "\'oted that Capt. Daniel Wilcox, Lieut. Isaac Lyman, Lieut. Benjamin Blodg- et, Andrew Carnigee, James Roberts Esq., Xathaniel Davis, Amasa Shumway, James Meelett and Solomon Bishop, be a committee to divide the town into school distrifts." Their report was favorable to such divi- sion, but nine years after this the limits of these distri(5ls, had not been defined nor had they been numbered. On March 5, 1 798, the town "\'oted that there be a committee of one person in each school distridl; in said town to ascertain the limits of each school distri6l in the town, and to number the same." This committee consisted of John B. .\ny;el, Samuel Parker, James W'ilco.x, Benj. Blodgett, Joseph Brown, Walter Emes, James Glass, and Andrew Carnigee. There were 17 distriols laid out, and nearly all of them were supplied with respetflable school houses, but of a primitive pattern. Of late some of the small schools ha\c been discontinued and the distrifls mer- ged so that only 14 districts were represented in the Superintendent's report of 1889. The following out- Whitingham, Vermont. 197 line map shows the distridls as they were after No. 1 3 had been abandoned. 'V. K>>4,j ^^^^ y^\ X. ' jll ' . The Common School funds in the various states .generally consist of such grants of land as have been made by the general government for school purposes, and the investment of funds arising from sales of the same, together with those derived from individual endowments, and from direct taxation. Vermont has a school fund amounting to $669,086. 79, the proceeds thereof being distributed among the towns and gores. The state also has a fund by the 198 Green Leaves from provisions of the will of Arunnah Huntington of Brantford, in the Province of Ontario, in the Domin- ion of Canada, amounting, in 1883, to $205,111.23. In 1884, the Legislature passed an Act directing the Treasurer to apportion to the several towns in the state, the income of this fund, which was first distri- buted in 1889, when Whitingham received $44.95. From these two funds the state derives its income for the support of common schools, but the amount thus received is not sufficient, to maintain the re- quirements of law and the towns appropriate another sum, raised by taxation. This amount being insuffi- cient, each distfict raises the amount required by tax levied on the property owner? of the distridl. The following cut represents the house first built in No. 7, where I attended school,. near 60 years ago. It was of the rare New England type, with but one exception, that being the location of the chimney, which was in the corner of the room where there was a large fire-place and a wide hearth stone, upon which many a barefoot boy and girl was glad, on a cool September morning, to stand and ab- sprb its friendly caloric, during the anxious period allowed for a recitation; and in winter, "Please may I go to the fire?" was an imploring request seldom denied, so long as proper decorum prevailed within the circle of shivering urchins. This house was re- moved about 50 years ago near half a mile in a north Whitingham, I 'cmioiii. 199 easterly direction, where it long remained. It was finally moved back and since burned. Another house now occupies the original site. There was no uniformity observed in the erection of school houses, and not much pains taken as to their surroundings. One of the most noted houses in town stands in a forest in distri4|„- ,.y, -^u-JI; $ ; V- .' SHtxoi.Ei) sciKKii. iiorsi:. This house was frequently used on Sunday for re- ligious meetings, and at other times for debates and spelling schools. Here the. "aspiring youth," full of 200 Green Leaves from Vermont glory, measured lances with all who came in his way, and prepared himself for future conflift in life's great struggle. More than 50 years ago a mania appeared among the people of Vermont which seemed to spread over the entire state. It was in relation to education, and culminated in establishing an Academy in nearly all the principal towns in the state, where none existed before. It reached Whitingham in 1842, and the citizens became suddenly interested in schools and school houses. They at once obtained money by subscription and erefled an academy building — one of the best in the county. This building stood east of the Baptist church, on the same side of the road. Its location was all that could be desired for health, quiet, or romantic scenery, it being on an elevation overlooking the Deerfield valley, with Lake Sadawga in the foreground and a spur of the Green Mountains looming up with their hazy summits between that point and Bennington, on the west. Whoever has a taste for natural scenery will not fail to be charmed with this lake and its surroundings, especially when viewed from a point near the site of the academy. This lake bears an Indian name, and its shores still maintain their aboriginal solitude as quietly as its great uncle, located in Webster, Mass., Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggagungamaugg. Both these names have been abbreviated for the sake of convenience, but the one at Webster is still a W'hitimrham, I I'Tfiwnl. 201 challenge to the erudition of historian, poet or scholar. The surroundings of our schools frequently have more to do with the best education of youth than the schools themselves, for among them the student "Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything." High mountains, deep valleys, rushing waters or meandering streams, together with a pleasing land- scape, the bursting buds of Spring, or the solemn tints of Autumn, satisfy the spirit that longs for com- munion with the silent grandeur of Nature, far better than to read of what we cannot see. Whitingham academy was fortunately located with these appliances near at hand, and the first term was opened September 7, 1842. Prof. John H. Kellom, A. B., a native of Georgia, was the first Preceptor, a graduate of Williams college, a thorough disciplin- 202 dreoL Leaves from arian, a ripe scholar, a good citizen, a fine gentle- man, and much respected by all the people. I'nder his diredlion the school was prosperous and occupied a high position among the educational institutions of X'ermont. Prof. Kellom was equipped for a broader field, and his place here was soon filled by persons of much less ability and less learning. », !.■•(' When this building was finished, in the early au- tumn of 1S42, the following notice appeared in the Vermont Phoenix: — W 1 1 I T I N C H A M A C A D EM\ . The Trustees cheerfully announce to the friends of Education and Public generally, that a new and commodious building has Whitingham, Vermont. 203 recently been ere<5ted in Whitingham Centre, for the express pur- pose of offering new and additional opportunity to the enquiring Scholar. No exertion on part of the Trustees will be spared to render this Institution pleasant, cheap and agreeable. The first Term of this Institution will commence the ist Wednesday in Sept. next, under the instrudtion of Mr. John H. Kellom, A. B., a graduate of ^^'illiams College, as principal. Such assistance will be furnish- ed as the patronage may demand. The Trustees add with pleasure, that from the experience and success of Mr. Kellom in Teaching — combined with the high recommendations of the President of Williams College — they have no doubt of the extra opportunity afforded to the youth of this and the adjoining towns. Board may be obtained in good families from ji. 00 to ^1.25 per week. Students may be accommodated with private study rooms in the Academy. Terms of Tuition. Common English Branches per term I3.00 Higher .... 3.50 Ancient Languages 4.00 French in addition . i .oo By order of the Trustees, J. E. Butler, Secretary. Whitingham, Aug. 12, 1842. This unpretentious notice was published twice in the Brattleboro paper, and about 40 rugged Ver- monters, with a few from other states, responded thereto. These young people were not there to kill time; but each and all had a well defined purpose, and seemed willing to bear the burden of individu- ality, to the extent of being able to establish their own identity and mark out a prospedlive future. 2134 tii\Mi and Urattleboro a few years ago I saw on the summit of a hill against the evening sky what seemed a large cathedral. Driving thither, I fmnid a huge, old-time two- story church, a large academy (which hail blended in the lh^t,llll e with the chureh), a xillagc with a broad street, perhaps 150 feet in in width. I drove on, and foimd that the church was abandoned, the academy dismantled, the village deserted. Here had been industry, education, religion, comfort and contentment, but there remained only a drear solitude of forsaken homes. This academy now stands, but its foundations have been disturbed by the elements, its roof decayed, its timbers out of line, its doors and windows gone, and the dismal winds of winter moan in its deserted halls. 2o6 Green Leaves from Since the above was written it has been ascertained that this building received its last stroke of demoli- tion in April, 1889. The ways adopted in the transacflion of ordinary TOWN BUSINESS would have been almost wholly unknown if an old receipt book, covering the early business transa6lions of the town, had not been rescued from a pile of old rubbish and allowed to tell its own story. A large number of receipts with the signatures in fac-simile, extending over more than a quarter of a century, are here presented for public inspeftion. Whitingham, September 6, 1803. — Rec'd an order on the Town Treasurer of Whitinghan for the sum of sixteen dollars and fifty cents in full for a burying cloth. pr me ^a:c^J^a^ Whitingham, January 1 2, 1804. — Rec'd of the Seledbnen of Whi- tingham an order on the Town Treasurer for the svim of thirteen Shillings for making a Coffin for Hannah \\'hitnev's child & making a Pound Gate. "^ f --^.^^^.^^^ Whitingham April i, 1805. — Receiv'd of the Town Treasury six Dollars and fifty cents in full for hording the Clargey the year past ^<^^ijJ?y^ T6e4^-»'i^'^^^ Whitingham June 4, 1806. — Re'd of the Seledlmen of Whiting- ham two Orders on the Town treasury one of the some of three Dollars and sixty six cents in full for my serveses as A Seledlman for the [year] 1 804 and the other the some of two Dollars and Whitingham, Vermont. 207 thirty three cents in full Serveses as a Selectman for the year 1805. by me ^^^,y'^'Jn^-'(h;f<^\^OrLii- December 9, 1807. — Rec'd of the Seleftmen of Whitingham an order on tlie Town Treasurer for the sum of seventy-five cents in full for a day's service settling with the Treasurer in 1806. 5/^ April 29, 1808. — Rec'd of the Selectmen Two orders on the To\vn Treasurer for the Sum of Nine Dollars and eighty-nine cents in full for all Demands I have at,nnsi the Town. September 28, 1809. — Rec'd of the Selecflmen a Du bill for the Sum of Six Dollars and 1 7 cents Which when Paid will be in full for Doftoring Mark Williams in December I^ast. April 25, 1810.— Receiv'd of the Selectmen of the Town of Whi- tingham an Order for the .um of thirty-four Dollars and Eighty- three cents on the Town Treasurer it Being in full for all my Am- ount for keeping Mark Williams and Wife and Mother charges that I have against said Town of Whitingham to this Day. Whitingham June 29, 1811.— Recev'd of the authorities of the Town of Whitingham two Small orders on the Town Trearurer to 2oS (j)'een Leaves front the amount of one Dollar and 2 cents in full of all Dues and De- mands against said town. /■ Whitingham April the 20. 1812. — Received of the Selennien of the Town of Whitingham one Dollar and fifty [cents] in full of all accounts against the Town of Whitingham for Doifloring the poor of Said Town. ,^ yi. ^ m Whitingham June 15, 18 13. — Rece'd of the Seleft Men of the town of Whitingham an order on the treasurer of Said town to the amount of one Dollar and four cents it being in full for my fees for warning out Some Persons in Whitingham. ^^^^L^K>'WV/^ Whitingham May 31, 18 14. — Received an order on the Town Treasurer for the sum of twenty-one Dollars it being in full for sup- porting the Widow Williams for the year 1813. Whitingham February 20, 1815. — Rec'd of the Select men of Whitingham an order of one Dollar & Sixty Seven cents on tlie to\vn Treasury it being in full for one pair women shoes & all Demands I have against Said Town. Whitingham Dec. 21, 1816. — Rec'd of the Seledt Men of Whi- tingham an order on the Town Treasury to the amount of one Dollar Which is in full for any Demand against the town for Clean- ing the town guns and oiling them. cM^kf^^^^'' Ulntingham, Vermont. 209 Whitingham May 9, 181 7. — Rec'd of the Select men of Whiting- ham an order on the town Treasurer to the amount of four Dollars and thirty three cents it Being in full for my Demand against the town for Cloth for a Bead tick and mending a pair of Shoes for Mr. Williams. Cfiusi Whitingham April 3, 1818.^ — Rec'd of Seleftmen of Whitingham an order on the town Treasurer to the amount of Three Dollars and ninety four cents it being in full for School money in my Dis- tria. Whitingham August 24, 1819. — Rec'd of the Select Men of the Town of Whitingham an Order on the Town Treasury for the Sum of Twenty two Dollars it being in full for. building a Bridge nigh Samuel Martings. Oy^optcx^ ^^■^''€/Z6/^ Whitingham February 16, 1820. — Received of the Seledmen of Whitingham an Order on the Town Treasurer for Eight Dollars and twenty five cents in full for Building a Cage for Mr. Bemis. Whitingham April 4, 182 1. — Received of the Select Men an or- der on the Town Treasurer for the sum of seventy five Cents in full for fiising Jonathan ( ross Deceased Grave. -^O^^nytM^ (^-^ November 27, 1822 —Received an order of the Selectmen of Whitingham for the sum of five Dollars llighty four cents on the Treasurer in full for labor on the Road whi( h was indfted by the County Court in said town of Whitingham. C^'^i^t^^^A^m.^^^Z. 1^^^^^^ 2 I o Green Leaves from April 12, 1823. — Received of the Select men of W'hitingham an order on the Town Treasurer for one Dollar and ninety cents being the Sum Due District No. 7 for school money the present year. Whitingham March, 1824. — Recei'd of the Select men of the town of W'hitingham an order for the Sum of four Dollars being for my services as treasurer for the two years past. f^^ ^^/iLyO't-^ Whitingham March 12, 1825. — Receiv'd of the Seleftmen of the Town of Whitingham an order on the Town Treasurer for the sum of Nineteen Dollars & seventy five Cents in full for building a Bridge. a j Whitingham March 8, 1826. — Received of the Selectmen of the Town of Whitingham two Dollars in full for Lister for the past year. Whitingham June, 1827. — Received of the Selectmen of Whi- tingham an order on the Town Treasurer for two Dollars in full for appraising the Estate of Mrs. Lovit and plank for the use of the Whitingham Sept. 2, 1828. — Received of tjie Seledtmen of the Town of Whitinghan an order on the To\vn Treasure to the amount of five Dollars & four cents it being for guide posts. Whitingham March 7, 1829. — Received of the Select men an ll'liitingham, Vermont. 211 order on the Town Treasurer for one Dollar in full for providing a stamp to seal measures for the Town of Whitingham. April 30, 1830 — Receiv'd an order of the Seleamen of the Town of Whitingham an order on Treasurer of said Town for the sum Five Dollars being For Keeping Eledy Corbit in Full of all De- mands up to this Date against Sd Town. Whitingham April 23, 1831 . — Rec'd of the SeleiSt men an order on the Town treasure for the Sum of forty four dollars in full for keeping Emeline & Charlotte Hosley the year Past. Whitingham May 5, 1832 — Rec'd of the Select men of the Town of Whitingham an order amounting to Eighteen Dollars for Keep- ing Emeline Horsley the past year in full. . Whitingham March 16, 1833. — Rec'd of the Seledlmen of the Town of Whitingham an order on the Town Treasure for the sum of three Dollars it being for A Coftn for Almira Bemis. J^ Whitingham March 8, 1834. — Received of the Select Men a town order for two Dollars and Sixty Seven Cents in full for Servi- 2 1 2 Green Leaves from ces as Treasurer and other services the past year. Whitingham April 4, 1835. — Rec'd an order on the Treasurer of said Town amounting to Fifteen Dollars and ninety Cents it being in fiiU for the sum Due school District No. 10 the present year. Whitingham April 4, 1836. — Rec'd of the seledl men of the town of Whitingham an order on the treasurer to the amount of forty two Dollars & sixty cents it being the full share of public money for school Distridt No. 7. i^ White and Elisha Putnam, to contract for the mak- ing of Sd Bridge across Sd D. R. X'oted that the / / It i/iHo/ia 1)1 , Vermont. 223 town build a covered Plank Bridge across said river." These bridges were comparatively inexpensive and temporary, most of them being carried away when- ever the water was very high. But it cost the town much more to supply these frail structures annually than it would to have built them more permanent, at greater expense. In 1836, $1,600 were raised to pay for the bridge built over Deerfield river, near the residence of John Parsons. June 27, 1837, "the bridge below John Parsons' was located and established by the sele6l- men, " William Bond Jr., Harvey Brown, and Hough- ton Sawyer. This bridge was warranted to stand ten years. It stood 32 years and was finally swept away by the freshet in 1869. May 22, 1840, the town "Voted to build a Trussle Bridge on the old But- ments near Davis,' with the subscription of the in- habitants the other Side of the River. " Odlober 5, 1869, nearly all the bridges in town were swept away, and the same thing has happened once since that time. I'D SI OKKK lis. W'hitingham was without a post office 36 years, covering the period of its greatest prosperity in the increase of population. The mails were carried by various persons, without much regularity and with but little regard to speedy delivery. There had been no change in the rates since the organization .of the 2 24 Green Leaves from regular department under the constitution, in 1789. A letter written on a single piece of paper was subject to 8 cents postage when carried any distance under 40 miles ; over 40 and under 90 miles 10 cents; over 90 and under 150 miles 12 'a cents; over 150 and under 300 miles 17 cents; over 300 and under 500 miles 20 cents ; over 500 miles 25 cts. In 1 8 16 these rates were changed so that a single letter carried not ov^r 30 miles was 6 '1 cents ; over 30 and under 80 miles 10 cents ; over 80 and under 150 12 ':; cents ; over 150 and under 400 miles 18 ^ cents; over 400 miles 25 cents. Prepayment was optional with whoever sent the letter, and dunning letters for small amounts, when vigorously applied, became a terror to the timid. In 1816, under the administration of James Madi- son, the first post office was established in Whiting- ham. The first postmaster was Adin Thayer, a mer- chant of the town, who held the office four years, when it passed into the hands of a noted clerg^'man. Rev. Linus Austin, who retained it six years. This office was located at the centre of the town, where it remained 66 years, and was discontinued Feb. 20, 1882. Its business and name was there- upon transfered to Sadawga and that office is now knowji as Whitingham. There is no better index to the business prosperity of a town than the post office. Its location generally shows where the centre of trade is, and the number Whitinoliani, I'erniont. 225 of letters sent and received indicate the advancement or decline of thrift among the people. The history of Whitingham's progress in business, in education and intellectual development, is more clearly shown by its postal service than by any other record which has bean preserved. There has been five post offices in Whitingham since 1815, the last taking the name of the one dis- continued Feb. 20, 1882. The record is as follows: W H 1 T 1 N U H A \I . HOtHMAMFRS, ASH SVllKN AProiNTED. Adin I'hayer, Henry (loodmivv, Oftobcr 26, 1.S16. .August 27, i553. Linus Austin. Thomas Wrinkle, August 31, 1820. January 7, 1862. Royal Houghton, Newell B. Hall, May 25, 1826. December 3, 1863. Elliot Brown, Nehemiah Sprague Jr., March 13. 1827. Oiftober 26, 1864. Horace Roberts, Joel WiUox. .\ugust 8, 1K29. March 20, 1867. John E. Butler, Russell Stafford, January 3. 1838. May 6, 1869. Nathan L. Butler, Henry S. Ooodnow, Febniary 16, 1X43. June 7, 1870. Reuben U inn, Reuben Winn, .May 28, 1850. June 15, 1874. This office was discontinued l-'eliniary 21), 1882. Point Pleasant, located about a mile northeasterly from Jacksonville, was at one time .a place of some note, having a church, a post office and some show I 226 Green Leaves from as a trade centre. Some thought its future more promising than that of Jacksonville. P01.\T PLEASANT. Saxton Plumb, James Roberts, April lo, 1826. November 19, 1831. This office was discontinued November 4. 1834. In 1834, the locality called "Slab Hollow," "Mar- tin's Mills" and "New Boston," was named Jackson- ville, in honor of president Jackson, and thereupon the post office at Point Pleasant assumed the name of Jacksonville through the management of Saxton Plumb, who was seeking to again become postmaster. This office has the following record : Saxton Plumb, Nov. 4, 1834 David D. Wilcox, March 14, 1839 Laban J. Childs, Jan. 24, 1845 Adin T. Childs, July 29, 1845 Philander H. Sumner, June 21, 1847 Norris L. Stetson, Oct. 22, 1851 Martin Brown, June 27, 1854 George D. Foster, Jan. 15, 1856 JACKSONVILLE. Ira Stafford, Aug. 20, 1856. Paul H. Cudworth, April 15, 1857. Edward L. Roberts, Feb. 23, i860. Norris L. Stetson, Feb. 20, 1865. Albert C. Stetson, Oa. 25. 1867. Norris L. Stetson, March 28, 1870. Herbert G. Porter, oa. 21, 1885. Clarence H. Shepardson, .•Vug. 7, i88g. The village of Sadawga, known fifty > ears ago as "The Springs," became quite a trade mart and bet- / / li itiiigliam , / 'ermont. 227 ter postal accommodations were demanded by those engaged in business thereabouts. In 185 1 an office was established there, named Sadawga, and business increased so rapidly that the need of such office was clearly demonstrated, and shows the following record : SADAWGA. George W . Chase, Samuel B. Pike, Dec. 31, 1851. March 20, 1866. Eli T. Green, Cyrus Temple, July 26, 1865. March 25, 1868. Chas. P. Murdock, Hosea W. Brigham, Nov. 30, 1865. Dec. 9, 1872. Henry C. Millington, Dec. 16, 1878. On the 23d of Feb., 1882, the name of this office was changed from Sadawga to Whitingham, and the following appointments have since been made: \v urn Nc; 11 am . George S. Goodnow, Herbert E. Knowlton, Feb, 23, 1882. March 26, 1887. Horatio N. Hix, Albert 1.. Cook, March 31, 1882. July 24, 1889. The above facts show that Whitingham has main- tained a postoffice under its original name, with the exception of three days, three quarters of a century. Typical of the possibilities of mankind, it died Feb. 20, 1882, was raised on the third day and transport- ed to a more genial location where it may forever remain to perpetuate the memory of its Alma Mater. 2 28 Green Leaves from The center of the town, where nearly all the busi- ness was done fifty years ago, has been without any postoffice since 1882. Its churches have crumbled and perished under the rigors of climate, the lapse of time and criminal neglect. Its academy, its stores and other places of business are remebered only by the oldest inhabitant or through the uncertain chan- nels of tradition. PAUPERISM. It was customary, not long ago, to dispose of town paupers, annually, by auction, and whoever bid the lowest was entitled to the services of the poor person upon whom he bid, for the ensuing year. Paupers were not kept for the fun there was in it, but for the pay received, and it was said that a low price meant starvation or hard work, perhaps both. In cases where persons, long and well known resi- dents of the town, who had seen better days and guilty of nothing but misfortune and poverty, were sold under the hammer, soul and body, from year to year, to some man mean enough to bid lower than any one else, with the expectation of profit at that, it seemed as though barbarism had taken possession of the body politic. The town records for March 7, 1825, contain the following suggestive statement : Struck off old Mrs. Williams to Jonathan Dalrymple for .<4iS.5o per year. Stnick off old Mr. Tyler to Eli Hosley for <;.j6.oo per ve.ir. / / 7/ itingham , Verviont. 229 The records seem to indicate that some of the paupers of Whitingham were ugly as well as poor, or the fol- lowing vote would not have been called for : March 3, 1813. Voted, That the rules for governing the poor in said town shall be as follows, viz., That the persons to whom the Overseers of the Poor shall bind out or otherwise agree with to take the charge of and keep any of the poor of said town, shall, under the direction of the said overseers, be the officers to inflidl, any or all of the punishments allowed by law on any person (if ne- cessary) so committed to their care and keeping, Provided, they shall in no case exceed or extend any kind of punishment beyond what the law allows. Whitingham not having a work house, as provided by law, clearly exceeded iis authority when it voted to substitute the overseers of the poor for a board of officers who could only exist in such towns as had provided a workhouse. The fafts are, there was no law of the stale that authorized corporal punishment of a pauper, or any punishment, <'xcept by implica- tion, such as would insiire a compliance with salutary rules made b\' towns that had provided a workhouse ; and such rules would ha\'f no binding force to war- rant the punishment of a citizen for their violation, unless they were adopted in legal form as by-laws, and properly promulgated. The following quotation from the laws of Vermont indicates all the authority Whitingham had in this matter, and perhaps suggests that its vote was only an apparition shrouded in municipal solemnity: 230 Green Leaves from Every town which has provided, or shall provide a work house, may at any legal meeting appoint all proper officers for the govern- ment of such house, and make all necessary rules, orders and reg- ulations, not repugnnat to the laws of the state. It will be observed that the statutes do not provide for any punishment whatever, though it seems fair to maintain that the regulations of a workhouse should include the proper enforcement of good order, but Whitingham had no such house, and the pauper franchise was annually for sale on the auction block, to the lowest bidder. It is sad enough to become a pauper through misfortune, but to be sold as a slave after becoming old and disabled, must be humiliating to a sensitive mind, and such are to be found even among the poor. This method of dealing with the unfortunate was not original with WTiitingham, but came from a more ancient commonwealth, and \et of American parentage. The insane poor, and even the insane rich, were formerly obliged to suffer for want of proper care. They were frequently caged like wild animals and there made to remain day and night, year after year. John Bemis was insane when a young man and con- fined in a cage about 20 years. This cage was made in 1820, as the following record will show: Whitingham, February 16, 1820. — Received of the Selectmen of Whitingham an order on the Town Treasurer for Eight Dollars and twenty-five cents in full for Building a cage for Mr. Bemis. Obed FaSTER. W'hitingkam I'ermoni. 231 Since the State has taken the matter in hand and furnished hospitals for such unfortunates their con- dition has been more in accordance with humanity. The Asylum at Brattleboro was opened in 1836. L A W \- E K > . W'hitingham has produced many able counsellors, not only for her own benefit, but has made liberal contributions to other towns to which they have im- migrated and become distinguished. James Roberts Sr. was the first person admitted to the Windham County bar from Whitingham, of which there is any record. He was admitted late in life at the June term in 18 12. when 66 years of age. and his admission to prad:ice in the Supreme court was in August, 181 2. He was 32 years old when the town was organized, and probably practiced sev- eral years previous to his admission. His name was on the grand list in 1782, and he took the Freeman's oath in March, 1784. He was probably in town when it was organized, for his son John was born thi;re May 15, 178 1. He was select- man 14 years, and represented the town in the legis- lature 12 years; a Justice of the peace 20 years, and for a term of years Associate Justice of the Windham county court, and afterwards Chief Justice of the said court for many years. He was possessed of rare abilities and highly respeded by his fellow townsmen. He died March 12, 1825, at the age of 79. 232 Green Leaves from HuKACE Roberts, son of James, was born April 4, 1787. He represented the town in the legislature 2 years, was postmaster 7 years, and Justice of the peace many years. He was admitted to the bar in June, 18 18, and soon went to Marietta Ohio, where where General Rufus Putnam of Rutland Mass. had then recently established a colony of New England men and women in the interest of the Ohio Land Company, where he established the first academy, planned and superintended the building of the first church, (now in use) and organized the first Bible Society and the first Sunday School in Marietta. He was a lawyer of considerable ability, and win- he should leave the western Eldorado and return to the bleak hills of Whitingham does not now appear of record. He pra6liced his profession in Whiting- ham several years previous to his death, in 1837. He was noted for his -wit, sarcasm and democracy. John Roberts, son of James, was admitted to the bar in April, 1830, at the>age of 49. He represented the town in the legislature 6 years, was Justice of the peace 32 years, Justice of the county court a term of years, Judge of Probate for the distri6t of Marlboro, and was a member of the constitutional convention in 1850. He was also Colonel of a regiment of \'t. militia. When a young man he was a prominent Mason, holding the office of Distri(5l Deputy Grand Master for the term of 6 years. He died May 14, 1868, at the age of 87 years. Whitingham, Vermont. 233 John E. Butler, of Jaimaica Vt., was admitted to the bar in April, 1837, and soon after removed to Whi- tingham where he was in successful pra6lice for sev- eral years, after which he returned to Jamaica and there died. He was admitted to practice in the Su- preme Court at the Feb. term, 1841., and soon took a leading position at the Windham county bar. He was prominent in educational matters, a mem- ber of the board of Trustees of Whitingham Acade- my, and secretary of the board, besides being the leading spirit in carrying forward the enterprise and procuring the services of one of the most popular preceptors ever employed in Vermont. Mr. Butler was widely known as a shrewd lawyer, and reputed to be as honest as the profession would admit of, therefore his advice was sought by litigants in and out of the State ; but he once found his match in a plain, unpretending yeoman who adopted a new way to obtain good advice from a good lawyer. William Porter of Rowe, Mass., a wealthy farmer, had a case pending in court, and being a man who generally invented some way to get first class legal advice free, made a neighborly call one day at Esq. Butler's office. Being a wealthy gentleman from another state, he was treated by Butler with great consideration and politeness. During the conversa- tion Porter very adroitly presented a hypothetical proposition covering the points involved in his own case which he most desired to know about, asking 234 Green Leaves from Butler how he thought such a case would likely be disposed of under the fadls he presented. Not knowing or supposing that such a case really existed, Butler gave an opinion. Not long after this, Porter's case having been advanced another stage, new complications arose and he was at sea again. Again he sought advice to meet new conditions, under the same disguise as before, but the cunning lawyer discovered that Porter was more client than visitor, whereupon he presented him a bill for legal advice rendered. Porter saw that he had been out- witted, at his own expense, and his chief study for the next three months was to conceive some plan whereby he might counteraft the liability of a suit to recover for professional services. While this unpleasantness was pending Porter had been appointed a referee in a cause to be heard at Butler's office, in Whitingham. This hearing took place on a rainy day late in the fall. A fire was built in the office, and when the parties had assembled the room was so full of smoke that no business could be transafted. Several suggestions were made by the gentlemen present as to what could be done to cure a smoky chimney. Porter saw his opportunity but volunteered no ad- vice, simply hinting that he had been familiar with similar cases and was an expert in adapting chim- neys to almost any location, shaping the inside so that the smoke would readily pass off, mentioning Whitingham, Vermont. 235 several chimneys to which his remedy had been ap- plied with complete success. Some claimed that this particular chimney ought to be made larger at the top and built higher. Others said that it should be constritled just above the fire-place, and still others that it should be enlarged at this point. Porter was careful not to express an opinion until Butler, who became so impressed with Porter's supe- rior knowledge in such matters, deliberately asked him what he thought ought or could be done to make the chimney draw. Porter then made a detail- ed statement as to the proper formation of his (But- ler's) chimney, and what alterations would make it complete. The smoke gradually passed off and the referee case was heard and decided, but before the company had dispersed Porter presented a bill to Butler for advice, twice as large as the one pending against him. The astute lawyer had been done up by the rustic farmer, and here the matter ended. Nathan L. Butler was of Jamaica and a brother of John E. He was admitted to the bar in April, 1842, and after a brief practice in Whitingham re- turned with his brother to Jamaica. He won the confidence of his clients by attention to business and the faithfulness he displayed in managing his cases. His youthful appearance was not favorable to sud- den success, but his ready comprehension of legal science, his gentlemanly bearing towards court and suitors, his keen perception of equitable rights be- 236 Green Leaves from tween man and man, made him a formidable rival of older and more experienced men. John Roberts Jr. was admitted in April, 1846, but never practiced to any extent in \'ermont. He went west soon after his admission to the bar and there spent the remainder of his days. The Roberts family was remarkable in ability and legal attainments, at one time monopolizing the legal talent of Windham county. James Roberts Jr., born in 1793, though a farmer all his life, had a legal and analytical mind not inferior to either of his distin- guished brothers. William H. Follett was of Jamaica, admitted to practice in the County and Supreme courts in 1851. His practice in Whitingham was not extensive, but his knowledge of law had become quite thorough, he being a diligent and careful student. Truman H. Streeter, son of Alton, born in Rowe, Mass., Dec. 16, 18 16. He went to Whitingham in early life and remained there most of the tin\e until the fall of 1868, when he went to reside in Minnesota. He worked in a fadlory, taught school, studied law, labored on the farm, and was finally admitted to the Windham county bar in Sept., 1853, at the age of 37 years, and to pra6lice in the Supreme court of \'er- mont in 1857. He had what might have been a lu- crative business, but he was inclined to wait for the coming of to-morrow until to-day was gone and his hopes were vanishing with its twilight. Whitingham, Vermont. 237 Mr. Streeter held many town offices, among which were Superintendent of Schools, Grand Juror, Justice of the Peace 1 5 consecutive years, Constable and Cclle6lor two years, and Representative in 1858. He was an accomplished gentleman, a firm friend, not a vindi6live enemy, but a loyal citizen. He died in Brattleboro' while visiting friends, Sept. 5, 1886. Horatio N. Hicks, son of Gideon Hicks of Reads- boro, was admitte,d to pradlice in Sept., 1854, and to the Supreme court in Feb., 1857, has been in prac- tice nearly 40 years, during which time he has held many town offices, among which may be mentioned that of Representative in 186 1 , and also the important position of State's Attorney. He has been Justice of the Peace for nearly forty consecutive years. Abiathar W. Preston, born May 19, 1823, was admitted in Windham county at the Sept. term, 1855. He practiced a short time in Whitingham and then removed to North Adams, Mass. where he became a promipent member of the Berkshire bar. Mr. Preston has held numerous town offices, but he has fine talents not as fully appreciated in North Adams as they ought to have been. In his practice as a lawyer his advice is not altogether pleasing to the average sinner, but partakes of the candor and a moral code not formulated by man, and bequeathed only to a few. Those who intend to win a case on its merits will find a formidable advocate in Abiathar W. Preston, but whoever has a mean thing to work 238 Green Leaves from out under advice of counsel had better employ some other person. I know whereof I speak. Fa.vix L. Bowen, son of Lorenzo, was of Reads- boro, attended school at Whitingham academy and studied law with H. N. Hicks, was admitted to the bar in April, 1861. He returned to Readsboro and is now in practice there, and an associate Justice of the Bennington county court. John W. Croker was of Readsboro, and son of a Methodist clergyman, studied law with H. N. Hicks, and admitted to pradlice in Sept., 1866. Augustine A. Butterfield was of Wilmington, born June 25, 1844, admitted to the bar April, 1867, went to Whitingham in 1868, and practiced there up to the present time, except a year spent in Winchen- don, Mass., in company with L. W. Pierce Esq. Mr. Butterfield's practice has been honorable, and his fellow citizens have confided in his integrity to an unusual extent, by elefling him while a young man to highly responsible positions. In 1880 he was a member of the Legislature where he introduced and carried through the house several bills of importance to the state, among which was the law taxing express and telegraph companies, the same being the corner stone of the present Corporation Tax Law. He was eledled State's Attorney in 1882, and his administra- tion of the affairs connected with that office for two ' years reflects great credit upon him as a lawyer, and Whitingham, Vermont. 239 amply displays his aljility to manage public business. At the Centennial, Aug. 18, 1880, Mr. Butterfield presided with dignity and to the acceptance of every person present. HosEA W. Brigham became a member of the bar in April, 1872, and was admitted to pradlice before the Supreme court in Feb., 1876. He pradliiced at Sadawga several years and was prominent in town affairs. He was Master in chancery and Justice of the peace. He removed to Winchester, N. H. Charles S. Chase, a native of Whitingham, born May 13, 1855, admitted to pra^ice in April, 1880, is still engaged in his profession, and in connexion therewith is official stenographer and court reporter for Windham and Bennington county courts. Justice of the peace and master in chancery. Adelbert J. Temple of Wilmington, pra6liced law with Hosea W. Brigham at Sadawga, he having been admitted to the Windham county bar in March, 1881. George C. Briggs, son of Rev. Albert E. Briggs, studied with B. F. Briggs Esq., of Boston, and also with H. W. Brigham then of Whitingham. He was admitted in Sept., 188 1, and is now pradlicing his profession at Miller, South Dakota. There were several other practitioners in town at different times who were admitted to pra6lice while they were residents of other towns, some of whom were natives of Whitingham. Henry Closson, who 240 Green Leaves from was known as Judge Closson, was from Springfield, Vt. He pra<5liced in Whitingham several year^ be- tween 1825 and 1837, ^fter which he returned to Springfield and there recently died. Judge Closson was a safe counsellor and a gentleman of good legal attainments, much respedled in the community. Several Attorneys who were born in Whitingham prafliced elsewhere, some of whom have become well and widely known. Among them may be men- tioned Hon. Tarrant Sibley, Judge of Probate for Bennington county, Hon. Moses Blanchard of Atlan- ta. Ga., Hon. Fred. P. Brown of North Adams, Mass., Hon. Henry Winn of Boston, and others. While so many able men, natives of Whitingham, have distinguished themselves, at hom« and abroad, in the legitimate pra6lice of the law, the town has been noted for its ability to supply almost any demand for pettifoggers. Some of these irregular practition- ers have been quite as adroit in the management of causes as the lawyers, with far less restraint upon their impudence. They have filled a gap in the community that no decent man would covet. They have frequently been disturbers of the public peace, promoters of scandal and disorganizers of society. They inflifted upon the people a low grade of lit- erature at a cheap rate, furnishing something to laugh at for those who could see fun in Billingsgate. They were artful, insinuating and unscrupulous, pursuing their victims under the forms of law, even in the Whitingham, Vermont. 241 temple of justice. They defy all rules of propriety, and appeal to the ignorant and wicked for support. The people were not accustomed to ledlures con- certs, theaters or shows, and the only thing at hand to break up the ceaseless monotony of farm life, was the trial of some suit at law between the residents of the town, and these amusements eclipsed all the de- tails of a circus, from ring-master to clown. No other town in the county, except Brattleboro, furnished as much business for the county court as did Whitingham. If the parties to a .suit were not the most bitter enemies when a hearing commenced, the manipulators would develop them up to the most violent opposition during the trial, and the natural pride of the contestants, aided by a little spiritual vigor in the form of "Black Strap," would give them cour- age to defy any judgment that might be rendered, and thereby make business for the higher courts and expense to themselves. These cases, generally vindidlive on both sides, were brought into line by being first tried before a Jury of six men, summoned for the occasion, seledled so as to represent various interests and localities in town or the prejudices of the Justice, who was about sure to be one of the above described shark pra6lition- ers. These Juries would be summoned to report in early forenoon, but it would be late in the afternoon before they would be empanelled and the prelimina- ries arranged. During this time the audience, and 242 Green Leaves from those specially interested in the case, including one or more Jurors who had promptly obeyed the sum- mons, would assemble near the place assigned for the trial which would frequently take place in some unfurnished, dilapidated hall, used in its better days for dancing. While thus lingering for something to turn up, the men would whittle and brag about their oxen, the boys swap knives, chew spruce gum and bet with jurymen on the result of the trial. After the Jury were ushered into place the counsel for the plaintiff would set forth his side of the case in such eloquent misstatements as to convert the de- fendant into a madman, and then, with an imperious air call up a crowd of well trained witnesses, known to be rank enemies of the defendant, to sustain his lurid opening. As the trial goes on the defendant's counsel is evidently impressed with the shrewdness of objefling to nearly every question in language more penetrating than polite. An impediment in the speech of the Justice com- bined with most profound ignorance of law, make it unsafe for him to attempt the enforcement of rule or decorum, and the Court, the Jury, the lawyers and clients become suddenly and hopelessly bedlamized. When the plaintiffs counsel has exhausted his wide-spread vocabulary of sarcasm and inuendo he becomes harmless as a spent bullet, with hardly en- ergy enough left to keep on a sober face, while the defendant's counsel arises with a look of terific re- Whitingham, Vermont. 243 venge and appeals to the Court to order his adversary chained at a safe distance while he is permitted to make mince-meat of all opposition. Rules generally observed in the admission of evidence become a mere shadow in the background, unnoticed by those engaged in the conflict. The apparent condition of the Court would at once ban- ish all suspicion of contempt, and show that each wheel of the judicial machine was running on its own axis, without check or governor, in defiance of all the rest. The pleas would be made up of insult and raillery, entirely foreign to the evidence and beyond the pale of common sense, having the glit- ter of a Damascus blade with none of its artistic proportions. The night would be far spent before the wail of the contending parties would subside, and by this time the interested spectators would be couched upon the floor, well shaken up with laughter at the gladiatorial display. The boys would occupy a single row of benches around the outside of the room, quietly stowed away under the guardian wing of Morpheus. After a moment of silence the Court would begin to reach out into space after the stray remnants of the vanquished suitors, hoping to find ■ something upon which the dazed jury might base a verdict. By this time the eastern sky would begin to be lighted by the approach of returning day, and the decision is at last reached when there is just 244 Whitingham, Vermont. enough of consciousness left to claim an appeal, which vacates the judgment and sends to the County Court the undefined and unidentified remains of a contest embittered by the ravings and crooked prac- tice of the common enemy of both parties. But the days of which I speak are numbered with the past, the keen, unscrupulous pettifoggers have lost their grip on the people of to-day, and when legal advice is sought legitimate legal talent is consulted more generally than in former times.