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OME FACTS ABOUT
THE EARLY HISTORY
OF WHITINGHAM
VERMONT
Cornell University
Library
The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.
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the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/cletails/cu31924028838682
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SOME FACTS ABOUT
THE EARLY HISTORY
OF WHITINGHAM
VERMONT
SOME FACTS ABOUT
The Early
History of Whitingham
Vermont
By
Hon. a. Augustine Butterfield
BSATTLEBOBO
The Vi«MONT Printing ConfANT
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The Early
History of Whitingham
COLUMBUS discovered some islands
of America in 1492. When he first
made known to Ferdinand and Isa-
bella of Spain his discovery of land in the West,
they were disposed to claim all the territories
which might be found in that part of the world;
the King of Portugal, however, informed them
that he considered even the West Indies, as be-
longing to his crown, inasmuch as his subjects
had first visited the Azores. The question was at
last submitted to the Pope, who gravely decided
that Portugal should have all the lands and terri-
tories that might be discovered within a thou-
sand miles of Europe, and Spain all that should
be discovered beyond; but neither England nor
Holland nor even France was disposed to con-
sent to this authoritative partition of the newly
discovered regions of the West; and these powers
subsequently took possession of different parts of
6 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
North America, supporting their respective pre-
tentions by long and bloody wars. The claims
advanced by England were founded on the dis-
coveries of John Cabot and his son Sabastian,
Italian navigators residing in England, who
were sent in quest of new countries, with an ex-
pedition fitted out by the king, very soon after
the discovery of the West Indies by Columbus.
John discovered Newfoundland in 1494 and in
1497 Sabastian coasted from the northeastern
part of the Continent nearly to the Gulf of Mex-
ico. The French laid claim to Nova Scotia, on
the ground of its having been visited and taken
possession of in the name of their king, thirty
years afterward, by an Italian navigator in his
service named Verranzano. The first settlement
attempted by them was in 1540 which was un-
successful. The Dutch claim to the country
about the mouth and along the course of the
Hudson River was founded on the discoveries
made by Hendrick or Henry Hudson who
while in the service of the King of England, ex-
plored these regions in 1609. During this year
and previous to the discoveries of Hudson, Sam-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 7
uel de Champlain went down the west side of
the lake which bears his name and was the first
white man to see the mountains of Vermont. In
1620 the "Plymouth Council" was incorporated
by King James I of England, and in that year
the first Pilgrims came over and landed at
Plymouth, Mass. Plymouth remained a sepa-
rate colony until 1692, when it was united with
"Massachusetts Bay." In 1628 the Plymouth
Council granted the land between the Merri-
mack and Charles Rivers and three miles north
of the Merrimack and south of the Charles, and
extending westerly to the "South Sea." Just
where it was supposed that the South Sea was I
cannot tell, but some writers call it the Pacific
Ocean, and as the waters from these two rivers
flowed into the Atlantic, of course on this theory
they must flow from the Pacific Ocean. Mr.
Endicott came over with three hundred persons
to prepare for a still larger number and estab-
lished themselves in Salem and Charlestown. At
one time New Hampshire and Massachusetts
were united under one governor, but in 1741 the
line of separation, not having been previously
8 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
ascertained, by order of the king in council it
was to be run, beginning at a point three miles
north of the mouth of the Merrimack and run-
ning westerly in a similar curved line to the
river and three miles northerly thereof until a
point was reached three miles north of the great
falls, thence due west until his Majestie's other
provinces were reached. Much discussion has
been had as to the "Great Falls" intended. Had
the northern falls been taken, Brattleboro, Ben-
nington and Whitingham would have belonged
to Massachusetts. This survey was run by Rich-
ard Hazen, and had he followed his orders — due
west from the point he took north of Pawtucket
Falls, Colerain and North Adams would have
belonged to Vermont now — but Hazen, when at
a point three miles north of Pawtucket Falls run
a line west 10° north. Vermont at this time was
an unknown wilderness, inhabited by savage
beasts and still more savage Indians, except a
fort or two had previously been builded, and a
small settlement around each in the southeast
part of the state, then supposed to be in Massa-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 9
chusetts, and along some streams, lakes and
ponds where wild grass grew.
In 1741 Benning Wentworth was appointed
governor of the Province of New Hampshire.
It must not be forgotten that England and
France were ancient enemies and had frequent
wars: these wars usually disturbed the peace of
the American Colonies, as the French were then
established in Canada. A war, known as King
George's war began in 1744 and ended in 1748.
In January, 1749, Governor Wentworth
chartered a town six miles square in the territory
now Vermont, in which he never had any right
or authority whatever, and named it in honor of
himself, Bennington: and the fees and emolu-
ments were such that his cupidity was stirred.
In 1750 he chartered Halifax, in 1751 Wilming-
ton and his avarice was such that when he was
stopped by the decision of the king in 1764 he
had chartered somewhere 130 towns and this,
too, in face of the claim of the governor of the
Province of New York and his protest thereto.
War was again declared by England against
France in 1756, though in fact the English and
10 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
French people in America had really begun the
war in 1754. This war lasted until 1763, and is
known as the French and Indian War, though
sometimes one or two of the preceding wars
were known by the same title and name. The
formal treaty of peace was signed at Paris, Feb-
ruary 10, 1763. During this and former wars
incursions were made through this territory into
Canada and the soil and timber became known
to the people of Massachusetts, New Hampshire
and Connecticut. As the army was disbanded
there was no further need of many of the officers :
these were reduced, and in October, 1763, the
king in council ordered that ungranted lands
be granted to these reduced officers. At some
time, probably under the direction of New
Hampshire the township of Cumberland had
been surveyed, but we are unable to learn that
any charter had ever been granted by that name
or lands granted in that territory by that prov-
ince. Many of these reduced officers petitioned
to have their land set out there. A captain seems
to have had three thousand acres, a first lieuten-
ant two thousand and a second lieutenant one
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 1 1
thousand. Some of these officers expressed anxi-
ety to have their lands set out in Cumberland or
elsewhere. We are told a large number asked
for land in Cumberland. Nathan Whiting made
his request as follows:
"To THE Honorable Cadwallader Colden,
Esq., his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and
Commander in Chief of the Province of New
York and the Territories depending thereon in
America.
The Petition of Nathan Whiting late a cap-
tain in one of his Majesty's Independent Com-
panies of Foot
Sheweth That your petitioner served in Amer-
ica during the late war, and being entitled to
the Bounty which his Majesty has been gra-
ciously pleased by his Royal Proclamation of
the 7th October, 1763, to extend to such reduced
officers as have so served in America.
Your Petitioner therefore prays his Majesty's
grant to him and his Heirs of the quantity of
three thousand acres of a certain Tract of Vacant
land vested in the Crown lying on the west side
of Connecticut River adjoining to the present
Line between this Province and the Province
of Massachusetts Bay and formerly laid out into
12 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
a Township by the Province of New Hampshire
by the Name of Cumberland Township, but
which has been since vacated and the Land re-
assumed, under the Restrictions prescribed by
the said Royal Proclamation. And your Peti-
tioner shall ever pray &c."
N. Whiting."
New York, Ilth June, 176^.
Certificate of General Gage.
"These are to certify to all to whom it May
Concern, that Captain Nathan JVhiting, hath
served in America during the war, Gf is now a
reduced officer.
Given under My Hand at Head Quarters in
New York this 1 8th Day of April, 1 764.
Thos. Gage."
Indorsed
"11 June
Petition of Capt. Nathan JVhiting for
JOOO Acres of Land in pursuance of the
King's Proclamation, 176^, July 8."
Read in Council and Granted."
Nathan Whiting also made another petition
of the same date as the other as follows: —
"To THE HONOBLE CADWALLADER COLDEN,
EsQR., his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 13
Commander in Chief of the Province of New
York and the territories depending thereon in
America.
The Petition of Nathan Whiting in behalf
of himself and nine other persons humbly
Sheweth That there is a Tract of Vacant un-
patented Land Vested in the Crown lying on the
west side of Connecticut River adjoining to the
present Line between this Province and the
Province of Massachusetts Bay and formerly
laid out into a Township by the Province of
New Hampshire by the name of Cumberland
Township but which has since vacated and the
Lands reassumed. That your Petitioners intend
if they can obtain a Grant of Ten thousand acres
of the said Tract of Land to make a speedy and
eflfectual settlement thereon
Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray
that Your Honours will be favorably pleased by
his Majesty's Letters Patent to grant to each of
them respectively and to their respective Heirs
and Assigns the Quantity of one thousand Acres
of the Tract of land above described under the
Quit Rent Provisions Limitations and Restric-
tions prescribed by his Majesty's Instructions.
And Your Petitioners will ever pray &c.
14 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
New York, nth June, IjdS-
N. Whiting in behalf of himself and the rest
of his associates.
(Indorsed)
"nth June, lydS-
Petition of Nathan Whiting and nine
others for I0,000 Acres of Land in the
County of Albany No. Q Cumberland."
It turned out that there was not 10,000 acres
at that time ungranted, or voted to be granted,
although the Council voted to grant this 10,000
acres. The 3,000 acres and a patent afterward
issued to Nathan Whiting on his personal peti-
tion, in the southeast corner of the town 178
chains north and south and 178 chains east and
west, 2,000 acres were granted to James Edding-
ton west of Whiting's patent — 178 chains north
and south and 1 18 1/2 chains east and west, 2,000
acres to Thomas Gamble west of Eddington of
the same size and shape, 1,000 acres in the north-
east corner of the town to Thomas Etherington
59 chains north and south and 178 chains east
and west, 2,000 acres south of the last above to
John Nordburg 118 chains north and south and
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT IS
178 chains east and west, 3,000 acres to John
Walker west of the two last named patents, 177
chains north and south and 178 chains east and
west, 2,000 acres to Dennis Carleton west of
Capt. Walker's patent 169 1/2 chains north and
south and 124 chains east and west. Some very
reputable people have protested that these grants
were not valid, notwithstanding this territory
had been decreed to belong to New York in 1764,
because of the king's prohibition of 1767; but
all these lands had been petitioned for, the peti-
tions presented to the Council, referred to a
committee which had reported favorably and the
Council had voted the patents, for all the land
in this town before the king's prohibition
reached here.
WHITINGHAM.
On the 27th day of January, 1767, a petition
was presented to the Lieutenant Governor of
New York by Nathan Whiting, Samuel Fitch,
Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley, David Baldwin,
Andrew Myers, Samuel Whiting, Robert Alton,
Amos Hitchcock and Nathan Haines Whiting
16 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
for a grant of a township which was referred to
a committee, who reported favorably and the
petition was granted. The patent was ordered
to issue but for some reason the matter was de-
layed for nearly three years. On the 26th day
of January, 1770, Col. Nathan Whiting renewed
the petition in behalf of himself and his asso-
ciates, setting forth that the lands prayed for
were vacant and had never been granted. The
following is the second petition of Col. Whiting
and the one on which the grant was made and the
patent issued. — Jillson's Green Leaves.
PETITION.
To THE Honorable Cadwall.^er Colden,
Esquire, his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor
and Commander in Chief of the Province of
New York and the territories depending thereon
in America,
In Council.
The Petition of Colonel Nathan Whiting in
behalf of himself and his Associates Humbly
Shcweth That your petitioner and his Asso-
ciates on their former petition obtained an order
of his Excellency Sir Henry Moore with the ad-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 17
vice and consent of the Council bearing date the
twenty-seventh day of January one thousand
seven hundred and sixty-seven for granting to
them and their heirs the Quantity of Ten thou-
sand acres of a certain Tract of Land lying on
the West side of Connecticut River known by the
name of the Township of Cumberland. That
they have since procured an actual survey of said
Land and find the vacant Land to contain only
the Quantity of Seven thousand acres. That the
same though part of the Lands formerly claimed
by the Government of New Hampshire have
not been granted by that government but still
remain Vacant and vested in the Crown. Your
petitioner therefore humbly prays that the Let-
ters Patent ordered on said former Petition May
issue for the Quantity of Land found to be va-
cant, and in the Names of Nathan Whiting,
Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley,
Andrew Myers, Robert Aiton and Samuel Bo-
yer, who are all the persons at present interested
in the Premises. And your petitioner in behalf
of himself and his Associates Doth further pray
that the said Seven thousand acres together with
the following Tracts granted to or Surveyed for
reduced Officers, to wit: three thousand acres
granted to the Petitioner Nathan Whiting, two
18 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
thousand acres Granted to Lieutenant James
Eddington, two thousand acres Granted to Lieu-
tenant John Nordburg, one thousand acres
Granted to Lieutenant Thomas Etherington,
three thousand acres surveyed for Captain John
Walker, two thousand acres surveyed for Lieu-
tenant Thomas Gamble and two thousand acres
surveyed for Lieutenant Dennis Carleton may be
erected into a Township by the name of Whit-
ingham with the usual privileges. And your
petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c.
New York, 26th January, 1770.
NatH.AN Whiting in behalf of himself and
his associates.
A long certificate, of several pages, was made
to this petition and signed Cadwallader Golden,
Andrew Elliot and Alex Golden. Cadwallader
Golden was Lieutenant Governor, Andrew El-
liot Receiver General and Alexander Golden
Surveyor General.
The Charter of Whitingham.
George the Third, by the Grace of God, of
Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, De-
fender of the Faith, and so forth.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 19
To all to Whom these Presents shall Come,
Greeting:
Whereas our Loving subjects Nathan Whit-
ing, Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smed-
ley, David Baldwin, Andrew Myers, Samuel
Whiting, Robert Aiton, Amos Hitchcock and
Nathan Haines Whiting by their humble Peti-
tion presented unto our late trusty and well be-
loved Sir Henry Moore, Baronet, then our Cap-
tain General and Governor in Chief of our Prov-
ince of New York and read in our Council for
said Province on the twenty-seventh day of Jan-
uary which was in the year of our Lord one thou-
sand seven hundred and sixty-seven, did set forth
among other Things that there was a certain
Tract of vacant unpatented Land vested in us
lying on the West side of Connecticut River, ad-
joining to the present Line between our said
Province and the Province of Massachusetts
Bay, and commonly called or known by the name
of Cumberland, and that the Petitioners did in-
tend 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 our said late Captain Gen-
eral and Governor in Chief to grant to each of
the petitioners and their respective heirs; the
20 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Quantity of one thousand acres of the said Tract
of Land which Petition having been then re-
ferred to a Committee of our Council for our
said Province. Our said Council did afterwards
on the same day in pursuance of the Report of
the said Committee humblv advise and consent
that our said late Captain General and Governor
in Chief should by our Letters Patent unto the
said Petitioners and their heirs the Quantity of
ten thousand acres of Land described in their
said Petition under the Quit Rent Provisoes
Limitations and Restrictions prescribed by our
Royal Instructions:
And whereas the said Nathan Whiting in be-
half of himself and his associates hath by his
humble Petition presented to our trusty and well
beloved Cadwallader Colden Esquire our Lieu-
tenant Governor and Commander in Chief of
our said Province and read in our said Council
for our said Province on the thirty-first dav of
January now last past, set forth, that the Peti-
tioner and his associates had procured an actual
survey of the Lands aforesaid and find the vacant
Land to contain only the Quantity of seven thou-
sand acres:
That the same tho' part of the Lands formerly
claimed by the Government of New Hampshire
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 21
have not been granted by that Government but
still remain vacant and vested in us: And there-
fore the Petitioner did humbly pray that the
Letters Patent ordered on the said former Peti-
tion might issue for the Quantity of Land so
found to be vacant, and in the Names of Nathan
Whiting, Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James
Smedley, Andrew Myers, Robert Aiton, and
Samuel Boyer, who are all the Persons at present
interested in the said Lands, and further that the
said seven thousand acres of Land together with
the following Tracts (part of the aforesaid Tract
called Cumberland) granted to or surveyed for
reduced officers to wit: three thousand acres
granted to the Petitioner Nathan Whiting, two
thousand acres granted to Lieutenant James
Eddington; two thousand acres granted to John
Nordbergh ; one thousand acres granted to Lieu-
tenant Thomas Etherington; three thousand
acres surveyed for and since granted to Captain
John Walker; tvvo thousand acres surveyed for
and since granted to Lieutenant Thomas Gamble
and two thousand acres surveyed for and since
granted to Lieutenant Dennis Carleton, might
be erected into a Township by the name of Whit-
ingham with the usual privileges; on reading
and due consideration whereof it was ordered
22 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
by our said Lieutenant Governor and Com-
mander in Chief with the advice and consent of
our said Council that the Letters Patent ordered
on the said former Petition should issue in the
names of the said Nathan Whiting, Samuel
Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew
Myers, Robert Aiton and Samuel Boyer for the
Quantity of the said Lands so found to be vacant,
and that the same together with the several other
Tracts above mentioned be erected into a Town-
ship by the name of Whitingham with the usual
privileges granted to other Townships within
our said Province: In Pursuance whereof and in
obedience to our said Royal Instructions, our
Commissioners appointed for the setting out all
Lands to be granted within our said Province
have set out for them the said Nathan Whiting,
Samuel Fitch, Eleazer Fitch, James Smedley,
Andrew Myers, Robert Aiton and Samuel Bo-
yer, all that certain Tract or Parcel of Land
within our Province of New York, situate and
being on the West side of Connecticut River in
the County of Cumberland, being part of a
larger Tract heretofore called and known by the
name of Cumberland. Beginning at the north-
east corner of a Tract of three thousand acres of
Land granted to the said Nathan Whiting as a
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 23
reduced officer; and runs thence along the North
Bounds of the last mentioned Tract, and the
North Bounds of a Tract of Land granted to
Lieutenant James Eddington and the North
Bounds of a Tract of Land granted to Lieutenant
Thomas Gamble North eighty degrees West
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
Massachusetts Bay Government; then along the
said Line North eighty degrees West sixty-five
chains; then North ten degrees East three hun-
dren and ten chains and two rods to a Tract of
two thousand acres of Land granted to Lieuten-
ant Dennis Carleton; then along the South
Bounds of the last mentioned Tract South eighty
East one hundred and twenty-four chains to a
Tract of three thousand acres of Land granted
to Captain John Walker; then along the West
Bounds of the last mentioned Tract South ten
degrees West seven chains and two rods. Then
along the South Bounds of the said last men-
tioned Tract, and the South Bounds of a Tract
of two thousand acres of Land granted to Lieu-
tenant John Nordbergh, three hundred and fifty-
six chains, then South ten degrees West one hun-
dred and rwenty-five chains to the Place where
24 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
this Tract first began, containing six thousand
nine hundred acres of land and the usual allow-
ances for highways: and in setting out the said
Tract of six thousand nine hundred acres of
Land our said Commissioners have had regard
to profitable and unprofitable acres; and have
taken care that Length thereof doth not extend
along the Banks of any River otherwise than is
conformable to our said Royal Instructions as by
a certificate thereof under their hands, bearing
date the first day of this Instant Month of
March, and entered on Record in our Secre-
tary's office for our said Province among other
Things may more fully appear, which said Tract
of Land set out as aforesaid according to our
said Royal Instructions. We being willing to
grant to the said Petitioners their heirs and as-
signs forever. Know ye that of our especial
Grace, certain knowledge and Meer Motion, we
have given, granted, ratified and confirmed and
Do by these Presents for us our heirs and suc-
cessors give, grant, ratify and confirm unto them
the said Nathan \\'hiting, Samuel Fitch, Eleazer
Fitch, James Smedley, Andrew Mvers, Robert
Aiton, and Samuel Boyer, their heirs and assigns
forever, all that the Tract or Parcel of Land
aforesaid, set out, abutted, bounded and de-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 25
scribed in Manner and Form as above men-
tioned, together with all and singular the Tene-
ments, Hereditaments, Emoluments and Appur-
tenances thereunto belonging or appertaining.
And also all our Estate, Right, Title, Interest,
Possession, Claim and Demand whatsoever of in
and to the same Lands and Premises and every
Part and Parcel thereof: and the Reversion and
Reversions, Remainder and Remainders, Rents,
Issues and Profits thereof and of every Part and
Parcel thereof. Except and always reserved out
of this our present Grant unto us, our heirs and
successors forever, all Mines of Gold and Silver,
and also all White or other sorts of Pine Trees
fit for Masts of the growth of twenty-four inches
Diameter and upward at twelve inches from the
Earth, for Masts for the Royal Navy of us, our
heirs and successors. To have and to hold one
full and equal seventh Part (the whole into
seven equal Parts to be divided) of the said
Tract or Parcel of Land, Tenements, Heredita-
ments and Premises by these Presents granted,
ratified and confirmed and every Part and Parcel
thereof with their and every of their appurte-
nances (except as is herein before excepted)
unto each of them, our Grantees above Men-
tioned, their heirs and assigns respectively to
26 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
their only proper and separate use and Behoof
respectively forever as Tenants in Common and
not as joint Tenants. To be holden of us, our
heirs and successors in fee and common socage
as of our Manor of East Greenwich in our
County of Kent within our Kingdom of Great
Britain. Yielding, rendering and paying there-
for yearly and every year forever unto us, our
heirs and successors at our Custom House in our
City of New York unto our or their Collector or
Receiver General there for the Time being on
the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed
Virgin Mary commonly called Lady Day the
yearly rent of two shillings and six pense Ster-
ling for each and every hundred acres of the
above granted Lands and so in Proportion for
any lesser Quantity thereof saving and except
for such Part of the said Lands allowed for
Highways as above mentioned in Lieu and stead
of all other Rents, Services, Dues, Duties and
Demands whatsoever for the hereby granted
Lands and Premises or any Part thereof. And
we being Willing according to the Prayer of the
said Petitioners to create and make the said
Tract of Land hereby granted a Township with
such other of the adjacent Lands as are included
and comprehended within the Bounds and
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 27
Limits following, 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 Corner 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 Massa-
chusetts Bay, and then along the said Line South
ten degrees East six Miles to the said Place of
beginning, and to grant to the Inhabitants of the
same such Powers and Privileges as the Inhabi-
tants of other Townships in our said Province
of New York have and do enjoy: Know Ye
therefore that of our especial Grace, certain
knowledge and Meer Motion, We do by these
Presents create, erect and constitute the said
Tract of Land, hereby granted, and all other the
Lands included within the Bounds and Limits
last Mentioned and every Part and Parcel there-
of one Township forever, hereafter to be con-
tinue and remain, and by the Name of WHIT-
INGHAM forever, hereafter to be called and
known, and for the better and more easily carry-
28 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
ing on and managing the public affairs and Busi-
ness of the same Township our Royal Will and
Pleasure, and we do hereby for us and our heirs
and successors give and grant to the Inhabitants
of the said Township all the Powers, Authorities,
Privileges and Advantages heretofore given and
granted to or legally enjoyed by all, any or either
our other Townships within our said Province.
And we also ordain and establish that there shall
be forever hereafter in the said Township two
Assessors, one Treasurer, two Overseers of the
Highways, two Overseers of the Poor, one Col-
lector and four Constables, elected and chosen
out of the Inhabitants of the said Township
yearly and every year on the first Tuesday in
May at the most publick Place in the said Town-
ship by the majority of the Freeholders thereof
then and there met and assembled for that Pur-
pose; hereby declaring that wheresoever the first
election in the said Township shall be held, the
future elections shall forever thereafter be held
in the same Place as near as may be and giving
and granting to the said officers, so chosen. Power
and Authority to exercise their said several and
respective offices, during one whole year from
such election, and until others are legally chosen
and elected in their Room and stead as fully and
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 29
amply as any the like officers have or legally may
use or exercise their offices in our said Province:
And in case any or either of the said officers of
the said Township shall die or remove from the
said Township before the time of their annual
service shall be expired, or refuse to act in the
Offices for which they shall respectively be
chosen, then our Royal Will and Pleasure fur-
ther is, and we do hereby direct, ordain and
require the Freeholders of the said Township to
meet at the Place where the annual Election
shall be held for the said Township, and choose
other or others of the said Inhabitants of the said
Township in the place and stead of him or them
so dying, removing or refusing to act, within
forty days next after such contingency and to
prevent any undue election in this case, We do
hereby ordain and require that upon every
Vacancy in the Office of Assessors, the Treas-
urer, and in either of the other offices, the Assess-
ors of the said Township, shall within ten days
next after any such vacancy first happens, ap-
point the day for such Election, and give publick
Notice thereof in writing under his or their
hands by affixing such notice on the Church
Door or other most publick Place in the said
Township at the least ten days before the day
30 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
appointed for such Election, and in default
thereof, We do hereby require the Officer or
Officers of the said Township or the survivor of
them, who in the order they are hereinbefore
mentioned shall next succeed him or them so
making Default, to appoint the day for such
Election, and give notice thereof as aforesaid,
hereby giving and granting to such Person or
Persons as shall be so chosen by the majority of
such of the Freeholders of the said Township
as shall meet in manner hereby directed shall
have, hold, exercise and enjoy the office or offices
to which he or they shall be so elected and chosen
from the time of such election until the first
Tuesday in May then next following, and until
other or others be legally chosen in his or their
place and stead, as fully as the Person or Per-
sons in whose Place he or they shall be chosen
might or could have done by virtue of these
Presents. And we do hereby will and direct that
this Method shall forever hereafter be used for
the filling up all vacancies that shall happen in
any of the said Offices between the annual Elec-
tions above directed. Provided always and upon
Condition nevertheless that if our said Grantees,
their heirs or assigns, or some or one of them
shall not within three years next after the date
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 31
of this our present Grant settle on the said Tract
of Land hereby granted, so many Families as
shall amount to one Family for every thousand
acres of the same Tract, or if they, our said
Grantees or one of them, their or one of their
heirs or assigns shall not also within three years
to be computed as aforesaid plant and effectually
at the least three acres for every fifty acres of
such of the hereby granted Lands as are capable
of Cultivation; or if they, our said Grantees or
any of them, they or any of their heirs or assigns
or any other Person or Persons by their or any
of their Privity, Consent or Procurement shall
fell, cut down or otherwise destroy any of the
Pine Trees by these Presents reserved to us, our
heirs and Successors, or hereby intended so to be,
without the Royal License of us, our heirs or
Successors for so doing first had and obtained;
that then and in any of these Cases this our pres-
ent Grant and everything therein Contained
shall cease and be absolutely void, and the Lands
and Premises hereby granted shall revert to and
vest in us, our heirs and Successors, as if this, our
present Grant had not been made, anything
hereinbefore contained to the contrary in any
wise notwithstanding:
Provided further and upon Condition also
.•>2 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
nevertheless, and We do hereby for us, our heirs
and Successors direct and appoint, that this our
present Grant shall be registered and entered on
Record within six months from the date thereof
in our Secretary's Office in our City of New
York in our said Province in one of the Books
of Patents there remaining and a Docquet there-
of shall be also entered in our Auditor's Office
there for our said Province and that in default
thereof this our present Grant shall be void and
of non Effect, any thing before in these Presents
contained to the contrary thereof in any wise
notwithstanding, and We do moreover of our
especial Grace, certain Knowledge and Meer
Motion Consent and agree that this our present
Grant being registered, recorded and a Docquet
thereof made as before directed and appointed
shall be good and effectual in the Law to all
Intents, Constructions and Purposes whatsoever
against us, our heirs and Successors notwith-
standing any misreciting, misbounding, misnam-
ing or other Imperfections or Omissions of in
or in any wise concerning the above granted or
hereby mentioned or intended to be granted
Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments and Premises
or any part thereof.
In Testimony If hereof We have caused these
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 33
our Letters to be made Patent and the Great Seal
of our said Province of New York to be here-
unto affixed.
Witness our said trusty and well beloved Cad-
wallader Golden, Esquire, our said Lieutenant
Governor and Commander in Chief of our said
Province of New York and the Territories de-
pending thereon in America at our Fort in our
City of New York the twelfth day of March in
the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hun-
dred and seventy and of our Reign the Tenth.
Second Skin, the word any in the twenty-
fourth being first interlined. — Clarke.
In the preceeding Certificate and Letters re-
corded for Nathan Whiting and others, page §2
Line 75 the word "thereof" is interlined. Ex-
amined and compared this I^ March, ITJO, By
me.
Geo. BanYER, D. Sec'ry.
Recorded in Book IS, page 51 &c.
34
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Plan of Whitingham at Time of Charter
March 12, 1770.
Draper
124 ohaioa
178 chaina
178 chains
Lieut. Culeton
2,000 tcrea
169-2
Capt. Walknr
3,000 acrba
Lieut. Etherinfton
1,000 acn*
u
Lieut. Nordberih
2.000 acres
g
3
1
Fitch'l 6,900 acrea
N
9
ha
Lieut. Gamble
2,000 acres
Lieut. Eddington
2,000 acres
Capt. Whitinc
3,000 acres
a
J3
00
SScboiiu
118i chains
llSi chains
178 chains
480 chains
ProTince of Massachusetts Bay
Tree
Comer of Cumberlaod
Thus was Whitingham chartered and sur-
veyed, more carefully than any surveying has
since been done until recently. In surveying
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 35
these lands more than fifty acres in each thou-
sand were allowed for "highways" or "bad and
unprofitable acres," so that the entire 23,040
acres were covered or six miles square. These
grantees were officers in the French and Indian
wars. Thomas Etherington received a part of
the thirty thousand dollars paid by Vermont to
New York as a compromise for grants made in
Vermont, but whether it was for the grant in
this town or not I do not know, nor have I
learned what, if anything, Lieut. James Edding-
ton, Lieut. John Nordbergh or Lieut. Dennis
Carleton did in relation to their grants, but the
"land grabbers" not of New York, seized a large
part of them.
Samuel Darby built a house and had posses-
sions on T. Etherington's patent as early as 1776
and November 5 of that year gave Silas Hamil-
ton authority to sell the same. — Green Leaves,
page I02.
With or without right, Silas Hamilton was
living in that part of the town soon after the
charter was granted, and probably built a house
there that year. He built the first hotel in town
on the place known as the Addison Eames place.
About the year 1780 he and seven associates
petitioned for a grant of three thousand acres.
36 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
to the authorities of Vermont, and their petition
was granted as follows:
(L.S.)
State of
Vermont
The Governor; Council and
General Assembly of the Free-
men OF Vermont.
To all people to whom these presents shall Come,
Greeting :
Know Ye that whereas it has been represented
to us by our worthy friend Silas Hamilton and
associates, that there is a certain tract of Vacant
land within this State, which has not been here-
tofore granted, which they pray may be granted
to them, we have therefore thought fit for the
due encouragement of settling a new plantation
within this State and other valuable considera-
tions us hereunto moving and do bv these Pres-
ents in the name and by the authority of the free-
men of Vermont give and grant unto the said
Silas Hamilton and the several persons here-
after named his associates, viz. : Thomas Sterns,
John Butler, James Roberts, Abner Moor,
James Angel, Charles Dodge, and Eliphalct
Hyde, bounded as follows, viz. : Beginning at
the southeast corner of Wilmington and the
northeast corner of Whitingham beach tree
marked P. P. M. thence bounded on Wilming-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 37
ton north eighty degrees west 176 chains and 25
links to a small maple tree marked P. P. M.
thence south 10 degrees west 171 chains and 25
links to a large beach tree marked M. E. 1 1 1
thence south eighty degrees east 176 chains and
25 links to a large hemlock tree on Halifax line,
thence bounded on Halifax line north 10 degrees
east 171 chains and 25 links to the first mentioned
bounds, containing three thousand acres.
And the said tract of land is hereby declared
to be joined to the Township of Whitingham or
entitled to receive equal privileges and immuni-
ties in connection with said town as other cor-
porated Towns within this state do by law exer-
cise and enjoy. To have and to hold the said
granted premises with every appurtenance and
privilege to them and their respective heirs and
assigns as above described to their free and full
enjoyment forever.
In Testimony whereof we have caused the
seal of this State to be affixed this 15th day of
March, A.D., 1780, and in the third year of the
independence of this State.
Thomas Chittenden.
Jonas Fay, Sec'y.
This was evidently intended to cover the same
territory as the grant to Lieutenant Nor Ibergh
38 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
and Etherington, though the distance given is a
little less.
The State asked for this grant six thousand
shillings, but June 8, 1780, reduced the price to
three thousand, money made good as in 1774.
This is now known as Hamilton's Grant. Feb-
ruary 23, 1781, the General Assembly of Ver-
mont passed a resolve that a grant of land be
made to Robert Bratton and seven associates in
the northeast corner of Whitingham of five
thousand acres. — Jillson's address.
If this is not a mistake in copying it certainly
is in statement for the grant was made for two
thousand acres, November 22, 1782, and in the
northwest comer, and covered the lands form-
erly granted to Lieut. Carleton, and to Bratton
and six associates. The petition called for 5,000
acres, but before the grant was made, October
22, 1782, a grant covering the grant to Capt.
John Walker, was made as follows:
"Tuesday, October 22, 1782.
Resolved that there be and is hereby granted
and conferred to Messrs Samuel Wells, Jona-
than Hunt and Arad Hunt three thousand acres
of land lying in Whitingham with the usual
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 39
allowances for highways in such proportion as
they heretofore claimed the same under a grant
from the late government of New York, for
such fees the Governor and Council shall judge
reasonable, upon this condition that the said
Grantees convey to each settler now actually
dwelling on said land, one hundred acres to be
laid out in such form as the committee herein-
after named shall direct, and to include the im-
provements 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
satisfaction 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
settlers 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 respec-
tively, said land hereby granted bounded as fol-
lows, viz. : Beginning at the northwest corner
of a tract of land granted by the late government
of New York to Lieut. Thomas Etherington, and
runs thence north 80 degrees west 178 chains,
thence south 10 degrees west 177 chains, thence
south 80 degrees east 178 chains, thence north
40 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
10 degrees east 177 chains to the place of begin-
ning, and further Resolved that Col. Zadock
Granger and Capt. Whittemore of Marlborough
and Luke Knowlton, Esq., of New Fane or such
other person or persons as the parties shall
mutually agree on shall be a committee for the
purpose aforesaid."
John Walker seems by some kind of arrange-
ment to have transferred his three thousand
acres to Col. Samuel Wells of Brattleboro and
he in turn to Jonathan and Arad Hunt of Ver-
non, then called Hinsdale. It would be interest-
ing to know whom these settlers were.
March 6, 1774, when Col. Wells owned this
grant he mortgaged it to William Wincher of
New York, and September 8, 1774, he deeded
lot No. 1 of this grant to Hezekiah Leffenwell,
who in two days mortgaged it back to Wells.
See Cumberland Deeds.
Why, if Samuel Wells owned the Walker
grant should he ask a grant from Vermont, then
in a new and uncertain state, and with uncertain
authority; and why did he ask a grant of land
he had already sold, unless he had taken back
the Leffenwell lot? But he had not, for Leffen-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 41
well sold it, and the title is regular down to this
date.
What, if anything, was done under the com-
mission I am not informed.
There was a supplementary grant to the Hunts
as follows:
I The Governor, Council and
(L. S.) [ General Assembly of the State
I OF Vermont.
To all persons to whom these presents shall
Come, Greeting:
Knov/ 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 of their laudable designs and in
consequence of their faithful performance of the
conditions of the grant of land aforesaid, and do
by these presents and in the name and by the
authority of the freemen of the State of Ver-
mont, 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, to wit:
42 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Three lots in the Township of Whitingham,
being a part of three thousand acres granted
to Capt. 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 Wells and is contained in a grant
made by the Legislature of this State to Messrs
Samuel Wells and the aforesaid 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 and appurtenances belonging thereto
to the above said Jonathan Hunt and Arad Hunt
and each of their respective heirs and assigns
forever, they doing and performing the settle-
ment and duty required by Law on other Grants
made by this State.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand, and caused the Seal of this State to be
affixed this 25th day of October, 1787.
Thom.\s Chittenden.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 43
In 1796 a tract of land was granted to Green,
Moulton and others, as Whitingham Gore, as
follows :
I MEN OF THE STATE OF VERMONT.
(L. S.) [ General Assembly of the Free-
J The Governor, Council and
To all People to Whom these presents shall
Come, Greeting:
Know Ye that whereas, that whereas our
worthy friend, Mr. Amos Green and Company
to the numbers of sixteen have by petition re-
quested a grant of unlocated land within this
State for the purpose of settlement, we have
therefore thought fit for the due encouragement
of their laudable designs and for other valuable
causes and considerations as hereunto moving,
do by these presents in the name and by the
authority of the freemen of the State of Vermont
give grant unto the said Amos Green & Com-
pany the tract of land hereafter bounded & de-
scribed to be divided into equal shares as fol-
lows, viz: Samuel Moulton, Thomas Day, Sam-
uel Day, James Howard, Seth Howard, Benja-
min Nelson, Benjamin Blodgett, Benjamin
Blodgett, Jr., Samuel Nelson, Solomon Moul-
44 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
ton, Asaph White, William Nelson, Thomas
Blodgett, Abishai Blodgett and Daniel Wallace
reserving three hundred acres out of said tract
of land for the following public use, viz: One
hundred acres for the use and benefit of a college
within this State, one hundred acres for the use
and support of a school or schools within said
tract & one hundred acres for the use and sup-
port of the first settled minister of the gospel
within said tract of land to be disposed of for
the sole and exclusive purposes aforesaid in such
way and manner as the Proprietors or inhabi-
tants of said tract shall judge proper the same to
remain unalienable & the rents, profits and
moneys arising therefrom shall be appropriated
to the several uses aforesaid, and the said three
hundred acres shall be divided into three equal
parts & be so laid out within said tract as to be
equal in quality and in such situation as will best
answer the purposes for which they are reserved
— which tract of land hereby given and granted
as aforesaid is bounded and described as follows,
viz:
Beginning at the southwest corner of Whit-
ingham at a maple tree standing in the North
line of the State of Massachusetts being 24
perches west of the West bank of Deerfield
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 45
River & running South 81 degrees & 30 minutes
290 chains to a spruce tree marked O, then North
8 degrees 30 minutes East 174 chains and SO
links to a maple tree marked, standing in the
South line of Col. Fitches Grant, then North
81 degrees and 30 minutes 290 chains to a stake
& stones, then South 8 degrees and 30 minutes
West 174 chains & 50 links to the bounds begun
at, containing five thousand & sixty acres &
eighty perches. Bounding South on the State of
Massachusetts Bay, East on Col. Whiting's pat-
ent. North on Col. Fitches patent and West on
Readsborough and that the same hereby is incor-
porated into a district by the name of WHITING-
HAM Gore and that the inhabitants that do or
shall hereafter inhabit said district are declared
to be enfranchised and entitled to all the privi-
leges and immunities of citizens and exercise all
legal power & authority in support of their inter-
nal rights as fully and amply and (?) other in-
corporated districts within the State do by law
exercise and enjoy.
To Have and to Hold the said granted
premises as expressed in the aforesaid grant with
all the privileges & appurtenances thereunto be-
longing & appurtaining to them & their respec-
tive heirs & assigns forever upon the following
46 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
conditions, viz.: that each proprietor of the said
district 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 respective right with-
in the term of four years from the time of sur-
veying 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 aforesaid
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 culti-
vate the same that all pine timber suitable for a
Navy be reserved for the use and benefits of the
freemen of this State:
In Testimony Whereof we have caused the
seal of this State to be affixed at Rutland this 20th
day of October, Anno Domini, 1796 & the 20th
year of our independence.
Witness our well beloved Thomas Chitten-
den, Esquire, Governor of our said State, Cap-
tain General & Commander in Chief of all the
Militia of the same.
Thomas Chittenden.
By his Excellency's Command
Truman Squire, Secretary.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 47
This piece of land was evidently intended to
cover the grant of Lieut. Eddington, Lieut.
Gamble and the land to the West — but the meas-
ure lacks about 50 rods of reaching the entire
length of the premises.
Probably a petition had been presented for
this grant as early as September, 1783, in peti-
tions to the legislature describe this as land
granted to Green and Moulton.
A petition dated Sept. 29, 1783, set forth that
the subscribers were settlers of the town of Whit-
ingham, that they presented a petition dated
Sept. 22, 1778, for land granted by New York
to Col. Fitch and his associates, they now renew
their request for said land containing about six
thousand acres, bounded east on the east line of
Whitingham, north on land formerly granted to
Capt. Walker and one Nordbergh by two New
York patents and south on Col. Whiting's grant
and a grant formerly made to Lieut. Gambell
York patents.
Your petitioners some of us moved here near
or quite ten years ago.
Reciting their great hardship in making roads
48 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
and bridges, and signed by Leonard Pike,
Nathan Green, Elijah Pike, Levi Shumway,
James Reed, Amos Green, Bille Clark, Jesse
Groves, Jona Thompson, Joshua Coleman,
Nathaniel Streeter, John Marks, John Rugg,
Fitch Lamphire, Joseph Doubleday, Jonathan
Shumway, John Nelson.
This was not granted to them. It was the
major part of the grant to Nathan Whiting and
others when Whitingham was chartered and is
known as Fitches Patent.
There was another petition dated Oct. 2, 1783,
claiming that the petitioners since the year 1772,
had entered upon and settled a tract of land in
the township of Whitingham containing about
3,000 acres.
This is Whiting's grant and they bound it on
the west by Lieut. Gambell's New York Patent
since granted by this State to Amos Green and
others and ask for a reasonable consideration
signed Amasa Shumway, Eliphalet Gustin, Jr.,
Chandler Lamphere, Eliphalet Gustin, James
Mullett, Eleazer Gleason, Benajah Lamphire,
Levi Shumway, Benjamin Crittenden, Jonathan
Edgcomb.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 49
No "reasonable consideration" was granted
them nor was their western boundary correct.
Oct. 7, 1783, another petition was dated setting
forth that the subscribers were settlers in the
town of Whitingham and ask for a tract of land
bounded as above except west on land granted
to Moulton and Green and company, stating that
some of them had lived there a number of years.
Expecting at least a settling lot and ask that the
land be sold or granted to them. Containing
about four thousand acres, and signed Jonathan
Thompson, Benj. Crittenden, James Reed, Eli-
phalet Gustin, Daniel Wilcox, Amos Green,
Benjamin Lampee, Lieut. Williams, Jesse
Groves, Amasa Shumway, James MacMullet,
Samuel Thompson, Nathan Cobb, John Mack.
It would almost seem as though this last peti-
tion was drawn and signed by some one not
familiar with either the territory or the names
of the people there.
50 whitingham, vermont
Whitingham After Grants by Vermont.
Robert
Bratton
and
Otben
W»Ikor'«, Well'i.
Hunt'a
178 ch&inB
SiUa HamiltoQ
&nd Others
Nathan Whiting and otfaera
Fitch'a Patent
Green and Moulton
Really 302 chains
Called 290 chains
Nathan Whitins
178 chains
So it seems the legislature refused to meddle
with the grant to Whiting, and to Whiting and
others except the handle which seemed uncertain
land. Thomas Gamble probably came to the
war from Ireland. He deeded his 2,000 acres
to William Gamble, Jr., late of Ireland, then
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 51
living in the State of New York. In the descrip-
tion the date is given as 1789, but the deed is
dated January 12, 1797, and recorded February
14, 1798. William Gamble, then of Hinsdale,
N. H., deeded this tract to John Van Dusen of
Great Harrington, Mass., Nov. 13, 1797, and re-
corded the same day as the above. John Van
Dusen deeded it to John Fuller by a deed of
warranty, June 16, 1806.
Although the legislature of Vermont seemed
to have recognized some of the grants made by
New York in this town, it is claimed by some
that all those grants and the charter itself were
void, and they base their final stand upon the
fact as they claim, that the legislature of Ver-
mont passed a law avoiding "all grants, cedes or
patents made by or under the government of the
Colony of New York except such grants, cedes
or patents as were made in confirmation of the
grants, charters or patents made by or under the
government of the late Province or Colony of
New Hampshire." That such a law was passed
is true, but it has not been recognized by the
Supreme Court of the State of Vermont and was
52 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
in direct conflict with the agreement of the com-
missioners of the State of New York and the
State of Vermont, when the State was admitted
into the Union. If there was any question in the
minds of anyone as to the validity of grants,
charters or patents issued by New York not in
conflict with these of New Hampshire the de-
cision of the Supreme Court in the case of Reads-
bo ro vs. Woodford as late as 1904. Reported in
76 Vt. page 376 settles it. The town of Reads-
boro was chartered April, 1770, about a month
later than Whitingham, and by the Province of
New York also. The latest grant of land which
we have found. Hon. Clark Jillson, a native of
this town, and who was Judge of the District
Court, and at one time Mayor of the City of
Worcester, Mass., spent much time in research
about the town of his nativity, and furnished us
a valuable book in his "Green Leaves from
Whitingham" which book was unique in this —
Mr. Jillson gathered his facts, wrote them down,
set the type and became the printer also of his
work, except the last twelve paees. which were
printed after his decease. Probably, had he lived,
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 53
much more would have been found and written
by him. He discovered many things which had
been forgotten and were not known by his gener-
ation, yet he had not found it all as he says of
the grant of the three lots to Jonathan and Arad
Hunt. "This grant was made in such a way as
to render its location doubtful unless the three
lots were more clearly defined than was custom-
ary in those days."
Walker's Patent was early divided into six-
teen lots, each lot containing exactly 196 acres
146 rods and were numbered as follows:
54
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Wilmington
<
3
1
1
A
II
7
8
13
11
10
»
13
14
IS
IS
Fit<ib'i Patent
Bratton's grant had some sort of numbering,
but there is very little that has come to light, and
the only grantee that I am now sure of the name
besides Robert Bratton was Nathaniel Davis.
Hamilton's grant, the same size and shape as
Walker's, was planned somewhat as follows:
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
WilminKton
55
■I
Fitfb'a Patent
Some of the settlers here had located, and
some of the measurements were varied a little
from the exact plan, as I intended this, and some
of the surveys were not correct.
Fitch's Patent: The grant to Nathan
56
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Whiting and his associates at the time the town
was chartered was called Fitch's Patent.
It was divided into lots of 250 acres, except
the jog north at the west part south of Bratton's
grant was 30 rods further north and consequently
30 acres more land each, and lots 13, 14, 15 and
16 were in the handle and finally included in
Green and Moulton's grant. Of the four lots I
have not located their situation and form of
numbering, if they ever were situated and num-
bered, and though called in the records 250 acres,
they would contain nearly 288 acres. The part
excepting the handle was as follows:
Bratton
17
18
19
Walker
20;.
21
22
23
24
25
28
27
28
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
S
4
3
2
1
Green and Moultoo
Whiting
Whiting's Patent was divided into 15 lots
called 200 acres each, but in fact measured more
than 211 acres, and is in plan like this:
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Fitch'8 Patent
57
3
i
u
10
IS
2
S
s
11
U
1
7
13
13
Ma
schuMtts
Green and Moulton's grant was divided into
lots of 100 acres, but the lots were not regular in
form and in number. Some are 160 rods north
and south ; some 160 rods east and west and some
irregular in form to meet the arrangement of
highways and the situation of streams. They
58 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
were in three different divisions or lots and some
small part were not lotted at all.
Most of these lines of grants and lots may now
be readily traced, but some have been changed
by purchase, some for convenience of parties,
some by carelessness and alas! probably some by
cupidity of one of the owners.
The town of Halifax is bounded: "Beginning
at A Marked Tree Standing half a mile West
of Green River in the boundary line between
the Governments of Massachusetts Bay and New
Hampshire and from thence due West on Said
Boundary line Six Miles & at the End of Said
Six Miles to turn off at a Right Angle and run
Due North Six Miles & at the End of Said Six
Miles to Turn off at A Right Angle & run Due
East six miles, and at the End of said six miles
to turn A Right Angle & run Due South Six
Miles to the Tree first Mentioned."
As the Massachusetts line was run West 10
degrees North, so this line must have been 10
degrees also.
The town of Wilmington is bounded : "Begin-
ning at the North West corner of Halifax,
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 59
thence Running West 10 degs. North by the
Needle six Miles thence North 10 Degs.
East by the Needle Six Miles, thence Turning
off at Right Angles & Running East 10 Degs.
South Six Miles to the North West Corner of
a Township formerly granted in this Province
by the name of Marlborough, thence South 10
Degs. : west by Marlborough aforesaid to the
Corner of Halifax begun at." This then dis-
proves the oft repeated assertion that the
towns of Wilmington, Marlboro, Halifax and
Whitingham do not corner, and establishes the
fact that they do.
For more than a hundred and thirty years this
town thus existed, with its wealth of scenery and
beauty ; its mountain and vale ; its hills and glens ;
its rocks, rivers, ponds and lakes. The Deerfield
flowing through the western part of the town;
not far from it the largest boulder in New Eng-
land. Some of the finest views in the world are
here. The only natural floating Island on
Sadawga Lake. On the original plan of Hamil-
ton's Grant there was a Hamilton Pond; one
Caleb Ryder, once living north of the pond
60 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
changed its name to Ryder's pond, and later a
Mr. Fuller living where Schuyler Murdock now
does, the name again changed to Fuller's pond.
Roberts pond has been changed to Laurel Lake,
but the old Sadawga pond still bears the name it
always had; the name of the old Indian, who is
said to have inhabited its shores and going down
the river in his boat, went over the falls and was
drowned. This pond now called Sadawga Lake
covers an area of more than two hundred acres,
since the Newtons raised the dam to its present
height. At the time this town was first settled by
the white man, there was a general desire that
the frontiers be peopled, as a defence against the
Indians and wild beasts, and probably many of
the first inhabitants had little or no legal title to
their possessions; but who were these first set-
tlers? Leonard Brown, Esq., son of Dea. Jonas
Brown and a life long resident of this town, in his
interesting work "History of Whitingham" tells
us that, "We have been told by Rev. Ebenezer
Davis, Col. Obed Foster and Alfred Green that
they had learned from their fathers, who were
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 61
amongst the first settlers and spent their whole
life in Whitingham, that the first opening in the
forest of what is now the town of Whitingham,
was made on the hill, on or near the old Heze-
kiah Whitney farm west of the Seymour Hough-
ton place. According to their story, two men
came up there from Massachusetts and cleared
three or four acres, as early as 1765 or 1766; one
or both of their names, they thought was Bolton.
It was said they spent two successive summers
there; lived chiefly by hunting and trapping, and
returned to Massachusetts to spend the Winter.
They designed to make this place a permanent
home, but one of the men died the winter fol-
lowing the second summer spent there, and the
other then abandoned the idea of making his
home there, and did not return." Whether the
particulars to date and time arc true to exact
fact, or not, I believe there is something to this
tradition, and that the name of the survivor was
Robert Bolton and though he may have aban-
doned his home there, yet stayed for a time in
this vicinity, settling in this town or Halifax. It
will be remembered that Halifax was settled be-
62 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
fore Whitingham. By the first census, taken in
the spring of 1771, I find the name of Robert
Bolton. This census shows 4 men above the age
of 16 years and under 60, 4 women between those
ages, 3 boys under 16 and three girls. The names
of the 4 heads of families were Silas Hamilton,
Aaron Goodrich, Stephen Ayres and Robert
Bolton. These would be early settlers if they
were settlers here at all. Some writers have at-
tempted to make Robert Bratton, an early settler,
Robert Aiton, one of the grantees of the time
the town was chartered, and this Robert Bolton
one and the same person. It seems, however, un-
wise to attempt such a task which must prove in
the end quite unsuccessful ; but we see no further
record of this Robert Bolton in this town. There
were Boltons about this time in Halifax. Aaron
Goodrich is not mentioned in our records. He
owned land in Halifax, in the second lot east
from the Whitingham line, and died before 1778.
Nor do we learn anything more about Stephen
Ayres living in town. A descendant of Silas
Hamilton is still living here. It is probable that
this census was taken at the hotel of Silas Hamil-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 63
ton, and that during the winter the few inhabi-
tants scattered about gathered there for the
winter. Robert Bratton was not included in this
census, and probably he went to his native home
to spend the winter, and was here summers prob-
ably before the date of that census.
Whitingham held its centennial celebration
in August, 1880, the summer of a hundred years
from the first town meeting we now have a rec-
ord of. This record reads:
"At an annual Town Meeting, March 30th,
1780, the men Whos names are under Ritten
Ware chosen to Ofis. Eliphalet Hyde, Town
Clerk.
James Angel,
Eliphalet Hyde,
Silas Hamilton, Selectmen.
Silas Hamilton, Treasurer.
Abner More,
Levi Shumway, Constables.
Abner More,
Ebenezer Davis,
John Nelson, Jr., Highway Surveyors.
Thos. Stearns,
Eliphalet Hyde, Listers.
64 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Levi Shumway,
Abner More, Collectors.
Thomas Stearns, Grand Juror.
John Butler, Sealer of Waits & Meas-
ures.
Amasa Shumway,
Thos. Stearns, Deer Reef."
This record is not signed nor is there a record
of anything else done at that meeting, and all
the officers were in the northeast part of the town
except four, Ebenezer Davis, John Nelson, Jr.,
Levi and Amasa Shumway. The very reading
of this record ought in itself to be evidence that
it was not the first town meeting. "At an annual
Town Meeting" does not read like the beginning.
The first legislature under the constitution of
Vermont was elected in March, 1778, and Silas
Hamilton represented the town in that legisla-
ture, and in September, 1778, Silas Hamilton
and Robert Bratton were Selectmen, acting as
such and Thos. Hunt, Constable. \\'^hat has be-
come of these early records we do not know, but
without doubt, from 1771, or about that time
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 65
there was some kind of meetings and voting,
and probably roads were made by voluntary
labor. A petition to the legislature dated Sept.
29, 1783, and signed Leonard Pike, Levi Shum-
way, Bille Clark, Joshua Coleman, John Rugg,
Nathan Green, James Reed, Jesse Groves, Na-
thaniel Streeter, Fitch Lamphire, Elijah Pike,
Amos Green, Jona Thompson, John Marks,
Joseph Doubleday, Jonathan Shumway and
John Nelson states that they were "settlers of
the Town of Whitingham - - - some of us
Removed here near or quite ten years ago. We
have undergone a Great Deal of Hardship &
toil in Making and Repairing Roads and
bridges." Another petition states that "Your
petitioners since the Year 1772 have entered
upon and settled a Tract of Land in the Town-
ship of Whitingham," &c. and this is signed
Amasa Shumway, Eliphalet Gustin, Benijah
Lamphire, Eleazer Gleason, Benjamin Critten-
den, Jonathan Edgcomb, Eliphalet Gustin, Jr.,
James Mullett, Levi Shumway, Chandler Lam-
phire. This was dated Oct. 2, 1783. And Oct. 7,
1783, another petition covering about the same
66 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
as the last was signed by Jonathan Thompson,
Eliphalet Gustin, Benjamin Crittenden, Daniel
Wilcox, Lieut. Williams, James MacMullett,
James Read, Amos Green, Jesse Groves, Samuel
Thompson, Nathan Cobb, John Mack. I am in-
clined to think this last and perhaps one of the
others were the work of one man. Most of the
names signed to the second petition were of per-
sons who lived in the southeast part of the town,
in Whiting's Grant, while most of the signers to
the first petition lived on Fitches Patent. These
then were some of the settlers.
March 30, 1780, the following persons were
made freemen by taking the freeman's oath:
Robert Bratton Samuel Buttler
John Buttler John Nelson
James Angel John Nelson, Jr.
Thomas Sterns Silas Hamilton
Abner Moor Benjamin Blodget
Jonathan Edgcomb Eliphalet Gustin
Eliphalet Hyde Amasa Shumway
Moses Hyde Levi Shumway
Ebenezer Davis Reuben Washburn
Robert Nelson Thomas Hunt
In 1781, Henry Lee, John Rugg, Beriah
Sprague, Jabez Foster, Amos Green, Timothy
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 67
Sto Barton, Jonathan Dix, Jonathan Barton,
Sterling Sterns, Samuel Day, Elisha Blake,
Nathaniel Streeter, Nathan Lee, Rodger Edg-
comb, Charles Dodge, Bille Clark, Nathan
Green, James Read, Daniel Wilcox.
In 1783, Isaac Lyman, John Howard, Nehe-
miah Sprague and a man by the name of Fuller.
In 1784, James Roberts, James Glass, Levi
Redfield, James Wilcox, Jesse Groves, David
Bratton, Robert Liscomb.
Although a record of the town meeting of 1780
is preserved, we have no record of the work of
the listers. In 1781 the grand list shows the fol-
lowing names: James Angel, Jonathan Barton,
Timothy Sto Barton, Elishu Blake, Benjamin
Blodget, Benjamin Blodget, Jr., Thomas Blod-
get, John Blashfield, Boyd, Robert Bratton,
Robert Bratton, Jr., John Butler, Samuel Butler,
Bille Clark, Joshua Coleman, Ebenezer Davis,
Nathaniel Davis, Samuel Day, Thomas Day,
Jonathan Dix, Charles Dodge, Jonathan Edg-
comb, Roger Edgcomb, Jabez Foster, Elijah
French, Calvin Fuller, Isaac Fuller, Amos
Green, Eliphalet Gustin, Daniel Halloway, Silas
68 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Hamilton, James Howard, John Howard,
Thomas Hunt, Eliphalet Hyde, Moses Hyde,
Benijah Lamphire, Henry Lee, Nathan Lee,
Abner Moor, John Nelson, John Nelson, Jr.,
Samuel Nelson, Bimslee Peters, Leonard Pike,
James Read, John Rugg, Amasa Shumway,
Jonathan Shumway, Levi Shumway, Beriah
Sprague, Sterling Sterns, Thomas Sterns, Luther
Washburn, Daniel Wilcox. Fifty-five in all, a
substantial increase in ten years. Four men in
1771 — fifty-five in 1781, making the inhabitants
of the town about 200,
Eliphalet Hyde is called in this list Capt
Silas Hamilton, Esq. Boyd's first name is not
given but it was William. The name of James
Roberts does not appear, yet he was one of the
eight to whom Hamilton's grant was chartered.
The list of 1782 also contained 55 names, but 13
of those on the 1781 list had fallen off, namely:
John Blashfield, Robert Bratton, Jr., Roger
Edgcomb, Isaac Fuller, Elijah French, James
Howard, Eliphalet Hyde, John Nelson, John
Nelson Jr., Jonathan Shumway, Sterling Sterns,
Thomas Sterns, and Luther Washburn and thir-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 69
teen were added, to wit: Benjamin Barber,
James Blodget, Joseph Coleman, Benjamin Crit-
tenden, Nathan Green, L. Fitch Lamphire,
Robert Liscomb, Isaac Lyman, Silas Moor,
Leonard Pike, Jr., James Roberts. Nehemiah
Sprague and Nathaniel Streeter. The list of
1783 contained 56 names, Samuel Butler, Wil-
liam Boyd, Moses Hyde, Samuel Nelson, Benja-
min Barber, Silas Moor, Leonard Pike, Jr.,
Nathaniel Streeter, James Blodget and Benja-
min Crittenden dropped out, and John Butler,
Jr., David Bratton, James Glass, Benjamin Ly-
man, Andrew Nelson, John Otis and Henry
Woodhouse were added, and Robert Bratton, Jr.,
James Howard, John Nelson, John Nelson, Jr.,
who were off the 1782 list were returned. The
list of 1791 contained 80 names and the census
as taken by the United States was 442 people in
1790.
Before any of these lists were taken it appears
that Samuel Darby had a house and occupied
land on Etherington's Patent as early as Nov. S,
1776, and that, as early as Nov. 21, 1771, James
Cary was here making a contract to cut wood on
70
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
the same patent. In taking the census of the
United States in 1790 the head of the family
was put down, and in columns, free white males
16 years old and upward, free white males under
16 years, free white females, all other free per-
sons, slaves. Whitingham was as follows:
Free white
Males
males over 16
under 16
Females
Anderson, Wm
2
1
3
Angel, James
3
4
Armstrong, Simeon .
1
Bratton, Robert .
3
1
2
Bratton, David
3
2
Barton, Jona
3
2
Barton, Timo
3
3
Barton, Benja
1
1
Bishop, Solomon . . .
3
4
Bradley, Eli
Butler, Saml
2
1
Blodget, Thos
3
3
5
Blodget, Benja, Junr.
4
2
Bond, Solomon
2
Blodget, Benja. . . .
2
3
Barr, Simeon
3
Carnaga, Andrew . . .
2
2
2
Coleman, Joseph . . .
Cooley, Benja
3
3
Carley, Jona
2
1
Clark, Billy
2
5
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 71
Day, Samuel
Dodge, Joshua ....
Dix, Jonathan ....
Davis, Nathaniel . .
Doubleday, Elisha .
Foster, Jabez
Frazier, James ....
Fuller, Calvin ....
Gustin, Eliphalet . .
Goodnow, Benja. . .
Graves, Jesse
Gains, James
Green, Amos
Green, Nathan ....
Glass, James
Hunt, Thomas ....
Hayward, John . . .
Hayward, John, Junr.
Hambleton, Jona. .
Lyman, Isaac ....
Lyman, Benja. . . .
Lyman, Eleazer . .
Lyman, Silas 1
Lamphier, Banajah . . 1 2
Lamphier, Reuben ... 1
Lamphier, Chandler . 1
Lyon, Joseph 2 2
Lovell, Samuel 1 1 2
Mullett, James 2 S 1
Free white
Males
males over 16
under 16
Females
3
4
4
1
1
2
1
2
3
1
2
5
1
3
3
1
5
1
1
1
3
1
3
2
2
3
1
2
1
4
2
1
3
4
1
2
3
1
1
5
4
3
S
3
2
3
5
1
3
1
1
2
1
3
2
5
2
2
5
1
1
2
72
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Free white Males
males over 16 under 16
Munn, Calvin ....
Morey, John
Nelson, John
Nye, Jona
Nye, Wm
Otis, John
Otis, John, Junr. . .
Pike, Leonard ....
Pike, Elisha
Pike, Elijah
Pike, Nathaniel . . .
Roberts, James ....
Rugg, John
Ryder, Caleb
Reed, James
Sikes, Francis
Smith, Jonas
Streeter, James ....
Shumway, Levi . . .
Shumway, Amasa .
Sprague, Nehemiah
Tarr, Simeon
Vicory, Merrifield .
Wilcox, Danl
Wilcox, James ....
Whitney, Aaron . . .
Wright, Richard . .
Wood, John
2
2
1
1
2
1
3
1
2
2
1
1
1
4
2
1
5
2
2
1
Females
4
2
2
1
5
2
2
7
1
1
3
4
8
3
2
3
2
2
2
6
8
1
4
6
2
2
1
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 73
The name Graves should be Groves; Hay-
ward, Howard and Lovell, Lovett.
In the examination of some of the early deeds
it is difficult to determine whether they are war-
ranty, Quit Claim or Mortgage deeds. It is pos-
sible that some lands were transferred without
any paper title. Many deeds, probably, were
never recorded, and some were recorded in other
places than our town books. It must be remem-
bered New York claimed this territory until
bought off by Vermont for $30,000. New Hamp-
shire for fifteen years and Massachusetts for a
shorter time. In 1777, Vermont declared her
independence and claimed sovereignty here, and
no wonder the early settlers were in a dilemma,
and when, in October, 1784, the legislature of
Vermont passed an act empowering the select-
men of Whitingham to issue a warrant for the
collection of a tax of one penny an acre on all
unappropriated lands in Whitingham for the
purpose of building and repairing roads and
bridges, and under this act Constable Daniel
Wilcox sold to pay this tax, lands he called un-
improved about 5,000 acres of Fitch's Patent,
74 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
19 in Whiting's Patent, 50 in Hamilton's grant,
652 in Bratton's Grant and some 1,200 acres in
Walker's patent. Some of these lands were sold
to the real owners, some to agents of the real
owners, and some probably to real purchasers;
probably some of these were redeemed by the
legal owners. Jesse Groves, Constable, says the
legislature granted a tax of one penny an acre
in October, 1789, and proceeded to sell to pay
this tax, 16 pieces of land, probably, mostly to
the real owners before the sale, among them 1,219
acres in Walker's patent to Jonathan and Arad
Hunt. These taxes were assessed before Vermont
was recognized as a State, but the fad of having
your lands sold and buying them yourself was
spreading. The "Governer and Council" states
that in 1796, a tax of two pence on an acre was
voted by the legislature, but the Constable, Capt.
Samuel Parker, called it one and sold 13 lots
for that tax, and the next year Constable Capt.
Amasa Shumway sold 76 lots on the other penny
calling it, however, as passed by the 1797 legis-
lature. In 1807, the legislature assessed a tax of
one cent an acre on all the lands in Vermont to
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 75
erect a State Prison, and John Roberts, Consta-
ble, sold 44 lots of land on this tax. Yea, even
this fad had almost become a craze. When the
legislature of 1812 voted a tax of one cent an
acre. Constable Shumway advertised all the land
in town for sale to pay the same. He called each
100 'acres 95 and all other lots nearly in propor-
tion. In these various sales, some of the prin-
cipal owners had their lands sold more than
once; it is supposed to perfect their title. James
Roberts, one of the leading men in town at those
times had his home sold three or more times, and
bought it himself. By this time it would seem
that all the land in town ought to be well defined
and its title secure.
Now what did these early people do that was
different from other people? We may know
they went on reducing the forest, building log
houses, then better, and enacted those things
necessary for their comfort and convenience.
They builded roads, chose officers and estab-
lished society, same as other people in those days.
There was no organized church in this town
until 1804, but in 1781 citizens of this town sub-
76 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
scribed toward building a meeting house, near
the corner of the town. Probably this house was
never built. What move, if any was made prior
to 1780 to build a meeting house our records do
not show. At the March meeting in 1781,
"Voted that the Selectmen shall run a senter
line through the town East and West, North and
South and lay out two main Roads as near the
senter line as the land will allow of." At the
March meeting in 1784, "Voted that the Select-
men find the senter of said town and make re-
port to the next March annual Town Meeting."
Mr. Jillson thought this finding the "senter of
the town was for the purpose of building near
there a meeting house." At a meeting September
7, 1784, "Voted that the town will not except the
spot the Selectmen put the stake for the Meeting
house." "Voted that the Meeting house spot
be Eastwardly from James Reed's house about
60 or 70 Rods on the hill amongst the Wind-
falls." Town meeting, September 6. 178.'5,
"Voted that the road be Surveyed and Recorded
ten rods wide that leads from Mr. Groveses
Westerly by the spot of land voted by the town
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 11
for the place to build a meeting house. Said
wedth of Rod beginning fifteen rods east of the
meeting house place thence running west as the
road is now laid to the road that leads through
the town North and South." The road that
run through the town north and south was the
one from Rowe line to Wilmington line, past
the dwelling house now owned by Charles S.
Goodnow. The road that run to the old com-
mon began on Halifax line at the house of
Thomas Hunt in what is now known as the
Perry Hall pasture; thence southerly past
Elijah Allen's, E. J. Corkin's, Geo. H. Burgess'
and No. 5 schoolhouse to the center. Jesse
Groves lived at the so-called Squire Bliss place
lately sold by Wm. O. Barnes to Archie R.
Morse. The road was to be three rods wide from
Thomas Hunt's to Jesse Groves'. The select-
men probably found the center of the town about
seven and a half rods southerly from the north-
east comer of the Brigham Young lot now owned
by Charles E. Putnam, but the place voted
among the windfalls must have been near Mrs.
Mary E. Morse's, for many years the Baptist
78 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
parsonage. James Reed's house, was the old
Higley house, then near where Chas. S. Good-
now's barn now is. July 21, 1788, the town
voted to raise a tax of two pence on the pound
to hire a minister, said tax to be paid in money,
"Wheet," "Rey," com, flax, or "neet" stock
to be paid on or before the 25th day of De-
cember next, and voted to meet on the sec-
ond Monday in September next to clear off
a place to build a meeting house. If this land
was cleared off, and the tax all paid in so
the minister could have a Christmas feast, it
would all figure $54.61, but they did not raise
so much, as at the meeting when the tax was
voted, it was also voted that James Roberts, Esq.,
Silas Hamilton, Esq., James Angel, Tilson Bar-
rows, Roger Edgcomb and all others that bring
certificates agreeable to law before said tax is
assessed shall be exempted from paying any part
thereof.
They chose Amasa Shumway to collect this
tax, and it seems he had to force the collection of
some taxes, and suits were brought against him,
and in one a judgment recovered which the town
paid.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 79
At this time many of the ministers were mem-
bers of Congregational Churches and doubtless
preached according to that faith, and those per-
sons who were members of churches of other
denominations, and paid to these churches felt it
was a burden which they should not bear to pay
to support a state or town church, when they
were assisting in supporting one of their own
faith and practice; this is probably the reason of
the exemptions mentioned in the vote; and at dif-
ferent times certificates have been recorded, that
persons paid and belonged to other churches.
July 6, 1795, by vote of 29 to 8 voted to build a
house of public worship 40 x 50. To raise £200
in timber boards, shingles and money, the timber
boards and shingles to be apportioned by a com-
mittee and to be on the ground by July 1, 1796,
or forfeit their right to timber &c., and must pay
in money in "lue" thereof. Samuel Day, James
Roberts and Jabez Foster were the building
committee. Voted that persons of every relig-
ious denomination have free access to and in said
house on any day of the week without obstruction
or molestation. This meeting was adjourned to
80 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
September 29 when it was voted that $400 of the
£200 be paid on lists of 1795 and the remaining
£80 be raised on the list of 1796. Voted that the
meeting house be set on the height of land a few
rods east of the school house in the center school
district. A meeting was held February 1, 1796,
to see if the town would vote to reconsider,
which, by a vote of 22 to 13 was passed in the
negative. They then voted on the question of
postponement for one year, which was lost by a
vote of 14 to 8, and in 1798 on the question, "Will
you build a meeting house?" passed in the nega-
tive, so it seems it was supposed they had recon-
sidered the whole proceedings of the meeting
house, but at a special meeting March 18, 1799,
"Voted, unanimously, to build a meeting house:
Yeas 41, Nays 2," 45 x 50, on the top of the hill
on the common east of the center school house.
At the March meeting in 1800 voted that all
town meetings in the future shall be warned to be
holden at the meeting house. At a meeting June
5 chose James Glass, Samuel Day and Jabez
Foster a committee to "supply the house with
Preaching the Insuing Year" and voted to ac-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 81
cept the meeting house. So after all this struggle
the first meeting house was builded. underpinned
and accepted, yet it was finished, neither on the
outside nor inside, pews were not set, yet for the
next few years the town voted money, and chose
a committee each year to procure preaching.
October 25, 1804, the Congregational Church
was organized as follows: "We, the subscribers,
Inhabitants of the town of Whitingham being
sensible of our obligation to walk together in all
the ordinances of the Gospel of Christ, & to be
united in fellowship & communion as deciples of
our common Lord & Savior, Do now with the
advice & assistance of Rev. Messrs Gershom C.
Lyman of Marlboro, Resolved Smith of Rowe
& Jesse Edson of Halifax, combine togather in
the sacred relation of Christian brethren, in the
firm belief of the following articles, as the Doc-
trines of our religious faith, viz : we believe
There is one only living and true God, exist-
ing in 3 persons, the Father, Son & Holy Ghost.
That God is Creator & Governor of all worlds,
possessed of all natural & moral perfections in an
infinite Degree.
That the Scriptures of the old & New Testa-
ment are given by inspiration from God & are
the only rule of our faith & practice.
82 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
That God made man upright & holy, placed
him under a covenant of works with a promise
of life annexed to it in case of his obedience, &
a threatening of death if he was disobedient.
That man, being left to his own free will, by
transgressing the command of his Maker, fell
from his original state of holiness & happiness,
& involved himself with all his posterity in guilt
and misery.
That fallen Man could never have made satis-
faction to the divine law, or restored himself to
a state of holiness, or obtained the Divine favour.
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God
is the only mediator between God & Man, — that
in order to effect a reconciliation between them,
he assumed human nature & became God & man
in two different natures & one person forever.
That by obeying the Divine law & Suffering its
penalty, in man's stead, he hath made atonement
for sin, & opened the way for the pardon & sal-
vation of sinners, in consistance with the honor
of God as the righteous Governor of the world.
We believe that those who partake of the sav-
ing benefit of Christ's atonement, are regenerate
by the special operation of the Holy Spirit, hav-
ing been "chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world, that they should be holy & without
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 83
blame before him in love" (Eph. i. 4.). They
must believe in the name of the only begotten
Son of God, exercise hearty repentence for sin,
& bring forth fruits of obedience in holy lives &
conversation.
We believe that all who are born again of the
Spirit & united to Christ by faith & love, shall
be kept by the power of God, through faith unto
salvation (1 Pet. i. 5.) so that nothing shall ever
separate them from the love of Christ (Rom.
8:35&c.).
We believe the resurrection of the body, & the
re-union of the soul with it, and that both will
be joint partakers of endless happiness or misery.
We believe there will be a great & general
judgment, when the whole world shall stand be-
fore Christ, the Judge of quick & dead to give
an account of the deeds done in the body, the
issue of which will be that the wicked shall go
away into everlasting punishment, but the right-
eous into life eternal.
We believe it is the duty of Christians united
in particular church relation to walk together
in love to watch over one another in the Lord,
& to encourage each other in the performance of
Gospel Duties, to train up their children in the
admonition of the Lord, to maintain family reli-
84 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
gion & government & the public and private
worship of God.
Sincerely subscribing to these articles as the
doctrines of our religious faith & fellowship one
with another & sensible that it is an awful thing
to transact with the living God, we do now
solemnly covenant with God, & with each other
in the words following, viz :
We do now in the presence of God, & this
congregation receive & own the Lord Jehovah,
Father, Son & Holy Ghost to be our God.
We promise by the assistance of his grace, to
yield ourselves at all times to be his willing &
obedient subjects: sacredly to keep all his com-
mands, & to walk in all the ordinances of the
gospel blamelessly.
We covenant, through the assistance of his
grace to dedicate our children to him in baptism,
to be trained up for him; to walk in his church
as faithful subjects of his kingdom & children
of his family; to watch over one another with all
carefulness. Christian tenderness & jealousy &
will submit to the gospel admonition, discipline
& instructions of the church of Christ in this
place.
Sarah Brown, Susanny Pike,
Sally Brown, Martha Morley,
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 85
Rachel Gains, Stepn. Taintor,
Reuben Brown, Nathaniel Peck.
John Cooley,
The subscribers having been duly embodied &
formed as a regular church of Christ by our
assistance chose Rev. Jesse Edson of Halifax as
their Moderator.
Gersham C. Lyman,
Preservid Smith,
Whitingham, J«se Edson.
Oct. 25, 1804.
The same day Reuben Brown was chosen Sub.
Mod. Jesse Edson, Mod."
As the foregoing commencement of the Con-
gregational Church differs from another printed
description it is no more than fair that I explain
to my readers the authority on which I base my
statements. Years ago I heard that the records
of that church were in the hands of Ezra Smead,
who then lived where Frank E. Davis, Esq.,
now does, at Elm Grove in Colrain, Mass. I
went to see him and found he had the record,
the original articles of faith, some confessions in
writing, and some letters from other churches,
&c. All these I bought and paid for, hoping that
86 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
the town, the Congregational Church of the
State or the Vermont Historical Society would
be pleased to have these records for historical
purposes. Mr. Smead said he would like to keep
them to copy some records of his ancestors be-
longing to that church. He also loaned the rec-
ord to General Gaines, then hotel keeper in
Colrain, as his ancestors also belonged to this
church. While the record was there the hotel
burned and this record with it, so that nothing
can be told of its contents except that which may
have been copied before. Ezra Smead went
west and died there with the package containing
the original articles of faith, and other papers
addressed to me, which I received by due course
of mail and have them in my possession now.
Probably when Mr. Jillson wrote the "Centen-
nial" address he had access to this record. He
says this church worshipped in the old meeting
house, but its light went out in 1 823, after a hard,
earnest and honest struggle to benefit mankind."
He gives the names of seven of its pastors and
says that the members consisted of not far from
50 persons, and names besides those who were
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 87
first organized into the church: Rebecca Bas-
com, Jerusha Bigelow, wife of Thomas, Sally
Bigelow, wife of Samuel, Stephen Billings, John
Blanchard and his wife Sally, Joseph Carley and
his wife Sarah, Jonathan Carley, Lydia Car-
negie wife of Andrew, Polly Cooley wife of
John, John Fuller, Rachel Hammond, Betsey
Haynes wife of Jonas, Abigail Hosley, Joseph
Marsh, Sarah Martin, Mary Murdock, Polly
Peck wife of Nathaniel, James Preston and his
wife Elizabeth, Isaac Smead and his wife Polly,
Rebecca Smith, Miss Susan Stickney, Clarissa
Stone, Ruth Stone wife of William, Lydia Stone,
Mercy Taintor, Patience Walker, Lydia Waste
wife of Ebenezer, Eli Wood and Lydia his wife.
Many of these names are in the letters from other
churches referred to, together with the names of
Rebecca Marsh wife of Joseph and Elizabeth
Preston daughter of James. December 10, 1804,
the town voted to join with the church in said
town in giving the Reverend Preserved Smith
a call to settle in said town as the minister and
pay him three hundred dollars annually for his
services, but it seems he did not care to continue
88 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
his services here, and on April 1st, 1805, the town
voted a tax of one cent on the dollar and ap-
pointed the selectmen a committee to lay out the
money as they "shall see fit."
In those days it was supposed that a church
concerned itself about religious matters, and had
no power to attend to financial affairs, and so a
Society was formed to look after the finances.
November 12, 1806, the town "Voted to form
into a society by the name of the first Congrega-
tional Society in Whitingham" and at an ad-
journed meeting chose Jabez Foster Clerk of said
Society and Hezekiah Whitney Treasurer of
said society. When this church was organized,
many Baptists, Methodists and Universalists
filed their certificates stating that they did not
agree in religious opinion with a majority of the
town, and thus saved paying the town church tax.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
"Whitingham, September 8th, 1808. A num-
ber of brethren met according to appointment
first took under consideration the duty we owe
to God opened our meeting by prayer then pro-
ceeded to consider the duty we owe to one an-
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 89
another and the local distance from Sister
Churches, Considering "Church privileges and
our desire for the advancement of God's king-
dom in the world. After those serious considera-
tions we mutually agree to form into a church
if thought expedient by Council proceeded to
Choose Walter Emes to serve as Clerk and agree
to send to four Baptist Churches of Christ to
assist in embodying said Church (viz) first Guil-
ford, first Colrain, Heath & Halifax.
Whitingham, October the 18th, 1808. At an
Eclesiastical Council Convened at the meeting
house 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 Chapen; from Heath
Church, Elder George Witherell, brethren
Aaron Gleason & Stephen Davenport; from
Halifax Chh, Deacon Samuel Wood and David
Allen and brother James Tucker; first Chose
Elder Purington, Moderator, and Deacon
Wood, Clerk. After Solemn prayer to God for
Direction, brother Wilson from Somerset
Church & brother Zenas Cary from first Col-
rain & Deacon Asa Hackett from 2d Colerain
90 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Chh., being present were added to the council.
Proceeded to Examine the articles of faith and
Covenant, and voted to Acept them & the Breth-
ren and Sisters that assent and Consent to the
same are as foUers:
Brothers Sisters
Josiah Brown Millicent Brown
Walter Ernes Katharine Emes
Joseph Stone Sarah Franklin
Jonas Brown Lois Brown
Joseph Olden Leah Olden
Joel B. Emes Esther Emes
James Warren Susannah How
Joseph Brown Dorcas Saben
James Carpenter Lucy Tarbell
William Franklin Olive Emes
Esther Emes, 2d
After an examination found them to be experi-
enced in the religion of Christ, and baptized by
Emertion, voted to give them fellowship in unit-
ing together as a church of Christ in gospel
order. Voted that Elder Thomas Purrington &
Elder George Witherel arrange the articles of
faith and Covenant this day adopted by them.
Voted that Elder Purington give them the Right
hand of fellowship as a Church of Christ; And
Elder Packer to Charge them to Continue in
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 91
Gospel Orders and to walk worthy of the Voca-
tion wherewith they are called.
Thomas Purington, Moderator.
Samuel Wood, Clerk."
Thus was the Baptist church organized.
October 27, 1808, Salem Shumway, Jemima
Shumway, Patty Houghton, Katharine Ernes 2d,
and Anna Green were baptized into the church.
November 18, 1808, the church met according
to agreement, and opened with prayer. Chose
Josiah Brown, Moderator, Walter Ernes to serve
as clerk, Jonas Brown to serve as deacon. Read
the articles of faith, and covenant, and received
them mutually as ours.
ARTICLES OF FAITH.
I. We believe in one God, infinite in nature,
power, wisdom and goodness.
II. We believe in the trinity of persons — the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit in essenc one.
III. We believe man was made upright, but
hath apostatized by sin and wholly lost his moral
rectitude and thereby become obnoxious to the
penalty of the Divine Law and incapable of ex-
tricating himself everlastingly — and therefore
his salvation is alone through the Sovereign
92 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
grace of God abounding through the obedience,
suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
IV. We believe the salvation of the sinner
through Christ is according to the gracious pur-
pose of the Father which was given us in Christ
Jesus before the World began. See II Timothy
i. 9.
V. We believe none are subjects of this sal-
vation but such as are effectually called and
sanctified by the power of the Holy Ghost,
adopted by the Father, pardoned through the
blood of Christ, and justified through His right-
eousness, and that evangelical birth and repent-
ance are the only means through which we can
enjoy this salvation.
VI. We believe all those who are effectually
called will be kept by the power of God through
faith into salvation and never finally perish.
VII. We believe there will be a resurrection
of the dead and a final judgment, at which the
wicked will be sent away into everlasting punish-
ment.
VIII. We believe that Baptism is the visi-
ble door into the visible church, and that ordi-
nance is to be administered to none but such as
give evidence of their faith, and that immersion
is the only mode.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 93
IX. We believe that the Lord's Supper is to
be administered to all those who are in the visi-
ble church of Christ, who walk in Gospel order
to do it in remembrance of Christ until His
coming.
X. We believe the New Testament contains
a perfect rule of discipline.
XI. We believe that no man has a right to
administer the ordinances of the gospel unless
legally authorized by the laying on of hands.
XII. We believe it is the church's duty to ad-
minister to their elder's support so that he give
himself to the ministry of the word that the word
of the Lord be not hindered.
COVENANT OF THE CHURCH.
We do now in the presence of God submit
ourselves to the discipline of Christ in this
church, promising that by the assistance of His
Grace, we will walk in all the ordinances blame-
less; having a due regard to all His Commands,
to keep oneselves unspotted from the world that
we may be blameless as the sons of God.
We do promise to watch over each other in
love; bearing one anothers burdens and so fulfil
the laws of Christ; to endeavor to comfort each
other under temptations and infirmities; and to
94 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Strengthen the weak; to rejoice with them that
do rejoice and mourn with them that mourn; to
pray with and for each other in all our tribula-
tions, and in faithfulness to watch over each
other and endeavour in brotherly love to reclaim
any that go out of the Way, and not suffer sin
upon our brother.
We promise by grace of God to pay a due re-
gard to the Christian Sabbath and not forsake
the assembling ourselves together on that day,
and to endeavor to keep ourselves, or any under
our care from unbecoming behavior or conversa-
tion, but spend the time in the service of God;
and whatever further light from the word of
God is manifested to us by the spirit of truth
we will cheerfully embrace.
Now to these promises which we have freely,
solemnly and severally made in the presence of
God, we call Heaven and Earth to witness, feel-
ing ourselves under the highest obligations by
the command of God and our own covenant and
promises to observe.
Being sensible of our own weakness in insuffi-
ciency we pray the God of all grace to enable us
to stand in the liberty wherewith Christ hath
made us free, that we may have on the whole ar-
mor of God, hastening unto the coming of the
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 95
day of God, when Christ will receive his people
to himself, when we shall see as we are seen, and
know as we are known. Amen.
At a meeting legally warned and holden in
Whitingham, on the 10th day of April, 1809, to
see if the town will form into a Baptist society,
&c. 2d. Made choice of Amos Brown, Esq.,
Clerk of the said Baptist Society, and voted that
the Baptists have the use of the meeting house
one-half the time the next year, three months
alternately. I suppose the Congregational
church had the meeting house the other half.
The Baptist church and society continued sepa-
rate until the church was chartered in 1902 and
united. Although several ministers of different
denominations had preached in town, no other
churches or religious societies were formed for
about twenty years.
While the town had thus been looking after
the religious interests of the people, they were
not remiss in their rights, for at the annual meet-
ing in March, 1782, "Voted that the Law Books
at Capt. Hyde's be removed to the Town
Clerk's" and "the law books be removed from
96 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Amos Green's to Lieut. Benjamin Blodget's."
Thus we see the town had the possession of two
law books.
While these men were making a town, re-
deeming the wilderness to farms, making roads,
and, with the help of the women, making so-
ciety, matters were primitive, and domestic ani-
mals at first run at large, but as fields were culti-
vated and crops grown it became necessary to
put up a defence to cattle committing damage,
and at the March meeting, 1783, it was voted
that sheep, horses and swine shall not run at
large from the first of May until the Middle of
October.
While all lived, it was not necessary to have
cemeteries, but at the March meeting in 1784,
Daniel Wilcox, Thomas Blodget and James
Roberts were chosen a committee to look out
some suitable place for a "Burying yard" in said
town.
At a meeting in September, 1784, voted that
the town meetings be held at James Reed's house
in the future. This was near Charles S. Good-
now's big barn, so it seems they tried to have the
meetings near the center of the town.
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 97
Money was scarce in those days, and in 1787,
"Voted that the Select men serve free of cost to
the town." Probably the honor of the office was
sufficient.
The town early was looking after the educa-
tion as well as the Christian teaching of the
young and in 1789, voted to appoint a committee
to divide the town into school districts.
The history of no town would be complete
without some information about its defenders
and the defenders of their country. From the
best authority I have been able to gather that
of the seventy men who lived or owned land
here during the revolutionary struggle, fifty
were soldiers before they came to this town. As
there were no records which came down to us,
kept in this town, until 1780, we can gather from
them little information. December 17, 1781, the
town "Voted to make allowance to those that
done most in the present war." Who had this
allowance, soldiers or civilians? I cannot say.
March 28, 1782, "Voted to raise tow men for
the ensuing campaign for eight months." "Voted
to Rase seven men By town vote." After the war
98 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
at the annual town meeting, March 6, 1786,
Voted that the selectmen give orders on the
treasurer for remainder of Isaac Rugg's and
Henry Lee's wages due to them for services in
the war, and for ten shillings due Lieut. Blodget.
Probably because the war debt was so heavy, at
that meeting it was voted that the town tax be
paid in wheat at 4s. per bushel, rye at 3, corn
2s./6, oats ls./6, flax 8d. per lb, sugar iSd. per lb.
Other taxes had been paid before in produce.
These three items are all I am able to find in the
records, but probably there were other records,
and probably fifty men went to war from this
town, during the continuance of the Revolution.
Many of the early settlers bore official titles from
corporal to colonel. Some of these titles were
probably earned by service in the militia ; some in
the French and Indian wars; and some in the
Revolution. Mr. Jillson states that "A military
order, dated, Windsor, Sth 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 defense of the frontier of this State, the same
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 99
to serve two months from the day they march,
unless sooner discharged" and says on this order
is a memoranda giving E. Davis, Nathaniel
Davis, Eliphalet Gustin, Robert Bratton, Jr.,
Robert Nelson, John Nelson, Jr., Benjamin Nel-
son and William Nelson credit for services ren-
dered under this order. I find a company of sol-
diers in the Revolution as follows: Capt. Josiah
Fish, Lieuts. Moses Johnson, Isaac Lyman,
Sergts. John Moore, Abel Johnson, Stephen
Pratt, Micah Hatch, Corporals Levi Aldrich,
Cornelius Miller, William Crawford, Joseph
Gilbert, Fifer Noah Hopkins, Drummer Joel
Knight, Privates Isaac Adams, Simeon Alger,
Benjamin Alvord, Nathaniel Austin, Thomas
Barnes, Philip Bartlett, Abishai Blodget, John
Boyden, Benjamin Brown, Oliver Brown, Jona-
than Burke, Israel Chipman, Jonathan Clayton,
Willard Converse, Nathaniel Cummings, Cal-
vin Ewins, James P. Frazier, Solomon Gilson,
John Green, James Grimes, Israel Hall, James
Hanley, Joseph Hartwell, Paul Hazelton, John
Hooker, David Howard, Daniel Howe, Nathan
Johnson, William Knapp, Henry Lee, Horton
100 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
Lee, Benjamin Lyman, Eleazar Lyman, William
Martin, John Negus, James Nichols, Samuel
Nichols, Elijah Pike, Leonard Pike, Benjamin
Pierce, Ebenezer Piatt, Jonathan Pratt, Benja-
min Randall, Jethro Randall, George Ray,
Grindell Reynolds, Levi Robinson, Abraham
Rugg, Isaac Rugg, Jersham Sawin, Samuel
Sawin, Eli Scott, Abraham Shipman, Elihu
Smead, John Stearns, Alex Stoughton, Joseph
Temple, Thomas Turner, Phineas Underwood,
James Uron, Timothy Wakefield, John Wallis,
Abiathai Waldron, Samuel Wellman, William
Whalen, Jonathan Whitney, Jonathan Wilcox,
Asa Winchester, Samuel Wiswell, William
Wyman, John Young. Of these, there lived in
this town at some time during the revolution : —
Lieut. Lyman, Sergts. Moore and Pratt, Privates
Abishai Blodget, James P. Frazier, David How-
ard, Henry Lee, Horton Lee, William Martin,
Benjamin Lyman, Eleazar Lyman, Elijah Pike,
Leonard Pike, Jonathan Pratt, Abraham Rugg,
Isaac Rugg, John Wallis and Jonathan Wilcox.
There was probably one or more Lieutenants
from this town all the time of that war. Isaac
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 101
Lyman became first Lieutenant, Adjutant and
Quartermaster. This company also belonged to
Col. Fletcher's Regiment. In Capt. Josiah Boy-
den's company, Nathaniel Davis, Sergt. John
Gault, and Alexander Gault were Whitingham
names. In Joseph Tyler's company, Whiting-
ham soldiers, Abram Rugg, named before, Corp.
Thos. Haskell, Jonathan Pike, Jonathan Whit-
ney, Samuel Parker, Abner Moore; Parker was
a soldier in Massachusetts before coming to this
town. Thomas Hunt, Thomas Stearns, Sterling
Stearns were in Whitingham. The following
names claimed to belong to another town lived
here during some time of the revolution: —
Elijah Easton, Thomas Haskell, Samuel
Thompson and John Marks; the latter claimed
to be in Draper, now Wilmington, in 1775, but
served in a Massachusetts regiment and later in
several different companies and, in 1783, claimed
to have lived here several years. I think he was
a surveyor and "pettifogger."
These are all the names that have come under
my eye, but I believe every able bodied male
from IS to 60 years of age who was here during
102 WHITINGHAM, VERMONT
that time was a soldier and many of them were
officers.
Professor Goodrich, in Vermont Revolution-
ary Rolls, puts down a whole company from this
town in 1782, but gives the name of only Lieut.
Moor as commanding officer. I do not know if
they were Revolutionary soldiers.
It seems that after the Revolution there was
then thoughts of preparedness, for the town
voted, November 14, 1803, to raise the money
that is necessary to purchase the military stores
necessary to supply the town as the "Law Di-
rects."
Voted that the place to deposit said stock of
ammunition shall be in the upper loft of the
meeting house in a chest to be made at the ex-
pense of the town for that purpose.
While no monument or lettered stone marks
the earthly resting place of most of the early
dead, and no record remains to tell thereof, at
an early day many deaths occurred. April 13,
1801, it was voted that the selectmen shall pur-
chase a "Poll or Grave Cloth" for the use of the
town and that the same shall be kept in the
WHITINGHAM, VERMONT 103
Town Clerk's office. May 17, 1801, the town
voted to fence the several Burying Yards in said
town, viz: one in the center near Mr. Caleb
Murdock's, one in the northeast corner of said
town near Esq. Roberts and one in the southwest
corner near Wm. Fuller's, on condition that the
owners of said yards will sufficiently convey the
same to the town for the purpose of burying
grounds.
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