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ARNOLD'S  POINT 

"The  schooner,  Royal  Savage,  was  beached  at  Arnold's  Point  on  Valcour 
Island  and  abandoned  on  October  ii,  1776.  In  the  evening  she  was 
boarded  by  the  British  and  burned.  Her  hull  was  dragged  out  by  subse- 
quent stonns  and  may  be  seen  to  this  day  a  short  distance  from  the  shore 
through  the  ice  in  winter  or  when  the  water  is  calm  in  summer." 


THREE  CENTURIES 

IN 

CHAMPLAIN  VALLEY 


A  COLLECTION  OF 
HISTORICAL  FACTS 
AND  INCIDENTS 


Tercentenary  Edition 


Compiled  and    Edited  by 

Mrs.   GEORGE  FULLER  TUTTLE 

Regent  of  Saranac  Chapter 


Published  by 

SARANAC  CHAPTER,   D.   A.   R. 

PLATTSBURGH,  N.  Y. 

1909 


Copyright,  1909 
By  Mrs.  Geokge  Fuller  Tuttle 


PBESS    OF 
BRANDOW    rP.INTING    COllrANT 

Albany,   N.   Y. 


(g)C!.A26557o 


INl'RODUCTION 

"  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  "  has  been  sug- 
gested by  the  Tercentenary  celebration,  by  the  history  and 
literature  of  the  valley  and  by  frequent  inquiries  in  regard  to 
the  same.  In  response  to  such  inquiries  reference  can  be 
made  to  many  sources  of  information  but  these  are  often 
inaccessible  to  the  public  or  scattered  through  so  many  books 
as  to  make  an  examination  by  the  stranger  or  sojourner  im- 
possible. Even  among  our  own  people  there  is  far  too  little 
knowledge  in  regard  to  local  history,  and  each  year  sees  the 
obliteration  of  many  old  landmarks  and  loss  of  valuable 
records.  For  the  preservation  of  these  memorials  Saranac 
Chapter  is  endeavoring  to  place  them  in  a  permanent  form 
accessible  to  the  general  reader. 

Relying  upon  the  principle  that  no  section  is  so  remote 
from  the  general  government  or  so  insignificant  that  its  history 
is  not  dependent  to  a  great  extent  upon  the  laws  and  methods 
of  that  government,  this  book  has  been  constructed  upon  a 
framework  of  general,  well-authenticated  history,  filled  in 
and,  it  is  hoped,  illuminated  by  the  "  Home  aspect  of  history," 
Biography  and  Genealogy,  especially  as  it  pertains  to  the 
settlers  and  dwellers  in  this  valley.  Webster  said,  "  There  is 
a  moral  and  philosophical  respect  for  our  ancestors  which 
elevates  the  character  and  improves  the  heart."  Then,  shall 
we  not  consider  these  things? 

The  work,  in  year  book  form,  may  be  used  by  the  general 
reader  as  a  daily  reminder  of  historical  anniversaries;  this 
form  also  renders  typographical  errors  in  important  dates  less 
frequent.  The  tourist,  by  means  of  the  calendar  arrangement 
and  subject  index,  may  easily  inform  himself  in  regard  to  the 
history  of  any  particular  point.  The  student,  employing  the 
subject  index  carefully  with  reference  to  the  works  quoted, 
will  be  able  to  collect  information  in  regard  to  special  subjects. 
To  the  thoughtful  reader,  coincidence  of  date,  similarity  of 


4  Three  Centukies  in  CHAMPLAiisr  Valley 

name,  and  proximity  of  location  often  reveal  unsuspected 
historical  truths.  By  following  successive  dates,  expeditions 
and  journeys  may  be  traced  and  information  gained  from  a 
number  of  witnesses.  The  same  is  true  as  to  the  development 
of  certain  phases  of  social  economy. 

"  Three  Centuries  "  is  not  intended  to  supersede  or  take 
the  place  of  anything  hitherto  published.  It  is  hoped  rather 
that  it  will  be  regarded  as  an  appreciation  of  the  work  done 
by  those  who  have  either  wrought  or  fought  in  this  incom- 
parable valley.  Naturally  emphasis  has  been  placed  on  the 
Champlain  period  and  the  Revolutionary  and  Pioneer  history. 

Webster  also  said  "  Those  who  do  not  look  upon  them- 
selves as  a  link,  connecting  the  past  with  the  future,  do  not 
perform  their  duty  to  the  world."  To  perform  that  duty 
Saranac  Chapter  is  endeavoring  to  estabUsh  that  link  between 
the  brave  pioneers  who  settled  this  valley  and  its  present 
inhabitants. 

All  quotations  are  from  the  w^orks  of  natives  of  the  Cham- 
plain  valley  or  in  some  way  connected  with  it.  Extracts  have 
been  freely  made  from  the  Journal  of  Will  GilHland  found  in 
Watson's  Pioneer  History  of  Champlain  Valley,  the  original 
document  being  still  treasured  in  a  family  of  descendants;  a 
daughter  of  which,  was  during  her  lifetime,  a  useful  and 
beloved  member  of  our  Chapter.  To  the  student  of  colonial 
history  and  of  human  nature  to  follow  this  earliest  settler  of 
the  Champlain  valley,  Gilliland,  in  his  daily  life  and  observa- 
tions, cannot  be  wholly  without  interest.  His  notes  on  the 
weather  lead  us  to  believe  that  the  climate  has  not  greatly 
changed  in  the  lapse  of  a  century  and  a  half.  It  may  be 
interesting,  also,  to  hear  personally  from  different  officers  who 
accompanied  Burgoyne's  army  and  from  travellers  through 
oiu-  lake  in  the  long  ago. 

The  poems  of  the  precocious  Davidson  sisters,  whom  such 
authors  as  Washington  Irving,  the  poet  Southey  and  equally 
competent  judges  deHghted  to  honor,  should  not  be  forgotten 
— the  few  poems  that  remain  of  their  talented  brother  Levi  P. 
Davidson,  an  officer  in  the  regular  army, and  their  most  remark- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  5 

able  mother,  Mrs.  Margaret  Miller  Davidson,  are  worthy  of 
note.  Nor  have  those  more  recent  authors,  Buckham,  Peck, 
Robinson,  Stetson,  Saxe  and  others  been  omitted. 

Information  has  been  sought  from  widely  different  sources, 
from  standard  histories,  fiction,  newspaper  files,  pamphlets, 
scrapbooks,  carefully  compiled  by  the  one  interested  member 
usually  found  in  every  family;  from  family  records  both  pub- 
lished and  in  manuscript;  early  town  records,  and  whatnot. 
Among  the  historians  consulted,  Bancroft,  Colby,  Palmer,  Park- 
man,  Scribner,  Watson  and  Windsor,  may  be  mentioned ;  also, 
the  Documentary  History  of  New  York,  Thompson's  Vermont, 
Hemenway's  Vermont  Historical  Gazeteer,  County  and  Town 
Histories  and  biographical  sketches.  It  would  be  impossible 
to  mention  the  individuals  to  whom  the  compiler  is  indebted 
and  with  thanks  to  one  and  all  she  would  say  in  the  words  of 
BurUngton's  poet,  James  Buckham,  "  Good-night  to  the 
world,  and  may  God  bless  you  all." 


Quotations  from  "A  Wayside  Altar,"  The  Heritage  of  Life,"  etc.  by  James  Buckham  are 
made  through  the  courtesy  of  Jennings  and  Graham,  Publishers 


THREE  CENTURIES 

IN 

CHAMPLAIN  VALLEY 


JANUARY  1 

All  hail  to  the  new-bom  year! 
To  the  child  of  hope  and  fear! 
He  conies  on  his  car  of  state, 
And  weaves  our  web  of  fate, 
And  he  opens  his  robe  to  receive  us  all, 
And  we  live  or  die,  and  we  rise  or  fall. 
In  the  arms  of  the  new-bom  year. 

— Margaret  Miller  Davidson, 
Plattsburgh,  1823 — Saratoga,  1838. 

1755  — the  severe  cold  obliged  us  to  quit  the  road 

this  day  at  Eliza  point  and  come  home. 

Journal  of  Will.  Gilliland. 

Caddy,  near  Armagh,  Ireland,  abt.  1734— Willsboro,  1796. 

1767  Willsboro, — This  day  we  had  a  shooting  match 

at  John  Chism's.  I  won  2  matches,  Mr.  James 
Thompson  won  i ,  and  John  McEkea,  won  i  match. 

— Idem. 

1801  On  New  Year's  day  of  the  opening  year  of  the 

nineteenth  century,  at  the  Miller  homestead,  head 
of  Broad  street,  Dr.  John  Miller,  pioneer  physician, 
gave  the  hand  of  Eliza  Hunting,  his  eldest  daughter, 
to  Levi  Piatt  in  marriage. 


8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1806  Gen.    Benj.   Mooers,   his    home   being   then   on 

Cumberland  Head  near  the  mouth  of  Dead  Creek, 
gave  as  a  New  Year's  gift  to  his  negro  girl  "  Ann  " 
her  freedom. 

1809  Occurred   the    marriage    of    Smith    Mead,    who 

came  to  this  country  in  1807,  to  Hannah,  daughter 
of  John  Roberts  of  So.  Plattsburgh,  a  soldier  of 
the  Revolution,  who,  with  his  father,  John  Sr., 
and  his  brothers,  Peter,  Benjamin,  Christopher 
and  William,  with  his  brother-in-law,  Nathan  Beman, 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Hubbardton,  Ben- 
nington and  Saratoga;  was  also  at  the  taking  of  Ti. 

1814  To   "  Squire  "   John  G.   and  his  wife  Margaret 

O.  Savage  Freligh,  was  born  a  daughter,  Margaret 
Anne,  destined  to  become  the  wife  of  Hon.  Moss 
Kent  Piatt. 

1818  Theodorus   Bailey,    son   of   Judge   Wm.    Bailey 

of  Chateaugay  and  Plattsburgh,  entered  the  navy 
as  midshipman. 

1860  At   her   home,   present   site   of   County   Clerk's 

office,  died  Helen  Hascall,  daughter  of  Ralph  and 
Mary  Sterne  Hascall,  of  Essex,  and  wife  of  Judge 
Lemuel  Stetson.  The  Stetson  Memorial  Chapel  pre- 
sented to  Trinity  church  by  her  only  surviving  son, 
Francis  Lynde  Stetson  of  New  York,  perpetuates 
her  memory, 

1864  In   the   evening,    at   his   home  on  Cumberland 

avenue,  at  the  age  of  82,  died  William  Swetland,  by 
general  consent  "  the  greatest  lawyer  in  Northern 
New  York." 

Disabled  by  paralysis  for  many  years,  symp- 
toms of  congestion  of  the  lungs  appeared  on  New 
Year's  morning.  To  his  physician,  hastily  sum- 
moned, he  said  "  Doctor,  this  is  all  of  earth,  I  am 
content!  " 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  9^ 

1869  "  The    Burlington    Times,"    a    morning    daily, 

merged  in  "  The  Free  Press." 

1894  In   Albany,    died   Hon.    Wm.    Piatt    Mooers   of 

Plattsburgh,  oldest  and  only  siirviving  son  of  Dr. 
Benj.  J.  Mooers  and  grandson  of  both  John  Mooers, 
brother  of  Gen.  Benj.,  and  of  Elder  WiUiam  Pitt 
Piatt,  all  pioneers. 


JANUARY  2 

1766  — from  this   time  to   the   15th,   employed  the 

men  cutting  logs,  firewood,  etc. — Gilliland. 

\1()1  — very  cold  weather;  this  evening  Ireland  and 

David  (colored)  came  home  from  the  south  meadow, 
were  both  frost  bit. — Idem. 

1787  Second  of  January  the  snow  was  all  gone. 

— Charles  Piatt  to  his  brother  Zephaniah. 

1792  Charter  of  the  town  of  Johnson,  Vermont,  bear- 

ing name  of  grantee,  Samuel  William  Johnson,^ 
issued  by  Gov.  Chittenden. 

1840  Mrs.  Timothy  Balch  was  to  be  prayed  for  by 

all  the  other  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,   according  to  a   custom  then  prevailing. 

1846  On    College    Street,    Burlington,    was    burned 

Howard's,  afterwards  Gould's  Hotel,  where  General 
Lafayette  was  banqueted  June  29,  1825.  Elkanah 
Watson  of  Port  Kent  was  a  guest  at  the  time. 

1854  The   Rev.    David    Dobie,    pastor   of   the   First 

Presbyterian  Church,  dedicated  to  his  people  "  Dis- 
courses Doctrinal  and  Practical." 


lO  Three   Centuries  in   Champlain   Valley 


JANUARY  3 

Lo!  these  unrisen  days, 

What  shall  they  bring  to  thee,  to  me? 

— James  Buckham, 
Burlington,  1858 — Melrose,  Mass.,  1908. 

1749  Benning  Wentworth,  Governor  of  New  Hamp- 

shire, made  a  grant  of  a  township  six  miles  square 
which  he  called  Bennington. 

—  they  found  themselves  on  a  high  ridge,  slop- 
ing to  the  north,  with  the  matchless  reach  of  the 
Walloomsac  valley  on  every  side.  Eastward,  the 
long  dark  range  of  moimtains  blue  with  changing 
shadows ;  northward,  the  roUing  meadows,  —  west- 
ward, Mount  Anthony,  emerald  against  the  blue; 
and  southward,  the  town  founded  by  Benning  Went- 
worth, the  Bennington  of  Stark  and  Ethan  Allen. 
— Theodora  Peck  —  Hester  of  the  Grants, 
Burlington. 

1776  The    remains    of    Montgomery,    respected    and 

beloved  by  friend  and  foe,  were  biu-ied  near  the 
ramparts  of  Quebec,  there  to  remain  until  July, 
181 8,  when,  on  board  the  Phoenix,  with  flags  at 
half-mast  and  draped  with  the  emblems  of  mourning 
and  insignia  of  the  state,  they  were  borne  through 
the  lake  to  their  final  resting  place  in  St.  Paul's 
churchyard,  New  York  City. 

1908  Incorporation    of    CHnton    County    Society    for 

the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children  by  Hon. 
W.  J.  McCaffrey,  Mrs.  Wm.  Levy,  Mrs.  D.  K.  Gilbert, 
Mrs.  Geo.  S.  Weed,  B.  S.  Ramsey,  J.  H.  LaRocque. 
For  animals,  Misses  Smith,  McCaffrey  and  Farley, 
Messrs.  McCaffrey,  Elmore,  Kempner  and  Davis. 


Three   Centuries  in   Champlain   Valley  H 


JANUARY  4 

1767  4th  to  the  12th,  warm  good  weather,  built  part 

of  our  clay  chimney  in  the  new  kitchen. 

— GilUland. 


1796  At  a  town-meeting  held  in  Champlain  this  date, 

Nat.  Douglass,  Pliny  Moore  and  Zerah  Curtis  were 
chosen  the  first  school  trustees.  The  same  day  in 
Wallingford,  Vt.,  was  born  Sally  Clark,  whose  father, 
in  1803,  removed  with  his  family  to  Peru,  where 
she  became  the  wife  of  John  Loderick  Hackstaff. 

1812  At   Albany  by   the  Rev.   Mr.   Neill,   the  Rev. 

William  R.  Weeks  of  Plattsburgh  to  Miss  Hannah 
Randell,  daughter  of  Mr.  John  Randell,  of  the  town 
of  Colonic. 

1839  On  this  day,  Friday,  a  Church  Fast  had  been 

appointed  by  the  session  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Plattsburgh  and  it  had  been  resolved 
"  that  the  Elders  visit  the  Church  at  least  once  before 
taking  up  the  subject  we  have  just  been  considering 
(the  dismissal  of  the  Rev.  Benj.  Ball  Newton)  and 
especially  in  view  of  the  near  approach  of  our  Com- 
munion." 

1886  Death  of  Caroline  Standish  Weed,  daughter  of 

Col.  Matthew  Matthew  and  Phebe  Miller  Standish 
and  wife  of  Hon.  Smith  Mead  Weed. 


12 


Three   Centuries  in   Champlain   Valley 


SIR    GEORGE    PREVOST    1767-1816 

JANUARY  5 

1816  Death  of  Sir  George  Prevost,  son  of  Augustine 

Prevost  (a  British  general  of  the  Revolution),  defeated 
by  Macomb  at  Plattsburgh,  1814. 

1830  The  first  Baptist  Society  of  Burlington  formed. 

1846  John   Syng   Dorsey  Taylor,   a  graduate  of  the 

University  of  Vermont  in  1840  in  the  class  with 
Henry  J.  Raymond,  afterwards  editor  of  the  New 
York  Times;  Henry  Hale  of  Elizabethtown  and 
James  R.  Spaulding,  editor  of  the  Courier  and  En- 
quirer of  New  York,  was  appointed  principal  of 
Plattsburgh  Academy  and  retained  that  position 
nearly  all  the  time  until  i860.  An  apt  scholar  and 
efficient  teacher,  a  friend  as  well  as  an  instructor, 
a  noble  hearted,  pure-minded  man  he  left  the  impress 
of  his  own  character  on  all  who  came  under  his 
influence.     He  built  the  house,  now  owned  by  Mrs. 


Three   Centuries   in   Champlain   Valley  13 

Myron  G.  Baker  and  made  it  his  home.  Disappointed 
in  his  efforts  to  inaugurate  a  system  of  graded  schools 
here,  in  connection  with  his  brother  Joseph  W.,  who 
had  been  head  of  the  school  in  1857-8,  he  opened  a 
school  in  St.  Albans  which  they  conducted  success- 
fully many  years. 

1838  The    men    interested    in    the    formation    of   an 

Episcopal  church  at  Rouse's  Point,  met  in  the  stone 
school  house  built  in  1824  and  organized  "  Christ's 
Church." 

1882  Elijah  Root,   for  half  a  century  chief  engineer 

of  the  Champlain  Transportation  Co.,  on  account  of 
failing  health  resigned  that  position. 


JANUARY  6 

1729  Governor  Thomas  Chittenden  was  born  in  Guil- 

ford, Conn.  Early  in  the  spring  of  1774,  having 
purchased  a  tract  of  land  on  the  Winooski,  or  Onion 
river,  in  the  township  of  Williston,  he  removed  his 
family  to  the  New  Hampshire  Grants  as  Vermont 
was  then  called.  But  in  June,  1776,  on  the  approach 
of  the  British  army  he  was  obliged  to  remove  them 
to  Arlington  for  safety.  For  him  Chittenden  County, 
Vt.,  was  named. 

1800  George  Marsh,  who,  in  1791,  with  his  wife,  Polly 

Buel,  his  brother  Charles  and  his  sister  Catherine, 
all  from  Litchfield,  Conn,,  settled  in  Plattsburgh, 
.  became  second  Major  in  Lieut.  Col.  Commandant 
Benj.  Mooer's  regiment.  The  same  day,  his  brother 
Charles  Marsh  was  second  Lieut,  of  a  troop  of  horse 
in  Brig.  Gen.  Melancton  L,  Woolsey's  brigade  of 
light  infantry. 


14  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1808  The  executors  of  Zephaniah  Piatt  manumitted 

Cato.  William  Bailey,  also,  on  that  day  manumitted 
his  man  Pete.  In  Londonderry,  Ireland  was  born 
Margaret,  daughter  of  James  Sanders,  who,  in  1833 
became  the  wife  of  Josiah  Corbin  of  Champlain,  N.  Y. 

1845  Ethan  Voltaire  Allen,   son  of  Gen.   Ethan  and 

Fanny    Buchanan   Allen,    died   in    Norfolk   county, 

Virginia. 


JANUARY   7 

TOBOGGANING 
With  tip  curled  like  a  withered  leaf 

Down  sliding  when  the  days  are  chill, 
My  light  toboggan  skims  the  snow, 
That  crusts  the  forest -bordered  hill. 

— James  Buckham. 

1746  On  the  receipt  of  various  information  by  Indians 

coming  from  New  England,  that  the  English  propose 
attacking  Fort  St.  Frederic,  the  General  has  just 
ordered  the  fitting  out  at  Montreal  of  a  new  detach- 
ment, consisting  of  150  men,  both  French  and  Indians, 
under  the  command  of  M  de  St.  Luc  la  Come,  to  join 
Mr.  de  St.  Pierre's  party,  and  to  protect  Fort  St. 
Frederic. 

— Paris  Documents  New  York   Colonial 
Manuscripts. 

1814  In  Philadelphia  in  poverty  died  Gen.  Ira  Allen, 

a  brother  of  Ethan  Allen  and  Vermont's  founder  and 
great  diplomat  during  the  trying  years  of  the  Revo- 
lution. His  remains  were  deposited  in  public  grounds 
and  his  grave  remains  unmarked. 

The  wrongs  and  misfortunes  of  Ira  Allen,  on  the 
eastern  side  of  the  lake,  and  of  William  Gilliland,  on 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  15 

the  shore  directly  opposite,  are  the  direst  I  ever  read 
of  inflicted  on  deserving  man,  under  form  of  law,  in 
a  civilized  coromunity. 

— W.  H.  H.  Murray. 

Guilford,  Conn.,  1840 — Guilford,  1904. 


JANUARY  8 

Sometimes  in  January,  oftener  toward  the  close 
of  February,  there  comes  to  our  winter-bound 
Northern  States  a  day  or  two,  perhaps  a  week,  of 
balmy,  springlike  w^eather,  that  uncovers  the  brown 
earth  and  sets  the  streams  a-brawling,  and  makes 
one  think  that  verily  old  winter's  fetters  have  been 
broken. — James  Buckham. 

1771  Memorial   of  William  Gilliland   for   a  grant  of 

7,350  acres  of  land,  near  Lake  Champlain,  together 
with  part  of  a  creek  on  which  he  has  erected  some 
mills. —  Land  Papers,  Vol.  40,  page  j6. 

1812  The  Rev.  Willard  Preston  settled  as  pastor  of 

the  Congregational  church  at  St.  Albans,  Vt.,  where 
he  remained  until  September  181 5  when  his  health 
compelled  him  to  seek  a  milder  climate  to  the  sor- 
row of  his  people  who  twice  afterwards  solicited 
his  return. 

1814  A    detachment    of    infantry    from    Chateaugay 

Four  Corners  ordered  to  Plattsburgh  by  Gen.  Wil- 
kinson, reached  there  after  a  forced  march  of  forty 
miles  that  day. 

— Peter  Sailly  Palmer. 

Hampton,  Washington,  Co.,  1814 — Plattsburgh,  1890. 


l6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


JANUARY  9 

1666  M.  de  Courcelles  started  from  Quebec  with  300 

men  from  the  regiment  of  Carignan-Saheres  and  200 
volunteers,  habitants,  using  sledges  drawn  by  mastiff 
dogs,  for  Fort  St.  Theresa,  nine  miles  above  the 
present  village  of  Chambly,  The  weather  was  so 
severe  that  the  soldiers  nearly  perished  from  cold. 

1768  Samuel    Deall,    a    wealthy    merchant    of    New 

York  City  wrote  to  Mrs.  Ruth  Stoughton,  the  widow 
of  his  partner  in  trade,  Lt.  John  Stoughton,  who 
had  been  drowned  in  Lake  George,  "  at  the  Carrying 
Place,   at  Ticonderoga  Landing." — 

"I  hope  you  do  not  think  of  leaving  the  Landing 
or  Neglect  your  improvements  as  I  intend  if  please 
God  to  be  up  next  Spring  to  begin  building  a  Saw 
Mill  and  other  improvements  which  will  be  to  the 
advantage  of  both  yours  and  my  Lands,  I  have 
the  Land  from  the  Fort  to  the  Mountain." 

1807  Samuel   Flint   Vilas,    the   future   millionaire   of 

Plattsburgh,  born  in  Sterling,  Vt. 

1817  Was  dedicated  the  Church  built  in  181 6  at  the 

cost  of  $23,000  for  the  "  First  Congregational  Society" 
(Unitarian)  of  Burlington.  It  was  furnished  with 
a  bell,  clock  and  organ.  The  dedicatory  hymn  was 
written  by  Deacon  Jacob  Williams;  the  prayer  was 
offered  by  John  Foster,  D.  D. ;  while  the  sermon  from 
the  text  "  Holiness  becometh  thy  house  O  Lord 
forever,"  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  John  Pierce, 
afterwards  of  Brookline,  Mass. 

1908  At    his    home   in    Melrose,    Mass.,    died   James 

Buckham,  one  of  the  sweetest  poets  of  the  Cham- 
plain  Valley.     Of  "  The  Meaning  of  Death  "  he  said, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlaix  Valley  17 

"  Blessed  is  the  soul  that  interprets  the  death 
of  loved  ones,  not  as  a  taking  away,  but  as  a  taking 
up,  a  setting  forward,  a  transfiguration,  an  exalta- 
tion! They  have  simply  gone  to  be  with  God  and 
Christ  our  Redeemer  in  the  beautiful  city  whither 
we  are  all  bound,  and  whither  the  longest  life  will 
bring  us  sooner  than  we  realize." 


JANUARY  10 

1633  — the  cold  was  very  severe.     I  see  daylight  a 

great  part  of  the  winter  only  through  ice.  The 
crusts  of  ice  gather  upon  the  windows  of  my  cell,  or 
little  room,  and  fall  like  a  lozenge,  or  a  piece  of  glass, 
when  the  cold  relaxes.  It  is  through  this  crystal 
that  the  sun  sends  us  his  light. 

— Paul  Le  Jeune  among  the  Montagnais. 

1791  In  Highgate,  Vt.,  of  cancer  in  the  breast  died 
Catherine  Weaver,  beloved  wife  of  John  Sax  (Sachs). 
She  was  47  years  old  and  left  eight  young  sons  and 
a  four-year-old  daughter,  all  of  whom  bore  well 
their  part  in  the  settlement  and  development  of 
the  valley.  The  sixth  son,  Peter,  remained  on  the 
homestead  and  became  the  father  of  John  Godfrey 
Saxe  (Sax),  the  poet.  At  Bennington,  the  same  day, 
the  convention  called  for  that  purpose,  adopted  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States. 

1792  The  survey  of  the  tract  known  as  Macomb's 
Purchase,  being  completed  and  security  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  southern  half  deposited,  letters  patent 
were  issued  to  Alexander  Macomb.  The  same  year 
' '  Macomb  became  involved  with  others  in  an  attempt 
to  establish  a  bank  in  opposition  to  the  Bank  of  New 
York,  and  was  compelled  to  assign  his  interest  in 
the  above  lands  to  his  creditors." 


l8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1814  Other    detachments    of    troops    having    arrived 

Wilkinson  repaired  to  Plattsburgh  in  person  while 
the  camp  at  French  Mills  was  broken  up  and  all 
magazines  and  provisions  forwarded  to  Lake  Cham- 
plain. 


JANUARY  11 

1769  The  English  government  issued  a  mandamus  for 

30,000  acres  of  land,  lying  on  the  west  side  of  Lake 
Champlain,  to  be  surveyed  to  Count  Charles  de 
Fredenburgh,  a  German  nobleman  who  had  been 
a  captain  in  the  British  army. 

Thy  verdant  banks,  thy  lucid  stream, 
Lit  by  the  sun's  resplendent  beam, 
Reflect  each  bending  tree  so  light 
Upon  thy  bounding  bosom  bright. 

— Margaret  Miller  Davidson. 

1812  Married :     By  the  Rev.  Mr.  Halsey,  Samuel  Buell, 

Esq.,  Collector  for  the  District  of  Vermont  to  Mrs. 
Julia  Piatt,  daughter  of  Peter  Sailly,  Esq. 

1867  The  Rev.  Benj.  Ball  Newton,  from  1836-1839, 

pastor  of  the  Plattsburgh  Presbyterian  Church,  took 
deacon's  orders  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
in  Brooklyn. 

1887  A  second  explosion  occurred  at  the  factory  above 

Maine  Mill  of  the  Clinton  Powder  Co.,  organized 
Dec,  1884,     Works  removed  soon  afterwards. 

1894  Pleasure  seekers  skated  across  the  bay  to  Cum- 

berland Head  and  the  next  day  the  ice  in  the  entire 
bay  was  broken  by  wind. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  19 

JANUARY  12 

Old  Winter. 
And  a  mighty  strong  way  he  has  withal, 
And  he  drives  a  smart  business  too, 

For  he'll  bridge  the  old  lake  from  St.  Johns  to  Whitehall, 
Without  charter  from  Gentile  or  Jew. 

— -John  Chatterton  of  Beekmantown,  a  student. 

Plattsburgh  Academy  (i 846-1 850). 

1762  Birth  of  Benjamin  Harwood,  son  of  Peter  Har- 

wood,  the  first  male  child  born  in  Bennington.  In 
1848  his  picture  was  taken  in  a  group  with  David 
Robinson  (a  brother  of  Gov.  Moses  Robinson), 
Abisha  Kingsley,  Aaron  Robinson,  Samuel  Fay,  and 
Samuel  Safford  (the  first  man  to  scale  the  Tory  breast, 
works)  all  six  the  last  survivors  of  the  battle  of 
Bennington. 

1865  The  Rev.  Henry  E.  Butler,  a  graduate  of  Prince- 

ton Theological  Seminary,  was  ordained  by  the 
Champlain  Presbytery,  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Herrick  of 
Malone  preaching  the  sermon.  The  young  man 
ministered  to  the  Keeseville  Presbyterian  Church, 
receiving  a  formal  call  the  following  September. 

1887  At  the  age  of  nearly  92,  Benjamin  Calkin,  Eliza- 

bethtown's  last  survivor  of  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh, 
died  and  was  buried  in  the  Calkin  cemetery,  Pleasant 
Valley  (Elizabethtown). 

JANUARY  13 

1767  13th  and  14th,  soft  weather,  with  a  good  deal 

of  rain,  the  river  (Boquet)  open  to  foot  of  the  rapids. 
Killed  the  calf  of  the  swelled  headed  cow.  Being 
about  6  weeks  old,  it  weighed  88  lbs.  of  good  veal, 
which  at  6d  per  lb.  with  the  tallow  of  fall  and  skin 
came  to  £t,. — Gilliland. 


20  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1788  In  Barnard,  Vt.  was  born  Asa  Aikens,  son  of 

Solomon  and  Betsey  (Smith)  Aikens.  A  cadet  at 
West  Point;  graduate  of  Middlebury  College,  class 
of  1808;  practicing  lawyer  in  Windsor  until  his 
removal  to  Westport;  captain  of  the  31st  regiment, 
U.  S.  A.  war  of  181 2;  member  of  Vermont  Legisla- 
ture, Judge  of  Supreme  Court,  President  of  Council 
of  Censors,  editor  of  Supreme  Court  Reports  and 
editor  of  two  law  books,  "  Practical  Forms  "  and 
"  Tables,"  the  latter  published  in  1846  after  his 
settlement  in  Westport,  Judge  Aikens  led  a  busy 
professional  Hfe.  While  on  a  visit  to  Hackensack, 
N.  J.,  he  died  in  1863. 

1802  Anne  Treadwell  became  the  bride  of  Isaac  C. 

Piatt   whose  sister,  Margaret   Piatt,  had   for  several 


MARGARET    PLATT   TREADWELL 


NATHANIEL  H.  TREADWELL 


years  been  the  wife  of  her  brother  Nathaniel  Hazard 
Treadwell.  Their  father  Judge  Thomas  Treadwell 
with  his  family  and  about  forty  slaves  had  come  in 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  21 

1793  from  Smithtown,  L.  I.,  to  the  site  on  Bay  St. 
Armand,  as  known  to  the  French,  which  had  been 
selected  by  Nathaniel,  then  a  young  surveyor,  the 
year  before.  But  Nathaniel  and  his  wife  pushed  on 
to  Canada  and  settled  in  the  Seigniory  L'Orignal,  a 
township  of  some  fifty-four  square  miles  which  he 
opened  to  settlers  in  1794. 


JANUARY  14 

1814  The  "  Centinel  "  published  in  Burlington,  became 

the  "  Northern  Sentinel  "  and  so  continued  until 
1830  when  it  became  the  "  Burhngton  Sentinel  " 
and  so  remained  until  its  removal  to  Providence, 
R.  I.,  in  1872.  From  185 1  to  1855  while  under  the 
control  of  John  G.  Saxe,  the  poet,  a  daily  edition 
w^as  issued. 

1824  Lucretia    Matilda    Moore,    daughter    of    Judge 

Pliny  and  Martha  Corbin  Moore,  became  the  wife  of 
the  Rev,  Abraham  D.  Brinkerhoff. 

1829  Zephaniah  C.  Piatt,  son  of  Isaac  C.  Piatt  and 

Ann  Elizabeth  Miller,  daughter  of  Col.  Thos.  and 
Elizabeth  (Conklin)  Miller,  were  made  man  and  wife. 

All  wonders  else  in  earth  explain, 
^  ^  But  set  no  laws  to  love's  rare  pain. 

— Buckham. 

1887  The  Strong  building  in  Burlington,  occupied  by 

the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  destroyed  by  fire. 


JANUARY  15 

1766  Will.  Gilliland  sent  hands  to  complete  the  road 

to   Eliza   meadow  which  was   effected  in  two  days. 
Snow  2  feet  deep. 


2,2  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1778  William    Gilliland    in    a    letter    written    from 

Albany  Fort  and  addressed  to  the  committee  of 
safety  of  Albany  complains  bitterly  of  his  treat- 
ment at  the  hands  of  Gen.  Gates,  reciting  how  his 
remaining  slaves  were  encouraged  to  desert  his 
service  and  harbored  at  the  general's  own  house; 
his  feather  bed  carried  off  and  his  cellar  robbed  of 
upwards  of  four  hundred  pounds  value  of  liquor, 
sugar,  etc.,  and  when  this  was  made  known  to  Gen. 
Gates  no  attention  was  paid  to  the  matter  but  Gilli- 
land was  arrested  and  imprisoned  under  false  charges 
of  disloyalty  to  the  American  cause. 

1811  Clinton    County    Medical    Society    met    at    the 

house  of  Edward  Hunter  (now  25  Broad  street), 
inn  holder  in  Plattsburgh  when  it  was  decided  to  send 
a  delegate  to  the  State  Society  and  five  members 
were  fined  $1   each  for  non-attendance. 

1817  The  old  homestead  at  Basin  Harbor  was  burned 

and  with  its  burning  came  memories  of  its  builder, 
Piatt  Rogers,  the  famous  road-maker  and  one  of 
the  patriarchs  of  Plattsburgh;  of  his  Dutch  bride, 
Eyda  Wiltse  of  Dutchess  county,  who  came  here  in 
1789;  of  the  day,  ten  years  later  when  the  remains 
of  her  husband  were  brought  home  from  Plattsburgh 
to  be  laid  in  the  family  plot;  of  their  daughter,  Ida 
and  her  husband,  John  Winans,  builder  in  1808  of 
the  first  steamboat  on  the  lake  and  second  in  the 
world;  memories  of  the  birth  of  the  first  grand-child, 
Piatt  Rogers  Halstead;  of  frequent  visits  and  enter- 
tainment of  Macdonough,  and  his  officers  and  men, 
among  them  Joseph  Barron ;  and  lastly,  that  last  visit 
of  William  Gilliland  and  its  fatal  termination. 

1872  The  long  earthly  life  of  "  Uncle  "  Isaac  C.  Piatt, 

son  of  the  first  settler  Judge  Charles  Piatt,  came  to 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  23 

a  close  in  his  home  built  on  land  which  had  fallen 
to  his  father's  share  in  the  original  division  of  lots. 
This  old  home,  in  181 4,  the  military  hospital  of  the 
enemy  was,  in  times  of  peace,  always  a  place  of  good 
cheer.  When  his  father,  early  in  the  century  gave 
up  the  position  of  County  Judge,  Isaac,  on  account 
of  his  deafness,  declined  the  office  but  he  served  as 
Sheriff  of  the  County  in  1804,  1809  and  181 1,  Honor- 
able and  just,  the  never  failing  friend  of  the  poor 
and  destitute  was  he. 


JANUARY  16 

1714  Capt.  John  Stoddard,  son  of  the  Rev.  Solomon 

Stoddard,  second  minister  of  Northampton,  and  the 
Rev.  Mr.  WiUiams,  father  of  Eunice,  who  had  been 
taken  captive  by  the  Indians,  in  their  descent  upon 
Deerfield,  arrived  at  Quebec.  They  had  made  the 
journey  from  Massachusetts  on  horseback  by  way  of 
Westfield  and  Kinderhook,  and  on  snowshoes  and  in 
canoes  by  way  of  Saratoga  and  Crown  Point. 

1745  In  Cornwall,  Ct.,  was  born  Levi  Allen,  brother 

of  Ethan,  "  by  his  own  acknowledgment  a  very 
obstinate  and  wayward  boy,"  the  only  tory  in  the 
family  for  which  his  large  landed  estate  in  Vermont, 
on  complaint  of  his  brothers  Ethan  and  Ira,  was 
confiscated  and  sold.  He  Hved  afterwards  in  Canada 
and  England  but  finally  returned  to  Burlington 
where  he  died  in  1801,  though  he  called  himself  a 
citizen  of  the  world. 

1798  Jay  was  formed  from  Willsborough. 

1812  In  the  east  room  of  the  Delord  house  by  the 

Rev.  Frederick  Halsey,  Maria  Ketchum  Averill, 
eldest  daughter  of  Nathan.  Jr.,  and  his  wife  Polly 


24  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Ketchum  Averill  and  a  niece  of  Madam  Delord,  and 
Reuben  Hyde  Walworth,  a  young  and  promising 
lawyer  (afterwards,  the  last  Chancellor  of  the  State) 
were  made  man  and  wife. 

1817  Clinton  County  Medical  Society  met  at  Holt's, 

innkeeper,  in  the  town  of  Plattsburgh.  Dr.  Jas. 
Wood  joined  the  society  and  was  elected  President, 
B.  J.  Mooers,  Vice-President;  Oliver  Davidson, 
Secretary.  At  this  meeting  the  first  action  was 
taken  in  regard  to  irregular  practice. 

1876  "  The   Glory   of   Children   are   Their   Fathers  " 

Prov.  xvii:6.  Text  displayed  on  the  occasion  of  the 
Semi-Centennial  of  the  Sabbath  School  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  Plattsburgh. 

1900  Died  in  Troy,  N.  Y.,  Brig.  Gen.  Alonzo  Alden 

whose  distinguished  services  in  the  Civil  War  are  a 
part  of  the  history  of  his  country. 

"  A  man  of  inflexible  integrity;  high  aspirations, 
strong  mind,  and  the  soul  of  honor." 

— Tribute  of  Joseph  Cook. 

JANUARY  17 

1714  Stoddard    and    his  party    presented   their  cre- 

dentials to  DeVaudreuil,  the  governor,  hoping  to 
effect  the  release  of  the  prisoners,  among  them 
Eunice ;  but  their  hopes  were  only  partially  realized. 

1766  —  Sent  hands  to  finish  the  road  to  Eliza  point 

which  was  completed  by  the  24th  Jan.,  which  made 
it  clear  from  the  Mills  to  Eliza  meadow. 

— Gilliland. 

1809  At  Wadham's  Mills  was  born  EHzabeth  Whitney 

Fairchild,  daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Safford 
Whitney  and  wife  of  Benj.  Smith  Fairchild. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  25 

^^  ATTENTION  ^^^ 

1812  The  Officers  belonging  to  Major  Thomas  M'ller's 

Regiment,  will  Rendezvous  at  the  Union  Coffee- 
House,  in  the  Village  of  Plattsburgh,  on  the  seven- 
teenth day  of  January  next,  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon. 

By  order  Major  Thos.  Miller, 

Commandant, 
Isaac  C.  Piatt,  Adjutant. 
Plattsburgh  Republican,  Dec.  27,  181 1. 

1815  Clinton  County  Medical  Society,  met  at  Gold- 

smith's, innholder  in  Plattsburgh.  Dr.  Nathan  Car- 
ver and  Francis  Parker  admitted  members.  Nathan 
Carver  was  elected  President;  Benjamin  Mooers, 
Vice-President;  and  B.  J.   Mooers,  Secretary. 

1826  The  Medical  Society  met  at  McCreedy's.     The 

president.  Dr.  O.  Davidson,  read  a  dissertation  on 
phthisis  pulmonalis.  Drs.  Kane  and  D.  C.  Stone 
were  admitted  to  membership.  Drs.  Miller,  Carver, 
and  Davidson  w^ere  chosen  a  committee  to  draft  a 
petition  to  be  presented  to  the  Legislature  in  regard 
to  the  law  proposed  by  the  State  Medical  Society 
for  the  suppression  of  quackery. 

1875  Died  in  Brooklyn,   N.   Y.,   the  Rev.   Benjamin 

Ball  Newi;on  assistant  rector  of  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity.  "  A  man  of  many  gifts,  bright  and 
versatile  in  all." 

JANUARY  18 

1783  The  first  deed  recorded  in  Grand  Isle  is  one  from 

William  Williams  to  Capt.  Jedidiah  Hyde  of  Nor- 
wich, Conn.,  of  a  lot  of  land.  The  first  surveys  were 
made  in  that  year  and  the  first  settlers  w^ere  Col. 
Ebenezer  Allen,  Lambertin  Allen  and  Alexander 
Gordon  about  the  same  time. 


26  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1823  Post-office  established  in  the  old  Thurber  store 

at  Rouse's  Point  with  Calvin  K.  Averill  as  post- 
master. 

1825  Clinton  Co.  Medical  Society  met  at  J.  McCreedy's, 

The  president,  Dr.  J.  B.  Mooers,  read  a  dissertation 
on  scrofula;  Drs.  Patchen,  and  Forsyth  joined  the 
society  and  Dr.  R.  P.  Allen  presented  a  bill  for  $26.11 
for  expenses  while  attending  the  State  Medical 
Society. 

1849  Dedication  of  the  new  brick  edifice  of  the  Congre- 

gational Presbyterian  Church  in  Champlain,  the 
sermon  being  preached  by  the  Rev.  John  Mattocks 
of  Keeseville  and  the  dedicatory  prayer  offered  by 
the  Rev.  David  Dobie  of  Plattsburgh. 

JANUARY  19 

1795  In  Shoreham,  Vt.,  was  born  William  Treadway, 

son  of  the  Revolutionary  soldier  Jonathan  Treadway, 
whose  father  William  journeyed  from  Salem,  Conn, 
to  Shoreham,  at  the  age  of  loi  seated  in  a  rocking 
chair  in  a  double  wagon  to  attend  the  christening 
of  his  grandson  and  namesake  William.  The  aged 
man  died  the  next  day  and  was  buried  in  the  old 
Ben  Bissell  place  in  Shoreham.  The  grandson  set- 
tled in  Chazy  and  built  and  operated  the  woolen 
mills  still  standing  at  Suckertown  in  Chazy. 

1809  The  annual  meeting  of  the  Clinton  County  Medi- 

cal Society  was  at  the  house  of  Israel  Green.  Dr. 
Waterhouse  of  Malone  read  a  surgical  dissertation; 
Dr.  Reuben  Jones  was  admitted  a  member;  thanks 
and  $18.80  for  expenses  were  voted  to  Dr.  Horatio 
Powell  of  Malone  for  attendance  at  the  meeting  of 
the  State  society;  and  Drs.  Man,  Waterhouse,  Taylor 
and  Thorndike  were  permitted  to  withdraw  from  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


27 


1813 


1820 


society,  probably  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  similar 
one  in  Franklin  county. 

"  It  takes  a  gentleman  to  keep  a  country  inn 
and  Friend  Green  is  the  very  man  for  it." 

The  Medical  Society's  annual  meeting  was  held 
with  Dr.  Benj.  Moore,  Pres. ;  S.  Goodrich,  Vice-Pres. ; 
Dr.  Benj.  J.  Mooers,  Sec. 

The  Medical  Society  met  at  the  house  formerly 
occupied    by    Simon    Newcomb,    innholder.     After 


DR.   SAMUEL  BEAUMONT 


organizing  Drs.  Samuel  Beaumont,  Baruck  Beck- 
with,  and  Harmon  Howe,  presented  their  credentials 
and  were  admitted  to  membership. 

1821  The  Society  met  at  the  house  of  John  L,  Fouquet 

and  paid  $1  for  use  of  room.  The  expenses  of  Dr. 
B.  J.  Mooers,  delegate  to  State  Society,  amounting 
to  $20.25  were  ordered  paid  and  Dr.  Luther  Ransom, 
on  account  of  age  and  infirmity  permitted  to  with- 
draw from  the  Society. 


28  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1832  In  Plattsburgh  to  Winslow  C.  and  Susan  Skin- 

ner Watson  was  born  a  son,  Winslow  C.  Watson,  Jr. 
The  lad  received  his  academic  training  at  Keeseville 
Academy,  graduated  from  the  U.  V.  M.  in  1850, 
took  the  Master's  degree  and  delivered  the  oration 
in  1857.  He  then  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Hon. 
George  A.  Saunders  at  Keeseville  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  1861. 

1884  New  County  Building  ordered  by  Supervisors, 
for  Clinton  County  Clerk,  Surrogate  and  Supervisors 
offices. 

1885  Miss  Sarah  C.  Hagar  appointed  librarian  of 
Fletcher  Free  Library,  Burlington,  which  position 
she  retained  until  her  death  in  1908. 


JANUARY  20 

1746  The  detachment  under  Mr  St.  Luc  la  Corne  for 

the  protection  of  Fort  St.  Frederic  left  Montreal 
between  the  20th  and  25th. — Colonial  History. 

1767  — 15th,   to   20th,   very  good  working  weather 

and  good  sleighing,  the  snow  about  6  inches  deep, 
can  bring  a  load  of  hay  every  day  from  Eliza  meadow, 
with  4  oxen  in  the  team,  this  day  broke  our  sleigh  in 
attempting  to  haul  logs  with  it  and  set  about  making 
a  flat  log  sleigh  of  the  Canadian  form. 

— Gilliland. 

Whoso  toils  truly,  surely  shall  he  reap. 

— Buckham, 

1776  Nathan   Spalding   of    Penton   enlisted   and  left 

home.  The  following  May  he  died  of  smallpox  at 
Quebec  while  being  carried  in  a  cart  with  the  retreat- 
ing army. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  29 

1865  Died  at  his  home  known  as  the  General  Mooers' 

house,  Col.  Amasa  Corbin  Moore,  son  of  Judge  Pliny- 
Moore  of  Champlain.  Jan.  18,  1826  he  had  married 
Charlotte  Elizabeth  Mooers,  daughter  of  Gen.  Mooers. 
They  had  ten  children.  He  was  a  lawyer  in  Platts- 
burgh  and  in  1843,  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebration 
of  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh,  Col. 
Moore  delivered  the  patriotic  address  to  the  large 
audience  assembled  in  the  park  in  front  of  the  court 
house, 

JANUARY  21 

1666  Courcelles'  party  started  up  the  lake.     Arriving 

at  Bulwagga  Bay  (opposite  Addison)  they  took  the 
route  across  to  the  headwaters  of  the  Hudson.  The 
expedition  proved  very  disastrous  and  on  the  way 
back  they  stopped  two  days  at  Chimney  Point  wait- 
ing for  stragglers  to  come  up. 

1739  Ethan  Allen,  the  oldest  of  the  six  brothers,  was 

bom  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  (Town  Records  Jan.  10 
O.  S) ;  came  to  the  Grants  about  1769  but  his  family 
did  not  come  until  1778  just  before  his  return  from 
captivity  in  England.  About  July,  1787  he  removed 
to  Burlington  but  lived  at  Mr.  Collins'  at  the  Bay 
until  after  the  birth  of  his  son  Hannibal,  Nov.  24, 
1787. 

1767  — clear  weather,  very  cold. — Gilliland. 

1826  At  a  covenant  meeting  held  at  Rouse's  Point 

"  Deacon  'Squire  Ferris  made  a  confession  to  the 
church  for  having  attended  and  taken  part  in  a 
shooting  match,  which  is  by  the  church  considered 
gambling;  after  his  confession  he  was  received  by 
the  church." 

1882  At  his  home  (No.  10  Broad  street)  died  Elder 

Lewis  W.  Pierce,  ordained  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 


30 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Church   in    1855;    special    customs   inspector   under 
Oliver  D.  Peabody  1 851-185 3. 


JANUARY  22 

1758  Birth  in  Plymouth,  Mass.  of  Elkanah  Watson, 

the  future  originator  of  County  Fairs  and  Agricul- 


ELKANAH    WATSON 


tural  Societies;  one  of  the  projectors  of  the  New 
York  State  canal  system;  projector  of  the  contem- 
plated St.  Lawrence  and  Lake  Champlain  railroad 
and  similar  enterprises.  In  1909,  a  great-grandson, 
bearing  the  Watson  name,  is  engaged  as  civil  engineer 
in  the  construction  of  the  Champlain  canal. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  3I 

1 767  —  but  not  so  cold  (as  yesterday) ,  this  day  the 

lake  froze  half  across,  on  the  east  side  it  appears  open. 

—Gilliland. 

1787  Martha    Corbin,    daughter   of    Capt.    John   and 

Abigail  (Cabot)  Corbin  of  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  became 
the  wife  of  Pliny  Moore,  of  Bennington,  Vt.,  son  of 
Noadiah  and  Anna  (Loomis)  Moore.  Their  first 
child,  Noadiah,  named  for  his  paternal  grandfather, 
was  born  at  Kinderhook,  but  was  not  baptised  until 
1802  when  a  missionary  of  the  Cong'l  Pres.  denomina- 
tion, named  Miller,  visited  Champlain  and  admin- 
istered the  rite  of  baptism. 

1814  The  death  of  Letitia  Piatt,  daughter  of  Judge 

Charles  Piatt  and  first  wife  of  the  Rev.  Frederick 
Halsey,  occurred. 

1818  At    her    home    Cumberland    Head,     Elizabeth 

Addams,  daughter  of  Major  John  Addams  and 
second  wife  of  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers,  died.  She  was 
one  of  the  original  members  of  the  pioneer  Church 
of  Northern  New  York. 

1864  I  have  answer  that  the  execution  of  Henry  C. 

Fuller  is  suspended. 

— A.  Lincoln  to  Congressman  Orlando  Kellogg 
of  Elizabethtown. 

1879  "  Mary  Fletcher  Hospital  "  of  Burlington,  the 

gift  of  Miss  Mary  M.  Fletcher  who  endowed  it  with 
a  fund  of  nearly  $330,000,  dedicated. 


JANUARY  23 
1767         — cold  weather. — Gilliland. 

1840  At   Quebec  died  William   Saxe,   second  son  of 

John,  the  pioneer  of  Highgate,  Vt. 


32  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1844  Acceptance  of  the  call  to  the  First  Presbyterian 

Church,  by  the  Rev.  David  Dobie  of  Huntingdon, 
Lower  Canada,  "a  young  Scotchman,  in  his  thirty- 
third  year,  who  appeared  to  be  the  right  man  to 
bring  the  people  out  of  the  unfortunate  troubles, 
which  had  come  upon  them, — the  diligent  and 
delightful  Dobie." 

JANUARY  24 

1666  Sieurs    de    la    Forrille,    Maximin    and    Lobiac, 

Captains  of  the  Carignan  regiment,  joined  the  army 
with  sixty  men  and  some  habitants  but  their  ranks 
were  so  depleted  before  they  reached  St.  Theresa 
that  four  companies  had  to  be  taken  from  the  forts 
on  the  Richelieu  to  supply  the  vacancies. 

And  many  loyal  hearts  and  true, 
Who  sailed  across  the  ocean  blue, 
Who    came  its  mysteries  to  explore, 
Sleep  now  along  its  rocky  shore : 
Unmarked  their  graves — unknown  the  spot 
Yet  not  by  kindly  Heaven  forgot. 

Marion  Stetson  Palmer. 
Champlain,  1837 — Plattsburgh,  1885. 

1786  The  snow  is  now  about  twelve  inches  deep.     I 

do  not  perceive  it  any  colder  here  than  it  usually  is 
at  Poughkeepsie  at  this  season  of  the  year. 
— Charles  Piatt  in  letter  to  his  brother  Zephaniah. 

1804  Death  of  Lieut.  Peter  Roberts  (a  descendant  of 

Gov.  Thos.  Mayhew  of  Nantucket)  who  located  in 
Plattsburgh,  coming  from  Manchester  and  Dorset, 
Vt.,  as  early  as  1800.  He  built  his  home  on  Lot 
No.  I,  near  the  foot  of  Boynton  avenue.  In  1768 
he  was  in  the  militia  of  Dutchess  county,  where  he 
married  his  wife,  Jane  Baker.  He  w^as  with  Ethan 
Allen  at  the  taking  of  Ti ;  with  Warner  in  1775-76 
on  his  Canadian  expedition  and  at  Bennington,  etc. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  33 

1817  "A  large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  are  much 

distressed  for  want  of  bread,  whilst  the  poorer  and 
laboring  class  are  absolutely  destitute  of  the  means 
of  obtaining  it  at  the  high  price  it  sells  for." 

—  Peter  Sailly  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

1883  Died  —  Judge  George  Mather  Beckwith,  son  of 

Dr.  Baruch  Beckwith  from  Lyme,  Conn.,  who  settled 
in  Beekmantown  in  1810,  the  first  physician  there, 
A  descendant  of  Gen.  Beckwith  who  came  with 
Lords  Say  and  Brook  and  settled  in  Saybrook, 
opposite  Lyme;  also,  of  Increase  Mather  it  was 
natural  that  Judge  Beckwith  should  be  identified 
with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  he  was 
ordained  an  elder  in   1855. 

"A  sober,  earnest  man,  scrupulous  with  his  fellow- 
man,  a  warm  hearted  citizen,  and  a  constant  friend." 

JANUARY  25 
1767  A  strong  north  wind  opened  the  lake,  broke  the 

ice  in  bitts. — Gilliland. 

1802  At  Isle  La  Motte  died  Samuel  Fisk,  son  of  the 

Rev.  Ichabod  and  Eleanor  Roberts  Fisk  who  came 
from  Poultney,  Vt.,  to  the  Island  in  1788.  Samuel 
Fisk  married  Polly  Scott  and  built  the  stone  house  — 
the  Fisk  homestead  —  now  on  the  Island. 

JANUARY  26 
1767  —  clear  warm  weather,  began  to  haul  logs  for 

sawing. — Gilliland. 

1782  In  Kinderhook,   Columbia   County,   on  a   farm 

afterwards  the  home  of  ex-President  Martin  Van 
Buren,  was  born  Cornelius  Peter  Van  Ness,  son  of 
Peter  Van  Ness.  At  fifteen,  not  caring  to  study  law 
as  his  older  brother  had  done,  he  gave  up  a  college 
course,  but  later,  he  entered  the  office  of  his  brother 
WilHam  P.,  at  New  York  as  a  law  student  and  there 
had  for  a  companion  Martin  Van  Buren,     From  his 


34  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

admission  to  the  bar  in  1804  iintil  his  removal  to 
Vermont  in  1806  he  practiced  law  in  his  native  place. 

1787  Certificate  of  location  granted  to  Zaccheus  New- 

comb  and  others  of  Vancour's  Island,  in  Lake  Cham- 
plain,  700  acres.  He  was  an  imcle  of  Cyrenius, 
Kinner  and  Simon  who  located  in  Plattsburgh;  a 
farmer  and  Miller.  He  died  about  1790  near  Kinder- 
hook  while  on  a  visit  to  his  daughter. 

1859  At  his  home  Treadwell's  Bay  died  Elder  Thomas 

Tread  well,  son  of  Judge  Thomas  Tread  well  (1748- 


HON.   THOMAS  TREADWELL 

1832).  Before  coming  here  as  a  pioneer,  none  had  at- 
tained greater  eminence  than  the  father,  participating 
as  he  did  in  the  formation  of  the  new  government 
as  a  member  of  both  Provincial  and  Continental 
Congresses,  Committee  of  Safety,  etc.  As  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  it  was  Elder 
Treadw^ell  who  opened  the  correspondence  with  the 
Rev.  Frederick  Halsey,  which  resulted  in  the  latter' s 
coming  here  as  its  first  pastor. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  35 

The  same  day  died  Mary  Hay,  daughter  of  the 
Scotchman  Wilham  Hay,  the  first  settler  in  Peru, 
and  "  rehct  "  of  Lott  Elmore. 

JANUARY  27 

1768  Warrant  of  survey  issued  at  Fort  George,  New 

York  to  Count  Charles  de  Fredenburg  with  nineteen 
associates  for  grant  of  20,000  acres  of  land  at  the 
west  of  Lake  Champlain. 

1 787  Occurred  the  first  marriage  in  North   Hero  — 

that  of  John  Brunson  and  Miss  Elizabeth  Bates. 

1798  Saturday,  Charles  Z.  Piatt,  fourth  son  of  Judge 

Zephaniah,  arrived  in  Plattsburgh.  He  says  in  a 
letter  dated  Feb.  12,  "  Found  all  well.  The  mills 
have  done  a  great  deal  of  business,  but  the  colliers, 
wood-choppers,  carpenters,  blacksmiths,  millers,  and  all 
the  Lazy  folks  in  this  town  have  eat  all  the  Toal  up." 

1812  On  this  date,  Julius  C.  Hubbell,  having  in  1808 

hired  a  room  in  a  house  in  Chazy  and  begun  the 
practice  of  law,  later  hired  the  whole  house  and 
married  Ann  Moore,  daughter  of  Judge  Pliny  Moore 
of  Champlain.  He  brought  his  bride  to  the  home  he 
had  prepared  on  horseback  on  a  Pillion  and  there 
their  first  three  children  were  born. 

1835  The  "  Macdonough  "  owned  by  the  "  Champlain 

Ferry  Co.,"  and  the  "  Water  Witch  "  and  "  Win- 
ooski,"  owned  by  the  "St.  Albans  Steamboat  Co.," 
were  purchased  by  "  The  Champlain  Transportation 
Co.,"  the  company  thus  becoming  owner  of  all  the 
lake  steamers. 

1886  Major  Robert  W.   Livingston  calmly   "  crossed 

the  bar  "  and  his  remains  were  laid  in  Riverside 
cemetery. — Pleasant  Valley  History. 

1905  Dedication  of  new  Armory  Building,  Burlington. 


36  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JANUARY  28 

1766  Will.  Gilliland  sent  2  men  with  a  team  of  oxen 

for  hay  and  they  did  not  return  to  ist  February. 
This  was  the  first  hay  sent  for. — Journal. 

1787  Jacob  Ferris,  owner  of  the  saw-mill  and  grist- 

mill on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  writing  from  Platts- 
burgh,  says  that  the  dam  is  likely  to  stand  well  but 
"  the  mills  Dus  but  very  Little  business  this  winter." 

1819  At  Trenton,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  died  Gen. 

Melancton  Lloyd  Woolsey  of  Plattsburgh.  An  officer 
during  the  Revolutionary  war  and  an  early  settler 
on  Cumberland  Head,  his  home  the  place  now  known 
as  "  The  Old  Homestead,"  he  was  appointed  first 
collector  of  customs  for  the  district  of  Champlain. 
He  was  clerk  of  the  county,  1788;  one  of  the  first 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  (1803); 
in  181 6  ordained  an  elder;  the  same  year  director  in 
the  CHnton  County  Bible  Society  and  one  of  the 
committee  for  the  sale  of  pews  in  the  new  church 
edifice.  As  a  military  exempt  he  assisted  in  build- 
ing the  redoubt  ordered  by  Gen.  Izard  on  Cumber- 
land Head.  His  wife  and  seven  children  survived  him. 
"  He  died  a  Christian  "  said  the  United  Patriot 
at  the  time. 

—  God's  helpers,  whether  great  or  small, 
In  the  result  are  neither  low  nor  high; 
For  each  hath  used  his  gift  of  brain  or  hand, 

And  God,  the  Master  Builder,  wrought  through  all. 

— James  Buckham. 

JANUARY  29 

1756  Robert   Rogers    "  started   to   look   into   Crown 

Point." 

1717  Jeffrey  Amherst  was  born  in  Kent  and  entered 

the  army  at  the  early  age  of  fourteen  years. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  37 

1787  The  saw-mill  has  not  turned  since  you  left  us, 

the  grist-mill  has  done  but  little  and  is  now  still, 
tho'  I  think  both  might,  with  care,  go  most  of  the 
winter  if  there  was  anything  to  grind. 

— Chas.  Piatt  to  his  brother  Zephaniah. 

1817  Lake  Champlain  closed  by  ice. 

1868  Died  in  Champlain,  "  lamented  by  all  who  knew 

him  "  Jonathan  Douglas,  son  of  the  Revolutionary 
soldier  and  pioneer  in  1793  in  Chazy,  Capt.  John 
Douglas  and  grandson  of  Maj .  Asa  Douglas  of  Stephen- 
town,  N.  Y.  He  spent  most  of  his  life  on  a  farm  in 
Chazy,  was  a  miller  by  trade  and  served  in  the 
American  army  during  the  war  of  181 2  to  15.  He 
married  a  cousin  Lucy  Douglas  of  Pittstown  and  had 
twelve  children. 


JANUARY  30 

1666  De  Courcelles  marched  out  of  Fort  St.  Theresa 

at  the  head  of  500  men,  and  passing  the  lake  on  the 
ice,  crossed  the  country  towards  the  Mohawk  villages. 

1743  In  New  Ipswich,  N.  H.,  was  born  Josiah  Brown, 

a  pioneer  of  Essex  Co.,  first  in  Willsborough,  after- 
wards at  Lewis  about  1805.  In  1775  he  responded 
to  the  Lexington  Alarm,  fought  at  Bunker  Hill  and 
was  with  the  Continental  Army  at  Ticonderoga  dur- 
ing the  summer  1777. 

1767  — a  snowy  day,  this  night  the  snow  12  inches 

deep. — Gilliland. 

1814  Noadiah    Moore    of    Champlain    married    Maria 

Caroline  Mattocks  of  Middlebury,  Vt. 


38  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1846  On   Friday   evening  the   Methodist   Church   on 

Court  Street  was  burned,  the  fire  catching  from  a 
stove  pipe  in  the  basement.  "  Uncle  "  Robert  Piatt 
who,  while  living  at  Valcour,  had  contributed  so 
generously  to  the  building  of  that  church  was  one  of 
the  largest  subscribers  towards  the  re-building  of  this. 

1858  Death  of  Hiram  Walworth  who,   as  a  boy  of 

fourteen  fought  in  Capt.  Aikens'  company  of  volun- 
teers. The  Walworth  homestead  is  now  No.  17 
Broad  Street. 


JANUARY  31 

1746  Captain    Desabrevois   has   been   detached   with 

Chevalier  de  Niverville,  ensign,  and  53  Iroquois  to 
the  South  river  in  Lake  Champlain,  on  occasion  of 
an  alarm. — Colonial  Manuscripts. 

1767  - — close  warm  weather,   this  day  some  of  our 

settlers  went  to  see  James  Logan,  whether  alive  or 
dead,  they  crossed  the  lake  in  a  small  birch  canoe. 

— Gilliland. 

1828  The  Champlain  Transportation  Company  held 

its  first  annual  meeting  for  the  election  of  officers  at 
Burlington  with  William  A.  Griswold,  Pres. 

1868  A   public    meeting    of    citizens    of    Plattsburgh 

village  held  at  the  Court  House  to  consider  the  sub- 
ject of  supplying  the  village  with  pure  and  wholesome 
water, 

1908  Death,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-four  years 

and  one  month,  of  Margaret  Anne  Freligh  Piatt, 
daughter  of  John  G,  and  Margaret  O.  Savage  Freligh 
and  widow  of  Hon.  Moss  Kent  Piatt. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  39 


FEBRUARY  1 

Then,  suddenly,  my  pneumatic  messenger  comes  to  the 
window  with  a  fresh  bit  of  news,  or  at  least  the  likeliest  of 
rumors.  The  February  wind  ceases  to  moan  and  cry.  Nature 
has  felt  a  strange,  involuntary  stirring  in  her  prisoned  members, 
and  suddenly  the  air  becomes  full  of  questioning. 

— James  Buckham  in  A  Pneumatic  Calendar. 

1766  All  the  cattle  were  brought  to  Milltown  (Gilli- 
land's  settlement  on  the  Boquet)  from  Wm.  Luckey's. 

— Gilliland. 

1767  — warm  weather. — Idem. 

1870  The  Rev  Archdeacon  George  C.  Pennell,  S.  T.  D. 

began  his  charge  with  St.  John's  and  Christ's  churches 
in  Champlain  and  on  the  same  date  Clinton  County- 
Associate  Mission  was  formed,  including  the  six 
Episcopal  churches  existing  in  Chateaugay,  Ellen- 
burgh,  Centre ville,  Chazy,  Champlain  and  Rouse's 
Point,  all  these  parishes  occupying  a  territory  forty- 
five  by  nine  miles  in  extent. 

1889  Free  postal  delivery  system  went  into  opera- 

tion in  Plattsburgh. 

1896  A  gavel  donated  to  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R. 

by  Mr.  John  Henry  Myers.  This  gavel,  made  from 
wood  taken  from  the  "Royal  Savage,"  Gen.  Arnold's 
flagship  in  the  battle  of  Valcour,  is  trimmed  with 
bands  of  silver  made  from  a  spoon  that  once  belonged 
to  Mrs.  Lawrence  Myers,  mother  of  the  donor,  the 
bands  exquisitely  engraved  with  the  name  of  Chapter 
and  giver. 


40  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

FEBRUARY  2 

1796  Near  the  northern  base  of  Coon  mountain  in 
what  was  then  EHzabethtown  but  is  now  a  part  of 
Westport,  while  returning  upon  the  ice  from  a  visit 
to  his  friend  Piatt  Rogers  at  Basin  Harbor,  William 
Gilliland,  the  pioneer  of  Champlain  Valley,  perished. 
His  remains  were  interred  in  the  Essex  village  ceme- 
tery but  in  1900  were  removed  to  Lakeview  cemetery 
in  the  town  of  Willsboro  under  the  supervision  of 
his  descendant,  John  Bleecker  Cuyler  of  Willsboro. 

"The  former  lord  of  a  vast  domain,  the  generous 
patron  and  tender  father,  the  dispenser  of  munificent 
hospitalities,  the  associate  and  counsellor  of  vice- 
royalty,  died  far  away  from  human  care,  of  cold  and 
famine,  with  no  voice  of  love  to  soothe  his  sufferings, 
and  no  kind  hand  to  close  his  dying  eyes." 

— Winslow  C.  Watson. 

In  "  Pioneer  History  of  Champlain  Valley." 

1797  Charles  Piatt,   the  first   settler  of   Plattsburgh, 
I                appointed  judge  in  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas. 

1874  Mrs.   Mary  L.  Fletcher  and  her  daughter  Miss 

Mary  M.  Fletcher  gave  to  a  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Fletcher  Free  Library  of  Burlington,  the  sum  of 
$10,000  for  the  purchase  of  books  and  a  further  sum 
of  $10,000,  the  income  of  which  was  to  be  used  in 
increasing  the  Library. 

1880  The  Rev.  Joseph  Gamble  unanimously  called  to 

the  pastorate  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 

FEBRUARY  3 

The  February  wind  is  distinctly  interrogative. 
Its  voice  has  a  rising  inflection.  It  brings  you  a 
rumor,  yet  with  an  accent  of  conviction. 

— James  Buckham. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  41 

FEBRUARY  4 

1667  The  officers   of  the  Carignan  Regiment  gave  a 

ball  at  Quebec  —  the  first  given  in  Canada,  sixty 
years  after  the  founding  of  the  colony. 

After  the   coming  of    the  Carignan   Regiment, 
there  was  a  decline  in  the  standard  of  morals. 

— Colby. 

FEBRUARY  5 

1 767  —  colder  than  yesterday,  and  sharp  small  snow, 

lake  all  frozen. — Gilliland. 

1785  The  twelve  patriarchs,   Zephaniah  Piatt,  Peter 

Tappan,  Zaccheus  Newcomb,  Nathaniel  Piatt,  Piatt 
Rogers,  Charles  Piatt,  Thomas  Tredwell,  Simon  R, 
Reeves,  Melancthon  Smith,  Jonathan  Lawrence, 
Israel  Smith,  John  Addams,  accepted  a  proposition 
made  at  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors  in  New  York 
City,  to  give  to  such  of  the  associates  as  should 
within  tw^o  years  build  a  dam  and  mill  on  the  Saranac, 
the  exclusive  title  to  the  Fredenburgh  Falls  mill 
lot  of  fifty  acres,  and  also  one  hundred  acres  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river  at  its  mouth. 

1800  Thomas  Macdonough,  the  future  hero  of  Lake 

Champlain,  warranted  midshipman  in  the  U.  S.  navy. 

FEBRUARY  6 

1767  —  very   cold   nay   colder   than   yesterday,    but 

clear. — Gilliland. 

1785  The  title  to  the  100  acres  and  to  the  Freden- 

burgh Falls  mill-lot  vested  by  deed  in  the  twelve 
associates  who  met  at  Judge  Piatt's  house  Dec.  30 
of  the  previous  year. 


42  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1840  Death  of  Hon.  Kinner  Newcomb  at  the  age  of 

eighty-four.  He  was  bom  at  Nine  Partners,  Aug. 
17,  1756;  served  with  Col.  Melancton  Smith's  Rangers 
and  in  other  branches  of  the  service  until  1782,  after- 
wards drawing  600  acres  of  land  for  his  services. 
In  Plattsburgh  lot  number  5,  containing  81  acres 
lying  west  of  Catherine  Street  and  adjoining  the 
mill-lot,  was  given  to  him  and  on  this  he  built  his 
house,  his  son  Piatt,  being  the  first  male  child  bom 
within  the  limits  of  the  new  town.  For  many  years 
Kinner  Newcomb  was  a  judge  of  the  county  courts  ; 
twice  represented  his  county  in  the  Legislature  and 
in  the  War  of  181 2  was  at  the  head  of  a  company  of 
"  Silver  Greys  "  ready  to  turn  out  at  a  moment's 
warning. 

1 849  In  her  home  on  Margaret  Street  corner  of  Cornelia 

died  Eliza  Miller,  daughter  of  Dr.  John  Miller  and 
wife  of  Judge  Levi  Piatt.  She  was  the  mother  of 
eight  sons  and  four  daughters,  a  model  mother  and 
amiable  hostess. 


FEBRUARY  7 

1767  —  "  snowey  day,  not  so  cold  as  the  preceding; 

this  evening  we  compute  the  snow  to  be  15  inches 
deep  on  a  level." — Gilliland. 

1837  The  widow  (Mary  Townsend  Addams,  then  86 

years  old,)  of  Major  John  Addams  of  Cumberland 
Head  applied  for  pension.  Her  claim  was  allowed 
for  the  services  of  her  husband  as  a  Superintendent 
of  Mechanics  for  the  period  of  two  years. 

1874  The  Y.  M.  C.   A.  of   BurHngton   presented   its 

library  to  the  Fletcher  F'ree  Library. 


HON.     PETER    SAILLV 
1754-1826 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  43 

FEBRUARY  8 

1759  Marriage    of    William    Gilliland    and    Elizabeth 

Phagan,  daughter  of  Mr.  Phagan  of  the  island  of 
Jamaica  but  then  residing  in  New  York  for  the  pur- 
pose of  educating  his  children.  Her  marriage  dowry- 
was  fifteen  hundred  pounds. 

1801  By    the    "  Reverend    Mr.    Halsey,    Minister    of 

Plattsburgh  "  Lodema,  daughter  of  John  Ransom 
and  his  wife  Rhoda  Pratt,  and  John  Craig  a  native 
of  Scotland  who  had  settled  in  Canada,  were  mar- 
ried. They  made  their  home  on  a  farm  of  500  acres 
on  the  lake  shore  in  Peru  where  John  Craig  built 
the  first  and  only  dock  (Peru  landing)  between 
Essex  and  Cumberland  Head. 

1809  Peter  Sailly  appointed  collector  of  customs  under 

Jefferson  for  the  district  of  Champlain. 

1878  At  his  Elizabethtown  home,  died  Judge  Augustus 

C.  Hand. 

"  As  a  lawyer  —  a  model  for  imitation.  As  a 
citizen  and  neighbor  —  the  embodiment  of  man- 
hood's  ideal,   kind,   liberal,   truthful,   upright." 

— Tribute  of  George  Levi  Brown. 

1896  Mill  of  the  High  Falls  Pulp  Company  of  Chateau- 

gay  commenced  running. 


FEBRUARY  9 

1761  The  marriage  of  Capt.  John  Corbin,  Jr.,  son  of 

John,  Sr.,  to  Abigail  Cabot,  daughter  of  Rev.  Marston 
and  Mary  (Dwight)  Cabot,  took  place.  They  first 
made  their  home  at  Killingly,  Conn.,  where  their 
children  Charity,  Martha  and  Royal  were  bom. 
Then  they  went  to  Kinderhook  and  afterwards  to 


44  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Albany,  where  Capt.  Corbin  owned  a  Hudson  River 
sloop.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  Revolution  and  was 
present  at  the  battle  of  Bemis  Heights  and  Burgoyne's 
surrender.  Investing  his  means  in  Continental  money 
he  lost  his  property.     His  wife  died  June  26,  1777. 

1767  — close  warm  weather,   covered  our  coal  kill; 

this  day  we  had  a  very  thick  small  soft  snow  which 
continued  all  day. — Gilliland. 

1893  The  CathoHc  Summer  School  received  an  abso- 

lute charter  from  the  Regents  of  the  University  of 
the  State  of  New  York. 

1895  Incorporation  of  Plattsburgh  Institute,  the  ob- 

ject of  which  is  to  cultivate  a  more  general  interest 
in  the  history  of  Plattsburgh  and  vicinity,  and  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  of  many  important  historic 
events  of  the  Champlain  Valley.  Pres.,  Dr.  D.  S. 
Kellogg;  Sec.  and  Treas.,  Hiram  Walworth;  Trustees: 
George  F.  Bixby,  George  E.  Pond,  David  S.  Kellogg, 
Elmer  F.   Botsford,   Hiram  Walworth. 

1899  In   the   historic   house   built   by   Capt.    Sidney 

Smith,  U.  S.  N.,  died  Joseph  Romeo  Emerson,  son 
of  Joseph  and  Sarah  Malvina  (Tabor)  Emerson. 
Mr.  Emerson  was  one  of  the  last  survivors  remember- 
ing the  battle  of  Plattsburgh.  As  a  boy  of  five  from 
his  home  North  Island  City  he  saw  the  smoke  of  the 
battle,  heard  the  guns  and  next  day  witnessed  the 
return  of  the  Vermont  militia.  In  1666,  the  very 
year  that  the  French  were  making  such  incursions 
into  the  Mohawk  country,  Thomas  Emerson,  from 
Durham,  Durham  county,  Eng.,  the  first  of  the  name 
in  America,  came  to  Ipswich,  Mass. 

1901  The    Adirondack    Chapter,    Daughters    of    the 

American  Revolution,  was  organized  at  Malone,  N.  Y. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  45 

FEBRUARY  10 
1763  By  the  treaty  of  peace  signed  in  Paris,  France 

formally   ceded   to   Great    Britain   the   Province   of 
Canada. 

—  No  more,  thank  God!  the  cannon  thunders  forth, 
Or  sabre  flashes  in  the  smoke  and  gloom. 
Peace,  Peace! — for  snowy  mantled  Peace  make  room 
And  Love,  that  in  the  heart  of  God  had  hirth. —Buckham. 

1767  —  snow  continued  until  4  in  the  afternoon,  then 

stop'd,  we  now  compute  the  snow  to  be  20  inches 
deep  on  a  level. — Gilliland. 

1789  Ethan  Allen,  being  short  of  hay  on  accoimt  of 

a  partial  failure  of  crops  the  preceding  summer, 
with  his  ox-sled  and  pair  of  horses  and  his  black 
man  for  a  driver,  crossed  the  ice  to  Allen's  point, 
South  Hero,  to  the  house  of  his  friend,  Col.  Ebenezer 
Allen,  who  had  promised  him  a  supply.  His  host 
having  invited  a  number  of  old  acquaintances  to 
spend  the  afternoon  and  evening  Allen  was  induced 
to  remain  until  morning  although  the  hay  was 
already  loaded, 

1877  Died    in    Washington,    D.    C,    Rear    Admiral 

Theodorus   Bailey,   son  of  Judge  Wm.   Bailey  and 


COMMODORE  BAILEY 


46  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

grandson  of  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt  of  Plattsburgh. 
In  the  expedition  against  New  Orleans  Bailey,  then 
a  lieutenant,  was  sent  by  Farragut  with  Lieut.  Per- 
kins, to  demand  the  surrender  of  the  city.  Abreast, 
unguarded  and  alone,  the  two  young  officers  walked 
through  the  street  while  the  mob  shouted  "  Shoot 
them!     Kill  them!     Hang  them!  " 

1888  At    his    home    27    Broad    Street,    died    Joseph 

Willard  Tuttle,  descendant  of  Samuel  Tuttle  Senior 
and  Junior,  Revolutionary  soldiers  of  Littleton,  Mass. 
From  infancy  his  life  was  spent  in  the  Champlain 
Valley ;  his  education  acquired  in  the  common  schools 
and  academy  at  Burlington  and  his  knowledge  of 
the  printing  business  to  which  his  life  was  devoted, 
in  a  regular  apprenticeship  in  the  office  of  Chauncey 
Goodrich.  His  acquaintance  with  men  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  newspaper  business  was  obtained  through 
connection  as  editor  or  publisher  with  the  follow- 
ing publications: — the  Watervliet  Advocate,  the  Frank- 
lin Republican  of  Sheldon.  Vt.,  Burlington  Free  Press, 
Clinton  County  Whig,  American  Sentinel,  and  Sentinel 
but  the  failure  of  his  eyesight  in  i860  put  an  end  to 
all  editorial  work  and  the  great  fire  of  1867  brought 
to  the  front  the  indomitable  pluck  and  courage  of  the 
man.  It  was  during  his  ownership  of  the  Clinton 
County  Whig  that  through  his  advocacy  the  interest 
of  the  people  was  aroused  in  the  setting  out  of  the 
shade  trees  which  to-day  adorn  our  streets. 

1895  Plattsburgh  Normal  School  places  a  bronze  tab- 

let upon  Bridge  Street  Bridge  in  "  Commemoration 
of  the  Gallant  and  Successful  Resistance  of  the 
American  Troops  to  the  Repeated  Attempts  of  the 
British  Army  to  cross  the  bridge  over  the  Saranac 
River  at  this  Point,   September  5-1 1,    18 14." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  47 

FEBRUARY  11 

*^^7  .    ~^  pleasant  day,  laid  the  hearth  in  oiir  room, 

this  day.     G.   Belton's  man  came  on  the  ice  frorti 
home  to  Chism's  Point,  good  walking.— G'^'Ma;^^. 

The  first  premonition  of  spring  is  a  subtle  tone 
of  the  wind  — perhaps  the  most  subtle  of  any;  yet 
a  trained  and  attentive  ear  can  hardly  miss  or  mis- 
take it.  I  find  that  I  have  a  different  mood,  at  once, 
when  the  February  wind  begins  to  blow. 

— James  Buckham. 

1789  This  morning  Gen.  Allen  got  upon  the  load  of 

hay  and  his  black  man  drove  towards  home,  the 
Indian  Rock  farm.  Several  times  he  called  back  to 
his  master  and  though  receiving  no  answer  thought 
nothing  of  it  until  his  arrival  when  the  General  was 
found  to  be  unconscious  in  a  fit  of  apoplexy. 

1811  Daniel  Wright  who  had  fought  at  Bunker  Hill, 

Ticonderoga,  and  Saratoga  and  under  Stark,  Reed 
and  St.  Clair,  was  commissioned  Brigadier-General; 
Luman  Wadhams,  Captain;  and  Daniel  B.  McNeil,' 
Adjutant  of  the  37th  regiment. 

FEBRUARY  12 

1666  ^  De  Courcelles,  having  rested  his  men  after  their 
mcursion  into  the  Mohawk  country,  suddenly  broke 
camp  and  hastily  retraced  his  steps  to  Lake  Cham- 
plain  and  thence  to  Canada. 

1767  —  delightful  weather,  the  sun  Wcinn.—Gtlliland. 

1789  Gen.  Ethan  Allen  died  at  his  farm  near  "  Indian 

Rock,"  Burlington. 


48  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1809  Arrival    in    Burlington    of   the    notorious   John 

Henry,  sent  as  an  emissary  among  the  Federalists 
of  New  England  by  Sir  John  Craig,  Gov.  of  Canada. 

1 895  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  organized  with  twenty- 

three  charter  members.  Mrs.  Pauline  C.  Stoddard, 
Mrs.  Julia  R.  Nichols,  Mrs.  Jeannette  A.  Corbin, 
Mrs.  Frances  R.  Weed,  Mrs.  Mary  S.  Warren,  Mrs. 
Caroline  W.  Farns worth,  Mrs.  Martha  B.  Wolff,  Mrs. 
Katherine  M.  Piatt,  Mrs.  Lucy  B.  Sowles,  Mrs.  Sarah 
P.  Fuller,  Mrs.  Susan  A.  Kellogg,  Miss  Theodora 
Kyle,  Miss  Helen  M.  Palmer,  Miss  Helen  D.  Wood- 
ward, Miss  Erminia  Hall,  Miss  Margaret  S.  Beckwith, 
Mrs.  AHce  S.  Whittelsey,  Miss  Elizabeth  Ross,  Mrs. 
Jeannette  B.  Tuttle,  Mrs.  Augusta  W.  Cady,  Mrs. 
Julia  Russell  Myers,  Vice  Regent,  Mrs.  Mary  McGill 
Gamble,  Historian,  Mrs.  Margaret  P.  Myers,  Cor- 
responding Secretary. 

FEBRUARY  13 

1755  — All    the    stock    of    sugar    and    molasses    (at 

Milltown)  quite  expended. — Gilliland. 

1798  At    Fairfax,    Vt.,    was    born    Hiram    Bellows, 

youngest  child  of  Col.  James  and  Trypena  (Chandler) 
Bellows,  who  were  married  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  1780. 

FEBRUARY  14 

1823  An  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  Judges  of 

the  Clinton  Common  Pleas  to  erect  "  a  tollgate  " 
at  or  near  the  dwelling  house  of  Benj.  H.  Mooers, 
eighteen  miles  west  of  Plattsburgh  village. 

1860  Died    in    Washington,    Capt.    Horace    Bucklin 

Sawyer  of  Plattsburgh,  who  had  served  under  Lieut. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  49 

Sidney  Smith,  had  endured  a  year's  captivity  at 
Halifax;  served  on  the  Constitution  in  the  engage- 
ment and  capture  of  the  Cyane  and  Levant ;  had  been 
stationed  at  Boston;  sailed  before  the  mast  in  an 
India  ship,  served  in  the  South  American  squadron, 
in  the  West  Indies,  in  the  Mediterranean  and  on 
military  duty  on  Canadian  frontier.  In  his  travels 
he  had  met  Capt.  Douglass,  the  Duke  of  Wellington, 
Sir  Edward  Codrington,  Admiral  Sir  Michael  Sey- 
mour, Sir  Astley  Cooper,  Gen.  Lafayette  and  many 
others.  For  many  years,  previous  to  1850,  Capt. 
Sawyer  lived  in  the  wooden  house,  built  about  1820, 
No.  268  Main  Street,  Burlington,  but  after  his  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Wadworth,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Cornelius 
Halsey  of  Plattsburgh,  he  removed  to  that  place 
living  at  No.  40  Cornelia  Street.  His  wife  and 
several  children  survived  him. 


FEBRUARY  15 

1766  All  the  8  bbl.  pork  and  3  carcasses  of  beef  being 
finished  J.  W.  set  out  for  Crown  Point  for  sweetening 
which  he  sent  home  the   20th. — Gilliland. 

1767  warm,  dull  weather. — Idem. 

1782  Wm.    Irish,    Leonard    Owen,    Amos    Mansfield, 

Absalom  Taylor  and  Thos.  Dewey  commenced  the 
settlement  of  the  township  of  Milton.  They  were 
soon  joined  by  Gideon  Hoxsie,  Zebadiah  Dewey, 
Enoch  and  Elisha  Ashley  with  others. 

In  Stephentown,  N.  Y.,  to  Capt.  John  Douglas, 
patriot,  and  Hannah  Brown  his  wife,  was  born  a 
daughter,  Abigail.  With  her  parents  she  removed 
to  Chazy  in  1793  and,  about  1801,  became  the  wife 
of  John  Louis  Fouquet  who,  in  1798  had  opened  a 
small  boarding  house  in  Plattsburgh,  near  the  site 


50  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

of  the  present  Fouquet  house.  This  first  building 
was  burned  during  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh  by  hot 
balls  from  the  fort  and  the  next  year  (1815)  a  second 
house  was  built  which  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1864. 
This  couple  had  four  children,  Douglas  Louis,  Merrit 
Louis,  Hannah  Louise  and  Amherst  Douglas. 

1834  Birth  of  Frank  Palmer  (afterwards  Colonel)  son 

of  William  Palmer  who  came  to  Plattsburgh  from 
Hoosick,  Rensselaer  Co.,  N.  Y.,  about  1840.  Wilham 
Palmer  combined  the  occupations  of  farmer,  mer- 
chant and  manufacturer  of  cotton  and  woolen  cloths. 
He  built  the  first  mills  on  the  sites  now  occupied  by 
the  Lake  Champlain  Pulp  and  Paper  Company ;  also, 
the  woolen  mills  on  Bridge  street. 


FEBRUARY  16 

1757  —  got   our  hay  and  the   Bateaux   brought  by 

oxen  across  Eliza  Bay  to  Eliza  Point  and  hailed  up 
on  the  bank,  went  with  R.  McAuley,  to  Willson  and 
Goodrich's  house  in  Burton  to  take  an  acct.  of  their 
effects  in  the  hands  of  their  manager  Wm.  Hulme, 
which  we  did,  they  having  broke  up  their  settlement 
and  discharged  their  said  Steward.  We  took  2 
sleighs  loaded  with  the  most  valuable  goods  to  the 
Messrs.  McAuley's  house,  the  sleighs  being  drawn  by 
Hulme's  men. 

This  day  began  a  survey  of  the  edge  of  the  lake 
from  the  eastern  extremity  of  the  sandy  beach  on 
Pine   point   to   the   Cloven   Rock. — Gilliland. 

1789  Gen.    Allen's    remains   were    interred  with   the 

honors  of  war  in  the  grave  yard  at  Winooski  falls, 
(Green  Mount  Cemetery)  his  military  friends  from 
Bennington  and  all  the  surrounding  country  assem- 
bling  to   do   him   honor.     Ira   Allen,    his   youngest 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  51 

brother,  arrived  in  Burlington  on  the  day  of  Ethan's 
death  and  wrote  of  it  to  their  brother  Levi,  then  in 
London. 

Upon  Winooski's  pleasant  shore 

Brave  Allen  sleeps 

And  there  beneath  the  murmuring  pine 
Is  freedom's  consecrated  shrine. 

— Mary  Hunton  of  Hyde  Park. 

1847  A  ladies'  fair  was  held  in  the  lower  room  of  the 

Academy  which  netted  about  $600  and  the  sum 
augmented  by  private  contributions  and  money 
voted  by  the  Trustees  enabled  the  latter  to  add  a 
third  story  and  build  up  the  angle  then  included 
between  the  north  and  west  wings,  painting  the 
whole.  These  repairs  were  completed  by  Septem- 
ber I,  1850. 

1 89 1  Public    meeting    for    discussing   the    matter  "of 

raising  funds  for  purchase  of  necessary  lands  for 
Plattsburgh  Military  Post  Extension.  Committee 
appointed  on  purchase  of  land,  finances,  and  reso- 
lutions. 

FEBRUARY  17 

I  said  in  my  doubting  heart, 
"  Our  lives  are  set  oceans  apart." 
%  Then  Love  took  his  measuring  wand, 

And  lo!  neither  sea  was  nor  land! 

— James  Buckham. 

1814  Benjamin    Hazen    Mooers,    son    of    Gen.    Benj. 

Mooers  was  married  to  Margaret  Piatt,  daughter  of 
Dr.  John  and  Elizabeth  (Smith)  Miller. 

1857  Died   in   St.    Albans,    the   Rev.    David    Dobie, 

pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Plattsburgh 
1 844-1 85 5.  Of  his  father  he  often  said,  "  I  would 
rather  have  the  memory  of  my  father's  piety  and 


52  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

my  interest   in   his   prayers   than   the   best   wordly 
estate  that  was  ever  left  a  child." 


FEBRUARY  18 

1 767  —  this  morning  observed  the  bearing  of  Logan's 

point  from  G.  Belton's  and  found  it  to  be  N.  38°  E.  — 
then  R.  McAuley's,  W.  McAuley's,  and  G.  Belton 
went  with  me  on  a  straight  line,  over  the  ice  to 
Logan's;  at  the  west  end  of  Logan's  point  took  an 
observation  of  the  bearing  of  McAuley's  house  which 
found  to  be  S.  75°  W.  on  which  course  chained  across 
and  found  the  distance  to  be  35 5 i  chains,  from 
McAuley's  door  to  the  end  of  Pine  Sandy  point,  or 
rather  the  east  end  of  the  easternmost  log  lying  on 
Sd  point,  and  found  it  to  be  N.  11°  E.  Distance,  on 
that  line   (which  we  chained)   71   chains. 

—  this  day  our  people  were  girdling  trees  on 
Camp  Islsind.^Gilliland. 

FEBRUARY  19 

1 767  —  this  day  I  came  home ;  the  weather  has  been 

rather  sharp  these  3  days,  this  however  was  the 
warmest,  though  a  strong  wind,  but  it  was  southerly. 

^Gilliland. 

1807  Pliny  Moore  was  appointed  judge  in  the  Court 

of  Common  Pleas. 


1814 


'  Your  company  is  requested  on 

*  Thursday  evening,  the  twenty-fourth 
'  instant,  at  a  Ball,  to  be  given 

'  at  Israel  Green's  Hotel, 
'  Major  Lomax,       ^ 
'  Capt.  Rees,  I  ,^^ 

•  John  Bleecker,       f"  Managers. 

'  R.  H.  Walworth,  J 


FROM    AN-   OIL   PORTRAIT    XOW   OWNED    BV   A   DESCENDANT   IX   CHICAGO 

GKNERAL    BENJAMIN    MOOERS 

I758-1S38 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  53 

This  invitation  was  printed  in  old  English  text, 
on  the  reverse  side  of  an  ordinary  playing  card,  the 
Queen  of  Diamonds. 

1839  Zephaniah  Palmer  surveyed  what  is  now  called 

Lyon  Street,  west  of  Port  Jackson. 

1844  Died  in  the  house  on  Water  Street,  built  by  him 

in  1796,  the  first  of  brick  in  Burlington,  Dr.  John 
Pomeroy  aged  nearly  79  years.  For  forty  years  he 
had  been  a  leading  physician  and  surgeon,  occupying 
at  first  a  log  cabin  which  stood  in  what  is  now  Pearl 
Street.  At  sixteen  he  was  a  soldier  in  the  patriot 
army  but  afterwards  studied  Physic.  "  He  was  a 
unitarian  of  the  most  thoroui^h  kind." 


FEBRUARY  20 

1767  —a  warm  south  wind  produces  a  great  thaw 

(together  with  a  little  rain)  the  snow  was  reduced 
to  about  a  foot  or  less. — Gilliland. 

Almost  any  one  may  notice,  I  am  sure,  a  difference 
between  the  sounds  of  the  two  winter  winds — -for  there  are  two, 
as  I  have  indicated.  The  first  wind  is  painfully  sharp  and 
strained  and  seems  pitched  in  a  minor  key.  The  second  is 
rounder  and  fuller  and  more  resonant,  with  a  certain  robust 
quality,  and  rings  out  plainly  in  a  major  key. 

— James  Buckham  in  A  Pneumatic  Calendar. 

1802  Chesterfield  taken  from  Willsborough. 

1838  At  his  home,  corner  of  Peru  and  Bridge  Streets, 

died  Gen.  Benjamin  Mooers,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolu- 
tion and  early  settler  of  Clinton  county  of  which  he 
was  the  first  sheriff  and,  for  42  consecutive  years, 
from  1 788-1830,  county  treasurer,  besides  holding 
many  other  important  offices. 


54  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

In  the  war  of  1812  as  Major  General  of  the  State 
militia,  he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  Northern 
division,  the  State  being  divided  into  two  grand 
divisions  —  north  and  south.  His  command  did 
picket  duty  and  resisted  the  enemy's  advance  from 
beyond  Culver's  Hill  to  Plattsburg,  guarding  every 
point  along  the  Saranac  with  great  vigilance. 

1853  Died    in    Plattsburgh,    Mary    Daggett,    wife    of 

Robert  Piatt  and  the  last  survivor  of  her  father's 
family.  Her  father,  the  Rev.  Naptha  Daggett  of 
New  Haven  was  President  of  Yale  College  from 
1766  to  1777,  and  his  daughter  "inherited  the 
Puritan  faith  and  the  Puritan  integrity  and  simplicity 
of  character  in  a  marked  degree."  In  1833  her  hus- 
band gave  the  land  upon  which  the  M.  E.  Church  at 
Valcour  stands,  paid  for  the  mason  work  and  doubt- 
less contributed  tow^ards  its  erection.  Shortly  after, 
during  a  series  of  revival  services  held  in  it  Robert 
Piatt  made  a  profession  of  his  faith  and  united  with 
that  church. 


FEBRUARY  21 

1767  —last  night  it  began  to  freeze,  and  this  day  it 

froze  very  hard,  with  a  cold  north  wind;  yesterday 
we  broke  the  tongue  of  our  log  sleigh,  and  this  day 
procured  another  one  which  is  this  evening  almost 
made.  Find  our  coal  kiln  not  ^  burnt,  owing  we 
suppose  to  the  want  of  sod  in  covering  it,  the  sods 
we  put  on  being  only  lumps  of  sandy  loam  frozen, 
which  when  thawed  run  down  between  the  billets 
of  wood  and  choked  the  kiln. — Gilliland. 

1784  At  Westminster  Gen.  Ethan  Allen  was  married 

to  Mrs.  Fanny  Buchanan,  "  a  lady  possessing  in  an 
eminent  degree,  every  graceful  qualification  requisite 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  55 

to  render  the  hymeneal  bonds  felicitous."  From  this 
union  there  were  three  children,  Ethan  Voltaire, 
Hannibal  and  Fanny,  who  became  a  nun  and  died 
in  the  Hotel  Dieu  in  Montreal.  Fanny  Allen  Hos- 
pital in  Burlington  perpetuates  her  name. 


FEBRUARY  22 

1797  Was  born  Horace  Bucklin  Sawyer,  third  son  of 

Col.  James  Sawyer  who  removed  from  Brandon  to 
Burlington  in  1786,  his  father,  Col.  Ephraim  Sawyer 
of  Lancaster,  Mass.,  with  his  numerous  family 
emigrating  the  same  year  to  Grand  Isle  county,  Vt. 

1826  The  Rev.   Moses  Chase  ordained  and  installed 

pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church.  "  A  man 
of  stalwart  frame,  strong  mind  and  noble  bearing. 
*  *  *  He  spoke  with  authority,  and  not  as  the 
scribe ;  and  his  speech  was  effective.  Strong  men  and 
aged  sinners  were  bowed  and  brought  to  repentance  by 
it ;  and  this  work  was  proved  to  be  of  God.  *  *  * 
He  was  bold  and  fearless  in  reproof  and  warning,  and 
set  against  profanity,  Sabbath  breaking  and  rum 
drinking,  rife  in  the  community." 

The  Rev.  Alanson  D.  Barber  (Beekmantown,  1818 — Willis- 
ton,  Vt.  1902)  in  sermon  on  "The  Pastors  of  the  Church" — Cen- 
tennial Anniversary — Oct,  1897, 

1833  The    Champlain    Transportation    Company    be- 

came owner  of  the  real  estate  at  Shelburn  Harbor, 
together  with  both  the  old  "  Champlain  Steamboat 
Company's  "  boats,  the  "  Phoenix  "  and  the  "  Con- 
gress." 

"  Nothing   is    clearer  to   my   view    than  that    politics  and 
the  temperance  reformation  should  never  be  blended. " 

— Jonas  Piatt. 


56  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1834  Died  at  his  home  in  Peru  near  Port  Jackson, 

to  which  he  had  come  in  1829  on  the  invitation  of  his 
brother  Robert  who  gave  him  half  of  his  own  pro- 
ductive acres,  Judge  Jonas  Piatt,  "  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  men  in  the  State  —  wise,  upright  and 
patriotic,  as  well  as  learned,  eloquent  and  able." 
The  public  offices  and  positions  of  trust  held  by  him 
are  almost  too  numerous  to  mention,  but  his  last 
years  were  spent  quietly  overlooking  Lake  Cham- 
plain  "  winning  the  friendship  of  all  who  knew  him 
and  doing  good  as  he  found  opportunity." 

1908  In  celebration  of  Washington's  birthday  Saranac 

Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  held  a  reception  at  the  home  of 
Mrs.  A.  M.  Warren,  granddaughter  of  Peter  Sailly 
in  whose  honor  the  flag  of  France  was  displayed  with 
that  of  America.  In  the  ancestral  home  which  stood 
on  the  same  site  and  a  part  of  w^hich  is  used  in  the 
present  structure,  John  Jacob  Astor,  Eleazer  Williams, 
(thought  by  many  to  be  Louis  XVII  heir  to  the  throne 
of  France),  and  such  army  officers  as  chanced  to  be 
stationed  at  the  Barracks,  were  often  entertained 
during  the  long  period  when  Mr.  Sailly  was  collector 
of  customs.  It  was  here  that  desperate  smugglers 
intent  upon  the  recovery  of  goods  that  had  been 
seized  made  a  night  attack  but  without  success. 
Family  heirlooms,  among  them  an  arm  chair  once 
the  property  of  Washington  were  displayed. 


FEBRUARY  23 

1767  — moderate    weather,    from    this    day    to    ist 

March,  were  employed  in  cutting  fencing  stuff,  and 
white  oak,  black  birch,  elm,  beech,  maple,  and  ash, 
for  sawdng,  being  the  best  season  for  cutting  timber 
for  last. — Gilliland. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  57 

1781  Alburgh,  Vt.,  received  its  charter.     Its  first  set- 

tlers were  from  St.  Johns  in  Lower  Canada  who  had 
fled  there  as  loyahsts  from  the  states  during  the 
Revolution. 

1805  First  Calvinistic  Congregational  vSociety  of  Bur- 

lington organized.     In  1905,  celebrated  its  centennial. 

1820  Birth  in  Monkton,  Addison  Co.,  Vt.,  of  Daniel 

Dodge,  who  revolutionized  the  making  of  horse-shoe 
nails.  The  first  of  this  branch  of  the  Dodge  family 
in  America,  came  from  England  and  was  a  hoe- 
maker  by  trade.  By  accident  while  pursuing  that 
occupation  he  discovered  a  simpler  method  of  making 
nails  than  the  one  then  used  and  this  knowledge  was 
passed  from  father  to  son.  Jordan  Dodge,  grand- 
father of  Daniel,  an  itinerant  Baptist  minister, 
removed  from  Connecticut  to  Granville,  Vt.,  where 
he  worked  at  his  trade  during  the  week  and  the  Rev. 
John  A.,  father  of  Daniel,  also  learned  the  trade. 

1865  A  portion  of  the  town  of  Burlington,  about  one 

mile  and  a  half  in  width  and  extending  along  the 
shore  of  the  lake  from  the  Winooski  river,  its  northern 
boundary,  to  a  line  about  six  miles  south,  was  char- 
tered as  a  city. 

FEBRUARY  24 

1767  — set  out  for  Great  Sandy  Point  in  order  to 

survey  from  thence  to  the  north  end  of  John  Fris- 
well's  patent;  arrived  at  the  south  end  of  high  sandy 
cliffs  (Ausable  Point)  at  dark  where  we  encamped 
and  had  a  cold  uncomfortable  night's  lodging  on 
the  snow,  firewood  being  scarce  there. — Gilliland. 

1854  Died  in   Burlington,   John  Howard,   for  thirty- 

five  years  proprietor  of  Howard's  Hotel  and  father 


58  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

of  Sion  Earl,  Daniel  Dyer  and  John  Purple  (better 
known  as  John  P.)  Howard,  late  of  the  Irving  House, 
New  York,  and  Hannah  Louisa  and  Catherine  Maria, 
wife  of  Amos  C.  Spear.  He  was  also  survived  by 
his  wife  Hannah  Earl  through  marriage  with  whom 
in  1797  their  children  are  lineal  descendants  not  only 
of  Roger  Williams,  but  of  Philip  Sherman,  and  Dyer 
and  Earl,  his  associates. 

EHzabeth  C.  Piatt,  daughter  of  Hon.  Moss  K. 
Piatt  and  wife  of  John  L.  Stetson,  died. 

1876  The  greenhouses  of  Wm.  H.  Bailey,  a  grandson 

of  Judge  Wm.  Bailey,  were  burned. 

1879  Howard  Opera  House,  built  on  the  site  of  the 

old  Bank  of  Burlington  by  John  P.  Howard,  was 
opened  to  the  public.  For  twenty-five  years  it  was 
used  as  an  opera  house  and  was  one  of  the  best 
audience  rooms  in  New  England  but  business  require- 
ments demanded  its  reconstruction  for  store  and 
office  purposes. 

1909  From  the  bottom  of  the  lake  at  Ticonderoga 

was  raised  a  British  war  sloop,  one  of  three,  burned 
and  sunk  in  1777  by  Col.  Brown  of  Massachusetts 
after  his  re-capture  of  the  fort.  The  sloop  is  ninety 
feet  in  length  with  two  large  cannon  balls  imbedded 
in  the  bow. 

FEBRUARY  25 

1767  —  a  warm  pleasant  day,  proceeded  to  the  south 

branch  of  Au  Sable  river,  at  the  south  side  whereof 
began  to  survey  northerly  along  Lake  Champlain. 

— Gilliland. 

1820  Beekmantown    formed    from    Plattsburgh    and 

named    from    William    Beekman,    the    patentee    of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  59 

Beekman  Patent.  It  was  then  a  strip  of  land  about 
four  miles  wide  and  extending  from  East  to  West, 
across  the  county. 

1850  The  Plattsburgh  and  Montreal  railroad  organized. 

1858  Died  John  Freligh  Piatt,  only  son  of  Moss  Kent 

Piatt,  aged  20  years. 

1898  Suddenly,  at  her  home  on  Cumberland  avenue, 

Fanny  C.  Bentley  Wever,  a  member  of  Saranac 
Chapter  and  descendant  of  the  patriot  and  pioneer, 
Capt.  John  Douglas  of  Chazy. 

And  are  they  not  then  nearer,  whom  we  see 
With  eyes  no  longer  bhnd? 

— James  Buckham. 

FEBRUARY  26 

1767  — a   close,   dark,    warm   day;   in   the   forenoon 

windy,  in  the  afternoon  some  rain;  it  thawed  fast; 
proceeded  on  the  survey  northerly.  —  the  next 
course  to  this  is  N.  83°  W.,  but  the  ice  being  covered 
with  water  we  proceeded  no  further;  supposed  the 
dist.  on  this  course  to  be  about  8  ch.  to  S.  end  of  the 
bay.  The  ist  considerable  point  from  the  end  of 
course,  N.  75°  bears  N.  8°  W. ;  the  2d  point  bears 
north,  the  3d  point  N.  2°  E.  being  the  point  this  side 
of  Fredenbourgh,  I  think  the  S.  east  end  of  Cumber- 
land Head  bears  N.  52°  30'  E.,  the  N.  W.  end  Island 
St.  Michael  bears  N.  58°  E.,  south  end  of  Island  St. 
Michael  N.  77°  E.,  south  end  of  Grand  Isle  S.  55°  E. 
Returned  this  night  to  Hulme's,  where  I  stayed 
all  night. — Gilliland. 

1797  Moses    Hazen    Mooers,    nephew   of   Gen.    Benj. 

Mooers,  set  out  with  his  family  from  "  Havershill  " 
to  "  Plats  Bourgh." 

1881  New  grist  mill  commenced  on  Flat. 


6o  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1909  The  Lake  Champlain  Association  of  New  York 

city  held  its  first  annual  reunion  at  Delmonico's. 
At  the  dinner  over  which  Julius  Seymour  presided, 
short  addresses  were  made  by  the  president  of  the 
association,  Hon.  Francis  Lynde  Stetson  and  Gover- 
nor Hughes. 

FEBRUARY  27 

1766  This  day  J.  W.  returned  from  Crown  Point  hav- 
ing brought  I  bbl.  rum,  i  bbl.  molasses,  a  i  bbl.  pork 
from  thence  to  Sloop  island,  whence  it  was  brought 
by  a  sleigh  and  pair  from  C.  Point  which  was  obliged 
to  insure  at  ;^5o.  Ayers  and  King  had  been  for 
several  days  absent,  some  thought  they  were  hunting, 
others  thought  they  ran  off. — Gilliland. 

1767  —I  came  home  this  morning,  this  day  my 
;;^io  heifer  calved,  moderate  warm  weather,  thaws 
fast. — Gilliland. 

1782  Grant  of  township  formerly  called  Brownington 

to  Samuel  William  Johnson  and  his  associates. 

1866  The  edifice  of  the  third  Congregational  Society 

of  Burlington,  erected  on  the  southwest  corner  of 
College  and  South  Union  streets,  dedicated.  It  is 
of  Gothic  architecture  and  cost  $50,000,  its  fine 
organ  and  beautiful  stained-glass  windows  being 
memorial  gifts  from  Mrs.  H.  P.  Hickok,  Mr.  George 
Morton  and  Mr.  J.  H.  Converse. 

1877  Rouses  Point  incorporated  as  a  village. 

FEBRUARY  28 

1 766  —  this  day  Luckey,    Hicks   and  Taylor,  —  but 

word  being  come  up  that  Ayers  and  King  were 
returned,  those  3  went  to  them. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  6l 

1767  — the    cattle    were   all   brought   home,    having 

finished  the  hay  in  the  far  meadows. 

Memorandum,  that  in  December  last,  Mr.  James 
Thompson  deputy  surveyor,  and  I  performed  a 
survey  of  part  of  the  river  Boquet,  beginning  at  the 
head  of  Milltown  Falls,  32  links  distant  from  the 
edge  of  the  river. — Gilliland. 

1779  William  Hay,  the  first  settler  in  what  is  now 

Peru,  died.  He  lived  on  Stewart's  Patent,  on  the 
farm  now  owned  by  Capt.  Johnson  and  is  said  to 
have  witnessed  the  naval  engagement  between 
Benedict  Arnold  and  the  British,  known  as  the  battle 
of  Valcour. 

1787  Patents   were   granted  to   Zephaniah   Piatt   for 

the  "  Little  Location,"  of  6,600  acres  and  for  Isle 
St.  Michael  (Crab  Island). 

1844  The   Rev.    David   Dobie  became  pastor  of  the 

First  Presbyterian  church,  "  a  young  Scotchman, 
in  his  thirty- third  year  "  who  labored  diligently  and 
indefatigably  among  the  people  of  this  parish  until 
failing  health  compelled  his  resignation. 

FEBRUARY  29 

1756  — Agreeable  to  orders  from  Col.  Glasier,   (then 

commanding  at  Fort  William  Henry)  I  this  day 
marched  with  a  party  of  fifty-six  men  down  the  west 
side  of  Lake  George.  We  continued  our  route  north- 
ward till  the  fifth  of  March. 

— Rogers  the  Ranger. 

1793  It  was  in  the  month  of  February,  while  Congress 

was  enacting  the  laws  by  which  Vermont  was  to 
become  a  member  of  the  Union,  that  Prince  Edward, 


62  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

the  fourth  son  of  George  the  third,  then  a  young  man 
of  twenty-four,  afterwards  Duke  of  Kent  and  father 
of  Queen  Victoria,  passed  through  the  Champlain 
valley.  He  had  been  in  command  of  a  regiment  at 
Quebec  and  was  now  on  his  way  to  Boston. 

Arriving  at  Chazy  with  a  large  party,  he  crossed 
in  thirteen  carryalls  and  sleighs  on  the  ice  to  Grand 
Isle  and  thence  to  Burlington,  remaining  until  the 
third  day.  At  that  time  there  were  but  seven  frame 
houses  in  the  town  and  that  of  Phineas  Loomis 
(site  south-west  corner  of  William  Street),  a  large 
oak  framed  two  story  dwelling  house  just  completed 
and  surrounded  by  the  original  forest  was  the  only 
one  at  which  the  Prince  and  his  suite  could  be  enter- 
tained. 

At  Burlington  the  teamsters  were  dismissed  to 
return  to  Canada  and  others  engaged  to  take  the 
Prince  to  Boston.  The  lady  accompanying  him, 
with  whom  he  always  conversed  in  French,  started 
for  New  York,  the  two  to  meet,  it  was  understood, 
in  the  West  Indies.  Before  parting  the  Prince  saw 
that  the  fur  robes  were  tucked  snugly  about  the 
traveller  while  a  large  dog  lay  at  her  feet. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  63 

MARCH   1 

The  March  wind,  we  might  say,  is  the  answer  to  the 
February  wind's  hopeful  question,  the  absolute  and  jubilant 
confirmation  of  its  rumor. — James  Buckham. 

1763  Discontent  and  rebellion  among  the  settlers  of 

Milltown,  put  down  by  the  wisdom  and  energy  of 
Watson,  a  half-brother  of  William  Gilliland,  whom 
he  had  left  as  steward  of  his  property.  The  fugitives 
from  the  settlement  with  their  stolen  property  were 
overtaken  at  Perue  Bay.  Most  of  them  ultimately 
returned  to  their  allegiance. 

1767  —  soft  thawing  weather. — Gilliland. 

1799  Essex  County  formed  from  Clinton. 

1809  Mr.  Sailly  received  his  appointment  as  Collector 

of  Customs  and  within  four  weeks  from  that  date 
he  had  personally  visited  the  frontier  from  Rouses 
Point  to  the  French  Mills.  He  appointed  as  deputies 
Marinus  Francis  Durand,  Cumberland  Head;  Horace 
Olds,  Whitehall;  Samuel  Hicks,  Champlain  Village; 
Benjamin  Graves,  Chazy;  Johns  Himsden,  French 
Mills. 

1830  The  First   Baptist  church   of  Westport  legally 

incorporated   with   the    following   trustees:     Gideon 
Hammond,  Piatt  R.  Halstead,  Ira  Henderson,  George 
B.  Reynolds,  Dr.  Dan  S.  Wright,  Horace  Holcomb^ 
and  John  Kingsley. 

1876  At  his  home  on  Macdonough  street  died  Hon. 

Moss  Kent  Piatt.  He  had  been  a  State  Senator, 
a  Republican  Presidential  Elector  in  1868,  in  '72 
Inspector  of  State  Prisons  and  since  1841  a  ruling 
elder  of  the   First   Presbyterian  church. 


64  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


MARCH  2 

The  March  wind  is  the  most  positive  of  all  winds  in  the 
pneumatic  calendar,  and  no  one  questions  his  ability  to  identify 
it,  no  matter  under  what  circumstances  it  may  be  heard. 

— James  Buckham. 

1767  — soft,  thawing  weather,  killed  the  2  sows,  this 

afternoon  Wm.  Bogert  of  Albany  left  7  hhds.  of  rum 
with  me  not  being  able  to  proceed  down  the  lake, 
the  ice  being  bad. — Gilliland. 

1814  About  the  first  of  the  month  Maj.  Forsyth,  with 

300  Riflemen  and  Dragoons  had  been  sent  to  the 
lines  near  Champlain  to  protect  the  frontier  and 
break  up  an  illicit  intercourse  which  had  been  carried 
on  with  the  enemy  during  the  winter,  while  Gen. 
Macomb  and  Col.  Clark  had  been  sent  to  the  Vermont 
frontier  for  a  similar  purpose.  The  British  becom- 
ing alarmed  had  occupied  Lacolle  and  strengthened 
the  forts  at  St.  Johns  and  Isle  Aux  Noix. 

1819  Caleb  Luther  of  Chazy  became  Sheriff  of  Clinton 

county,  which  office  he  held  until  Dec.  31,  1824. 

1826  In   the    "  yellow  school   house  "   Mr.    Ebenezer 

Mott  from  Crown  Point  was  ordained  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  church  of  Keesevillc,  the  Revs.  Samuel 
Churchill  of  Elizabethtown,  Ephraim  Smith  of  Chat- 
eaugay,  Jeremy  H.  Dyer  of  Westport,  and  Stephen 
Wise  of  Jay  assisting. 

1860  Fell   asleep   in   Christ   at   Champlain   the   Rev. 

Abraham  D.  Brinkerhoff,  for  twelve  years  the  faith- 
ful and  beloved  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Presby- 
terian church  at  that  place.  Thirteen  clergymen 
acted  as  pall  bearers  at  his  funeral. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  65 

MARCH  3 

1763  He  (Watson)  then  set  off  privately  for  Crown 

Point. — Gilliland's  Journal. 

1767  — a  snow  storm,  thaw  continues;  wrote  by  Mr. 

McKay,  to  Thos.  Shipbog,  Isaac  Mann,  Mr.  Todd, 
wheelwright,  etc. 

1789  The   inhabitants   of   Clinton   county   decide   to 

build  a  block-house  at  Plattsburgh  to  be  used  as  a 
jail.  This  block-house  on  the  lake  shore  was  after- 
wards enlarged  and  used  as  a  court  house,  school 
house  and  place  of  worship. 

1815  The  Village  of  Plattsburgh  incorporated.     The 

first  trustees  were:  Wm.  Bailey,  Jonathan  Griffin, 
John  Palmer,  Reuben  H.  Walworth,  Levi  Piatt, 
Sam'l  Moore. 

1833  At  her  home  in  Plattsburgh  died  Mary  Bailey 

Hughes,  third  wife  of  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers.  She  was 
a  daughter  of  Col.  John  Bailey  of  Dutchess  county 
and  sister  of  Judge  Wm.  Bailey  of  Plattsburgh. 
Her  first  husband  was  General  Hughes  of  Revolu- 
tionary fame. 

1879  The  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Edwin  A.  Bulkley, 

D.D.,  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  took 
effect. 

MARCH  4 

1763  On  the  night  of  the  4th  returned  with  6  soldiers, 

lay  all  night  at  George  Belton's,  there  he  got  intel- 
ligence that   all  were  gone   off. — Gilliland. 

1767  —  frosty  morning,  sent  to  the  meadows  for  hay. 

Mr.  Dean  arrived  here  and  agreed  to  become  a  settler 


66  Three   Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

on  the  lot  of  land  I  formerly  granted  to  Wm.  Luckey, 
to  which  Luckey  has  consented  and  I  have  agreed. 

— Gilliland. 

1791  Vermont  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  separate 

and  independent  state. 

Vermont!  thou  art  a  glorious  State, 

Though  small  in  acres  and  in  skies; 
But  'tis  not  length  that  make  one  great, 

Nor  breadth  that  gives  a  nation  size. 
Thy  mountains  and  thy  mountain  air 

Have  reared  a  noble  race  of  men. 
And  women,  fairest  of  the  fair, 
Their  labors  and  their  love  to  share. 

Where  shall  we  see  their  like  again? 
I  love  them  all,  which  most  I  shan't  advise. 
Thy  mountains,  maidens  or  thy  pumpkin  pies. 

— A  Vermonter  in  Clinton  County  Whig,  Aug.,  1851. 

1813  Col.   Pike's  regiment  left  Plattsburgh. 

1875  Died  Charlotte  Mooers  Moore,  daughter  of  Gen. 

Benj.  Mooers   and  widow  of   Col.  Amasa  C.  Moore. 


MARCH  5 

1756  We  continued  our  route   northward  *  *  *  and 

then  steered  east  to  Lake  Champlain,  about  six  miles 
north  of  Crown  Point  where  by  the  intelligence  we 
had  from  the  Indians  we  expected  to  find  some 
inhabited  villages.  We  then  attempted  to  cross  the 
lake,  but  found  the  ice  too  weak. 

— Robert  Rogers,  the  Ranger. 

Dunbarton,  N.  H.,  1727 — England,  abt.  1800. 

Every  man  did  that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes, 

— Judges,  17,  6. 

1763  Set  out  from  G.  Belton's  for  Milltown,  found  G. 

Hicks*  house  locked  up.     At  Ayers  found  all  their 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  67 

cattle  ready  shod,  brought  all  the  cattle  home  and 
marked  them  W.  G.,  leaving  a  guard  over  Ayers' 
house  least  Mrs.  Ayers  or  Mrs.  Hicks  should  run 
away  with  intelhgence  after  the  fellows,  who  were 
but  a  little  way  off.  •■-■^  ^.^ 

Made  immediate  pursuit  after  the  fellows  from 
Ayers'  to  Bay  Perrow;  we  soon  came  up  with  a  large 
chest;  about  half  way  from  the  river  to  the  bay 
found  the  ox  sleigh  well  loaded,  proceeded  to  within 
■|  mile  of  the  bay,  where  found  Mr.  Ayer  and  George 
Hicks,  returning,  after  sending  the  others  off;  here 
discovered  Hicks,  proceeded  to  the  bay,  but  could 
not  see  any  of  the  others,  they  made  quite  off;  then 
returned  and  brought  all  the  goods  home  this  night. 

— Gilliland. 

1767  —  drew  our  coal  kill,   the  weather  warm  and 

clear. — Gilliland. 

1785  Charles    Piatt    "  set   out  "    or,    in   other   words 

began  his  journey  from  Dutchess  county,  in  this 
state.  At  this  time  the  snow  was  very  deep  and  he 
traveled  with  horse  and  sleds  all  the  way,  coming 
on  the  ice  through  the  lake. 

I  see  the  sparkling  snow; 
I  view  the  mountain  tops; 
I  mark  the  frozen  lake  below, 
Or  the  dark  rugged  rocks. 

— Margaret  Miller  Davidson. 

1816  In  an  upper  room  of  the  Academy  building  The 

Clinton  County  Bible  Society  was  organized  with 
Pliny  Moore  of  Champlain,  as  President;  Dr.  John 
Miller  as  Vice-President;  Azariah  Flagg,  as  Treas.; 
Wm.   Swetland,  Sec. 

Directors. 
The  Rev.  J.  Byington  and  Roswell  Ransom  of 
Chazy,    David    Savage    of    Champlain,    The    Rev. 


68  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Nathaniel  Hewitt,  Wm.  Pitt  Piatt,  James  Trow- 
bridge and  Gen.  Melancton  L.  Woolsey,  of  Platts- 
burgh. 

1880  The   Rev.   Joseph   Gamble,   pastor-elect   of  the 

First  Presbyterian  church  began  his  labors. 

1909  After  more  than  two  years'  service  in  Cuba,  the 

Fifth  Infantry,  including  forty-two  officers,  band, 
machine  gun  platoon  and  520  enlisted  men,  under 
command  of  Col.  C.  D.  Cowles,  returns  to  Platts- 
burgh  Barracks. 

MARCH  6 

1763  —  6th,  7th,  8th  March,  the  soldiers  being  storm- 

staid,  set  them  to  clear  the  ice  from  the  trough  and 
saw  mill. — Gilliland. 

1767  — the  w^eather   warm  and   clear. — Idem. 

1783  Capt.  Twiss  is  directed  by  "  R.  M."  in  a  letter 

written  from  Quebec  to  purchase  horses  and  sleds 
from  the  Loyalists  who  have  arrived  with  them  at 
the  Loyal  Block  House  and  cannot  return  on  account 
of  bad  ice. — Canadian  Archives. 

1806  Uriah  Palmer  was  elected  deacon  of  the  Baptist 

church  at  Keeseville. 

1811  Among  the  subscribers  who  agree  to  pay  ten 

dollars  for  each  share  subscribed  by  them  towards 
defraying  the  expense  of  building  a  school  house  in 
the  village  of  Plattsburgh,  we  find  Charles  Marsh, 
I  share;  George  Marsh,  3  shares;  Gilead  Sperry  and 
Swetland,  5  shares;  Gilead  Sperry  i  share.  George 
Marsh  was  one  of  the  first  trustees. 


JUDGE    PLINY    MOORE 

First  White  Settler  of  Champlain 
1759-1822 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  69 

1838  Essex  County  Academy  at  Westport  received 

a  charter  from  the  Regents.  The  first  trustees 
were  Aaron  B.  Mack,  Judge  Charles  Hatch,  Charles 
B.«  Hatch,  George  B.  Reynolds,  Ira  Henderson, 
Norris  McKinney,  Barnabas  Myrick,  Caleb  P.  Cole 
and  Joseph  Cole.  For  twenty  years  this  was  one  of 
the  important  schools  in  the  valley,  receiving  pupils 
from  New  York  and  Montreal,  from  Vermont  and 
all  the  towns  of  the  county.  The  building  was 
burned  about  1874. 

MARCH  7 

1767  —executed  leases  for  Mr.   Dean,  and  let  him 

and  Luckey  have  sundrys  for  their  settlement  on 
their  farm,  the  snow  almost  off  the  ground,  especially 
where  it  has  been  cleared,  the  sun  having  much 
power,  our  wheat  appears  well,  only  the  tops  of  the 
blades  are  withered. — Gilliland. 

Yet  winter  has  some  beauties  left, 
Which  cheer  my  heart  forlorn. 

— Margaret  Miller  Davidson. 

1788  Clinton   county  erected   from  Washington   and 

comprising  four  sub-divisions,  viz.,  Champlain,  Platts- 
burgh,  Willsborough,  and  Crown  Point,  Lieut.  Benj. 
Mooers  commissioned  First  Sheriff  of  Clinton  county. 
Champlain,  one  of  the  original  towns  of  the  county, 
formed.  The  first  settlers  were  Scotch  refugees  and 
the  lands  were  surveyed  by  Lieut.  Mooers,  while  the 
first  surveyor  of  the  "  Moorfield  Patent  "  was  Pliny 
Moore,  afterwards  Judge  Moore.  The  first  house 
was  erected  by  the  refugee  Louis  Goseline  as  early 
as  1784.     He  was  also  the  first  mason. 

1854  Edward    Bingham   Chamberlain"  examined  and 

^ approved  by  Suffolk  South  Association  in   Boston 

at  the  house  of  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher. 


JO  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1862  The   96th  Regiment  organized  at   Plattsburgh, 

during  the  winter  of  1 861-2,  under  the  command 
of  Col.  James  Fairman,  was  mustered  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States  and  ready  for  "  marching 
orders." 

MARCH  8 

1 767  —  went  on  the  river  ice  to  the  lake,  slopy  walking 

the  sun  thawing  fast,  went  to  Mr.  Auley's  and  stayed 
all  night. — Gilliland. 

18 i4  The  commission  of  John  Larkins,  son  of  Loren 

Larkin,  as  Lieutenant  of  a  Company  in  the  36th 
Regiment  of  Infantry,  Thomas  Miller  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Commandant,  passed  the  Secretary's  Office, 
J.  Ruten  Van  Rensselaer,  Sec. 

MARCH  9 

1763  — J.   W.   set  out  with  the  soldiers  for  Crown 

Point,  where  he  was  detained  4  days,  during  which 
time  he  bought  from  Mr.  Benzel  the  time  of  David 
Phleming,  and  from  Capt.  Brown's  man  2  sows  — 
and  was  then  obliged  to  pay  £^  or  £6  for  mending 
soldier's  guns,  which  were  broke  falling  on  the  ice. 

— Gilliland. 

1 767  —  all  hands  went  to  make  a  yard  for  our  hay, 

on  my  own  lot  on  Eliza  point,  when  we  determined 
to  bring  all  the  hay  remaining  at  Eliza  meadow,  and 
there  to  feed  our  dry  cattle,  here  I  have  agreed  with 
Thos.  Burke  to  clear  twenty  acres  of  land  for, 

— Gilliland. 

MARCH  10 

1767  — -engaged  George  Reynold  for — month  at  £16 

per  ann.  and  John  Davi  for  —  months  at  ;^io  per 


Thhke  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  'J\ 

ann.  This  was  a  pleasant  warm  day,  sent  over 
cattle  to  Eliza  point;  yesterday  during  our  absence 
George  Hick's  cow  having  gone  into  the  ox  stable 
was  killed  by  one  of  the  oxen. — Gilliland. 

MARCH  11 

1767  — a  bitter  cold  day,  freezes  hard.     — this  day 

I  made  a  survey  of  the  south  shore  of  Encamping 
island,  beginning  at  the  north  east  corner  thereof. 

— Gilliland. 

1818  Installation  of  the  Rev.   Samuel  W.   Whelpley 

over  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of  Plattsburgh 
and  the  Rev.  Stephen  Kinsley  over  the  daughter  of 
this  chiirch,  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Beekman- 
town.  The  sermon  on  this  occasion  on  the  text 
Ezk.  iii:i7,  "  The  Spiritual  Watchman  "  was  preached 
by  the  Rev.  Daniel  Haskell,  pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational church  of  Burlington,  Vermont  and  the 
charge  to  the  people  was  given  by  President  Austin 
of  the  University  of  Vermont. 

Mr.  Whelpley,  originally  from  New  England  and  a 
Baptist  had,  while  principal  of  Morristown  Academy,  N.  ]., 
united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church,  publishing  his  reasons 
for  a  change  of  views  in  a  "  Discourse  delivered  in  the  First 
Church."  He  was  already  an  author  of  note  when  he  came 
to  Plattsburgh,  having  the  previous  year  published  "  The 
Triangle  "  in  which  the  leaders  and  views  of  the  "  Old 
School  Theology  "  had  been  keenly  criticised.  This  work 
created  a  sensation  and  undoubtedly  hastened  the  division 
in  the  Presbyterian  Church  into  Old  and  New  School. 

MARCH  12 

1767  —  a  very  cold  day,  as  cold  as  at  New  Year's  day. 

Messrs.  McCracken,  Rice,  and  Price,  this  day  arrived 
from  Montreal,  on  their  journey  for  New  York. 

— Gilliland. 


7^ 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


1772  Albany  County  divided,  the  new  county  includ- 

ing both  sides  of  Lake  Champlain  and  taking  its 
name  from  Charlotte,  daughter  of  William  Gilliland 
and  wife  of  the  first  clerk  of  Essex  county,  Stephen 
Cuyler. 

1785  Charles     Piatt    arrived    in    Plattsburgh    from 

Dutchess  county. 

How  truly  grand  the  scene! 

The  giant  trees  are  bare, 
No  fertile  meadows  intervene. 

No  hillocks  fresh  and  fair. 

— Margaret  Miller  Davidson. 

1789  Vergennes  elected  Enoch  Woodbridge,  its  first 

mayor,  subsequently  chief  justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court. 

1805  Reuben   Baker  received  of  Elisha  Arnold  ten 

dollars  Town  Bounty  for  having  killed  a  wolf  in  the 
Town  of  Peru. 

1813  Lake  Champlain  Steamboat  Company  chartered 

by  New  York. 

1856  The  Rev.  Edward  B.  Chamberlain  ordained  and 

installed  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  in  Platts- 
burgh, President  Pease  of  the  U.  V.  M.,  his  Alma 
Mater,  preaching  the  sermon. 

MARCH   13 

1 767  —  almost  as  cold  as  yesterday  and  small  snow, 

conveyed  the  above  gen"  to  Eliza  point,  where  I 
have  two  men  clearing  land. — Gilliland. 

1804  Birth  in  Champlain  of  Lemuel,  second  son  of 

Reuben  and  Lois  (Smedley)  Stetson.  Lemuel  Stetson 
became  a  law  student  in  the  office  of  Judge  Julius  C. 
Hubbell  of  Chazy  and  later  in  that  of  Judge  Lynde 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  73 

of  Plattsburgh.  After  his  admission  to  the  bar  he 
removed  to  Keeseville  where  he  was  "one  of  the 
Hghts  of  the  Keeseville  bar  "  until  the  spring  of  1848. 

1808  In  Highgate  (Saxe's  Mills),  Vt.,  died  John  Sax, 

the  pioneer  and  ancestor  of  all  of  that  name  in  the 
valley.  Born  in  1732  in  Langen,  Saltzo  in  Hanover 
(now  Prussia),  bereft  of  father  at  fourteen  he  made 
his  way  to  Amsterdam  and  from  there,  with  a  com- 
panion, came  to  the  "  British  province  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  America."  Later  he  settled  in  the  Province 
of  New  York  remaining  loyal  to  the  king.  Here 
(Rhinebeck)  he  was  suspected  of  giving  aid  and 
comfort  to  the  enemy,  was  arrested  and  thrown  into 
prison  at  Esopus  (now  Kingston).  Though  threat- 
ened with  death,  he,  conscious  of  his  integrity, 
declared  defiantly  "  There  is  not  a  rope  in  Esopus 
strong  enough  to  hang  me."  After  many  months 
he  was  released  there  being  no  evidence  against  him. 
He  then  disposed  of  his  property  and,  in  June,  1786 
sought  the  Champlain  Valley,  Soon  after  coming 
to  America  he  had  applied  himself  with  all  diligence 
to  mastering  the  English  language  but  all  his  life 
enjoyed  reading  his  German  Bible  and  the  services 
of  the  Lutheran  church  were  held  at  his  home  where 
gathered  all  his  German  neighbors  of  the  same  faith. 
He  was  particularly  anxious  for  the  welfare  and 
education  of  his  children  and  it  was  his  grandson, 
John  G.  Saxe,  the  poet  who  wrote: 

Is  learning  your  ambition..' 

There  is  no  royal  road ; 
Alike  the  peer  and  peasant 

Must  climb  to  her  abode ; 
Who  feels  the  thirst  of  knowledge, 

In  Helicon  may  slake  it 

If  he  has  still  the  Roman  will, 

"  I'll  find  a  way,  or  makejit!  " 

— John  G.  Saxe^ 


74  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

The  pioneer's  remains  rest  in  the  cemetery  at 
Philipsburg,  Canada. 

1890  The  S.   F.   Vilas   Home  for  Aged  and   Infirm 

Women  formally  opened. 

MARCH  14 

1767  —  "  very  cold  clear  weather,"     It  was  on  this 

day  that  the  carcass,  hide  and  tallow  of  George 
Hicks'  cow  mentioned  before,  was  disposed  of  at 
public  auction,  the  net  proceeds  being  ;^i  15  2. 
"  This  was  a  very  cold  clear  day." — GilUland. 

1786  Hearing  before  the  Commissioners  of  the  Land 

office  of  the  State  of  New  York,  at  Mr.  Heyers  in  the 
City  of  New  York,  of  the  claims  of  William  Gilliland 
to  several  locations  made  by  him  under  certain 
rights  of  sundry  officers  and  privates  of  the  Two 
Regiments  raised  for  the  defence  of  the  State,  which 
locations  were  subsequently  set  aside  by  this  Board 
for  the  Canadian  and  Nova  Scotia  Refugees. 

1909  Col.   C.    D.   Cowles  receives   through  the  War 

Department,  his  commission  as  a  brigade  commander 
in  the  inaugural  parade  at  Washington  on  March  4. 
His  brigade,  the  third,  was  composed  of  the  Cuban 
Army  of  Pacification  and  included  the  Fifth  Infantry 
(Organized  1798,  one  hundred  and  eleven  years  old. 
Campaign  War,  181 2;  Black  Hawk  and  Seminole 
Indian  Wars;  Mexican  and  Civil  Wars;  Frontier 
Indian  Wars;  service  in  Cuba;  PhiHppine  Insurrec- 
tion; Cuban  Pacification)  Major  W.  O.  Clark,  com- 
manding. 

MARCH  15 

1760  In  Dutchess  county  was  born  Dr.  John  Miller 

who  came  to  Plattsburgh  in  1795  with  the  family  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


75 


Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt  and  the  Averills.  He  built 
the  house  at  the  head  of  Broad  street,  now  known 
as  the  Hartwell  place  and  resided  there  for  more 
than  forty  years.  His  farm  extended  from  the 
Saranac  river  on  the  south  to  the  Capt.  Nathaniel 


DR.   JOHN   MILLER 


Piatt  estate  on  the  north  and  the  Edward  Viel  Allen 
place  on  the  west.  Dr.  Miller  was  the  pioneer 
physician  of  Plattsburgh,  making  his  calls  on  horse 
back  with  the  saddle-bags  slung  across  the  saddle. 

1767  Guy  (?)  weather  begins  to  thaw. 

1790  Zepha  Piatt  gave  Melancton  Smith  "  rect.  and 

discharge  in  full." 

1793  Capt.  John  Douglas,  son  of  Asa,  from  Stephen- 

town,  N.  Y.,  landed  with  his  wife  and  seven  children 
at  the  lake  shore  of  Chazy.  His  was  the  first  EngUsh 
family  that  settled  in  the  town  and  he  became  a 
man  of  great  influence  as  the  settlement  increased. 

1834  Lake  Champlain  is  now  free  from  ice. — Platts- 

burgh Republican. 


76  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


MARCH  16 

1757  While  the  lake  was  still  frozen  and  the  snow 

lay  in  heavy  drifts  along  its  shores,  a  party  of  1,100 
French  and  400  Canadian  Indians  under  Vaudreuil 
and  the  Chevalier  Longueuil  having  marched  from 
Ticonderoga  lay  all  night  upon  the  snow  behind 
Long  Point. 

1776  Birth  in  Rhinebeck,  N.  Y.,  of  Matthew,  fourth 

son  of  John  and  Catherine  (Weaver)  Sax.  Matthew 
became  a  pioneer  of  Chazy  and  from  him  and  his 
brothers  Saxe's  Landing  took  its  name. 

1813  The  6th  regiment  left  Plattsburgh. 

1826  In  his  home  on  Cumberland  Avenue,  died  Hon. 

Peter  Sailly,  Collector  of  Customs  for  this  district 
from  1809  until  his  death. 

1874  The  association  for  a  united,  systematic  effort 

in  behalf  of  homeless  waifs  and  strays  of  the  street 
and  county  house,  organized  by  Margaret  F.  Piatt, 
Sarah  S.  Williams,  Catherine  Frederica  Buckley, 
Joanne  W.  Clark,  Deborah  T.  S.  Bixby,  Mary  M. 
Foot,  Margaret  E.  Edwards,  Margaret  S.  Palmer, 
Hannah  S.  Lansing,  Welthy  H.  Orvis,  Francis  D.  L. 
Hall,  Charlotte  M.  Norton,  Margaret  P.  Myers. 

MARCH  17 

In  Cumberland  Bay  fair  Undine  to-day 

Lies  bound  in  the  fetters  of  sleep, 
But  her  lover,  the  Sun,  soon  northward  will  come 
To  waken  his  bride  of  the  deep. 

— Marion  Stetson  Palmer. 
f  Champlain,  1837  —  Plattsburgh,  1885. 

1756  We  returned  and  marched  round  by  the  bay  to 

the  west  of  Crown  Point,  and  at  night  got  into  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  JJ 

cleared  land  among  their  houses  and  barns.  Here 
we  formed  an  ambush,  expecting  their  labourers  out 
to  tend  their  cattle  and  clean  their  grain,  of  which 
there  were  several  barns  full.  We  continued  there 
that  night,  and  next  day  till  dark;  when  discovering 
none  of  the  enemy,  we  set  fire  to  the  houses  and  barns, 
and  marched  off. — Rogers  the  Ranger. 

—  the  only  scout  of  fame,  who  after  Lexington 
loved  the  King  of  England  better  than  his  country. 

—W.  H.  H.  Murray. 

1757  The  French,  early  the  next  morning,  suddenly 

appeared  before  Fort  William  Henry,  but  John  Stark 
with  his  rangers,  forced  the  assailants  back  although 
they  succeeded  in  burning  several  sloops,  a  large 
number  of  bateaux,  and  some  store  houses  which 
stood  beyond  the  reach  of  the  fort. 

1767  • — laid  out  a  piece  of  land  on  my  mother's  lot 

to  be  cleared  by  Jno.  Smith  and  Thos.  Burke,  begin- 
ning at  N.  Smith's  marked  tree,  on  the  bank  of  the 
lake,  etc. — Gilliland. 

1775  The  inhabitants  of  Willsboro  agreed  upon  regu- 

lations concerning  roads,  fences,  bridges  and  hogs, 
declaring  these  "to  be  binding  on  us  respectively 
by  every  Tie  of  honor  and  honesty  for  the  space  of 
twelve  months  from  this  date."  The  signers  were: 
Will  Gilliland,  Thomas  Day,  Martin  Armstrong, 
Ebenezer  White,  George  Bremmers,  George  Belton, 
William  Wykes,  Nathaniel  Blood,  Jonathan  Flint, 
Thomas  Day,  William  Cammeron,  Jotham  Gardner, 
Jacob  Gardner. 

1783  Death  of  Major  James  Armstrong  Wilson  of  the 

Cumberland  valley  who  was  captured  by  a  party  of 
observation  under  Frazier  and  Scott  in  July,  1777 
but  was  afterwards  exchanged. 


78  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1788  In  Lanesboro,  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  was  born 

Julius  C.  Hubbell  who  removed  to  Champlain  in 
1805  and  entered  the  law  office  of  his  brother  Silas 
as  a  student  at  the  age  of  seventeen. 

1834  The  steam  ferry   (Winooski,  Capt.   Dan  Lyon) 

commenced  her  trips  between  Plattsburgh,  Port 
Kent  and  Burlington. 


MARCH  18 

1767  Birth  of  Christiana  Cutler,  who  became  the  wife 

of  "  Loren  "  Larkin  and  mother  of  his  ten  children, 
bearing  her  full  share  of  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life 
in  Clinton  county  whither  they  came  in  1804.  She 
died  in  1845  "  a  very  religious  woman  of  the  Universa- 
list  connection  but  not  of  the  pronounced  views  of 
that  sect." 

1767  Wm.  Gilliland  ran  the  line  between  Robert  and 

John  McAuley's,  marking  the  trees  back  f  of  a  mile 
to  a  very  large  white  oak.  The  same  day  James 
Logan  came  over  on  the  ice  to  offer  Gilliland  his 
choice  of  a  horse  and  mare  he  had  brought  from 
Canada  on  the  i6th.  Gilliland  chose  the  mare  and 
Robert  McAuley  went  after  her. 

1807  At  Chateaugay  was  born  John  W.  Bailey,  son 

of  Judge  Wm.  and  Phebe  Piatt  Bailey  and  grandson 
of  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt  of  Plattsburgh  and  Col. 
John  Bailey  of  Dutchess  coimty,  both  active  patriots 
in  the  Revolution. 

1825  On  the  Arsenal  lot,  Broad  street,  took  place  the 

public  execution  of  Peggy  Facto,  convicted  of  mur- 
dering her  infant  child.  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers,  in  whose 
family   the  unfortunate   woman   had   once   been   a 


Three  Centuries  iisr  Champlain  Valley 


79 


servant,  always  believed  her  innocent.  On  the  day 
of  her  execution  many  people  came  on  the  ice  from 
Grand  Isle  to  witness  the  sad  scene,  but  all  were 
obliged  to  return  by  boat. 

1854  The  fine  brick  residence  of  Moss  Kent  Piatt  on 

the  corner  of  Macdonough  and  Macomb  streets  was 
burned.  The  house  with  its  furnishings  was  a  bridal 
gift  to  Mrs.  Piatt  from  her  husband's  uncle,  the  Hon. 
Moss  Kent.  At  the  time  of  the  fire,  a  high  wind  was 
blowing  and  only  the  walls  were  left  standing;  the 
mahogany  doors  and  mantel  pieces  of  Italian  marble 
were,  however,  saved  and  placed  in  the  new  house 
constructed  later  on  the  opposite  corner. 

MARCH  19 

1763  J.  W.  set  out  from  Crown  Point  for  Willsborough. 

— Gilliland. 

1765  Powder  horn  of  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt  made 

at  "  Poughkeapsy  "  by  Samvel  More.  It  is  now  in 
the  possession  of  John  St.  Denis  of  Plattsburgh. 

1767  ^     —this   forenoon   he    (Robert.    McAuley)    came 

with  the  mare,  and  Mr.  Logan  on  his  horse.  Yester- 
day and  to-day  we  had  pleasant  weather,  fine  sleigh- 
ing across  the  lake ;  this  afternoon  we  went  down  the 
river  and  round  Chism's  point  to  R.  McAuley 's  on 
the  ice.  This  day  the  McAuleys  begun  to  draw  logs 
for  themselves  to  the  saw  mill,  and  this  day  Smith 
and  Burke  began  to  clear  on  my  mother's  lot. 

— Gilliland. 
MARCH  20 

1 767  —  a  warm  pleasant  day. — Gilliland. 

1778  I   was   appointed   ensign   in   a   Regiment   com- 

manded by  Col.  Moses  Hazen,  which  was  organized 


8o  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

on  a  different  plan  from  any  other  regiment  in  the 
Revolutionary  war,  viz:  Colonel,  Lieut.  Colonel, 
four  Majors,  twenty  companies  with  a  Captain, 
Lieut,  and  ensign  to  each  company,  which  consisted 
of  three  Sergeants,  three  Corporals,  Fifer,  Drummer, 
and  forty- two  Privates. 

Recollections  of  Benjamin  Mooers,  gathered  and  compiled  by  him- 
self in  Ms.  at  Plattshurgh  in  1822. 

1804  Chazy  and  Mooers  were  set  off  from  Champlain. 

The  name  of  the  former  was  from  Chasy,  an  officer 
of  the  Carignan  regiment,  and  that  of  the  latter, 
from  Lieut.  Benj.  Mooers,  first  permanent  settler 
of  the  county.  Sieur  de  Chasy  was  stationed  at  the 
new  fort  of  St.  Anne  when,  in  June,  1666,  ambassa- 
dors from  the  Mohawks  and  Oneidas,  stopped  there, 
bound  on  a  peaceful  mission  to  Quebec.  The  out- 
look was  so  favorable  that  the  French  officers  relaxed 
somewhat  their  usual  vigilance,  and  Chasy,  with 
some  of  his  brother  officers  and  men,  went  on  a 
hunting  and  fishing  trip  in  the  neighborhood.  Here, 
they  were  met  by  a  group  of  "  Iroquois  of  the  Agniers 
tribe  "  and  Chasy,  who  was  a  nephew  of  M.  de  Tracy, 
the  viceroy  with  whom  the  Indian  deputies  were 
then  conferring,  was  killed  with  de  Travesy,  while 
the  rest  were  made  prisoners.  The  news  of  this 
tragedy,  reaching  Quebec,  put  an  end  to  all  negotia- 
tions and  resulted  in  the  expedition  of  M.  de  Sorel 
against  the  Mohawk  villages. 

The  same  date,  Schroon,  named  from  the 
Duchess  of  Scharon,  and  Ticonderoga  (Brawling 
Water)  were  organized. 

1807  First  Congregational  church  in  Mooers  organized 

by  thirteen  members  and  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Wooster 
and  the  Rev.  Amos  Pettingill. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  8i 

1859  Death  of  Hannah  Saxe  Scovell,  ninth  child  and 

only  daughter  of  John  Saxe,  the  pioneer  and  wife  of 
Josiah  B.  Scovell. 

1907  First  Presbyterian  church  in  Mooers  celebrated 

its  looth  anniversary. 


MARCH  21 

1 767  —  a  close  thick  snow  this  morning,  it  appeared 

to  have  fell  2  inches  last  night.  About  sun  setting, 
James  Logan  set  out  from  Eliza  sandy  point,  with 
his  horse  and  a  sleigh  load  of  hay,  to  go  home  over 
the  ice;  he  got  safe  to  within  ^  mile  of  his  house, 
when  his  horse  fell  into  a  wide  crack  and  was  drowned ; 
Logan  returned  to  McAuley's ;  the  latter  part  of  this 
day  was  constant  sleet  and  rain,  the  wind  southerly, 
the  forenoon  being  a  wet  snow. — GilUland. 

1838  At  Malone  Susan  Maria  Man,  daughter  of  Albon 

Man,  M.  D.,  and  his  wife  Maria  (Piatt)  Man,  became 
the  bride  of  the  Hon.  Hugh  McCulloch,  secretary 
of  the  treasiiry  under  Presidents  Lincoln  and 
Johnson.  The  bride's  grandfather  on  her  father's 
side  was  Dr.  Ebenezer  Man,  brigade  surgeon  at  the 
battles  of  Monmouth  and  Yorktown;  and  on  her 
mother's  side,  the  fearless  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt. 

1842  At  the  early  age  of  thirty-five,   in  her  home 

corner  of  Margaret  and  Cornelia  streets,  died  Eliza 
Piatt,  wife  of  Henry  Ketchum  Averill  and  daughter 
of  Wm.  Pitt  Piatt.  Her  tmcle.  Chancellor  Kent 
says  of  her  in  writing  to  her  mother  (his  sister) : 
"  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  mind,  and  of  strong 
feelings,  and  of  great  energy  and  decision  of  char- 
acter." 


82  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

MARCH  22 

1767  — the  wind  about  S.  W.,  continued  rain  last 

night  to  lo  o'clock  this  day;  very  sloppy  and  bad 
walking;  Logan  durst  not  venture  to  cross  the  lake, 
the  snow  and  water  concealing  the  most  dangerous 
places. — Gilliland. 

1772  John  Munro  and  others  from  Albany  effected 

the  capture  of  Remember  Baker  in  his  home  in 
Arlington  but  he  was  rescued  by  Warner  and  others 
before  the  Hudson  river  was  reached  at  the  place 
where  Troy  now  stands, 

1785  Peter  Sailly,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  three 

of  his  children,  Charles,  Bernadine  and  Julia,  (Emelia, 
the  baby,  remaining  with  her  aunts  at  La  Rochelle 
until  her  twentieth  year)  embarked  at  L' Orient, 
France  for  America.  They  had  a  pleasant  voyage 
of  thirty-eight  days. 

1800  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt  wrote  from  Plattsbiirgh 

to  his  friend  George  Clinton  that  he  had  never  had 
a  law  suit,  nor  was  he  ever  sued. 

1814  Clinton   county  records  show  that   8o  rods  of 

land,  corner  Bridge  and  Peru  streets  were  deeded 
to  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers.  The  house,  a  wooden  one 
painted  yellow  was  built  and  occupied  by  Thomas 
Green.     Many  years  later  it  was  bricked  up. 

1822  Name  of  "  Dansville  "  changed  to  Wilmington. 

Rueben  Sanford,  an  early  pioneer  from  Poultney, 
Vt.,  was  the  life  of  the  place  for  half  a  century  starting 
a  potashery,  opening  a  hotel  and  engaging  in  other 
enterprises  previous  to  1 812.  A  devout  Methodist, 
when  the  flood  of  February,   1830  had  washed  his 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  83 

mills  away,  in  open  meeting  he  said,  "  I  thank  God 
for  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  which  the  fire  cannot 
bum  nor  the  floods  wash  away." 

1843  Died  at  Chazy  Landing  Benjamin  Graves,  one 

of  the  early  settlers  of  Clinton  county,  residing  in 
the  towns  of  Plattsburgh,  Altona,  Champlain  and 
Chazy.  In  the  Revolution  he  served  for  over  three 
years  as  a  body  servant  to  Gen.  Washington  and 
was  in  the  battles  of  Trenton,  Princeton,  Elizabeth- 
town,  Conn.,  Farms  and  Yorktown. 

1895  An  ordinance  was  approved  which  established 

a  paid  Fire  Department  in  Burlington. 


MARCH  23 

1763  Birth  in  Po'keepsie  of  Theodorus  Piatt,  eldest 

of  the  sons  of  Judge  Zephaniah  and  Mary  Van  Wyke 
Piatt.  Theodorus  was  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of 
Plattsburgh;  was  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  first 
surrogate  of  the  county.  His  small  office  stood 
near  a  deep  ravine  on  Margaret  street  near  the 
southeast  corner  of  Protection  avenue. 

1767  — began  to  freeze  a  little  at  10  last  night,  and 

continued  to  this  morning,  when  a  slender  crust 
dried  the  snow  a  little.  Logan  ventured  across  the 
lake,  and  in  all  appearance  got  home  safe;  this  is  a 
soft,  thawing  day;  the  McAuley's  haul  home  9  logs 
however,  from  the  white  pinery. — Gilliland. 

1802  Uriah   Palmer   and   Waterman    Eels,    Commis- 

sioners of  Highways  of  the  town  of  Peru,  laid  out  a 
road  described  thus  "  And  a  road  turned  from  George 


84  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Shavers  E.,  line  thence  threw  the  Bald  Plane  Near 
Ferris  Mills  to  the  Great  River  as  it  is  now  cut  out." 

1811  William  Sowles,  aged  72,  died  in  Alburgh,  Vt., 

where  he  had  settled  soon  after  the  Revolution, 
supposing  himself  in  British  territory.  As  William 
Soule,  he  had  served  in  the  English  navy  and,  at 
the  battle  of  Saratoga,  fought  on  the  side  of  Bur- 
goyne.  After  the  confiscation  of  his  property,  he 
started  northward,  intending  to  go  to  Canada. 
Tradition  says  he  was  the  owner  of  the  Astor  House 
property  on  lower  Broadway,  New  York  city,  which 
he  leased  for  99  years  to  the  first  John  Jacob  Astor, 
the  lease  expiring  in  1900. 

1834  On  the  arsenal  lot  on  Broad  street  for  the  mur- 

der of  Leander  Shaw,  his  son-in-law,  Alexander 
Larabee,  maintaining  his  innocence  to  the  last,  was 
hung.  The  Rev.  Father  Rafferty  read  a  declaration 
to  that  effect  from  the  scaffold. 

MARCH  24 

To  do  what  gracious  thing  I  may 
Belongeth  only  to  this  day. 

— James  Buckhatn. 

1767  — this  evening  my  large  young  red  ox  with  a 

white  face,  died  at  Belton's;  on  opening  him  it  ap- 
peared he  had  been  hurt  at  the  So  meadow  by  two 
of  the  cattle  that  attacked  him  (one  being  Martin 
Taylor's  ox)  and  this  occasioned  his  death;  the 
weather  warm. — Gilliland. 

1800  Birth    on    South    Island,    Lake    Champlain    of 

Benajah  Phelps,  Jr.,  whose  father,  an  early  settler 
of  Grand  Isle,  reared  a  family  of  18  sons  and 
daughters.  Benajah,  Jr.,  at  the  age  of  loi  was  the 
only  surviving  eye  witness  of  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burgh. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  85 

The  same  day  was  recorded  the  laying  out  of 
"  a  publick  road  four  rods  wide,"  (Bridge  street) 
east  from  the  Bridge  by  Jno.  Roberts  3d  and  John 
Stephenson,  commissioners.  This  road  taking  vari- 
ous directions  corresponded  in  a  general  way  to  a 
portion  of  the  present  Peru,  Macdonough,  Hamilton 
(near  the  lake)    streets. 

1811  On  Sunday,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Halsey,  Mr.  Bela 

Edgerton  and  Miss  Phebe  Ketchum,  both  of  this 
village,   were  married. — Platisburgh  Republican. 

1815  Northwest  Bay  became  Westport. 

1886  In  New  York  city,  at  the  Grand  Union  Hotel 

on  his  way  from  the  south  died  Samuel  Flint  Vilas 
of  Plattsburgh. 

MARCH  25 

1767  — this  afternoon  ended  with  a  thick  heavy  fall 

of  snow. — GilUland. 

1785  The  house  of  Charles  Piatt,   18x20  feet,  was 

finished  and  moved  into. 

Yes!  this  is  home! — Margaret  Miller  Davidson. 

1793  John    Mooers    of    Haverhill,    Mass.,    late    from 

Corinth,  N.  H.,  with  his  wife  and  child  Benjamin 
John,  then  six  years  old,  crossed  Lake  Champlain 
from  Grand  Isle  on  foot  over  broken  and  breaking 
ice  to  the  northeast  part  of  Plattsburgh,  now  East 
Beekmantown,  where  he  engaged  in  business  for  his 
brother,  Lieut.  Benj.  Mooers.  Three  years  later  he 
left  Point  Au  Roche  and  went  with  his  brother  to 
Cumberland  Head  where  he  continued  in  his  employ 
until  his  death  in  August,  1803,  leaving  his  wife  and 
sixteen-year-old  son  in  dependent  circumstances. 


86  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

MARCH  26 

1690  Capt.  Jacob  d'Warm  ordered  by  the  authorities 

at  Albany  to  proceed  to  Crown  Point  with  1 7  English 
and  20  Indians  and  there  watch  the  movements  of 
the  enemy  (the  French  and  Indians).  At  this  time 
he  built  a  small  stone  fort  at  what  is  now  Chimney 
Point  in  the  tow^n  of  Addison. 

1767  — this  was  a  very  pleasant  clear  day  and  not 

cold,  the  maple  trees  rim  fast  the  middle  of  the  day. 

— Gilliland. 

1806  In  BurHngton,  whither  he  had  removed  about 

1800,  died  Col.  Ebenezer  Allen,  the  first  settler  of 
South  Hero,  after  the  grant  of  the  "  Two  Heroes  " 
in  1779.  Col.  Allen  was  a  third  cousin  of  Gen.  Ethan 
Allen,  an  early  settler  in  the  New  Hampshire  Grants 
at  Bennington  and  Poultney,  and  a  Revolutionary 
soldier  under  Allen,  Warner,  Herrick  and  Gates. 

1814  Wm.   Baker,   a  sergeant  of  the   British  Army 

(103d  regiment  of  Infantry),  was  executed  as  a  spy 
on  the  sand  ridge  between  Court  and  Brinckerhoff 
streets,  now  site  of  Mount  Assumption  Institute. 

1823  In  the  Davidson  homestead,  overlooking  Cum- 

berland Bay,  was  born  Margaret  Miller  Davidson, 
the  younger  and  equally  talented  sister  of  Lucretia. 
She  began  to  write  poetry  when  but  six  years  old. 

On  the  Birth  of  a  Sister. 
Sweet  babe,  I  cannot  hope  thou  wilt  be  freed 
From  woes,  to  all,  since  earliest  time,  decreed; 
But  mayest  thou  be  with  resignation  blessed 
To  bear  each  evil,  howsoe'er  distressed. 

— Written  by  Lucretia  in  her  fifteenth  year. 

1909  At  Plattsburgh  was  organized  the  Nathan  Beman 

Society,  Children  of  the  American  Revolution,  with 
Mrs.  C.  J.  Vert,  President. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  8/ 

1881  At  Morrisonville  died  Henry  Ketchum  Averill, 

son  of  Nathan  Averill,  Jr.,  and  Polly  Ketchum,  his 
wife.  For  nine  years  he  served  as  postmaster.  At 
the  time  those  holding  that  office  furnished  the  build- 
ing and  the  building  then  used  and  standing  on 
Margaret  street  near  No.  33  is  now  the  dwelling 
No.  54  Oak  street.  Mr.  Averill  and  Mr.  Sailly  were 
then  partners  in  the  iron  business,  owning  the  ore-bed 
at  what  is  now  Dannemora  with  a  forge  at  Cadyville. 

MARCH  27 

1767  — a  fine  moderate  day,  Logan  crossed  the  lake 

this  morning  and  went  home  in  the  afternoon,  having 
got  G.  McAuley  to  assist  him  to  get  his  mare  out  of 
the  lake  and  the  skin  taken  off  her,  the  ice  pretty 
good.  Farrell  of  Stillwater  returned  home  a  few 
days  ago  say  25th,  on  the  ice. — Gilliland. 

1792  At  a  town  meeting  in  North  Hero  John  Hutchins, 

Benj.  Butler  and  John  Martin  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  raise  money  for  building  a  canal  across 
the  "  Carrying  Place  "  but  were  unsuccessful. 

1811  Died  "  Mr.  Zenas  Allen,  Esquire  "  who  had  just 

removed  to  this  village  from  Vermont  and  become 
established  in  a  prosperous  business.  He  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier  and  was  buried  with  masonic 
honors. 

1821  "  Dansville  "  (now  Wilmington)  set  off  from  Jay. 

1860  At  her  home  in  Peru  died  Catherine  Robinson, 

wife  of  Samuel  Keese  and  a  regular  preacher  of  the 
Society  of  Friends.  Previous  to  her  marriage  for 
twenty  years  a  popular  teacher  in  Philadelphia  and 
elsewhere,  after  that  event  she  was  recognized  as 


88  Threk  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

called  to  the  ministry  and  from  "  the  fourth  month, 
1849  "  she  preached  with  force  and  eloquence  not 
only  in  the  Quaker  meeting  house  at  the  Union,  but 
in  Friends'  meetings  in  Philadelphia,  Canada,  west 
Central  New  York  and  Saratoga;  also,  on  several 
occasions  at  Clinton  Prison, 


MARCH  28 

He  is  a  messenger,  this  March  wind,  who  rides  bareback 
and  standing  a  string  of  a  hundred  horses,  and  sweeps  more 
marvelously  around  the  ring  of  the  world  than  any  spangled 
equestrian  around  his  circle  of  sawdust.  The  roar  of  his  passage 
and  his  hearty,  re-assuring  shout  make  the  house  rock, — and 
when  he  is  oflE  again  you  can  hear  him  telling  his  good  news  in 
the  next  town. — James  Btickham. 

1767  — fine,   clear,   pleasant  weather;  froze  smartly 

last  night. — Gilliland's  Journal. 

1819  Birth    of   Matthew   Davidson,    brother    of   the 
sisters  Lucre tia  and  Margaret. 

1820  Midshipman  Charles  Theodorus  Piatt  promoted 
to  lieutenant,  U.  S.  N. 

1828  Zephaniah  Palmer  surveyed  and  described  the 

road  which  now  runs  to  Harkness  to  the  bridge  at 
what  he  calls  "  the  forks  of  Peru  "  (probably  Ausable 
Forks). 

MARCH  29 

1767  — a  soft  day  with  sleet  and  rain,  and  some 

snow. — GilUland. 

1784  Bridport  organized  with  John  N.   Bennet  first 

town  clerk;  constable,  M.  Smith;  selectmen,  John 
Barber,  Moses  Johnson,  Daniel  Hoskins,  Isaac  Bar- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  89 

rows,  and  Marshall  Smith  (the  same  who  had  escaped 
from  Quebec  in  1779). 

1804  Saranac,  formed  from  Plattsburgh. 

1814  4,000    men    were    collected    at    Champlain,    of 

whom  100  were  cavalry  and  304  artillerists,  having 
II  pieces  of  cannon  of  small  calibre.  With  this 
force  Wilkinson  planned  an  attack  against  Major 
Hancock  of  the  13th  who,  with  600  men,  occupied 
a  stone  grist-mill  on  the  banks  of  the  LacoUe  river 
about  five  miles  north  of  the  lines. 

1825  Died: — Judge   Henry   Delord,    aged    61    years. 

He  was  a  native  of  Nismes,  France,  and  came  from 
the  island  of  Martinique  to  Peru  where  he  kept  a 
store  and  was  post-master.  He  married  Elizabeth, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Phebe  Ketchum,  and  in 
1 810,  removed  to  Plattsburgh  purchasing  from  James 
Kent,  the  house  on  Bellevue  (Cumberland)  avenue, 
built  by  Nathan  Averill,  Sr.,  the  hospitality  of  which 
became  proverbial. 

1839  Ausable  and  Black  Brook,  formed  from  Peru, 


MARCH  30 

1690  Capt,  Abram  Schuyler  was  sent  w^ith  nine  men 

and  a  party  of  Mohawks  under  Lawrence,  to  Otter 
Creek  to  watch  the  enemy;  while  there  he  led  a 
scout  of  eight  Indians  as  far  as  Chumbly,  where  he 
encountered  a  small  party  of  French,  of  whom  he 
killed  two  and  took  one  prisoner. 

—  while  from  the  western  shore  the  land,  after 
a  gentle  rise  for  a  short  distance,  falls  off  rapidly 
toward  the  Otter,  leaving  the  broad  and  extensive 
valley  of  that  stream  open  to  the  vision,  which  now 
wanders  to  the  western  borders  of  Lake  Champlain, 


90  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

where  the  long  chain  of  mountains  that  rise  immedi- 
ately beyond,  lies  sleeping  in  the  blue  distance,  and 
bounds  the  view  of  this  magnificent  scene. — Judge 
D.  P  Thompson  in  "  The  Green  Mountain  Boys.'' 

1766  — this  day  river  thawed,  and  the  sawmill  was 
set  agoing. — Gilliland. 

1767  — a  bright,  warm  day. — Gilliland. 

1811  In  Plattsburgh,   died  Thomas  Allen,   a  soldier 

of  the  Revolution  and  a  first  settler  of  the  town. 
In  1785,  of  the  "gift  lots,"  twelve  in  number,  he 
received  number  three,  containing  100  acres  and 
adjoining  on  the  south  that  of  Charles  Piatt  while 
on  the  west  it  extended  to  the  farm  of  Capt.  Nathaniel 
Piatt. 

1814  In  the  morning  the  American  army  marched 

out  of  Champlain  upon  the  OdeUtown  road  now 
nearly  impassable  for  artillery,  obstructed  as  it  was 
by  fallen  trees  and  heavy  snow  drifts.  Major  Forsyth 
and  his  Rifles  led  the  advance,  followed  by  the  30th 
and  31st  and  part  of  the  nth  under  Col.  Clark;  two 
corps  of  infantry  under  Bissell  and  Smith  and  a 
reserve  of  800  men  under  Macomb  brought  up  the 
rear.  The  attack  on  the  stone  mill  ended  disastrously 
for  the  Americans,  their  loss  amounting  to  104 
killed  and  wounded,  among  them  several  brave 
officers  while  the  British  loss  reported  was  but  10 
killed  and  46  wounded.  At  sundown  the  whole 
army  retired  to  Odelltown. 

MARCH  31 

1767  — the  sun  very  hot,  froze  none  last  night;  this 

day  rode  my  mare  on  the  river  to  the  lake,  the  ice 
good  on  both  river  and  lake. — Gilliland. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


91 


1812  In  Plattsburgh  town  records  was  recorded  the 

laying  out  by  Smith  and  David  Broadwell,  com- 
missioners of  highways,  of  Hamilton,  Jay  and  Wash- 
ington streets. 

1814  Gen.    Wilkinson    returned    with    his    army    to 

Champlain  and  from  there  Macomb  was  sent  to 
Burlington  while  the  main  army  fell  back  upon 
Chazy  and  Plattsburgh,  to  protect  the  military 
stores  at  the  latter  places. 

1849  In  the  evening  William  Piatt,  son  of  Judge  Levi, 

found  his  father  dying  from  apoplexy  in  his  arm 
chair  but  seven  weeks  after  the  sudden  death  of  his 


JUDGE    LEVI    PLATT 

wife.  Their  next-door  neighbor.  Dr.  Benj.  J.  Mooers, 
was  hastily  summoned  from  his  accustomed  place 
in  the  prayer-meeting  of  the  Presbyterian  church, 
but  without  avail.     Of  Judge  Piatt  it  was  said: 

"  He  was  a  poUshed  gentleman  in  his  manners, 
always  affable  and  courteous.     He  possessed  much 


92  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

public  spirit,  and  was  a  friend  of  everything  which 
promised  to  be  useful  to  the  community.  He  was 
particularly  distinguished  for  kindness  and  hospital- 
ity. His  home  was,  for  many  years,  the  general 
resort  of  strangers  visiting  in  the  place." 

1884  In  St.  Louis,  far  from  her  native  place,  Platts- 

burgh,  died  "  Aunt  Margaret,"  widow  of  Col.  Benj. 
Hazen  Mooers  and  daughter  of  Dr.  John  and  Eliza- 
beth (Smith)  Miller. 

1887  In  Albany,  N.  Y.,  died  John  Godfrey  Saxe,  a 

poet  of  the  Champlain  valley,  journalist  and  lecturer. 
His  best  known  humorous  poems  include  "  Rhyme 
of  the  Rail,"  "  The  Proud  Miss  McBride,"  etc.  He 
published  "  Progress,"  Humorous  and  Satirical 
Poems,"  "  The  Money  King  and  Other  Poems," 
"  Fables  and  Legends,"  "  Leisure-Day  Rhymes,"  etc. 

"  O,  terribly  proud  was  Miss  Mac- 
Bride 

The  very  personification  of  Pride, 

As  she  minced  along  in  Fashion's 
tide, 

Adown  Broadway,  —  on  the  proper 
side,  — " 

Mr.    Saxe    was    the    unsuccessful    Democratic 
candidate  for  governor  of  Vermont  in  1859  and  i860. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  93 

APRIL  I 

Where's  the  heart  that  can  answer  nay 

To  the  whispered  "  Come!  "  of  an  April  day? 

— Buckhanu 

1690  Capt,    Abraham   Schuyler  was   ordered  to  the 

mouth  of  Otter  Creek  with  9  men  there  "  to  watch 
day  and  night  for  one  month,  and  daily  communicate 
with  Capt.  D'Warm,  concerning  Lawrence,  the 
Mohawk  chief,  and  his  party  of  Indians."  At  the 
same  time  D 'Warm's  orders  were  changed  to  select 
some  other  place  at  the  Pass  which  he  did,  building 
a  little  stone  fort  at  Chimney  Point  in  Addison,  the 
first  possession  or  occupation  by  civilized  men  in 
Vermont. 

1758  Was  born  in  Haverhill,  Mass.,  Benjamin  Mooers, 

son  of  Benjamin  and  Abigal  (Hazen)  Mooers.  The 
father  was  a  native  of  Newbury,  Mass.  and  was  a 
tanner  by  trade.  From  1783  to  1786  Benjamin,  Jr. 
spent  his  summers  on  the  borders  of  the  Lake  'and 
winters  in  Haverhill. 

1767  —  "the  ice  on  the  lake  looked  very  black  yester- 

day evening,"  wrote  Gilliland.  He  then  says  that 
when  they  arose  about  6  o'clock  }  of  the  ice  appeared 
to  be  sunk  as  it  did  not  freeze  during  the  night  and 
the  wind  was  blowing  from  the  south.  The  wind 
continuing  high  and  southerly  with  some  rain  dur- 
ing the  day  the  lake  appeared  all  open  except  the 
bays  and  on  their  return  from  the  woods  at  3  in  the 
afternoon  the  creeks  were  very  high  and  "  in  the 
swamps  the  ice  very  rotten."  In  the  forenoon  they 
had  continued  to  run  lines  at  Mrs.  Jane  Gilliland's 
south  but  the  wetness  of  the  afternoon  hurried  him 
home  to  Milltown  to  secure  his  trough  lest  the  river 
should  break  up  and  the  flood  injure  it.     On  arriving 


94  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

he  found  "  a  considerable  flood  "  in  the  Boquet  and 
the  snow  almost  all  off  the  cleared  land. 

Pioneer  History  of  the  Champlain  Valley. — Watson. 

APRIL  2 

1767  — a  soft,  thawing,  growing  day;  the  river  rose 

much  last  night,  and  continued  to  rise  all  this  day; 
I  got  my  trough  well  loaded  with  large  stone  which 
completely  secured  it. — Gilliland. 

1793  At   Town  Meeting  held   at   the   Court   House, 

Plattsburgh,  the  following  Town  Officers  were  elected: 
For  Supervisor,  Nathaniel  Piatt;  Town  Clerk,  Chas. 
Piatt;  Assessors,  Mel  L.  Woolsey,  Benj'n  Moores, 
Jacob  Ferris;  Commissioners  of  Highways,  John 
Stephenson,  Charles  Piatt,  Samuel  Beeman ;  Overseers 
of  the  Poor,  William  Coe,  Nathan  Averill,  Benj'n 
Graves;  Constables,  Benj'n  Graves,  George  Marsh; 
Treasurer,  Charles  Piatt;  Fence  Viewers,  John  Ran- 
som, Wm,  Pitt  Piatt,  Jonas  Allen;  Poundkeeper, 
Benj'n  Graves,  etc. 

1804  At  Peru  Landing,  died  John  Craig,  Sr.,  a  Scotch- 

man who  had  first  settled  in  Canada.  In  i8oi,  he 
had  married  Lodema  Ransom,  daughter  of  John  of 
Ciimberland  Head.  Their  only  child,  John  Craig, 
Jr.,  was  then  but  a  few  months  old. 

1897  Bellevue   Chapter,   (named  for  Bellevue  moun- 

tain) D.  A.  R.  of  St,  Albans,  Vt.,  organized. 

APRIL  3 

April  brings  another  voice  to  my  window  —  a  feminine 
voice  now,  with  the  child-tone  Ungering  in  it. 

— James  Buckham. 

1767  — soft  weather  continues;  raised  the  fence  out 

of  our  yard;  the  flood  rather  lower  than  yesterday 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  95 

evening;  last  night  it  was  at  the  highest,  having 
thrown  up  large  cakes  of  ice  on  and  broke  down  my 
fence  on  the  S.  E.  corner  of  Camp  island;  the  water 
almost  surrounded  the  flat  at  the  lower  landing. 

— Gilliland. 

1786  On  Tuesday,  the  second  town  meeting  was  held 

and  Charles  Piatt,  elected  Supervisor;  Kinner  New- 
comb,  John  Ransom,  and  Jacob  Ferris,  Assessors; 
John  Ransom,  Town  Clerk;  Darick  Webb,  Jonas 
Allen  and  Jacob  Ferris,  Overseers  of  the  Poor; 
Samuel  Beeman,  Cyrenus  Newcomb,  etc. 

The  western  boundary  of  Clinton  County  was 
extended  to  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  embraced 
a  large  portion  of  the  present  county  of  St.  Lawrence. 

1842  The  first  church  building  of  the  first   Baptist 

Society  of  Burlington,  situated  on  the  south-west 
corner  of  Church  and  Main  streets,  was  dedicated. 

APRIL  4 

1767  —  last  night  we  had  a  little  snow  and  some  frost, 

but  which  was  gone  by  9  o'clock;  this  day  was  soft 
and  not  cold,  good  growing  weather ;  the  snow  quite 
gone  off  the  cleared  land  and  off  the  wood  land  too 
that  inclines  toward  the  south.  Our  cattle  finding 
the  wood  feed  good  yesterday,  did  not  come  home 
last  night,  even  old  spark  (the  weakest  of  them  all) 
stayed  out. — Gilliland. 

1784  Peter  Sailly  from  the  Province  of  Lorraine  in 
France  reached  America  on  his  first  visit  —  one  of 
investigation. 

1785  The  two  tracts  of  land  obtained  by  Zephaniah 
Piatt  and  associates  were  incorporated  into  a  town 
called   PLATTSBURGH,   by  a  special  act   of  the 


96  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

legislature.  At  that  time  it  embraced  all  of  Platts- 
burgh  Old  Patent,  Frizwell's  Patent,  and  Cumberland 
Head  Patent. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  war  I  had  purchased  a  few 
class  rights  of  the  soldiers  and  having  collected  a 
little  something,  set  out  for  the  woods,  and  after 
viewing  several  places,  I  set  down  on  the  west  side 
of  Lake  Champlain,  an  entirely  new  country  and 
wilderness  and  called  the  town  Plattsburgh." 

Charles  Piatt  in  letter  to  Dr.  Samuel  Jenner  of  Northfield,  Mass. 

1805  The  bill  for  the  building  of  the  Great  Northern 

Turnpike  became  a  law.  The  commissioners  were: 
Theodosius  Fowler,  Elkanah  Watson,  Charles  D. 
Cooper,  Theodorus  Ross,  Benjamin  Mooers,  Charles 
R.  Webster,  Robert  Gilchrist,  James  Rogers,  Pliny 
Moore,  Micajah  Petit. 

Also,  the  towns  of  Lewis  and  Essex  were  "  set 
off  "  from  Willsborough,  the  former,  named  in  honor 
of  Governor  Morgan  Lewis,  who  owned  land  there 
purchased  from  General  Philip  Schuyler;  the  latter 
as  well  as  the  county  Essex,  being  named  for  Essex. 
England. 

1812  The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Platts- 

burgh, made  an  agreement  with  Ichabod  Fitch,  to 
frame  and  raise  the  building  for  $500. 

1848  Schuyler  Falls  formed  from  Plattsburgh.     Ezra 

Turner,  one  of  the  original  thirteen  settlers  in  the 
town  of  Plattsburgh,  made  the  first  settlement  in 
the  Town  about  1794  when  he  married  Amy  Beman 
daughter  of  Nathan  Beman,  then  only  sixteen  years 
old.  Their  home  in  the  woods  was  seven  miles  from 
the  little  settlement  on  the  Lake. 

1866  "  The    Jewish    Congregation    of    Plattsburgh  " 

purchased  from  the  trustees  of  the  First  Universalist 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  97 

Church,  their  lot  and  church  building  on  Oak  Street, 
and  fitted  it  up  as  a  place  of  public  worship. 

1883  Y.  M.  C.  A.  of  Burlington  incorporated. 

1888  The  S.  F.  Vilas  Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm  Women 

incorporated  by  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Harriet  Hunt  Vilas, 
widow  of  the  late  S.  F.  Vilas  of  Plattsburgh. 

1909  At  Galena,  111,  died  Ann  Elizabeth  Felt,  widow 

of  B.  F.  Felt  and  daughter  of  Zephaniah  C.  Piatt. 
Her  aunt  Caroline  Adriance  Piatt  Diell  died  a  few 
years  since  in  Adriance,  Virginia,  in  the  94th  year  of 
her  age.  She  was  the  widow  of  the  Rev.  John  Diell, 
eight  years  Seaman's  Chaplain  at  Honolulu,  Sand- 
wich Islands,  who  died  at  sea  in  1841,  when  home- 
ward bound. 

APRIL  5 

Daybreak!  daybreak!  bright  grows  the  east 
at  last; 

Bells  ringing,  birds  singing,  sun  in  the  dew- 
drop  glassed. 

— James  Buckham. 

1769  William   Kelley,    in   behalf    of   Lord   Viscount 

Townsend  and  twenty-four  associates,  petitioned  for 
a  grant  of  25,000  acres,  bounded  east  by  Cumberland 
Bay  and  extending  west  on  both  sides  of  the  Saranac 
River,  including  the  land  covered  by  the  warrant  of 
survey  of  Jan.  27,  1768. 

1796  It  was  voted  "  that  ten  dollars  be  paid  by  the 

inhabitants  of  Peru  for  every  wolf  killed  within  the 
town  of  Peru  in  the  present  year,  said  wolf  to  be  a 
full  Grone  wolf  and  fresh  killed." 

At  the  regular  town  meeting  in  the  Court  House 
(Plattsburgh)  it  was  "  voted  to  raise  twenty -five 
pounds  by  tax  on  the  Freeholders  and  inhabitants 


98  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

of  the  Town  of  Plattsburgh  this  year  to  finish  the 
Court  House." 

1878  Death  of   Capt.   Wm.   H.    Bailey,   grandson  of 

Judge  Wm.  Bailey. 

APRIL  6 

1767  — a  lovely  day,  the  sun  hot,  though  the  wind 

keeps  nor'ly.  Froze  pretty  hard  last  night,  set  saw- 
mill agoing  to-day.  —  this  day  set  my  3  hands  to 
clear  from  the  barn  to  the  lower  landing. — Gilliland. 

1790  At  the  regular  Town  Meeting  this  year  the  Path 

Masters  chosen  were:  Charles  Piatt,  Gideon  Rugar, 
John  Fontfieyd,  Lucius  Reynolds,  Robert  Morris, 
Moses  Soper,  Benjamin  Mooers,  Point-au-Roches, 
John  Cochran,  South  side  River,  Isaac  Finch,  Edward 
Everitt,  Sable. 

1814  Com.   Macdonough  wrote  to  Peter  Sailly,   Col- 

lector of  Customs:  "  I  have  rec'd  only  this  morning 
your  favr  of  29th  ultimo,  owing  to  the  impractihility 
of  crossing  the  Lake."  He  then  gives  the  informa- 
tion that  the  "  B.  flotilla  has  been  at  Rouses  point 
since  a  few  Days,"  and  that  their  ship  will  soon  be 
ready  to  "  display  the  English  CoUours."  He  speaks 
of  the  great  danger  lest  the  enemy  seize  the  boats 
and  sink  them  loaded  with  stones  at  the  mouths  of 
rivers  and  creeks,  telling  Mr.  Sailly  that  he  will  know 
best  as  to  the  advisability  of  placing  strong  batteries 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Saranac,  and  closing  with:  "  It 
will  do  no  good  to  growl ;  but  I  may  observe  that  we 
are  going  to  be  in  a  desperate  situation  on  the  shores 
of  this  lake  as  long  as  the  British  can  navigate  it, 
Stop  all  Communication  and  plunder  our  Shores." 

The  letter  is  written  with  evident  haste,  with  several 
erasures  and  changes.  An  inventory  of  military  stores  such  as 
boxes  of  candles,  soap,  pounds  of  beef,  pork,  etc.  occupies  the 
margin  and  the  commander  signs  himself  Yrs.  Ths  McDonough. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  qq 

1821  Death  of  Henrietta  Julia  Kirtland,  who  became 

the  wife  of  William  Swetland,  Esq.,  in  1811.  Her 
monument  erected  by  her  husband  was  the  first  in 
Riverside  cemetery. 

1862  Was  killed  in  battle  Capt.  Edward  Saxe,  grand- 

son of  the  pioneer  John  Saxe  and  son  of  Jacob  who 
first  engaged  in  business  in  Sheldon,  Vt.,  and  after- 
wards with  his  brothers  Matthew  and  Peter  at  West 
Chazy.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  181 2,  Jacob 
removed  his  merchandise  to  the  storehouse  at  Chazy 
Landing,  and  on  the  approach  of  a  large  force  of 
British,  took  the  same  on  batteaux  to  Orwell,  Vt., 
where  the  only  sister  of  the  Saxe  brothers  cared  for 
them.  The  war  over,  there  was  a  short  period  spent 
in  Chazy  before  removal  to  the  mouth  of  the  Salmon 
river  (Port  Gilliland)  where  he  built  a  blast  furnace, 
sawmill,  dams,  charcoal  kilns,  etc.,  employing  forty 
men.  The  freshet  of  1830  swept  all  these  buildings 
and  dams  into  the  lake,  but  the  stone  dwelling  which 
he  built  still  stands.  He  spent  the  closing  years  of 
his  life  in  Sheldon  to  which  his  wife  had  gone  during 
the  British  invasion  and  where  she  plainly  heard  the 
booming  of  cannon  during  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 

APRIL  7 

There's  a  smile  above,  and  a  smile  below, 
In  the  clouds  that  roll,  and  the  waves  that  flow. 
Is  the  heart  unchain'd  by  sorrow's  thrall, 
There's  a  smile  of  joy  and  of  peace  in  all! 

— Margaret  Miller  Damdson. 

1763  Giles  Hocquart  deeded  to  M.   Michel,  Chartier 

De  Lotbiniere,  all  of  his  seigniory  lying  north  of 
Hospital  Creek  (Addison).  Lotbiniere  petitioned  the 
British  Government  from  time  to  time  to  be  re- 
instated in  his  lands  and  was  finally,  in  1776,  given 
a  seigniory  on  the  St.  Lawrence  river. 


lOO  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1795  The  Town  Meeting  was  held  "  at  the  house  of 

Mess  Ketchum  by  adjournment  from  the  Court 
House."  It  was  voted  that  "  the  Pound  be  built 
near  B.  Graves',"  that  the  sum  of  forty  pounds  be 
raised  by  tax  for  the  completion  of  the  Court  House 
and  twenty-six  pounds  for  the  benefit  of  schools. 

1896  Celebration  of  the  centennial  of  the  organiza- 

tion of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Pleasant  Valley, 
(EHzabethtown). 

1909  Wednesday,  a  disastrous  gale,    from  the  south 

and  southwest,  swept  through  the  Champlain  Valley 
and  extended  into  Canada,  attaining  a  speed  of  more 
than  6o  miles  an  hour,  clearing  the  lake  of  ice,  up- 
rooting trees  and  blowing  down  buildings  and  wires. 
Glens  Fahs,  Ticonderoga  and  Port  Henry  suffered 
especially.  In  Plattsburgh,  just  north  of  historic 
Halsey's  Corners,  a  brother  and  sister,  Warren  and 
Alida  Eldred  of  West  Chazy,  driving  homeward,  were 
crushed  and  instantly  killed  beneath  a  falling  Lom- 
bardy  poplar,  one  of  an  ancient  row  that  has  stood 
opposite  the  Isaac  and  Zephaniah  C.  Piatt  home- 
steads for  more  than  a  century.  Lombardy  poplars 
have  been  a  distinguishing  feature  of  all  old  Piatt 
homesteads  whether  on  the  Hudson  or  in  the  Cham- 
plain Valley. 

APRIL  8 

At  dawn,  as  I  lay  half  waking  and  longing  to  sleep  again, 

Because,  as  my  eyelids  lifted,  there  in  the  dusk  sat  Pain, 

There  came  from  the  orchard  floating  the  first  flute-tone  of  the  spring — 

The  robin's  song, 

I  had  missed  so  long 

The  song  with  the  cheery  ring! 

— James  Buckham. 

1767  — we  were  plagued  with  lumps  of  ice  coming 

down  through  the  trough. — Gilliland. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  lOI 

1808  The  name  of  Malone  was  changed  to  "  Ezraville," 

from  Ezra  L'Hommedieu  of  Suffolk  Co.,  L.  I.,  but  in 
1 812  the  former  name  was  resumed.  L'Hommedieu 
was  also  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Plattsburgh. 

1822  At  the  house  of  Chauncey   Stoddard,  in  Peru 

village,  was  organized  by  the  Rev.  Stephen  Kinsley 
the  First  Congregational  Church  with  11  members, 
who  were  set  off  from  the  church  at  Chesterfield. 
They  were  Rueben  Arthur,  George  Morell,  Peter 
Steams,  Arthur  H.  Merrill,  Chauncey  Stoddard, 
Eunice  Stearns,  Asineth  Stearns,  Louisa  Wells, 
Hannah   Hutchins   and   Sarah   Hutchins. 

Peter  Stearns  was  appointed  moderator  and 
Chauncey  Stoddard,  clerk.  Two  tankards  brought 
by  Polly  (Miller)  Sherrill  from  her  father's  house  in 
East  Hampton,  L.  L,  and  used  by  this  church  for 
many  years  as  communion  cups  are  still  treasured 
by  a  descendant. 

1859  At  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  died  Helen  Livingston  Piatt, 

widow  of  Hon    Jonas  Piatt,  aged  93  years. 

1869  At  her  home  (No.  loi  Margaret  Street)  died  Mrs. 

Mary  Piatt  Mooers,  daughter  of  Wm.  Pitt  Piatt  and 
wife  of  Dr.  Benj.  J.  Mooers.  "  A  lady  of  marked 
ability  and  cultured  taste." 

"  Beautiful  visions  of  home-land  and  sea! 
I  yield  to  the  magic  that  binds  me  to  thee. 
I  gaze  with  emotion  as  hither  I'm  led. 
To  thy  rocky-bound  banks,  Old  Cumberland  Head! 

It  is  here  treasured  scenes  of  my  childhood  are  laid, 
It  is  here  I  now  linger  in  memory's  shade. 
And  I  think  of  the  years  that  so  quickly  have  flown, 
To  a  region  we  know  not  —  a  home  of  their  own. 

Thy  nooks  are  all  sacred,  thy  rocks  are  still  dear, 
As  when  in  my  childhood,  I  oft  lingered  there, 
And  visioned  the  future  in  innocent  joy, 
And  fancied  that  happiness  held  no  alloy. 


102  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Thine  air  is  perfumed  with  flowers  of  love, 

Which  strengthen  and  purify,  oft  as  I  rove. 

O'er  thy  green-sloping  fields,  thy  rocks,  and  thy  shore, 

And  link  thy  blue  waters  with  stories  of  yore. 

Thy  beauty  will  not  fade,  nor  glory  depart. 
In  spirit  I'm  with  thee,  and  beatings  of  heart, 
Tell  me  truly,  I  ween,  that  the  tears  I  now  shed. 
Are  for  thee,  thee  alone,  dear  Cumberland  Head." 

Written  for  Mrs.  Mooers  by  her  cousin,  L.  M.  Kent. 


APRIL  9 

1790  At  Champlain  was  born  Ann   (baptised  Anna), 

the  eldest  of  the  three  daughters,  Ann,  Sophia  and 
Matilda,  of  Judge  PHny  Moore.  Their  mother,  n6e 
Martha  Corbin,  was  a  woman  of  wonderful  energy 
and  very  ambitious  for  her  daughters,  so  she  sent 
them  to  a  convent  in  Montreal  to  learn  French  and 
the  needlework  embroidery  of  the  times.  On  their 
return,  having  no  carpet  for  her  drawing  room,  (no 
carpets  having  been  brought  so  far  north  in  those 
days),  she  set  them  to  work  to  embroider  one.  An 
adopted  cousin,  Harriett  Hicks,  assisted.  The  room 
for  which  the  carpet  was  designed  was  about  twenty 
feet  square. 

This  wonderful  carpet,  made  from  crewels  of 
wool,  sheared  from  the  home  flock,  dyed  with  stuffs 
at  hand,  embroidered  on  material  obtained  in  Mon- 
treal, with  a  lining  woven  on  the  kitchen  loom,  was 
begun  in  i8o8  and  completed  in  1812.  The  designs, 
sea-shell  border  and  all  were  the  work  of  Ann.  The 
carpet  became  indeed  a  "  magic  carpet  "  for  around 
its  frame  gathered  the  young  law-students  Julius 
Hubbell,  Thomas  Whiteside  and  several  army  officers 
The  carpet  (1909)  is  well  preserved. 

1818  A  site  adjacent  to  the  Friends'  burying  ground 

was  deeded  by  Silas  Macomber  for  ten  dollars  to 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  103 

Warren  Corbin  and  Seth  Griffith  for  a  Friends'  meet- 
ing house  at  Grand  Isle. 

1853  Died  in  Champlain,  the  Hon.  Abiajah  North  of 

Scottish  Ancestry  and  a  native  of  Shoreham,  where 
he  was  born  in  1772.  He  came  a  pioneer  to  Cham- 
plain in  1799,  and  his  brother  Lemeul  came  in  1800. 
The  two  brothers  worked  together,  acquiring  several 
hundred  acres  of  the  best  farming  land  of  the  section. 
They  were  successful  farmers  and  Abiajah  was  widely 
known  as  a  breeder  of  fine  horses  and  cattle.  His 
son  Lemuel  at  one  time  owned  the  celebrated  stallion 
known  as  "  The  Sherman  Black  Hawk  "  or  North 
Horse.  Some  of  his  horses  have  sold  as  high  as 
$7,500  each.  Father  and  son  were  of  the  Democratic 
Party  and  have  held  many  public  offices. 

1855  In    Plattsburgh    died    EHza    Walker    Dobie,    a 

native  of  St.  Helen's,  England  and  wife  of  the  Rev. 
David  Dobie. 

Nearer  and  dearer  are  the  blessed  dead 
Than  we  are  wont  to  think. 

— James  Buckham. 

1876  Elizabeth  Mooers,  daughter  of  Col.  Benjamin  H. 

Mooers,  and  wife  of  Judge  George  M.  Beckwith,  died. 
Of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  she  was  a  consistent 
member  forty-three  years. 

APRIL  10 

1690  One  of  the  observing  parties  on  Lake  Champlain 

sent  in  word  that  they  had  discovered  the  track  of 
twelve  French  and  Indians,  proceeding  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Albany.  Warnings  were  sent  out,  but  those 
who  neglected  to  heed  were  attacked  and  killed. 

1772  Was  born  at  New  Preston,  Conn.,  just  over  the 

line  from  Dutchess  county,  the  home  of  the  Platts, 
Millers,   Newcombs,   etc.,   Nathan  Averill,  Jr.,   who 


I04  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

came  a  pioneer  to  Plattsburgh  with  his  father's 
family  and  the  Platts ;  married  Polly,  eldest  daughter 
of  Joseph  and  Phebe  (Moore)  Ketchum  of  Peru  and 
kept  the  first  hotel  in  Peru,  at  the  Union,  then  the 
business  and  commercial  centre  of  the  town.  To 
Nathan  Averill  and  his  wife  were  born  six  sons  and 
three  daughters,  the  four  eldest  children  in  Peru. 

1810  Daniel  Haskel  settled  over  the  Calvinistic  Con- 

gregational church  in  Burlington  w^here  he  remained 
until  1 82 1  when  he  was  called  to  the  Presidency  of 
the  University  of  Vermont. 

1821  The   annual   meeting   of   the    "  Censors   of   the 

Clinton  Agricultural  Society  "  was  held  at  the  home 
of  Lester  Sampson  in  Chazy  and  the  following  officers 
chosen:  Allen  R.  Moore,  president;  Robert  Piatt, 
Isaac  C.  Piatt  and  James  Crook,  vice-presidents; 
Alexander  Scott,  treasurer,  and  Noadiah  Moore, 
"  principal  secretary." 

1859  Died  at  the  age  of  eighty,  Phebe  Piatt  Bailey, 

wife  of  Judge  William  Bailey  and  a  daughter  of  Capt. 
Nathaniel  Piatt. 

1899  The  Twenty-first  U.  S.  Infantry,  under  Colonel 

Jacob  Kline,  left  Plattsburgh  Barracks,  pursuant  to 
General  Orders  No.  35,  A.  G.  O.,  1899  and  Special 
Orders  No.  63  D.  E.,  1899. 

APRIL  11 

AMERICA. 

And  this  was  once  the  realm  of  nature,  where 

Wild  as  the  wind,  tho'  exquisitely  fair, 

She  breath'd  the  mountain  breeze,  or  bow'd  to  kiss 

The  dimpling  waters  with  unbounded  bliss. 

Here  in  this  Paradise  of  earth,  where  first 

Wild  mountain  Liberty  began  to  burst. 

Once  Nature's  temple  rose  in  simple  grace, 

The  hill  her  throne,  the  world  her  dwelling-place. 

— Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 
(Written  in  her  seventeenth  year.) 


Three  Centuries  in*  Champlaix  Valley  105 

1775  Resolutions  were  adopted  at  Westminster,  Vt., 

foreshadowing  plans  for  the  erection  of  a  new  royal 
province  combining  the  disputed  territory  (New 
Hampshire  Grants)  and  adjacent  Xew  York  lands 
west  to  Lake  Ontario,  with  Skenesborough  as  capital. 
Such  men  as  Col.  Allen,  Bird  and  Col.  Skene  were 
interested  but  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution  put 
an  end  to  all  such  plans. 

1777  Dr.    Thomas   Young   of   Philadelphia,   wrote   a 

letter,  addressed  "  To  the  inhabitants  of  Vermont." 
exhorting  them  to  take  a  decided  stand,  organize  a 
government,  and  adopt  a  constitution, 

1785  Peter  Tappen,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  Platts- 

burgh,  was  one  of  a  committee  of  three  appointed  to 
re-construct  the  Dutchess  county  building  of  court- 
house and  jail  which  had  been  destroyed  by  fire. 

1814  The    Saratoga,    destined    to    be    Macdonough's 

flag  ship,  was  launched  at  Vergennes,  only  forty 
days  from  the  tree  in  the  forest  to  the  vessel  on  the 
lake.  Her  equipment  had  not  yet  arrived  and  the 
roads  were  impassable  for  the  heavily  loaded  wagons 
which  were  to  draw  the  naval  stores  from  Troy. 

1831, 

1839, 

and 

1840  "  Lineboats  "    commenced    running    on    Lake 

Champlain. 

APRIL  12 

Beyond  to-day  —  ah  I  that  should  most  concern  us; 

Not  pain  or  pleasure  now,  what  irks,  what  suits. 
How  are  we  living  for  the  long  to-morrows? 

What  are  we  sowing  of  eternal  fruits  ? 
O,  idler,  trifler,  pleasure-seeker,  stay! 
What  of  that  endless  life,  beyond  to-day? 

— James  Btickham. 

1805  In   Chateaugay,    N.    Y.,    was   born   Theodorus 

Bailey,  son  of  Judge  Wm.  Bailey  and  grandson  of  the 


Io6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

redoubtable  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt.  Theodorus  en- 
tered the  navy  in  1818  and  became  a  rear-admiral 
in  1866.  His  home  in  Plattsburgh  was  the  stone 
house  built  by  St.  John  B.  L.  Skinner  No.  22  Macomb 
street. 

1850  Amasa  C.  Moore  elected  President,  Gustavus  V, 

Edwards,  Treasurer,  and  John  J.  Haile,  Secretary 
of  the  newly  organized  Plattsburgh  and  Montreal 
Railroad. 

RHYME    OF    THE    RAIL. 

Singing  through  the  forests, 

Rattling  over  ridges, 
Shooting  under  arches, 

Rumbling  over  bridges, 
Whizzing  through  the  mountains. 

Buzzing  o'er  the  vale, — 
Bless  me !  this  is  pleasant. 

Riding  on  the  Rail! 

— John  G.  Saxe. 

APRIL  13 

1782  Birth  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  of  Alexander  Macomb, 

the  future  American  major-general  who  defeated  the 
British  under  Prevost  at  Plattsburgh,  Sept.  18 14. 


general    MACOMB,    1782-1841 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  107 

1811  The  first  number  of  the  ''Republican''  issued. 

The  principal  movers  and  stockholders  in  the  enter- 
prise were:  Peter  Sailly,  Col.  Melancton  Smith, 
Judge  Kinner  Newcomb,  Judge  Charles  Piatt,  Isaac 
C.  Piatt,  Caleb  Nichols,  Dr.  John  Miller,  Thomas 
Treadwell,  Benjamin  Mooers,  John  Dominey,  Elias 
Woodruff,  Thomas  Miller,  Ezra  Thurber,  Judge  Carew 
of  Chazy,  and  Judge  Hicks  of  Champlain.  Col. 
Melancton  Smith  was  the  first  editor. 

APRIL  14 

No  wind  in  all  the  calendar  is  quite  so  soft  as  the  April 
wind  —  when  it  is  soft. — James  Buckhafn. 

1755  The  Governors  of  the  several  Provinces  met  in 

conference  in  Virginia,  and  determined  upon  the  plan 
of  a  campaign,  by  which  to  repel  the  encroachments 
of  the  French  upon  the  northern  frontier. 

— Palmer's  History. 

1759  Pliny  Moore,  the  first  English  settler  in  the  town 

of  Champlain,  was  born  in  Sheffield,  Mass.  While 
a  drummer  boy  in  the  patriot  army  he  was  first 
attracted  to  the  lands  where  he  afterwards  settled. 

1766  The  first  house  erected  upon  the  Gilliland  lots 

for  Robert  McAuley,  on  the  north  bank  of  Bachellor's 
Creek. 

1816  Melancton  L.  Woolsey  and  John  G.  Freligh  were 

ordained  Elders  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
under  the  new  pastor  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Hewitt. 
At  that  time  the  house  of  worship,  begun  in  181 2, 
had  not  been  finished  and  the  Elders,  one  and  all, 
gave  liberally  of  their  time  and  substance  to  the 
furtherance  of  the  work.  Elder  William  Pitt  Piatt, 
whose  sister  Mrs.  Abraham  Brinckerhoff,  had  given 
the  site  for  the  building,  gave  without  stint  even 
mortgaging  his  home  for  the  cause. 


I08  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

APRIL  15 

renewal. 
Earth-smell  from  plow  and  from  harrow, 
The  love-cadenced  song  of  the  sparrow, 
Life  sunned  to  the  core  and  the  marrow  — 
Ah!  infinite  sweetness  of  spring. 

— James  Buckham. 

1766  — sent  to  Crown  Point  for  provs.,  and  got  4 
barrels  flour,  and  5  firkins  butter  —  all  condemned. 
Mr.  Chism  stayed  behind;  the  others  ret'd  the  19th, 
at  this  time  the  run  away  settlers  came  for  their 
wives,  and  our  red  cow  with  the  white  face  died, 
having  loss'd  an  old  white  cow  the  23rd  March. 

— GilUland. 

1767  — sowed  tobacco,  cabbage,  lettuce,  tong  grass, 
turneps,  parsley  and  spinach  seeds  in  burnt  brush 
hearths,  also  a  few  peas. — Idem. 

1784  Gov.  Chittenden  wrote  from  ArHngton  to  Gen. 

Haldimand  asking  him,  since  Peace  had  been  estab- 
lished and  the  Loyal  Block  House  would  be  evacuated 
as  a  British  Post,  to  direct  the  Commanding  Officer 
there  to  inform  the  governor  of  the  time  of  evacuation 
"  that  an  Officer  from  this  State  may  take  Possession 
thereof." — Canadian  Archives. 

1797  At  South   Hero   Island,   were  married  William 

Slosson,  son  of  Eleazer  and  Lucy  Slosson,  and  Susan- 
nah Stark,  a  relative  of  Gen.  Stark.  They  settled 
on  a  farm  south  of  Chazy  village,  in  1807.  On  the 
advance  of  the  British,  William  Slosson  with  his 
team  was  pressed  into  service  to  carry  baggage  to 
Plattsburgh.  On  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  our 
militia  captured  five  British  soldiers  and  six  horses 
while  the  British  "  gobbled  up  "  Mr.  Slosson  and  held 
him  prisoner  over  one  night. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  109 


APRIL  16 

Utterly  was  I  lightened,  one  instant  of  all  my  pain, 

When  robin  sang, 

When  the  silence  rang. 
When  the  spring  came  back  again. 

— James  Buckhatn. 

1755  The  date  of  Sir  William  Johnson's  Commission 

reciting  that  the  troops  are  placed  under  his  com- 
mand "to  be  employed  in  an  attempt  to  erect  a 
strong  Fortress  before  an  eminence  near  the  French 
Fort  at  Crown  Point,  and  removing  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  French  on  his  Majesty's  land  there." 

1808  At  his  home  on  Rugar  street,  died  Gideon  Rugar, 

a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  of  the  Albany  County 
militia,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  and  an  early  settler 
of  Plattsburgh. 

1861  News    of   President   Lincoln's    proclamation    of 

April  15th,  reaches  Plattsburgh.  A  meeting  for  the 
evening  of  the  17th  was  called. 

1881  Consolidation  with   Chateaugay   Ore  and   Iron 

Company,  of  iron  forge  property  at  Clayburgh, 
Russia  and  Plattsburgh.  Weed  and  Williams  selling 
their  iron  interests  to  Chateaugay  Ore  and  Iron 
Company, 

APRIL  17 

"  ON    SPRING." 

I  have  seen  the  fair  Spring,  I  have  heard  her  sweet  song, 
As  she  passed  in  her  lightness  and  freshness  along; 
The  blue  wave  rolled  deeper,  the  moss-crest  looked  bright, 
As  she  breathed  o'er  the  regions  of  darkness  and  night. 

— Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 

1782  Birth  in  Po'keepsie  of  a  seventh  son,  Levi,  to 

Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt  and  Mary  Van  Wyck,  his  wife. 


no  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1830  Ellenburgh,    named    in    compliment    to    Ellen, 

daughter  of  John  R.  Murray  of  New  York,  the  princi- 
pal proprietor  of  Township,  No.  5  of  the  Military- 
Tract,  was  formed  from  Mooers.  The  first  per- 
manent settler  was  Abner  Pomeroy  about  1800  and 
an  early  pioneer  was  Joseph  R.  Emerson. 

1861  At  the  meeting  held  at  the  court  house  for  the 

purpose  of  raising  a  company  of  men  to  assist  in 
putting  down  the  Rebellion,  thirty-five  signed  at 
once  as  willing  to  enlist  and  these  elected  from  their 
number  Frank  Palmer,  Captain;  Royal  Corbin, 
Lieutenant;  Pliny  Moore,  Ensign,  all  descendants 
of  Revolutionary  soldiers  and  early  pioneers. 

1899  Arrival  at  San  Francisco  and  embarkation  on 

the  transport  "  Hancock  "  of  the  Twenty-first  U.  S. 
Infantry,  32  officers  and  1,335  enlisted  men  strong. 

APRIL  19 

1799  Charles  Barnard,   son  of  Joseph  and  Margaret 

(Moore)  Barnard,  born  on  Cumberland  Head  in  a 
house  on  the  Benjamin  Mooers  property.  As  a  boy 
of  fifteen,  he  witnessed  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh  and 
during  the  engagement  a  cannon  ball  passed  through 
his  home.  After  the  battle  Gen.  Mooers  took  him, 
a  barefoot  boy,  on  board  one  of  the  American  vessels 
where  the  blood  upon  the  deck  spattered  upon  his 
feet. 

1810  On  Thursday,  the  people  of  Burlington,  favor- 

able to  liberal  sentiments  in  religion,  assembled  in 
the  Court  House  (a  wooden  structure,  built  in  1802, 
afterwards  burned)  "  to  induct  into  office  the  man 
they  had  chosen  for  their  christian  teacher  and  guide, 
Mr.  Sam'l  Clark."     Here,   "  only  9  days  before  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  III 

Calvinistic  party  of  seceders  had  with  eager  haste 
ordained  another  minister,  (Mr.  Daniel  Haskel)." 

1817  In  the  Republican  was  offered  a  reward  of  $ioo 

for  the  apprehension  of  ten  deserters  from  the  canton- 
ment, and  the  commandant  of  the  post  gave  notice 
that  he  would  prosecute  any  person  who  "  may 
procure  or  entice  any  person  to  desert  "  and  that 
desertions  would  thereafter  be  announced  by  three 
discharges  of  cannon  in  quick  succession  from  Fort 
Moreau. 

1832  At  Wadhams  Mills,  to  which  he  gave  a  name, 

in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his  age  died  Gen.  Luman 
Wadhams,  a  native  of  Goshen,  Conn.,  and  early 
pioneer  in  Charlotte,  Vt.,  and  in  Lewis,  Essex  Co., 
N.  Y.  He  finally,  in  1822,  settled  at  Westport.  An 
officer  at  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh,  he  afterwards 
became  a  general  of  militia.  In  the  cemetery  at 
Wadhams  Mills  he  was  buried  where,  many  years 
after,  the  remains  of  his  aged  widow  were  placed 
beside  him. 

APRIL  20 

It  rains,  but  on  a  dripping  bough 
A  little  bird  sings  clear  and  sweet,  — 
I  think  he  knows  not  why  nor  how, 

Except  that  with  his  slender  feet 

He  feels  dear  nature's  pulses  beat. 

— James  Buckham. 

1743  Hocquart     (Intendant    of    New    France)     was 

granted  by  the  King  of  France,  a  seigniory  of  four 
leagues  front  on  the  lake,  by  five  leagues  deep,  and 
the  south  line  half  a  mile  south  of  the  south  line  of 
what  is  now  Addisons,  and  the  north  line  near  Adams 
Ferry  in  Panton.  The  following  October  his  deed 
was  registered  in  Quebec. 


112  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1754  Born  in   Province   of  Lorraine,   France,   Pierre 

Sailly,  a  future  pioneer  of  Plattsburgh.  He  became 
a  member  of  a  corps  forming  a  body-guard  for  Louis 
XVI  and  from  that  monarch  received  his  passport 
(still  preserved  in  the  family)  to  emigrate  to  America. 

1 77 1  William  Pitt  Piatt,  son  of  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt, 

born  at  Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 

1836  Daniel  Piatt,  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  half 

brother  to  the  Piatt  brothers.  Founders  of  Platts- 
burgh, died. 

1909  Early  in  the  morning  the  Lincoln  Pond  storage 

dam  near  EHzabethtown,  having  a  capacity  of 
3,000,000  cubic  feet,  broke  sending  a  wall  of  water 
twenty  feet  down  Black  Brook  and  sweeping  away 
bridges,  mills  and  lumber.  One  house  was  swept 
from  its  foundations  and  the  family  were  rescued 
from  the  barn  in  boats.  The  property  damaged  was 
$250,000,  but  there  was  no  loss  of  life. 

APRIL  21 

1766  — this  day  Thomas  Brady  helped  C.  Belton  at 
his  house. — Gilliland. 

BROTHERHOOD. 

Mark  well  this  fact  —  not  often  urged,  indeed  — 
That  one's  own  business,  if  he  mind  it  best, 

Concerns  the  common  welfare,  take  due  heed 
How  self,  the  unit,  stands  toward  all  the  rest. 

— James  Buckham. 

1767  — a  dark  windy  day  with  some  rain;  went  to 
repair  my  bateau. — Gilliland. 

1798  Henry  Ketchum  Averill,  son  of  Nathan,  Jr.  and 

Polly  (Ketchum)  Averill,  his  wife,  was  born  at  Peru. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  II3 

1816  James  Trowbridge  was  made  an  Elder  of  the 

First  Presbyterian  Church. 

1828  "  Plattsburgh  Academy  "  incorporated. 

FIRST    BOARD    OF    TRUSTEES. 

Benjamin  Mooers,  John  Lynde,  William  S wet- 
land, Jonathan  Griffin,  Frederick  Halsey,  Frederick 
L.  C.  Sailly,  Heman  Cady,  Ephraim  Buck,  William 
F.  Haile,  George  Marsh,  John  Palmer,  Henry  K. 
Averill. 

1909  The  water  of  Lake  Champlain  reached  a  point 

nine  feet  and  six  inches  above  the  extreme  low  water 
mark  of  1908  and  but  nineteen  inches  below  the 
extreme  high  water  mark  of  1869.  Several  docks 
are  submerged  and  during  the  gale  of  the  evening 
the  Rouses  Point  drawbridge  was  badly  damaged 
and  two  miles  of  track  on  the  Rutland  Railroad 
between  South  Hero  and  Colchester  washed  away. 

APRIL  22 

1791  Born   at   Williamstown,    Mass.,   Josiah   Corbin, 

son  of  Joseph  Corbin,  a  Revolutionary  soldier  of 
Killingly,  Conn,  and  Williamstown,  Mass.  Josiah 
served  in  the  War  of  181 2,  from  Champlain  and  in 
1 81 9  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Clinton  as  cornet  of  a 
troop  in  the  15th  Regiment  N.  Y.  Cavalry. 

1829  In  Burlington  died  Mark  Rice,  a  native  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  founder  of  the  Unitarian  Fund  of  the 
First  Congregational  Society  from  which  a  substanial 
income  is  annually  derived.  An  humble,  unlettered 
mechanic,  he  so  made  his  chairs  and  built  his  charac- 
ter that  the  first  have  withstood  the  ravages  of  time 
and  the  second  will  grow  brighter  and  brighter. 


114  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

SERVICE. 

The  broom  or  the  spade  or  the  shuttle,  that  pUes 

Its  own  honest  task  in  its  own  honest  way, 
Serves  heaven  not  less  than  a  star  in  the  skies  — 

What  more  could  the  Pleiades  do  than  obey? 

— James  Bttckham. 

APRIL  24 

Thou  pretty  wee  flower,  humble  thing, 
Thou  brightest  jewel  of  the  heath. 
Which  waves  at  zephyr's  lightest  wing, 
And  trembles  at  the  softest  breath. 

Thou  lovely  bud  of  Scotia's  land. 
Thou  pretty  fragrant  burnie  gem, 
By  whisp'ring  breezes  thou  art  fann'd, 
And  greenest  leaves  entwine  thy  stem. 

— Lticretia  Maria  Davidson. 
(Written  in  her  fourteenth  year.) 

1776  The  three  Commissioners,  Benj.  Franklin,  Samuel 

Chase  and  Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton,  sent  by 
Congress  to  Canada,  accompanied  by  John  Carroll, 
a  Jesuit  priest  and  afterwards  the  first  Roman  Catholic 
Archbishop  in  the  United  States,  in  their  passage 
through  the  lake,  stopped  at  Ti. ;  at  Crown  Point  to 
examine  the  works,  and  at  Ferris'  (now  Arnold's  Bay) 
where  they  spent  the  night.  This  Ferris  was  an 
ancestor  of  Hiram  Ferris,  pilot  on  the  first  "  Ver- 
mont." 

1791  Lieut.    Benj.   Mooers  was  married  to  Hannah, 

daughter  of  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt  who  had  moved 
into  Plattsburgh  about  a  year  previous.  They  had 
ten  children,  six  of  whom  grew  to  maturity. 

18M  Col.  Stephen  Moffitt  of  the  96th  regiment  was 

made  a  prisoner  of  war  and  confined  in  prison  at 
Plymouth,  N.  C,  for  four  months.  He  was  one  of 
the  fifty  officers  of  highest  rank  placed  by  the  rebels 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  1 15 

in  front  of  their  works  during  the  bombardment  of 
the  city  of  Charleston,  S.  C. 


APRIL  25 

1821  Daniel  Baker  certified  before  St.  J.  B.  L,  Skinner, 

J.  P.,  that  Sampson  Soper,  a  colored  man,  described 
as  about  five  feet,  seven  inches  high,  rather 
light  complexion,  aged  about  forty-two  years  old 
and  born  in  Manchester,  Vt.,  was  bom  free  and  had 
never  been  enslaved  to  his  knowledge  or  belief. 
This  proof  of  Freedom  was  acknowleged  by  Caleb 
Nichols,  a  Judge  of  Clinton  County  Court  of  Pleas. 

The  same  date  before  Judge  Nichols,  J.  Bailey, 
Town  Clerk,  Gilead  Sperry  certified  to  the  free  birth 
of  Martin  Tankard,  "  a  Black  or  Mulatto  Person  " 
about  22  years  of  age,  whose  family  he  had  known 
in  Vermont. — Plattsburgh  Town  Records. 

1829  Westville    (Franklin   Co.)   was   taken   from   the 

old  town  of  Constable  (named  for  Wm.  Constable, 
agent  and  part  proprietor).  It  was  owned  by  the 
Constable  family  and  for  many  years  Judge  Wm. 
Bailey  of  Chateaugay  and  Dr.  Albon  Man,  brothers- 
in-law,  were  agents. 

1861  The  first  company  raised  in  Plattsburgh,  now 

numbering  one  hundred  enlisted  men,  was  mustered 
into  the  State  service  by  Col.  Putnam  Lawrence,  of 
the  3 2d  New  York  State  Militia,  who  had  been 
appointed  to  that  duty. 

1881  Saranac  River  Wood  Pulp  Mill  at  Wood's  Falls, 

Cadyville,  commenced  running,  built  by  B.  S.  W. 
Clark  and  J.  O.  Smith. 


Il6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

APRIL  26 

April   is  distinctively  the  month  of   waking   and  activity 
with  the  fishes,  just  as  it  is  with  the  birds. — James  Buckham. 

J  755  — Threw  out  the  fishing  seine  for  the  first  time 

in  1766,  got  only  8  suckers. — Gilliland. 

1775  Edward  Mott  of  Preston,  Conn.,  was  appointed 

Captain  of  the  7th  Company,  in  the  6th  Conn.  Rgt., 
commanded  by  Col.  Samuel  Holden  Parsons. 

1812  "  After  sermon,  Jonathan  Scribner,  Seth  Rice, 

(from  the  Congregational  Church  in  Westford,  Vt.) 
William  Pitt  Piatt,  and  Thomas  Treadwell,  Jr.,  were 
ordained  ruling  Elders  and  Benjamin  J.  Mooers 
Deacon  in  this  Church  according  to  the  forms  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church." — Church  Records. 

Though  Elders  Hubbard,  Stratton,  Treadwell, 
and  Scribner,  lived  north  of  Pittsburgh  in  Beek- 
mantown  the  records  show  their  faithful  attendance 
at  meetings  of  the  session. 

1823  We  have  received  no  mail  from  the  South  for 

several  days.  We  understand  that  for  the  future 
it  will  come  but  once  a  week. 

Judge  John  Lynde  in  Plattsburgh  Republican.  The  postage 
on  a  letter  was  than  25  cents. 

1825  Corner   stone   of   North   College,   University   of 

Vermont,  laid  by  Governor  C.  P.  Van  Ness. 

1861  Departure  of  the  first  company  raised  in  Platts- 

burgh, (Company  C)  of  the  i6th  New  York,  for 
Albany.  About  a  week  later  a  second  company 
(Company  E)  of  volunteers  w^as  formed  and  ready 
to  go  forward  with  John  S.  Stetson,  Captain;  Ransom 
M.  Pierce,  Lieutenant;  Charles  H.  Bentley,  Ensign. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  117 

Before  leaving  they  were  presented  with  a  beautiful 
stand  of  colors  by  the  ladies  of  Plattsburgh. 

APRIL  27 

1775  Col.   Parsons,   of  Connecticut,  was  on  his  way 

from  Oxford  to  Hartford  when  he  fell  in  with  Capt. 
Benedict  Arnold,  hurrying  from  New  Haven  to 
Watertown,  intending  to  obtain  a  commission  from 
the  Provincial  Congress  assembled  there.  Arrived 
at  Hartford,  Parsons  consulted  with  five  other  gentle- 
men and  securing  ;)^3oo  they  sent  off  two  men,  Ro- 
mans and  Noah  Phelps  of  Simsbury,  on  their  way 
to  the  grants, 

1777  At  Ridgefield  fell  mortally  wounded  Maj.-Gen'l 

Wooster,  the  same  man  who,  as  Col.  Wooster  of  New 
York,  had  been  threatened  in  1773  with  the  "  Beech 
Seal  "  by  the  Addison  men. 

1785  Zephaniah    Piatt    as    agent    for    the    company 

formed  in  Poughkeepsie  went  to  New  York  city  for 
necessary  supplies.  Six  and  a  half  days  were  re- 
quired to  go  up  the  Hudson  with  batteaux  to  Fort 
Edward  and  from  there  seventeen  loads  of  supplies 
were  driven  by  oxen  to  Lake  George,  where  boats 
were  again  used.  After  four  miles  of  cartage  to 
Lake  Champlain,  the  supplies  were  floated  to  their 
destination,  the  total  expense  of  the  trip  being  ;^i4o 
and  7  shilling. 

APRIL  28 

—  Shall  the  flower  of  the  valley  burst  forth  to  the  light, 
And  man  in  his  beauty  lie  buried  in  night! 

A  voice  on  the  waters,  a  voice  in  the  sky, 
A  voice  from  beneath,  and  a  voice  from  on  high, 
Proclaims  that  he  shall  not,  —  that  Spring,  in  her  light. 
Shall  waken  thy  spirit  from  darkness  and  night. 

—  Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 


Il8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1775  Edward  Mott  arrived  at  Hartford  and  was  at 
once  invited  to  become  one  of  the  committee  in 
charge  of  the  expedition  against  Ticonderoga  and 
Crown  Point,  which  had  been  set  on  foot  by  Gentle- 
men connected  with  the  General  Assembly.  David 
Wooster,  Silas  Deane  and  Noah  Phelps  were  also 
members.  Mott  took  15  men  from  Connecticut, 
raised  39  in  western  Massachusetts  and  set  out  for 
Bennington.  There  Capt.  Mott  was  made  chairman 
of  the  committee  which  made  Allen  military  com- 
mander of  the  expedition. 

1892  At  Burlington,  was  organized  Green  Mountain 

Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution. 

APRIL  29 

1766  J.  W.  and  two  other  hands  went  to  Crown  Point 

for  peas,  and  retd  May  2d,  with  4  bbls.  condemned, 
and  Wm.  Ferris  and  his  wife.  —  was  taken  ill  on 
board  the  Albany  sloop. — Gilliland. 

1776  The  Commission  reaches  Montreal  and  is  re- 
ceived by  Gen.  Benedict  Arnold,  then  in  command, 
with  much  courtsey. 

1792  Birth  of  Anna  Green,  daughter  of  Friend  Israel 

and  Sarah  (Deane)  Green  of  Dutchess  county.  Anna 
went  from  her  father's  hospitable  house  ("Israel 
Green's  Inn  ")  on  Bridge  street  to  preside  over  the 
mansion  on  the  corner  of  Margaret  and  Brinkerhoff 
streets  (now  Custom  House  square) — the  second 
wife  of  Col.  Melancton  Smith.  Her  sister  Deborah 
married  Dr.  William  Beaumont,  surgeon,  U.  S.  A., 
while  the  younger  of  two  brothers,  Piatt  Rogers 
Green,  became  a  lieutenant  in  the  regular  army 
joining  the  forces  at  Sackett's  Harbor.  Anna 
(Green)  Smith,  early  widowed,  died  in  1879. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  1 19 

APRIL  30 

1737  A  grant  of  land   (embracing  the  territory  now 

known  as  Colchester),  adjoining  the  grant  to  Capt. 
de  la  Pierre  in  1734,  was  made  to  Lieut.  Gen.  Pierre 
Raimbault,  which  grant  was  later  conveyed  by  his 
heirs  to  Benjamin  Price,  Daniel  Robertson  and  John 
Livingston. 

1771  Birth  of  Wm.   Pitt  Piatt,   third  son  of  Judge 

Zephaniah.  He  settled  on  lot  No.  9  Cumberland 
Head  conveyed  to  him  by  his  father.  From  181 2 
he  was  a  Ruling  Elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

1775  Mott  overtook  Romans  and  Phelps  at  Salisbury 

and  the  party,  consisting  of  sixteen  men,  held  on 
together  northward.  At  Sheffield,  they  sent  two 
men,  Halsey  and  Stephens,  to  Albany  to  discover 
the  temper  of  the  people  there.  They  reached  Pitts- 
field  the  next  day  and  lodged  at  Col.  Easton's. 

— Scrihner's  History. 

1813  Asa  Aikens,  afterwards  of  Westport,  received  his 

commission  as  Captain  of  the  31st  regiment,  U.  S.  A. 
(recruited  in  Vermont) ;  while  Piatt  Rogers  Halstead 
received  his  as  3d  Lieutenant,  29th  Infantry,  U.  S.  A. 
The  Colonel  of  the  29th  (mostly  from  Dutchess 
county)  was  Col.  Melancton  Smith  of  Plattsburgh, 
son  of  the  late  Judge  of  the  same  name  of  New 
York. 

1898  William  Mooers  Piatt,  a  member  of  the  Nathan 

Beman  Society  Children  of  the  American  Revolution, 
died. 

1900  Entered  into  rest,  Kate  Louise  (McCaffrey)  Bur- 

roughs of  Champlain,  member  of  Saranac  Chapter 
and  great-grand-daughter  of  Ensign  Jonas  Morgan 


I20  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

of  the  First  Company,  Col.  Samuel  McLellan's  regi- 
ment of  volunteers;  also  descendant  of  Capt.  Edward 
Mott  of  New  Preston,  Conn.,  Chairman  of  the  Com- 
mittee in  charge  of  the  expedition  against  Ticon- 
deroga  and  Crown  Point.  Ensign  Morgan,  after  the 
Revolution,  became  proprietor  of  the  patents  in  the 
Black  river  country  (Champlain  Valley)  which  bear 
his  name  and  erected  the  first  forge  which  was  after- 
wards known  as  Brainard's  Forge.  He  married  Sarah 
Mott,  daughter  of  the  patriot  Capt.  Edward  Mott. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  121 

MAY  1 

The  first  and  second  weeks  in  May  are  the  great  "home 
weeks"  for  the  birds.  Then  it  is  that  the  welcome  tide  of  song 
and  bright  plumage  comes  surging  back  over  our  North  Atlantic 
States  in  one  mighty  wave. — James  Buckhant. 

1690  An  agreement  was  concluded  between  the  prov- 

inces of  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  New  York 
by  which  each  was  to  furnish  its  quota  of  troops  for 
an  expedition  against  Canada. 

1776  Gen.  Thomas  arrived  and  took  command  of  the 

troops  which,  since  the  death  of  Montgomery,  had 
remained  encamped  about  three  miles  up  the  river. 
Smallpox  soon  devastated  the  ranks  which  now 
numbered  3,000  but  only  900  fit  for  duty.  Gen. 
Thomas  soon  returned  to  the  mouth  of  the  Richelieu. 

1809  Work  on  the  Arsenal  (site  No.  37  Broad  street) 

commenced.  The  building  was  finished  August, 
1810. 

1834  Essex  County  Academy  established  in  Westport 

with  Asahel  Lyon,  Piatt  Rogers  Halstead  and  Bena- 
jah  P.  Douglass  as  incorporators. 

1836  At  a  meeting  of  the  Catholic  congregation  at 

their  regular  place  of  worship — the  "  red  store,"  on 
Cumberland  avenue,  the  church  was  incorporated 
under  the  name  of  First  Roman  Catholic  Church  of 
the  town  of  Plattsburgh. 

1845  Was  completed  the  labor  of  stockading  twelve 

acres,  at  Clinton  Prison,  commenced  in  snow  five  feet 
deep  under  the  direction  of  the  first  agent.  Ransom 
Cook  of  Saratoga  Springs,  a  son-in-law  of  Robert 
Ayers. 


122  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1882  Bill  introduced  in  Congress  by  Gen.  John  Ham- 

mond providing  for  the  removal  of  Plattsburgh  Bar- 
racks to  Rouses  Point.  Exchange  of  the  Northern 
N.  Y.  Telephone  Co.  in  operation  with  25  subscribers. 

1898  At  the  battle  of  Manila  Bay,  Captain  George  B. 

Ransom,  U.  S.  N.  (son  of  Capt.  Harry  Sawyer  Ran- 
som, severely  wounded  at  Drury's  Bluff,  in  1864) 
was  Chief  Engineer  of  the  U.  vS.  S.  "Concord"  and  for 
his  "  eminent  and  conspicuous  conduct  "  in  that 
battle  was  given  a  medal  by  Congress. 

MAY  2 

Oh!  fallen  is  the  valiant  arm, 
The  mighty  son  of  war  is  low! 

— Mrs.  Margaret  (Miller)  Davidson. 

1777  At  Danbury,  Conn.,  Major  General  David  Woos- 

ter  of  the  Connecticut  militia,  who  was  mortally 
wounded  in  the  defence  of  Danbury  against  Tryon, 
passed  away.  In  1775,  Allen  Smith,  a  settler  in 
Plattsburgh  as  early  as  1786,  with  his  foster-brother, 
Reuben  Sanborn,  Jr.,  enlisted  at  Waterbury  in 
Wooster's  regiment,  serving  with  it  in  the  Canadian 
campaign  and  being  discharged  at  Montreal  the  next 
year, 

1807  Elijah  Root  was  born  in  the  town  of  Georgia,  Vt. 

Compelled  to  depend  entirely  upon  himself,  he  early 
learned  the  ship  carpenter's  trade  and  later,  became 
engineer  of  the  "Phoenix,"  on  which  boat  in  1832  (the 
year  of  the  cholera)  while  at  Whitehall,  occurred  the 
first  death  in  this  country  from  that  dreadful  disease. 
It  was  due  chiefly  to  Mr.  Root's  example  and  firmness 
that  the  panic  stricken  crew  were  kept  together. 
During  forty-three  years  (1838  to  188 1)  Mr.  Root  held 
the  government  ofhce  of  Inspector  of  boilers  and 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  123 

machinery  on  all  vessels  propelled  in  whole  or  in 
part  by  steam.     He  died  at  Shelburne,  Vt.,  in  1883. 

1815  At  "  The  Ark,"  a  hotel  kept  by  David  Douglass 

at  the  foot  of  River  street,  the  first  election  of  village 
officers  was  held.  'The  trustees  chosen  were:  Wil- 
liam Bailey,  Jonathan  Griffin,  John  Palmer,  Reuben 
H.  Walworth,  Levi  Piatt,  Samuel  Moore,  Eleazer 
Miller,  Clerk,  Gilead  Sperry. 

1897  The  funeral  services  of  the  late  Horace  L.  Jewett, 

colonel  of  the  21st  Infantry,  U.  S.  A.  and  command- 
ing officer  at  Plattsburgh  Barracks,  were  held.  The 
interment  was  with  military  honors  in  the  Post 
cemetery.  Colonel  Jewett  was  a  veteran  of  the  Civil 
War  and  member  of  the  Order  of  the  Cincinnati. 

MAY  3 

Why  Nature  is  so  sweet, 
Sufficient  and  complete, 
Grows  plainer  day  by  day 
To  him  who  learns  her  way. 

— James  Buckham. 

1766  — arrived    at    Albany,    where    I    was    confined 

to  my  room,  sometimes  to  my  bed,  until  Saturday. 

— Gilliland. 

1785  Mr.    Gilliland    will    please    to    confine    his   pro- 

posals for  the  lands  at  Ticonderoga  to  those  com- 
prehended by  the  limits  following  to  wit:  bounded 
southerly  and  easterly  by  the  waters  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain;  northerly  and  westerly  by  patented  lands,  as 
the  commissioners  cannot  have  any  other  land  there, 
and  of  course  are  not  authorized  to  receive  proposals 
for  any  other  least  it  might  hereafter  be  subject  to 
controversy.  Mr.  Gilliland  will  please  to  return  this 
letter  with  his  proposals. 

— George  Clinton.     Land  Papers,  v.  38,  p.  109. 


124  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1793  Joseph  Ketchum  bought  the  interests  of  Peter 

Tappan  and  Israel  Smith,  in  the  mill  company,  but 
the  next  year  he  died  suddenly  while  away  on  a 
business  trip  and  subsequently  many  changes  oc- 
curred in  the  ownership  of  the  mills,  the  whole 
property  at  one  time  coming  into  the  hands  of  Judge 
Levi  Piatt  and  later  into  the  hands  of  the  Bank  of 
Plattsburgh,  when  it  was  divided  and  sold  piece- 
meal. 

1815  The  trustees  of  Plattsburgh  village  elect  Levi 

Piatt,  as  their  first  president  and  Gilead  Sperry, 
clerk. 

1854  Providence  Orphan  Asylum  of  Burlington  found- 

ed by  Bishop  DeGoesbriand. 

MAY  4 

And  Nature's  way  is  this: 
In  naught  to  be  remiss; 
To  build  a  tree,  a  weed, 
As  if  with  God  agreed ; 

— James  Buckham. 

1822  At  an  examination  held  in  the  Academy  Theo- 

phelus  A.  O.  Bruneau  of  Montreal,  took  the  first 
prize  in  languages;  Wm.  C.  Bacon  of  Plattsburgh, 
first  in  mathematics  and  composition;  John  P. 
Hall,  first  in  declamation;  John  Ransom  in  geog- 
raphy; Miss  Lucretia  M.  Davidson  in  composition 
and  history;  Elizabeth  S.  Freligh  in  arithmetic; 
Delia  A.  Grifiin  in  geography  and  Mary  E.  Walworth 
the  second  prize  in  the  same  subject. 

A  Week  Before  Examinations. 
One  has  a  headache,  one  a  cold, 
One  has  her  neck  in  flannel  rolled ; 
Ask  the  complaint,  and  you  are  told 

'Next  week's  examination.' 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  125 

One  frets  and  scolds,  and  laughs  and  cries, 
Another  hopes,  despairs,  and  sighs ; 
Ask  but  the  cause  and  each  replies, 

'Next  week's  examination.' 

One  bans  her  books,  then  grasps  them  tight, 
And  studies  morning,  noon,  and  night. 
As  though  she  took  some  strange  delight 
'In  these  examinations.' 

The  books  are  marked,  defaced,  and  thumbed. 
The  brains  with  midnight  tasks  benumbed, 
Still  all  in  that  account  is  summed, 

'Next  week's  examination.' 

— Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 

1848  Mary  Ferris,  widow  of  Gideon  Rugar,  died  at 

her  home  on  Rugar  street,  aged  95  years. 


MAY  5 

With  the  breaking  forth  of  the  buds  in  spring  there  is  a 
certain  primitive  and  inextinguishable  passion  that  breaks  forth 
in  men.     It  is  the  well-nigh  universal  desire  to  go  a-fishing. 

— James  Buckham. 

1767  John  and  James   Young,   James   Gilliland  and 

his  wife  and  Anne  Hussey  arrived  this  day  from 
N.  York. — Gilliland. 

1786  In    England    died    Gen.    Augustine    Prevost,    a 

British  officer  of  the  Revolution,  and  father  of  Sir 
George  Prevost. 

1872  At   the   Albany   Cathedral,    amid   a   throng   of 

spectators  many  of  whom  were  old  friends  and  had 
come  from  a  distance,  the  Rev.  Edgar  P.  Wadhams 
was  consecrated  bishop  by  Archbishop  McClosky 
(the  assistant  consecrators  being  Bishops  DeGoes- 
briand,  of  Burlington,  and  Williams,  of  Boston). 


126  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

**  Go  forth,  then,  man  of  God,  where  God  and 
duty  call  thee :  Be  thou  the  Apostle  of  the  American 
Highlands,  and  of  that  broad  and  noble  plain  whose 
borders  are  a  majestic  lake,  a  mighty  river,  an  inland 
ocean,  and  the  primeval  mountains." 

— Extract  from  sermon  on  that  occasion. 


MAY  6 

1777  Gen'l  Burgoyne  arrived  at  Quebec  from  Eng- 
land,— no  Ships  ever  arrived  sooner,  the  Passage 
up  the  River  be'g  obstructed  by  the  Ice,  Prepara- 
tions were  now  made  for  an  Expedition  umder  his 
Command,  against  Tyconderoga.  Contracts  for 
Horses  were  made  and  Carriages  purchased,  the 
Batteaux's  were  put  in  repair  and  the  New  Ship 
called  the  Royal  George  was  laimched  and  fitted  up 
to  carry  24  Guns,  12  P'rs.  Some  of  the  Rebel  Vessels 
taken  last  year,  were  also  put  in  condition  to  act 
offensively  and  went  thro'  several  alterations, 

— Lieut.  Hadden's  Journal. 
— Harpenden,  Oct.  28,  181 7. 

1778  Ethan  Allen,  prisoner  of  war  in  England,  ex- 
changed for  Lieut.  John  Campbell, 

1873  The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  Champlain 

was  consumed  by  fire,  only  the  furniture  of  the 
parsonage  and  a  few  movable  things  in  the  church 
being  saved.  Most  discouraging  was  the  outlook 
for  the  new  pastor,  S,  D,  Elkin's,  to  find  the  house  of 
worship  and  parsonage  in  ashes,  but  the  Presby- 
terians offered  the  use  of  their  vestry  and  through 
the  energy  of  the  new  pastor,  supported  by  this 
homeless  flock,  in  two  years  another  church  was 
dedicated. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  127 


MAY  7 

Ah!  happy  is  the  man 
Who  follows  Nature's  plan, — 
Pretends  not ;  is  too  great 
To  seem  or  imitate ; 

— James  Buckham. 

1767  — went  with  the  Youngs  to  view  land;  they  like 

the  tract  much. — Gilliland. 

1775  Ethan  Allen  with  a  band  of  two  hundred  and 

seventy  men  and  Benedict  Arnold  with  a  Colonel's 
commission  from  the  Committee  of  Safety  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, authorizing  him  to  raise  a  regiment  of 
four  hundred  men,  met  at  Castleton,  Vt.  to  lead  an 
expedition  to  the  surprise  of  Ticonderoga. 

1824  Bom  in  Chazy,  Harry  Sawyer  Ransom,  youngest 

son  of  Roswell  and  Ruth  (Kingsley)  Ransom.  He 
went  west — first  to  Missouri  and  then  California,  but 
returning  to  his  native  place,  enlisted  in  his  country's 
service.  He  was  bre vetted  Major,  U.  S.  Vols,  for 
eminent  and  conspicuous  conduct  in  battle  while 
commanding  Company  I,  11 8th  Regiment,  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  at  the  battle  of  Drury's  Bluff,  Va.,  when  he 
was  severely  wounded. 

1837  A  public  meeting  at  St.  Ours  on  the  RicheHeu 

to  protest  against  Lord  John  Russell's  measure 
depriving  the  Canadian  Assembly  of  all  control  over 
revenues,  etc.  The  real  leader  of  the  insurrection 
was'  Dr.  Wolfred  Nelson,  a  physician  of  St.  Denis, 
and  the  crowning  act  of  the  assembly  was  the  choice 
of  Louis  Joseph  Papineau  as  chief.  Dr.  Nelson  was, 
after  the  failure  of  the  insurrection,  exiled  to  Ber- 
muda but  escaping,  came  to-  Plattsburgh,  where  his 
skill  as  a  physician  and  surgeon  won  him  a  large 


128  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

practice.  His  son,  Dr.  Horace  Nelson,  a  distinguished 
surgeon  and  publisher,  married  a  daughter  of  Col. 
David  B.  McNeil. 

MAY  8 

1642  Maisonneuve  and  his  company,  now  numbering 

forty  men  and  four  women,  left  Quebec  where  they 
had  spent  the  winter,  and  set  out  for  the  island  of 
Montreal. 

1765  — sowed  the  first  of  our  garden  seed. — GilUland, 

1766  The  birthday  of  Liberty  Newton,  son  of  Marshall 
Newton  of  Shrewsbury,  Mass.  Afterwards,  both 
father  and  son  were  pioneers  of  Shoreham,  Vt.,  and 
the  latter,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  later  settled 
at  Ticonderoga,  where,  in  i8oi,  he  built  the  first 
iron  forge  in  Champlain  Valley. 

1775  Main  body  of  troops  under  Allen  and  Arnold 

left  Castleton,  to  proceed  by  land  to  a  point  opposite 
/  Ticonderoga.  At  the  same  time,  Capt.  Herrick  was 
sent  to  seize  the  small  fort  at  Skeenesborough,  take 
the  vessels  collected  there,  and  meet  Allen  and 
transport  his  party  across  the  lake. 

1805  Roads  were  laid  out  "  Leading  from  the  West 

Road  so  Call'd  untill  it  Intersects  Delong's  Road 
leading  to  Chattagway;"  "from  Baitmantown  untill 
it  Intersects  a  Road  Leading  to  Wood's  Saw  Mill;" 
"from  Baitmantown  to  Chattagway;"  "from  a 
Road  that  Leads  to  Chattagway  to  David  King's;" 
and  one  "  from  the  State  Road  by  Roswell  Graves' 
towards  Plattsburgh." 

1856  Samuel  Moore,   son  of  Andrew  and  EHzabeth 

(Dorland)  Moore  of  Flushing,  L.  I.  and  grandson  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  129 

Dr.  William  Moore  from  Antrim,  Ireland,  who  settled 
in|Stonington,  Ct.  died  aged  86  years.  He  had  sur- 
vived his  wife,  Elizabeth  Pitcher,  21  years.  As  early 
as  181 1,  he  was  a  prominent  merchant  of  the  place 
and  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  trus- 
tees; also,  of  the  committee  to  raise  money  by  vol- 
untary subscriptions  to  purchase  a  lot  for  the  Acad- 
emy; and,  of  the  building  committee. 

MAY  9 

The  limpid  lake  lies  languidly  at  rest, 
So  chaste,  so  cool,  so  calm : 

— Grace  Pearl  Macomber. 

1775  Allen's   party    reached    the    shore    of    the    lake 

opposite  Ticonderoga  early  in  the  evening,  and 
Herrick,  not  having  arrived,  had  to  procure  a  supply 
of  boats  in  the  neighborhood.  A  large  oar  boat 
belonging  to  Major  Skene,  was  seized  by  James 
Wilcox  and  Joseph  Tyler,  while  other  boats  were 
procured  from  other  quarters.  In  the  meantime, 
Capt.  Herrick  captured  young  Major  Skene,  twelve 
negroes  and  about  fifty  dependents  or  tenants 
without  firing  a  gun;  took  a  large  schooner  and 
several  small  boats,  afterwards  joining  Allen  at 
Ticonderoga. 

1790  Birth   in    Essex,    Essex   county,    of    Henry    H. 

Ross,  son  of  Judge  Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Gilliland) 
Ross,  early  pioneers  in  Champlain  valley.  General 
Ross  became  one  of  the  able  lawyers  of  this  region 
and  was  first  Judge  of  the  County  under  the  new 
constitution,  as  his  father  had  been  under  the  old. 
In  politics  a  Whig,  on  the  dissolution  of  that  party, 
he  joined  the  northern  wing  of  the  Democracy  and 
supported  Douglass  in  i860.  His  homestead,  built 
in  1820,  is  an  interesting  landmark. 


130  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1812  Catherine   Kilburn   Marsh,   daughter  of  George 

and  Polly  (Buel)  Marsh,  formerly  from  Litchfield, 
Conn,  and  Gilead  Sperry  from  Manchester,  Vt.,  were 
married  by  the  Rev.  Frederick  Halsey.  Catharine 
street  was  so  named  in  honor  of  Mrs.  Sperry,  because 
her  husband  gave  to  the  village  that  portion  of  the 
street  which  ran  through  his  property. 

1814  Capt.   Daniel  Pring  entered  the  lake  with  the 

brig  Linnet,  five  sloops,  and  thirteen  galleys.  Sev- 
eral of  the  enemy's  vessels  had  been  anchored  near 
Rouses  Point  since  the  second  of  April  when  the 
northern  end  of  the  lake  was  free  from  ice. 

1841  Henry  Buck,  son  of  Ephraim  and  Mary  Buck,  a 

young  man  of  twenty-one  was  drowned  in  Lake 
Champlain.  This  is  but  one  of  many  instances  where 
families  in  the  valley  gave  a  child  to  the  waters  of 
the  lake.  The  Thurbers  of  Rouses  Point  and  Judge 
Levi  Piatt's  family  may  be  mentioned  as  examples. 

MAY  10 

1752  All  the  land  along  the  lake  shore  in  the  north 

part  of  the  County  having  been  granted  in  Seig- 
niories by  the  French  Government,  and  the  grantees 
having  failed  to  make  any  permanent  improvement, 
all  these  grants  were  declared  forfeited. 

1765  Wm.    Gilliland,    a    prosperous    merchant    with 

assorted  supplies  embarked  at  New  York  for  the 
Champlain  Valley,  where  he  first  located  between 
the  Boquet  river  and  SpHt  Rock.  With  him  were 
the  Rev.  George  Henry,  a  minister;  John  Chislm 
and  Robert  Maclane,  millwrights;  George  Melson, 
a  carpenter;  John  Mattoon,  a  clerk;  and  James 
Storkner,   Robert   and   John   McAuley  and   George 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  131 

Belton,  weavers.  Besides  these  there  were  Mrs. 
Belton,  and  Mrs.  Chislm  with  Catherine  Shepherd^ 
hired  to  keep  house,  and  Mary  Craig,  indentured 
for  four  years, 

1766  The  Gilhland  family  set  out  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 

Henry  of  Quebec  and  his  family  in  separate  bateaux. 
Mrs.  Henry  invited  little  Jane  Gilliland,  six  years 
old,  to  accompany  her.  At  Half  Moon  the  bateau 
in  which  were  the  Henrys,  was  upset  by  a  projecting 
tree  and  the  strong  current  of  the  river,  and  little 
Jane  and  the  two  youngest  sons  of  Mr.  Henry  "went 
adrift  down  with  the  current."  Jane  floated  about 
half  a  mile;  one  boy,  a  mile,  but  was  saved  by  a 
scrap  of  bark  under  his  head,  which  kept  his  back 
above  water.  The  body  of  the  second  youngest  son 
was  recovered  five  miles  below  Albany,  12  days 
after. 

1775  As  day  began  to  dawn,  but  8^  of  Allen's  men 

had  crossed  the  lake  and  the  commander  of  the 
Green  Mountain  Boys  resolved  to  wait  no  longer. 
While  the  boats  were  sent  back  for  the  rear  divisions* 
under  the  guidance  of  young  Nathan  Beman,  whose 
home  was  on  the  opposite  shore  at  Shoreham,  the 
intrepid  party  entered  the  fort  by  a  covered  way, 
and  the  surrender  of  the  surprised  garrison  resulted 
in  a  few  minutes,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
The  prisoners  were  the  first  of  the  Revolution  and 
the  cannon  captured,  drawn  by  ox-teams  to  Boston, 
enabled  General  Washington  to  make  good  his 
works  on  Dorchester  Heights. 

Later,  Warner  arrived  with  the  remaining  troops, 
and  was  dispatched  with  a  detachment  of  men  to 
take  Crown  Point,  but  strong  head  winds  drove  back 
the  boats  and  all  returned  the  same  evening.  It  was 
after  the  surprise  of  Ti  that  the  altercations,  accord- 


1^2  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

ing  to  Nathan  Beman,  occurred  between  Arnold 
and  Allen,  during  which  the  latter  became  so  enraged 
that  he  struck  Arnold's  hat  from  his  head,  and  the 
sight  of  it,  gay  with  tinsel  and  rolHng  in  the  mud, 
was  never  forgotten  by  the  boy  eye-witness.  Dr. 
Jonas  Fay  of  Bennington  was  there  that  day  as 
surgeon  and  he  continued  in  that  position  after  the 
arrival  of  Col.   Elmore's  Connecticut  regiment. 

1803  In  Shelburne,  Vt.  the  boy  afterwards  known  as 

"Captain  Dan  Lyon"  was  bom.  A  lad  of  five  when 
the  steamboat  Vermont  was  launched  at  Burling- 
ton in  1808,  he  could  remember  the  first  steamboat 
on  the  lake  and  her  quaint  captain,  John  Winans. 
When  Dan  Lyon  grew  up  he,  too,  became  a  "  captain  " 
and  commanded  successively  the  General  Green, 
Phoenix  No.  2,  Winooski,  and  Whitehall,  retiring 
about  1844,  and  spending  his  latter  years  in  Bur- 
lington. 

1814  Pring  anchored  his  fleet  near  Providence  Island; 

Gen.  Izard  at  Pittsburgh  notified  Macomb  at 
Burlington  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy  and  late 
that  night  the  latter  sent  the  news  to  Vergennes 
and  Capt.  Thornton  with  50  Hght  artillerymen  in 
wagons  to  man  the  battery.  All  night  the  selectmen 
of  the  lake  towns  worked  running  bullets  for  the 
approaching  conflict. 

1850  Died  at  Bridport,  at  the  age  of  98,  Gen.  David 

Whitney,  Revolutionary  soldier  and  early  settler 
of  Addison  on  the  north  bank  of  Ward's  Creek.  Gen. 
Whitney  was  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Conven- 
tions of  1793,  1814,  '36,  and  '43,  and  represented 
Addison  for  many  years. 

1892  Treadwell's    Mills    Pulp    and    Paper    Company 

incorporated. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  133 

MAY  11 

1766  — set  the  first  of  our  potatoes. 

— this  day  my  daughter   (Jane)   was  taken  up 
at  or  close  by  the  place  she  sank. — Gilliland. 

ins  Crown    Point,    now   garrisoned    by    a    sergeant 

and  twelve  men  only,  captured  by  Warner  and 
Capt.  Remember  Baker.  The  latter  with  his  company 
had  been  summoned  from  the  Winooski  River  set- 
tlement by  Allen,  and  on  the  way  had  met  and  cap- 
tured two  boats  bound  for  St.  John's  with  news  of 
the  capture  of  Ticonderoga. 

1776  Dr.  Franklin  left  Montreal  to-day  to  go  to  St. 

Johns  and  from  thence  to  Congress.     The  doctor's 

declining  state  of  health  and  the  bad   prospect  of 

our  affairs  in  Canada,  made  him  take  this  resolution. 

— Charles  Carroll  of  Carrollton  in  his  Diary. 

1816  Death  of  Capt.   Nathaniel  Piatt,  a  brother  of 

Judges  Zephaniah  and  Charles  Piatt,  and  one  of 
the  founders  of  Plattsburgh,  to  whom  that  city  owes 
the  extra  width  of  Broad  street  and  the  tract  com- 
prising the  older  portion  of  Riverside  Cemetery. 
Captain  Piatt  is  credited  with  having  raised  the 
first  company  of  troops  on  Long  Island. 

1909  A  horse,  in  the  swollen  waters  of  the  Ausable, 

made  a  most  heroic  fight  for  life,  being  carried  nearly 
a  mile  downstream,  from  above  Murray's  mill  dam, 
over  that  structure  past  the  "deep  hole,"  shooting 
rapids,  and  into  a  whirlpool,  until  rescued  by  one  of 
the  many  men,  who  had  watched  with  anxiety  and 
admiration  the  hairbreadth  escapes  and  wonderful 
courage  of  the  noble  animal. 


134  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

MAY  12 

1766  — removed   her    (Jane's)    corpse    to   Coleman's, 

in  Stillwater  by  his  desire  and  request,  who  having 
laid  out  his  family  burying  ground  near  his  house, 
our  daughter  was  decently  interred  there  on  Tuesday. 

— Gilliland. 

1777  Gen.    Burgoyne   proceeded   to    Montreal,    using 

every  possible  exertion  to  collect  and  forward  the 
troops  and  stores  to  Lake  Champlain. 

1779  Capt.  John  Douglass,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution, 

was  married  to  Hannah,  daughter  of  Judge  and 
Hannah  (Douglass)  Brown  of  Pittstown.  They  at 
first  settled  in  Stephentown,  but  afterwards  in 
Chazy,  landing  on  the  shore  March  15,  1793,  with 
his  wife  and  seven  children,  the  first  English  family 
to  settle  in  the  town.  His  brother  Nathaniel,  who  had 
married  his  wife's  sister  Prudence,  also  settled  in 
Chazy  on  land  granted  to  their  father,  Asa,  the 
Revolutionary  soldier,  who  had  led  a  company  of 
thirty  "  Silver  Grays  "  at  the  battle  of  Bennington. 

1 868  Death  of  Judge  Lemuel  Stetson,  a  man  of  decided 

talent,  who  occupied  a  leading  position  at  the  bar. 
He  had  held  the  positions  of  district  attorney,  member 
of  Assembly,  member  of  Congress,  County  judge, 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1846, 
was  a  candidate  for  comptroller  for  the  Democratic 
ticket  in  1855.  The  Stetson  house,  built  by  James 
Savage,  from  whom  Savage's  Island  was  named, 
was  removed  to  make  room  for  the  County  Clerk's 
office.  Its  architecture  bears  a  close  resemblance 
to  that  of  the  Dr.  Benj.  J.  Mooers  house,  next  door 
north;  to  the  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers  house  before  the 
addition;  to  the  Freligh  house,  next  to  the  latter; 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  135 

the  Morgan  house,  on  Macomb  street,  and  several 
others  built  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century. 

1886  Plattsburgh  celebrated  its  first  Arbor  Day. 

MAY  13 

1765  William    Gilliland    reached    Albany    where    he 

purchased  and  collected  cattle,  procuring  boats 
from  Schenectady  and  transporting  them  across 
the  plains  by  wagons  to  the  Hudson,  the  ascent  of 
that  river  occupying  eight  days. 

1779  About  midnight,  eight  of  the  prisoners  captured 

by  Major  Carleton,  the  previous  year  in  his  descent 
from  Canada,  made  their  escape  but  four  were  re- 
captured opposite  Quebec,  three  of  them,  Ward  of 
Addison,  and  Nathan  and  Marshall  Smith  of  Brid- 
port,  again  effected  an  escape,  and  after  twenty 
days  of  incredible  hardships,  arrived  at  Bridport. 

1810  Piatt   Newcomb,   the   first   male   child  bom   in 

Plattsburgh,  married  Ruth  Scribner. 

1814  Friday,  the  British  flotilla  consisting  of  a  brig 

(the  Linnet,  with  20  guns,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Dan'l  Pring),  6  sloops  and  schooners  and  10  row- 
galHes  passed  up  the  lake  from  Rouses  Point,  and  in 
the  afternoon  appeared  off  the  village  of  Essex. 
The  soldiers  of  one  row-galley,  after  giving  chase  to  a 
small  row  boat  which  escaped  up  the  Boquet,  landed 
on  the  north  side  of  that  river  and  plundered  a  farm 
house.  The  fleet  anchored  for  the  night  off  Split 
Rock,  while  the  militia  officers  at  Vergennes  spent 
the  night  running  bullets  and  Capt.  Winans  made 
preparations  for  blowing  up  his  vessel,  the  steamer 


136  Three  Centuries  in  Champlaix  Valley 

Vermont,  rather  than  permit  her  falHng  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy, 

1832  The  Rev.  Joseph  Howland  Coit  began  his  labors 

in  the  newly  organized  parish  of  Trinity  Church,  at 
that  time  "  consisting  of  only  a  few  families,  worship- 
ping in  the  Court  House.  This  was  the  only  point 
from  Whitehall  to  Rouses  Point,  a  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  along  the  shore  of  Lake 
Champlain,  where  the  Church  had  a  foothold;  while 
westward,  one  was  compelled  to  traverse  Clinton  and 
Franklin  counties  entirely,  and  as  far  as  Potsdam  in 
St.  LawTence,  before  a  single  congregation  could  be 
met  in  that  direction." 


MAY  14 

1765  Isaac  Bush  and  William  Barnes,  drovers,  arrived 

at  Alban}^,  with  20  oxen,  20  cows,  i  bull,  and  a 
number  of  calves  for  me. — Gilliland. 

1775  Arnold    embarked    at    Crown    Point    \s'ith   fifty 

men  on  board  the  schooner  captured  at  Skenes- 
borough,  since  fitted  out  and  armed. 

1811  The    committee    appointed    for    the    purpose, 

consisting  of  Samuel  Moore,  Jonathan  Griflin,  and 
Louis  Ransom,  purchased  for  ;^ioo  from  Abraham 
Brinckerhoff,  Jr.,  of  the  City  of  New  York,  a  lot 
extending  four  rods  on  Oak  street  and  ten  rods 
back,  bounded  on  the  south  by  "a  contemplated 
street  (now  Brinckerhoff)  to  be  laid  out  between 
the  land  of  Melancton  Smith  and  lot  seven."  The 
btiilding  was  begun  at  once  and  by  fall  was  ready 
for  occupancy,  the  first  principal  being  Bela  Edgerton 
with  Benjamin  Oilman  from  Oilmanton,  N.  H., 
as  assistant. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  137 

1814  Early    Saturday    morning,    the    British    flotilla 

sailed  from  Split  Rock  and  attempted  to  enter  Otter 
Creek  to  force  their  way  to  Vergennes  to  destroy 
the  shipping,  but  were  prevented  by  the  fire  from 
the  works  at  the  entrance,  commanded  by  Capt. 
Thornton  of  the  artillery  and  Lieut.  Cassin  of  the 
iicLvy. 

"The  leetle  fort,  Fort  Cassin,  they  called  it,  fur 
the  Lef tenant  commandin'  on't,  gin  em  as  good  as 
they  sent,  an'  the  cannem  thunderin'  an'  the  echoes 
rumblin'  an'  baoundin'  back  an'  tu,  made  a  n'ise 
like  twenty  Fo'th  o'  Julys  rolled  into  one — an' 
bimeby  we  seen  the  gunboats  a-crawlin  off,  clean 
licked  aout,  tu  where  the  ol'  he  boat  was  stan'in  off 
julluk  a  henhawk  sailin'  over  a  barnyard,  an'  then 
they  all  put  off  down  the  lake  'n'  aout  o'  sight." 
— Rowland  Evans  Robinson, 
Ferrisburgh,  May  14,  1833;  Oct.  15,  1900. 

1834  Great  snow  storm  prevailed  and  the  Rev.  Moses 

Chase  wrote  in  the  Session  book  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Plattsburgh: — "In  consequence  of  ill 
health,  I  have  obtained  permission  to  be  absent 
from  my  charge  one  year."  The  Rev.  A.  D.  Brinck- 
erhofif  was  engaged  to  supply  the  Church  during  his 
absence. 

1845  Clinton,  formed  from  Ellenburgh.     The  earliest 

settlement  was  along  the  Old  Military  Turnpike,  the 
settlers  at  this  point  coming  mostly  from  Vermont, 
around  by  the  older  town  of  Chateaugay. 

1862  The  corner-stone  of  St.  Patrick's  chapel  on  St. 

Paul  street  in  Burlington,  laid  and  blessed.  The 
chapel,  a  fine  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture,  is 
built  of  white  and  purple  sandstone. 


138  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


MAY  15 

I  believe  we  shall  never  know,  until  it  is  revealed  to  us 
in  the  other  life,  how  much  the  birds — the  innocent,  pure  singers 
of  the  air — ^have  done  to  lift  humanity  above  its  baser  instincts, 
and  make  men  more  worthy  to  be  called  the  sons  of  God. 

— James  Buckham. 

1814  Macdonough's  squadron  sailed  out  of  Otter 
Creek  into  the  Narrows,  and  away  to  the  north, 
cruising  all  summer  about  the  lake,  and  drilling 
for  the  engagement  that  was  deemed  inevitable. 

1815  When  the  Constitution  went  out  of  commis- 
sion, H.  B.  Sawyer  was  transferred  to  the  Independ- 
ence, Flag  ship  of  Commodore  Bainbridge  in  the 
Mediterranean  and  there  remained  from  181 6-1 7. 
In  1 81 8  he  was  promoted  to  Lieutenant  and 
ordered  to  the  Alert  (the  first  British  Man-of- 
War  captiu-ed  during  the  war  of  181 2 -14). 

1887  Died    Wendell    Lansing,    founder    in    1839    at 

Keesville,  N.  Y.,  of  the  Essex  County  Republican. 
Not  being  able  conscientiously  to  publish  the  Repub- 
lican on  a  radical  anti-slavery  basis,  his  poHtical 
principles  being  in  advance  of  his  party,  he  sold  out. 
But  in  1854  he  returned  to  newspaper  work  and 
started  the  Northern  Standard  which,  after  the 
election  of  Lincoln,  was  merged  with  the  Republican. 
A  descendant  of  the  Lansings  of  Holland  and 
Holdens  of  England,  all  patriots,  forty-two  members 
of  the  two  families  serving  in  the  Revolution,  Wendell 
Lansing  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War,  raised 
a  company  of  volunteers  from  the  Au  Sable  Valley, 
and  served  in  the  campaign  before  Richmond.  Sick- 
ness sent  him  home  from  the  front. 

In  1864,  he  purchased  the  Plattsburgh  Sentinel, 
then  edited  by  Joseph  W.  Tuttle.     The  next  year, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  139 

he  formed  a  co-partnership  with  his  son  Abram  W., 
just  honorably  discharged  from  the  army,  and  later, 
after  the  re-purchase  of  the  Essex  County  Repub- 
lican, the  papers  were  run  together  until  the  son's 
death  in  1896. 


MAY  16 

1808  The  birthday  of  Andrew  Witherspoon,   D.    D. 

"  one  of  nature's  noblemen."  Born  in  Leith,  Scot- 
land, he  came  with  his  father's  family  to  Mooers, 
N.  Y.  and  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  the 
Troy  Conference.  At  Keeseville,  before  a  session  of 
that  body,  being  called  to  answer  the  charge  of  writ- 
ing articles  for  the  press  arraigning  the  Church  for 
countenancing  American  slavery,  although  no  proof 
of  his  authorship  could  be  produced,  he  arose  and 
said:  "  But  there  is  another  tribunal  before  which 
we  all  stand,  and  to  which  all  hearts  are  open,"  and 
with  uplifted  hand,  he  turned  to  Bishop  Morris, 
adding,  "  Before  God  I  dare  not  say  that  I  am  not 
the  author  of  those  articles."  Then  followed  a 
masterly  defense  of  his  anti-slavery  principles,  and 
he  lived  to  see  them  vindicated. 

1814  The     steamboat     Vermont,     the    first    on    the 

lake,  on  her  trip  between  Burlington  and  Platts- 
burgh,  escaped  capture  by  three  gunboats  from  the 
British  fleet  under  Captain  Pring,  in  ambush  under 
the  shore  of  Providence  Island,  opposite  Cumberland 
Head,  through  the  discovery  and  revelation  of  the 
plot  by  Duncan  McGregor  of  Alburg,  Vt. 

1822  Was    burned    the    homestead    built    by    Capt. 

Nathaniel  Piatt,  in  1796,  from  timber  hewn  and 
prepared  in  Poughkeepsie,   and  brought  to   Platts- 

V.,  burgh  in  bateaux.      From   this   house   Capt.   Piatt 


140  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

refused  to  go  at  the  time  of  the  British  invasion 
1 814,  although  all  the  family  had  fled  to  Peru,  and 
he  did  not  hesitate  to  express  himself  freely  to  a 
young  officer  who  addressed  him  insolently.  Doors 
from  the  original  building  are  said  to  be  in  use  in 
the  present  structure  on  the  same  site,  the  stone 
house  built  for  Judge  William  Bailey,  Cornelia  Street. 

1838  At  Irasburgh,  at  the  home  of  her  son  Ira  H., 

died  Jerusha  (Enos)  Allen,  daughter  of  Gen.  Roger 
Enos  and  widow  of  Gen.  Ira  Allen.  She  was  74 
years  old. 

1858  At  his  home  (now  Custom  House  Square)  died 

"  Uncle  Robert  "  Piatt,  whose  wife,  Mary  Daggett 
Piatt,  had  died  five  years  before.  In  1843,  Robert 
Piatt  had  removed  from  Valcour  where,  in  1798, 
his  father.  Judge  Zephaniah,  had  given  him  a  fine, 
large  farm  of  several  hundred  acres  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain  in  Peru. 

Suddenly  out  of  the  woods  there  broke 
A  Une  of  cavalry,  gray  as  smoke. 
A  troop — a  regiment — a  brigade! 
God !  what  a  rush  and  roar  they  made. 

— James  Biickham. 

1864  Of  the  men  of  the  ii8th  at  Drury's  Bluff,  there 

were  wounded  Lieut.  Col.  Geo.  F.  Nichols,  Adj. 
John  M.  Carter,  Capts.  Livingston  and  Ransom, 
Lieuts.  Treadway  and  Sherman,  while  Capt.  Dennis 
Stone,  who  before  entering  the  army  had  been  pastor 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Au  Sable  Forks,  and 
James  H.  Pierce  were  taken  prisoners.  Lieut.  W.  H. 
Stevenson  was  killed  while  carrying  his  wounded 
captain,  Robert  W.  Livingston,  to  a  place  of  safety. 
Of  him  his  captain  said:  "  No  more  gallant  and 
generous   spirit   was   offered   among  the   victims  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  141 

the  war.  No  praise  of  Lieutenant  Stevenson— his 
gallant  ardor— his  dash— his  generous  friendship, 
can  be  misplaced."  Stevenson's  assistants,  George 
Miller  and  William  Huff  were  wounded,  captured, 
and  died  in  Southern  prisons.  It  was  here  that 
Lieut.  Henry  J.  Adams  of  Elizabethtown  seized  a 
standard  and  shouted  "  Rally  round  the  flag  boys!  " 
In  the  morning  of  this  disastrous  day,  Capt. 
Benedict,  a  young  and  gallant  officer  of  the  96th, 


CAPT    WALTER    H.    BENEDICT. 

was  killed  with  two  of  his  men  by  a  shell.  He  was 
descended  from  two  patriot  families,  the  Halseys 
and  Benedicts,  hving  on  Long  Island  during  the 
Revolution  and  afterwards  early  settlers  of  Platts- 
burgh.  Walter  H.  Benedict  Post,  G.  A.  R.  per- 
petuates his  memory. 

MAY  17 
1642  Ascending  the  St.   Lawrence,   after  nine  days, 

Maisonneuve  and  his  little  company,   reached  the 


142  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

island  of  Montreal,  where  they  erected  an  altar 
near  the  river.  This  was  decorated  by  Mile.  Mance 
and  Mme.  de  la  Peltrie:  the  Jesuit  Father  Vimont 
celebrated  High  Mass,  while  the  entire  band  bowed 
before  him.    Thus  was  Villemarie  (Montreal)  founded. 

1775  At  six  o'clock  Thursday  morning,  Arnold  and 

his  men,  after  a  night  of  hard  rowing  in  two  small 
bateaux,  reached  St.  Johns.  The  small  garrison  was 
soon  taken  with  arms  and  stores,  the  King's  sloop 


ELIZA    H.    MILLER    PLATT 


1788 


with  crew  of  seven  men,  two  brass  six-pounders, 
and  four  bateaux,  while  five  were  destroyed,  leaving 
no  boat  for  pursuit.  Two  hours  later,  the  daring 
band  started  for  Ticonderoga,  on  the  captured  sloop, 
re-christened  the  Enterprise.  Their  own  vessel,  the 
schooner  captured  at  Skenesborough,  they  had  left 
becalmed  thirty  miles  above  St.  Johns. 

At  Po'keepsie,  to  Dr.  John  Miller  and  his  wife, 
Margaret  Smith,  was  born  a  daughter,  Eliza  Hunting. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  143 

At  four  years  of  age,  the  little  Eliza  was  left  mother- 
less, but  the  one  chosen  to  fill  the  vacant  place 
was  her  mother's  sister.  Aunt  EHzabeth,  and  the 
household  was  a  well-ordered  one.  At  fifteen,  the 
eldest  daughter  left  it  for  a  home  of  her  own. 

1820  On    his    mother's    birthday,    Jonas    Piatt,    the 

eighth  child  of  Judge  Levi  Piatt,  was  bom.  He 
was  named  for  his  paternal  uncle,  Judge  Jonas 
Piatt.  Young  Jonas  went  to  Louisiana  and  had 
numerous  descendants. 

1827  Capt.  Sidney  Smith,  U.  S.  N.,  died  in  the  45th 

year  of  his  age.  He  left  a  widow  (who  afterwards 
married  Asa  Haskell  of  Malone  and  lived  to  old  age) 
and  children,  William  Sidney,  Margaret,  and  Cathe- 
rine. During  the  siege  of  Plattsburgh,  Captain 
Smith  was  a  prisoner  of  war  at  Quebec.  In  his  home 
hung  an  oil  portrait  of  himself,  painted  when  a  very 
young  man.  Through  this  a  British  officer  thrust  a 
sword,  making  a  hole  in  the  neck.  The  mutilated 
likeness  is  still  treasured  by  a  granddaughter. 

MAY  18 

It  is  when  this  temperate  zone  of  ours,  and  those  rugged 
landscapes  to  which  most  of  us  are  accustomed,  are  all  pink 
and  white  and  fragrant  with  blossoms  of  orchards,  that  angling 
time  is  at  its  height. — James  Buckham. 

1765  Embarked  in  four  bateaux,  to  proceed  to  Fort 

Edward,  having  to  the  amount  of  eighty  barrels  of 
stores  and  all  the  people  on  board;  being  detained 
until  now  for  two  bateaux,  ordered  from  Schenec- 
tady.— GilUland. 

1775  Arnold  and  his  party  reached  Crown  Point  on 

the  King's  sloop  captured  at  St.  Johns,  and  now 


144  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

called  the  Enterprise.     On  the  way  they  had  met 
Allen's  party  going  north. 

1805  A  road  was  laid  out  "  Leading  from  John  M. 

Grant's  (Chazy)  to  Amos  Ingraham's." 


MAY  19 

1765  — arrived  at  Half  Moon,  where  we  were  joined 
the  2oth,  by  William  Luckey,  cooper  and  farmer, 
to  get  40  s  p  month. — Gilliland. 

1766  — This  day  J.  W.  set  out  for  to  meet  me,  which 
he  did  at  Stillwater  and  finding  me  sick  and  unable 
to  travel,  he  returned  with  Nehemiah  Smith,  his 
wife,  son  and  daughter,  Archd  McLaughlin,  black- 
smith, Catharine  Welch  and  Betsy  Williams,  who 
all  arrived  at  Willsborough,  4  June. — Idem. 

1767  — Birth  at  New  York  of  Sir  George  Prevost,  son 
of  Augustine  Prevost,  a  British  general  of  the  Revo- 
lution, who  was  born  at  Geneva,  Switzerland,  about 

1725- 

1775  — English  troops  at  St.  Johns  fired  upon  Allen's 

party  with  six  field  pieces  and  two  hundred  small 
arms.  This  fire  Allen  returned  but,  realizing  the 
superior  numbers  of  the  enemy,  hastily  re-embarked 
for  Crown  Point. 

1790  — Death  of  General  Israel  Putnam,   a  Ranger 

with  Rogers  and  an  ofificer  in  the  Revolution,  at 
Bunker  Hill,  Long  Island,  New  Jersey  and  West 
Point. 

1855  In  Columbus,  Ohio,  died  Major  Reuben  Sanford, 

a  pioneer  of  Wilmington  and  commander  at  the 
battle    of    Pittsburgh    of    "  Sanford 's    Battalion.'' 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  145 

It  was  he  who  built  the  brick  church,  store  and  old 
red  school  house  at  Wilmington.  After  the  retreat 
from  Culver's  Hill  and  Halsey's  Corners  on  Sept.  6, 
while  engaged  in  cutting  the  stringers  to  destroy  the 
upper  bridge  over  the  Saranac,  his  axe  was  hit  by 
a  bullet  and  stuck  in  the  "  Scarf  "  of  the  wood  he 
was  chopping,  but  the  Major  kept  on,  only  remarking 
"  It's  too  bad  to  spoil  such  a  good  ax." 

1873  — The    musical   qualities   of   the   organ   in    the 

Presbyterian  Church,  the  gift  of  S.  F.  Vilas,  exhibited 
by  Professors  Moore  and  Reed. 


MAY  20 

1784  Sailly  reached  Poughkeepsie,   the  home  of  the 

Platts. 

1841  Plattsburgh    Lyceum    incorporated    with    Hon. 

J.  Douglas  Woodward,  as  president. 

1844  The  remains  of  Lieut.  Kingsbury  of  the  3d 
Buffs  (who  died  at  the  farmhouse  of  Isaac  C.  Piatt, 
Esq.,  after  the  engagement  at  Halsey's  Corners, 
Sept.  6,  1 814)  removed  from  Mr.  Piatt's  garden 
where  they  had  been  interred,  to  Riverside  cemetery 
by  Capt.  C.  A.  Waite,  then  commander  at  Platts- 
burgh Barracks. 

1845  At  Port  Gilliland,  Anna  Maria  Staats,  wife  of 
William  Gilliland,  Jr.,  died.  Although  the  burying 
ground,  just  north  of  their  home,  was  the  gift  of  her 
husband  to  the  neighborhood,  and  was  known  as 
Gilliland  cemetery,  she  was  buried  in  Riverside 
cemetery.  Their  barn  was  often  used  for  the  services 
of  the  M.  E.  chxirch  until  the  building  of  the  church 
at  Port  Jackson. 


146  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1869  Dr.   Benjamin  John  Mooers,   only  son  of  John 

Mooers,  a  pioneer  in  the  valley  in  1793,  passed  away 
in  his  sleep,  but  six  weeks  after  the  loss  of  his  wife. 
Dr.  Mooers  had  practiced  medicine  in  Plattsburgh 
through  a  long  life,  acting  as  surgeon  at  the  battle 
in  1 81 4.  For  years  he  was  oftener  called  in  con- 
sultation than  any  other  physician  in  the  county. 
He  was  a  "  careful,  judicious,  and  successful  prac- 
titioner, well  calculated  for  the  family  physician — 
an  honest  man  and  christian  gentleman."  While 
pursuing  his  professional  studies  at  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York,  he  counted 
among  his  friends,  the  celebrated  Dr.  Valentine 
Mott.  It  was  during  his  journeys  through  the  lake 
to  New  York  that  he  first  made  the  acquaintance  of 
Capt.  John  Boynton,  whose  daughter  became  the 
wife  of  his  eldest  son, 

1874  "  Home   for   the   Friendless   in   Northern   New 

York  "  incorporated  by  act  of  legislative  power. 

MAY  21 

1775  Allen's  party  reached  Ticonderoga  in  the  evening 

and  found  Arnold's  party  had  arrived  two  days  before, 

1817  In  the  town  of  Lewis,   Essex  County,   N.   Y,, 

was  born  Edgar  P,,  the  sixth  and  youngest  child 
of  Gen,  Luman  Wadhams  and  his  wife,  Lucy  Prindle 
(n^e  Bostwick).  At  an  academy  in  Shoreham,  Vt., 
the  future  first  bishop  of  Ogdensburgh  prepared  for 
Middlebury  College  from  which  he  was  graduated 
with  honors  in  1838  and  from  which  college  he  re- 
ceived the  degree  of  LL.D,  a  short  time  before  his 
death, 

1843  Died  at  Rouses  Point,   Ezra  Thurber,   son  of 

Edward  Thxirber,  Sr.  (pioneer  in  the  town  of  Cham- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  147 

plain,  1799)  and  his  wife,  Abigail  Thurber.  Gen. 
Ezra  Thurber,  in  1823,  gave  and  laid  out  the  old 
burying  ground  at  Rouses  Point;  was  admitted  to 
the  fellowship  of  "  The  Second  Baptist  Church  of 
Chazy  "  in  1824,  and  became  a  prominent  member, 
resigning  its  clerkship  just  one  week  before  his  death, 

1886  Birthday  of  William  Mooers  Piatt,  member  of 

the  Nathan  Beman  Society,  Children  of  the  American 
Revolution,     He  died  April  30,  1898. 

Dear  my  friend,  grieve  not  o'ermuch 
For  the  vanished  voice  and  touch; 

Nay,  ah  nay!     Bide  thou  a  while 
In  thy  place,  nor  weep,  but  smile. 
Some  day — sweet  day! — thou  shalt  rise, 
Pass  the  curtain,  meet  his  eyes! 

— James  Buckham. 

MAY  22 

1773  The  marriage  license  of  Charles  Piatt  of  Pough- 

keepsie  and  Caroline  Adriance  of  Fishkill  was  re- 
corded at  Albany.  The  bride  was  born  in  Holland, 
a  country  which  her  husband  had  visited  some  years 
previous  during  an  extensive  tour  embracing  the 
West  Indies,  Mosquito  Coast,  Charlestown,  S.  C, 
England,  Hollandand  Madeira,  returning  to  New  York 
after  an  absence  of  ten  years  and  six  months.  Mrs. 
Piatt  always  read  her  Dutch  Bible.  She  was  a 
notably  handsome  woman  even  in  advanced  years, 
having  rosy  cheeks  and  a  dignified  mien  and  wearing 
a  cap  with  daintily  crimped  border.  The  three 
daughters  and  five  sons  were:  Margaret,  married 
N.  H.  Treadwell;  Letitia,  first  wife  of  Rev.  Frederick 
Halsey ;  Hannah,  wife  of  Eleazer  Miller ;  and  Zephaniah, 
Isaac  C,  Charles  C,  Nathaniel,  and  Nathaniel  2nd. 

1784  Sailly  left  Poughkeepsie  for  Albany. 


148  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1864  Henry  S.  Johnson  died  of  consumption  at  his 

home  in  Plattsburgh.  Though  young,  only  38,  he 
had  successfully  overcome  the  many  obstacles  which 
beset  his  path,  when  barely  fourteen  carrying  his 
own  compass  in  the  work  of  surveying,  teaching 
school  at  sixteen,  and  at  eighteen  studying  law  in  the 
office  of  Swetland  and  Beckwith,  ultimately  becoming 
an  able  law}^er  in  the  threefold  character  of  attorney, 
counsel  and  advocate.  As  a  citizen,  neighbor  and 
friend,  he  was  without  reproach. 

Say  not  that  his  course  is  run. 
Heaven  is  older  than  the  sun, 
Heaven  saw  his  task  begun. 

— James  Buckhant. 

MAY  23 

1775  Birth  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  of  Ann,  daughter  of 

John  and  Ann  (Skinner)  Whitman. 

This  day,  be  it  sacred  :     Ye  spii-its  of  air : 
Who  guarded  the  couch  of  the  infant  so  fair — 

— Mrs.  Margaret  M.  Davidson. 

Ann  Whitman  became  the  wife  of  Timothy  Balch 
of  the  same  place,  who,  about  1802  settled  at  Platts- 
burgh (now  West  Plattsburgh).  Both  were  members 
of  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 

1784  — arrived   at   Albany   which   is   84   miles   from 

Poughkeepsie,  168  miles  or  French  agues  from 
New  York. — Sailly. 

1796  Zadock    Thompson,    the    second    son    of    Capt. 

Barnabas  Thompson  of  Bridgewater,  Vt.,  was  born. 
A  long  convalescence  from  a  severe  wound  which 
nearly  cost  his  Hfe,  gave  him  opportunity  for  study 
and  he  graduated  from  the  U.  V.  M.  with  honor  in 
1823.    From  his  labors,  we  have  a  vast  amount  of  in- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  149 

formation  regarding  Vermont,  obtainable  from  no 
other  source.  His  chief  work  is  "Natural,  Civil  and 
Statistical  History  of  Vermont  "  published  in  1843 
and  written  while  the  author  was  engaged  in  teaching 
in  the  Vermont  Episcopal  Institute.  His  death  in 
1856  was  occasioned  by  ossification  of  the  heart. 

Is  learning  your  ambition? 

There  is  no  royal  road; 
Alike  the  peer  and  peasant 

Must  climb  to  her  abode : 

— Saxe. 

1861  At  Fort  Warren  in  Boston  Harbor  as  the  "re- 

cruits "  were  marching  around  the  mess  room  in 
single  file,  one  James  E.  Greenleaf  started  the  line 
"  Glory,  Glory,  Hallelujah."  One  of  their  number 
was  a  John  Brown  and  someone  added  "  John 
Brown's  body  lies  amouldering."  The  men  caught 
the  inspiration  of  the  moment  and  line  after  line  was 
added  to  the  song,  the  men  singing  the  chorus  as 
they  filed  out  upon  the  parade  ground.  That  very 
night,  the  bandmaster,  P.  S.  Gilmore,  arranged  the 
music  for  his  full  band. 


MAY  24 
1765  — Arrived  at  Fort  Miller. — Gilliland. 

1810  General  Mooers  took  for  a  second  wife,  Elizabeth 

Addoms,  daughter  of  his  neighbor  on  Cumberland 
Head,  Major  John  Addoms. 

1812  The  Union  Academy  was  opened  in  Peru  under 

the  direction  of  Chauncey  Stoddard  and  Mary 
Rogers,  for  the  instruction  of  pupils  in  the  usual 
branches.  Tuition  was  $2  per  quarter,  but  for  those 
studying  grammar,  the  price  was  $2.50.  Board  in  re- 
spectable families  could  be  obtained  for  $1.20  per  week. 


150  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1861  "John   Brown's   Body"   was   played   at   dress 

parade  for  the  first  time  by  the  band  at  Fort  Warren. 

1873  The  Bible  and  Hymn  Book  was  presented  to 

the  First  Presbyterian  Church  by  Mrs.  C.  E.  M. 
Edwards.  Both  are  from  the  Cambridge  University 
Press,  the  print  of  perfect  clearness  with  red  capitals 
and  border  lines,  while  the  binding,  done  in  Boston, 
is  the  heaviest  Levant  morocco  of  a  dark  blue  with 
deep  embossing, 

1894  Chief-engineer  John  W.  Moore,  U.  S.  N.,  retired 

with  the  rank  of  rear-admiral,  having  reached  the 
age  of  62,  after  42  years  of  active  service.  He  was 
in  the  first  Atlantic-cable  expedition,  and  with 
Farragut,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  Society  of 
the  Cincinnati  33  years,  having  taken  the  place  of 
his  maternal  grandfather,  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers. 

MAY  25 

Pursue  the  path  our  fathers  trod, 

Be  thou,  my  son,  what  they  have  been: 

— (Mrs.)  Margaret  M.  Davidson. 

1775  Nehemiah  Hobart  was  born.    In  1795  he  married 

Lydia  Randall,  aunt  of  Postmaster-general  Randall 
and  in  1801  they  became  pioneers  in  Peru.  At  the 
battle  of  Plattsburgh  he  served  as  a  militiaman: 
a  worthy  son  of  his  sire,  Daniel  Hobart,  the  first 
martyr  of  the  Revolution  from  Ashburnham,  Mass. 

1792  At  Panton,  Vt.,  Hiram  Ferriss  was  bom.     He 

was  the  first  steamboat  pilot  on  the  lake,  taking 
the  helm  of  the  old  Vermont  when  she  was  launched 
in  1809  and  serving  as  steamboat  pilot  until  1859, 
just  half  a  century.  During  that  period  he  served 
as  pilot  on  every  boat  of  the  Champlain  Transporta- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  151 

tion  Company  without  encoiintering  a  single  serious 
accident.  The  rocky  reef  opposite  Port  Kent  was 
discovered  by  him  and  bears  his  name.  Between 
1825  and  1830,  he  settled  in  Chazy  and  that  was 
his  home  until  1874  when  he  went  to  Wisconsin. 

1861  "John  Brown's  Body  "  was  first  sung  in  Boston 

as  the  men  marched  up  State  street  from  garrison 
duty. 

1909  The    Ticonderoga    Historical    Society    with    its 

guests  celebrated  Field  day,  placing  temporary 
markers  at  the  "  landing  place  of  the  most  powerful 
armed  force  (Army  of  Abercrombie  and  Lord  Howe) 
that  ever  came  within  our  borders,"  Rigaud's  Camp, 
the  crossing  by  the  MiHtary  Road  of  Main  Street  and 
of  the  River  above  the  Falls;  also,  the  spot  where 
Lord  Howe's  bones  were  found,  Mt.  Hope  or  Mill 
Heights,  and  The  French  Lines. 

MAY  26 

1826  Congress  passed  a  resolution  of  thanks  to  Mid- 

shipman Siles  Duncan  of  the  Saratoga,  for  his  gallant 
conduct  under  the  severe  fire  of  the  enemy  (then 
marching  on  the  beach  near  Dead  Creek).  Duncan 
went  alone  in  a  gig  to  order  the  return  of  the  galleys, 
lying  in  Cumberland  bay. 

Congress,  the  same  month,  also  authorized  the 
President  to  cause  to  be  deUvered  to  the  members 
of  the  company  of  "Aiken's  Volunteers,"  the  rifle 
promised  each  by  Gen.  Macomb,  for  their  patriotic 
services  during  the  siege  of  Plattsburgh.  The  mem- 
bers of  this  company,  mere  boys,  none  of  them  old 
enough  for  military  service,  were: — Martin  J.  Aiken, 
Azariah  C.  Flagg,  Ira  A.  Wood,  Gustavus  A.  Bird, 
James  Trowbridge,  Hazen  Mooers,  Henry  K.  Averill, 
St.  John  B.  L.  Skinner,  Frederick  P.  Allen,  Hiram 


152  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Walworth,  Ethan  Everest,  Amos  Soper,  James  Patten, 
Bartemus  Brooks,  Smith  Bateman,  Melancton  W. 
Travis,  and  Flavius  WilHams.  The  presentation  was 
made  the  next  year  by  Gen.  Mooers,  then  living 
in  the  house  to  which  these  boys  marched,  to  tender 
their  services  to  Gen.  Macomb. 

1861  On  Sabbath  morning,  Lois  (Barnes)  Durand, 
daughter  of  Joseph  and  Lucretia  Barnes,  and  wife 
of  Calvin  Durand,  "  entered  into  rest."  Her  remains 
are  resting  in  her  native  place,  Charlotte,  Vt.,  where 
she  was  born  in  1799,  and  where,  March  3,  181 9, 
she  married  a  grandson  of  Francis  Joseph  Durand, 
of  Besancon,  France.  After  a  few  years,  the  young 
couple  removed  to  Clintonville,  N.  Y.,  where  their 
children  were  reared.  The  younger  generation  located 
in  Milwaukee  and  Chicago,  and  there  her  son,  Henry 
C.  Durand,  gave  to  Lake  Forest  College,  in  memory 
of  his  mother,  Lois  Durand  Hall.  Mrs.  Durand  was 
a  granddaughter  of  the  Revolutionary  officer.  Col. 
Asa  Barnes,  and  his  wife,  Lois  Yale,  a  descendant 
of  the  founder  of  Yale  College. 

1862  On  the  Williamsburgh  road,  in  Virginia,  leading 
the  reserve  pickets.  Major  John  E.  Kelly  of  the 
96th,  fell,  struck  by  four  bullets.  His  remains,  in 
charge  of  Capt.  Sweeney,  were  taken  to  his  stricken 
family  at  Plattsburgh. 

One  more  captain  on  God's  field 
Armed  with  mightier  sword  and  shield 
Than  of  yore  his  arms  could  wield. 

— Buckham. 

MAY  27 

1735  Judge   Zephaniah   Piatt,    "  The   Patroon  "   and 

one  of  the  original  settlers  of  Plattsburgh  was  born 
at    Huntington,    Long    Island.      He    was    a   son    of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  153 

Zephaniah  who,  when  74  years  old,  was  with  many 
of  his  neighbors,  taken  prisoner  by  the  British  and 
driven  into  New  York  where  he  was  confined  in  the 
old  prison  ship.  Falling  ill  with  smallpox,  he  was 
released  at  the  earnest  entreaty  of  his  daughter 
Dorothea,  by  Sir  Henry  Clinton  but  four  days  before 
his  death. 

1765  Joined    by   Martin    Taylor,    farmer,    at    45s   p 

month . — GilUland. 

1813  Mid.   Horace  Bucklin  Sawyer  was  directed  by 

Com.  Macdonough  to  take  one  of  the  gun  boats  to 
Plattsburgh.  On  entering  the  bay,  however,  she 
was  struck  by  a  gust  of  wind  and  thrown  on  her 
beam  end  and  it  was  several  hours  before  her  crew 
were  rescued  more  dead  than  alive  from  their  im- 
mersion in  nearly  ice-cold  water  and  taken  on  board 
the  Eagle. 

1824  The  first  college  building  in  Burlington,  begun 

in  1 801  and  completed  in  1807  at  a  cost  of  $40,000, 
was  destroyed  by  fire.  It  was  of  brick,  four  stories 
high,  160  feet  long,  75  feet  wide  in  the  center,  and 
45  feet  in  the  wings  and  had  been  taken  by  the  U.  S. 
government  for  an  arsenal  in  181 3  and  leased  for 
barracks  ini8i4.  Ini8i5,  after  it  had  been  repaired, 
the  college  sessions  were  resumed. 

1831  Died   in   Plattsburgh,   Joel   Buck  and   his   wife 

Hulda  Bostwick,  each  aged  73  years.  They  were 
born  and  died  on  the  same  date,  and  a  double  blue 
marble  stone  marks  their  graves.  They  had  come 
from  New  Milford,  Conn.,  about  1810-1812  with 
their  children  Bellini,  Philander,  David,  Ephraim, 
and  Hulda  who  married  Daniel  Beckwith,  a  farmer 
of  West  Plattsburgh.  Their  son  Ephraim,  who  was 
president  of  the  village  in  1835,  went  west  in  1840. 


154  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1869  The    Roman    Catholic    Church    re-incorporated 

under  the  name  of  "  St.  John  the  Baptist's  Church 
of  Plattsburgh,"  with  the  Right  Rev.  John  J.  Con- 
roy,  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  Albany,  the  Very  Rev. 
Edgar  P.  Wadhams,  Vicar-General  of  the  diocese, 
and  Richard  J.  Maloney,  Pastor  of  the  Church,  and 
two  laymen  as  trustees,  the  first  two  appointed 
were  Bernard  McKeever  and  Patrick  K.  Delaney. 

MAY  28 

Blossoms  In  Age. 

Yon  is  an  apple-tree, 
Joints  all  shrunk  like  an  old  man's  knee, 
Gaping  trunk  half  eaten  away, 
Crumbling  visibly  day  by  day; 
Branches  dead,  or  dying  fast, 
Topmost  limb  like  a  splintered  mast. 
Yet  behold,  in  the  prime  of  May, 
How  it  blooms  in  the  sweet  old  way! 

— James  Btickham. 

1806  John   Ransom   who,    with   his   sons    for   many 

years  kept  hotel  near  the  first  steamboat  landing  at 
Cumberland  Head,  died.  It  was  at  his  w^harf  "  Ran- 
som's Landing  "  that  the  early  boats,  the  Vermont 
and  Phoenix  stopped;  here  also,  John  Jacob  Astor 
on  his  way  to  buy  furs  in  Canada,  was  a  guest  once 
an  entire  week. 

1889  At   Crown   Point,   his   native   place,   died   Gen. 

John  Hammond,  a  son  of  Charles  F.  Hammond  who 
settled  there  early  in  the  century,  and  was  for  more 
than  fifty  years  the  leading  business  man  in  the  iron 
and  lumber  industries.  Gen.  Hammond  did  most 
gallant  service  in  the  war  and  was  twice  wounded. 
After  peace  was  restored  he  devoted  himself  to  the  iron 
manufacturing  and  railroad  interests  of  the  region. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  46th  and  47th  Congress. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  155 

MAY  29 

1765  — arrived  at  Fort  George,  with  all  the  people, 

cattle,  bateaux  and  goods. — Gilliland. 

1795  Isaac  Smith  of  Dutchess  county  died  at  the  age 

of  72.  His  daughter  Phebe,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Mat- 
thias Burnet  Miller  of  Brooklyn,  was  the  mother  of 
Mrs.  Davidson,  a  poetess  herself  like  her  son  and 
two  of  her  daughters.  Isaac  Smith's  daughters 
Margaret  and  Elizabeth  were  the  first  and  second 
wives  of  Dr.  John  Miller,  a  brother  of  Dr.  Burnet, 
both  sons  of  Burnet  Miller,  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
who  died  in  Plattsburgh  in  1797. 

1814  Macdonough  brought  his  fleet  out  of  Otter  Creek 

and  cast  anchor  that  same  evening  off  Plattsburgh. 

1821  Judge  Charles  Piatt,  the  first  actual  and  perma- 

nent settler  of  Plattsburgh,  passed  away.  He  was 
always  addressed  as  "Judge  "  and  held  that  office 
for  Clinton  county  until  sixty  years  old.  His  "  ruf- 
fled shirt-front,  stately  appearance,  ruddy  complexion 
and  pleasant  countenance  "  greatly  impressed  the 
yoimger  generation.  It  was  Judge  Piatt  who,  when 
in  London  in  1761  copied  the  description  of  the 
Piatt  coat  of  arms.  For  several  years  he  was  the 
only  settler  with  a  knowledge  of  medicine  and  this 
he  put  to  good  use,  doctoring  the  poor  gratuitously 
and  giving  treatment  to  the  Indians  for  "a  beaver 
skin,  the  usual  fee  for  bleeding." 

1824  Elizabeth  Piatt  went  from  her  home  on  Cum- 

berland Head  the  bride  of  Henry  Ketchum  Averill, 
Sr.  To  her,  the  youngest  daughter  of  his  only  sister 
Hannah,  the  Hon.  Moss  Kent  gave  the  house  on 
Margaret  street,  corner  of  Cornelia,  next  door  north 
of  her  sister,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Mooers.  It  was  in  this 
house  that  Moss  Kent  first  met  the  little  girl,  Lucretia 


156  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Davidson,  whose  benefactor  he  became.  Here, 
the  young  mother,  Mrs.  Averill,  died  at  35,  leaving 
three  children. 

The  Plattshurgh  Republican  of  this  date  reads, 
"  we  are  gratified  to  learn  that  the  Post  Master 
here  has  received  from  the  Post-Master  General 
instructions  to  contract  for  bringing  the  mails  from 
Whitehall  to  this  place  twice  a  week  by  the  steam- 
boat.    This  is  as  it  should  be." 

1872  Lucretia,  wife  of  Zephaniah  Pitt  Piatt  died  aged 

72  years.  She  and  her  sister  Ann  Eliza,  daughters 
of  Col.  Thomas  Miller  were  married  on  the  same 
day  (Jan.  14,  1829),  the  one  to  Zephaniah  P.  and  the 
other  to  Zephaniah  C.  Piatt,  his  cousin.  The  presence 
of  "  hundreds  "  of  guests  made  the  wedding  what 
is  known  among  the  Germans  as  a  "  high  time." 

MAY  30 

1838  Long  years  before  this  day  had  been  set  apart 

in  memory  of  our  patriotic  dead,  the  Hon.  Moss 
Kent  died  at  his  home  with  his  nephew  and  name- 
sake, the  Hon.  Moss  Kent  Piatt.  Moss  Kent,  son  of 
Moss  Kent,  Esq.  and  brother  of  the  Chancellor,  was  a 
practising  lawyer,  and  held  many  important  political 
civil  offices.  His  betrothed,  a  sister  of  J.  Fenimore 
Cooper,  having  been  killed  while  horse-back  riding, 
he  never  married,  but  his  kindness  and  generosity 
to  those  about  him  was  unbounded.  To  him,  her 
benefactor,  Lucretia  Davidson,  owed  her  superior 
advantages  of  education  and  to  several  of  his  nieces 
he  gave  homes. 

The  golden  age  of  peace  has  come  on  earth : 
Lo,  in  the  blood-stained  fields,  the  lilies  bloom, 

And  softly  on  the  alien  soldier's  tomb 
Is  laid  the  wreath  that  owns  his  niianly  worth. 

— Buckham. 


Three   Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  157 

1898  Saranac  Chapter  sent  to  the  State  Regent, 
D.  A.  R.,  $20  to  be  used  in  equipping  hospitals,  and 
the  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution 
marked  the  site  of  the  Battery  of  181 3-14  by  the 
gift  of  a  flagstaff  and  flag. 

1899  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.,  placed  bronze 
markers  on  the  graves  in  Riverside  Cemetery  of  the 
following  soldiers  of  the  Revolution: 

Thomas  Allen, — 1811.  Capt.     Nathaniel      Piatt, — 1741- 

Zenas  Allen, — 1763 — 1811.  1816. 

Loring   Larkin, — 1755-1845.  Judge     Zepheniah    Piatt, — 1735- 

[Interred  on  Larkin  Place.]  1807. 

Gideon  Rugar, — 1808- 

Bumet  Miller, — 1797-  Lieut.  Peter  Roberts, — 1804. 

Gen.    Benj.    Mooers, — 1758-  Allen  Smith. — 1759-1847. 

1838.  Judge  Melancton   Smith, —  1744- 

Adoniram  Parrott.  1798. 

Judge    Chas.    Piatt, — 1744-  Judge  Thomas  Treadwell, — 1742— 

1821.  1832. 

Daniel  Piatt, — 1756-1836.  Jonathan  Winchell. 

The  Society  of  the  War  of  181 2  also  placed 
markers  on  the  graves  of  eleven  of  the  eighty  veterans 
of  that  war  known  to  be  buried  in  this  cemetery. 
Henry  K.  Averill ;  Sheldon  Durkee ;  Jeremiah  Graves ; 
Smith  Mead;  Dr.  B.  J.  Mooers;  John  Nichols;  Judge 
Levi  Piatt;  Zeph.  Pitt  Piatt;  Capt.  Sidney  Smith; 
Matthew  M.  Standish;  Hiram  Walworth. 

The  Children  of  the  American  Revolution  dec- 
orated the  grave  of  Samuel  Beman,  father  of  Nathan 
Beman  for  whom  their  chapter  is  named.  The 
exercises  were  closed  by  the  singing  of  the  "  Star 
Spangled  Banner." 

1905  The  Vermont  branch  of  the  Society  of  the  United 

States  Daughters  of  181 2  placed  a  marker  on  the 
grave  in  Elmwood  Cemetery,  Burlington,  of  Joseph 
Barron,  pilot  of  Macdonough's  flagship,  the  Saratoga 
during  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 


158 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


MAY  31 


ETHAN    ALLEN. 


1778  Ethan   Allen,    on   his   arrival   in   this   country, 

waited  on  Gen.  Washington  at  Valley  Forge  and  then 
returned  to  Vermont,  where  he  was  received  with 
great  joy.  "  Three  cannons  were  fired  that  evening, 
and  the  next  morning  Col.  Herri ck  gave  orders  and 
fourteen  more  were  discharged  "  welcoming  him  to 
Bennington ;  * '  thirteen  for  the  United  States  and 
one  for  young  Vermont." 


1817  Miss  Susan  Cook  who  had,  as  a  pupil  at  the 

examination  the  previous  fall,  distinguished  herself 
"  in  all  the  branches  pursued  "  thereby  winning 
first  prize  (Doddridge's  Rise  and  Progress  of  Reli- 
gion in  the  Soul)  and  had  drawn  the  "  best  map  of 
the  United  States  and  the  best  two  of  the  whole  " 
now  became  instructor  of  the  young  ladies  of  the 
Academy  in  the  "  various  useful  and  ornamental 
branches." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  159 

1828  Capt.  and  Mrs.  Charles  T.  Piatt  lost  their  little 

son  Benjamin  Walworth  and  he  was  laid  to  rest  in 
the  village  cemetery  beside  his  baby  sister  Caroline 
who  had  died  three  years  before. 

From  1826  to  '29  Capt.  Piatt  leased  the  white 
house  with  bright  green  door  and  jet  black  knocker, 
standing,  gable  end  to  the  east  side  of  Peru  street,' 
just  north  of  the  down  grade  of  Charlotte.  In  this 
neighborhood,  the  short,  stout,  jolly-spirited  cap- 
tain with  his  bronzed  face,  curling  black  hair  and 
piercing  eyes,  home  from  a  short  cruise,  was  a  familiar 
figure.  His  wife  (a  sister  of  Chancellor  Walworth) 
was  as  unlike  her  sailor  husband  as  possible,  for  she 
was  tall  and  angular,  with  fair  hair  and  complexion 
and  eyes  of  dark  blue  looking  out  from  a  face  ahnost 
classic  in  its  symmetry. 


l6o  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


JUNE  I 

May  and  June  have  the  same,  sweet,  constant,  gentle, 
unvarying  winds — feminine  voices,  but  no  longer  childish,  queru- 
lous, nor  uncertain;  voices  that  hint  of  the  ripeness,  the  poise, 
and  stability  of  womanhood. — Buckhavn. 

1765  — arrived  at  Ticonderoga  landing. — Gilliland. 

1767  — planted  peas  which  being  old  did  not  grow. 

— Idem. 

1776  Received   orders   to   disembark    (the   wind   still 

against  us  or  rather  calmj,  and  march  up  on  shore 
towards  the  enemy.  We  w^ere  about  500  men — and 
more,  we  hoped,  not  far  in  our  rear — all  in  great 
spirits  on  leaving  the  ships.  Our  camp  equipage 
and  other  baggage  were  left  on  board,  to  come  up 
when  the  wind  would  serve. 

— Lieut.  Dighy's  Journal. 

William  Hay,  who  lived  in  a  house  near  the  shore 
of  the  lake  opposite  Valcour  Island,  on  a  tract  of 
land  granted  in  1765  to  Lieut.  Friswell,  went  to 
Montreal  to  purchase  a  supply  of  flour  and  while 
there,  was  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison  by  order 
of  Gen.  Carleton.  After  several  days,  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  merchants  of  that  city,  he  was  released.  On 
his  return  he  went  to  Crown  Point  and  gave  to  the 
American  commander  there  information  regarding 
the  strength  and  plans  of  the  Indians  that  was  con- 
sidered of  much  value  at  the  time. 

1894  New    Barracks    of    Plattsburgh    Military    Post 

occupied  for  the  first  time  by  Companies  D,  F  and  G 
2ist  Infantry, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  i6i 


JUNE  2 

These  winds  make  low,  even  sounds  about  your  casement, 
and  in  your  trees,  and  over  the  grass,  all  day  long.  They  express 
natiu-e's  utter  contentment  and  peace.  They  bring  me  news  of 
God's  love  for  his  world  and  his  ever-reminding  presence  in  it. 

— James  Buckham. 

J  765  — busy  getting  the  goods  and  bateaux  acrost 

the  landing. — Gilliland. 

1766  — arrived  at  fort  George  on  that  day,  in  the 
evn'g.  My  illness  continuing,  detained  us  all  at 
fort  George  for  9  days  from  the  2d,  to  Wednesday, 

— Idem. 

1767  — planted  the  following:  muskmelons,  shaped 
20th  July;  radishes,  lettuce,  tong  grass,  parsley, 
savory,  celeri,  late  cabbages,  mustard,  leeks,  onions; 
they  all  came  up  short  owing  I  believe  to  dry  weather. 

— Idem. 

1795  At  a  town-meeting  in  Plattsburgh,  a  tax  of  ;^25 

was  voted  for  the  benefit  of  schools. 

1800  Calvin  K.   Averill,   son  of   Nathan  Averill,   Jr. 

and  his  wife  Polly  Ketchum,  was  bom  at  Peru. 

1813  Lieut.  Sidney  Smith,  U.  S.  N.  with  two  sloops 

of  war,  the  Growler  and  Eagle,  chased  some  British 
boats  over  the  line  into  Canada.  The  same  day,  the 
town  of  Peru  was  first  divided  into  school  districts 
by  Benjamin  Sherman,  William  Keese,  and  Robert 
Piatt,  Commissioners. 


l62  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JUNE  3 

Oh!  the  summer  moms  and  evenings,  when  the  lazy,  lowing  cows 
Let  you  dream  your  boyish  day-dreams,  while  they  idly  stopped 
to  browse. — James  Buckham. 

1813  At  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  Lieut.   Smith 

found  himself  at  Ash  Island  while  the  enemy's  row- 
galleys  had  taken  refuge  under  the  guns  and  forti- 
fications of  Isle  aux  Noix.  Retreat  against  the 
current  of  the  lake  and  in  the  face  of  a  strong  south 
wind,  was  impossible  and  in  the  four-hour  engagement 
that  followed  the  Americans  were  forced  to  surrender. 
The  officers,  among  whom  were  Lieut.  Smith,  Loomis, 
sailing  master  of  the  Eagle;  Sawyer,  midshipman, 
and  Capt.  Herrick,  w^ere  sent  first  to  Montreal  and 
then  to  HaHfax  where  they  were  confined  in  one  of 
H.  M.  ships  of  war,  commanded  by  Hon.  Capt. 
Douglas  "  who  treated  them  with  great  kindness 
although  his  government  had  proposed  to  deal  with 
them  as  with  traitors  until  assured  by  our  govern- 
ment that  for  everyone  so  dealt  with,  two  English- 
men should  receive  similar  treatment."  After  an 
exchange  had  been  effected.  Mid.  Sawyer  was  ordered 
to  the  Constitution. 

1816  At  Highgate,  Vt.,  was  born  John  Godfrey  Saxe, 

second  son  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Jewett)  Sax,  his 
wife.  Godfrey  Sachs,  the  great-grandfather,  died  in 
Prussia  when  his  son  John,  the  emigrant,  was  but 
fourteen.  The  name,  anglicized  to  Sax  had  the  e 
added  during  the  last  half  century.  John  Godfrey 
Saxe,  was  an  American  poet,  journalist,  and  lecturer, 
best  known,  however,  for  his  humorous  poems.  In 
1859  and  i860  he  was  the  unsuccessful  candidate 
for  governor  of  Vermont. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  163 

1824  James  vSavage,  Esq.,  died  "  at  his  seat  in  Platts- 

burgh,"  aged  84  years.  He  was  buried  beside  his 
wife,  Anne,  in  Elmwood  cemetery,  Burlington. 

1875  At  his  home,  four  miles  from  the  village  of  Platts- 

burgh  on  the  old  turnpike  leading  to  Malone,  died 
Elder  Chester  Balch  for  more  than  30  years  a  ruling 
elder  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church — a  man  of  the 
old  puritanical  stamp.  He  was  a  son  of  Timothy 
Balch  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  who  had  located  about 
1802  on  a  farm  a  short  distance  from  that  of  his 
brother  Ebenezer. 


JUNE  4 

We  had  God's  sunshine  for  our  drink, 

And  all  the  things  of  earth  were  sweet — 

— Buckham. 

1646  Father  Isaac  Jogues  with  Sieur  Bourdon,  royal 

engineer,  and  some  Indians  arrived  at  Fort  Orange, 
where  he  had  formerly  been  so  hospitably  received 
and  sheltered  for  six  weeks  after  his  escape  from 
his  Mohawk  captors, 

1690  A  small  party  of  French  and  Indians  of  the  Sault 

and  Mountains  returning  from  an  expedition  against 
the  English  in  canoes,  "  being  arrived  at  noon  at 
Salmon  river  which  falls  into  Lake  Champlain  " 
while  at  evening  prayer  were  discovered  by  a  war 
party  of  Algonquins  and  Abenakis. 

Paris  Documents,  Colonial  History. 

1760  Major  Rogers,  who  had  left  Crown  Point  with 

200  Rangers  and  25  light  infantry  in  bateaux  in 
October,  landed  his  men  on  the  west  shore  of  the 
lake,  twelve  miles  south  of  Isle  aux  Noix  (Rouses 


164  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Point),  the  rest  of  his  party  remaining  on  board  the 
sloop  which,  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Grant, 
had  been  sent  back  to  Isle  la  Motte. 

1765  — proceeded  to  Crown  Point. — Gilliland. 

1 777  — being  the  King's  Birthday  the  Town  (Montreal) 

was  illuminated. — Hodden. 

1796  Capt.  Nath'l  Douglass  of  Chazy,  and  Lucy  Con- 

verse were  married.  They  moved  to  Isle  la  Motte, 
Vt.,  but,  in  181 1,  emigrated  to  the  township  of 
Sherrington,  Canada,  where  Douglass  had  taken  up 
a  tract  the  year  before,  felled  trees,  built  a  hut,  and 
now,  was  to  become  a  first  settler.  His  father, 
Nathaniel,  Sr.,  and  his  brothers,  James  and  Jonathan, 
soon  joining  him  from  Chazy,  the  settlement  was 
called  Douglass ville.  In  181 2,  Capt.  Douglass  was 
appointed  by  the  British  government,  captain  of 
militia  and  held  the  office  till  his  death. 

1804  Birth  in  Granville,  Washington  county,  N.  Y,, 

of  J.  Douglass  Woodward,  son  of  William  Woodward, 
a  captain  in  the  Revolution  with  Washington  at 
Valley  Forge.  At  the  early  age  of  nine,  dependent 
upon  his  own  energies  for  success,  he  came  to  Pitts- 
burgh to  attend  the  old  Academy.  There,  he 
attracted  the  attention  of  Reuben  H.  Walworth, 
who  could  well  appreciate  the  efforts  of  the  studious 
lad  to  make  the  most  of  his  opportunities.  In  the 
law  office  of  Judge  John  Lynde  and  afterwards, 
through  life  the  untiring  energy  and  industry  of  the 
man  was  displayed  and  his  pure  life  and  practical 
efforts  in  behalf  of  Plattsburgh  (especially  in  the 
laying  out  and  improvement  of  streets)  should  not  be 
forgotten.  From  his  son  and  daughter,  William 
and  Helen  streets  were  named. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  165 

1808  Casper  Otto  with  his  family,  refugees  from  Ham- 

burg, arrived  at  Baltimore  in  the  last  ship  sailing 
from  Toningen  and  reaching  the  United  States  before 
the  famous  Embargo  Act  went  into  operation.  This 
ship  was  the  Perseverance,  Fisher,  master,  of  Martha's 
Vineyard.  Caspar  Otto  had  been  a  prosperous  mer- 
chant, but  when  Napoleon's  army,  18,000  strong, 
under  Davoust,  was  quartered  upon  the  peaceful 
citizens  and  the  Bank  of  Hamburg  seized,  only 
financial  disaster  could  come  to  the  Otto  family  and 
they   determined  to  emigrate  to   America. 

— Life  of  Bishop  Hopkins. 

1812  Horace   BuckHn  Sawyer  of  BurHngton  entered 

the  navy  of  the  United  States  as  a  midshipman  and 
was  at  once  ordered  to  the  Eagle  (Lieut.  Sidney 
Smith),  which  cruised  in  company  with  the  Growler 
(sailing  master  Jairus  Loomis)  protecting  American 
interests  on  Lake  Champlain. 

JUNE  5 

1690  At  sunrise  the  next  morning  the  Algonquins  and 

Abenakis  attacked  the  returning  party,  killing  two 
and  wounding  ten,  which  was  much  regretted  by  the 
French,  since  those  who  were  defeated  and  taken 
were  "  our  most  faithful  allies,"  among  them  the 
Great  Mohawk.— Pan^  Documents,  Colonial  History. 

THE  DEAD  BRAVE. 

Bow  and  arrows  by  his  side, 
Soft  and  tawny  panther's  hide, 
Food  for  journey  to  the  bound 
Of  the  Happy  Hunting  Ground, 
So  they  laid  him  in  his  grave, 
Stern,  bronze,  silent  Indian  brave. 
— James  Buckham. 

1765  Arrived  (at  Crown  Point)  having  left  the  whole 

of  the  cattle  there  under  the  care  of  W^illiam  Luckey, 


l66  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

(except  4  oxen  left  at  Ticonderoga  with  Martin  Tay- 
ler  and  my  negro  man  Ireland,  to  haul  logs  to  the 
saw  mill  in  lieu  of  120  boards  got  there,  and  which 
were  rafted  down  to  Crown  Point  by  E.  Ayres  and  J. 
Watson),  we  proceeded. — Gilliland. 

1777  I  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  (here  near  two  miles 

wide)  and  arrived  at  Longeiul  on  the  opposite  shore, 
with  the  Detachment  of  Artillery  destined  for  the 
expedition. — Hadden. 

1894  Plattsburgh   PubUc   Library   chartered  by   the 

Regents  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York. 

I  love  vast  libraries;  yet  there  is  a  doubt 
If  one  be  better  with  them  or  without, — 
Unless  he  use  them  wisely,  and,  indeed. 
Knows  the  high  art  of  what  and  how  to  read. 

— Saxe. 

JUNE  6 

1760  Rogers  was  attacked  while  encamped  near  place 

of  landing  by  350  French  troops,  sent  from  fort  at 
Isle  Aux  Noix  under  command  of  M.  Le  Force  and, 
after  a  short  but  severe  engagement,  defeated  the 
French  who  returned  to  Isle  Aux  Noix,  while  he 
retired  to  Isle  La  Motte. 

1816  On  Thursday,   the  atmosphere  at  Plattsburgh 

was  filled  with  particles  of  snow  and  it  was  uncom- 
fortable out  of  doors  without  a  great-coat,  while  in 
Vermont  "  the  snow  fell  rapidly,  but  melted  as  it 
fell." 

1830  At  her  home  on   Bellevue   (now  Cumberland) 

avenue,   Marianne  Adelaide  Grellier,   widow  of  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  167 

late  Hon.  Peter  Sailly,  died.  She  was  a  native  of 
Alsace  and  mother  of  three  children :  Eleanor  Maria, 
Charlotte  Theresa  and  Frederick  Louis  Charles  Sailly. 

1848  William   Gilliland,   Jr.    (born  in    1768)   died  at 

Port  Gilliland,  originally  named  Janesboro.  It  was 
he  who  secured  the  paper  giving  information  to  the 
enemy,  dropped  by  Col.  Murray  during  his  raid, 
while  Col.  Durand  and  Mr.  Gilliland  were  interceding 
for  the  protection  of  the  private  property  of  citizens. 

1864  The  Fouquet  House,  built  in  181 5  by  John 
Louis  Fouquet  and  then  named  the  Macdonough 
House,  was  burned.  At  the  time  and  subsequently, 
many  valuable  historical  relics  were  lost,  among  them 
the  original  key  to  Fort  Ticonderoga,  given  to  the 
proprietor  by  Gen.  Nathaniel  Lyon.  This  far-famed 
hostelry  was  of  wood,  painted  white,  its  swinging 
sign,  on  one  side  adorned  with  a  portrait  (painted 
by  a  Mr.  Stevens,  a  local  artist)  of  the  owner's  close 
friend,  the  Commodore;  on  the  other,  a  picture  of  a 
ship,  From  its  high  pillared  verandas,  Scott,  Wool, 
Bonneville,  Worth,  Magruder,  "  Stonewall  "  Jackson, 
Hooker,  Kearney,  Ricketts  and  other  army  officers 
had  looked  out  across  the  bay  where  Macdonough 
had  vanquished  the  British  Lion.  Gen.  Scott  was 
an  annual  visitor  and  two  children  of  Capt.  Magruder 
(afterward  a  confederate  general),  while  their-father 
was  in  command  at  the  Barracks,  in  charge  of  their 
colored  "  mammy  "  had  good  times  in  the  beautiful 
garden  with  the  Httle  Fouquets. 

1865  The  new  Fouquet  House  was  opened  to  the 
public. 


l68  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JUNE  7 

New  skies  and  blue  skies — cheer  heart!  another  day 
Lights  on  the  changing  world.     Up!  strive!  whilst  strive  thou 
may. — James  Buckham. 

1763  Burlington    and    Colchester    each    received    its 

charter.  The  former  township  was  originally  36 
square  miles,  measuring  10  miles  in  a  right  line  along 
the  Winooski  river  and  6  miles  from  north  to  south 
on  the  eastern  boundary.  Among  the  grantees  of 
Colchester  there  were  ten  by  the  name  of  Burling 
and  it  is  supposed  that  the  name  Burlington  was 
given  by  mistake  to  the  adjoining  town  on  the  south. 

1765  We  proceeded  from  Crown  Point  to  Willsboro, 

the  boards  having  overtaken  us  that  morning  at 
Crown  Point. — Gilliland. 

1775  Allen  wrote  to  congress:     "  I  would  lay  my  life 

on  it,  that  with  fifteen  hundred  men  I  could  take 
Montreal." 

1777  Sunday  we  proceeded  to  St.   Johns,    18  miles, 

by  the  road  on  which  Gen'l  Gordon  was  killed. 

— Had  den. 

1860  At  "  Rock  Point,"  a  large  Gothic  stone  building, 

designed  for  a  boys'  school  and  seminary,  was  com- 
pleted and  consecrated. 


Early  in  June,  1809,  there  was  great  excitement  in 
Burlington  and  other  towns  on  the  lakeshore  for 
was  not  the  boat  that  since  last  year,  the  brothers 
Winans  had  been  a-building  under  the  "  Oak  Tree  " 
at  the  foot  of  King  street  and  which  had  been  launched 
sideways  into  the  water,  about  to  make  her  first 
trip?     John  Winans,  her  captain,  had  been  on  board 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  169 

the  Clermont  when  she  made  her  first  trip  and  had 
been  deeply  interested. 

The  first  Vermont  resembled  little  her  namesake 
of  1909.  She  was  built  without  guards,  with  flush 
decks  and  no  pilot  house,  being  steered  by  a  tiller. 
Only  a  smokestack  showed  above  the  deck  for  her 
second-hand,  20  horse-power  horizontal  engine, 
bought  in  Albany,  was  below.  The  Vermont  was 
larger  than  the  Clermont.  Her  length  was  120  feet 
with  one  room  about  25x18  feet,  fitted  with  berths 
and  serving  also  as  a  dining  room.  But  she  was  the 
first  vessel  propelled  by  steam  on  Lake  Champlain 


THE    FIRST    STEAMBOAT. 

and  the  second  in  the  whole  world  and  as  such  was 
a  wonder.  Her  round  trip  from  Whitehall  to  St. 
Johns  consumed  about  a  week  and  her  appearance 
was  eagerly  awaited  in  the  quiet  settlements  along 
the  shore. 

In  October,  181 5  the  first  Vermont  had  her  last 
break-down  near  Ash  Island  and  her  owners  Messrs. 
James  and  John  Winans  took  out  her  engine  and 
boilers  and  sold  them  to  the  Lake  Champlain  Steam- 
boat Company.  During  the  war  of  1 8 1 2  the  Vermont 
had  done  good  service  in  the  transportation  of  govern- 
ment stores  and  troops.  Her  captain,  John  Winans, 
lived  afterwards  at  Ticonderoga  but  was  buried  at 
Poughkeepsie. 


170  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JUNE  8 

1763  Milton,  Vt.,  was  chartered  and  contained  27,616 

acres. 

1765  William  Gilliland  and  his  colony  reached  the 

Boquet  after  a  laborious  and  perilous  journey  of 
thirty  days  from  New  York. 

1777  As   morning  dawned   on   Montreal  the  roll  of 

drums  and  clamor  of  bugles  roused  the  sleeping 
inhabitants  and  called  together  Burgoyne's  army, 
consisting  of  3,724  British,  3,016  German  soldiers  of 
the  Hne,  473  artillery  men  and  250  Canadians,  ready 
to  embark  on  the  expedition  to  Fort  Ticonderoga. 

1789  The  first  marriage  in  Plattsburgh,  that  of  Peter 

Sailly  and  Marianne  Adelaide  Grielle,  a  native  of 
Alsace  who  had  been  a  friend  and  companion  of  the 
first  Mrs.  Sailly,  was  performed  by  Theodorus  Piatt, 
J.  P. 

CUPID'S  BOWER. 

Am  I  in  fairyland?  or  tell  me,  pray, 
To  what  love-lighted  bower  I've  found  my  way? 
Such  luckless  wight  was  never  more  beguiled 
In  woodland  maze,  or  closely  tangled  wild. 

— Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 
(Written  in  her  fifteenth  year.) 

1801  Death  of  Sarah  Mott,  daughter  of  Edward  and 

Sarah  (Kinne)  Mott  and  ^ife  of  Jonas  Morgan. 

JUNE  9 

1760  Rogers,  after  the  severe  engagement  on  the  6th, 

having  retired  to  Isle  La  Motte,  landed  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Great  Chazy  river,  passed  around  Isle  Aux 
Noix,  attacked  and  destroyed  a  small  stockade  fort 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  171 

below  St.  John's  and  rettirned  to  the  lake  with 
twenty-five  prisoners. 

1765  Robert   Mclane  and  Eliakim  Ayres  arrived  at 

the  river  Boquet  with  the  raft  of  boards,  having  been 
assisted  by  Moses  Dickson,  tailor,  who  joined  us  the 
7th  instant,  at  Crown  Point,  at  40s  per  mo.  and  to  be 
found.  Proceeded  in  company  with  Robert  Mclane 
immediately  to  the  falls,  who  having  carefully  viewed 
their  situation,  gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  several 
mills  might  be  erected  there  with  much  ease  and 
small  expense — which  opinion  was  afterwards  found 
to  be  well  founded.  We  then  returned  to  the  river's 
mouth  well  satisfied,  and  having  thrown  out  our 
fishing  seine,  we  hauled  in  60  large  fish,  being  mostly 
masquenonge,    bass   and   pickerel. — Gilliland. 

1789  Clinton    County    government    organized.      Mel- 

ancton  L.  Woolsey  administered  the  oath  of  office 
to  Judge  Charles  Piatt,  who  in  turn  "  swore  in  " 
Mr.  Woolsey  as  County  Clerk. 

1816  There  was  a  heavy  fall  of  snow  and  sleighing  was 

good  from  "  the  city  "  (Saxe's  Landing)  to  the  five 
Nations  (East  Chazy).  Seth  Graves  came  out  with 
his  big  covered  sleigh,  drawn  by  four  horses,  and  with 
Rev.  Mr.  Byington,  Deacon  Wells,  Deacon  Ransom 
and  others,  reined  up  to  Francis  Chantonette's  Inn, 
in  grand  style." — Old  Chazy. 

1898  Died   suddenly,  at  her  home  on  Court  street, 

Augusta  (Wood)  Cady,  a  charter  member  of  Saranac 
Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  and  descendant  of  Jonathan  Wood 
of  Massachusetts,  the  patriot  who  marched  from  Box- 
ford  at  the  Lexington  alarm  in  Capt.  William  Perley's 
company.  Col.  James  Frye's  regiment  and  served 
subsequently  under  the  same  command. 


172  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

DEATH. 

Strange,  how  we  think  of  Death, 

The  angel  beloved  of  God, 
With  his  face  like  an  asphodel  flower, 

And  his  feet  with  nepenthe  shod; 
Strange,  how  we  turn  and  flee 

When  he  comes  by  the  sunset  way, 
Out  of  the  Valley  of  Rest, 

Down  through  the  purpling  day : 

— Buckham. 

1905  Dr.  George  F.   Bixby,  editor  and  owner  of  the 

Plattsburgh  Republican,  laid  aside  his  pen.  Since 
his  first  connection  (May  24,  1873)  with  that  his- 
toric paper,  he  had  proved  himself  a  worthy  successor 
of  a  line  of  able  writers,  maintaining  always  a  reputa- 
tion for  reliability,  the  Historical  Department  es- 
pecially furnishing  invaluable  records  of  Champlain 
Valley  history.  Dr.  Bixby  was  particularly  interested 
in  everything  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the  Valley 
and  its  early  history,  spending  years  in  studying  and 
ably  defending  the  claims  of  Crown  Point  as  the  site 
of  Champlain's  first  battle  with  the  Iroquois.  Bixby's 
Grotto,  Ausable  Chasm,  bears  his  name. 

JUNE  10 

1765  — proceeded  with  the  goods  towards  the  Falls, 

and  landed  them  in  Camp  Island.  Wages  commenced 
this  day  for  all,  except  William  Luckey  and  Martin 
Taylor,  whose  wages  commenced  at  the  time  of 
their  separation  from  us  on  their  respective  employ- 
ments.— Gilliland. 

1767  J.  Watson  set  out  again  for  Ticonderoga,  where 

he  met  me,  and  returned  to  Willsborough,  the  15th, 
with  stores,  &c. — Idem. 

1775  Jonathan   Lynde   of   Westfield,    Mass.,    enHsted 

in  the  Continental  Army — the  first  of  three  separate 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  173 

enlistments.  He  married  Mollie  Franklin,  a  niece 
of  Doctor  Franklin  and  removed  to  Willsboro  where 
he  died.  His  son  John  Lynde,  born  in  1788,  Hved 
in  Plattsburgh,  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  181 2  and 
made  first  judge  of  the  county  in  1827,  holding  the 
office  until  his  death  in  1831.  The  Lynde  home- 
stead was  next  to  that  of  Judge  Charles  Piatt  on 
Broad  street  (now  No.  14). 

1777  Received  orders   to  embark  except  the  above 

1200  imder  the  command  of  brigadier-general  Frazier, 
who  had  not  then  taken  command  of  the  advanced 
corps  but  was  expected  hourly. 

— Lieut.  Digby's  Journal. 

1784  Mr.  Sailly  arrived  at  Albany  after  a  side  trip 

into  the  Mohawk  valley. 

1810  A  "  quarterly  meeting  ' '  was  held  at  "  Burdick  's  " 

probably  at  Beekmantown,  near  the  stone  church. 

1878  Grading  begun  on  Dannemora  railroad. 


JUNE  11 

1765  — cleared  a  road  to  the  falls  from  our  encamp- 
ment.— Gilliland. 

1766  — put  all  my  stores  and  embarked  on  board  of 
Wm.  Stoughton's  schooner,  and  having  a  fair  wind 
arrived  this  evening  at  Ticonderoga  landing. — Idem. 

1776  In    Salisbury,    Conn.,    was    born    Polly,    eldest 

daughter  of  Joseph  and  Phebe  Ketchum.  Her  mar- 
riage to  Nathan  Averill,  Jr.,  another  pioneer  from 
Connecticut,  resulted  in  a  family  of  six  sons  and 
three  daughters.     Inheriting  the  strongest  New  Eng- 


174  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

land  traits  developed  by  pioneer  life  in  Champlain 
Valley,  "  Aunt  Polly  "  became  a  marked  character. 
For  her,  soldiers  replaced  the  planks  on  the  upper 
bridge  over  the  Saranac  as  the  enemy  approached, 
that  she  and  her  children  might  cross.  She  was  one 
of  the  original  members  of  the  Keeseville  Baptist 
church  founded  in  1791  and,  at  the  time  of  her  death 
in  1862,  hved  in  the  old  house  under  the  big  willows 
that  was  removed  to  make  room  for  the  present 
Baptist  church  of  Plattsburgh. 

1777         Gen'ls  Burgoyne  and  Reidesel  (came  to  St.  John's). 

— Hadden. 

1784  Mr.  Sailly  met  "  Mr.  Gilliland  who  owns  land 

on  Lake  Champlain  "  and  they  talked  over  the  iron 
business  in  which  Mr.  Sailly  had  been  engaged  in 
France  and  its  prospects  in  the  Champlain  Valley. 

1798  At  the  court  house  was  held  the  last  meeting  of 

the  proprietors  of  the  town  of  Burhngton  at  which 
time  were  chosen:  Gideon  Ormsby,  chairman;  Wm. 
C.  Harrington,  clerk;  Zacheus  Peaslee  (who  had  been 
one  of  the  young  men  w^ho  had  attempted  to  pay 
their  respects  to  Prince  Edward  five  years  before) 
treasurer;  and  Stephen  Pearl,  from  whom  Pearl 
street  takes  its  name,  collector. 

1814  A  light  brigade,  under  command  of  Gen.  Smith, 

Forsyth's  regiment  of  riflemen  and  two  companies 
of  artillery,  were  encamped  near  the  mouth  of  Dead 
Creek. 

1818  John  Palmer  appointed  District  Attorney.     He 

was  a  native  of  Hoosick  but  after  his  admission  to 
the  bar,  removed  in  181  o  to  Plattsburgh,  to  which  his 
fellow-townsman,  Reuben  H.  Walworth  had  come  the 
preceding  year.    The  two  formed  a  partnership  which 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  175 

continued  until  1820.  Mr.  Palmer  married  Charlotte, 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Hon.  Peter  Sailly.  They 
were  the  parents  of  the  Hon.  Peter  Sailly  Palmer, 
whose  years  of  labor  spent  on  the  history  of  Lake 
Champlain,  should  not  be  forgotten. 

1867  In   Burlington,  was  burned  the  old   "  Howard 

House,"  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  St.  Paul  streets, 
present  site  of  Van  Ness  House. 

JUNE  12 

1765  Will.  GilHland  and  his  men  continued  clearing 
a  road  to  the  falls. 

1766  — embarked  the  next  day  on  board  the  sloop 
Musquenunge,  and  in  a  passage  of  if  hours  arrived 
at  Crown  Point. — Gilliland. 

1777  Carlton  had  come  to  St.  John's  to  bid  his  old 

comrades  in  arms  a  god-speed  while  Burgoyne, 
Riedesel,  Acland,  Fraser,  Phillips,  Balcarres  and 
others  of  like  bravery  gathered  with  him  around  the 
social  board  in  joyous  good-fellowship  previous  to 
embarkation. 

JUNE  13 

1765  — cut  down  logs  to  build  a  dwelling  house. 

— Gilliland. 

1 766  Friday  arrived  at  Crown  Point,  here  my  disorders 
returning,  I  was  confined  by  my  room,  often  to  bed 
to  Saturday. — Idem. 

1777  The  Standard  of  England  was  hoisted  on  board 

the  Radeau,  and  saluted  by  the  rest  of  the  Shipping 
and  Forts.    *  *  *  The  Army  was  now  advanced  with 


176  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

part  of  the  Shipping  to  Isle  ou  Noix  and  Point  a  Fer. 
The  Barracks  and  Dock  Yard  at  St.  Johns  were  now- 
complete  for  every  necessary  purpose,  and  the  Works 
in  a  state  of  defense. — Hadden. 

About  one  in  the  morning,  his  excellency,  general 
Carlton,  came  up  and  immediately  ordered  the  fleet 
to  get  under  way.  *  *  *  about  9  in  the  evening, 
reached  the  shore  (fort  Sorrel)  under  the  command 
of  brigadier  general  Nesbit,  lieutenant  colonel  of 
the  47th  regiment. — 

We  found  the  enemy  had  deserted  their  lines 
and  about  10  o'clock  the  troops  took  post  and  lay 
all  night  on  their  arms. — Dighy. 

1813  A  Battery  of  thirteen  guns,  the  sole  defense  of 

Burlington  and  the  U.  S.  army  encamped  there  dur- 
ing the  War  of  181 2,  repulsed  an  attack  of  three 
British  gunboats. 

1908  Saturday  afternoon,  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R. 

celebrated  Flag  Day  by  taking  an  Historic  Drive 
over  the  route  taken  by  the  two  wings  of  the  British 
army  in  their  approach  to  and  retreat  from  Platts- 
burgh  during  the  invasion  of  September,  18 14.  The 
route  had  previously  been  marked  by  flags  and  all 
spots  of  special  interest  were  noted  and  examined. 


JUNE  14 

1760  Brigadier   Murray   sailed   from   Quebec   with   a 

veteran  army  of  2,450  men  who  had  conquered  under 
Wolfe,  to  co-operate  with  Amherst  and  Haviland. 

1765  — cut  down  logs  to  build  a  dwelling  house. 

— Gilliland. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  177 

!  775  Wm.  Hay  engages  1 00  acres  of  land  to  the  south- 

ward of  his  present  lot.  Nathan  Nichols  engages 
300  acres  for  himself  to  the  southward  and  adjoining 
to  Wm.  Hay's  land.  Also  engages  all  the  land  between 
the  farms  of  Henry  Cross  and  John  Byantum.  Henry 
Cross  engages  100  acres  of  land  for  himself  to  the 
southward  of  his  present  lot;  Wm.  Gilliland  reserves 
for  his  daughter  200  acres  of  land  to  the  southward 
of  Henry  Cooper's  lot.  John  Byantum  has  engaged 
200  acres  at  Monty's  Chantier.  — Idem. 

1801  Benedict  Arnold,   the  traitor,   died  in  London. 

1815  Catherine   Green,   widow  of  Caleb   Green,   died 

in  Peru.  She  was  a  native  of  Bermuda.  They  came 
as  early  settlers  from  Nine  Partners  with  their  sons 
Henry,  Rodman,  John,  James,  and  daughters,  Hannah 
and  Mary.  The  first  married  Robert  Cochran  and 
lived  south  of  Salmon  River;  the  other  became  the 
wife  of  Daniel  Jackson,  Sr.  Their  son,  Daniel  Jack- 
son, Jr.,  was  the  author  of  "  Alonzo  and  Melissa," 

1894  Near    Fredenburgh    Falls,    workmen    found    a 

skeleton,  supposed  from  its  location  to  be  that  of 
Count  de  Fredenburgh  from  whom  the  Falls  received 
its  name.  De  Fredenburgh,  coming  here  during  the 
Revolution  to  look  after  his  property,  mysteriously 
disappeared  while  his  house  and  mill  were  destroyed 
by  fire. 

JUNE  15 

1765  Operations  had  by  this  time  been  commenced 

by  Wm.  Gilliland 's  colony  for  opening  a  road  to  the 
falls  (of  the  Bouquet),  ground  had  been  cleared,  logs 
cut  and  the  erection  of  a  house,  44  feet  by  22  feet, 
begun.     This,   the   first   dwelling  built  by  civilized 


178  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

man  between  Crown  Point  and  the  line  of  Canada, 
was  occupied  by  Burgoyne's  troops  at  the  time  of 
the  invasion. 

1777  The  Loyal  Convert,  Washington  and  Lee  Cutter 

took  out  their  Guns  and  were  laden  with  Artillery, 
Stores  and  Provisions,  it  being  known  the  Enemy 
had  no  Fleet  sufficient  to  oppose  us; — This  day 
Gen'ls  Burgoyne  &  Reidesil  set  off  for  the  Army. 

— Hadden. 

1837  Governor-General,  Lord  Gosford,  because  of  the 
assembly  at  St.  Ours,  issued  a  proclamation  against 
seditious  meetings  and  ordered  magistrates  and 
militia  officers  to  prevent  them  from  being  held  or 
disperse  them  when  held. 

1838  The  date  of  the  completion  by  contract  of  the 
Cumberland  Head  lighthouse,  built  by  Peter  Com- 
stock  according  to  his  bid  of  $3,325.  The  old  build- 
ing was  separated  from  the  dwelling  and  stood  nearer 
the  shore.  The  first  keeper  of  the  new  light  was 
"  Deacon  "  Samuel  Emery  whose  posey-loving  house- 
keeper turned  the  government  grounds  into  one 
vast  flower  garden. 


JUNE  16 

1646  Departure  of  Father  Jogues  and  his  party  from 

Oneugiowre  (Caughnawaga)  the  first  castle  of  the 
Mohawks,  whither  they  had  gone  after  their  visit 
to  Fort  Orange.  Presents  had  been  exchanged  and 
the  French  had  received  every  assurance  of  future 
welcome. 

1776  — this   day   John   McElrea,    Israel   Dibble   and 

Martin  Dudley  arrived  at  Willsborough,  the  former 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  179 

commenced  this  day  week  at  ;^i8  p  ann.,  and  the  2 
latter  this  day  at  45s  p  mo.—Gilliland 

1777  Burgoyne's    army    encamped    on    Cumberland 

Head  and  his  fleet  was  anchored  in  the  bay. 

Here  a  scene  of  indescribable  sublimity  burst  upon  us 
Before  us  lay  the  waters  of  Lake  Champlain,  a  sheet  of  un- 
ruffled glass,  stretching  away  some  ninety  miles  to  the  south 
widenmg  and  straitening  as  rocks  and  cliflFs  projected  in  the 
most  fantastic  shapes  into  its  channel.  On  each  side  is  a  thick 
and  unmhabited  wilderness,  now  rising  up  into  mountains,  now 
falhng  mto  glens,  while  a  noble  background  is  presented  toward 
the  east  by  the  Green  Mountains,  whose  summits  appear  even 
to  pierce  the  clouds.  On  the  west  mountains  still  more  gigantic 
in  loftmess,  pride  and  dignity.  I  cannot  by  any  powers  of  lan- 
guage do  justice  to  such  a  scene. 

R.  G.  Gleig,  a  member  of  Gen.  Eraser's  staff. 

1785  The   legal   birthday   of   Pittsburgh   when   the 

first  town  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  Jud<ye 
Charles  Piatt,  brother  of  Judge  Zephaniah  Platl 
The  first  officers  then  elected  were  Charles  Piatt 
supervisor,  and  Zaccheus  Newcomb,  Nathaniel  Piatt 
Rogers,  commissioners  of  highways,  who  very  soon 
laid  out  several  pubHc  highways  which  remain  the 
prmcipal  roads  to  this  day. 

Zepha  Piatt  Graham   "assisted  Squire  Freligh 
fill  up  Deeds  for  land  sold." 

1909  Workmen,   employed   in   excavating  an   under- 

ground room  at  the  north  end  of  the  West  Barracks 
at  Fort  Ticonderoga,  uncovered  one  of  the  old  gar- 
rison wells.  This  one,  rectangular  in  shape,  fifteen 
feet  deep  and  cut  in  solid  rock,  was  fed  by  roof 
drainage  and  the  inlets  and  outlets  are  intact. 


l8o  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JUNE  17 

1775  Birth  of  Jonathan  Griffin,  who  settled  in  Platts- 
burgh  where,  in  May,  1802,  with  Silas  Hubbell  he 
was  admitted  to  the  Clinton  county  bar.  His  home 
(now  17  Broad  street),  became  the  home  of  his 
daughter,  Delia  A.  and  her  husband,  Hiram  Wal- 
worth, Sr.  At  the  siege  of  Plattsburgh,  both  his 
store  and  dwelling  house  were  burned  by  hot  shot 
from  the  forts.  He  was  prominent  in  town  affairs 
until  his  death  July  25,  1841. 

1776  At  St.  Johns  the  retreating  Americans,  after 
burning  the  fortifications,  embarked  for  Isle  aux 
Noix,  the  last  man  to  leave  being  Arnold  who,  with 
the  enemy  already  in  sight,  shot  his  horse  in  the 
head  and  pushed  off. 

1784  Mr.    Sailly   at   noon   reached   Fort   George   and 

sending  back  their  wagon,  prepared  to  embark. 


1785  Zepha  Piatt  Graham  "  ran  "  a  number  of  lots 

which  had  been  sold  (Nos.  i,  78,  79). 

1814  The  troops  at  Dead  Creek  advanced  as  far  as 

Chazy. 

1862  In  Virginia,  occurred  the  death  of  Capt.  Darius 

A.  Parsons  of  the  96th  N.  Y.  V.  He  was  a  lawyer 
by  profession  and  left  a  widow  (who  survived  until 
August,  1909)  and  two  young  children.  His  parents 
were  Capt.  David  R.  and  LiUis  M.  (Mason)  Parsons 
of  Beekmantown;  his  grand-parents,  David  Parsons, 
pioneer  from  Long  Island  and  Aaron  Mason,  an 
early  settler  at  West  Plattsburgh.  The  remains  of 
Capt.   Parsons  were  the  first  brought  to  the  home 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  l8l 

town  and  his  funeral  is  said  by  an  eye-witness,  to 
have  been  the  largest  within  memory. 

1890  Hotel  Champlain  formally  opened. 

1909  On  Monday,  the  Bennington  battle  monument 

was  first  lighted  by  electricity.  Previous  to  this 
the  use  of  lanterns  was  necessary  in  making  the 
ascent. 

JUNE  18 

1609  Champlain    left    Quebec    on    board    a    pinnace 

accompanied  by  a  small  party  of  followers,  and 
ascended  the  St.  Lawrence  as  far  as  the  mouth  of 
the  Richelieu,  passed  up  that  stream  to  the  foot 
of  the  rapids  near  Chambly.  During  the  winter  he 
had  learned  from  some  Indians  who  had  visited  his 
encampment,  that  they  intended  an  inroad  into 
the  country  of  their  enemy  in  the  course  of  the 
approaching  summer  and  he  had  determined  to 
accompany  them,  and  by  that  means,  not  only 
explore  a  river  and  large  lake  through  which  the 
war  party  would  pass,  but  by  his  powerful  assistance 
strengthen  the  friendship  which  then  existed  between 
French  and  the  neighboring  Indians.  At  Chambly 
a  war  party  of  sixty  Algonquins  and  Hurons  joined 
him,  and  commenced  preparations  for  the  incursion. 

— Palmer's  History. 

1776  At  Isle  aux  Noix,  their  last  foothold  in  Canada, 

were  gathered  8,ooo  officers  and  men,  "  the  remnant 
of  as  fine  an  army  as  ever  marched  into  Canada." 
Crowded  together,  half  the  number  sick  with  small 
pox,  their  only  food,  raw  pork,  often  rancid,  un- 
bolted flour  and  for  drinking  water  only  the  unwhole- 
some water  from  the  lake,  they  spent  eight  days  of 
misery. 


i82  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1777  The  head  of  the   column  of   Burgoyne's  army 

reached  the  left  bank  of  Bouquet,  having  performed 
the  march  of  ninety  miles  in  ten  days. 

Wednesday,  We  proceeded  to  the  River  LaCole, 
9  miles. — Hadden. 

1784  Sunday,  Mr.  Sailly  caught  two  fish  of  fine  flavor 
called  by  the  English  "blackfish."  He  also  visited 
the  ruins  of  Fort  William  Henry  seeing  only  the 
remains  of  the  old  ramparts  of  earth  covered  with 
wild  cherry  trees,  the  fruit  smaller  and  more  tart 
than  those  at  home  and  some  "  very  small  birds 
resembling  in  every  particular  the  little  thrush  of 
France." 

1785  Zepha  Piatt  Graham  "  helpt  Raise  the  flews  of 
the  Grist  Mill." 

1812  Charles  Theodorus  Piatt,  son  of  Judge  Theodorus 

Piatt,  w^as  appointed  a  midshipman,  U.  S.  N.  and 
in  accordance  with  the  general  orders  of  this  date 
the  8th  Regiment,  New  York  Detached  Militia  was 
raised  in  the  counties  of  Clinton  and  Essex  for  the 
service  of  the  United  States.  The  8th  was  commanded 
by  Lieut.  Col.  Thos.  Miller  of  Plattsburgh.  Staff 
officers:  Melancton  Smith  of  Plattsburgh,  ist  Major; 
Ransom  Noble,  of  Essex,  2d  Major;  Levi  Piatt  of 
Plattsburgh,  Adjutant;  Richard  S.  Mooers,  of  Platts- 
burgh, Quartermaster;  John  Palmer  of  Plattsburgh, 
Paymaster;  Benjamin  J.  Mooers,  of  Plattsburgh, 
Surgeon;  Henry  Waterhouse,  of  Plattsburgh,  Sur- 
geon's Mate;  Frederick  Halsey,  of  Plattsburgh, 
Chaplain;  Jeremiah  Graves,  of  Plattsburgh,  Sergeant 
Major. 

1845  At  Crown   Point  died  Judith   Livingston,   wife 

of  Allen  Breed,  who  settled  there  in  1808  or  1809. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  183 

She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children,  Allen,  Lucena, 
Foster,  Melinda,  Charlotte,  Tryphena,  William, 
Amanda,  and  Benjamin.  Her  father,  Isaac  Living- 
ston, a  Revolutionary  soldier  of  N.  H.,  died  at  Crown 
Point. 

JUNE  19 

1776  The  days  (at  Isle  Aux  Noix)  were  intensely  hot 
with  heavy  dews  at  night  and  a  camp  disorder  broke 
out,  from  which  from  20  to  60  in  a  regiment  succumbed 
each  day. 

1777  Early  this  morning  we  sailed  with  a  very  fair 
wind,  passed  Point  au  Fer  where  a  Post  of  4  Com- 
panies was  again  established  for  a  Depot,  (9  Miles) 
we  passed  Isle  au  Mot,  and  I  made  a  sketch  of  a 
Range  of  Moimtains,  seen  from  that  part  of  the  Lake. 
We  also  passed  the  Army  encamped  on  Cummerland 
head;  passed  Valcour  Island,  Point  au  Sable,  Schuy- 
ler's Island  and  some  other  small  Islands  called  the 
four  Brothers,  and  in  the  afternoon  came  to  an 
anchor  at  Bouquet  Ferry  where  the  Elite  of  the 
Army  under  Brig'r  Gen'l  Frazer  had  taken  post. 

— Hadden. 

1785  Zepha    Piatt    Graham    spent     "  mapping    and 

Dividing  Cumberland  head." 

1789  Plattsburgh — began  at  a  stake  marked  on  the 

E.  &  S.  sides  standing  by  a  butnut  stump  in  the 
south  line  of  Charles  Platts'  land.  Busy  surveying 
till  July  4,  1789. — Captain  Piatt  Roger  s  field  notes. 

1818  Companies  of  the  Sixth  regiment  of  U.  S.  regu- 

lars, stationed  at  Plattsburgh  Barracks,  detached 
to  work  on  Fort  Montgomery  at  Island  Point,  a 
small  sand  island  between  Rouse's  Point  and  Pro- 
vince Point, 


184  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JUNE  20 

1776  "  At  noon,  Thursday,  they  began  to  move  the 
sick  to  Crown  Point  in  shallow  boats,  hastily  con- 
structed in  the  spring  and  now  leaky  and  without 
awnings.  This  weary  suffering  journey  from  Isle  aux 
Noix  to  Crown  Point  occupied  five  days  and  nights." 
A  portion  of  the  troops  crossed  the  site  of  the  present 
town  of  Champlain,  fording  its  stream.  Among  the 
troops  was  a  drummer  boy  of  seventeen,  Pliny 
Moore,  who,  attracted  by  the  advantages  of  the 
location,  resolved,  when  peace  should  be  restored, 
to  settle  there,  which  plan  he  was  later  able  to  carry 
out,  becoming  the  first  American  pioneer  and  set- 
tler of  Champlain. 

1777  Gen'l  Burgoyne  came  up  in  the  Maria.  This 
day  I  visited  a  detached  post  of  the  light  infantry, 
two  Miles  up  the  River  at  Galinels  (Gilliland's)  Farm, 
this  is  situate  at  the  foot  of  a  small  Water  Fall,  where 
a  great  number  of  small  Salmon  were  caught.  The 
River  is  not  above  150  yards  wide,  the  Troops  at 
this  and  the  main  post  of  this  Corps  on  the  edge 
of  the  Lake,  were  encamped  on  separate  sides  of 
the  Bouquet  River.  I  did  not  learn  from  what 
cause  this  upper  Post  was  taken,  but  the  mouth  of 
this  River  is  sometimes  called  Bouquet  Ferry,  pos- 
sibly the  above  Farm  may  have  communication  with 
the  Country  &  a  Ferry  across  the  Lake  has  been 
formerly  kept  here.  The  soil  tho.  sandy  seems  fer- 
tile. It  may  not  be  improper  to  remark  that  there 
are  but  few  settlements  on  the  Lake  (not  20)  and 
those  only  single  Houses. — Hadden. 

Burgoyne  had  summoned  the  Indians  tribes  to 
meet  him  at  the  falls  of  the  Bouquet.  They  obeyed 
his  call  in  numbers  that  startled  his  humanity  and 
appalled    his    judgment. — he    assembled    the    chiefs 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  185 

in  a  redoubt,  which  he  caused  to  be  constructed 
about  half  a  mile  below  the  mansion  of  Gilliland. 
There  Burgoyne  addressed  them,  and  claimed  their 
services  to  the   British  Idng.—Watson's  Champlain 
Valley. 

1785  Zepha   Piatt   Graham   "made   a   New   Map   of 

Cumberland  head." 

1909  Sunday  night,  all  the  wooden  parts  of  the  half- 

century-old   stone   Hne   store   between    Mooers   and 
Hemingford  was  burned,  with  the  stock  of  goods. 

JUNE  21 

1759  Amherst  reached  the  head  of  Lake  George  with 

an  army  of  6,000  men,  where  he  remained  a  month 
waitmg  for  the  remainder  of  the  troops  to  come  up. 

1766  —left  Crown  Point  and  the  wind  being  favorable 

arrived  the  evening  of  this  day,  pretty  late  at  George 
Belten's,  where  we  staid  all  night.  Whilst  at  Crown 
Point  I  accidentally  met  with  Wm.  Lucky,  who  I 
had  taken  on  my  warrant  for  debt  and  brought  him 
prisoner  to  Willsborough  (Robt.  McAuley,  constable), 
when  after  reflecting  how  much  he  was  in  my  power 
he  agreed  to  serve  me  for  the  amount  of  his  debt 
and  commenced  in  my  employ  on  the  —  June,  1766, 
at  45s  per  mo.  or  ;^2  5  per  annum  being  —  days  after 
I  arrived  here. — Gilliland. 

1777  The  Gun  Boats  joined  the  rest  of  the  Fleet  at 

Spht  Rock  (6  miles)  .—Hadden. 

1859  ^  Abram  Miller,  a  Ruling  Elder  of  the  First  Presby- 

terian church,  where  a  memorial  window  perpetuates 


l86  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley. 

his  memory,  entered  the  church  triumphant.  He 
was  a  son  of  Sylvanus  S.  and  Fanny  (Miller)  Miller, 
pioneers  in  1806  from  East  Hampton,  L.  I,  They 
chose  a  farm  on  the  State  road,  three  miles  from  the 
present  city  of  Plattsburgh,  in  preference  to  the 
"  Boynton  farm  "  which  was  offered  them,  because 
the  latter  had  only  a  log  house  and  some  of  the  land 
was  under  water.  Besides,  the  future  business  center 
seemed  likely  to  be  Cumberland  Head. 

JUNE  22 

1766  Sunday,  proceeded  on  our  journey,  and  arrived 

in  Milltown  in  Willsboro.  Miss  Eliza  Gilliland  my 
spouse  being  the  first  lady  of  our  family  that  landed 
in  Willsborough, — about  i  o'clock  this  day,  I  WiUiam 
GilHland,  with  my  wife,  Mrs.  Eliza  Gilliland,  my 
mother  Mrs.  Jane  Gilliland,  my  sister  Miss  Charity 
GilHland,  my  brother,  Mr.  James  Gilliland,  my 
daughter.  Miss  Eliza  Gilliland,  my  niece  Miss  EHza 
Hamilton,  my  servant  girl  Rachel  McFardin,  and 
my  negro  man  Ireland,  all  arrived  at  Milltown,  in 
Willsborough,  with  2  Bateau  loads  of  stores,  having 
left  New  York  with  22  wagon  loads  of  stores,  furni- 
ture, &c.,  on  the  28th  of  April  last. — Gilliland. 

1776  Melancton  Smith  was  appointed  captain  com- 

mandant of  three  companies  of  militia  raised  in 
Dutchess  county  and  Westchester,  and  the  next 
year  was  placed  on  commission  to  "  prevent  and 
subdue  insurrections .  and  dissatisfaction  in  those 
counties,"  the  same  year  being  appointed  the  first 
sheriff  of  Dutchess  county,  holding  the  office  four 
years. 

1785  On  Monday,  the  frame  of  the  saw-mill  planned 

by  twelve  of  the  associates  was  raised  on  the  west 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  187 

side  of  the  Saranac  and  as  the  last  pin  was  driven 
home,  Cornelius  Haight,  one  of  the  workmen,  pro- 
claimed the  mill  "  the  glory  of  the  Saranac." 

See  that  majestic  river  wind  its  way, 
Mingling  its  waters  in  yon  noble  bay! 
— Margaret  M.  Davidson. 

JUNE  23 

1760  Maj,    Rogers    reached    Crown    Point    with    25 

prisoners. 

1766  — from  this  time  I  continued  in  an  indifferent 

state  of  health,  sometimes  better,  sometimes  worse 
to  Aug. — .  Employed  my  hands,  some  making  a 
fence  round  the  garden,  some  going  to  Crown  Point 
for  prova,  some  enclosing  a  yard  in  front  of  the  house, 
one  'tother  side  of  the  trough,  making  a  bum  proof, 
&c.,  &c. — Gilliland. 

1777  The  Fleet  wrapt  up  to  Otter  Creek  (3  miles)  on 

the  Western  shore  of  the  Lake.  This  Creek  is  here 
about  100  y'ds  wide,  and  runs  up  the  Country  more 
than  a  hundred  and  fifty  Miles  toward  New  England. 

— Hadden. 

1785  Tuesday,  Zepha  Piatt  Graham  "  draw'd  for  the 

Township  of  Plattsburgh  and  Point  O'Rush." 

1891  Plattsburgh  State  Normal  School  held  its  first 

commencement  exercises  in  the  M.  E.  church. 

1909  Contract  awarded  for  the  completion  of  Cham- 

plain  Valley  Hospital  and  announcement  made  of 
the  gift  of  $2,500  from  Hon.  W.  C.  and  Mrs.  Wither- 
bee  for  a  bed  in  memory  of  their  son  Gauthier;  also, 
the  same  sum  from  Hon.  Smith  M.  Weed. 


l88  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JUNE  24 

1762  Charlotte,    Vt.    was    chartered    and    the    first 

attempt  to  settle  the  town  was  made  in  March,  1776 
by  Derick  Webb  who  soon  left  to  return  again  for  a 
short  time  the  next  year.  In  1784,  in  company  with 
Elijah  Woolcut  and  others  he  succeeded  in  effecting 
a  permanent  settlement.  John  McNeil,  lately  from 
Bennington  was  the  first  town  clerk  and  representa- 
tive to  the  Legislature.  In  1790  he  located  on  the 
lakeshore  and  established  "  McNeil's  ferry  "  from 
that  point  to  Essex. 

1775  Arnold  resigned  his  commission  and  Col.  Hinman 
with  a  thousand  men  took  possession  of  Ti. 

1776  A  scouting  party,  composed  chiefly  of  Indians 
fell  upon  a  small  party  of  the  6th  Penn.  reg't  while 
"  fishing  and  diverting  themselves  "  and  killed  and 
scalped  four  while  six  were  taken  prisoners.  A  rescue 
party  from  the  American  camp  interred  the  bodies 
of  their  murdered  comrades  at  Isle  aux  Noix,  erecting 
a  rude  stone  bearing  this  inscription : 

"  Beneath  this  humble  sod  He  Captain  Adams,  Lieutenant 
Culbertson,  and  two  Privates  of  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania  Regi- 
ment. Not  hirelings  but  Patriots.  They  fell  not  in  battle  but 
unarmed.  They  were  basely  murdered  and  inhumanly  scalped 
by  the  barbarous  emissaries  of  the  once  just,  but  now  aban- 
doned— kingdom  of  Britain.' 

1777  Tuesday,  a  large  detachment  of  Savages  and 
Rangers  (i.e.,  British  Marksmen)  were  sent  up  Otter 
Creek  to  bring  in  Forage.  The  Fleet  proceeded  to 
Crown  Point  (cibout  20  miles)  where  we  came  to  an 
Anchor. — Hadden. 

1814  Lieut.-Col.    Forsyth    with    70   of    his    riflemen 

penetrated  Canada  as  far  as  Odletown  where  he  was 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  189 

attacked  by  a  detachment  of  250  British  light  troops. 
He  returned  to  Champlain  with  the  loss  of  one  killed 
and  five  wounded.  A  few  days  later  he  was  ordered 
forward  again  for  the  same  purpose  when,  as  his 
men  retreated  closely  pursued  by  150  Canadians 
and  Indians,  he  was  shot  down  by  an  Indian.  For- 
syth's riflemen  instantly  fired  upon  the  enemy  who 
now  retreated  leaving  17  dead  upon  the  field. 

1908  In  Burlington,  died  Miss  Sarah  C.  Hagar,  who 
had  faithfully  and  ably  performed  the  duties  of 
librarian  in  its  Public  Library  since  her  appointment 
in  1885. 

1909  Hotel  Fort  William  Henry  at  Caldwell  on  Lake 
George  was  completely  destroyed  by  fire  at  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning  on  this — the  day  scheduled 
for  its  formal  opening.  The  loss  will  reach  half  a 
million. 


JUNE  25 

1777  Gen'l  Frazer   came  up   with  his    Brigade  and, 

encamp'd  at  Crown  Point. — Hadden. 

1785  The  saw-mill  erected  on  the  West  bank  of  the 

Saranac,  between  what  is  now  Durkee  street  and  the 
river,  was  leased  to  Jonas  Allen  as  soon  as  finished. 
It  was  32x40  feet.  The  forge  was  put  in  charge  of 
Joseph  Ketchum,  the  ore  being  brought  from  a 
place  about  two  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Port  Henry. 

1808  The  revenue  cutter  was  stolen  from  imder  the 

eyes  of  the  government  officers  who  were  guarding 
Windmill  Point.  Judge  Hicks,  deputy  of  Champlain, 
was  waylaid  while  in  the  performance  of  his  duties 
and  told  to  prepare  for  death.    A  large  bateau  called 


I^O  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

the  Black  Snake  with  a  crew  of  desperate  men 
engaged  in  smuggling,  gave  a  great  deal  of  trouble. 

1809  "  A  quarterly  meeting  pro  tempore  "  was  held 

at  Plattsburgh  at  Townsend  Addams'. 

1849  At  the  Phoenix  Hotel  in  Plattsburgh,  a  White- 

hall and  Plattsburgh  railroad  meeting  was  held,  of 
which  William  Swetland  was  chairman,  and  Ahaz 
Hayes,  of  Ausable,  secretary.  Benjamin  Ketchum, 
Col.  McNiel,  and  others  discussed  the  question  and 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  correspond  with 
other  town  committees  to  the  southward.  All  hope 
of  a  bridge  across  to  Grand  Isle  and  Burlington  had 
been  given  up  and  eyes  were  now  turned  in  the 
direction  of  Whitehall. 


JUNE  26 

1777  Gen'ls  Burgoyne,  Phillips  and  Reidesel  came  up 

with  the  army.  *  *  *  Thursday — upon  the  arrival  of 
the  rest  of  the  Army  Gen'l  Frazer's  Corps  moved 
towards  Tyconderoga  and  landing  at  Putnam  Creek, 
7  miles  higher  up  on  the  Western  side  were  joined 
by  the  Savages  &c.,  who  went  up  Otter  Creek  and 
made  this  Tour  under  Captain  Frazer. — Hadden. 

1812  You  will  proceed  with  the  military  stores  and 

articles  direct  to  Whitehall  on  Lake  Champlain, 
from  whence  you  will  transport  them,  together  with 
the  cannon  ball  belonging  to  the  State,  lying  at 
Whitehall,  to  Plattsburgh  and  Essex  arsenals.  If 
an  immediate  conveyance  by  water  cannot  be  ob- 
tained, you  will  proceed  by  land  with  the  articles  for 
Plattsburgh  through  Vermont  to  Burlington,  and 
from  thence  send  for  Gun  Boats  and  other  vessels 
from  Plattsburgh,  or  employ  them  at  Burlington, 
to  transport  the  articles  to  Plattsburgh,  and  from 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  191 

the  proper  point  on  Vermont  shore  send  across 
those   for   EHzabethtown,   Essex  county. 

Orders  of  Gov.  Tompkins  from  Albany,  to  Maj. 
John  Mills,  Washington  coimty. 

JUNE  27 

1777  Americans  held  Crown  Point  (old  French  Fort 

Frederick)  until  Burgoyne  with  7,000  troops  invested 
it,  when  the  Americans  abandoned  it  and  retired  to 
Ticonderoga.  At  Crown  Point  the  invading  army 
remained  eight  days  enjoying  the  evening  parties 
given  by  the  Baroness  Reidesel,  Lady  Harriet 
Achland  and  other  ladies,  who  accompanied  the 
army. 

1814  Smith's  brigade,  fourteen  hundred  strong,  oc- 
cupied Champlain  while  Col.  Pierce  of  the  13th  was 
at  Chazy  with  800  men  and  about  1,200  men  oc- 
cupied the  works  at  Cumberland  Head  at  Dead 
Creek.  Macdonough's  fleet  lay  at  anchor  in  King's 
Bay  while  the  British  held  LaColle  with  a  force  of 
3,600  and  had  strong  garrisons  at  Isle  aux  Noix  and 
St.  Johns  and  forces  at  L'Acadie  and  Chambly. 

JUNE  28 

Oh  say  not  the  wide  world  is  lonely  and  dreary! 

Oh  say  not  that  life  is  a  wilderness  waste! 
There's  ever  some  comfort  in  store  for  the  weary, 

And  there's  ever  some  hope  for  the  sorrowful  heart. 
— Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 

(Written  in  her  sixteenth  year.) 

1815  At  White  Hall  on  Lake  Champlain  the  sloops 
President,  Montgomery,  Preble,  Chub,  Finch,  and 
ten  gun  boats,  also,  the  boats,  cutters,  etc.,  belonging 
to  the  squadron  on  said  lake  offered  by  Geo.  Beale, 


192  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Jun.  at  Public  Sale  by  the  authority  of  the  Honorable, 

the  Secretary  of  the  Navy. 

1825  General   Lafayette   and  his   suite,   having  par- 

ticipated on  the  17  th  inst.  in  the  celebration  at 
Boston  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  entered  the 
State  of  Vermont  at  Windsor  where  he  was  met  by 
the  Governor's  staff,  and  welcomed  by  addresses 
and  enthusiastic  Revolutionary  soldiers  of  the  section. 
At  Windsor,  Woodstock,  Royalton,  Randolph,  Mont- 
pelier,  and  Burlington  large  crowds  assembled  to  do 
him  honor. 

1896  The  first  car  of  the  Plattsburgh  trolley  system 

passed  over  the  line  to  Bluff  Point. 

1909  Hotel  Champlain  opened  for  the  season. 


JUNE  29 

Oh  June!  how  resplendent  thy  flowers  shall  appear, 
The  loveliest,  the  sweetest  which  bloom  in  the  year: 

— Margaret  Davidson. 

1812  Capt.    Sanford   of   Wilmington,   then   Jay,    was 

selected  "as  an  officer  of  approved  merit  and  capac- 
ity "  to  command  a  company  in  the  8th  regiment, 
detached  militia,  which  served  six  months  on  the 
Canadian  frontier  at  Chateaugay  and  French  Mills. 

1825  In  the  afternoon  the  corner  stone  of  South  Col- 

lege of  the  University  of  Vermont,  was  laid  by 
General  LaFayette,  and  in  the  evening  a  brilliant 
reception  was  given  in  honor  of  the  General  by  Gov. 
Van  Ness  at  his  home  on  Main  street,  then  considered 
the  most  elegant  private  residence  in  Burlington. 
The  place  is  now  known  as  "  Grass  Mount,"  a  name 
bestowed  by  Mr.  Heman  Allen  during  his  ownership. 


FROM    PORTRAIT   BY   TRUMBULL    NOW    LN    CAPITOL   AT   ALBANY 
JUDGE    JONAS    PLATT 
1769-1834 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


193 


It  was  originally  built  by  Capt.  Thaddeus  Tuttle, 
a  prominent  merchant  in  1804.  In  1895  the  Uni- 
versity purchased  the  property,  and  it  has  since  been 
used  as  a  girls'  dormitory. 

JUNE  30 

"  How  beautiful  is  Nature!"     Every  soul, 
Beating  with  warm  and  gentle  feeling, 
Must  repeat  with  me  these  heartfelt  words, 

"  How  beautiful  is  Nature!" 

— Margaret  Davidson. 

1769  Jonas    Piatt,    second   son    of   Judge    Zephaniah 

Piatt  and  Mary  VanWyck,  was  born  in  Poughkeepsie. 
His  preparatory  studies  were  taken  at  a  French 
Academy  in  Montreal  and  his  legal  training  was 
under  Richard  Varick  of  New  York.  Soon  after  his 
admission  to  the  bar,  in  1790,  he  married  Helen 
Livingston,  the  youngest  daughter  of  his  fellow- 
townsman  Henry  Livingston.  The  active  Hfe  of 
Judge  Piatt  was  spent  in  the  Mohawk  valley  where 
he  held  many  high  offices,  including  that  of  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court.  He  was  also  General  of 
Cavah-y  in  the  State  militia.  After  the  loss  of  his 
judicial  position  through  the  amended  provisions  of 
the  State  Constitution,  he  opened  a  law  office  with 
his  oldest  sun,  Zephaniah,  at  Utica.  In  three  or 
four  years,  he  returned  to  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  New  York  but  advancing  years  led  him  to 
retire  in  1829,  to  his  farm  in  Peru,  seven  miles  from 
Plattsburgh,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days. 

1777  B.   Gen'l  Frazer's  Brigade  moved  forward  and 

disembarked  on  a  point  of  Land  on  the  Western 
Shore  Three  Miles  from  Tyconderoga  from  which 
circumstance  'tis  called  Three  Mile  Point.  The  Army 
Received  Provisions  to  the  8th  July  inclusive.    G.  O. 


194  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

The  Army  embarks  tomorrow,  to  approach  the 
Enemy. — Hadden. 

1794  Francis  Culver,  Jr.  was  born.    On  the  day  of  the 

British  advance,  the  Culver  family  were  at  home. 
Gen.  Wool  fell  back  to  Culver  hill  and  the  enemy 
followed  closely.  On  the  brow  of  the  hill  Col.  Welling- 
ton was  killed  and  his  remains  hastily  buried  on  the 
side  hill  on  the  Culver  farm.  Partridge  of  the  Essex 
county  militia  was  killed  just  south  of  their  barn. 
In  1 815,  the  year  after  the  battle,  the  present  house 
was  built  and  October  10,  his  wedding  day,  Francis 
Jr.  received  from  his  father  the  large  family  Bible. 

1873  Plattsburgh's  town  clock  struck  the  hours  for 

the  first  time.  It  was  manufactured  by  Howard  & 
Company  of  Boston,  and  paid  for  by  subscriptions 
varying  from  $100,  (Messrs.  Loring  Ellis,  A.  Williams, 
S.  F,  Vilas,  S.  P.  Bowen,  and  E.  S.  Winslow  con- 
tributing that  amount)  to  smaller  subscriptions 
ranging  from  $25  to  $2.00. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  195 


JULY  I 

July  and  August  are  almost  windless  months.  You  must 
listen  closely  for  your  pneumatic  news-bringer  then,  save  when 
stormbreeding  heats  goad  him  to  fury.  He  has  little  news  now, 
save  to  whisper  across  your  open  casement  that  all  is  well  with 
the  fruitbearing  earth. — James  Buckhant. 

1609  On  the  first  we  reached  St.  Croix,   15   leagues 

from  Quebec,  with  a  shallop  equipped  with  all  I 
needed. — Samuel  Champlain. 

Brouage,   abt.    1567 — Quebec,    Dec.    25,    1635. 

1758  Engagement  at  South  Bay  between  Capt.  Israel 

Putnam  with  only  68  men  and  300  to  400  French 
and  Indians  before  which  superior  force  Putnam  was 
obliged  to  retreat. — Journal  of  Rufiis  Putnam. 

John  de  Rogers,  only  son  of  Eunice  Williams, 
was  killed  in  this  campaign. 

1781  J.  Sherwood  writes  from  Dutchman's  Farm  to 

Capt.  Matthews  with  reference  to  the  location  and 
erection  of  the  Block  House  (afterwards  known  as 
the  Loyal  Block  House).  He  states  that  there  are 
with  him  "23  men  including  old  men,  Boys,  and 
unincorporated  Loyalists." — Canadian  Archives. 

1784  Judge    Zephaniah    Piatt    started    from    Pough- 

keepsie  and  went  to  Plattsburgh, 

Oh!  dear  pleasant  home,  must  I  bid  you  adieu, 
And  all  the  loved  objects  so  dear  to  my  heart? 

— Mrs.   Margaret   {Miller)   Davidson. 

1848  Chancellor  Walworth  closed  his  judicial  labors, 

leaving,  of  all  the  numerous  cases  argued  before  him 
and  submitted  to  him  for  decision,  but  eight  undecided. 

"  Never  perhaps,  were  so  many  decisions  made  where  so 
few  were  inaccurate  as  to  facts,  or  erroneous  as  to  law.     If  it  was 


ig6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

destined  that  the  Court  of  Chancery  should  fall  under  a  reform 
which  apparently  designs  to  obliterate  the  history  as  well  as  the 
legal  systems  of  the  past,  it  is  a  consolation  to  reflect  that  it  fell 
without  imputation  on  its  purity  or  usefulness,  and  that  no  court 
was  ever  under  the  guidance  of  a  judge  purer  in  character  or  more 
gifted  in  talent  than  the  last  Chancellor  of  New  York." 

— Prof.    Dane   of   Harvard. 

1890  Incorporation    of    Plattsburgh    Land    Company 

and  shortly  afterwards  the  laying  out  of  streets 
named  Palmer,  Lynde  and  Stetson,  thus  preserving 
the  names  of  three  old  and  allied  families. 

1904  Ray  Brook  State  Hospital  for  the  Treatment  of 

Incipient  Pulmonary  Tuberculosis  opened. 

JULY  2 

1609  I  left  these  rapids  of  the  Iroquois  River.     All 

the  savages  began  to  carry  their  canoes,  arms  and 
baggage  by  land  about  half  a  league,  in  order  to  get 
by  the  swiftness  and  force  of  the  rapids. — Then  they 
put  them  all  in  the  w^ater. — Champlain. 

1749  Arrival  at  Fort  St.  Frederic  of  Prof.  Peter  Kalm, 

the  Swedish  traveller,  who  had  recently  had  a  narrow 
escape  from  a  band  of  Indians.  The  French  com- 
mandant, M.  Lusignan,  received  him  cordially  and 
Kalm  had  a  chance  to  examine  the  fort  and  the  com- 
fortable homes  of  retired  soldiers,  which  had  sprung 
up  around  it.  He  found  the  vegetation  withered  or 
greatly  retarded  in  growth  by  a  severe  drouth,  as 
no  rain  had  fallen  since  spring. 

1758  I  went  on  a  guard  to  escort  Teams  to  the  Lake. — 

— Rufus  Putnam. 

Sutton,  Mass.,  1738 — Marietta,  Ohio,  1824. 

The  same  day,  Francis  Culver,  Sr.,  was  bom  in 
Connecticut.  He  bought  a  farm  of  400  acres,  includ- 
ing the  present  Culver  hill.     The  first  homestead 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  '     197 

Stood  some  rods  south  of  the  present  structure  on 
the  brow  of  the  hill,  for  which  the  stone  was  already 
hauled  at  the  time  of  the  British  invasion. 

1777  Burgoyne  with  his  troops  reached  the  top  of  a 

ridge  two  miles  west  of  the  fort  and  called  it  Mount 
Hope,  because  he  hoped  to  capture  Carillon  soon. 
At  Crown  Point,  "for  something  more  than  a  week  " 
the  greater  part  of  the  army  enjoyed  social  enter- 
tainments and  evening  parties  given  by  the  Baroness 
Riedesel,  Lady  Harriet  Ackland  and  others  in  their 
marquees. 

1813  Far  from  his  own  family,  Capt.  John  Schenck, 

aged  29,  died  in  his  country's  service  and  was  buried 
on  Cumberland  Head.  He,  no  doubt,  belonged  to 
the  troops  stationed  at  the  fortification,  which  Gen. 
Woolsey,  Major  Addams,  and  other  military  exempts 
helped  to  throw  up. 

1906  The   corner-stone   of  the   City   Hospital    (name 

afterwards  changed  to  Champlain  Valley  Hospital) 
was  laid  by  Hon.  Francis  Lynde  Stetson  and  Mrs. 
S.  B.  Watkins  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  Hon. 
J.  B.  Riley  presided. 

1909  Burning,    in   the   early   morning,    of   the   Ruis- 

seaumont  at  Lake  Placid,  the  twenty-five  guests 
escaping  with  difficulty.  At  9  o'clock,  the  cavalry 
troops  from  Fort  Ethan  Allen,  at  Willsboro  broke 
camp  and  marched  10  miles  to  Keeseville  where  they 
had  dinner,  reaching  Pittsburgh  late  in  the  after- 
noon. 

JULY  3 

1609  I  left  St.  Croix — with  all  the  savages,  and  we 

passed  Trois  Rivieres,  which  is  a  very  beautiful 
country,  covered  with  a  great  many  beautiful  trees. 

— Champlain. 


198  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1 756  Rogers  the  Ranger  arrived  at  South  Bay. 

1776  The  troops  which  had  marched  to  Point  au  Per, 
now  fortified  by  order  of  General  Sullivan,  arrived 
at  Crown  Point  with  the  baggage  from  Isle  aux  Noix. 
Gen.  Gates  at  once  commenced  the  building  of  his 
fleet,  while  the  settlers  of  Addison  worked  with  zeal 
in  getting  out  timber  and  other  material. 

1777  — During  the  day  they  killed  a  few  of  our  men, 
and  some  balls  went  through  our  tents,  their  ground 
commanding  ours. — Dighy. 

On  the  same  day  Phoebe  Moore,  daughter  of 
Capt.  Samuel  and  Rachel  (Landon)  Moore  of  SaUs- 
bury.  Conn.,  was  married  to  Joseph  Ketchum  of 
Oblong,  Dutchess  county.  They  lived  at  Red  Hook 
or  Nine  Partners  and  afterwards  at  Plattsburgh 
(Peru). 

1798  Dear  Father: — I  arrived  here  about  a  fortnight  ago  and 

found  all  friends  well.  We  brought  on  all  our  things.  We  began 
at  Peru  last  week,  and  have  made  a  small  beginning.  I  find 
laborers  are  not  to  be  had  for  either  love  or  money.  We  have 
made  our  head-quarters  at  Roberts,  and  his  wife  cooks  and 
washes  for  us.  Brother  Pitt  let  me  have  a  cow  which  supplies  us 
with  milk  and  butter.  The  transportation  of  our  things  took  all 
the  money  I  had,  and  it  is  impossible  to  get  any  here.  I  can't 
find  anybody  to  chop  by  the  job  for  less  than  five  dollars  per  acre, 
and  I  have  not  agreed  with  any  yet. 

I  remain  your  ever  dutiful  son, 

Robert  Piatt. 

1813  Date    of    following    entry    in    War    Journal    of 

Eleazer  Williams,  commanding  Secret  Corps  of 
Observation,  for  which  service  he  received  from  the 
United  States  $10,000  but  which,  through  lack  of 
financial  ability,  he  would  have  lost,  had  it  not  been 
"  for  the  friendly  exertions  of  Chancellor  Kent,  Gov. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  199 

Taylor,  the  Hon.   Nathan  Williams,  and  Morris  S. 
Miller,  of  Utica." 

"Plattsburgh, — A  heavy  cannonading  is  heard  from  the 
north  about  10  o'clock  this  morning.  Lieut.  Sidney  Smith, 
with  two  armed  schooners  (the  Growler  and  Eagle),  went  yester- 
day to  the  lines — he  is  undoubtedly  attacked." 


JULY  4 

1609  The  next  day  we  entered  the  lake,    which  is  of 

great  extent,  perhaps  50  or  60  leagues  long.  There 
I  saw  four  beautiful  islands  (Isle  la  Motte,  Long 
Island,  Grand  Isle,  and  Valcour)  which  formerly  had 
been  inhabited  by  savages. — Champlain. 

The  lake  is  calm,  the  sun  is  low, 
The  whippoorwill  is  chaunting  slow. 
******* 
But  hark!  approaching  paddles  break 
The  stillness  of  that  azure  lake! 

— Margaret    Miller    Davidson. 

1756  Rogers  and  his  fifty  men  in  five  whale  boats 

passed  by  Ticonderoga  and  Crown  Point  imdis- 
covered  and  concealed  their  boats  about  ten  miles 
distant  from  the  latter  place. 

1777  Burgoyne  with  cannon  chained  to  the  rocks  and 

troops  in  readiness  on  the  summit  of  Sugar  Loaf 
changes  the  name  to  Mount  Defiance, 

1789  Rained  the  night  past  and  the  fore  noon.    After- 

noon sat  out  and  began  surveying  again.  Rainy, 
put  up  and  built  a  hut.  5  rained  till  10  o'clock  and 
then  set  out  and  continued  our  course. 

— Piatt  Rogers'  field  notes. 

1826  In  the  Presbyterian  church,  Chazy,  in  celebra- 

tion of  Independence  Day,  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 


20O  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

pendence  was  read  by  Bela  Edgerton,  a  brother  of 
Fillmon.  Bela  Edgerton  was  Member  of  Assembly 
in  1827,  '28  and  '29. 


HON.     BHLA    EDGERTON 
1788-1874 


1873  In    Green    Mount    Cemetery,    Burlington,    was 

unveiled  the  spirited  statue  of  Ethan  Allen,  the 
leader  of  the  Green  Mountain  Boys.  The  statue, 
eight  feet  in  height,  modelled  by  Peter  Stephenson 
and  cut  in  Carrara,  Italy,  is  mounted  on  a  Tuscan 
shaft  forty-two  feet  high  and  overlooks  a  view  of 
mountains  and  river- valley  unsurpassed. 

1895  Tablet,  placed  by  Saranac  Chapter,   D.  A.  R. 

upon  the  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers  house,  unveiled  with 
appropriate  exercises. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev  20I 

1906  Black  Watch  Memorial  Tablet,  in  memory  of  the 
bravery  of  that  famous  highland  regiment  in  1758, 
unveiled  in  Black  Watch  Memorial  Library  at  Ticon- 
deroga  by  Major  D.  L.  Wilson  Farquarson  of  Scot- 
land, senior  major  of  the  regiment,  and  a  detach- 
ment ot  the  5th  Royal  Scots  of  Montreal. 

1907  At  Champlain,  N.  Y.,  was  unveiled  the  only 
monument  in  the  United  States  in  honor  of  the  great 
French  explorer  and  discoverer  of  the  lake  which 
bears  his  name — Champlain, 

1909  Sunday,  throughout  the  Champlain  Valley  was 

celebrated  with  appropriate  religious  services  the 
Tercentenary  of  the  discovery  of  this  incomparable 
lake.  At  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  Plattsburgh, 
the  pioneer  church  of  Northern  New  York,  Saranac 
Chapter,  D.  A.  R.,  and  visiting  daughters,  with  the 
Nathan  Beman  Society,  C.  A.  R.,  attended  the  ser- 
vice in  a  body.  The  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Bailey 
Kelly,  preached  from  the  text  Psalm  90:16  on  the 
subject  "  Three  Centuries  of  Divine  Providence  in 
Champlain  Valley. ' '  Bishop  Nelson  of  Albany  delivered 
the  sermon  at  Trinity  Episcopal  church,  the  first 
church  of  that  faith  in  this  region;  while,  at  Cliff 
Haven,  under  the  blue  canopy  of  heaven,  in  a  "  forest 
cathedral  "  Pontifical  High  Mass  was  celebrated, 
His  Eminence,  Cardinal  Gibbons,  honoring  the 
occasion  by  his  presence.  The  altar  with  its  fur- 
nishings, was  built  entirely  of  white  birch  against 
a  background  of  native  cedars.  On  Isle  La  Motte, 
also.  High  Mass  was  celebrated  in  the  open  air  chapel, 
erected  at  the  shrine  of  St.  Anne,  built  1666.  Thus, 
with  prayer  and  thanksgiving  on  a  beautiful  Sabbath 
day,  was  inaugurated  the  tercentenary  celebration. 
In  the  evening.  Governor  and  Mrs.  Hughes 
arrived  at  Hotel  Champlain  from  their  camp  at 
Saranac  Inn  in  anticipation  of  Monday's  celebration. 


202  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


JULY  5 

1758  Abercrombie  with  his  whole  army  reached  Sab- 

bath-day Point,  and  landed  there  to  rest  and  refresh. 

1777  St.    Clair    evacuates    Carillon   and   retreats   to 

Mount  Independence,  pursued  by  Burgoyne  to 
Skeenesborough.  Daniel  Wright  from  Gilsum,  N.  H., 
who  settled  in  Westport  between  1791  and  1798  was 
in  this  fleeing  army  and  Maj.  Asa  Douglas,  Jr., 
brother  of  Nathaniel  and  Capt.  John  who  were 
pioneers  of  Chazy,  was  obliged  to  flee  from  his  farm 
at  Canaan,  N.  Y.,  where  he  raised  large  numbers  of 
horses,  and,  on  the  aproach  of  Burgoyne's  army, 
secreted  himself  in  the  forest  for  several  weeks  as  a 
reward  had  been  offered  for  his  apprehension. 

1815  The  Rev.  Nathaniel  Hewitt,  D.D.,  a  graduate 

of  Yale  in  1808  and  Hcensed  by  the  New  London 
Congregational  Association  in  September,  181 1,  was 
ordained  pastor  of  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  by 
the  Presbytery  of  Champlain.  During  his  pastorate 
of  two  years  the  house  of  worship  whose  foundations 
were  laid  under  Pastor  Weeks  in  181 2,  was  finished 
and  dedicated. 

"  No  man  in  our  country  did  more  to  brand  indelibly  with 
stigma  of  merited  disgrace  the  traffic  in  ardent  spirits  and  their  use 
as  a  beverage,  than  Nathaniel  Hewitt,  the  Apostle  of  Temperance." 

1909  Crown  Point  was  the  principal  place  of  interest. 

Here    guarded    by    the    ramparts    stand 

The  walls  which  in  their  pride 
The  summer's  heat,  the  winds  that  beat — 

A  century  have  defied; 
Now  silence  falls  upon  these  walls 

Where    Amherst's    forces    centered 
From  which  they  went  on  capture  bent 

When  Canada  they  entered. 

— Mrs.     Palmer. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  203 

Gov.  and  Mrs.  Hughes  with  the  Governor's 
mihtary  secretary,  were  taken  on  the  yacht  Valcour 
belonging  to  Hon.  Joseph  Sibley,  from  Bluff  Point 
to  Port  Henry.  Here,  the  party  with  the  speakers 
of  the  day  and  members  of  the  commission  were 
entertained  at  luncheon  by  Hon.  W.  C.  Witherbee. 
Later,  the  party  crossed  to  the  Point  where  crowds 
awaited  the  opening  of  the  exercises. 

The     noontide     heat     around     us     beat 
As  on  the  sands  we  moored  our  fleet, 

The    scorching    sands    rose    up    to    meet 
And  drown  our  weary  feet. 


As  we  advance  out  darts  the  lance 

From  wary  thorn-plum  trees 
Which  stout  woodbine  did  over-twine 

And  hide  beneath  her  leaves; 

— Mrs.  Palmer. 

Hon.  Seth  Low  of  New  York  was  the  principal 
speaker,  following  the  incisive  opening  address  of 
the  Governor.  Judge  A.  C.  Barnes  of  Chicago,  a 
native  of  Chimney  Point  opposite,  well  fitted  by  his 
knowledge  of  local  history  and  legal  training,  made 
an  able  defence  of  Crow^n  Point  as  the  probable  site 
of  Champlain 's  first  battle  with  the  Iroquois.  The 
Indian  Pageant  was  here  first  enacted  in  the  Valley. 
Meanwhile,  at  Plattsburgh  Fraternal  Day  was  cele- 
brated by  a  parade  in  which  Labor  organizations 
and  Granges  were  a  feature,  the  latter,  representing 
by  a  display  of  farming  implements  in  historical 
sequence  and  floats  the  agricultural  interests  of  the 
Valley  from  the  days  of  the  pioneer  to  the  present. 

"  The  enduring  lesson  of  such  a  gathering  as  this  is  that  the 
plough  gives  a  securer  title  to  the  land  than  the  rifle. ' ' 

— Hon.  Seth  Low,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  1850, 
in  address  at  Crown  Point, 


204  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

In  the  evening  President  Taft  and  party  arrived 
at  Bluff  Point  station  where  they  were  met  by  Col. 
Cowles  and  other  officers  of  the  Fifth  U.  S.  Infantry 
and  visiting  regiments.  Troop  H  of  the  Fifteenth 
U.  S.  Cavalry  acted  as  escort  to  the  President  and 
the  British  and  French  Ambassadors.  At  the  hotel 
the  guests  gave  the  President  a  most  cordial  reception, 
after  which  he  was  entertained  at  dinner  on  the  house- 
boat of  Hon.  W.  C.  Witherbee,  where  the  President's 
son  and  daughter  with  their  cousins,  were  the  guests 
of  Mrs.  Witherbee  and  the  younger  members  of  that 
family. 

JULY  6 

1734  A  grant  was  made  to  Sieur  de  La  Perriere,  an 

officer  stationed  at  the  castle  of  Quebec  and  after- 
wards governor  of  Montreal,  of  one  league  above 
and  one  below  the  River  Ouinouski  (Winooski). 

1758  At  a  little  cove  (Howe's  Landing),  Gen.  Aber- 

crombie  landed  from  his  flotilla  of  batteaux,  rafts 
and  boats  his  army  of  9,000  provincial  troops  and 
7,000  British  veterans.  As  the  van  guard  pushed 
through  the  dense  woods  they  encountered  the  van 
of  the  French  army,  like  themselves  uncertain  as 
to  the  way.  Near  Trout  Brook,  Putnam  said  to 
Lord  Howe  who  was  leading  his  1,500  veterans, 
"  Keep  back,  keep  back,  my  lord,  you  are  the  idol 
and  soul  of  the  army,  and  my  life  is  worth  but  little." 
"  Putnam  "  answered  Howe,  "  your  life  is  as  dear 
to  you  as  mine  is  to  me.  I  am  determined  to  go." 
At  the  first  fire,  Howe  fell  with  another  officer  and 
several  privates  while  Stark,  Putnam,  and  Rogers 
with    their   rangers    fought    Indian    fashion.      Soon, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


205 


with  spirit  broken,  after  great  loss,  with  their  beloved 
leader  dead,  the  army  marched  back  to  their  place 
of  landing  to  bivouac  until  the  next  day. 


LORD    HOWE 


1777  At  the  first  dawn  of  light,  3  deserters  came  in 

and  informed  that  the  enemy  were  retreating  the 
other  side  of  mount  Independent. — Dighy. 

1789  Took  our  things  and  returned  to  the  Lake  at 

Esq.  McCauley's  where  we  tarried  till  the  13,  then 
set  out  for  Lake  George,     log'd  at  betsburgh. 

— Piatt  Rogers. 

1806  The  birthday  of  Anson   H.  Allen  of  Palatine, 

N.  Y.  He  was  known  as  "  The  Old  Settler  "  and 
located  in  Essex  county  where  he  became  a  printer 
and  publisher.     He  published  in  turn  the  Keeseville 


206  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Herald,  the  Essex  County  Times  at  Westport  and,  at 
Keeseville  he  started  The  Old  Settler  which  gave 
him  his  sobriquet.  In  1840,  while  travelHng  through 
the  wilds  of  Keene,  engaged  in  taking  the  census,  he 
had  encountered  a  she  bear  with  her  cubs.  After  a 
hard  fight,  often  recounted  by  him,  he  succeeded  in 
killing  the  mother,  which  event  was  later  recorded 
by  a  local  poet  in  a  humorous  poem  ending : 

Let    old   men  talk  of   courage  bold, 
Of  battles  fought   in  days  of  old, 
Ten  times  as  bad,  but  none  I  ween, 
Can  match  a  bear  fight  up  in  Keene. 

1875  At  12.20  a.  m.,  the  steamer  Champlain,  on  her 

passage  from  Ticonderoga  to  Rouses  Point,  ran 
ashore  on  the  mountains  about  three  miles  north 
of  Westport  and  became  a  total  wreck.  There  was 
no  loss  of  Hfe,  baggage  or  freight.  The  same  day  in 
BurHngton  the  Fletcher  Free  Library  was  first 
opened  to  the  public  with  9,000  volumes  all  catalogued. 

TICONDEROGA 

These     ragged,     crumbling     walls, 

O'er  which  the  sunset  falls — 
How  strange  and  far  away  they  seem: 

Landmarks    from    history's    page. 

Ghosts    of    a  bygone    age, 
Phantoms   of   half   forgotten   dream. 

Here  stood  that  daring  band — 

Brave   sons   of   freedom's   land — 
In  great  Jehovah's  name  and  might. 

Here  Allen,  stem  as  fate, 

Towered  by  the  postern-gate. 
His  unsheathed  sword-blade  gleaming  bright. 

— Buckham. 

1909  At   Ticonderoga   where   fell,   one  hundred  and 

fifty-one  years  ago  this  day,  brave    Lord   Howe  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  207 

cherished  memory,  the  principal  celebration  took 
place.  The  Presidential  party  were  received  at  the 
"  Pavilion,"  the  old  Pell  mansion  on  the  lake  shore, 
and  at  the  Fort  were  shown  the  West  Barracks, 
lately  restored  through  the  munificence  of  CoL 
Robert  M.  Thompson,  father  of  Mrs.  Stephen  H.  P. 
Pell.  Addresses  were  made  on  the  great  plain  below 
the  fort  by  Governors  Hughes  and  Prouty,  followed 
by  President  Taft.  The  historical  address  was  by 
Hamilton  W.  Mabie. 

JULY  7 

1734  Sieur   Contrecour,   Jr.,   ensign   of   Infantry,   re- 

ceived a  grant  for  a  tract  of  land  "  beginning  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Riviere  Aux  Loutres  (Otter  Creek)," 
which  grant  extended  "  two  leagues  in  front  by 
three  in  depth,  together  with  so  much  of  said  river 
as  is  found  included  therein  with  three  islets  which 
are  in  front  of  said  concession  and  depend  thereon." 

1756  In  the  morning  Capt.  Rogers,  out  on  a  scout 

with  50  men  and  5  whale  boats  (for  2,000  French 
had  been  employed  all  the  season  in  building  the 
fort  afterwards  called  Carillon),  secreted  his  party 
on  the  east  side  of  the  lake  about  25  miles  north  of 
Crown  Point.  They  had  drawn  their  boats  over  the 
mountain  and  passed  Ticonderoga  in  the  night. 
While  lying  there  Rogers  counted  30  boats  passing 
towards  Canada. 

1758  In  the  morning  Abercrombie  added  to  the  de- 

pression of  his  troops  by  withdrawing  the  whole 
army  to  the  protection  of  the  works  at  the  landing. 
At  noon  Col.  Bradstreet  advanced  to  the  French 
sawmills  at  the  lower  falls  which  the  French  had 
abandoned.  In  the  meantime  the  French  toiled  all 
day  directed  by   Dupont   Le  Roy,   a  distinguished 


2o8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

engineer,  in  constructing  a  parapet  and  an  abattis. 
By  evening  the  French  were  made  glad  by  the  arrival 
of  400  veterans. 

1751  Richard,    son   of   John   and   Elizabeth   Jackson 

(Titus)  Keese,  formerly  of  Flushing,  L.  I.,  was  bom 
at  Nine  Partners.  With  his  father  and  brothers, 
Richard  located  at  the  "  Union  "  in  Peru,  where  he 
married  Anna  Hallock,only  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Anna  (Green)  Hallock.  Her  husband,  having  died 
at  Nine  Partners  before  1793,  Mrs.  Hallock  lived  with 
her  daughter  until  her  death  in  1832,  three  days 
previous  to  her  hundredth  birthday. 

1777  After  marching  4  or  5  miles  we  came  up  with 

above  2,000  of  the  enemy  strongly  posted  on  the 
top  of  a  high  hill,  with  breast  works  before  them, 
and  great  trees  cut  across  to  prevent  our  approach; 
but  they  had  no  effect  on  the  ardor  always  shewn 
by  British  troops. — Digby. 

1909  Wednesday,  Tercentenary  week,  interest  centered 

at  Plattsburg.  Here,  President  Taft  with  representa- 
tives of  France,  Great  Britain  and  Canada,  the 
states  of  Vermont  and  New  York  and  other  distin- 
guished guests,  after  a  reception  at  CHff  Haven  and 
luncheon  at  the  home  of  Hon.  Smith  M.  Weed,  pro- 
ceeded to  Plattsburgh  Barracks.  There,  the  presi- 
dential salute  of  twenty-one  guns  announced  the 
arrival  of  the  Nation's  Ruler.  With  the  blue  of  lake, 
mountains  and  sky  for  a  background,  from  a  review- 
ing stand,  holding  thousands,  the  President  viewed 
the  marching  columns  of  the  "  boys  in  blue  "  of  the 
regular  army,  the  Governor  General's  Foot  Guards 
of  Canada  in  scarlet,  the  picturesque  Highlanders, 
companies  of  our  State  National  Guard  in  khaki, 
veterans   of    '61,  organizations,  civic  and  fraternal, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  209 

with  floats  and  pageants,  the  whole  commanded  by- 
Col.  C.  D.  Cowles. 

After  the  parade,  Hon.  H.  W.  Knapp  introduced 
the  speakers,  of  whom  Gov.  Hughes  was  the  first, 
followed  by  President  Taft,  Ambassadors  Jusserand 
and  Bryce,  Postmaster  General  Lemieux  and  Senator 
Root.  The  latter  gave  an  able  address  on  "  The 
Iroquois  and  the  Struggle  for  America."  Hon. 
Daniel  W.  Cady  of  New  York  read  an  original  poem. 

Following  the  speaking,  the  President  reviewed 
the  assembled  troops  in  a  brigade  parade  and  the 
Presidential  party  returned  to  Hotel  Champlain, 
where,  in  the  evening,  a  banquet  was  served  to 
five  hundred  guests  of  the  Governor  and  New  York 
State  Commission.  In  the  meantime,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Saranac,  the  performance  of  the  Indian  pageant 
and  fireworks  closed  the  eventful  day. 

JULY  8 

1756  "   Two  lighters,  manned  with  twelve  men  and 

loaded  with  wheat,  flour,  rice,  wine  and  brandy  for 
the  French  forts,  were  captured  and  sunk,  and  four 
of  the  men  kiUed  "  by  Rogers  and  his  men. 

1758  De  Levis,  who  had  been  recalled  by  Vaudreuil 

from  an  expedition  undertaken  against  the  Mohawk 
valley,  arrived  at  Ticonderoga  at  five  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  accompanied  by  De  Senezergues,  destined 
to  die  with  Montcalm  on  the  plains  of  Abraham. 
At  about  the  same  hour  at  the  English  camp  three 
or  four  hundred  Mohawks  arrived. 

The  attack  began  soon  after  noon  and  the  con- 
flict raged  all  that  long  hot  July  afternoon.  Regi- 
ment after  regiment  was  ordered  forward  until  the 
crystal  waters  of  Lake  Horicon  were  red  with  blood. 
At  last  the  hardy  veterans,  panic-stricken,   fled  in 


2IO  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

confusion,  their  retreat  being  covered  by  the  pro- 
vincials. 

— And  the  timid  moon  looked  down  with  a  smile 

On  the  blood-stained  battle  ground, 
And  the  groans  of  the  wounded  rose  up  the  while 

With  a  sad  heart-rending  sound. — 

— Lticreiia  Maria  Davidson. 

1777  From  Skeenesboro  the  line  of  Burgoyne's  march 

formed  a  circle  comprehending  Castleton,  Bennington 
and  Mt.  Pittsford. 

1818  In  St.  Paul's  church,  New  York  city,  near  the 

monument  erected  to  his  memory  by  order  of  Con- 
gress, Jan.  25,  1776,  were  deposited  the  remains  of 
Major-General  Richard  Montgomery.  Col.  Richard 
Piatt,  nephew  of  the  Plattsburgh  pioneer  brothers, 
in  whose  arms  the  revered  Montgomery  is  said  to 
have  expired,  was  the  venerable  marshal  on  that 
day. 

1873  Tuesday,  dedication  of  the  First  Presbyterian 

church  at  Plattsburgh.  The  structure  commenced 
in  the  fall  of  '67,  is  built  in  early  English  pointed 
Gothic  style,  of  dark  blue  native  limestone  laid  in 
courses  of  rough  ashler  with  trimmings  of  grey 
hammered  limestone.  The  interior  finish  is  black 
ash.  The  chapel  which  has  been  in  use  since  October, 
1869,  is  entered  from  Marion  street,  recently  laid 
out  by  Weed  &  Mooers  and  named  in  honor  of  the 
latter 's  wife. 

1909  Burlington  celebrated  the  coming  of  Champlain. 

President  Taft  was  escorted  by  the  First  Regiment 
of  Vermont  National  Guards  to  the  stand  in  front 
of  City  Hall,  where  Bishop  Hall  of  the  Episcopal 
diocese  of  Vermont  offered  the  invocation.  Ad- 
dresses of  welcome  from  Governor  Prouty  and  Mayor 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  211 

Burke  were  responded  to  by  Governor  Hughes, 
Ambassadors  Jusserand  and  Bryce.  President  Taft, 
the  last  speaker,  emphasized  the  fact  that  "  the 
gathering  here  in  amity,  in  peace  and  in  a  union 
that  cannot  be  torn  apart  of  three  great  powers, 
England,  France  and  the  United  States,  and  with 
England,  her  first  daughter,  the  Dominion  of  Can- 
ada "  was  a  feature  unequalled  in  the  annals  of  the 
world. 

The  military  parade  was  reviewed  from  another 
grand  stand  across  the  square,  after  which  the  Presi- 
dent witnessed  the  exhibition  of  the  Indian  pageants. 
A  direct  descendant  of  little  Eunice  Williams,  the 
Deerfield  captive,  called  by  her  father's  parishioners, 
"the  Lost  Child  of  Zion,"  was  with  the  Iroquois 
Indians  of  Caughnawaga,  participating  in  the 
pageant. 

A  drive  about  the  city  was  taken  by  the  President 
and  party,  previous  to  the  dinner,  commemorative 
of  the  occasion,  given  at  the  University  gymnasium, 
which  closed  the  President's  visit  to  the  "  Queen 
City."  He  returned  to  Washington  on  the  evening 
train. 

JULY  9 

1 69 1  Major  Peter  Schuyler  wrote  in  his  Journal:— 

"Came  Gerrard  Luykasse  and  Herman  Vedder  with 
two  Mohawks,  from  a  party  of  80  Mohawks  at  a  Lake 
right  over  Saraghtoga,  who  went  by  the  way  of  Lake 
St.  Sackraman  and  promised  to  meet  us  in  six  days 
at  Chinandroga."  *  *  "—Lieut.  (Abraham  Schuy- 
ler) went  out  with  50  men  and  finished  Canoes  enough 
for  the  Christians." 

1 758  Early  in  the  morning  the  British  troops  embarked 

and  by  evening  reached  their  old  camp  at  the  southern 


212  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

end  of  Lake  George,  while  the  wounded  were 
conveyed  to  Fort  Edward  and  Albany,  to  which  the 
ammunition  and  artillery  were  also  sent. 

— We  reached  a   charming   spot 
To  other  mortals  known  as  Isle  La  Motte, 
But  we,  who  gaily  sailed  o'er  smiling  seas 
Deemed  it  the  land  of  the  Hesperides. 


Can  you  not  see  the  shining  beach  that  ran 
Along  the  peaceful  lake  to  Fort  St.  Anne? 
The  steep  ascent? — the  path  across  the  hill 
Beneath  the  trees? — The  spreading     oak  tree 
Is  all  that's  left  of  that  which  used  to  be 
Except  the  grass  grown  mounds  of  Fort  St.  Anne 
Where  once  were  wooden  wall  and  barbican. 

— Mrs.    Palmer. 

1909  At  Isle  La  Motte  the  celebration  was  brought 

to  a  fitting  close  by  reHglous  and  patriotic  services. 
Regular  troops  visited  the  island  for  the  first  time  and 
at  the  Shrine  of  St.  Anne,  near  the  spot  where  first,  in 
1665,  religious  services  were  held,  solemn  high  mass 
was  celebrated  by  Bishop  Burke  of  Albany  with  sixty 
members  of  the  clergy  in  attendance,  the  priests  of 
the  diocese  singing  a  plain  chant  mass  and  the  Rev. 
P.  J.  Barrett  of  St.  Mary's  Cathedral,  Burlington, 
preaching  the  sermon. 

The  literary  exercises  were  opened  with  prayer 
offered  by  the  Rev.  John  M.  Thomas,  D.D.,  president 
of  Middlebury  College.  Senator  Henry  W.  Hill  of 
Buffalo,  a  native  of  Isle  La  Motte,the  first  speaker,  was 
followed  by  Gov.  Prouty,  Lieut.  d'Azy  (representing 
the  republic  of  France),  Gov.  Hughes  and  "Vermont's 
peerless  orator, "  Judge  Wendall  P.  Stafford,  now  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  who,  as  orator  of  the  day,  held 
3,000  people  enthralled  while  he  eloquently  told  the 
story  of  the  three  centuries  in  the  valley  since  Cham- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  213 

plain,  "  brave,  able,  ambitious,  devoted,  grasping  for 
king  and  church,  at  the  best  the  new  world  had  to 
offer,"  first  saw  this  lovely  island. 

At  the  close  of  the  ceremonies  at  the  shrine  the 
entire  assemblage,  headed  by  the  band  and  escorted 
by  Company  M,  First  Vermont  Infantry  and  two 
troops  of  the  Fifteenth  U.  S.  cavalry,  marched  to  the 
crest  of  the  hill  where  the  boulder,  in  memory  of  Seth 
Warner  and  Remember  Baker,  the  gift  of  the  Patri- 
otic Societies  of  Vermont  Women,  was  to  be  dedicated. 
Mrs.  Edward  Curtis  Smith  of  St.  Albans  presided  and 
the  St.  Albans  Choral  Union  rendered  "  To  Thee,  O 
Country"  and  "  Star  Spangled  Banner"  in  which  all 
joined.  The  address  of  welcome  was  delivered  by 
Mrs.  F.  Stewart  Stranahan,  State  Regent  of  the  Ver- 
mont Colonial  Dames  and  the  presentation  to  the 
State,  made  by  Mrs.  Clayton  N.  North  of  Shoreham, 
Stated  Regent  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution.  The  tablet  on  the  face  of  the  boulder 
was  unveiled  by  Miss  Dorothea  Smith,  daughter  of 
ex-Gov.  and  Mrs.  Edward  Curtis  Smith,  and  Harry 
Hill,  son  of  Senator  and  Mrs.  Hill  of  Buffalo.  In  behalf 
of  the  State,  Gov.  Prouty  accepted  the  monument  and 
Dr.  Thomas  made  the  dedicatory  address. 

In  memory  of  the  first  white  men  who  founded  Christian 
homes  upon  this  fair  island,  and  in  this  ancient  pathway  of  war 
sought  to  establish  homes  of  peace,  and  in  honor  of  Seth  Warner 
and  Remember  Baker,  intrepid  heroes  of  the  Green  Mountains, 
lovers  of  liberty  for  their  children,  for  whose  freedom  they  gave 
their  lives,  who  encamped  while  on  perilous  service  for  their 
country,  and  in  commemoration  of  General  Montgomery  and  his 
intrepid  army,  we  place  this  boulder  as  a  token  of  our  gratitude 
for  their  mighty  deeds  and  our  veneration  for  their  self-annulling 
devotion. — Dr.  Thomas. 

Mrs.  Elvira  Sarah  (Warner)  Parker  of  St.  Johns, 
P.  Q.,  great  granddaughter  of  Seth  Warner  laid  a 
laurel  wreath  upon  the  monument. 


214  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

JULY  10 

Pray  that  God  may  keep,  and  in  due  time  deliver  us. 

Letter  of    Ebenezer    and  Abiah    Hill,   captives  in  Quebec, 
1705  to  their  relatives  in  Wells. 

1712  Lieut.  Samuel  Williams,  then  twenty-three  years 

old,  a  son  of  Rev.  John  Williams,  left  Deerfield  for 
Canada  with  French  prisoners  to  effect  an  exchange 
of  captives.  He  reached  Boston  in  September  with 
nine  New  England  captives,  but  his  little  sister  Eunice 
was  not  among  them. 

1758  At  daybreak  De  Levis,  following  the  track   of 

Abercrombie,  found  only  "  vestiges  of  a  stricken  and 
routed  army;  the  wounded  and  supplies  abandoned, 
and  clothing  scattered  through  the  woods." 

1765  — Our  four  carpenters  began  to  cut  and  square 

timber  for  the  mill,  the  other  hands  being  employed 
cutting  wood  for  coal,  clearing  land,  &c.  All  the  cattle 
having  been  brought  safe  from  Crown  Point  some  time 
ago,  by  four  of  our  people,  who  having  swam  them 
across  the  lake  at  Crown  Point,  drove  them  through 
the  woods  on  the  east  side  to  the  cloven  foot,  from 
thence  we  ferried  them  to  the  cloven  rock  in  a  scow, 
hired  from  New  England  men,  and  drove  them  from 
thence  through  the  woods  to  Milltown,  having  now 
given  that  name  to  the  land  at  the  falls. —  Gilliland. 

1813  I  have  information   from  the   Deputy  Quarter 

Master,  at  Albany,  that  Gen.  Wade  Hampton  is  to 
assume  the  command  of  the  Northern  Army.  Strange 
that  the  government  should  appoint  southern  men  to 
such  responsible  stations  at  the  north.  Gen.  Mooers 
ought  to  have  this  appointment,  Montreal  would  be 
in  his  possession  in  a  month.  He  is  a  brave,  judicious, 
and  prudent  officer,  and,  withal,  extremely  popular 
with  his  fellow-citizens.  They  would  follow  him  with 
the  greatest  cheerfulness. — Journal  ofEleazer  Williams. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  215 

1846  A  grand  railroad  convention  held  in  Malone,  at 

which  1,000  delegates  were  present.  Stock  was  sub- 
scribed freely,  fifty  thousand  dollars  worth  of  which 
was  taken  in  Plattsburgh. 

1909  Saturday,  at  Rouses  Point,  the  week's  festivities 

ended  with  sports  on  the  lake.  Champlain 's  ship 
"  Don  de  Dieu  "  which  had  accompanied  the  Indian 
Pageants  from  Ticonderoga  to  each  place  of  celebra- 
tion, was  anchored  in  the  harbor.  Motor  boat  races 
and  canoe  races,  including  a  war  canoe  race  with  four 
competing  teams,  were  run  over  a  course  policed  by 
the  torpedo  boat  Manley  and  two  navy  laimches. 
The  evening  w^as  illuminated  by  fireworks. 

JULY  11 

1691  Major  Schuyler  with  a  party  of  "  our  Christians," 

having  "  sett  out  from  Albany  "  in  June  on  an  expe- 
dition into  Canada,  and  been  "  joyned  "by  60 
River  Indians  and  15  "  Mohawkes,  "  had  by  June 
28th,  reached  the  last  "carrying  place."  Here,  they 
encamped  and  constructed  canoes  while  scouts  and 
parties  were  sent  out  to  secure  allies  and  provisions. 
Major  Schuyler  writes  in  his  Journal : — 

"  In  the  morning  they  ("22  Christians  and  4.  Indians  ' 
sent  for  food)  returned  from  the  carrying  place  with  the  bread 
and  of  7 7  lib  sent  me  by  Mr.  Livingstone,  I  received  no  more  than 
800  bisketts  their  canoe  being  oversett,  and  all  their  pease  wett." 

1710  Capt.  James  Plaisted  and  his  wife  Mary  (Rish- 

worth)  Plaisted,  who  had  been  carried  captive  (with 
three  children  by  a  former  husband)  to  Canada  in 
February,  1692,  but  redeemed  in  1695, deed  land  to- 
gether in  York  (Me.).  Her  children  were  never  re- 
deemed. The  baby  boy  was  killed  by  the  savages  on 
the  march,  and  the  sisters  died,  the  one,  a  Sister  of 
the  Congregation;  the  other,  Madame  de  L'Estage  of 
Berthier  and  Montreal. 


2l6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1 784  A  survey  of  i  ,000  acres  of  land  to  be  given  to  the 

first  ten  settlers,  was  commenced.  These  settlers 
were: — Charles  Piatt,  Thomes  Allen,  Jabez  Pettit, 
Kinner  Newcomb,  Jonathan  Sexton,  John  B.  Hart- 
wick,  Darick  Webb,  Cyrenus  Newcomb,  Moses  Soper, 
Jacob  Ferris,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  soldiers  of  the 
Revolution. 

1833  Dr.  Beaumont,  at  Plattsburgh,  recorded  the  third 

of  his  fourth  series  of  Gastric  Experiments  and  Ex- 
aminations of  the  stomach  on  St.  Martin.     He  says : — 

"  6  o'clock,  A.M.  Weather  cloudy.  Wind  N.E.  Th.  65 
deg.  Stomach  empty  and  clean.  Temperature  100  deg.  before 
rising.  8  o'clock,  30  mins.  Weather  clear  and  dry.  Wind  S., 
brisk.  Temperature  of  stomach  i  o  i  deg.  after  exercise.  9  o'clock 
30  mins.,  P.M.  Weather  hazy.  Wind  S.W.,  light.  Th.  75  deg. 
Temperature  loi." 

1908  Tag  Day  was  observed  in  Plattsburgh  for  the 

Humane  Society  and  the  sum  of  $489.39  was  raised. 

JULY  12 

1691  This  day  returned  the  Messengers  I  had  sent  to 

bring  back  the  Indians  runn  away,  having  found  none 
I  sent  21  Men  to  the  carrying  place  for  more  pro- 
visions.— Major  Peter  Schuyler. 

1758  Arrival  at  Ticonderoga  of  the  younger  Vaudreuil 
with  3,000  Canadians. 

1 759  Beginning  of  the  siege  of  Quebec. 

1812  Eight  companies  of  the  Vermont  militia  under 

Col.  Williams  are  quartered  in  the  new  barracks,  east 
of  the"  green  "  at  Swanton.  The  barracks  are  built 
in  the  form  of  a  crescent  with  a  parade  ground  at  the 
north-west. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  217 

1821  Arrival  at  Detroit,  just  one  year  and  one  day 

from  the  date  of  their  first  arrival,  of  the  deputation 
from  the  Six  Nations,  with  Mr.  Williams  at  their  head. 
They  had  been  sent  to  effect  a  purchase  of  land  from 
the  Menominies  and  Winnebagoes  for  the  Oneidas 
and  others  contemplating  settlement  in  the  West, 
which  transaction  was  the  following  month  brought 
about  by  treaty. 

1833  Report  of  Experiment  IV:  Fourth  Series: — 

"  6  o'clock,  A.M.  Weather  clear.  Wind  W.,  brisk.  Th* 
70  deg.  Stomach  empty.  Temperature  looj  deg.  after  going 
out  into  the  open  air.  9  o'clock,  P.M.  Weather  clear.  Wind 
W.,  light.  Th.  76  deg.  Temperature  ioi|  deg.  Stomach 
empty." 

— William  Beaumont,  M.D.,  Surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  Army. 

JULY  13 

1691  I  sent  5  Indians  with  4.  Christians  downe  to  the 

falls  to  look  out. — Schuyler's  Journal. 

1758  Six  hundred  Indians  arrived  to  aid  Montcalm. 
A  few  days  later  Rogers  and  Putnam  with  their  com- 
mands were  surprised  by  Marin  and  his  Indians  and 
Putnam  and  a  few  others  were  cut  off  from  the  main 
body.  The  men  were  slain  and  Putnam  captured. 
In  what  was  afterwards  the  town  of  Crown  Point,  the 
brave  ranger  was  tied  to  an  oak  tree  while  his  savage 
captor  amused  himself  by  hurling  his  tomahawk  as 
near  the  head  of  his  victim  as  possible,  without  strik- 
ing the  mark.  Saranac  chapter  possesses  a  goodly 
piece  of  bark  from  this  very  tree  with  the  marks  of 
the  tomahawk  plainly  visible.  Later,  Marin  himself 
released  the  unhappy  Putnam  when  tied  to  the  stake 
with  the  crackHng  frames  already  rising  about  him. 
That  same  autumn  Putnam's  exchange  was  effected. 

1759  The  cannonading  of  the  opposite  armies  at 
Quebec  continued. 


2l8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


JULY  14 

1691  Being  accompanied  with  only  seven  Indians  we 

removed  to  the  falls  distant  i6  miles  &  there  en- 
camped.— Schuyler. 

1705  Elizabeth  Casse  (Corse)  (captured  with  her  uncle 

Deacon  Thomas  French  and  his  children,  Mary, 
Thomes,  Freedom,  Martha  and  Abigail,  at  Deerfield), 
was  baptised  by  Father  Merial  and  adopted  by  Pierre 
Le  Roi  of  St.  Lambert,  whose  wife  was  one  of  her 
sponsers.  She  grew  up  with  the  Le  Roi  or  Roi 
children. 

1759  The  sisters  of  the  Ursuline  convent  sought  safety 

in  their  cellar  from  the  terrific  cannonading,  while 
above  their  heads  shot  and  shell  riddled  their  cherished 
retreat. 

1766  — sent  my  men  to  the  meadows  to  make  hay 

which  they  accomphshed  agst. — Gilliland. 

Oh,   the   longing  of   nature  born, 
To  brush  the  dew  and  to  breath  the  mom, 
To  plunge  the  lips  in  some  gliding  brook, 
And  lie  full  length  in  a  sunny  nook: 

— Buckham. 

1784  The  survey  of  the  outlines  of  Plattsburgh  Old 

Patent  was  commenced  and  immediately  afterward 
the  outline  of  Cumberland  Head  was  surveyed. 

1789  Proceed  to  Ticonderogue. — Piatt  Rogers. 

1832  Elizabeth,  second  wife  of  Dr.  John  Miller,  died 

at  her  home  at  the  head  of  Broad  street.  His  wives 
were  sisters,  two  of  the  five  daughters  of  Isaac  Smith 
and  his  wife,  Margaret   Piatt,   of   Dutchess   county. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  219 

Another  sister,  Phebe,  married  Dr.  Burnet  Miller  and 
became  the  mother  of  Margaret  Miller  who  married 
Dr.  OHver  Davidson,  the  latter  couple,  the  parents  of 
Lucretia,  Levi  P.,  Matthias  and  Margaret  Davidson. 
During  the  British  invasion,  the  family  of  Dr.  Miller 
was  in  Dutchess  county  with  relatives.  Their  home 
was  damaged  by  shot,  barrels  and  casks  in  the  cellar 
being  burst  open  and  a  cannon  ball  finding  lodgement 
in  the  chimney  on  the  first  floor. 

1873  At  Burlington,  the  Fletcher  Free  Library  was 

founded  by  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Fletcher  and  her  daughter, 
Miss  Mary  M.  Fletcher.  In  1876  they  generously 
added  $6,000  to  their  first  gift. 


JULY  15 

1691  "  The  last  company  that  were  sent  for  provisions 

returned  with  looolb  of  bread,  and  towards  evening 
came  also  Lieut.  Abraham  Schuyler  with  some  Indians 
which  made  up  our  number  of  Indians  62." 

— Schuyler. 

1759  (O.  S.)  All  the  UrsuHnes,  except  eight  who  had 

obtained  permission  to  remain  in  charge,  fled  to  the 
convent  attached  to  the  General  Hospital  which,  for- 
tunately, was  beyond  the  range  of  besieging  guns.  It 
was  the  refuge  of  hundreds  from  the  ruins  of  the 
Lower  Town  and  the  nuns  were  kept  busy  day  and 
night,  nursing  sick  and  wounded. 

1 789  ' '  Had  our  Battoo  hall  'd  acrost  and  went  up  Lake 

George  about  8  miles." — Piatt  Rogers. 

1 796  Birth  of  Mary,  daughter  of  Wm.  Pitt  and  Hannah 

(Kent)  Piatt,  on  Cumberland  Head. 


220  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1816  An  Academy  for  advanced  pupils  was  completed 

at  the  northwest  corner  of  College  and  Willard  streets, 
Burlington,  and  is  now  the  site  of  the  present  Gram- 
mar School. 

1887  The  new  Stevens  House,  Lake  Placid,  capable  of 

accomodating  350  guests,  was  opened  to  the  public, 
just  two  months  after  the  first  structure  had  been 
leveled  to  the  ground  by  an  Adirondack  cyclone. 

1898  A   meeting    was    called    by    Saranac    Chapter, 

D.  A.  R.  and  a  Patriotic  Relief  Association  formed, 
of  the  officers  of  which,  two  were  chosen  from  the 
Chapter  and  two  from  outside — all  working  harmoni- 
ously, assisted  by  individuals,  who  w^orked  for  both 
organizations. 

JULY  16 

1691  Being  Thursday,  we  moved  from  the  falls  about 

noon  and  pitched  our  tents  in  the  narrow^s  of  the 
drowned  lands  12  miles  distant.  Three  of  our  Canoes 
being  broken,  I  sent  3  Christians  &  one  Indian  to  the 
end  of  the  Lake  St.  Sackraman  where  our  Mohawks 
are  making  Canoes  to  acquaint  them  that  I  will  meet 
them  at  Chinanderoga. — Schuyler. 

1789  Set  out  in  order  to  mark  a  road  to  the  Screwn 

(Schroon)  Lake,  to  which  Lake  we  arrived  the  20 
Morning. — Piatt  Rogers. 

Answer,  soul  of  mine — which  way 
Hast  thou  made  a  road  to-day? 
Hast  thou  followed  Love's  sure  chain 
Over  hill  and  over  plain? 

— James    Buckham. 

1846  Leah  (Webb)  Smith,  wife  of  Allen  Smith,  Revolu- 

tionary soldier  and  pioneer,  died  at  her  home  on  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  221 

Beekmantown  road.  The  Webbs  came  to  this 
country  about  1 700  and  settled  in  the  Mohawk  valley. 
After  peace  was  declared  they  went  to  Long  Island. 
The  Smith  and  Webb  families  came  to  Plattsburgh 
together,  Allen  Smith  locating  opposite  the  McCreedys 
the  lands  of  both  being  heavily  wooded  with  fine 
maple  trees.  Little  dreaming  that  a  ledge  of  limestone 
lay  under  their  land,  the  McCreedys  drew  the  stone 
for  their  home  from  a  distance.  Only  a  bridle  path 
then  led  through  the  woods  to  the  grist-mill  on  the 
Saranac.  The  original  house  of  the  McCreedys  and 
the  bam  of  Allen  Smith  are  still  standing.  The 
Smiths  had  six  children:  Rebecca,  Isaac  (who  ac- 
cupied  the  homestead),  Harvey — (died  in  Beaver 
Dam,  Wis.),  Richard,  Simeon,  and  Augustine. 

1880  The  first  electric  light  ever  seen  in  Plattsburgh 

was  exhibited  with  Pullman  and  Hamilton's  circus. 

"  The  Planetary  Constellated  Conflagration  of  Effulgence 
and  Heaven-bom  Splendor  exceeds  the  full  power  of  240,000  gas 
lights." 

Advertisement  Plattsburgh  Republican. 

JULY  17 

1758  At  Fort  Edward,  N.  Y.,  whither  he  had  been 

carried  mortally  wounded  on  the  retreat  of  the  army 
from  Ticonderoga,  died  Dimcan  Campbell  of  In  vera  we 
of  the  Black  Watch,  42d  Highland  reg't.  A  brown 
head  stone  inscribed  with  his  name  and  date  of  death, 
now  marks  the  spot  where  his  remains  were  re-interred 
some  years  ago, 

1812  The  news  of  the  declaration  of  the  second  war 

between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  reached 
this  county  a  month  after  the  event.  About  this  time 
Col.  Isaac  Clark  of  the  Eleventh  U.  S.  Infantry,  and  a 
veteran  of  the  Revolution,  arrived  at  BurHngton  to 


222  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

make  the  necessary  preparations.  He  was  a  son-in- 
law  of  Gov.  Thomas  Chittenden  and  was  known  as 
"  Old  Rifle  "  among  the  Green  Mountain  Boys.  For 
the  government  he  bought  ten  acres  on  a  bluff  over- 
looking the  lake,  the  present  Battery  Park  being  a 
part  of  the  same, 

1857  Until  this  date  vast  numbers  of  wild  pigeons, 

millions  of  which,  since  early  April  had  been  nesting 
in  the  forests  on  the  heights  west  of  Plattsburgh 
(Rand  Hill  and  the  vicinity  of  Danemora)  continued 
to  be  baited  and  taken  by  old  pigeon  catchers  at- 
tracted from  different  parts  of  the  country  by  news  of 
their  location.  Four  companies  are  known  to  have 
shipped  to  southern  markets  150,000  dozen  (1,800,000) 
birds.  A  week  later  not  a  bird  was  to  be  seen,  the 
surviving  immense  flock,  having  taken  a  north-easterly 
direction  through  Henry ville,  Canada,  to  the  forests  of 
Maine.  This  yearly  visitation  occurred  in  the  forties 
and  fifties,  the  numbers  being  so  great  as  to  almost 
obscure  the  sun  and  miles  of  forest  trees  being  bent 
imder  the  weight  of  the  old  birds  and  their  progeny, 
a  single  tree  containing  from  20  to  80  nests.  Nothing 
like  it  has  been  seen  in  Champlain  Valley  in  recent 
years. 

JULY  18 

Patter,     patter,     on     the     ground, 

Rustle,   rustle   in  the  trees; 
And  the  beaded  bushes  round 

Drip  when  shaken  by  the  breeze. 

— Buckham. 

1691  Rainy  weather  we  made  but  one  Canoe. 

— Schuyler. 

1757  Vaudreuil,  a  Canadian  by  birth,  who  had  served 

in  Canada  and  been  governor  of  Louisiana,  arrived  at 
Carillon. — Paris  Doc. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  223 

1766  Mary,  daughter  of   Col.  John    and    Altie   (Van 

Wyck)  Bailey  of  Dutchess  county,  was  bom. 

1776  This    morning,    just    after   the   beating   of   the 

reveille,  a  courier  reached  the  camp  of  the  Americans 
who  were  posted  on  the  hill,  with  a  copy  of  the  Decla- 
ration of  Independence,  which  caused  great  en- 
thusiasm in  the  camp.  A  feu-de-joie  of  thirteen  guns, 
in  honor  of  the  thirteen  Confederate  States,  was  fired, 
and  the  hill  named  Mount  Independence  to  com- 
memorate the  event.  Lieut.  Benj.  Mooers  was 
present  at  this  time. 

1832  The   wedding   day   of   Caroline   Adriance   Piatt 

(youngest  daughter  of  Hon.  Isaac  C.  Piatt  and  Anne 
Treadwell),  and  the  Rev.  John  Diell,  seaman's  chap- 
lain at  Honolulu,  Sandwich  Islands.  The  bride,  a 
bright,  lively  girl,  was  educated  at  the  Young  Ladies 
Seminary  of  Mrs.  Nancy  Royce  of  Clinton,  N.  Y.  The 
following  stanzas  are  from  a  poem  addressed  to  her 
by  her  friend,  Mrs.  Davidson,  on  the  eve  of  her  mar- 
riage and  departure. 

TO    CAROLINE. 

Adieu,  my  fair,  my  much  loved  friend, 

A  long,  a  last  farewell: 
May — angels  on  your  steps  attend, 

And   every  fear  dispel: 

***** 
When   severed   is  each  tender  tie, 

Which  binds  your  heart  to  home, 
And   when  beneath  a  foreign   sky 

A  wanderer  you  roam, 

May  he,  the  friend  for  whose  dear  love 

Rich    blessings    you    forego, 
A  tender  guardian  ever  prove 

In  happiness  or  woe. 

1834  Birth,  at  Wadhams  Mills,  of  Alonzo  Alden,  son  of 

Isaac  Alden,  a  descendant  of  John  Alden  of  the  May- 


224  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

flower.  He  attended  Keeseville  Academy  and  gradu- 
ated from  Williams  in  1859.  At  Cold  Harbor  and 
Fort  Fisher,  he  gallantly  led  the  charge  of  his  regi- 
ment— 169th  N.  Y. — and  was  severely  wounded  in 
both  charges.  From  1866  to  1874  Gen.  Alden  was 
postmaster  of  Troy. 

JULY  19 

No  sound  disturbs  the  stillness 
Save  the  cataract's  mellow  roar, 

—V.  B.  Wilson. 

1691  We  broke  up  from  Chinanderoga,  advanced  to 

the  Crowne  point  20  miles  distant  and  about  one  of 
the  clock  after  noone  pitched  and  send  out  spyes. 

— Schuyler. 

1749  Prof.  Kalm  and  his  party,  with  ample  provisions 

which  had  been  supplied  by  Gov.  Lusignan,  sailed 
away  from  Fort  St.  Frederick  on  the  first  yacht  built 
on  the  lake,  which  that  year  made  regular  trips  to  St. 
Johns.  At  two  points  (probably  Point  au  Fer  and 
Windmill  Point)  Kalm  saw  evidences  of  a  small  settle- 
ment but  some  distance  after  entering  the  Richelieu 
the  country  was  inhabited  without  interruption. 

1765  Begun  to  blow  up  rocks  that  were  in  the  way  of 

our  mill-trough,  having  now  judged  it  useless  to 
make  a  dam,  sufiEiciency  of  water  being  obtainable 
without  it. — Gilliland. 

JULY  20 

The   foaming   waters    proudly   whirl, 
As  longing  to  be  free. 

— Margaret    Davidson. 

1691  Haveing  the  winde  hard  at  N.  and  rain,  we  con- 

tinued our  seat  and  sent  out  18  spyes  in  two  Canoes 
and  made  3  Canoes  more. — Schuyler. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  225 

1789  The  majority  of  the  land  (on  the  way  to  Schroon) 

is  mountainous,  hilly,  rocky  and  rough,  altho  some 
good  valleys  and  small  intervale.  A  large  quantity 
of  very  fine  maple,  also  all  kinds  of  timber  that's  com- 
mon in  this  Country. — Piatt  Rogers. 

Have  a  brother's  care  and  pray 
God  to  mark  thy  road  each  day. 

— Buckham. 

JULY  21 

The  winds  came  roaring  through   the  woods, 
Adown  the  rock  the  torrent  pours, — 

— Mrs.   Davidson, 

1691  Being    stormy,    and    the    wind    northerly,    wee 

moved  not. — Schuyler. 

1759  Amherst's    invincible    flotilla    moved    in    four 

columns  down  the  water  with  artillery  and  more  than 
eleven  thousand  men. — Parkman. 

1813  Plattsburgh, — I    have   heard    several   able   dis- 

courses from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Weeks,  on  the  Decrees  of 
God,  concerning  which  I  can  not  agree  with  him  in 
every  respect.  Gen.  Mooers  seems  to  submit  to  them 
as  in  accordance  with  the  Scriptures.  Gen.  Skinner, 
my  particular  friend  dissents  from  them.  He  pleads 
the  agency  of  man.  He  is  well  versed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, i.  e.,  he  retains  much  in  memory.  Mr.  Nichols, 
a  lawyer,  is  greatly  opposed,  he  is  willing  to  hear  the 
subject  discussed. — Journal  of  Eleazer  Williams. 

JULY  22 

1635  Champlain  held  his  last  council  at  Quebec,  invit- 

ing the  Hurons,  who  had  come  down  the  river  with 
their  customary  constancy,  to  participate.  The 
burden  of  the  Governor's  address  to  them  was  that  if 


226  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

they  would  only  worship  the  Frenchman's  God,  they 
would  flourish  under  his  benignant  protection  and 
have  no  difficulty  in  overcoming  the  Iroquois. 

— Winsor. 

1691  Hard  weather  we  continued  our  seat,  Mohawques 

presented  me  with  a  bundle  of  ninety  two  sticks, 
meaning  their  number,  twelve  of  them  boys,  with 
the  names  of  the  principal  heads:  *  *  The  River 
Indians  did  the  like  in  number  66,  *  *  Wee  then 
held  a  Cotmcil  of  Warr,  how  to  discover  Fort  Leprarie 
and  to  take  a  prisoner  if  possible  and  concluded  to 
send  out  nine  men. — Schuyler. 

1759  The  army  of  Amherst  disembarked  on  the  eastern 

shore  of  Lake  George,  nearly  opposite  the  former 
landing  place  of  Abercrombie. 

1777  Lieut.  Frazier  9  reg  and  lieu  Scott  24  regt  were 

sent  on  a  party  of  observation  by  gen  Frazier  to  dis- 
cover if  possible  what  the  enemy  were  about  on  the 
lake.  They  had  12  regulars  and  about  30  Indian  in 
canoes.  *  *  *  About  20  miles  from  St.  Johns 
near  Isle  aux  Noix — island  of  nuts — they  fell  in  with 
a  party  of  the  enemy,  and,  after  some  firing,  brought 
them  to  us  prisoners,  with  the  loss  of  one  Indian  and 
a  few  wounded.  The  captain's  name  was  Wilson, 
who  informed  us  they  were  very  strong  at  Crown 
Point  and  Ticonderoga,  both  places  of  great  strength 
by  nature. — Digby. 

JULY  23 

1691  Major   Schuyler   "  sent  out  nine   spyes   vizt   3 

Christians,  three  Mohawks  and  three  River  Indians, 
who  advanced  from  Crowne  point  toward  Regio,  30 
miles  distant —  "     These , '  'the  wind  rising  and  blowing 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  227 

hard"  returned  to  the  main  body  now  encamped  "on 
shoar  at  the  Otter  Kill"  and  reported  "fyers  on  the 
Eastern  shore. "  Again,  spies  were  sent  as  before,  "but 
the  woods  being  thick  saw  nobody  "  but  judged  from 
the  number  of  fires  that  the  enemy  "might  be  a  con- 
siderable army  "  where  upon  three  canoes  were  sent 
"to  keep  strickt  watch"  of  the  approach  of  the  enemy 
while  Schuyler  "  resolved  by  the  Grace  of  God  to 
withstand  them,  but  nothing  appeared  that  night — " 
and  the  party  "made  a  small  Stone  Fort  breast  high." 

1759  While  Amherst  was  engaged  in  preparing  for  a 

siege  at  Ticonderoga,  De  Burlemaque,  the  French 
commander  of  Carillon,  retired  to  Fort  Frederick, 
leaving  Hebencourt  with  400  men  of  the  La  Reine 
regiment  to  hold  the  fort. 

1765  I  embarked  in  company  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Henry 

and  Mr.  William  Jones  for  Canada,  and  arrived  at 
Montreal  ferry,  in  less  than  14  hours,  allowing  about 
10  hours  delay,  while  the  sloops  lay  at  anchor,  and 
at  St.  Johns. — Gilliland. 

1814  The  keel  of  the  Eagle  was  laid  at  Vergennes. 


JULY  24 

1691  In  the  morning  I  sent  out  5  Indians  by  land  who 

discovered  a  great  many  fires  and  two  houses,  but 
found  nothing  but  bones,  the  Indians  being  removed 
from  thence. — Schuyler. 

1714  After  nine  months  of  disappointing  negotiations, 

Stoddard  and  his  party  set  sail,  having  secured  the 
release  of  but  twenty-six  captives  and  Eunice  was 
not  among  them. 


228  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1759  Colonel  Townshend — the  Lord  Howe  of  Amherst's 

army — struck  by  a  cannon  shot  in  the  trenches, 
instantly  expires. 

1765  We  set  out  in  Calashes,  for  Quebec. — Gilliland. 

1776  Delegates  from  35  towns  assembled  at  Dorset, 

there  agreeing  "  to  enter  into  an  association  among 
themselves  for  the  defence  of  the  liberties  of  their 
country."  The  Hon.  Benj.  Carpenter  from  Guilford 
was  a  member  of  that  convention,  and  later,  in  the 
trying  times  succeeding,  threatened  by  tories  and 
Yorkers  at  home,  Congress  abroad  and  His  Majesty's 
armies,  that  brave  patriot  with  three  days'  provisions 
on  his  back,  on  foot  crossed  the  Green  Mountains  by 
blazed  trees  to  attend  the  legislature  at  Bennington. 

— Thompson. 

1813  Lieut.   Thomas  Macdonough    advanced    to  the 

rank  of  Master  Commandant. 

SUMMER  RAIN. 

Aslant,  the  driven  rain  incessant  streams; 
The  thirsty  meadows  sigh  with  soft  delight; 
The  wind  blown  poplar  shifts  from  green  to  white, 
And  white  to  green,  as  aimlessly  as  dreams. 

— Buckham. 

1830  Saturday  afternoon  rain  began  to  fall  and  con- 

tinued falling  almost  incessantly  until  the  following 
Thursday  at  noon.  Mill  streams  became  raging  tor- 
rents and  swept  everything  before  the  rushing  waters. 
This  was  the  time  when  Jacob  Saxe  lost  his  property 
at  Salmon  River,  only  the  house  remaining.  The 
whole  surrounding  country  to  the  height  of  fifteen 
feet  above  the  ordinary  level  of  streams  was  under 
water. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  229 

JULY  25 

1691  The  wind  harde  northerly,  soe  we  were  forced  to 

lye  still  all  that  day. — Schuyler. 

1759  The  French  remaining  in  the  fort  at  Carillon  kept 

up  the  continuous  fire  of  the  day  before,  while  at 
Quebec,  (July  15,  O.  S.)  the  nuns  of  the  Ursuline 
convent  fled  for  safety,  except  the  eight  permitted 
to  remain.  These  staid  in  the  cellar.  The  Mother 
Superior  was  Esther  Wheelwright,  the  New  England 
captive, 

1816  In  the  old  Mooers  house  (comer  Bridge  and  Peru 

streets)  Hannah  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Col.  Benj.  H. 
and  Margaret  (Miller)  Mooers,  was  bom.  Late  in  life, 
her  parents  pioneered  west  to  Wisconsin  where  so 
many  of  the  founders  of  Plattsburgh  of  the  second 
generation  settled.  This  exodus  was  felt  throughout 
the  Valley. 

It  (education)  was  more  than  doubly  needful  in  Vermont 
which  had  no  Church  wealth  or  strength  to  begin  with,  and  was 
losing  instead  of  gaining,  by  every  fresh  movement  of  the  people 
towards  the  West. — Hopkins. 

1864  Ticonderoga  celebrated  its  centennial,  at  which 

time  Joseph  Cook,  one  of  her  most  distinguished  sons, 
made  his  famous  address,  this  year  (1909),  published 
by  the  Ticonderoga  Historical  Society. 

1866  Theodorus   Bailey,   son  of  Judge  Wm.   Bailey, 

advanced  to  the  rank  of  rear  admiral  and  shortly 
afterwards  appointed  commander  of  Portsmouth 
(N.  H.)  Navy  Yard. 

1896  Plattsburgh  trolley  line  completed. 

1904  At  Port  Gilliland,  (once  Janesboro')  the  home  .of 

her  fathers,  after  a   long  and  painful  illness,  most 


230  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

patiently  borne,  Emily  Thurber  Gilliland,  a  memberof 
Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.,  entered  into  rest.  She  was  a 
daughter  of  Henry  Phagan  and  Abigail  (Thixrber) 
Gilliland  and  great-granddaughter  of  the  patriot, 
Capt.  William  Gilliland,  the  first  permanent  settler  on 
the  west  shore  of  Lake  Champlain  "  where,  in  1775, 
the  settlers  met  and  elected  him  moderator.  He 
raised  a  company  of  minute  men  and  in  the  disastrous 
retreat  from  Canada  he  and  his  servants,  at  his  ex- 
pense, cared  for  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  and 
gave  a  fitting  burial  to  those  who  there  succumbed  to 
the  hardships  of  that  campaign." 

The   lives   that   make  the   world    so    sweet 
Are  shy,  and  hide  like  the  humble  flower. 

We  pass  them  by  with  our  careless  feet, 
Nor  dream  'tis  their  fragrance  fills  the  bower, 
And  cheers  and  comforts  us  hour  by  hour. 

— Buckkatn. 

JULY  26 

1688  Indian  warriors  landed  on  the  island  of  Montreal 

and,  having  overpowered  a  force  of  150  Canadians 
and  50  Indians  imprudently  sent  against  them,  de- 
vastated the  whole  settlement,  killing  nearly  1,000  of 
the  inhabitants  and  carrying  1,200  of  them  into  cap- 
tivity. 

1691  Major  Peter  Schuyler  arrived  at  the  Isle  la  Motte 

with  a  flotilla  of  canoes  and  266  men,  of  whom  120 
were  Whites  and  the  rest  Indians.  Schuyler  says  the 
fort  had  been  "  several  years  deserted." 

1757  The  Marquis  de  Montcalm  is  gone  to  hold  a  Coun- 

cil vidth  all  the  Nations,  consisting  of  thirty-seven,  and 
on  his  return  has  fixed  the  departure  of  the  army. — 
Journal  of  the  Expedition  against  Fort  William  Henry 

1759  At  ten  o'clock  at  night,  deserters  to  the  British 

camp  informed  Amherst  that  the  French  had  aban- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  231 

doned  the  fort,  but  had  left  guns  loaded  and  pointed 
with  a  lighted  fuse  connected  with  the  powder 
magazine.  Instantly  an  awful  explosion  resounded 
throughout  the  valley,  announcing  the  blowing  up  of 
the  fort  at  Ticonderoga. 

1783  Benjamin  Mooers  left  Poughkeepsie  in  a  bateau 

accompanied  by  Francis  Monty  and  son,  Zaccheus 
Peaslee,  Pierre  Boilan,  Charles  Cloutier,  Antoine 
La  van,  Joseph  Latourneau,  Antoine  Lasambert,  P. 
Aboir  and  John  Fessie, 

1788  In  the  State  Convention,  assembled  at  the  Van 

Kleeck  House,  Poughkeepsie,  Zephaniah  Piatt,  De 
Witt,  Gilbert  Livingston  and  Melancton  Smith,  by 
their  votes  secured  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Consti- 
tution. Smith,  imtil  he  saw  that  its  adoption  by  the 
states  was  certain,  had  co-operated  with  Judge 
Thomas  Treadwell,  Yates,  Lansing  and  his  friend, 
Governor  Clinton,  in  opposition  to  it.  He  then  gave 
up  his  objections. 

" — A  magnanimous  sacrifice  of  preconceived  principles 
and  party  discipline  for  the  national  welfare,  and  the  effort  was 
the  greater,  inasmuch  as  he  had  to  desert  his  friend,  Governor 
Clinton." — Chancellor  Kent. 

1817  At  twelve  o'clock,  President  Monroe  arrived  at 

Cumberland  Head  on  the  steamboat  Phoenix  and 
was  conveyed  to  the  wharf  in  the  village  in  Col.  At- 
kinson's barge.  From  the  w^harf  he  was  escorted  to 
Israel  Green's  Inn,  by  a  company  of  the  U.  S.  Infantry, 
under  Capt.  Newman  S.  Clark.  Capt.  Sperry's  com- 
pany of  horse  and  the  Plattsburgh  Rifles.  At  the 
hotel,  Reuben  H.  Walworth,  on  behalf  of  the  corpora- 
tion, delivered  an  address  of  welcome.  As  the  Presi- 
dent passed  into  the  house,  the  young  ladies  from 
Miss    Cook's   and    Miss    Forrence's    schools    strewed 


232  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

flowers  in  his  path.  In  the  evening,  the  President 
attended  a  party  at  the  home  of  Capt.  Sidney  Smith 
of  the  Navy. 

1825  Judge  Samuel  Hicks,  a  pioneer  in  1798,  died  at 

Champlain.  He  was  a  son  of  John  and  EHzabeth 
(Nutting)  Hicks  of  Cambridge,  Mass.;  a  captain  of 
dragoons  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  was  engaged 
as  commissary"  in  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh,  besides 
operating  so  actively  against  the  British  that  they 
offered  a  reward  for  his  head. 

1828  Captain  Daniel  Wilcox,  the  first  boat-builder  on 

the  lake,  died  at  the  age  of  64  years.  He  came,  in 
1788,  with  Benjamin  Boardman  from  Connecticut, 
where  he  had  built  the  first  boat,  a  sloop  of  30  tons, 
after  the  Revolutionary  war.  Like  the  Boardmans, 
Joseph,  Henry,  Elisha  and  Samuel,  he  settled  on  Grand 
Isle,  where  he  made  the  brick  and  built  the  house 
known  as  the  D.  Wilcox  Inn  on  the  Wilcox  farm, 
South  Hero.  He  also  ran  the  first  ferry  from  his 
place  to  the  Ransom  landing  "  under  the  swinging 
branches  of  elms  and  quivering  shadows  of  Lombardy 
poplars." 

JULY  27 

1691  Major  Schuyler  and  his  men  encamped  last  night 

and  this  night  on  Isle  la  Motte. 

1759  A  sergeant  of  the  British  regulars  succeeded  in 

entering  the  burning  fort  and,  raising  the  English 
flag,  bore  the  white  banner  of  France  to  his  general. 

1777  Jane   McCrea,  in  whose   memory  Jane   McCrea 

Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  at  Fort  Edward  is  named,  uninten- 
tionally shot  by  Provincials  in  pursuit  of  the  band 
of  British  Indians  with  whom  she  was  fleeing.     Of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  233 

a  Loyalist  family  and  betrothed  to  David  Jones,  a 
young  British  officer,  with  a  party  of  ladies  she  had 
just  been  visiting  the  British  camp  when  the  attack 
occurred.  Her  remains  rest  in  Fort  Edward  ceme- 
tery. 

J8I7  President  Monroe  attended  services  in  the  Pres- 

byterian church  and  took  tea  at  Judge  Delord's.  On 
the  invitation  of  the  President,  Col.  Melancton  Smith 
dined  with  him  at  Israel  Green's  Inn. 

1830  "  The  Winooski  River  was  from  four  to  twenty 
feet  higher  than  ever  before  known,  according  to  the 
width  of  the  channel,"  3.85  inches  of  rain  having  fallen 
in  the  vicinity  in  the  preceding  sixteen  hours 

1 83 1  Trinity  church  was  consecrated.  The  Rev.  Anson 
Hard  was  then  rector.  In  the  early  years  of  its  his- 
tory, the  Society  had  met  for  worship  at  the  Academy 
or  Court  House  and  during  the  interval  (182  6-1 831), 
when  the  church  had  no  rector,  the  members  usually 
attended  the  services  of  the  Methodist  Church. 

JULY  28 

1691  Major  Schuyler  "  called  a  Council  of  warr  "  and 

it  was  decided  "  to  fall  upon  Leprarie."  A  little 
later  four  of  their  Mohawks  sent  out  as  spies  were 
fired  upon  by  a  party  of  "  eight  of  the  Enemy's  pray- 
ing Indians  "  and  three  wounded.  These  were  car- 
ried "  on  shoar  "  and  cared  for  and  the  invaders  en- 
camped over  night  "  within  ten  miles  of  Fort  Sham- 
blie."  On  the  second  day  they  continued  their 
advance  toward  Leprarie. 

1765  — arrived  at  Trois  rivere. — Gilliland. 

1771  Sheriff  Ten  Eyck,  at  the  head  of  two  or  three 

hundred  variously  armed  men,  among  them  the  mayor, 


234  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

several  aldermen  and  four  counsellors  of  the  law 
(Messrs.  Sylvester,  Robert  Yates,  Christopher  Yates 
and  Mr.  Bleeker)  left  Albany  to  serve  writs  of  eject- 
ment on  James  Breakenbridge  and  Josiah  Fuller  of 
Bennington.  Meeting  with  armed  resistance  from 
the  sturdy  settlers  of  the  Grants,  they  were  only  too 
glad  to  return  alive. 

1817  At  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon.  President  Monroe 

started  for  Sackett's  Harbor,  under  escort  of  Capt. 
Sperry's  company.  At  two  o'clock  a  point  in  the 
road,  leading  through  the  primeval  forest,  thirteen 
miles  distant,  was  reached,  where  a  bower  had  been 
erected  and  a  repast  provided  for  his  party.  The 
money  used  had  been  intended  for  the  purchase  of  a 
fire-engine,  but  a  President  does  not  visit  Pittsburgh 
every  year. 

1844  Death,  in  Burlington,  of  the  Rev.  Hiram  Saf- 

ford,  first  pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  to  which  he  had 
come  from  his  charge  in  Keeseville.  His  widow,  Char- 
lotte SafTord,  for  whom  Charlotte  street  in  Platts- 
burgh  is  named,  survived  him  many  years.  Hiram 
Safford  served  in  the  war  of  1 812,  as  first  Heutenant; 
captain  and  major  of  the  Third  Squadron,  7th.  Reg't 
N.  Y.  Vols.  Sept.  6,  1814,  on  the  approach  of  the 
left  wing  of  Prevost's  army.  Major  Safford  was  on 
picket  in  command  of  his  troops  at  Dead  Creek  Bridge 
and  was  attacked  by  the  advanced  guard  of  the 
enemy.  During  the  battle,  five  days  later,  he  and  his 
command  were  in  the  old  stone  mill  (site  of  Lake 
Champlain  Pulp  and  Paper  Co.)  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Saranac  river,  on  duty  as  sharpshooters,  which  duty 
was  so  well  performed  that  they  killed  and  drove  away 
all  the  gunners  from  an  EngHsh  battery  on  the  op- 
posite bank  near  the  present  residence  of  Hon.  Smith 
M.  Weed. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  235 

"  Hiram  Safford  was  a  good  pastor,  citizen  and 
soldier." — Tribute  of  President  Buckham  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Vermont. 

JULY  29 

'Twas  evening,   and  the  sun's  last   ray 
Was  beaniing  o'er  the  azure  sky; 

Earth  bade  farewell  to  cheerful  day. 

Which  sinks  beneath  the  mountain  high. 

— Margaret    Miller    Davidson. 

1609  When  evening  came  we  embarked  in  our  canoes 

to  continue  on  our  way;  and,  as  we  were  going  along 
very  quietly,  and  without  making  any  noise — we  met 
the  Iroquois  at  ten  o'clock  at  night  at  the  end  of  a 
cape  that  projects  into  the  lake  on  the  west  side 
and  they  were  coming  to  war. — Champlain. 

1759  Lord  Amherst,  the   successor   of     Abercrombie 

with  11,000  men  reached  Carillon  without  opposition. 

1764  Birth  of  Henry  Delord,  son  of  Jean  Baptiste  and 
Frances  Quinac  Delord,  parish  of  St.  Castor,  France. 
When  a  young  man  he  married  and  went  to  Mar- 
tinique where,  at  the  beginning  of  the  French  Revolu- 
tion he  owned  a  large  plantation  and  many  slaves. 
The  negro  uprising  sent  him  to  this  country  and  he 
settled  in  Peru  as  early  as  1796.  Here,  on  the  corner 
opposite  the  Friends'  meeting  house  he  built  a  com- 
modious dwelling  still  standing,  the  oldest  house  in 
town.  The  first  post-office  was  kept  here  and  Louis 
Phillipe  was  once  a  guest.  Large  business  interests 
requiring  removal  to  Plattsburgh,  the  farm  was  sold 
to  James  Rogers,  a  worthy  Quaker. 

1765  Mr.  Henry  being  much  indisposed,  Mr.  Jones  and 
I  took  a  ride  out  to  view  the  iron  works,  situated  at  9 
miles    distance    from    the    town.     We    found    them 


236  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

greatly  out  of  repair,  no  ore,  iron  or  fuel,  being  not 
less  than  9  miles,  all  by  land. — Gilliland. 

1783  Lieut.  Mooers  and  party  arrived  at  Albany  where 

they  were  joined  by  John  LaFrombois,  who  was  re- 
turning to  his  farm  on  the  lake  shore  in  Chazy. 

1798  Judge  Melancton  Smith  died  of  yellow  fever,  the 

first  case  that  appeared  in  New  York  city.  The  inter- 
ment was  in  Gold  St.  churchyard  though  there  are 
stones  to  the  memory  of  both  the  Judge  and  his  wife 
in  Riverside  cemetery,  Plattsburgh.  An  officer  in  the 
Revolution  and  a  patriot  in  every  sense  of  the  word, 
he  represented  Dutchess  county  in  the  First  Provin- 
cial Congress  as  well  as  in  the  convention  which  met  in 
1778  to  consider  the  constitution  of  the  United  States. 
With  the  Platts,  whose  acquaintance  he  had  doubtless 
made  while  at  work  in  a  retail  store  in  Poughkeepsie, 
to  which  he  had  been  sent  as  a  boy,  he  became  one  of 
the  original  proprietors  of  Plattsburgh  though  he  did 
not  live  to  enjoy  his  possessions.  His  two  sons,  Col. 
Melancton  Smith,  U.  S.  A.  and  Capt.  Sidney  Smith, 
U.  S.  N.  settled  on  the  Plattsburgh  property  and  for 
their  bright  Httle  Quaker  mother,  Margaret  Mott,  the 
principal  street,  Margaret  is  named.  She  was  a  first 
cousin,  schoolmate  and  hfe-long  friend  of  Dr.  Valentine 
Mott. 

1897  President   and   Mrs.     McKinley,     Sec.    of   War, 

Gen.  Russell  and  Mrs.  Alger  with  private  secretary, 
Gen.  and  Mrs.  Porter  arrived  at  Hotel  Champlain. 

Out  of  the  city,  how  the  breeze 
Lisps  and  laughs  in  the  tossing  trees, 

Cools  its  wings  in  the  crystal  lake, 
Borrows  odor  of  bloom  and  brake: 

Out  of  the  city's  smoke  and  soot 
Hasten  pilgrims  on  wing  and  foot; 

— James    Bttckham. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


237 


1853  Creation  of  the  Diocese  of  Burlington.     Its  first 

Bishop,  Rt.  Rev.  L.  De  Goesbriand,  was  consecrated 
the  following  October. 


1609 


1765 


1805 


JULY  30 

Champlain 's  battle  with  the  Iroquois  took  place 
in  which  several  of  the  savages  were  killed  and  ten  or 
twelve  taken  prisoners.  Thus  was  the  first  blood  shed 
by  white  men  in  the  valley. 

"  This  place,  where  this  charge  was  made,  is  in  latitude  43 
degrees  and  some  minutes,  and  I  named  the  Lake  Lake  Cham- 
plain."— Champlain. 

We  embarked  on  a  bateau,  at  Trois  rivere,  about 
8  in  the  morning,  and  arrived  at  Quebec  about  10 
that  night. — Gilliland. 


Birth  in  Plattsburgh  of  Zephaniah  C.  Piatt,  son 
of  Isaac  C.  and  Ann  Tread  well  Piatt,  and  grandson  of 
Judge  Charles  Piatt,  the  first  permanent  settler.    Dur- 


238  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

ing  the  war  of  181 2,  Zephaniah  C.  was  sent  to  Vermont 
to  school,  attending  the  primary  department  of  Mid- 
dlebury  College,  of  which  an  uncle  was  then  principal. 
During  the  siege  of  Plattsburgh,  his  father's  house 
was  headquarters  for  the  British  General  Robertson 
and  was  used  as  a  military  hospital.  He  afterwards 
attended  the  old  Academy  and  was  first  president  of 
both  the  Clinton  County  Savings  Bank  and  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Plattsburgh. 

1813  Col.  Murray  embarked  his  force  numbering  over 

1,400  men,  including  infantry,  sailors  and  marines  in 
two  war  sloops,  three  gunboats,  and  forty-seven 
longboats,  and,  crossing  the  lines,  passed  Champlain 
where  the  Americans  had  not  and  never  had  a  naval 
establishment.  The  same  day  some  of  the  British 
gunboats  menaced  Burlington  and  exchanged  a  few 
shots  with  our  batteries  while  Gen.  Hampton  was 
organizing  his  forces  in  town,  intending  to  invade 
Canada,  and  Com.  Macdonough  was  procuring  the 
necessary  equipment  for  his  flotilla  then  occupying 
the  harbor. 

JULY  31 

1 759  The  French  retreated  from  Crown  Point  to  Isle 

aux  Noix. 

1783  Lieut.  Mooers'  party  left  Albany  and  proceeded 

up  the  Hudson  about  five  miles,  where  the  boat  was 
partially  unloaded  and  taken  over  the  rapids  to 
Stillwater. — Palmer. 

1813  Murray  and  his  force  landed  in  Plattsburgh  with- 

out opposition  and  began  a  work  of  destruction.  In 
spite  of  his  assurances  that  private  property  and 
unarmed  citizens  should  be  unmolested,  in  addition 
to  destroying    the   block-house,    arsenal   on    Broad 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  239 

Street,  armory  and  hospital  and  the  mihtary  canton- 
ment at  Fredenburgh  Falls,  two  miles  up  the  river, 
the  British  wantonly  burned  three  private  store- 
houses, taking  possession  of  hardware  belonging  to 
merchants  of  the  city  of  Boston,  and  broke  into  and 
robbed  private  dwellings.  Judge  Delord,  Peter  Sailly, 
Esq.,  Judge  Palmer,  Dr.  Miller,  Bostwick  Buck,  Jacob 
Ferris  and  Major  Piatt  were  among  the  losers. 

Three  of  the  British  vessels  appeared  in  Burlington 
bay  and  commenced  to  bombard  the  Battery,  but  the 
fire  was  returned  from  the  guns  mounted  on  the 
parapet  with  such  vigor  that  the  enemy  retired. 

1814  Macomb's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  6th,   13th, 

15th,  1 6th,  and  29th  Regiments  set  out  in  boats  from 
Cumberland  Head  for  Chazy  Landing  while  Bissell's 
brigade,  comprising  the  5th,  14th,  30th,  31st,  33d, 
34th,  and  45th  Regiments,  started  for  Chazy  by  land. 
There  were  now  4,500  men  at  or  in  the  rear  of  the 
village  of  Champlain.  Invalids  and  200  effective 
were  left  to  finish  the  works  on  the  Head  while  a  work- 
ing party  of  400  imder  Col.  Fen  wick  were  completing 
the  three  redoubts  in  that  village. 


240  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


AUGUST  I 

The  hills  loomed  up  through  the  silver  haze ; 
Tht  air  blew  sweet,  and  warm,  and  soft. 
Far  blazed  the  ranks  of  the  golden-rod — 

— Buckham. 

1755  Arrival  at  Crown  Point  of  Baron  Dieskau,  re- 

cently come  from  France  with  several  veteran  Regi- 
ments under  orders  for  Lake  Ontario,  but  hearing  of 
the  advance  af  the  English  towards  Lake  George,  he 
had   changed   his   course. 

1759  Bourlemaque   with   a   handful   of   men   holding 

Carillon,  leaves  the  fort  in  flames  and  retreats  to 
Crown  Point.  The  deserted  entrenchments  were 
immediately  occupied  by  EngHsh  Grenadiers,  while 
the  French  burned  their  forts  at  Crown  and  Chimney 
Points  and,  accompanied  by  the  settlers,  who  had 
abandoned  their  farms,  retreated  to  Canada. 

1809  The   cargo  of  the   sloop  Franklin,  Thomas  Ed- 

wards, master,  consisted  of  two  crates  of  crockery, 
one  box,  six  pounds  of  soap  and  25  pewter  plates. — 
Extract    from    old    import    hook    at    Plattsburgh. 

1813  At  ten   o'clock   Murray,   having  completed  his 

work  ot  destruction,  embarked  in  haste,  leaving  a 
picket  guard  of  21  men,  which  were  immediately 
seized  and  sent  as  prisoners  to  Burlington.  The 
longboats  and  two  of  the  gunboats  went  north,  land- 
ing their  men  at  Cumberland  Head  and  Point  au 
Roche,  where  they  pillaged  the  houses  and  farms  of 
Henry  W.  Brand,  Judge  Treadwell  and  Jeremiah 
Stowe.  At  Chazy  landing,  the  enemy  burned  a  store 
belonging  to  Judge  Saxe  and  at  Swanton,  Vt.,  some  old 
barracks  and  plundered  several  citizens.     The  two 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  241 

sloops  and  the  other  gunboat  sailed  south  ten  or 
twelve  miles  above  Burlington  and  then  returned 
towards  Canada,  firing  a  few  shots  at  Burlington  as 
they  passed. 

This  day  on  account  of  an  invasion  of  the  British  troops 
there  was  no  pubHc  worship,  and  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  could  not  be  administered,  according  to  appointment. — 
Sessional  records,  Presbyterian  Church,  Plattsburgh. 

1884  D.  &  H.  freight  house  and  Dock  Company's  ware- 

house at  Plattsburgh  burned. 

1898  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  sent  55  hospital  shirts, 
75  cholera  bands,  writing  paper,  stamped  envelopes 
and  miscellaneous  articles  to  Washington. 

1899  The  Burlington  Traction  Co.  extended  its  line  to 
Queen  City  Park. 


AUGUST  2 

All  about  us  the  air  was  a-swoon 
With  the  brimming  wine  of  midsummer  noon, 
And  the  August  pipers  clear  and  shrill 
Sang  chirr,  chirr,  chirr  like  a  shepherd's  tune 
On  his  oaten  pipe,  from  the  greenwood  hill. 

— James  Buckham. 

1756  Marquis  Montcalm,  with  the  9,000  French  and 

Indians  he  had  collected  during  the  summer  at  Caril- 
lon, captured  Fort  William  Henry  from  Col.  Monroe. 
This  was  the  zenith  of  French  power  in  America. 

"  Had  I  to  besiege  Fort  Carillon,"  said  Montcalm,  in  1758 
while  wondering  at  the  retreat  of  Abercrombie,  "  I  would  ask  but 
six  mortars  and  two  pieces  of  artillery." 

1828  Beginning  of  the  first  term  of  the  Academy  after 

its  incorporation  with  Alexander  H.  Prescott,  who 
had  previously  taught  in  Chazy,  as  principal.     Mr. 


242  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Prescott  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Herrick  (whose 
home  was  opposite  the  Freleigh  house  on  Peru  street) 
and  built  and  occupied  the  stone  house,  now  5  Broad 
street 

1836  Death  came  suddenly  to  Judge  Matthew  Saxe 

while  at  work  in  the  hay  field  and  the  spot  where  he 
fell  was,  for  many  years,  marked  by  a  post  painted 
red.  Matthew  Saxe  with  two  of  his  brothers,  came 
ta  Chazy  in  1808  from  Highgate.  He  built  a  wharf  a 
few  rods  south  of  the  rude  wharf  of  WilHam  Lawrence, 
and  a  stone  store-house,  still  standing.  Soon  a  thriv- 
ing business  sprang  up  at  Saxe's  Landing  and  con- 
tinued for  many  years  until  the  building  of  railroads 
diverted  the  shipping  interests  from  the  lake  and  all 
the  lake  ports  fell  into  a  state  of  decadence. 

AUGUST  3 

The  cotintry  (Crown  Point,  1759),  thus  cheaply  won  (by 
Amherst)  was  rich  and  beautiful;  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
magnificent  forests  and  verdant  turf  alternated  on  the  undula- 
tions of  the  landscape,  down  to  the  margin  of  the  beautiful  lake. 
The  sugar-tree,  and  various  fruits  and  flowers,  abounded  in  the 
sunny  valleys,  and  the  scent  of  aromatic  herbs  filled  the  pure  air 
with  a  delightful  perfume. — Warburton. 

1808  Conflict  on  the  Onion  river  near  Winooski  be- 

tween the  "  Black  Snake,"  a  large  bateau  commanded 
by  Samuel  J.  Mott  of  Alburgh  with  a  crew  of  seven 
desperate  men  engaged  in  smuggling,  and  the  revenue 
cutter  "  Fly "  under  Lieut.  Farrington  (who  was 
wounded  in  the  fight)  and  a  crew  of  militiamen,  two 
of  whom  were  killed  with  one  of  the  smugglers. 

1833  Hugh  Moore  and  Roby  G.  Stone  began  to  publish 

the  Republican.  The  latter  had  served  an  apprentice- 
ship of  ten  years  in  the  office  of  the  Burlington 
Sentinel  and  printed,  edited  and  owned  for  more  than 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  243 

a  quarter  of  a  century  the  Plattsburgh  Republican 
He  was  a  native  of  Bolton,  Vt.  and  the  last  of  his 
family  bearing  the  name  of  Stone.  From  1827  he 
held  a  commission  in  the  militia  and  after  his  removal 
to  the  western  side  of  the  lake,  was  brigade  inspector 
17  years  and  later  inspector  of  the  fourth  division  of 
N.  Y.  State  militia.  His  interest  in  Vermont  never 
changed  and  in  1862  he  had  attended  38  commence- 
ments at  the  U.  V.  M.  He  remained  through  life  a 
Democrat  of  the  most  uncompromising  type. 

AUGUST  4 

1759  Amherst  with  the   main   army   reached    Crown 

Point,  where  he  traced  out  the  lines  of  a  new  fort 
about  two  hundred  yards  west  of  the  old  French 
works,  "  as  a  defence  in  future  against  the  savage 
scalping  parties  which  had  so  long  been  a  terror  to 
the  frontier  settlers  of  New  York."  The  fort  though 
never  completed,  is  said  to  have  cost  the  English 
government  over  two  milHon  pounds  sterling. 

1784  ^      Lafayette  landed  in  this  country  for  the  third 

time.  He  was  accompanied  by  John  Louis  Fouquet 
who  first  opened  a  boarding  house  in  Albany  and 
later  settled  in  Plattsburgh  where  his  godfather 
John  Fontfleyd,  had  already  located  on  Cumberland 
Head. 

But  ah,  the  wing  of  death  is  spread; 

I  hear  the  midnight  murd'rers  tread;— 

I  hear  the  Plague  that  walks  at  night,— 

I  mark  its  pestilential  blight; 

I  feel  its  hot  and  with'ring  breath, 

It  is  the  messenger  of  death! 

— Lucretia  Maria  Davidson. 

1832  Died  in  her  home  on  Margaret  street  near  Broad 

ot  cholera  dunng  the  scourge  in  that  year,  Mrs.  Parker' 


244  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

wife  of  a  respectable  mechanic,  both  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  The  remains  were  interred  at 
dead  of  night,  attended  by  her  courageous  pastor,  Mr. 
Chase,  and  a  few  of  the  church  members,  among  them 
Mr.  Winslow  C.  Watson. 

1867  On  board  the  frigate  Colorado,  off  Fort  Pickens, 

Fla.,  died  Capt.  Thurber  Bailey,  son  of  John  W. 
Bailey  and  his  wife,  Emily  Thurber,  a  daughter  of 
Gen.  Thurber  of  Rouses  Point. 


AUGUST  5 

1807  At  Point  Oliver,  Lower  Canada  was  born  Frances 

J.  D 'Avignon,  a  skilled  physician  and  surgeon  and 
a  refugee  from  Canada,  he  came  a  pioneer  to  the  Adi- 
rondack country  after  the  termination  of  the  Canadian 
rebellion  in  which  he  had  taken  an  active  part.  Twice 
he  had  been  arrested,  the  last  time  under  sentence  of 
death,  but  had  miraculously  escaped  and  during  the 
Civil  War  joined  the  Union  forces.  Captured  he  was 
placed  in  Libby  Prison,  but  later  served  his  adopted 
country  in  being  permitted  to  minister  to  sick  and 
suffering  Union  soldiers.  He  died  at  Au  Sable  Forks 
at  the  age  of  50. 

1832  Col.  Ozias  Buell,  an  organizer  and  benefactor  of 

the  First  Congregational  Church,  treasurer  of  the 
University  of  Vermont  for  21  years  and  public  spir- 
ited man  in  every  w^ay,  died  in  Burlington,  age  63. 
Trained  in  business  methods  under  his  uncle,  Mr. 
Julius  Deming,  of  Litchfield  he  estabHshed  himself 
in  Kent,  Conn.,  where  he  held  the  office  of  colonel  in 
the  continental  militia.  After  ten  or  twelve  years  he 
came  to  Burlington  where  his  brother-in-law,  Moses 
Catlin,  was  already  settled.  When  the  bell  far  the 
first  church  building  was  ready  to  be  raised,  Mac- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  245 

donough,  whose  vessel  then  lay  at  the  wharf,  "  volun- 
teered the  services  of  his  men  to  his  friend  Buell  and 
superintended  the  operation  in  person."  Buell  street 
perpetuates  the  colonel's  family  name. 

1909  Dr.  D.  S.  Kellogg's  valuable  collection,  containing 

several  thousand  specimens  of  Indian  relics  and  local 
curios,  sold  to  Amherst  college  for  $6,000.  Nearly  all 
the  Indian  relics  were  found  in  Champlain  Valley  and 
most  of  them  within  fifteen  miles  of  Pittsburgh .  The 
sites  of  twenty-one  Indian  villages  have  been  located 
by  the  doctor,  the  largest  one  being  in  the  sand  dunes 
near  Dead  Creek.  Others  were  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Big  Chazy,  at  South  Plattsburgh,  and  in  the  town  of 
Peru,  and  at  all  these  pottery  and  flint  implements  in 
abundance  were  found.  The  score  of  copper  imple- 
ments, knives,  spearheads  and  hatchet  heads,  found 
in  this  vicinity  were  doubtless  obtained  by  the  Indians 
either  in  trade  or  taken  from  slain  or  captive  enemies, 
smce  there  is  no  native  copper  nearer  than  Lake 
Superior. 

AUGUST  6 

Yet  is  not  the  whisper  of  the  midsummer  wind  as  distinct  a 
voice,  to  those  who  hear  it,  as  any  in  the  pneumatic  calendar?  It 
surely  is  to  me.  I  could  never  mistake  its  sound,  and  certainly  not 
Its  touch. — James    Buckham. 

1787  Josiah  Thorp  completed  his  survey  of  Zephaniah 

Piatt's  1 7, 983 -acre  location. 

1813  On  Friday,  near  the  lakeshore  on  the  Boynton 

road,  James  Dougherty,  a  soldier,  was  hung  and  his 
body  deHvered  to  the  president  of  the  Clinton  County 
Medical  Society  "for  the  use  of  said  society." 
Dougherty  had  been  tried  and  convicted  at  the  June 
Oyer  and  Terminer  (Judge  James  Kent  presiding) 
for  the  murder  of  a  young  man  named  John  Wait,  a 


246  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

resident  of  Salmon  River,  who  was  returning  from 
Pike's  Cantonment  where  he  had  been  to  deliver  a 
load  of  wood. 

This    is   my  thought    of   the   Judgment-time: 

:i!  :^  ilf  ^  H:  il^  :ti 

Each  soul  alone  at  its  Father's  feet, 

Nor  suffered  thence  till  it  stands  complete. 

— James    Buckham. 

1838  At  his  farm,  near  Halsey's  Corner,  to  which  he 

had  retired  on  resigning  the  pastorate  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  died  the  Rev.  Frederick 
Halsey,  its  organizer  and  pastor  until  1810.  He  left 
a  widow  (his  second  wife)  Mrs.  Maria  Man  n^e  Piatt, 
who  later  became  the  third  wife  of  her  neighbor  and 
cousin,  Isaac  C.  Piatt,  Pastor  Halsey  came  from 
Smithtown,  L.  I.  to  minister  to  this  people  in  spiritual 
and  educational  affairs.  At  first  he  preached  from 
house  to  house  until  a  church  was  organized,  which 
during  the  fourteen  years  of  his  pastorate  held  its 
services  in  the  Block  House  near  the  lakeshore  on  the 
Point.  It  may  be  truly  said  that  he  laid  the  founda- 
tion for  the  educational,  social  and  spiritual  interests 
for  this  region.  It  is  recorded  that  he  solemnized 
more  than  600  marriages  and  his  church  increased 
nearly  five-fold  during  his  ministry.  At  his  grave  it 
was  said  that  he  "  was  a  man  that  never  made  a 
enemy  " — a  rare  eulogy. 

1874  At  Port  Kent,  in  the  house  which  he  had  built  in 

1828,  died  Peter  Comstock,  far  famed  as  the  pioneer 
contractor  and  navigator  of  the  Champlain  Canal 
and  prominent  in  the  transportation  and  lumbering 
interests  of  the  valley.  The  youngest  son  of  Samuel 
and  Sarah  (Crippen)  Comstock  of  Egremont,  Mass., 
where  he  was  bom  in  1796,  he  came  with  his  parents 
to  Fort  Ann  about  1800.     As  a  young  man  he  settled 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  247 

at  a  point  (since  called  Comstock)  on  the  projected 
Champlain  Canal  in  the  construction  of  which  he  was 
the  leading  contractor.  He  ran  the  first  freight  boats 
and  packets,  was  proprietor  of  the  Red  Bird  Stage 
line,  and  principal  proprietor  of  the  opposition 
steamer  Francis  Saltus.  Nothing  ever  daunted  him — 
"  a  regular  Napoleon  in  business — he  carried  every- 
thing by  storm." 

AUGUST  7 

1763  The  township  of  St.  Albans  received  its  charter. 

J.  Walden,  who  remained  here  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary war  and  began  improvements  at  the  bay,  is 
supposed  to  have  been  the  first  civilized  settler. 
From  1785  to  1788,  Messrs.  Andrew  Potter,  Morrill, 
Gibbs,  Green  and  Meigs  with  their  families,  became 
permanent  settlers. 

1872  On    Wednesday   evening.    President    Grant    ac- 

companied by  Mrs.  Grant  and  their  sons  Lieut.  Fred 
and  Jesse,  Gen.  P.  H.  Sheridan  and  his  private  Secre- 
tary, Gen.  Porter,  arrived  in  a  special  car  from  Og- 
densburgh.  Early  in  the  evening,  at  the  Fouquet 
House  a  pubHc  reception  to  the  President  was  given, 
Gen.  Sheridan  receiving  in  an  adjoining  room.  After- 
wards, in  response  to  the  demands  of  the  crowd  out- 
side, the  distinguished  guests  spoke  a  few  words  from 
the  balcony.  Late  in  the  evening  a  private  reception 
was  tendered  the  party  at  the  residence  of  the  Hon. 
Moss  K.  Piatt,  at  which  the  principal  citizens  were 
present. 

AUGUST  8 

Men  wondered  why  in  August  heat, 
The  little  brook  with  music  sweet 
Could  glide  along  the  dusty  way, 
When  all  else  parched  and  silent  lay. 

— Buckham. 


248  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1754  In  Salisbury,  Conn,   was  bom  Joseph  Everest, 

son  of  Benjamin  Everest,  whose  three  sons,  Zadoc, 
Joseph  and  Benjamin,  were  early  settlers  of  Addison. 
Joseph  was  treacherously  enticed  on  board  a  sloop  by 
Carlton  whom  he  knew,  after  hostilities  had  com- 
menced and  Benjamin  was  taken  by  Indians  after 
Burgoyne's  surrender.  The  escape  from  their  captors 
of  these  brothers  forms  many  a  thrilling  tale. 

1760  Murray's  fleet  passed  Three  Rivers. 

1763  Orwell,  Vt.  was  chartered  to  Benjamin  Ferris 

and  associates. 

1801  Birth,  at  Unity,  N.  H.,  of  Allen  Breed,  Jr.,  son 

of  Allen  and  Judith  ((Livingston)  Breed  who  settled 
at  Crown  Point  in  1808  or  1809.  Allen,  Jr.  owned  an 
extensive  farm  two  miles  north  of  the  village. 

1811  Occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  William  Gilliland 

and  Mrs.  Nancy  Staats,  both  of  Plattsburgh.  Mrs. 
Statts,  nde  Ann  Maria  Hay,  was  the  widow  of  Cor- 
nelius Staats,  an  early  settler  of  Peru.  His  death 
occurred  March  25,  1809.  His  live  stock  was  identi- 
fied by  "  a  Eks  in  the  left  ear." 

1872  President  Grant  and  party  left  on  the  steamer 

"Oakes  Ames"  for  Burlington,  where  he  was  received 
by  the  authorities  of  that  city. 

1876  The  first  ascent  of  Lyon  Mountain  by  a  woman 

was  made  by  Miss  Hattie  Lyon,  a  granddaughter  of 
Nathaniel  Lyon,  an  early  settler  at  its  base  and  from 
whom  the  mountain  took  its  name. 

1909  Suddenly,    early    Sunday    morning,    at    "  Red 

Oaks,"  his  summer  home  on  Cumberland  Head,  the 
Rev.  Joseph  Gamble,  D.D.  was  summoned  "  from  a 
life  of  service  to  his  heavenly  reward." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  249 


AUGUST  9 

"  Soli  Deo  Laus  et  Gloria  " — 

Schuyler's  quotation  in  closing  his  report  of  the  expedition. 

1691  Major  Peter  Schuyler's  party  arrived  in  Albany 

with  their  "wounded  in  all  25."  In  the  attack  on 
Leprarie  the  French  had  been  apprised  of  their  com- 
ing and  strength,  and  fought  bravely  but  lost  200,  in- 
cluding Indians,  while  the  Albany  party  lost  about  16. 

1766  We  all  proceeded  homeward;  on   our  way  we 

stopped  at  the  river  Alamollie  (the  Lamoille)  which 
lies  about  east  of  the  south  end  cape  of  Grand  Isle ; 
is  a  very  large  river,  much  larger  than  Otter  Creek; 
went  about  6  miles  up  it,  no  falls  or  rapids  appeared, 
continued  smooth,  deep  and  wide,  is  well  stored 
with  fish,  the  land  on  both  sides  very  sandy  and  bad, 
much  ordinary  pine  timber.  Near  the  lake  the  land 
is  very  low,  looks  as  if  flooded  in  spring. — Gilliland. 

1777  Saturday — B.  Gen'l  Frazier's  Corps  moved  for- 

ward to  Fort  Miller,  or  rather  Duer's  House  immedi- 
ately opposite  (7  miles);  And  a  Detachment  from 
the  Army,  consisting  of  Reidesel's  Dragoons,  150  Pro- 
vincial 100  Savages,  and  a  part  of  Capt.  Frazer's 
Rangers,  in  all  556,  *  *  were  detached  towards 
Bennington . — H  add  en . 

The  object  of  your  expedition  is,  to  try  the  affection  of  the 
Country;  to  disconcert  the  councils  of  the  enemy,  to  mount  the 
Reidesils  Dragoons,  to  compleat  Peters  Corps  and  obtain  large 
supplies  of  cattle,  Horses  &  Carriages.  *  *  You  are  to  pro- 
ceed from  Batten  Kill  to  Arlington,  and  take  post  there  'till  the 
Detachment  of  Provincials  under  the  command  of  Capt.  Sher- 
wood shall  join  you  from  the  Southward. — 

Private  instructions  of  Gen.  Burgoyne  to  Lieut.  Col.  Baume. 

Thomas  Williams,  grandson  of  Eunice  Williams 
and  supposed  father  of  the   Rev.  Eleazer  Williams, 


250  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

was  with  Frazier's  detachment,  leading  a  company 
of  his  Indians. 

AUGUST  10 

1777  Sunday — The  53rd  Reg't  were  order 'd  back  to 

Garrison  Tyconderoga,  The  62d  Reg't  being  to  join 
the  Detachment  under  Lt.  Anstruther  at  Fort  George. 
The  Army  therefore  is  now  deminish'd  i  British  and 
I  German  BattaHon,  left  at  Tyconderoga  and  Mount 
Independence — Hadden's  Journal. 

The  same  day  there  died  in  Scotland  in  her  74th 
year,  Mrs.  Anna  Campbell  of  the  family  of  Bolenabe 
and  consort  of  Mr.  Duncan  Campbell  (of  Inverawe). 

1783  We    (Lieut.    Benj.    Mooers,    Ensign    Peaslee    (a 

nephew  of  Gen.  Hazen  and  cousin  of  Mooers )  and 
Lieut.  Francis  Monty,  a  refugee  from  Canada  with 
eight  Canadians)  arrived  at  Point  Au  Roche  and  im- 
mediately went  to  work,  and  put  up  a  comfortable 
Log  House.  I  brought  on  with  me  a  Father  and 
son,  by  the  name  of  Laflamboin,  who  had  retreated 
with  our  troops  and  had  previous  to  the  Revolution 
settled  on  the  west  bank  of  Lake  Champlain,  opposite 
the  Isle  la  Motte  on  which  was  some  improvements, — 
We  visited  the  place  soon  after  we  arrived — as  also 
one  or  two  other  improved  places — but  found  the 
buildings  destroyed.  —  Recollections  of  Benjamin 
Mooers. 

1791  Margaret  (Piatt)  Smith,  a  native  of  Hempstead, 

L.  I.  and  wife  of  Isaac  Smith,  died.  They  were  the 
maternal  grandparents  of  Mrs.  O.  P.  Davidson  of 
Plattsburgh.  Isaac  Smith  in  1757,  removed  from 
Long  Island,  the  home  of  his  ancestors  for  nearly  a 
century  to  Armenia,  Dutchess  Co.  where  they  reared 
a  family  of  five  sons  and  six  daughters.  He  was  a 
justice  and  survived  his  wife  but  four  years. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  251 

1849  A  disastrous  fire  in  four  hours  reduced  the  entire 

business  portion  of  the  vilHage  of  Plattsburghtoashes. 
Soon  after  the  Hon.  George  W.  Palmer  (now  living  at 
the  age  of  ninety-two),  whose  home  nearly  opposite 
the  old  Methodist  church  on  Court  street,  had  been 
burned,  moved  into  a  substantial  brick  house  which 
he  had  been  building  on  Oak  street  (then  called 
Boynton  Lane  and  later,  Lovers'  Lane).  This  was 
the  first  house  on  the  west  side  of  the  street,  north 
from  Cornelia,  except  one  small  house  on  the  north- 
west corner  of  Oak  and  Cornelia  streets,  then  oc- 
cupied by  George  Buck,  eldest  of  the  six  sons  of 
Ephraim  Buck,  who  built  the  fine  house  (now  39  Oak) 
on  the  opposite  comer. 

1895  Ground  was  broken  for  the  mill  and  dam  of  the 

High  Falls  Pulp  Company  at  the  great  falls  of  the 
Chateaugay  river,  five  miles  below  the  outlet  of 
Chateaugay  lake  at  Bellmont. 

AUGUST  n 

1777  This  was  a  very  hot  day  in  Champlain  Valley 

and,  at  night,  was  followed  by  so  violent  a  storm  of 
thunder,  lightning,  wind  and  rain  that  the  soldiers 
of  Lieut.  Digby's  regiment  (the  53d)  could  not  stay 
in  their  tents  and  the  horses  were  so  frightened  that 
they  tore  down  the  sheds  built  to  protect  them  from 
the  sun.     Digby  wrote  in  his  Journal: — 

A  large  detachment  of  German  troops  consisting  of  Gen. 
Reidzels  dragoons  who  came  dismounted  from  Germany,  a  body 
of  Rangers,  Indians  &  volunteers,  with  4  pieces  of  cannon,  went 
from  our  camp  (at  Fort  Miller)  on  a  secret  expedition;  their  route 
was  not  publicly  known,  but  supposed  for  to  take  a  large  store  of 
provisions  belonging  to  the  enemy  at  Bennington,  and  also  horses 
to  mount  the  dragoons." 

1814  The  new  brig,  carrying  20  guns,  was  launched  at 

Vergennes  and  named  the  Eagle. 


252  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1831  At  Burlington,  Samuel  Buell,  son  of  the  Revolu- 

tionary soldier,  Major  Elias  Buell  of  Coventry,  Conn., 
died  in  his  sixty-sixth  year.  His  widow,  Julia 
(Sailly)  Piatt,  survived  until  1840.  For  many  years 
Samuel  Buell  had  been  collector  of  customs  at  Bur- 
lington. Major  Buell  and  his  wife,  Sarah  Turner, 
died  the  same  year,  1824,  in  Albany. 


AUGUST  12 

1760  Murray's  fleet  anchored  opposite  Sore!  where  M. 

de  Bourlemaque  was  posted  with  about  4,000  men. 

1768  Boundary  line  between  Canada  and  New  York 

Colony  fixed  by  an  order   in  Council. 

1773  John  Strong,  Benjamin  Kellogg,  Zadock  Everest 

and  ten  other  Addison  boys  went  with  Allen  to  dis- 
possess Reid  at  the  Falls  near  Vergennes. 

1784  Zephaniah  Piatt  of  Poughkeepsie,  in  behalf  of 

himself  and  thirty-two  associates,  who  collectively 
had  acquired  the  requisite  number  of  "  rights  "  and 
located  them  upon  the  tract  of  land  claimed  by  De 
Fredenburgh  under  his  warrant,  procured  the  neces- 
sary certificate  from  the  Surveyor  General,  that  the 
lands  were  vacant  and  unappropriated. 

1793  Birth,  in  Dutchess  county,  of  Polly,  daughter  of 

Rufus  Comstock,  a  pioneer  in  Plattsburgh  about  1800, 
removing  later  to  Beekmantown. 

1812  David  B.  McNeil  was  admitted  to  practice  in  the 

Supreme  Court  of  New  York  by  Chief  Justice  James 
Kent  (afterwards  Chancellor).  In  18 14,  David,  now 
Captain,  McNeil  was  with  the  Essex  County  miHtia 
called  out  by  Murray's  invasion;  was  at  Fort  Cassin 


1835 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


253 


when  that  fort  was  attacked  by  British  gun  boats 
and,  by  the  first  of  September,  was  again  at  Platts- 
burgh  and  on  continous  duty  until  after  the  battle, 
serving  as  adjutant-general  on  Gen.  Mooers'  staff. 

Elder  William  Pitt  Piatt  or  "  Farmer  "  Piatt  as 
he  was  called,  closed  his  earthly  labors.  No  one 
contributed  more  generously  than  he  towards  the 
building  of  the  Presbyterian    church,  and    knowing 


WILLIAM    PITT    PLATT 


somewhat  of  his  genius  for  mechanics,  we  wonder  if 
the  perfect  Httle  model  of  the  first  edifice  of  that 
Church,  stored  in  the  garret  of  the  home  of  his  son 
Moss  at  that  time  it  burned,  was  not  his  work.  On 
special  occasions  the  neighborhood  children  had  had 
the  privilege  of  a  peep  into  this  fascinating  structure 
and  had  seen  "  real  pews  with  little  wooden  men 
sitting  in  them." 

He  was  a  quiet  man,  of  average  height,  spare, 
with  quick,  elastic  step;  black  eyes  and  hair,  with  "  a 


254  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

single  lock  of  white  hair  as  wide  as  your  finger,  just 
above  the  right  corner  of  his  forehead,  the  remaining 
hair  black,  slightly  inclining  to  brown."  In  rehgion 
"a  Presbyterian  and  an  oracle  among  them."  On 
that  memorable  Sabbath  morning,  with  his  five-year 
old  son  Moss,  he  stood  on  a  promontory  near  his  home, 
among  the  non-combatants,  and  watched  the  battle 
raging   in   Cumberland   Bay. 

1 908  A  tablet  was  placed  at  Cliff  Haven  in  memory  of 

Warren  E.  Mosher  the  originator  of  the  idea  of  a 
Catholic  Summer-School  and  one  of  its  founders. 


AUGUST  13 

1690  Capt.  John  Schuyler  of  Albany  with  a  little  band 

of  29  followers  and  120  Indians,  proceeded  as  far  as 
Canaghsionere  (probably  Whitehall). 

1791  Lot  No.  9  on  Cumberland  Head  was  deeded  by 

Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt  to  his  son  Wm.  Pitt  Piatt  and 
here  the  latter  brought  his  bride,  Hannah  Kent,  the 
lovely  and  only  sister  of  Chancellor  and  Moss  Kent. 

1832  Francis  Henriette  DeLord,  only  child  of  Judge 

Henry  and  Madam  Elizabeth  (Ketchum)  DeLord,  and 
Henry  Livingston  Webb  of  Albany  were  united  in 
marriage  in  Trinity  church,  Plattsburgh,  by  the  Rev. 
J.  H.  Coit. 

1908  The  comer-stone  of  the  new  Y.  M.  C.  A,  building 

laid  by  Governor  Hughes  with  appropriate  remarks. 

"  Character  is  the  basis  of  industry,  the  surety  of  the  endur- 
ance of  the  Republic." 

— Hughes  on  that  occasion. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  255 

AUGUST  14 

1755  Sir  William  Johnson   reached   the  camp    (Fort 

Edward)  and  found  the  army  increased  to  2,850  men 
fit  for  duty. 

1792  Asa  Stiles,  Jr.,  son  of  Asa  Stiles,  Sr.,  was  born  in 
Hebron,  Conn,  but  removed  with  his  father's  family 
in  1794  to  Shoreham  and  to  Chazy  in  1801.  His 
father  had  been  a  teamster  in  the  Revolution.  Young 
Asa  married  Laura  Hedding,  a  sister  of  Bishop  Hed- 
ding  and  Judge  William  Hedding  and  with  the  latter 
he  formed  a  business  partnership. 

1793  Ira  Hill,  son  of  Caleb,  was  bom  in  Granville, 
Washington  Co.,  N.  Y.  In  1802,  his  father  removed 
to  Isle  La  Motte,  then  nearly  in  a  state  of  nature,  and 
settled  on  the  north  end  of  the  island  where  his  de- 
scendants have  remained  to  the  present  day. 


AUGUST  15 

The  shadows  of  those  dreary  days 

Before  my  memory  rolls, 
The  rude  and  stem,  and  rugged  ways 

Of  the  rough  times  that  tried  men's  souls; 
— Centennial  Poem,  delivered  at  Plattsburgh,  by  Thomas  F.  Win- 
throp,  July  4,    1776. 


1 735  Birth  at  Quebec  of  Bruno  Trombly ,  the  progenitor 

of  the  Tromblys  of  this  section.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  to  settle  among  the  Indians  in  the  wilderness  on 
the  western  shore  of  Lake  Champialn,  coming  thither 
in  a  canoe  and  settling  near  a  bay,  afterwards  called, 
for  him,  Trombly 's.  He  became  a  farmer  and  owner 
of  2,000  acres  of  land. 


256  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1776  Birth  of  John  B.  Trombly,  son  of  the  pioneer, 

Bruno,  like  his  father  a  large  land-owner.  His  mar- 
riage to  Pauline  Lamereau,  resulted  in  a  family  of 
thirteen  children,  ten  of  whom  survived  and  settled 
in  Chazy,  Champlain,  or  Worcester.  Their  parents 
were  buried  in  the  Chazy  Cemetery. 

1818  Troops  at  work  on  Fort  Montgomery  ordered 

back  to  Plattsburgh  and  detailed  to  work  on  the 
"  Military  Turnpike,"  a  highway  beginning  three 
miles  west  of  the  village  of  Plattsburgh  (Thorn's  Cor- 
ners) and  continued  twenty-four  miles  toward  Cha- 
teaugay.  Over  this  route,  Jonathan  Thompson,  at 
an  early  period,  carried  the  mail  on  horseback  but,  in 
1823,  commenced  running  a  regular  weekly  stage  to 
Ogdensburg.  This  line  connected  with  steamboats 
on  both  Lake  Champlain  and  Lake  Ontario  and  en- 
abled merchants  to  make  business  trips  to  Albany 
and  Montreal. 

1890  Death  of  Hon.   Peter  Sailly  Palmer,   to  whom 

more  than  any  other  person  is  due  the  preservation  of 
the  pioneer  history  of  this  section.  He  was  the 
author  of  "  History  of  Lake  Champlain  from  1609  to 
1814,"  "  Battle  of  Valcour,"  "  Historical  Sketches  of 
Northern  New  York,"  etc.,  finding  time  for  literary 
work  and  historical  research  while  attending  to  the 
duties  of  his  legal  practice,  holding  the  office  of  judge 
and  surrogate  of  Clinton  county  and  various  village 
offices  to  which  he  was  chosen  through  a  long  series 
of  years. 

1903  The  Vilas  homestead  became  the  property  of 

the  brothers  of  Christian  Instruction,  its  name  being 
changed  to  Mount  Assumption  Institute  from  the 
date  of  its  acquirement,  celebrated  in  the  Catholic 
church  as  the  feast  of  the  Assumption, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  257 

AUGUST  16 

Help  me  to  strive  with  zeal, — strive,  though  my  star  go  down, — 
Sure  that,  while  morning  rise,  some  day  my  task  shall  crown. 

— Buckham. 

1759  Deserters  from  the  French  informed  Amherst 
that  the  French  were  encamped  on  Isle  aux  Noix 
where  a  strong  position  gave  them  command  of  the 
entrance  to  the  RicheHeu  river. 

1760  "  The  last  brilliant  martial  procession  of  war 
departed  from  Crown  Point."  Col.  Haviland,  with 
a  long  line  of  bateaux  bearing  1500  regular  troops, 
1800  provincials  and  some  Indians  under  convoy  of 
four  armed  vessels  and  an  equal  number  of  radeaux, 
moved  north  and  encamped  opposite  the  French 
post  at  Isle  Aux  Noix.  Richard  Montgomery  accom- 
panied as  adjutant  of  the  Seventeenth  regiment  of  foot. 

1777  The  battle  of  Bennington  was  fought  "  on  New 

York  soil,  but  largely  by  Vermont  boys."  Maj.  Asa 
Douglas  was  there  from  Stephentown,  leading  a  com- 
pany of  "Silver  Greys,"  while  the  garret  of  his  house 
at  home  was  used  as  a  jail  and  continued  to  be  through 
the  war,  since  at  that  early  day  there  was  no  other  in 
the  county.  John  Palmer  of  Hoosic,  N.  Y.  came  lead- 
ing a  company  raised  in  that  neighborhood,  while 
his  son  John  took  part  in  the  three  days'  skirmishing, 
part  of  which  was  in  Hoosic.  That  morning,  Water- 
man Eells  went  out  from  his  Bennington  home  and 
came  not  back,  and  John  Fay,  and  many  another. 
Capt.  William  Douglas,  the  Major's  son  rendered 
important  service  as  a  spy. — And  so  the  British 
were  prevented  from  getting  their  needed  supplies. 

1794  The  negro  man  Hick  and  Jane,  his  wife,  two  of 

the  forty  slaves  brought  here  by  Judge  Treadwell  from 
his  Long  Island  home,  were  manumitted  by  him. 


258  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1814  In  the  afternoon,  Com.  Macdonough,  accompanied 

by  a  body  guard,  visited  Capt.  Caleb  Hill  at  his  home 
on  Isle  La  Motte  and  consulted  with  him  in  regard 
to  depredations  made  by  certain  sailors  from  his  fleet 
upon  property  on  the  Island.  That  the  offenders 
should  be  punished,  if  caught,  was  decided  and  Mac- 
donough returned,  his  boat  laden  with  green  com, 
new  potatoes  and  garden  truck  which  Capt.  Hill  had 
given  him  from  the  house  garden.  That  evening  a 
party  of  desperate  men,  including  an  ofhcer,  pretend- 
ing to  be  British,  entered  the  house  and  while  being 
served  with  refreshments,  murdered  Capt.  Hill  in  his 
own  kitchen.  His  young  son,  Ira,  while  trying  to 
escape,  was  struck  by  an  officer  with  a  sword,  cutting 
a  gash  from  below  the  right  eye,  through  the  mouth 
to  the  end  of  the  chin,  inflicting  a  scar  which  was 
carried  through  life. 

1838  Death,  at  Champlain,  of  Mary  Tallmadge  Corbin, 

wife  of  Capt.  Joseph  Corbin. 

1905  The  Memorial  Tower  to  Gen.  Ethan  Allen  was 
dedicated  by  the  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  American 
Revolution.  The  tower,  which  stands  on  a  rocky 
bluff,  about  200  feet  in  height,  known  as  "  Indian 
Rock,"  near  the  entrance  to  the  farm  which  was  the 
last  home  of  Gen.  Allen,  can  be  seen  from  the  decks 
of  passing  steamers.  The  view  from  this  tower 
"  extends  from  Split  Rock,"  on  the  south,  along  the 
Adirondack  range,  to  Mount  Royal,  near  Montreal. 
While  on  the  east  the  eye  follows  the  Winooski  valley 
and  the  entire  range  of  the  Green  Mountains." 

1906  On  "  Bennington  Day,"  the  Hand's  Cove  Chap- 
ter, D.  A.  R.  dedicated  a  granite  marker,  set  by  them 
a  mile  east  from  Larabee's  Point  to  commemorate 
the  exploits  of  the  early  Vermonters  and  designate 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  259 

the  place  where  Ethan  Allen  rendezvoused  with  his 
Green  Mountain  boys  for  the  capture  of  Ti. 


AUGUST  17 

1700  "  The   French  guards    (sent  out   from  Canada, 

etc.),  met  him  in  a  canoe,  within  the  bounds  of  the 
government,  at  the  Otter  Creek  eighteen  miles,  on 
this  side  of  Reggio,  the  great  rock  (Rock  Dunder) 
that  is  in  Corlear  lake." — David  Schuyler  in  a  letter  to 
the  Earl  of  Bellemont. 

1756  At    Nine    Partners,    Kinner    Newcomb,  son  of 

Cyreneus,  was  bom.  In  June,  1776,  Kinner  enHsted 
in  a  company  of  Col.  Melancton  Smith's  rangers, 
serving  at  Verplank's  Point,  Poughkeepsie,  and  on 
Peekskill  Mountains,  in  apprehending  and  guarding 
tories.  In  August,  1777,  he  enlisted  in  Capt.  John 
Rouse's  company  and  marched  in  Gen.  Glover's 
brigade  to  Stillwater,  where  he  encamped  on  Bemis 
Heights  until  October  i6th,  then  joining  in  the  pur- 
suit of  Burgoyne's  retreating  army.  For  his  many 
patriotic  services  he  afterwards  drew  600  acres  of 
land.  The  year  following  his  marriage  to  Lucretia 
Banker,  in  1784,  he  removed  to  Plattsburgh,  where 
he  remained  the  rest  of  his  life. 

1759  Captain   Loring  of  the   English   navy,  realizing 

that  the  fate  of  the  campaign  rested  upon  the  relative 
strength  of  the  two  armies  on  the  waters  of  the  lake, 
commenced  a  large  raft  to  carry  six  heavy  guns,  but 
the  enemy,  in  a  fortnight  "  launched  a  new  vessel 
pierced  for  sixteen  guns." 

1763  The  town  of  Georgia,  Vt.  was  chartered.     The 

early  settlers  had,  at  first,  to  go  to  BurHngton  and 
Plattsburgh  for  their  grinding,  but  the  population 
increased  so  fast  that  mills  were  soon  erected. 


260  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1778  Birth  at  Lynn,  Mass.  of  Allen  Breed,  who  re- 

moved with  his  father  Eliphalet's  family  to  Unity, 
N.  H.,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  married,  and  had 
several  children,  all  of  whom  settled  at  Crown  Point, 
about  1808  or  '09. 

1827  John  Hammond,  son  of  Charles  F.  Hammond, 

was  bom  at  Crown  Point.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the 
war  of  the  rebellion,  he  assisted  in  sending  out  the 
first  company  of  volunteers  from  Crown  Point,  and 
later  "  raised  Company  H,  of  the  Fifth  New  York 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  with  which  he  went  to  the  front 
and  did  most  gallant  service."  He  was  twice 
wounded  and  on  his  retirement  received  the  brevet  of 
Brigadier  General.  The  remainder  of  his  life  was 
devoted  to  the  iron  manufacturing  and  railroad 
interests    of    this    region. 

AUGUST  18 

1776  One  sloop,  three  schooners,  and  five  gunboats, 

carrying  55  guns,  70  swivels,  with  a  complement  of 
395  men,  were  ready  for  the  new  fleet  which  was  to 
meet  the  English  on  the  lake.  Arnold  was  chosen 
to  take  command,  much  to  the  disappointment  of 
Jacobus  Wynkoop,  a  captain  in  the  Continental 
army,  who  now  refused  to  take  orders  from  Arnold 
and,  in  consequence,  was  ordered  arrested  by  Gen. 
Gates  and  was  taken,  a  prisoner,  to  headquarters  at 
Ticonderoga,  whence  he  was  sent  to  Albany. 

1818  Col.  Melancton  Smith  died  at  the  early  age  of 

38,  of  fever,  contracted  in  the  low  malarial  swamps 
around  Quebec,  whither  his  lumbering  interests  had 
taken  him.  He  left  a  yoimg  widow  and  a  year  old 
baby  daughter,  Elizabeth,  who  now  found  a  home  at 
"Grandpa  Green's  "  inn.   Colonel  Smith  was  a  man  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  261 

affairs,  the  first  editor  of  the  Republican,  commander 
of  Fort  Moreau  in  the  defence  of  Plattsburgh,  and  a 
prominent  mason.  He  was  buried  with  military  and 
masonic  honors  from  the  mansion  he  had  built  in 
181 1.  This  imposing  structure  stood  near  the  site  of 
the  present  band  stand  until  removed  to  make  room 
for  the  Custom  House,  its  timbers  and  other  parts 
being  sold  piece  by  piece  for  the  improvement  of 
various  houses  in  the  county.  His  widow  survived 
imtil  1879,  dying  in  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin. 

1822  Judge    Pliny    Moore   died   at   Champlain.     The 

first  English  settler  in  the  town,  no  one  was  more 
interested  in  its  welfare  than  he,  and  the  agricultural, 
educational  moral,  political,  social  and  religious 
interests  of  the  county  claimed  his  attention  as  well. 
He  divided  his  large  estate  by  will  justly  among  his 
children  with  reference  to  the  needs  and  previous 
acquirements  of  each,  making  provisions  for  those 
who  had  served  him  and  leaving  land  for  the  erection 
of  a  House  of  Worship,  "  &  other  buildings  for  the 
accommodation  of  People  attending  meeting  to  cover 
their  horses  in  bad  weather." 

1842  Moses  Cathn,  a  native  of  Litchfield,  Conn,  and 

one  of  the  first  inhabitants  of  Burlington,  died  at  the 
age  of  72.  His  wife,  Lucinda  Allen,  inherited  from 
her  father,  Capt.  Heman  Allen  (who  died  from  a 
wound  received  at  the  battle  of  Bennington),  a  large 
fortune,  including  land  lying  between  Vergennes  and 
Highgate.  It  was  in  their  first  home  on  Court  House 
square  that  the  first  Calvinistic  Congregational 
church  was  formed  in  BurHngton.  She  survived  her 
husband  but  six  years,  dying  in  the  third  home  which 
he  had  built — this  one  back  of  the  college  that  his 
wife  might  enjoy  the  wonderful  view  of  lake  and 
mountain  as  seen  from  that  eminence. 


262  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1904  Dedication  of  the  new  Carnegie  Library  at  Bur- 

lington. The  structure  has  a  granite  foundation,  is 
fireproof  and  built  of  red  brick  with  white  terra  cotta 
finish. 

AUGUST  19 

1765  Arrived  at  Bertie  (Berthier),  opposite  the  mouth 

of  the  Sorell,  which,  being  desirous  to  see,  on  account 
of  its  connection  with  Lake  Champlain,  I  hired  an 
interpreter  and  canoe,  and  crossed  the  River  St. 
Lawrence  there — land  mostly  very  sandy  (Sorell) 
particularly  on  the  east  side,  where  it  is  almost  bar- 
ren— it  is  held  at  a  high  price  notwithstanding. 

— Gilliland. 

In  1 81 8,  Judge  PHny  Moore  of  Champlain, 
willed  to  his  son.  Royal,  an  interest  in  "a  Carding 
Mill  &  Clothiers  works  and  all  privileges  belonging  to 
the  same  at  Berthier;"  also  one-half  similar  mills  at 
"  Bousherville  mountain." 

1 767  De  Fredenburgh  and  nineteen  associates  petitioned 

for  a  grant  of  20,000  acres  of  land,  at  Cumberland  Bay 
on  the  west  of  Lake  Champlain.  This  included  both 
sides  of  the  Saranac  River  and  Cumberland  Head. 

1777  Frederick  Baum,  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Bruns- 

wick Dragoons,  was  buried  at  Bennington  with  mili- 
tary honors. 

At  the  same  time  Elkanah  Watson,  then  a  youth 
of  nineteen,  was  making  his  way  south  on  horseback, 
deputed  by  his  employer,  John  Brown,  founder  of 
Brown  University,  to  carry  fifty  thousand  dollars  in 
money  to  agents  in  the  Southern  States,  that  it  might 
be  invested  in  cargoes  for  European  markets. 

1833  The  Clinton  County  High  School  was  opened  at 

Schuyler  Falls  with  Alexander  H.  Prescott  as  prin- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  263 

cipal.  Peter  Weaver  was  President,  and  the  Trustees 
were  Calvin  Everest,  Elijah  Weston,  Azzel  Purdy, 
J.  H.  Patchen,  Daniel  Beckwith,  Thomas  Weaver, 
Jeptha  Hewitt,  John  Farnsworth,  Piatt  Newcomb 
and  James  Brand.  In  1837,  Mr.  Prescott  removed 
with  his  family  to  Buffalo,  then  only  a  small  village, 
where  he  soon  afterwards  died,  leaving  descendants, 
some  of  whom  still  live  there. 

AUGUST  20 
1765  — returned  to  Bertie  (Berthier). — GilUland. 

1776  Gen,  Benedict  Arnold  sailed  from  Crown  Point 

with  his  fleet  of  nine  vessels. 

1814  "I  must  not  be  responsible  for  the  consequences 

of  abandoning  my  present  strong  position.  I  will 
obey  orders  and  execute  them  as  well  as  I  know  how. 
Ma j. -Gen.  Brisbane  commands  at  Odletown ;  he  is  said 
to  have  between  five  and  six  thousand  men  with  him. 
Those  at  Chambly  are  stated  to  be  about  four  thou- 
sand.— Gen.  Izard  to  the  Secretary  of  War. 

1873  John  Syng  Dorsey  Taylor,  M.A.  died. 

"  Let  your  words  be  like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver." 
— a  quotation  often  made  by  him  to  his  pupils. 

AUGUST  21 

1690  Capt.   John  Schuyler  with  his  band  reached  a 

point  "  one  mile  below  the  sand-bank  of  Chambly," 
where  one  of  his  Mohawk  Indians  died. 

1765  — Proceeded   to   Montreal,    where   arrived   that 

night . — GilUland. 

1846  Nathan  Beman,  the  boy  who  led  Allen  into  the 

Fort  at  Ti,  died  at  Chateaugay,  where  he  had  settled 
as  a  pioneer  in  1 796,  coming  with  his  wife  on  foot  from 


264  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Plattsburgh,  where  he  had  lived,  for  a  time  on  Cum- 
berland Head.  His  father,  Samuel  Beman,  bom  in 
Simsbury,  Conn,  July  1732,  was  an  early  settler  of 
Plattsburgh,  coming  from  Shoreham,  Vt.  His  re- 
mains rest  in  Riverside  Cemetery  and  the  grave  is,  as 
yet,  unmarked.  The  grave  of  Nathan  is  now  un- 
marked, save  by  a  marker  placed  some  years  ago  by 
the  Adirondack  Chapter  of  Malone.  The  original 
stone  disappeared  years  ago.  Nathan,  after  the 
capture  of  Ti,  joined  Col.  Warner's  regiment. 

1867  On  Wednesday,  a  large  and  destructive  fire  con- 

sumed the  greater  part  of  the  business  portion  of  the 
village.  From  the  Presbyterian  church,  which,  with 
its  communion  service,  was  entirely  consumed,  the 
fire  spread  west  and  east  on  Brinckerhoff  street,  on 
the  west  side  of  Oak,  west  side  of  Margaret  and  south 
side  of  Bridge,  destroying  dwellings,  stores  and 
offices,  representing  a  loss  of  $469,861.  Insurance 
$241,625. 

1903  At  the  terminus  of  the  old  Hazen  Road,  begun 

in  1776  by  Gen.  Jacob  Bailey  at  Newbury,  Vt,  and 
carried  a  few  miles  beyond  Peacham,  but  abandoned 
on  account  of  American  reverses  in  Canada,  until 
resumed  in  1779  by  Gen.  Moses  Hazen  and  continued 
fifty  miles  farther,  to  Westfield  near  Hazen  Notch, 
Green  Mountains,  a  marker  was  dedicated. 

AUGUST  22 

But  faithful  history  still  the  page  unfolds 
Of  war  and  blood;  of  carnage  fierce  and  dark; 

Of  savage  bosoms,  cast  in  giant  mold, 

And  hearts  unwarm'd  by  pity's  gentle  spark. 

— Margaret    Davidson. 

1690  Schuyler  reached  Laprarie,   opposite   Montreal, 

intending  to  take  the  fort  by  surprise,  but  his  savages 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  265 

gave  the  warwhoop  on  receiving  word  to  advance 
and  most  of  the  French  succeeded  in  gaining  the  fort. 
The  invaders,  however,  burned  the  buildings,  slaugh- 
tered 150  head  of  cattle,  killed  6  and  with  19  prison- 
ers beat  a  rapid  retreat. 

1767  At  Nine  Partners,  N.  Y.  Jared  Lobdell,  son  of 

Darius  and  Mary  (Baldwin)  Lobdell,  was  bom.  Re- 
moving, while  young,  with  his  father  to  Danby,  Vt., 
he  became  the  father  of  Methodism  in  Danby  and 
the  first  church  of  that  denomination  there  was  built 
chiefly  through  his  labors.  In  1832,  he  removed  to 
Plattsburgh,  where  he  died  peacefully  Aug.  28,  1846, 
aged  79.  His  wife,  Betsey,  a  daughter  of  John  and 
Hannah  Signor  survived  until  Nov.  8,  1858,  dying  at 
the  advanced  age  of  90  years  in  Plattsburgh. 

1814  —At  3  o'clock,  P.M.,  a  Ranger  arrived,  and  the 

mtelligence  ("that  the  enemy  is  in  force  at  La  Prairie 
and  La  Acadia  plains")  he  brought  was  immediately 
communicated  to  the  General,  which  was  somewhat 
alarming  in  its  import. — Eleazer  Williams. 

AUGUST  23 

There's  a  sunny  smile  on  the  infant's  lip, 
As  he  pauses  the  cup  of  enjoyment  to  sip; 
But  a  moment  more  shall  have  hurried  by, 
And  that  smile  will  fade  from  his  clouded  eye ; 
Some  childish  sorrow,  or  childish  sin, 
Shall  cast  its  shade  o'er  the  depths  within. 

— Margaret    Davidson. 

1773  Birth  of  Russel  Ransom,  son  of  John  Ransom  of 

Kent,  Conn,  and  brother  of  Hannah,  Nancy,  Lodema 
and  John  Lewis,  all  of  whom  settled  with  their 
parents    on    Cumberland    Head. 

1785  The  proprietors  (Simon  R.  Reeves,  John  Addams, 

Zaccheus    Newcomb,    Israel    Smith,  Samuel   Smith] 


266  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Zephaniah,  Piatt,  Burnet  Miller  &  son,  Melancton 
Smith,  Charles  Piatt,  Piatt  Rogers,  Thomas  Storm, 
Lewis  Barton,  Peter  Taylor,  Benjamin  Smith,  Albert 
Andrance,  Benjamin  Walker,  John  Berrien,  Andrew 
Billings,  Nathaniel  Piatt,  Nathaniel  Tom,  Jonathan 
Lawrence,  Ebenezer  Mott,  Benjamin  Calkins,  Benja- 
min Titus,  Jacobus  and  Samuel  Swartout,  William 
Floyd,  Ezra  L'Homedieu,  John  Smith,  Thomas  Tread- 
well,  Philip  Schuyler  and  Nathaniel  Northup)  had, 
by  ballot,  divided  24,300  acres,  embracing  81  lots, 
among  themselves. 

Previous  to  this  30  lots  of  100  acres  each  had 
been  sold  to  the  following  persons :  —  Peter  Roberts 
from  Manchester,  Vt. ;  Charles  McCreedy  and  WilHam 
Mitchell  from  Dutchess  county;  Melancton  Woolsey 
from  Long  Island;  Daniel  Averill  and  his  brother 
Nathan,  and  the  latter's  son,  Nathan,  all  from  New 
Preston,  Conn.;  Simeon  Newcomb  from  Nine  Part- 
ners; Samuel  Beman,  lately  from  Shoreham,  Vt. ;  and 
John  Kelly,  Joseph  Wait  and  Mr.  Saxton. 

1814  General   Izard   wrote   to   the   War  Department 

that  he  had  decided  to  remove  west  by  the  way  of 
Lake  George  and  Schenectady  with  4,000  men,  leav- 
ing the  sick  and  convalescents  and  about  1,200  men 
under  Brig.  Gen.  Macomb  to  garrison  Plattsburgh 
and  Cumberland  Head.  The  same  day  Macomb 
went  to  Williams,  commanding  the  Secret  Corps, 
desiring  that  his  agents  obtain  further  information 
in  regard  to  the  enemy's  force. 

1839  President   Martin  Van   Buren   arrived   at   Port 

Kent  and  was  met  there  by  Judge  Fisk  of  Keeseville, 
accompanied  by  Richard  Keese,  in  the  former's  grand 
carriage  with  hinged  steps  that  let  down  like  those 
of  the  famous  coach  of  Washington.  In  the  evening 
the  President's  visit  was  celebrated  by  a  torchlight 
procession  and  illumination. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  267 

AUGUST  24 

1690  Capt.  John  Schuyler  and  a  band  of  whites  and 

Indians  camped  at  Fort  St.  Anne  on  their  retiim 
from  Canada,  whither  they  had  gone  to  make  an 
attack  on  the  settlers  in  and  about  La  Prairie,  in 
retaliation  for  the  fearful  massacre  at  Schenectady 
during  the  winter. 

1759  Montcalm,  discouraged  at  the  inefficiency  of  his 
Canadian  troops  wrote: — 

"  The  capture  of  Quebec  must  be  the  work  of  a  coup  de 
main.  The  EngHsh  are  masters  of  the  river.  They  have  but  to 
efifect  a  descent  on  the  bank  on  which  this  city,  without  fortifi- 
cation and  without  defense  is  situated,  and  they  are  at  once  in  a 
condition  to  offer  me  battle  which  I  cannot  refuse,  and  which  I 
ought  not  to  be  permitted  to  gain." 

1 760  Col.  Haviland  opened  a  fire  of  mortars  upon  the 
French  post  at  Isle  Aux  Noix. 

1765  — set  out  from  Montreal  for  Willsboro,  having 

bought  many  necessaries  there  for  the  settlers,  and 
arrived  at  St.  John  that  night. — GilUland. 

1787  Return  of  a  Survey  for  Wm.  Gilliland  of  2,300 

acres  of  land  on  the  west  side  of  Lake  Champlain, 
between  a  place  called  Rattle  Snake  Den  and  the 
Bay  De  Roche  Fendue  (Westport,  Essex  Co.). 

— Calendar    of    Land    Papers. 

1839  The  townspeople  of  Keeseville  were  invited  to 

meet  the  President  at  Judge  Fisk's  great,  square- 
roofed  house,  (present  site  of  Daniel  Dodge's).  Mrs. 
Fisk,  being  a  staunch  Whig,  would  not  shake  hands 
with  the  President  but  remained  in  her  room.  Sought 
out  by  some  of  her  friends,  she  said,  "Been  shaking 


268  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

hands  with  the  President,  eh :  Shook  hands  like  any 
other  man,  didn't  he?  " — Old  Keeseville  Tales. 

From  Keeseville  the  Presidential  party  went  to 
Plattsburgh  by  carriage. 

1840  Jeremiah  Barnes,  Sr.,  a  native  of  Long  Islandt 

died,  of  old  age,  in  Beekmantown,  whence,  with  his 
wife,  Phebe  Schelinger,  he  had  come,  a  pioneer,  in 
1809.  At  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh  he  was  a  sergeant 
in  Capt.  Sherry's  company,  which  held  an  advanced 
position  and  were  the  first  attacked,  fighting  as  they 
fell  back  to  Plattsburgh. 

1760  Haviland,  having  erected  batteries  opposite  the 

fort  on  the  main  land,  occupied  by  Bougainville  with 
1600  men,  now  made  a  vigorous  attack  upon  the  fleet 
of  small  vessels  anchored  on  his  enemy's  flank  and 
soon  captured  or  dispersed  them. 

1909  At  Cliff  Haven,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Cham- 

plain  Summer  School  in  cooperation  with  Col.  Cowles, 
commanding  the  Fifth  Infantry,  U.  S.  A.,  and  in  the 
presence  of  patriotic  societies  and  invited  guests^ 
was  dedicated  the  monument  in  Macdonough  Park, 
Crab  Island.  This  monument,  a  substantial  granite 
shaft,  overlooking  the  historic  waters  of  Valcour 
Strait,  has  been  erected  by  the  Government  in  mem- 
ory of  those  who  fought  in  the  naval  battles  of  Val- 
cour and  Schuyler  Islands,  and  at  the  battles  of  Platts- 
burgh and  Lake  Champlain.  Hon.  J.  B.  Riley  presided 
at  the  exercises  and  made  the  opening  address.  Dr. 
Walsh  read  from  a  poem  on  the  "  Battle  of  Lake 
Champlain,"  Miss  Malley  recited  "  The  story  of  Old 
Glory"  and  Dr.Coyle  gave  an  address  on  the  "Charac- 
ter of  Macdonough."  Music  was  furnished  by  a 
chorus  and  the  Fifth  Infantry  Band.  After  the  fir- 
ing of  a  musketry  salute,  a  party  crossed  to  the  island 
and  placed  floral  tributes  at  the  base  of  the  monument. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  269 

AUGUST  26 

1 690  Capt.  John  Schuyler's  party  stopped  at ' '  the  little 

stone  fort,"  probably  the  one  at  Chimney  Point  built 
by  D'Warm  and  Abraham  Schuyler  (who  were  the 
first  English  war  party  passing  through  the  lake)  in 
the  spring. 

1821  Israel  Green,  the  thirteen  months'  old  son  of 

Thomas  and  Elizabeth  (Piatt)  Green,  died  and  was 
buried  near  the  resting  place  of  his  mother's  people, 
the  Platts,  in  Riverside  cemetery. 

1848  Death  of  Joseph  Boardman,  a  nephew  of  Benja- 

min, who  came  to  the  Valley  in  1788.  Joseph  settled, 
in  1797,  on  the  south  end  of  Grand  Isle,  where  his 
brothers,  Henry  and  Elisha,  also  settled. 

AUGUST  27 

1740  The  meeting  between  Eunice  Williams  and  her 

Indian  husband  and  her  brothers  took  place  at  Albany. 
Eunice,  after  36  years  of  captivity,  was  now  a  mar- 
ried woman  with  children,  with  stronger  ties  in  the 
land  of  her  captivity  than  in  the  place  of  her  birth. 

1760  Murray,  having  been  joined  by  Lord  Rollo  with 

the  regiment  from  Louisburg,  again  sailed  up  the 
St.  Lawrence  and  that  same  night  M.  de  Bougain- 
ville retired  from  Isle  aux  Noix  leaving  a  garrison  of 
only  30  men  who  immediately  surrendered  to  Havi- 
land. 

1825  At  her  home  overlooking  Cumberland  Bay,  of 

that  dread  disease  consumption,  died  Lucretia  Maria 
Davidson,  lacking  but  one  month  of  being  seventeen. 
An  exquisite  miniature  likeness  painted  on  ivory, 
shows  her  to  have  been  of  extraordinary  beauty. 


270 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Several  editions  of  her  poems  have  been  issued 
and  the  manuscript,  including  those  never  published, 
are  in  the  possession  of  Mrs.  M.  P.  Myers,  the  second 
regent  of  Saranac  Chapter,  whose  great-uncle,  the 
Hon.  Moss  Kent,  was  Lucretia's  benefactor.  To 
hirn  she  addressed  the  following  poem. 


LUCRETIA    MARIA    DAVIDSON 


TO  MY  FRIEND  AND  PATRON 

And  can  my  simple  harp  be  strung 
To  higher  theme,  to  nobler  end, 

Than  that  of  gratitude  to  thee, 
To  thee,  my  father  and  my  friend? 

I  may  not,  cannot,  wUl  not  say 

All  that  a  grateful  heart  would  breathe ; 

But  I  may  frame  a  simple  lay. 

Nor  Slander  blight  the  blushing  wreath. 

Yes,  I  will  touch  the  string  to  thee. 

Nor  fear  its  wildness  will  offend; 

For  well  I  know  that  thou  wilt  be. 


tJv 


What  thou  hast  ever  been — a  friend. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  271 

There  are,  whose  cold  and  idle  gaze 

Would  freeze  the  current  where  it  flows; 

But  gratitude  shall  guard  the  fount, 
And  Faith  shall  light  it  as  it  flows. 

Then  tell  me,  may  I  dare  to  twine, 
While  o'er  my  simple  harp  I  bend, 

This  little  offering  for  thee. 

For  thee,  my  father,  and  my  friend? 

(Written  in  her  sixteenth  year) 

AUGUST  28 

1667  General  de  Tracy  returned  to  France,  while  many- 

members  of  his  regiment,  being  offered  special  induce- 
ments to  become  colonists,  remained,  giving  their 
names  to  the  settlements,  Chambly,  Chazy,  Bertier, 
Sorel  and  others.  During  the  previous  winter,  at 
the  request  of  the  General,  Father  DolHer  de  Casson 
had  come  on  snowshoes  from  Montreal  to  Fort  St. 
Anne,  Isle  La  Motte,  where  he  had  celebrated  mass 
and  officiated  at  the  burial  of  thirteen  soldiers  who 
had  died  of  the  scurvy  then  prevailing. 

1740  Eimice    Williams    (baptised    at    Caughnawaga, 

Marguerite  8aon'  got)  and  her  husband  "  Amrusus," 
who  is  said  to  have  taken  the  name  of  Williams,  con- 
sented to  return  with  her  relatives  to  Longmeadow 
for  a  visit  of  four  days.  The  party  left  Albany  the 
next  day,  arriving  at  the  house  of  her  brother,  the 
Rev.  Stephen,  on  "ye  2nd  Tuesday  of  Sept." 

The  same  day,  in  Connecticut,  John  Ransom 
was  born.  He  came  a  pioneer  to  Cumberland  Head, 
building  there  the  first  ferry -house  or  inn  on  the  east 
shore,  near  the  present  lighthouse.  His  marriage  to 
Rhoda  Pratt  in  Kent  by  the  Rev.  Joel  Bordwell, 
pastor  of  the  first  church  there  is  recorded  in  the 
immense  family  Bible  brought  from  Connecticut  and 
still  preserved.     His  son,  John  Lewis  or   "  Lewis  " 


272  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

became  a  pioneer  in  that  part  of  Mooers  which  was 
afterwards  Ellenburgh,  the  first  town  meeting  of  the 
latter  place  being  held  at  the  dwelling  house  of  Lewis 
Ransom.  He  was  prominent  in  town  affairs,  and  is 
believed  to  have  been  the  first  postmaster,  an  office 
which  he  held  many  years. 

1847  Alexander  Scott  of  Chazy  died  at  Brookljm,  N.  Y. 

He  was  a  native  of  Troy  and,  with  his  brother  Ebenezer 
A.,  settled  first  at  Alburgh  and  then  at  Chazy  pre- 
vious to  1 81 2.  In  the  old  cemetery  at  Chazy  village 
the  First  M.  E.  Church  erected  a  stone  to  his  memory 
in  recognition  of  his  gift  to  them  of  a  stone  church. 

1858  Death,  at  Hoganstown,  N.  Y.  of  Eleazer  Williams, 

the  "  Lost  Dauphin."  Peter  Sailly  and  many  others 
of  his  countrymen  believed  him  the  son  of  Louis  XVI 
and  with  much  reason,  but  Williams  made  no  effort 
himself  in  this  direction  and  is  now  generally  believed 
to  have  been  the  son  of  his  reputed  father,  Thomas 
Williams,  grandson  of  Eunice.  Hunting,  trapping 
and  fishing  with  his  Indian  relatives  from  Canada  to 
Whitehall,  educated  in  a  New  England  village,  a 
missionary  among  the  Oneida  Indians,  projector  of  a 
scheme  for  uniting  the  entire  Six  Nations  into  one 
despotic  commune,  located  beyond  Lake  Michigan 
with  the  capital  at  Green  Bay — all  his  schemes  failed 
and  his  last  years  were  filled  with  disappointment. 

"  In  obscurity  the  humble  Indian  missionary 
passed  from  earth  and  his  corpse  sleeps  with  the 
untitled." 

AUGUST  29 

1760  Bougainville,  weakened  by  the  loss  of  his  fleet, 

at  night  abandoned  his  position  and  the  forts  at  St. 
John's  and  Chambly  were  evacuated  at  the  same 
time,  their  garrisons  retreating  towards  Montreal. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  273 

1899  At  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.  the  bodies  of  A.  D.  Stevens 

and  A.  E.  Hazlet  two  of  John  Brown's  men  executed 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  for  the  same  crime  as  his  own, 
were  disinterred  and  shipped  for  re-burial  at  North 
Elba  with  others  killed  at  Harpers  Ferry,  Oct.  17, 
1859.  The  bodies  of  the  two  were  buried  at  the 
expense  and  on  the  property  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  Spring. 


AUGUST  30 

1766  Embarked  with  Mr.  Dean,  Mr.  Watson,  and  Mr. 

Rice,  and  Mr.  Thompson  for  Crown  Point,  in  order  to 
give  Mr.  Dean,  and  Mr.  Rice,  a  convoy  with  my  Bateau 
and  to  meet  Gov.  Sir  Henry  Moore,  who  is  expected 
about  noon  at  Crown  Point ;  arrived  at  Crown  Point 
this  evening. — GilUland. 

1814  Major  General  Brisbane  advanced  his  division  to 

Champlain. 

1848  Samuel  T.   Buell  died  in  BurHngton  and  was 

buried  in  Elmwood  cemetery. 

1 899  On  the  John  Brown  farm.  North  Elba,  surrounded 

by  the  moimtain  sentinels,  Whiteface,  Marcy,  Colden, 
"triple-crowned  Mclntyre"  and  Saddleback,  a  thou- 
sand people  gathered  to  witness  the  reinterment  of  the 
remains  of  seven  men  of  the  John  Brown  party,  killed 
and  buried  at  Harper's  Ferry.  These  remains,  in 
one  casket,  were  escorted  from  the  Lake  Placid 
station  by  a  detachment  of  the  26th  Infantry,  U.  S. 
v.,  stationed  at  Plattsburgh  with  drum  corps  and 
bugler,  headed  by  the  Saranac  Band  Brass.  Ad- 
dresses were  made  by  the  Rev.  Joshua  Young,  D.D. 
of  Groton,  Mass.,  Bishop  Potter,  Whitelaw  Reid  and 
Col.  Richard  I.  Hinton  of  Brooklyn.  The  singing  of 
"John  Brown's  Body,"  benediction,  firing  of  three 


274  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

volleys  over  the  graves,  and  sounding  of  "  Taps  " 
closed  the  impressive  ceremonies. 

1902  At    Williston,    Vt.,    the    Rev.    Alanson    Darius 

Barber,  one  of  the  best  known  Congregational  clergy- 
men in  the  state,  passed  away.  He  was  bom  in  Beek- 
mantown,  N.  Y.  in  1818,  graduating  from  the  U.  V. 
M.  in  1845.  He  studied  for  the  ministry  and  was 
ordained  in  1849,  subsequently  holding  pastorates  at 
Peru,  N.  Y.,  WilHston,  Vt.,  in  Pennsylvania  and 
lastly,  in  Clarendon,  Vt.,  ceasing  from  active  labor  in 
1876.  Possessing  marked  ability  as  a  writer  he  was 
chosen  to  read  the  paper  on  "  The  Pastors  of  the 
Church  "  at  the  centennial  anniversary  of  Founding  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  at  Plattsburgh,  in  1897. 


AUGUST  31 

1 755  New  recruits  continuing  to  arrive,  General  Lyman 

found  himself  at  the  head  of  3,100  provincials  and 
250  Indians. 

1 765  Mr.  GilHland,  having  had  a  tedious  trip  v/ith  Capt. 

Leaky  from  St.  John,  having  been  detained  by  calms 
and  contrary  wind,  "  was  put  on  shore  at  the  river's 
mouth,  at  9  o'clock  that  night,  and  walked  through 
the  woods  for  Milltown,"  He  arrived  at  half  past 
10,  having  been  absent  on  his  journey  to  Canada, 
40  days. 

Move   to   the   fore, 
Men  whom  God  hath  made  fit  for  the  fray. 

— Buckham. 

1814  Gen.  Izard,  having  waited  in  vain  for  different 

orders,  withdrew  from  Plattsburgh  and  marched  his 
army  of  4,000  troops  along  the  new  State  road 
through  Pleasant  Valley  on  their  way  to  the  Niagara 


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be  4; 

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Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  275 

Frontier.  Almost  immediately  an  officer  came  riding 
furiously  shouting  the  news  of  a  British  invasion  from 
the  north  and  warning  out  the  militia  for — 

"  General  Brisbane,  the  British  commander,  encamped 
with  the  advanced  guard  of  the  enemy  on  the  north  side  of  the 
great  Chazy.  Sir  George  Provost  following  with  all  his  combined 
forces,  amounting  to  15,000  well  disciplined  troops." 

— Mrs.  Davidson  in  "  The  Events  of  a  Few  Eventful  Days  in 
1814." 

On  the  same  day  Gen.  Mooers  ordered  out  the 
militia  of  Clinton  and  Essex  en  masse  to  resist  the 
invasion  of  the  British  and  couriers  on  horseback 
hastened  to  alarm  the  surrounding  villages  and  towns. 


The  child,  Benjamin  J.  Mooers,  left  on  Seal  Rock 
one  hot  August  afternoon  by  some  fishermen  until 
their  return  from  Plattsburgh,  was  forgotten  and  left 
through  the  chill  August  night,  contracting  a  life- 
long asthma. 


276  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


SEPTEMBER  1 

Give  me  a  crisp  September  morning  for  a  tramp — none  of 
those  listless  days  while  summer  still  lingers  in  the  lap  of  fall,  but 
one  of  those  electric  mornings  after  the  first  great  change  in  the 
atmosphere  that  comes  with  the  breaking  of  summer's  backbone. 

— Btickham. 

1812  About  8,000  men,  including  regulars,  volunteers, 

and  militia  under  Gen.  Bloomfield,  are  stationed  at 
Plattsburgh,  with  small  advance  parties  thrown  for- 
ward as  far  as  Chazy  and  Champlain. 

1814  Macdonough  to-day  anchored  his  fleet  in  Cumber- 

land Bay.  Sir  George  Prevost  following  (Gen.  Bris- 
bane) with  all  his  combined  forces,  amounting  to 
15,000  well  disciplined  troops,  threw  himself  into  the 
little  village  of  Champlain.  Immediately  on  his 
arrival  there,  he  indeavored  to  disa fleet  the  minds 
of  the  inhabitants  toward  their  own  government, 
and  draw  them  over  to  the  enemy ;  failing  in  this,  he 
proceeded  to  impress  w^agons  and  teams  in  the  vicinity 
for  the  purpose  of  transporting  their  baggage  and 
military  stores. — Mrs.  Davidson. 

1861  Society  incorporated  under  the  name  of  "  Jewish 

Congregation  of  Plattsburgh."  Wm.  Cane,  Pres.; 
Levi  Gold,  Vice  Pres. ;  A.  Peyser,  Sec. ;  Solomon  Mon- 
ash,  Treas. 

1873  Death  of  Judge  Josiah  T.  Everest  at  his  home, 

which  he  had  built  in  1831  at  Schuyler  Falls  and 
where  had  been  reared  his  ten  children.  In  his 
funeral  sermon,  preached  by  Dr.  Witherspoon,  his 
interest  in  agriculture,  poHtics  and  religion  was  noted. 
Several  times  he  was  awarded  first  premium  for  the 
best  cultivated  farm  by  the  County  Agricultural 
Society  and  special  credit  was  his  due  for  successfully 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  277 

supervising  the  re -building  of  the  Methodist  parson- 
age after  its  destruction  by  fire  in  April,  1870. 

1873  The  same  day  Col.  Matthias  Oliver  Davidson,  a 

noted  civil  engineer,  died  at  Fordham,  N.  Y.  He  was 
a  student  at  Pittsburgh  Academy  in  1832,  and  used 
to  tell  his  school  fellows  of  the  poetry  which  his  sister 
Margaret  wrote.  Of  this  brother,  in  a  letter,  written 
from  Ballston,  in  1835,  to  a  poetical  correspondent, 
she  said: — 

"  Dear  Matty  is  thinking  of  railroads  again, 

And  longs  to  get  hold  of  the  rod  and  the  chain. 

He  talks  of  embankments,  canals,  and  high  bridges. 

Of  steam-cars  and  tunnels,  of  swamps  and  of  ditches." 

This  shows  the  natural  bent  of  Col.  Davidson, 
even  in  childhood.  He  married  Henriette,  the 
daughter  of  his  mother's  cousin,  Mrs.  M.  M.  Standish 
(n^e  Catherine  Phebe  Miller).  Their  son,  Julian 
OHver  Davidson,  one  of  the  best  marine  artists  of 
America,  painted  for  the  Hon.  Smith  M.  Weed,  in 
1882-1883,  the  "  Battle  of  Pittsburgh,"  copies  of 
which  are  familiar  to  the  public. 

1875  Plattsburgh  High  School  Building  completed  at 

an  expense,  including  furniture,  of  $40,000. 

Board  of  Education.— W.  W.  Hartwell,  Pres.; 
E.  C.  Baker,  Sec. ;  M.  K.  Piatt,  A.  Williams,  G.  M. 
Beckwith,  Monroe  Hall,  George  L.  Clark,  B.  McKeever 
S.  H.  Weed,  O.  A.  Teft,  D.  S.  McMaster. 

SEPTEMBER  2 

There  is  a  splendor,  an  Oriental  richness,  about  the  golden- 
rod  that  is  equaled  by  no  other  fiower. — Btickham. 

1698  Capt.  John  Schuyler,  on  his  return  from  Canada, 

stopped  at  Isle  La  Motte. 


278  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1766  There    (Ft.   George)    I   met   with  the   following 

Gentn  Sir  Henry  Moore  Governor  of  New  York, 
General  Carlton,  Governor  of  Quebec  province  and 
Brigr  Genl  of  the  district,  Philip  Schuyler,  Esq., 
Robert  Harper,  Esq.,  Charles  Fredenburgh,  formerly 
a  Captain, — Carlton,  Esq.,  nephew  of  General  Carl- 
ton, Mr,  John  McKesson  Atty;  the  four  first  gentn 
undertook  this  journey  in  order  to  fix  the  bounds 
betwixt  the  two  provinces  of  New  York  and  Quebec, 
by  discovering  the  true  latitude  of  45d  north,  on 
which  Mr.  Harper  acted  as  astronomer.  Govr  Moore 
immediately  gave  me  an  invitation  to  become  one  at 
his  table,  which  I  accepted,  he  and  Govr  Carlton 
accepted  my  invitation  to  take  their  passage  in  my 
Bateaux  across  the  lakes. — GiUiland. 

1814  The    1,500   men    (mostly  recruits  and  invalids) 

left  at  Plattsburgh  after  the  sudden  march  of  Gen. 
Izard,  w^orked  bravelv  at  the  defences,  each  man, 
bound  to  defend  with  his  life  if  need  be,  the  fort  at 
which  he  labored.  Fort  Moreau,  about  midway 
between  river  and  lake,  was  garrisoned  by  Col.  Melanc- 
ton  Smith  and  his  command;  Fort  Scott,  near  the 
shore  of  the  lake,  by  Major  Vinson ;  while  Fort  Brown, 
on  the  bank  of  the  Saranac,  was  in  charge  of  Lieut. 
Col.  Storrs  with  detachments  of  the  Thirtieth  and 
Thirty-first  regiments.  The  blockhouse,  on  the  south 
side  of  a  deep  ravine,  half  way  between  the  river  and 
lake,  nearly  opposite  to  the  entrance  to  the  govern- 
ment reservation  from  Hamilton  street,  was  defended 
by  Capt.  Smith  and  part  of  his  company  of  convales- 
cents, Lieut.  Fowler  with  a  detachment  of  artillery 
being  at  the  blockhouse  on  the  point. 

1848  At  Grand  Isle,  Daniel  Jackson,  author  of  "  Alonzo 

and  Melissa,"  died  on  the  same  day  as  his  son,  Archi- 
bald   Henry   Waterman.     The    father   was   bom   in 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  279 

Peru  "  5  mo.  31,  1790,  son  "  of  Daniel  and  Mary 
(Green)  Jackson  of  the  vSociety  of  Friends.  When  a 
young  man,  Daniel  Jr.  taught  school,  but  removed 
to  Grand  Isle  about  1832  and  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  days  on  a  farm, 

SEPTEMBER  3 

1696  Charles  II  confirmed  the  title  of  Godfrey  Dellius, 

the  Dutch  minister  at  Albany,  to  the  grant  of  land 
secured  by  him  from  the  Mohawks,  which,  commenc- 
ing at  the  northwest  bounds  of  Saratoga,  extended 
north  on  the  east  side  of  Wood  Creek  and  Lake  Cham- 
plain  to  "  Rock  Retzio  "  (Button  Bay),  with  its 
eastern  line  crossing  the  falls  at  Middlebury.  "  This 
was  the  first  paper  title  to  lands  in  Addison 
County." 

1755  While  Johnson  with  the  main  army  was  at  the 

portage  at  the  head  of  Lake  George,  planning  his 
advance  upon  Fort  St.  Frederic,  Dieskau  had  left 
that  post  and  was  hastening  towards  South  Bay. 

1759  The  construction  of  a  sloop  equal  in  size  to  that 

of  the  French  was  begun  by  the  English. 

1776  Arnold    reached    Windmill    Point,    eight    miles 

below  Isle  la  Motte  and  anchored  there  "  in  a  line 
from  shore  to  shore,"  sending  his  look-out  boats  a 
mile  below  with  orders  to  watch  the  movements  of 
the  enemy  at  Isle  Aux  Tetes. 

The  same  day  Capt.  John  Brown,  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,  died  in  a  barn  in  New  York  in  the  cause 
of  liberty.  He  was  the  fourth  in  direct  descent  from 
Peter  Brown  of  the  Mayflower  and  grandfather  of  John 
Brown  of  Ossawatomie.  His  gravestone,  brought 
from  Connecticut  to  the  Adirondack  farm,  marks  the 


28o  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

grave  of  his  hero  grandson  who  requested  to  be  buried 
near  it. 

"  The  Captain  of  my  salvation,  who  is  also  the  Captain  of 
liberty,  has  taken  away  my  sword  of  steel,  and  put  into  my  hands 
a  sword  of  spirit." — John  Brown  in  his  last  letter. 

1814  At  Champlain  was  encamped,  under  Sir  George 

Prevost,  commander-in-chief,  an  army  of  from  ii,ooo 
to  14,000  men,  including  artillery,  infantry,  light 
dragoons,  miners  and  sappers,  with  Canadian  chaus- 
seurs  and  a  Swiss  regiment:  all  tried  and  seasoned 
troops,  many  of  them  Wellington  veterans.  The 
same  day  the  inhabitants  were  fleeing  from  Platts- 
burgh  south,  many  finding  an  asylum  at  the  "  Union," 
where  a  few^  days  later,  from  the  crest  of  Hallock 
hill,  they  with  the  young  Quakers  watched  the  distant 
battle  and  heard  the  cannonading. 

Across  the  border-land  they  came, 
Pausing  awhile  at  old   Champlain 
To  taste  the  loaves  so  sweet  and  brown. 
For  which  was  famed  that  border  town; 

— Mrs.    Palmer. 

1818  Bishop  Hobart  visited  Oneida  Castle,  and  con- 

firmed eighty-nine  persons,  who  had  been  prepared 
for  that  holy  rite  by  Mr.  Williams.  The  Indians  were 
greatly  impressed  by  the  bishop. 

SEPTEMBER  4 

1775  Arrival  of  Gen.  Schuyler  at  the  sandy  beach  of 

Isle  La  Motte,  where  the  army  under  Montgomery 
had  been  awaiting  his  coming  since  August  31.  That 
same  night  the  army  moved  on  towards  Isle  aux 
Noix.  On  the  night  of  August  30,  Montgomery's 
troops  had  encamped  at  the  GilHland  settlement  and 
Mr.  GilHland  had  furnished  some  of  the  boats  for 
transportation  and  had  acted  as  guide  for  the  army. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  281 

1814  The  enemy's  guard  is  within  eighteen  miles  from 

us.  Some  of  the  bold  and  brave  militia-men  have 
exchanged  shots  with  them. — Eleazer  Williams. 

Thence  onward  marched  o'er  stream  and  lea, 
Passing  the  town  of  old   Chazy — 

— Mrs.     Palmer. 

"According  to  the  best  of  my  recollection,  however,  the 
town  (Plattsburgh)  was  deserted  by  the  inhabitants  on  or  about 
the  fourth  of  September,  181 4." — Mrs.  Davidson. 

The  main  body  of  the  invading  army  had  indeed 
reached  Chazy  and  Lieut. -Col.  Appling,  Capt.  Safford 
and  Lieut.  M.  M.  Standish  with  a  troop  of  New  York 
State  cavalry  were  sent  out  on  the  State  road  as  an 
advance  guard,  while  Capt.  Sproul,  with  two  cannon 
and  200  American  soldiers  went  to  defend  Dead  Creek 
bridge.  About  700  of  the  militia  of  Clinton  and 
Essex  counties  came  pouring  into  Plattsburgh,  in  re- 
sponse to  the  call  of  Gen.  Mooers,  and  the  Vermonters 
rallied  in  great  numbers  under  Gen.  Strong,  Early 
in  the  morning  the  boys  of  Captain  Aikin's  company, 
who,  only  the  week  before  had  been  pupils  in  the 
Academy,  marched  to  West  Chazy  where  they  re- 
mained all  night. 

1819  On   Saturday  at  11,  P.M.  the  Phoenix  left  her 

dock  at  Burlington,  in  command  of  Capt.  Richard 
W.  Sherman,  son  of  Capt.  Jehaziel  Sherman,  the 
regular  captain.  It  was  a  clear  moonlight  evening 
and  the  route  lay  near  Rock  and  Appletree  Points, 
between  Colchester  reefs,  on  the  west  of  Stave  and 
Providence  Islands  and  east  of  Valcour  and  Crab 
Islands.  Among  the  passengers  were  George  Bum- 
ham,  the  Custom  House  Officer  and  John  Howard, 
on  his  way  to  Montreal  w4th  $8,000  as  a  special  mes- 
senger from  the  Bank  of  Burlington. 


282  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

SEPTEMBER  5 

It  was  a  lovely  day,  and  not  withstanding  the  warlike 
preparations,  all  nature  wore  the  aspect  of  peace  and  tranquility. 
The  rich  foliage  of  the  landscape  was  in  full  beauty;  the  early 
autumn  shrubbery  seemed  the  very  perfection  of  nature. 

— Mrs.    Davidson. 

1814  The    British    made    their   appearance    at    West 

Chazy  and  Aiken's  Volunteer  Riflemen  "  gave  a  good 
account  of  themselves  by  annoying  the  enemy  from 
behind  stumps,  fences,  &c.,  and  disputed  the  ground 
with  them  all  the  way  to  Plattsburgh."  That  night, 
the  right  wing  of  the  British  army  under  Col.  Welling- 
ton (a  nephew  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington)  encamped 
about  two  miles  north  of  Beekmantown  Corners,  on 
the  farm  of  Miner  Lewis.  In  Plattsburgh,  Eleazer 
Williams  wrote: — 

"  A  council  of  war  was  held  last  evening.  My  department 
was  again  called  upon  to  state  the  force  of  the  enemy.  Every 
arrangement  was  made  and  settled  how  to  receive  him.  All  are 
in  activity —  *  *  *  our  fleet  in  the  bay  are  manoeuvering — 
the  gun-boats  are  exercising  near  the  shores,  in  preparation  to 
annoy  the  enemy  whenever  he  may  approach  and  attack  the 
village.  All  are  solemn — it  cannot  be  otherwise — they  (the 
soldiers)  are  determined  that  Plattsburgh  shall  not  be  attacked  or 
surrendered,  without  the  expense  of  British  and  American  Blood. 

At  night,  12  o'clock. — The  enemy  are  now  at  Douglas 
Place,  at  the  separation  of  the  Lake  and  the  Back  Road,  as  it  is 
called." 

1819  About  I  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  pantry  of  the 

Phoenix  was  discovered  to  be  on  fire  by  John  Howard, 
occupying  an  adjoining  room.  The  flames  soon  reach- 
ing the  engine  in  the  centre  of  the  boat  cut  off  all 
communication  between  the  two  ends.  The  starboard 
boat  with  20  passengers  made  for  Providence  Island 
(the  nearest  land), but  the  larboard  boat,  the  larger  of 
the  two,  was  cut  loose  with  but  14  passengers  leaving 
1 1  to  their  fate.     These  sought  escape  on  any  floating 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  283 

material.  Five  found  a  watery  grave,  among  them 
Mrs.  Wilson  of  Charlotte,  the  stewardess,  who  had 
remained  to  save  others,  and  Harvy  Blush,  a  deck 
hand,  whose  parents  erected  a  stone  to  his  memory  in 
Elmwood  cemetery,  Burlington,  to  this  day  a  pathetic 
reminder  of  the  disaster.  Captain  Sherman  was  the 
last  to  leave  the  boat  and  was  picked  up  near  Stave 
Island  insensible.  Ke,  with  John  Howard,  Harry 
Thomas  and  Mrs.  Wilson  made  heroic  efforts  to  save 
others.  Early  morning  brought  help  from  Burling- 
ton, Captains  Robert  and  Lavater  White,  Dan  Lyon 
and  Almas  Truman,  coming  in  their  sloops. 

1847  "The   Lord's   supper  was  postponed  until  the 

first  Sabbath  of  October,  on  account  of  the  fiftieth 
anniversary  of  the  foundation  of  the  Church  falHng 
on  Friday  the  ist  of  that  month." 
— Sessional  Records,  Presbyterian  Church,  Plattsburgh. 

SEPTEMBER  6 

Then  straight  their  onward  way  led  down 
The  country  roads  of  Beekmantown. 

But  here  their  sanguine  march  is  staid; 
A  saddening  spell  is  on  them  laid — 

*  *  *  *  H:  * 

They  tread  with  saddened  step  and  slow 
As  on  they  bear  the  lifeless  clay — 
As  Wellington,  they  bear,  with  solemn  tread, 
The  first  of  their  lamented  dead. 
****** 
Later,   not  many  miles  away. 
Upon  that  fatefvd  autumn  day, 
The  waiting  batteries  ambushed  lay 
Masked  by  Wool's  band  of  infantry. 
And  as  the  English  onward  come 
"  They  cut  a  narrow,  bloody  lane;  " — 
Thrice  flashed  the  guns — ^but  no  avail — 
The  surging  masses  now  prevail. 

— Mrs.    Palmer. 


284  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1814  About  noon  the  British  army  reached  Plattsburgh 

and  took  possession  of  the  village  north  of  the  Sara- 
nac.  Their  right  wing,  under  Col.  Wellington,  had 
been  only  temporarily  checked  by  the  loss  of  their 
leader  at  Culver  Hill  and  the  skirmish  which  had 
preceded  that,  near  Beekmantown  corners,  and  later, 
at  Halsey's  Corners.  Meanwhile  the  left  wing  had 
been  somewhat  delayed  by  obstructions  placed  in 
the  road,  by  an  encounter  at  Dead  Creek  bridge  and 
by  firing  from  the  American  gun  boats  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Creek.  Overw^helmed,  however,  by  the  im- 
mense number  of  the  enemy,  the  defenders  had 
retreated  in  good  order  to  their  works  on  the  east  side 
of  the  river,  pulling  up  the  planks  of  the  bridge. 

Prevost  chose  for  his  headquarters  the  Thomas 
Allen  farm,  on  the  hill  west  of  the  village,  from  the 
summit  of  which  the  British  commander  could  over- 
look the  lake  and  watch  for  the  appearance  of  his 
fleet.  His  troops  encamped  on  the  high  ground  in  the 
vicinity,  now  known  as  Prospect  Heights.  Lieut.  Gen. 
de  Rottenburgh,  second  in  command,  established  him- 
self west  of  Prevost,  towards  Hammond  hill,  with 
Gen.  Powers  and  his  command  opposite  on  the  south 
side  of  the  road,  but  further  west.  Maj.  Gen.  Robert- 
son was  at  the  Isaac  Piatt  farm,  where  the  dead  and 
wounded  of  the  recent  engagements  had  been  carried. 
Brisbane  was  at  the  Boynton  farm,  then  occupied  by 
Samuel  Lowell  and  the  Qr.  Master  General  took  pos- 
session of  the  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt  homestead, 
where  that  patriot  still  remained,  although  the  Bailey 
family  had  retired  to  the  "  Union."  at  Peru. 

1830  Trinity  Episcopal   church,   the   only  church  of 

that  denomination  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake, 
was  incorporated.  James  Bailey  and  Frederick  L. 
C.  Sailley  were  the  first  wardens;  St.  John  B.  L.  Skin- 
ner, Samuel  Beaumont,  William  F.  Haile,  WilHam  F. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  285 

Halsey,  Samuel  Emery,  George  Marsh,  John  Palmer 
and  John  Lynde,  the  vestrymen.  Few  of  the  early 
pioneers  now  remained. 

A  few  months  later  an  Episcopal  Society  was 
organized  at  Buriington  and  during  the  year  a  Catho- 
lic missionary  was  sent  to  Burlington,  which  was  then 
included  in  the  Diocese  of  Boston. 

1838  The  wedding  day  of  Peter  Sailly  Palmer  and 

Margaret  Smith,  daughter  of  Capt.  Sidney  Smith, 
U.  S.  N.  The  groom  was  already  in  possession  of  a 
good  practice  in  Michigan,  whither  they  went,  re- 
turning in  a  few  years  to  Pittsburgh  where  they 
remained  through  life. 

1901  The    news    of    the    attempted    assassination    of 

President  McKinley  reached  Isle  Le  Motte  by  tele- 
phone at  5.30.  Here,  on  the  beautiful  grounds  of 
ex-Lieut.  Gov.  Fisk,  the  Vermont  Fish  and  Game 
League  was  holding  a  summer  meeting.  When 
Senator  Redfield  Proctor  by  request  announced  the 
shocking  tidings  to  the  thousand  people  assembled, 
many  men  and  women  burst  into  tears.  Vice-Presi- 
dent Roosevelt,  an  honored  guest,  was  at  once  taken 
to  Burlington  on  Dr.  Webb's  beautiful  yacht  Elfrida 
whence,  at  midnight,  he  was  on  his  way  via  Grand 
Isle  county's  new  railroad  in  the  private  car  of 
President  Clement. 


SEPTEMBER  7 

1760  The    troops    under    Murray    were    disembarked 

upon  the  island  of  Montreal, 

1766  ^  — took   an   observation   by  the   sun   at   Crown 

Point  (which  was  afterwards  corroborated  by  a  noc- 
turnal observation)  and  found  it  to  be  Latd  44°  1'  20''; 
after  dinner  embarked  for  home  in  my  Bateau;  the 


286  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Governors  and  other  gentlemen  embarking  before 
dinner,  in  the  sloop.  Overtook  them  at  Button 
Mould  Bay  and  went  aboard  the  sloop,  where  dinner 
being  just  served  up,  I  dined  with  them;  there  being 
little  or  no  wind,  tarried  with  them  4  or  5  hours,  and 
then  pushed  off  in  my  boat  for  home,  where  I  arrived 
about  one  in  the  morning,  found  all  well. — GilUland. 

1776  Arnold's  fleet  was  anchored  off  Isle  La  Motte 

from  this  date  to  the  17th. 

1842  The    Champlain    Academy    opened    with    Mr. 

Azariah  Hyde  as  principal  and  Miss  Frances  Lynde 
"  in  charge  of  the  female  department."  The  building 
was  erected  the  same  year.  Silas  Hubbell,  Noadiah 
Moore,  Nathan  Wells,  Jabez  Fitch,  J.  M.  Burrows,  J. 
C.  Hubbell,  Robert  Stetson,  Lovel  Dunning,  Joel 
Savage,  D.  C.  Hitchcock,  Ezekiel  Brisbane  and  D.  T. 
Moore  were  the  first  trustees. 

1907  The  members  of  the  two  commissions,  including 

the  Governor  of  New  York,  the  Governor  of  Vermont, 
and  a  few  guests,  left  Hotel  Champlain  in  the  morn- 
ing on  two  yachts.  Valcour  Island  first  claimed  their 
attention  and  then,  passing  northward,  they  reached 
in  turn  Crab  Island,  Cumberland  Bay,  Cumberland 
Head,  Point  au  Fer,  Windmill  Point,  and  "  made 
their  first  landing  at  Sandy  Point,  on  Isle  la  Motte 
the  site  of  the  first  French  settlement  in  the  Valley.' 
Here,  the  commissioners  dined  at  the  home  of  Hon 
Nelson  W.  Fisk,  thence  going  to  Burlington  where 
the  remainder  of  the  day  was  spent. 

1909  Acceptance  of  a  deed  from  the  Hon.  J.  B.  Riley 

conveying  to  the  city  of  Plattsburgh,  a  plot  of  land 
for  a  public  street  running  north  from  Riley  to  Boyn 
ton  avenue,  about  305  feet  east  of  Oak  street,  to  be 
named  "  Lozier  Place." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  287 

SEPTEMBER  8 

1687  Gov.  Dongan,   of   New  York,  in  a  letter  to  the 

king,  proposed  to  build  a  fort  at  Corlear's  Lake  (Lake 
Champlain),  at  the  pass  in  the  lake  150  miles  north 
from  Albany  (Chimney  Point).  Corlear,  in  whose 
honor  the  English  and  Dutch  named  the  lake,  had 
been  very  kind  to  captive  French  and  had  ransomed 
them  from  the  Mohawks  and  returned  them  to  Canada. 
He  was  drowned  in  the  lake  a  little  north  of  Otter 
Creek,  on  his  way  to  visit  Courcelles  in  Canada. 

1755  Dieskau  with  a  force  of  1,200  Indians  and  Cana- 

dians defeats  1,000  Provincials  under  Col.  Ephraim 
Williams,  who  is  killed,  while  his  faithful  ally, 
Hendrick,  the  Mohawk  sachem,  is  mortally  w^ounded. 
Later,  Dieskau  himself  is  wounded,  defeated  and 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Provincials  under  Lyman,  the 
successor  of  the  wounded  Johnson.  Johnson  wasted 
the  rest  of  the  season  in  building  Fort  William  Henry, 
a  pile  of  wooden  barracks. 

1760  Murray's  army  encamped  northeast  of  Montreal 

and  Haviland  arrived  with  his  command  from  Lake 
Champlain  on  the  same  day.  There  was  now  a  force 
of  16,000  men  assembled  under  the  walls  of  the  de- 
fenseless city,  and  the  same  day  "  the  Marquis  de 
Vaudreuil  signed  the  capitulation  which  severed 
Canada  from  France  forever." 

1767  Died  near  Paris,  on  the  anniversary  of  his  defeat 

and  capture  by  the  English  at  Lake  George  twelve 
years  before,  Ludwig  August  Dieskau,  a  German 
general  in  the  service  of  France. 

1814  The  Vermont  militia  have  begun  to  come.     Cap- 

tain Farsworth,  of  St.  Albans,  with  his  rifle  company. 


288  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

ninety-six  strong,  have  just  arrived.  This  is  a  fine 
and  noble  corps. 

Evening. — Generals  Macomb  and  Mooers,  and 
Commodore  Macdonough  were  together  this  evening, 
in  consultation,  the  result  of  which  is  that  I  am  once 
more  compelled  to  put  the  whole  corps  of  Rangers  in 
motion, — Williams. 

1828  Margaret  Griffin,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Griffin, 

and  a  student  at  the  Academy,  died.  The  following 
is  an  extract  from  a  poem  written  at  the  time,  sup- 
posedly by  little  Margaret  Davidson,  then  only  7  or 
8  years  old. 

TO  MARGARET. 

And  is  it  thus — and  is  it  thus, 

We're  doomed  thy  sainted  form  to  see? 

Oh!     desolating  thought  for  us, 

Oh!  sweet  and  blessed  sleep  for  thee. 

Not  long  ago,  thy  blue  eyes  met 

The  fading  sun  when  evening  spread, 

Its    lines    of    light; — 

****** 

The  autumnal  flowers  look  smiling  on, 
There's  life  and  joy  in  field  and  wood; 

Yet  she  who  waked  their  smiles  is  gone; 
We  wander  forth  in   solitude. 

1 84 1  Mr.  Charles  T.  Piatt  was  promoted  to  commander. 

Since  he  became  a  lieutenant  in  1820,  he  has  been  on 
duty  on  the  Guerierre,  the  Shark,  with  Commodore 
Porter  on  the  Beagle;  then  on  the  Java,  and  lastly, 
on  the  St.  Louis.  In  1838  he  was  engaged  on  the 
light-house  service. 

1907  Members  of  the  commission  went  by  steamer  to 

Crown  Point,  where  they  found,  "  in  a  most  interest- 
ing state  of  preservation,  not  only  the  ruins  of  British 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  289 

military  constructions,  but  of  the  earlier  French  out- 
lines." This  site  is  now  the  property  of  Mr.  Fred 
Nadeau.  At  Ticonderoga,  visited  later,  interesting 
ruins  reminding  one  of  French,  EngHsh  and  American 
occupation,  are  found.  Since  181 8,  this  territory, 
including  some  five  hundred  acres  with  the  ruins  and 
fortifications,  have  been  in  the  Pell  family,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Pell  having  purchased  the  site  from  Columbia 
and  Union  Colleges. 

SEPTEMBER  9 

1766  — mustered  up  all  my  men  and  set  out,  all  being 

armed  for  my  lower  tract  opposite  Isle  Valcour,  in 
order  to  build  a  possession  house,  at  the  River  St. 
Aranack,  or  Cragan  river)  and  to  oppose  Mr.  Freden- 
burgh,  should  he  attempt  to  make  encroachments 
there;  arrived  there  this  evening. — Gilliland. 

1814  Prevost  was  now  busily  engaged  in  bringing  up 

his  battering  trains  and  suppHes;  erecting  batteries 
and  otherwise  preparing  for  the  siege.  The  Americans 
had  already  burned  fifteen  or  sixteen  buildings  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river  which  afforded  protection 
to  the  enemy ;  also,  their  own  barracks  and  hospitals 
near  the  forts,  while  their  sick  and  convalescent 
had  been  removed  to  Crab  Island,  where  those  who 
were  able  manned  a  battery  mounting  two  six  pound- 
ers. Skirmishes  with  the  enemy  at  the  two  bridges 
and  at  the  different  forts  along  the  river  were  fre- 
quent. During  the  day,  Allen,  Travis  and  Williams 
of  Aiken's  Volunteers  came  near  being  captured  or 
killed  by  a  guard  of  the  enemy,  while  securing  sup- 
plies from  a  barn  within  the  enemy's  lines.  That 
night  was  dark  and  stormy.     Williams  says: — 

A  corps  of  the  regular  troops,  under  Captain  MacGlassin, 
about  II  o'clock,  crossed  the  Saranac,  and  stormed,  at  the  point 


2go  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

of  the  bayonet,  a  bomb-battery  of  the  enemy,  near  Weight's 
printing  office.  My  brother  John  was  the  leader  of  this  detach- 
ment ,  and  was  the  cause  of  the  death  of  the  engineer  of  the  bat  tery . 
Having  accomphshed  the  duty  assigned  them,  they  returned  to 
the  forts  whence  they  had  issued,  with  honor  and  victory." 

1829  William  Thorne,  from  whom  Thome's  Corners 

is  named,  died,  aged  60.  He  was  from  England 
originally,  but  came  to  Plattsburgh  with  Dr.  John 
Miller,  whose  wife's  niece,  Susan  Mitchell,  he  had 
married  in  Poughkeepsie.  Her  sister  Sally  married 
a  Borland  of  Troy,  for  years  proprietor  of  the  Mansion 
House  in  that  city.  Another  sister,  Margaret,  was 
the  wife  of  Isaac  Smith  of  Federal  Stores  on  the  Hud- 
son. Mrs.  Thorne  survived  until  April  20,  1859, 
reaching  the  age  of  88.  She  was  biiried  beside  her 
husband  in  the  cemetery  at  West  Plattsburgh. 

SEPTEMBER  10 

The  waves  of  the  lake  were  laving  the  variegated  shrubbery 
which  adorned  its  banks.  The  beautiful  islands  were  peacefully 
reclining  upon  its  bosom,  and  the  blue  mountains  rising  in  grand 
succession  beyond,  lent  a  degree  of  sublimity  to  the  scene. 

— Mrs.    Davidson. 

1755  — this  morning  set  four  hands  about  building 

the  house  whilst  myself  with  the  others,  proceeded  to 
the  Congress,  for  settHng  the  Latd  at  Wind  Mill 
Point,  having  brought  3  shoats,  some  salmon  and  a 
fat  calf  for  the  Governors,  who  thankfully  received 
them,  being  almost  out  of  fresh  provisions ;  arrived 
at  the  Congress  this  evening  pretty  late. — GilHland. 

1787  The  Commissioners  of  the  Land  Office  passed  an 

order,  setting  apart  a  large  tract  of  land  for  those 
refugees  from  Canada  and  Nova  Scotia,  who,  during 
the  Revolution,  had  sided  with  the  United  States, 
and  had  now  established  themselves  on  the  shore  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  291 

Lake  Champlain,  mostly  in  Chazy  and  Champlain, 
to  escape  British  persecution.  Gen.  Moses  Hazen, 
who  had  been  in  command  of  the  regiment  to  which 
most  of  those  patriots  had  belonged,  settled  at  Point 
Au  Roche  (now  Beekmantown)  but  then  (1786) 
known  as  Hazenburgh.  Among  these  refugees  were 
Col.  Edward  Antill,  County  Judge  in  1789,  Capt. 
Antoine  Paulinte,  Lieuts.  Alex.  Friot,  Francis  Monty, 
Andre  Pepin,  Louis  Gosselin,  Amable  Boilleau, 
Francis  Wilmot,  McPherson,  and  Theodore  Chartier, 
an  Indian  interpreter,  Pierre  Ayotte,  John  Baptiste 
La  Frombois  and  many  others. 

1813  Col.  James  Bellows,  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution 
under  Arnold  at  Saratoga  and  in  other  battles  of 
that  campaign,  died  in  Fairfax,  Vt.,  to  which  he  had 
removed  from  Hartford,  Conn.  The  same  day  at 
Robinson's  Inn,  Chazy,  was  born  the  first  child  of 
Lewis  S.  and  Hannah  (Eldred)  Robinson — a  boy — 
named  a  few  days  later  by  Eleazer  Williams  (who 
chanced  to  come  to  the  house  to  communicate  with 
his  Rangers)  for  himself,  Eleazer  Williams  Robinson, 
promising  that  the  child  should  share  his  gold. 

1814  The  entire  British  fleet  was  now  anchored  off 
the  south  end  of  Isle  La  Motte,  where  the  gun-boats, 
under  Capt.  Pring,  had  been  since  the  7th.  Com. 
Downie  arrived  the  8th  and  the  British  officers  now 
took  possession  of  the  stone  house  built  by  Samuel 
Fisk,  still  standing.  Macdonough's  fleet  had  been 
anchored  a  little  north  of  Blanchard's  Point  previous 
to  the  first  of  the  month,  but  soundings  made  with 
reference  to  an  engagement  there  proving  unsatis- 
factory, the  fleet  had  withdrawn  to  Cumberland  Bay. 

1833  At  the  Phoenix  Hotel,  Whitehall,  a  meeting  of 

delegates    from    Clinton,     Essex    and    Washington 


292  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

counties  was  held  for  the  purpose  of  "  deliberating 
upon  the  propriety  of  petitioning  the  Legislature  for 
aid  in  opening  a  road  (not  a  railroad)  on  the  western 
margin  of  Lake  Champlain,  leading  from  Whitehall 
to  the  Canada  line."  It  was  resolved  to  petition  the 
Legislature.  The  chairman  of  the  meeting  was 
Melancton  Wheeler  with  Richard  D.  Arthur  and  D. 
B.  McNeil,  Secretaries. 

SEPTEMBER  11 

1783  Mr.   Mooers  had  now  cleared  up  a  small  field 

near  his  house,  which  he  sowed  to  wheat  and  turnips. 

1803  Birth    of    Samuel    Boardman,  youngest   son  of 

Hezekiah,  a  brother  of  Benjamin.  Samuel  became 
a  merchant  and  built  the  sandbar  bridge  from  Milton 
to  Grand  Isle,  Vt.     He  died  in  1853. 

At  early  morn  in  Cumberland  Bay, 
Four  gallant   ships  at  anchor  lay, 
The  Saratoga,  the  Eagle   grey, 
Preble  and  Ticonderoga  they 
And  now  along  the  western  shore 
Slowly  sail  down  as  many  more, 
;  The  Confiance  the  Linnet  gay. 

The  Finch,  the  Chubb  that  day 
Destined  to  be  the  Eagle's  prey. 

1814  A  few  minutes  before  9,  Downie  gave  the  signal 

for  the  squadron  to  advance.  In  the  momentary 
hush  before  the  battle,  Macdonough  with  his  officers 
about  him,  knelt  upon  the  deck  of  his  flagship  and 
repeated  the  prayer  appointed  by  the  Church  to  be 
said  before  a  fight  at  sea.  A  moment  more  and  the 
carnage  had  begun.  Downie  fell  early  in  the  fight 
but  the  battle  raged  for  two  hours  and  twenty 
minutes,    when    the     British    colors    were     hauled 

•  *  down. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev 


293 


294  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

The    veterans    from    Trafalgar 
Declared  that  naught  but  mimic  war 
Compared  with  this,  which  left  no  spar 
"  But  splints  for  matches;"  naught  but  rags 
For  proudly  waving  battle  flags. 

One  out  of  seven,  who  fought  that  day 

Dying,  or  dead,  or  wounded  lay, 

Stansbury,   Carter,   Banks,  of  ours 

And  Gamble  fell,  wrecked  by  the  showers 

Of  iron  hail;  and  there  all  pale 

Lay  Downie,  Jackson,  Gunn  and  Paul 

And  Anderson;  brave  foeman  all. 

— Mrs.  Palmer. 

Macdonough  wrote  to  the  Hon.  W.  Jones,  Sec 
of  the  Navy. — "The  Almighty  has  been  pleased  to 
grant  us  a  signal  victory  on  Lake  Champlain  in  the 
capture  of  one  frigate,  one  brig  and  two  sloops  of 
war  of  the  enemy." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  battle  on  the  bay,  the 
enemy  had  opened  his  batteries  on  our  forts  and  the 
fighting  continued  in  different  quarters  nearly  all 
day.  But  as  night  fell  no  time  was  lost  by  the  van- 
quished foe  in  making  their  escape  as  best  they  could 
over  the  muddy  and  nearly  impassable  roads  north- 
ward. 

1843  The  Anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh 

was  celebrated  in  an  appropriate  manner  by  the  Clin- 
ton County  Military  Association  and  the  citizens  of 
Plattsburgh  and  vicinity.  General  Wool  and  suite, 
with  others  who  were  in  the  Battle  were  present  by 
special  invitation.  At  lo  o'clock  the  procession 
formed  at  Fouquet's  hotel  with  Gen.  C.  Halsey,  as 
Chief  Marshal,  assisted  by  Messrs.  C.  S.  Mooers,  G. 
W.  Palmer,  and  R.  G.  Stone,  escorted  by  the  U.  S. 
Troops  then  at  this  post,  under  command  of  Capt. 
C.  A.  Waite,  and  moved  to  the  Park  in  front  of  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  295 

Court  House,  where  Col.   A.   C.    Moore   delivered  a 
patriotic  address. 

At  the  cemetery,  the  Troops  and  Military  Associ- 
ation formed  a  square  around  the  unmarked  graves 
of  those  who  fell  in  the  battle.  After  prayer  by  Dr. 
Witherspoon  and  an  address  by  Gen.  Skinner,  Col. 
McNeil,  the  president  of  the  day,  introduced  in  turn 
Gen.  Wool,  Judge  Wm.  Haile,  Colonels  Miller  and 
Manly,  Maj.  Gen.  Skinner,  and  Piatt  R.  Halstead 
and  Springer,  both  late  lieutenants  of  the  U.  S.  Army, 
each  of  whom  erected  at  the  graves  assigned  to  them, 
the  marble  monuments  provided  by  the  Association. 
Dr.  Witherspoon  dismissed  the  assembly  with  a 
benediction  and  the  procession  returned  to  the  hotel, 
where  dinner  was  served,  followed  by  speeches  and 
toasts. 

Brig.-general  Wool,  U.  S.  Army, — The  Hero  of  Beekman- 
town  as  well  as  Queenstown — "  His  laurels  are  green,  though 
his  locks  are  gray." — Toast  offered  by  General  Skinner. 

1874  On  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh, 

in  which  he  had  participated,  the  Hon.  Bela  Edger- 
ton,  died  at  the  home  of  his  eldest  son,  the  Hon. 
Alfred  P.  Edgerton  of  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.  He  had 
lived  through  the  administrations  of  the  Presidents 
from  Washington  to  Grant  surviving  the  wife  of  his 
youth  thirty  years.  Joseph  K.  Edgerton  of  Fort 
Wayne  and  Lycurgus  Edgerton  of  New  York  city 
were  their  sons  and  the  late  Mrs.  Phebe  Barnes  of 
Plattsburgh,  widow  of  Dr.  M.  A.  Barnes  of  Schuyler 
Falls,  their  daughter. 

1909  Saranac  Chapter  was  entertained  at  luncheon  by 

Mrs.  George  Smith  of  Keeseville.  To  this  same  house 
which  he  had  just  built,  Reuben  Hayes  brought  his 
bride,  Elsie  Fuller  (daughter  of  the  Revolutionary 
soldier,    Ignatius   Fuller  of   Salem,   Mass.)    in    1828. 


296  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

This  too,  was  the  home  of  Judge  Fisk,  where  Presi- 
dent Van  Buren  was  given  a  reception,  and  later, 
Daniel  Dodge  made  it  his  home.  After  the  luncheon, 
anecdotes  of  the  battle  connected  with  their  ancestors 
were  told  by  members  of  the  chapter. 


SEPTEMBER  12 

Ho   for  the   bending   sheaves, 
Ho   for  the   crimson   leaves 
Flaming  in  splendor! 

— Buckham. 

1756  We  have  learned  that  a  party  of  English  Indians, 

having  been  discovered  at  Point  SqueSonton  (Cum- 
berland Head),  in  Lake  Champlain,  was  pursued; 
two  Englishmen  had  been  taken  and  conveyed  to 
Carillon;  the  others  escaped. — Paris  Documents. 

1 765  — this  day  w4th  all  the  above  mentioned  (mowers, 
haymakers  and  road  clearers)  returned  from  the 
meadows,  having  finished  the  making  of  the  com- 
pany's hay,  it  being  put  up  in  tramp  cocks. 

— Gilliland. 

1766  — went  to  River  La  Cole,  and  settled  with 
EHakim  Ayers,  George  Hicks,  John  King,  Moses 
Dixon  and  Martin  Taylor,  who  acknowledge  their 
account,  by  me  exhibited  in  the  presence  of  their 
overseer,   Mr.  Alvis. — Idem. 

1792  Sophia   Moore,   daughter  of  Judge   Moore,   was 

born  in  Champlain.  Her  sister  Anna,  two  years 
older,  was  the  first  child  born  of  American  parents  in 
the  town.  For  his  daughters.  Judge  Moore,  in  1810 
or  181 1,  bought  the  first  piano — in  the  form  of  a 
harpsichord.  Sophia  married  Thomas  Whiteside, 
Supervisor,   181 7-1 820;  182 2-1 631.     It  was  to  visit 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  297 

Mrs.  Whiteside  that  Margaret  O.  Savage,  daughter 
of  James  Savage  of  Chatham,  first  came  to  Lake 
Champlain. 

1807  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt,  the  patroon  of  Platts- 

burgh,  died  in  his  homestead  overlooking  the  lake. 
His  remains  were  placed  in  the  family  burial  ground 
near  by,  whence,  on  the  laying  out  of  Jay  street  in 
181 1,  they  were  removed  to  the  village  cemetery.  As 
a  landowner,  Judge  Piatt  was  pre-eminent,  having 
large  holdings  in  Dutchess,  Herkimer,  Tioga,  Oneida, 
Warren,  Essex,  Franklin  and  Clinton  counties,  one 
purchase  alone  in  Tioga  amounting  to  5,000  acres 
and  his  property  in  Clinton  county  aggregating 
117,760  acres.  All  this  was  scrupulously  divided 
among  his  surviving  children. 

"  Through  the  course  of  a  long  and  active  life,  which  I  can 
truly  say  has  had  the  welfare  of  my  country  and  my  children  for 
its  chief  object,  I  have  had  my  eyes  fixed  on  the  mutability  to 
which  everything  is  subject." 

— Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt  to  his  oldest  son. 

1814  Commodore   Macdonough  caused   the   wounded 

to  be  removed  to  his  own  hospital  on  Crab  Island 
and  there,  south  of  the  hospital  tents,  the  dead  of 
both  armies  were  buried  in  trenches  together.  The 
same  day  the  Vermont  volunteers  returned  home. 

SEPTEMBER  13 

1 766  — finding  the  weather  continue  rainy  and  cloudy 

and  that  there  was  no  likelihood  of  the  latitude  being 
soon  determined,  and  Mrs.  GilHland  being  past  her 
reckoning,  took  my  leave  of  the  Governor,  who 
promised  me  his  friendship,  and  that  he  would  visit 
us  on  his  return, and  pushed  off  for  Cragen  river  where 
arrived  late  this  night,  raised  all  the  men  to  hang  a 


208  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

door  on  the  house,  and  fasten,  which  they  did,  and 
thereby  finished  it. — Gilliland. 

18 1 4  The  New  York  mihtia  were  disbanded  and  the 

most  severely  wounded  of  the  enemy  were  paroled 
and  sent  to  the  Enghsh  hospital  at  Isle  aux  Noix. 
This  day  the  body  of  Lieut.  Stansbury,  who  mysteri- 
ously disappeared  from  the  Ticonderoga  during  the 
action,  rose  to  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  was 
found  to  have  been  "  cut  in  two  with  a  round  shot." 
He  was  a  son  of  Gen.  T.  E.  Stansbury. 

1842  At  Keeseville,  under  the  weight  and  measured 

tread  of  a  company  of  soldiers  attending  a  "  general 
muster  "  of  a  battalion  of  the  State  militia,  the  new 
suspension  bridge,  nearly  finished,  gave  way  precipi- 
tating spectators  and  soldiers  into  the  raging  waters 
beneath.  Nine  persons  lost  their  lives,  among  them, 
two  little  friends,  eight-year-old  sons  of  Martin  Pope 
and  Richard  Peabody.  The  bodies  were  found  the 
next  spring  near  the  lake  and  were  laid  in  one  grave. 

ONLY  A  STEP. 

Only  a  step  between  life  and  death — 
Length  of  a  heartbeat,  span  of  a  breath: 
Think  of  it,  soul — ^but  an  instant's  flight 
From  here  and  now  to  the  judgment  light: 

— Buckham . 

1888  Death  of  the  Hon.  Ira  Hill  of  Isle  La  Motte,  who 

had  lived  in  the  administration  of  every  President  of 
the  United  States  to  that  of  McKinley.  As  a  very 
yoimg  man  he  had  witnessed  the  murder  of  his  father 
and  had  himself  barely  escaped  at  the  hands  of  a 
band  of  desperadoes  from  the  American  fleet  who 
afterwards  fled  the  country.  A  few  days  before  the 
battle  he  was  apprehended  and  brought  before  Capt, 
Pring  who  tried  to  induce  him  to  sign  a  paper  of  al- 


Three  Cexturies  ix  Champlaix  Valley  299 

legiance  to  His  Majesty  and  also  to  reveal  the  place 
of  concealment  of  some  munitions  of  war  belonging  to 
Vermont  militia  but  Hill,  by  playing  the  fool  and 
being  very  youthful  in  appearance,  escaped.  He 
afterwards  crossed  the  lake  and  made  his  way  three 
miles  back,  securing  intelligence  from  the  enemy  for 
his  Col.   (Mix). 


SEPTEMBER  14 

1766  Mr.    Gilliland   arrived   at   Willsborough   in   the 

afternoon  with  a  birch  canoe  found  on  Cumberland 
Head. 

1814  The  remains  of  the  lamented  Gamble,  Stansbury, 

Carter  and  Barron  were  placed  in  separate  boats, 
manned  by  crews  from  their  respective  vessels.  The 
sad  procession  then  moved  to  the  Confiance,  where 
the  British  officers  joined  them  with  their  dead. 
At  the  lakeshore  the  funeral  party  was  met  by  a  large 
concourse  of  soldiers  and  ci\ilians  and,  as  the  proces- 
sion slowly  wended  its  way  to  the  village  cemetery, 
minute  guns  were  fired  from  the  fort.  In  the  centre 
of  that  peaceful  spot,  friend  and  foe  were  laid  to  rest, 
the  flags  for  which  each  had  fought,  furnishing  a  pall. 

SEPTEMBER  15 

1756  "  Our  6  regiments  are  at  present  arrived  at  Caril- 

lon with  1,000  to  1,200  Colonial  troops,  300  Canadians 
and  nearly  700  Indians,  and  should  the  enemy  set  out 
to  attack  us,  2,000  Regulars  and  Canadians  wiU,  on 
the  first  signal,  be  commanded  to  repair  to  St.  John, 
where  bateaux  will  be  in  readiness  to  transport  them. 
*  *  From  Fort  Chambly  the  portage  is 

made  with  carts  about  30  arpents,  and  thence  in 
bateaux  to  St.  John —        *        *        Fort  Carillon 


300  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

is  completed;  it  is  represented  as  a  great  affair  and 
capable  of  being  rendered  bomb-proof;  'tis  provided 
with  30  pieces  of  cannon  and  a  year's  provisions  for 
a  garrison  of  1,000  men. — Paris  Doc. 

1757  Birth  of  Nathan  Beman,  son  of  Samuel  Beman  of 

or  Simsbury,  Conn.    He  removed  with  his  father's  family 

'59  to  Shoreham,  Vt.  and  after  the  war  Hved  in  Ferris- 

burgh  for  a  time  before  coming  to  Chateaugay. 

1775  WilHam  A.  Griswold  was  born  at  New  Marlboro, 

Mass.  whence,  at  the  age  of  ten  he  removed  with  his 
father's  family  to  Bennington.  After  graduation 
from  Dartmouth  College,  he  established  himself  as  a 
lawyer  at  Danville,  Vt.  and  soon  acquired  a  large 
practice.  In  1807  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature 
and  warmly  supported  the  bill  for  the  establishment 
of  a  state  prison,  urging  the  abandonment  of  the 
branding  iron,  pillory  and  whipping  post.  He  was 
also  an  active  supporter  of  the  war  (181 3  and  181 4). 
In  1 84 1,  he  was  elected  to  the  legislature  from  Bur- 
lington to  which  he  had  removed  and  where  he  re- 
mained until  his  death  in  1846. 

1814  The  English  prisoners  w^ho  were  able,  left  Platts- 

burgh  for  Greenbush,  N.  Y.  by  steamboat  in  charge 
of  Capt.  White  Youngs. 

1898  Return  to  Plattsburgh  Barracks  of  the  remnant 

of  the  gallant  21st  U.  S.  infantry  and  arrival  of  a 
large  number  of  convalescents  from  other  regiments. 
For  the  first  the  citizens  furnished  a  dinner  on  their 
arrival  and,  with  the  help  of  individuals  and  other 
chapters  and  societies,  Saranac  Chapter  for  the  sick 
provided  soup,  delicacies,  home  made  bread,  and 
the  services  of  a  trained  nurse  in  the  weeks  that 
followed. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  301 

SEPTEMBER  16 

1775  General  Schuyler  still  suffering  from  the  results 

of  a  bilious  fever  and  rheumatism,  was  obliged  to 
give  up  all  thought  of  leading  the  invasion  into  Canada 
and  in  a  covered  boat  set  out  for  Ticonderoga,  about 
an  hour  from  Isle  aux  Noix,  meeting  with  Warner 
and  170  Green  Mountain  Boys. 

1810  Death,  at  the  residence  of  Col.  Hawkins,  agent 

for  Indian  Affairs  in  the  Creek  department,  Crawford 
county,  Georgia,  of  the  Rev.  Ichabod  Ebenezer  Fisk 
of  Isle  La  Motte.  He  was  buried  on  the  east  side  of 
the  Flint  river  near  the  old  agency.  Originally  from 
Milford,  Conn,  and  a  graduate  of  Yale,  1770,  Mr. 
Fisk  went  from  Poultney,  Vt.  to  Isle  La  Motte  in 
1788  as  a  young  surveyor.  For  his  services  he  re- 
ceived 100  acres  of  land  still  in  the  hands  of  his 
descendants.  He  taught  the  first  school  on  the  Island 
before  1802,  was  ordained  a  minister  in  the  P.  E. 
church  and  was  the  author  of  an  English  grammar  in 
verse.  His  wife,  Eleanor  (Roberts)  Fisk  died  the 
preceding  year  and  was  buried  on  the  Island. 

1812  Macdonough,    after    a    four    days'    journey    on 

horseback,  attended  only  by  a  boy  who  was  to  return 
the  horse,   arrived  at   Burlington. 

Eleazer  Williams  returns  to  Plattsburgh  after  a 
trip  to  Chateaugay,  Turner's  Inn  and  French  Mills 
(where  he  had  a  secret  conference  with  the  Indian 
chiefs  whom  he  harangued  and  to  whom  he  gave 
money,  obtaining  promises  of  adherence  to  the  Ameri- 
can cause).  On  his  return  he  despatched  a  confiden- 
tial messenger  to  Sault  St.  Louis  and  had  a  conference 
with  Gen.  Bloomfield  in  which  "  we  agreed  that  if  we 
can  bring  them  (the  British  Indians)  over  to  the 
American  side,  it  is  proper  and  justifiable." 


302 

1865 


1877 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Paul  Marshall,  a  native  of  Hinesburgh,  Vt.,  died 
at  Plattsbiirgh,  where  he  had  carried  on  a  large 
mercantile  business  for  many  years.  His  old  home 
on  Cornelia  street,  of  cut  Hmestone  and  several  busi- 
ness blocks  of  the  same  stone,  still  stand,  reminding 
one  of  his  extensive  real  estate  holdings.  While 
young,  he  settled  in  Beekmantown  with  his  father 
and  there  engaged  in  the  tanning  business,  continu- 
ing the  same  after  his  removal  to  Plattsburgh. 


TRUMAN    DE  FORRIS,  M.  D. 

Death  of  Dr.  Truman  DeForris  at  the  age  of  76, 
one  of  the  oldest  and  best  beloved  physicians  of 
Plattsburgh.  He  was  largely  instrumental  in  the 
formation  of  the  Northern  New  York  Medical  Associa- 
tion, at  one  time  serving  as  President.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  the  Clinton  County  Medical  Society. 
The  saddle-bags  used  by  him  in  the  early  days  of  his 
practice   are   still   preserved  and  contain   medicines 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  303 

compoiinded  more  than  eighty  years  ago.  The  M.  E. 
church  at  South  Plattsburgh  was  organized  as  a  result 
of  the  Sunday-school  which  he  started  there  and  he 
never  allowed  his  large  practice  to  interfere  with  his 
church  obligations.  From  his  wedding  day  he  was 
strictly  a  total  abstinence  man. 

SEPTEMBER  17 

The  leaves  along  the  path  are  strewn, 
Or  through  the  still  air  flicker  down. 

— Btickham. 

1755  "  At  evening,"    Rogers  "  discovered  the  wheat- 

fields,  and  four  houses,  about  two  miles  south  of 
Crown  Point  Fort."  He  went  into  the  intrench- 
ments  where  he  remained  concealed  until  morning, 
when  he  climbed  the  mountain,  a  mile  west  of  the  fort , 
from  which  he  could  see  the  fort  and  everything  con- 
nected with  it,  among  other  sights,  a  windmill  and 
tents;  also,  the  exercising  of  about  600  soldiers. 

1768  Birth  in  Preston,   Conn.,   of  Benjamin,  son  of 

Joseph  and  Rachel  (Killam)  Boardman.  Benjamin, 
seeing  from  the  increased  immigration  to  the  Cham- 
plain  Valley  that  a  necessity  for  better  boats  would 
arise,  in  1788  came  from  Norwich,  Conn.,  bringing 
with  him  a  skilled  boat-builder,  Daniel  Wilcox  by 
name.  The  boats  built  by  Wilcox  were  of  a  superior 
model  and  his  services  were  at  once  in  great  demand. 
Boardman 's  wife  was  Sabra  Brown  and  they  had 
twelve  children.  The  father  died  in  Colchester,  Vt. 
in  1823  and  his  widow,  some  years  later. 

1862  The  battle  of  Antietam.     In  the  morning,  as 

Lieut. -Col.  John  Stetson  of  the  59th  New  York 
(formerly  captain  of  Company  E,  i6th  N.  Y.)  with 
his  regiment  was  leaving  the  field  in  obedience  to 


304  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

the  orders  of  Gen.  Sumner,  he  was  shot  through  the 
body,  his  remains  being  left  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
until  the  19th,  when  they  were  found  and  buried  by 
Maj.  Frank  Palmer,  his  fellow  townsman  and  friend. 
"Rally  on  your  colors." — Thelast  wordsof  Col.  Stetson. 

1863  At  BurHngton,  "  in  the  home  which  he  had  built, 

under  the  shadow  of  the  trees  which  his  own  hand 
had  reared"  within  sight  of  the  University  where  the 
main  work  of  his  life  had  been  done,  "and  directly 
facing  that  magnificent  scenery  of  lake,  mountain 
and  sky  "  so  dear  to  him,  Calvin  Pease,  D.D.  "  died 
as  a  good  man  dies,  thinking  of  his  personal  relations 
to  his  Savior,  of  his  family,  and  of  the  precious  souls 
committed  to  his  charge  as  pastor." 

1909  Vermont    Fish    and    Game    League    held    their 

annual  meeting  and  banquet  at  Hotel  Champlain, 
Vice-President  Sherman  and  United  States  Supreme 
Court  Justice  Brewer  being  special  guests  of  honor. 

SEPTEMBER  18 

Nature  has  already  begun  her  marvelous  frescoing  and  tesse- 
lating  process  in  the  leaves  of  the  trees  and  the  herbage  of  meadow 
and  marshes. — Buckhmn. 

1765  — employed  Wm.  Lawson,  mason,  to  build  a 
double  chimney  in  my  house  at  Milltown. — Gilliland. 

1766  — brought  a  cock  of  hay  from  south  meadow, 
the  first  this  season;  this  day  G.  Belton  moved  to 
his  house  at  Cloven  Rock. — Idem. 

1775  Montgomery   had   a   slight    skirmish   with    the 

enemy  and  later,  "  formed  an  entrenched  camp  at 
the  junction  of  the  roads  leading  from  Montreal  and 
Chamblv." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  305 

1810  Death  of  Cornelia    Haring,  wife   of  Col.  Mel- 

ancton  Smith  and  daughter  of  Dr.  Gardner  Jones  of 
New  York.  For  his  young  wife  Col.  Smith  had 
named  the  new  street  running  west  from  Margaret, 
Cornelia,  and  Elizabeth  street  for  his  sister  Elizabeth. 


SEPTEMBER  19 

Take  a  single  autumn  leaf — the  first  red  oriflamme  of  this 
maple,  for  instance — and  study  the  texture  of  the  coloring — 

— Buckham. 

1677  Quentin  Stockwell,  while  re -building  his  house 

burned  by  Indians  the  year  before,  was  seized  and 
carried,  with  17  others,  captive  to  Canada.  At 
Chambly,  they  were  kindly  treated  by  the  French 
who  gave  them  hasty-pudding  and  milk  with  brandy 
and  bathed  their  frozen  limbs.  From  Sorel  they  were 
scattered  among  the  Indians  but  the  next  year,  all 
but  three  were  redeemed.  Stockwell,  in  1679,  re- 
removed  from  Hatfield  to  Suffield,  Conn. 

1765  — set  out  on  a  survey,  and  layed  out  the  follow- 

ing lots  of  land  between  the  Bouquet  river,  and  Cloven 
rock,  and  adjoining  the  lake.— ^illiland. 

1776  Arnold  removed  his  fleet  from  Isle  La  Motte  to 

Bay  St.  Amand.  While  on  the  way,  the  schooner 
Liberty  was  hailed  by  a  Canadian  on  the  shore  who 
asked  to  be  taken  aboard.  Capt.  Premier,  fearing 
all  was  not  right,  ordered  his  men  to  go  with  a  boat 
but  to  keep  her  swivels  pointed  and  matches  ready  to 
fire  if  necessary.  The  man  failing  to  decoy  the  boat's 
crew,  made  a  signal  which  brought  from  concealment 
some  300  Canadians  and  Indians,  who  fired  upon  the 
crew  and  wounded  three.  The  fire  was  returned 
from  boat  and  schooner,  apparently  with  effect  as  the 
party  retreated. 


2o6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1811  Sloop  Essex,  Anthony  Rock,  Abraham  Walters, 

Joseph  Barron,  Le\y  Nichols,  masters,  made  her 
sixth  and  last  trip  for  the  season. 

1816  Mr.    Young   of   Albany  opened  a  Lancasterian 

school  in  the  Academy  in  addition  to  the  one  com- 
menced the  preceding  July  by  Mr.  Spencer  Wall,  for 
whom  Wall  street  is  named.  The  trustees  that  year 
were  Nathan  Hewitt,  M.  L.  Woolsey,  Wm.  Swetland, 
J.  Lynde,  E.  Miller,  S.  Moore,  and  John  Miller.  The 
same  day  the  remains  of  Lieut.  George  W,  Runk,  so 
severely  wounded  during  the  siege  of  Plattsburgh, 
while  passing  Macomb's  headquarters,  that  he  died 
the  next  day  (Sept.  8),  were  removed  from  Crab 
Island,  their  first  burial  place,  to  the  village  cemetery. 

1888  At  "Rock  Point,"  a  handsome  stone  building  for 

a  girls'  school  was  consecrated  and  continued  in  use 
until  June,  1899  when  it  was  closed  for  want  of  funds 
to  maintain  it  properly. 

— The  eye  along  this  shore, 
May  gaze  entranced,  nor  covet  more; 
— Charles   Louis  Heyde,   poet-artist   of   Burlington. 

SEPTEMBER  20 

So,  I  think,  we  shall  be  justified  in  leaving  our  notebooks 
at  home  in  September,  and  just  abandoning  ourselves  to  the 
influence  of  nature  upon  the  spirit. — Buckham. 

1755  —this  day  Sr.  Henry  Moore,  Col.  Reid,  Philip 

Schuyler,  Robert  Harper  and  Adolphus  Benzel,  Esq's, 
called  and  drank  tea,  &c.,  with  us  on  their  return 
from  Astronomer's  Island,  having  completed  their 
observation  to  satisfaction,  and  fixed  the  Hne  about 
3  miles  to  the  northward  of  Wind  Mill  Point.  This 
day  George  Belton  sowed  his  first  wheat. — GilUland. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  307 

1814  At    Hampton,    Washington    Co.,    whither    his 

father's  family  had  moved  because  of  the  anticipated 
invasion,  was  born  Peter  Sailly  Palmer,  named  for 
his  maternal  grandfather.  The  home  in  Plattsbtirgh 
stood  just  west  of  a  ravine,  through  which  the  railroad 
now  passes  (No.  2  Cornelia  street).  Young  Palmer 
received  his  education  at  Plattsburgh  Academy, 
studied  law  with  Judge  William  F.  Haile  and  in  the 
office  of  McKown  and  John  Van  Buren  of  Albany, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Supreme  Court  and  Court  of 
Chancery  in  1836.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  years' 
absence  in  Michigan,  his  life  work  was  done  in  Platts- 
burgh, to  the  interests  of  which  he  was  ever  faithful, 

1868  While  performing  the  duty  of  a  surgeon  in  an 

expedition  against  the  Indians  under  Col.  Forsythe, 
John  Henry  Mooers,  M.D.  w^as  killed.  His  father, 
Dr.  Benj.  J.  Mooers,  was  engaged  in  the  same  work 
at  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 

1877  Capt.  John  Boynton  died  in  Plattsburgh,  where 

he  had  settled  about  1820.  As  early  as  1806  he  was 
engaged  in  sailing  on  the  lake  and  later  was  the 
builder  and  owner  of  many  vessels,  some  of  which 
played  a  very  important  part  in  the  war  of  181 2.  At 
the  commencement  of  hostilities  Capt.  Boynton  had 
one  vessel  afloat  and  a  second  just  finished,  both  of 
which  were  "seized"  and  purchased  by  the  government, 
afterwards  equipped  and  added  to  Macdonough's 
fleet. 

SEPTEMBER  21 

Fly  on,  aerial  Fancy!  fly 

Back,  back  through  many  an  age, 

To  scenes  which   long  have  glided  by, 
Untold  on  history's  page. 

— Margaret   Davidson. 

1714  Arrival  at  Boston  of  Capt.  Thomas  Baker  and 

Christine  (formerly  Margaret  Otis)  Le  Bue,  who,  as  a 


3o8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

baby  had  been  taken  captive  with  her  mother  Grizel 
(Warren)  Otis,  when  Cocheco  (Dover)  was  attacked 
by  Indians, 

1750  (O.S.)  Sarah  Keese,  daughter  of  John  Keese  of 

Flushing,  L.  I.  and  later  of  Nine  Partners  meeting 
was  born.     She  married  Joseph  Thorne. 

1755  Isaac,  son  of  Benjamin  and  Comfort  (Thompson) 

Kellogg,  was  born  at  Canaan,  Conn,  As  a  prisoner 
of  War  at  Quebec,  he  escaped  in  the  dead  of  winter 
through  a  trackless  wilderness  to  Burlington.  After 
the  war  he  became  an  early  settler  in  that  part  of 
Crown  Point  which  is  now  Ticonderoga,  serving  as 
first  State  Senator  (from  Essex  County)  of  the  then 
Eastern  District  of  the  State,  From  1802  to  181 8  he 
was  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Essex 
County  and  was  also  a  Captain  of  Militia.  At  his 
death,  Sept.  7,  1827,  his  wrists  still  bore  the  scars 
caused  by  the  irons  placed  there  by  his  British  captors. 
His  three  children  died  young. 

1766  Jane  Willsborough  Gilliland,  was  bom  this  even- 

ing between  8  and  9  o'clock;  *  *  Capt. 
Wharton  being  then  here — Gilliland. 

1776  Arnold  wrote  to  Gates  of  the  affair  at  Bay  St. 

Amand. 

SEPTEMBER  22 

And  all  the  fields  were  golden, 
And   all   the    woods    were    gold, 

For  God  hath  scattered  treasures 
From  riches  manifold. 

— Minnie  E.  Hayes,  Mooers  Forks, 

1814  The  paroled  British  prisoners  arrived  at  Green- 

bush. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  309 

1894  Dedication  at  Culver  Hill  of  the  first  monument 

erected  as  a  memorial  of  the  British  invasion  of  1814. 
After  the  removal  of  the  U.S.  flag  with  which  the  shaft 
was  draped  by  Miss  Helen  D.  Woodward  of  Platts- 
burgh  and  Miss  Julia  G.  Howe  of  Beekmantown,  both 
descendants  of  men  who  fought  in  the  battle  of  Platts- 
burgh,  Dr.  D.  S.  Kellogg,  President  of  the  Platts- 
burgh  Institute,  the  society  erecting  the  memorial, 
introduced  the  Hon.  G.  C.  Benedict  of  Burlington, 
the  orator  of  the  day. 

"  As  Culver  Hill  skirmish  was  only  a  forerunner  of  the  great 
and  decisive  battle  five  days  later,  so  Culver  Hill  monument  is 
only  an  outline  of  the  grand  shaft  which  this  great  and  rich 
Government  will  surely  raise  in  due  time  at  Plattsburgh,  on  the 
shore  of  Lake  Champlain,  less  than  five  miles  from  the  Battle  of 
Valcour,  Oct.  11,  1776,  and  less  than  two  miles  from  the  Battle  of 
Plattsburgh,  Sept.  11,  1814 — the  first  and  last  battles  of  the 
United  States  with  the  "  Mother  Country." — 

— Speech  of  Mr.  Benedict  on  that  occasion. 

SEPTEMBER  23 

But  some  things,   Brothers,   little  change: 

That  silver  lake  is  all  the  same. 
And    lofty   mountain    range 

Unaltered  since  the  white  man  came 
And    shared    its    solitude 
With  Indian  rude. 

— Rev.  O.  G.  Wheeler. 

1776  Arnold,  having  found  the  anchorage  of  the  chan- 

nel between  Valcour  Island  and  the  main  land  "  ex- 
ceedingly fine  and  secure,"  moved  his  fleet  there  and 
was,  in  a  few  days,  joined  by  Capt.  Warner  of  the  gal- 
ley Trumbull. 

1814  At  three  o'clock  p.  m.,  a  naval  dinner  at  Green's 

hotel  was  tendered  Commodore  Macdonough  by  the 
grateful  citizens  of  Plattsburgh.  The  Commodore,  ac- 
companied by  Generals   Macomb  and  Mooers,   and 


3IO  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

officers  of  the  army  and  navy  then  present,  was 
escorted  from  Macomb's  quarters  to  the  hotel  by  the 
president  and  vice-president  of  the  day  (Peter  Sailly, 
Esq.  and  the  Hon.  WilHam  Bailey) ;  the  Hon.  Henry 
Delord,  and  John  Warford,  Lewis  Ransom  and  Wil- 
liam Swetland,  Esqrs.,  the  committee  of  arrange- 
ments; the  judge  and  sheriff  of  the  county  and  other 
prominent  citizens.  On  the  way  a  national  salute 
was  given  and  after  the  cloth  was  removed,  many 
toasts  were  drunk  amid  the  booming  of  cannon  and 
strains  of  martial  music  furnished  by  Macomb's  band. 

"OUR  COUNTRY— May  she  be  the  first  and  greatest  ob- 
ject of  our  concern — for  her  sake  let  honor  be  given  to  her  heroes 
and  defenders" — First  toast  of  the  hour. 

18i6  Nicholas  Barker,  a  Friend  of  Peru,  before  Reuben 

H.  Walworth,  J.  P.,  claimed  damages  for  the  impress- 
ment of  one  sleigh  and  harness,  while  he  was  attend- 
ing church  in  Peru  "  some  time  in  March,  1813." 

1826  Elder  John  G.  Freligh  died  at  his  home  on  the 

east  side  of  Peru  street,  next  the  Mooers  house  and 
opposite  the  old  home  of  Dr.  Herrick.  This  Freligh 
house  was  built  and  first  occupied  by  Noah  Broad- 
well.  In  181 7,  "  Squire  "  Freligh  kept  a  store  in  the 
building  (now  standing)  at  the  corner  of  Bridge  and 

s  Peru  streets.   There  Gustavus  Vasa  Edwards  from  So. 

Plattsburgh,  grandson  of  the  veteran  John  Roberts, 
went  to  work  when  a  boy  of  13,  beginning,  what 
proved  to  be  a  long  and  successful  mercantile  life. 

SEPTEMBER  24 

How  strange  the  structure  of  the  human  heart, 
Which  springs  anew  'neath  sorrow's  quivering  dart ; 

— Margaret    Davidson. 

1809  At  New  Haven,  Addison  Co.,  Vt.,  Esther  Bacon, 

wife  of  Capt.   Preserved  Wheeler,  died  leaving  two 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  311 

daughters  and  six  sons,  the  youngest  an  infant.  This 
was  a  crowning  sorrow  to  three  years  of  unprece- 
dented hardship,  during  which  his  cattle  had  died 
from  hoof  disease,  fever  had  stricken  several  members 
of  his  family,  a  broken  leg  had  kept  him  confined  one 
summer,  fire  had  consumed  his  shop  and  a  thousand 
dollars  worth  of  leather  ready  for  market,  all  seriously 
crippling  him  financially,  but  "he  persevered  with 
all  diligence  to  retrieve  his  fortune  "  and  died  in 
1856,  leaving  sons  and  daughters  who,  "having  the 
habits  and  spirits  of  their  parents  "  have  prospered 
in  all  ways.  Preserved  Wheeler  was  a  son  of  Peter, 
killed  July  3,  1778,  in  the  Wyoming  valley  massacre. 
Only  nine  years  old  at  the  time,  with  mother  and 
brothers  he  wandered  300  miles  before  reaching  their 
former  home.  His  name  should  have  been  Perse- 
verance ! 

1878  Jacob   H.    Holt   proposed   that   the   goverment 

should  lay  out  a  pubHc  Park,  of  20,000  acres  or  more 
between  the  village  of  Plattsburgh  and  the  U.  S. 
barracks,  enclosing  and  beautifying  the  same  and 
erecting  a  monument  which  should  bear  on  the  west 
side  the  name  of  Macomb  and  on  the  east,  that  of 
Macdonough,  the  several  sides  to  be  inscribed  with 
the  names  of  those  who  had  distinguished  themselves 
in   the   defence   of   Plattsburgh. 

SEPTEMBER  25 

I    love   our   Autumn's    bright    array, 

Its  swiftly  changing  \news: 
The  birches  yellow,  the  beeches  gray, 

The  maple's  crimson  hues. 
— Rev.  Orville  Gould  Wheeler,  Charlotte,  18 — South  Hero,  1892. 

1775  At  Ticonderoga  the  troops  were  crowded  in  vile 

barracks  and,  though  provisions,  fresh  and  salt,  and 


312  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

spruce  beer  were  plentiful,  tents  and  hospital  stores 
were  lacking,  and  726  men  had  been  discharged  since 
July  20  on  account  of  illness.  The  same  day  Allen, 
rashly  attempting  the  capture  of  Montreal  with  a 
handful  of  Canadian  recruits,  w^as  captured  and  sent 
to  England  in  irons. 

1776  The  adjourned  convention  met  again  at  Dorset 

and  "  resolved  unanimously  '  to  take  suitable  meas- 
ures, as  soon  as  may  be,  to  declare  the  New  Hamp- 
shire grants  a  free  and  separate  district."  In 
January  following  there  was  a  meeting  at  West- 
minster and  a  declaration  and  petition  to  Congress 
drawn  up  and  signed.  This  was  presented  to  Con- 
gress by  Jonas  Fay,  Thomas  Chittenden,  Heman  Allen 
and  Reuben  Jones,  "  four  of  the  most  respectable 
members  of  the  convention." 

1783  Daniel  Robinson  and  Thankful  Sage  of  Middle- 

town,  Conn,  were  married.  June  12th  the  groom 
had  been  honorably  discharged  from  the  Continental 
army,  in  which  he  had  enlisted  on  his  eighteenth 
birthday  (May  19,  1775).  He  was  the  youngest  of 
the  eight  children  of  Benjamin  (great-grandson  of 
Elder  John  Robinson  of  Leyden)  and  Jerusha  (Bing- 
ham) Robinson.  The  young  couple  settled  in  Platts- 
burgh  near  the  south  end  of  Margaret  street.  The 
river  then  teemed  with  salmon  trout  and  Mr.  Robin- 
son became  an  adept  at  spearing  them  from  the 
bridge.  When  the  bridge  erected  about  1797,  was  car- 
ried away  by  a  freshet,  Robinson,  who  was  helping 
remove  the  machinery,  was  caught  and  carried  down 
stream  as  far  as  Mr.  Sailley's  ashery,  as  he  said,  "on 
the  millstone,"  which  was  indeed  found  where  he  was 
rescued. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  313 

1837  Marion  Stetson,  daughter  of  John  Smedley  and 

Cynthia  (Beach)  Stetson,  was  bom  at  Champlain. 
Her  poems  were  ever  a  deHght  to  her  friends  and  are 
treasured  by  them. 

1842  The  "  First  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  the  town 

of  Pittsburgh  "  was  dedicated  by  the  Right  Rev. 
Bishop  Hughes.  This  building  stood  on  a  lot  pur- 
chased of  Judge  Palmer  on  the  comer  of  Corneha  and 
River  streets,  the  "  red  store  "  on  Cumberland 
avenue,  fitted  up  as  a  chapel,  having  served  for  pur- 
poses of  worship  until  that  time. 


SEPTEMBER  26 

1776  We  had  a  violent  storm  of  rain,  thunder,  and 

great  flashes  of  lightning  during  the  night.  I  often 
thought  the  tent  would  take  fire.  Next  morning 
I  mounted  advance  guard  four  miles  above  the  Island, 
the  storm  still  continuing,  and  passed  a  most  dis- 
agreeable day  and  night  with  scarce  any  shelter  from 
the  constant  heavy  rain.  We  could  there  hear  their 
evening  gun  very  plainly,  and  it  was  proposed  in  a 
few  days  to  move  *  *  *  seven  miles 
nearer  them. — Digby. 

SEPTEMBER  27 

1776  Had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  two  of  our  schooners, 

the  Maria  and  Carlton,  come  up  to  us  from  St.  Johns.' 
Captain  Pringle  was  appointed  Commodore  of  the 
Lake  Champlain  and  to  command  on  board  the 
Maria,  so  called  after  Lady  Maria  Carlton. 

— Digby. 


314  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

'    TO    A    STAR. 

Thou  brightly  gUttering  star  of  even, 

Thou  gem  upon  the  brow  of  heaven, 

O!  were  this  fluttering  spirit  free, 

How  quick  'twould  spreads  its  wings  to  thee. 

How  calmly,  brightly  dost  thou  shine, 
Like  the  pure  lamp  in  Virtue's  shrine: 
Sure  the  fair  world  which  thou  mayst  boast 
Was  never  ransomed,  never  lost. 

There,  beings  pure  as  heaven's  own  air, 
Their  hopes,  their  joys,  together  share; 
While  hovering  angels  touch  the  string. 
And  seraphs  spread  the  sheltering  wing. 

There  cloudless  days  and  brilliant  nights, 
Illumined  by  heaven's  refulgent  lights; 
There  season's,   years,   unnoticed  roll, 
And  unregretted  by  the  soul. 

Thou  little  sparkling  star  of  even, 
Thou  gem  upon  an  azure  heaven, 
How  swiftly  will  I  soar  to  thee, 
When  this  imprisoned  soul  is  free: 

— Lucretia   Davidson. 

1808  Birth  of  Lucretia  Davidson  in  the  "  small,  neat 

cottage,"  with  old-fashioned  piazza,  "  shaded  with 
vines  and  honeysuckle  "  that  stood  on  the  banks  of 
the  Saranac,  in  the  little  village  of  Plattsburgh. 
Lucretia  attended  the  Academy  with  its  cupola 
"  representing  the  Temple  of  Science  surmounted  by 
a  weather  vane,  representing  an  angel  blowing  the 
trumpet  of  fame,  which  was  the  conception  and  crea- 
tion of  her  versatile  but  eccentric  father.  Dr.  Oliver 
Davidson."  This  cupola  suggested  to  his  eleven-year- 
old  daughter  the  "  Allegory  of  Alphonse  in  search  of 
Learning." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  315 

SEPTEMBER  28 

How  gently  floats  the  leaflet  down, 
How   soft    its    rustling   sound. 

— Wheeler. 

1658  Dominie   Megapolensis  wrote  to  the  Classis  of 

Amsterdam  from  New  Amsterdam  where  he  was 
then  settled  of  the  persecution  and  death  of  Father 
Jogues  during  his  pastorate  at  Rensselaerwyck  and 
stated  that  the  Mohawks  gave  to  him  the  Missal, 
Breviary  and  clothing  of  the  murdered  missionary. 

1666  In   and   about    Fort    St.    Anne   were    collected 

600  veterans  of  the  famous  Carignan-Salieres  regi- 
ment, while  on  the  mainland  an  equal  number  of 
volunteers,  habitants  of  New  France  and  100  naked 
and  painted  savages,  Huron  and  Algonquin  warriors, 
were  encamped,  the  savages  making  night  hideous 
with  war  songs  and  dances.  All  were  ready  to  start 
on  a  punitive  expedition  under  de  Tracy,  against  the 
Mohawks  who  had  broken  the  treaty  made  in  July  at 
Quebec. 

1787  The   year  and   month  of  the   adoption  of  the 

Constitution,  Bela  Edgerton,  third  son  of  Col.  Elisha 
Edgerton,  was  born  at  Franklin,  New  London  county. 
Conn.  The  Rev.  Samuel  Knott  of  Union  College, 
New  York,  prepared  him  for  Middlebury  College,  Vt., 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1809.  After  teach- 
ing at  Vergennes,  he  became  the  first  principal  of 
Plattsburgh  Academy,  among  his  pupils  present  at 
the  opening,  were  his  eldest  nephew,  Henry  K.  Averill, 
Sr.,  then  a  boy  of  thirteen,  and  Thomes  Miller.  After 
the  war  he  taught  at  Schuyler  Falls,  Chazy  and  in  the 
basement  of  the  old  Methodist  church,  Plattsburgh, 
He  was  also  a  practicing  lawyer  and  magistrate. 


3i6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1895  Green  Mountain  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  Burlington, 

placed  a  bronze  tablet  on  a  boulder  near  the  site  of 
Ethan  Allen's  last  home,  near  "  Indian  Rock." 


SEPTEMBER  29 

Yet  some  bright,  sunny  peaks  there  are 
In  memory's  landscape,  which  shall  peer 
Above  the  drowning  tide,  and  wear 
Their  living  light  through  many  a  year. 
— Byron  Sunderlin,  Principal  of  Port  Henry  Academy,  1840. 

1827  Birth,  at  Wilmington,  Essex  county,  N.  Y.,  of 

Van  Biiren  Miller,  son  of  John  Jay  and  Abigail  Miller. 
His  grandfather,  Pliny  Miller,  had  gone  from  Albany 
county  during  the  War  of  1 81 2 ,  as  a  captain  under  Col. 
Young,  and  was  for  a  time  stationed  at  French  Mills. 
A  few  years  after  the  war,  Capt.  Miller  returned  to 
the  wilderness  and  purchasing  300  acres  in  what  is  now 
the  center  of  Saranac  village,  built  a  dam  and  saw 
mill  and,  at  the  time  of  Van  Buren's  birth  was  con- 
structing the  first  bridge  across  the  stream.  The 
grandson,  in  1858,  followed  father  and  grandfather 
into  this  new  country  and  there  he  remained  until 
his  death,  June  17,  1894,  sought  by  all  whether  rich 
or  poor,  for  the  transaction  of  any  kind  of  legal 
business. 

1842  A  County  Educational  Convention  was  held  in 

the  Court  House,  Plattsburgh.  At  the  same  place  a 
meeting  of  citizens  had  been  held  in  June  to  take  into 
consideration  the  financial  condition  of  the  Academy. 
The  failure  of  the  Clinton  County  Bank  in  July  had 
caused  general  embarrassment  and  business  of  every 
kind  was  much  depressed.  At  the  meeting,  Andrew 
Moore  was  appointed  Chairman  and  George  W.  Palmer 
Secretary,  while  George  Moore,  Dr.  T.  De  Forris, 
R.  A.  Gilman,  Judge  Haile  and  Dr.  Kane  formed  a 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  317 

committee  to  consider  and  report  on  the  best  remedy 
for  the  situation.  In  July,  a  boarding  and  day  school 
for  young  ladies  was  opened  by  Miss  C.  P.  Clark, 
assisted  by  Miss  Harriet  A  Wright,  "  in  a  room 
tendered  her  by  Mr.  Swetland  in  his  own  residence," 
but  the  summer  term  of  the  Academy  opened  under 
the  supervision  of  Rev.  R.  T.  Conant,  the  following 
May. 

SEPTEMBER  30 

1776  Lieut.   Digby,   who  had  been  ill  and  delirious 

since  the  evening  of  the  27th,  recovered  his  senses 
but  had  to  be  left  on  the  island  (Isle  au  Noix)  while 
his  corps  moved  up  "  Riviere-la -Cole." 

1821  An  Episcopal  Society  was  informally  organized 

in  the  village  of  Pittsburgh,  but  there  was  no  regular 
service  of  the  Church  until  March,  1822,  when  the 
Rev.  Joel  Clapp  was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  the 
parish.  By  this  time  many  of  the  proprietors  and 
original  settlers  had  been  gathered  to  their  fathers, 
among  them  Judge  Zephaniah  and  Capt.  Nathaniel 
Piatt,  Piatt  Rogers,  Col.  Melancton  Smith  and  his 
father,  the  Judge,  Gideon  Rugar  and  Zopher  Halsey. 

1859  On  Friday  evening,  was  burned  the  old  Hotel 

Building,  once  the  Village  House,  kept  by  John 
Nichols,  on  the  present  site  of  the  Witherill  House. 
It  was  a  clap-boarded  building,  painted  white,  two 
and  a  half  stories  high  with  gables  on  the  north  and 
south  ends.  John  Nichols,  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
came  to  Pittsburgh  from  Vermont  and  was  interested 
in  the  building  up  of  the  village  and  an  active  par- 
ticipant in  the  war  of  181 2,  just  previous  to  which 
his  brother  Levi  had  come  from  Waltham,  Mass.  and 
had  settled  at  Salmon  River,  where  he  died  in  i860  in 
his  ninety-third  year. 


3i8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


OCTOBER  1 

From  now  until  the  last  of  October  we  shall  dwell  in  the 
finest  art-gallery  that  was  ever  opened  under  the  sky.  No 
human  brush  could  possibly  create,  or  even  imitate,  the  splendor 
of  these  autumn  colors. — Buckham. 

1666  M.  de  Courcelles,  at  the  head  of  four  of  the  six 

hundred  veterans  of  the  Carignan-Salieres,  the  habi- 
tants, and  Huron  and  Algonquin  warriors,  encamped 
at  Fort  St.  Anne,  set  out  on  his  expedition  against  the 
Indian  villages  on  the  Mohawk. 

1776  Carleton  was  prepared  to  appear  upon  the  lake 

with  a  formidable  fleet  of  thirty-one  vessels,  ranging 
in  their  armament  from  one  to  eighteen  guns,  navi- 
gated by  700  veteran  seamen,  and  armed  in  addition 
by  an  efficient  corps  of  artillery. — Watson. 

1780  Gen.  Benj.  Mooers  as  adjutant  was  present  and 

saw  the  execution  of  Major  Andre — a  most  affecting 
sight,  while  Major  John  Addoms,  his  future  father- 
in-law,  as  well  as  neighbor  on  Cumberland  Head,  was 
detailed  to  hold  the  hat  of  the  unfortunate  officer. 

1797  The  Lord's  Supper  was  for  the  first  time  admin- 

istered to  the  recently  organized  Presbyterian  Church, 
the  pioneer  church  of  this  section.  The  members 
were: — Ezekiel  Hubbard,  John  Stratton,  Abner  Pom- 
roy,  William  and  Mrs.  Badlam,  Moses  Corbin,  Eliza- 
beth Addams,  Catherine  Hegeman,  Catherine  Marsh, 
Lucretia  Miller,  Phebe  Piatt,  Esther  Stratton,  Mary 
Addams,  Stephen  and  Mrs.  Mix,  Martha  Coe,  William 
Pitt  Piatt  and  John  Culver. 

1866  In  the  evening  at  Trinity  Church  rectory,  Joseph 

Howland  Coit,  S.  T.  D.,  fell  asleep  in  Christ.  "  Great 
is    thy    faithfulness — Glory,    Glory    to    God    in    the 


"^   bpESBYTePiflfi  (HliP^^ 


,  £P£Cr£D //y  /8/4. 


4#ai3S^ 


m   ® 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  319 

highest."  "  His  last  look  of  recognition  was  for  her 
who  was  '  faithful  unto  death,'  and  to  whom  he  was 
true  to  the  last." 

1907  Presentation  to  the  town  of  Upper  Jay,  Essex 

county,  N.  Y.,  by  Jean  (Wells)  Smith  of  Saginaw, 
Mich.,  of  the  Wells  Memorial  Library. 

OCTOBER  2 

There  is  something  sort  of  cozy  when  the 

leaves  begin  to  rustle, 
As  the  boys  go  tramping  through  them 

in  the  hollows  of  the  street. — Biickham. 

1677  Benoni  Stebbins,  sent  by  his  captors  with  two 

squaws  and  a  mare  to  pick  huckleberries,  escaped  on 
the  mare  and  returned  to  Deerfield.  Poor  man! 
only  to  be  slain  while  defending  his  own  house  when 
next  the  savages  came.  His  widow  married  in  1709 
Dea.  Thos.  French,  whose  wife,  Mary  Catlin,  had  been 
killed  March  9  on  the  retreat  to  Canada. 

1712  Esther  Wheelwright  began  her  novitiate  as  an 

Ursuline  nun,  taking  the  white  veil  the  January 
following.  In  1714  she  was  invested  with  the  black 
robe  and  veil  and  became  Mother  Esther  Marie  Joseph 
of  the  Infant  Jesus. 

1801  CaroHne  Piatt,  oldest  child  of  the  Rev.  Frederick 

and  Letitia  (Piatt)  Halsey,  was  born.  March  16, 
1820,  she  married  James  Bailey,  who,  in  1798,  in 
connection  with  William  Bailey,  had  built  a  store 
near  the  present  site  of  Clinton  Block  at  the  head  of 
Bridge  street.  James  Bailey's  family  first  lived  on 
Cornelia  street  (No.  32),  but  later,  when  the  children 
of  Eleazer  Miller  had  sought  homes  of  their  own  and 


320  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

the  Bailey  children  were  still  young,  an  exchange  was 
made.  The  Millers  took  the  Bailey  house  and  there 
spent  their  remaining  days,  and  the  Baileys  removed 
to  the  large  yellow  frame  house  originally  built  by 
Nathan  Averill,  Sr.,  past  which  Margaret  street  was, 
years  afterwards,  continued  north.  The  house  was, 
a  few  years  later,  bricked  up  and  finally,  in  1909, 
taken  down. 

1816  At  his  own  request,  Capt.  John  Knight,  of  the 

2d  Company,  2d  Regiment,  was  honorably  discharged 
from  the  service  by  John  Oaks,  Brigadier  General. 
His  commission,  given  in  Council  Chamber,  Mont- 
pelier,  Vt.,  September  20,  1810,  and  signed  by  Gov. 
Jonas  Galusha,  is  still  preserved.  Capt.  Knight  was 
born  November  11,  1787,  on  the  island  of  North  Hero, 
where  his  parents,  John,  Sr.,  and  Abigail  (Towne) 
Knight  had  settled  in  1785.  He  died  at  the  old 
homestead  March  16,  1878. 


OCTOBER  3 

1666  The  main  body  of  the  army  at  Fort  St.  Anne, 

led  by  the  aged,  but  determined,  M.  de  Tracy, 
moved  off. 

1 763  3d  and  4th — These  two  days  sowed  and  harrowed 

our  wheat. — Gilliland. 

No  serf  in  the  field  but  is  sowing  God's  seed — 

— Buckhatn. 

1838  Joseph  Corbin,  a  pioneer  in  1798,  died  at  Cham- 

plain.  He  was  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution,  enlisting 
at  Killingly,  Conn.,  his  native  place,  September  17, 
'76,  and  at  WilHamstown,  Mass.,  to  which  he  had 
removed  in  the  fall  of  1778.  He  also  responded  to 
the  Saratoga  alarm,  October  11-22,  1781. 


Three  Centuries  ix  Champlaix  Valley  321 

1842  The   old   Revolutionary  soldier,   John   Roberts, 

died  at  So.  Plattsburgh,  aged  83  years. 

1866  "  In  the  soft  splendor  of  an  autumn  afternoon, 

which  seemed  a  kind  of  natural  token  of  the  Resurrec- 
tion," after  the  remains  of  Dr.  Coit  had  been  com- 
mitted to  the  earth,  each  child  of  the  Sunday  school 
dropped  a  floral  tribute  upon  the  casket  and  the 
venerable  Canon  To\\TLsend  of  Canada  dismissed  the 
assembly  with  the  Apostolic  Benediction. 

1889  Discover}^  near  Trout  Brook,  in  Ticonderoga,  by 

a  workman  digging  a  trench,  of  the  remains  of  Lord 
Howe,  killed  July  6,  1758,  together  with  a  stone  of 
hard  limestone,  weighing  twenty  or  twenty-five 
pounds  and  bearing  the  inscription:  Mem  of  Lo 
HoweKilled  Trout  Brook. 

1897  The   First   Presbyterian  Church   celebrated   the 

Centennial  Anniversary  of  its  organization,  October 
ist  and  3d. 

It  is  the  serene  and  solemn  thought  of  centennials  that 
they  who  see  one  shall  not  see  another. — Joseph  Cook. 

OCTOBER  4 

The  woods  are  never  so  full  of  interest  and  fascination  as 
when  the  first  frosts  have  touched  the  leaves. — Btickham. 

1759  From  this  date  until  May  25,  1761,  rations  were 

issued  by  the  commissar}^  of  the  conquering  army 
(English),  under  Gen.  Murray  to  the  Community  at 
Quebec,  the  bill  for  which  ($1,352)  the  nuns  were 
imable  to  pay,  but  the  Mother  Superior  (formerly 
Esther  Wheelwright)  placed  at  Gen.  Murray's  disposal 
some  of  the  Community's  lands. 

The  same  day  Rogers  and  his  party,  sent  by  Gen. 

'..  Amherst  to  punish  the  St.  Francis  Indians,  reached 


'»22  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

the  neighborhood  of  their  village  and  reconnoitering, 
found  the  natives  engaged  in  a  dance  and  festivities 
which  lasted  until  four  o'clock  the  next  morning. 

This  date  also,  in  Pleasant  Valley,  Dutchess 
county,  to  John  Roberts,  a  soldier  in  this  war,  and 
his  wife,  Susannah  Mayhew,  was  born  a  son,  John,  Jr., 
w^ho  was  to  serve  as  a  di-ummer  boy  while  father  and 
uncles  bore  the  part  of  men,  when  the  now  loyal 
colonists  should  be  driven  to  revolution. 

1796  Wm.   Henry  Morgan,  son  of   Jonas  and    Sarah 

(Mott)  Morgan,  was  born  at  Lansingburgh.     As  a  lad 
he  used  to  run  along  the  river  bank  beside  Fulton's 
Clermont  as  she  made  her  trips  up  and  down  the  Hud- 
son, flowing  past  his  home  town.     At  sixteen,  accom- 
panied by  his  father,  whose  business  interests  took 
him  as  far  as  Westport,  the  lad  set  out  for  Plattsburgh 
with  but  four  dollars  and  a  letter  of  introduction  to 
Mr.  John  Frehgh.     The  letter,  however,  he  had  no 
occasion  to  use,  but  found  employment  at  once  and 
so  prospered  that  in  1 814,  in  company  with  his  oldest 
brother  Jonas,  he  was  keeping  a  general  store  at  the 
corner  of  Bridge  and  Charlotte  streets.     During  the 
engagement  the  brothers  sought  safety  in  the  bushes 
growing  on  the  island  at  the  river's  mouth,  on  their 
way  rescuing  six  children  who  had  become  separated 
from  their  parents  and  were  huddled  in  terror  on  the 
river  bank.     The  parents  were  found  after  the  battle 
at  Fort  Moreau,  nearly  distracted  at  the  disappearance 
of  their  Httle  ones. 

1908  The    Rev.    John    Bailey    Kelly,    called    to    the 

pastorate  of  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  August  2, 
began  his  ministry,  preaching  from  the  text,  Zech.  4 :6 : 
"  The  Dynamics  of  the  Kingdom  of  God." 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  323 

OCTOBER  5 

1759  A  little  before  dawn  Rogers  attacked  and  burned 

the  Indian  village  and  in  the  ensuing  fight  more  than 
200  warriors  perished,  besides  women  and  children. 
Waiting  but  an  hour  the  avenging  party  started 
back,  taking  five  English  captives  which  were  set  free. 

1780  Benjamin  Oilman  was  bom  in  Gilmanton,  N.  H., 

He  settled  in  Plattsburgh,  where  he  became  assistant 
principal  in  the  Academy  on  its  opening  in  181 1.  He 
remained  in  the  town  of  his  adoption  through  life, 
dying  April  10,  1853. 

1800  At  Unity,  N.  H.,  Allen  Breed  and  Judith  Living- 

ston were  married.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Isaac 
Livingston,  a  sergeant  in  the  Revolution  under  Collier 
Wood  of  New  Hampshire.  This  was  the  birthday  of 
Josiah,  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah  (Eells)  Everest  of 
Addison,  Vt.  With  the  six-months-old  baby,  the 
parents  removed  to  Peru,  where  he  grew  to  manhood. 
During  the  siege  of  Plattsburgh,  as  a  boy  he  carried 
messages  and  comforts  daily  to  his  older  brothers, 
who  were  aiding  in  the  defence  of  the  town.  He 
served  the  town  of  Peru  in  various  civil  offices;  was 
Justice  of  Peace  sixteen  consecutive  years,  one  of  the 
three  county  judges  then  elected,  was  a  member  of 
the  State  legislature  in  1855  and  subsequently  one  of 
the  three  inspectors  of  State's  prisons. 

1830  Chester  Alan  Arthur  was  born  at  Fairfield,  Vt. ; 

attended  Burlington  Academy,  where  his  father  was 
then  principal,  and  subsequently  graduated  at  Union 
College. 

1905  The  corner  stone  of  the  Black  Watch  Memorial 

Library  was  laid  at  Ticonderoga,  Masons  from  that 


224  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

part  of  the  state,  a  battalion  of  the  Fifth  U.  S.  Infantry- 
then  stationed  at  Plattsburgh,  with  full  regimental 
band,  and  the  bagpipe  regiment  of  the  Fifth  Royal 
Scots  of  Montreal  and  several  local  organizations 
participating. 


^  OCTOBER  6 

1763  Monday — Went  in  a  bateau  to  visit  my  tract  of 

land  at  Cumberland  bay,  in  company  with  John 
Chislm,  Eliakim  Ay  res,  John  Waltron  and  James 
Stocker,  on  our  passage,  went  ashore  on  the  2  most 
western  of  the  4  Islands,  found  the  most  eastward  of 
those  being  largest  of  the  4  to  contain  4  or  5  acres 
of  choice  land,  and  the  westward  one  is  rich,  but  all 
covered  with  brush,  it  may  be  about  3  acres,  then 
passed  close  by  Schyler's  Island,  or  Isle  Chapon, 
which  looks  at  a  distance  but  stony  hght  ground, 
little  worth. 

About  six  in  the  evening,  arrived  at  the  high 
sandy  cliffs  (now  Port  Kent),  and  encamped  there. 
Between  there  is  a  grass  swamp  containing,  I  think, 
about  150  acres  without  any  trees,  but  is  deep  cov- 
ered with  water. — Gilliland. 

1776  On  the  arrival  of  Brig.  Gen.  Waterbury  with  the 

galleys  Washington,  Capt.  Thacher,  and  Congress, 
Capt.  Arnold,  the  entire  naval  force  of  the  Americans, 
save  an  eight-gun  galley  then  receiving  her  armament 
at  Ticonderoga  and  the  schooner  Liberty,  which  had 
been  sent  to  Crown  Point  for  supplies,  was  now  at 
Valcour  Island. 

1794  The  first  marriage  in  Grand  Isle — that  of  WiUard 

Gordon  (a  great  grandson  of  Alexander,  the  immi- 
grant from  Scotland),  and  Clarissa,  daughter  of 
Libean  Armstrong  of  Bennington,  took  place.  Willard 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev  325 

(born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  August  2,  1770,  the  twelfth 
child  of  his  father  and  the  second  which  had  been  bom 
to  Hannah  Stanley  of  Beverly,  his  father's  second 
wife)  came  from  North  Salem,  N.  H.,  in  1788,  about 
five  years  later  than  his  father,  from  whom  Gordon's 
Landing  takes  its  name.  Willard  had  12  children, 
among  them  Ira,  Phoebe,  Samuel,  Norman,  Benjamin, 
Amelia,  Lucretia,  Thomas  and  Seth. 

1807  The  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Clinton  county 

met  at  "  the  house  of  Israel  Green,  innholder,  in 
Plattsburgh,"  to  organize  a  medical  society.  There 
were  present  Dr.  Albon  Man  (from  the  present  town 
of  Westville),  Dr.  Henry  S.  Waterhouse  from  Malone, 
and  Drs.  John  Miller,  Silas  Goodrich,  Nicholas 
Handley,  Oliver  Davidson,  Rapel  Vaughn  and  Benja- 
min Moore,  the  last  from  Champlain.  ^ 

1 884  A  bear  hunt  in  Plattsburgh ! — Monday,  the  family 

of  Alexander  Weir,  living  on  the  "  Tom  Miller  place," 
early  awakened  by  the  loud  barking  of  the  house  dog, 
discovered  a  huge  bear  in  the  yard.  Bruin,  after 
receiving  the  contents  of  a  shot  gun,  trotted  off  appar- 
ently unharmed,  but  another  bear  was  soon  seen  in 
the  fork  of  a  large  ash  opposite  the  front  door  and 
this  bear,  a  son  of  the  family  after  running  some 
bullets  over  the  kitchen  fire,  brought  down  with  a 
rifle.  The  game  proved  to  be  a  cub,  weighing  about 
80  pounds,  and  furnished  a  feast  for  friends  and 
neighbors.  A  hunt  was  organized  for  the  mother 
and  about  50  sportsmen  started  in  pursuit 

"  While  shoulder  to  shoulder  the  streaming  dogs  go, 
All  hot  on  the  scent,  with  their  wrinkled  necks  bent 
And  their  dewlaps  a-swing,  and  their  ears  sweeping  low," 

until  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  the 
big  brute,  cornered  on  an  adjoining  farm  and  ready 
to  fight,  was  laid  low. 


326  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

OCTOBER  7 

1666  The  rear  guard  under  Sieurs  de  Chambly  and 

Berthier  left  St.  Anne.  The  progress  of  the  army 
was  slow,  since  they  dragged  two  small  pieces  of 
cannon  and  300  bateaux  or  bark  canoes. 

1743  The  grants  made  to  Hocquart  by  the  king  in 

April  were  registered  at  Quebec. 

1763  Grants   of   land   within   the  bounds  of  Addison 

were  made  by  the  governor  of  New  York  to  Col. 
Wooster  and  Col.  Charles  Forbes,  and  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  township  on  the  north,  to  Lieut.  Ramsey. 
East  of  the  grants  of  Forbes  and  Ramsey  was  a  grant 
to  J.  W.  Hogarty,  and  east  of  Wooster,  grants  to  Sir 
John  Sinclair  and  Mr.  Wilkins. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  lake  that  morning,  Mr. 
Gilliland  and  his  exploring  and  surveying  party  set 
out  from  his  encampment  for  the  mouth  of  the  Au 
Sable  river,  which  he  ascends  to  discover  its  falls 
and  their  distance  from  the  lake.  He  describes  the 
river  as  about  60  yards  wide  and  more  than  twice  as 
large  as  the  Boquet.  Pursuing  his  ascent  he  discov- 
ers the  now  famous  Au  Sable  Chasm  and  thus  de- 
scribes it: 

"  In  this  place  the  river  formed  into  a  most  curious  canal; 
this  is  a  prodigious  rock.  It  is  a  most  admirable  sight,  appear- 
ing on  each  side  like  a  regular  built  wall,  somewhat  ruinated, 
and  one  would  think  that  this  prodigious  cleft  was  occasioned 
by  an  earthquake,  their  height  on  each  side  is  from  40  to  100 
feet  in  the  different  places;  we  saw  about  half  a  mile  of  it,  and 
by  its  appearance  when  we  stopped,  it  may  continue  many 
miles  further." 

1812  A  brilHant  entertainment  was  given  in  Albany 

to  Eleazer  Williams,  who  had  just  returned  from  a 
successful    mission    north,    bringing    with    him    two 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  327 

Indian  chiefs  to  be  presented  to  Gen.  Dearborn,  who 
was  much  pleased  with  the  success  of  Williams  in 
securing  the  aid  of  the  Sault  St.  Louis  Indians  and 
others. 

1884  The  bear  killed  yesterday  weighed  two  hundred 

pounds  or  more,  and  was  sold  and  shipped  to  New 
York. 

OCTOBER  8 

The  scant  brook  murmurs  through  the  croft. 
And  seems  to  sing  of  other  days. — Buckham. 

1703  In  the  golden  haze  of  the  afternoon,  John  Nims 

and  Zebediah  Williams  looking  for  their  cows  on  the 
Deerfield  meadows,  were  captured  by  Indians  and 
carried  to  Canada,  whence  John  escaped.  But 
Zebediah  "  died  at  Quebec,  firm  in  the  Protestant 
faith." 

1761  Shoreham,  the  final  rendezvous  (at  Hand's  Cove) 

of  Allen's  party,  was  chartered  (through  the  agency 
of  Col.  Eph.  Doolittle,  a  captain  under  Amherst)  to 
64  grantees.  Its  charter  was  the  earliest  granted 
west  of  the  Green  Mountains  and  north  of  Castleton. 
Doolittle  served  at  the  capture  of  both  Ti  and  Crown 
Point,  and  with  many  of  his  men  built  the  military 
road  from  Crown  Point  to  Charleston,  N.  H.,  which 
passed  from  Chimney  Point  in  Addison,  through 
Bridport  and  Shoreham,  in  each  of  which  towns  the 
colonel  became  proprietor  of  six  rights.  Nine  men 
of  Shoreham  are  known  to  have  been  with  Allen  at 
Ti,  among  them  EHas  Kellogg,  Samuel  Woolcott  and 
son,  and  Daniel  Newton. 

1763  Mr.  Gilliland,  setting  out  from  his  encampment 

on  River  Au  Sable  northerly,  found  and  named 
Duck  Creek. 


328  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1825  Doctor  and  Mrs.  William  Beaumont  lost  their 

eighteen-months-old  son,  William.  Dr.  Beaumont, 
bom  in  Connecticut  in  1786,  after  practicing  two 
years  in  Burlington  and  one  in  Champlain  withf.Dr. 
Chandler,  went  to  Plattsburgh  early  in  the  centiiry, 
where  he  married  Deborah  Green.  In  181 2,  he  was 
appointed  surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  Army,  a  position 
which  he  held  25  years,  during  which  time  he  made 
the  remarkable  experiments  (in  which  he  was  assisted 
by  his  cousin.  Dr.  Samuel  Beaumont)  with  Alexis 
St.  Martin,  which  gave  the  doctor  a  world-wide 
reputation  and  made  his  book  "  Experiments  and 
Observations  on  the  Gastric  Juice  and  the  Physiology 
of  Digestion,"  acknowledged  authority. 


OCTOBER  9 

— The  softly  rippling  stream, 
The  rising  mountain,  and  the  leafy  wood, 
Combine  their  charms  to  grace  the  splendid  scene: 

— Margaret  Davidson. 

1735  Capt.  Samuel  Moore  and  Rachel  Landon  were 

married  in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  and  began  housekeeping 
in  Salisbury. 

1763  Gilliland  reached  "  a  considerable  creek  of  still 

water,  which,  from  the  number  of  trees  we  saw 
cut  by  beavers,  we  call  Beaver  river "  (now  the 
Little  Au  Sable).  He  continued  to  Cragen  river 
(Salmon  river),  of  which  he  says: 

"  Went  up  this  river  about  100  yards  to  a  10- 
feet  falls,  by  carrying  the  water  45  yards;  this  is  a 
noble  situation  for  a  saw  mill,  as  a  dam  can  be  made 
by  a  few  hands  in  a  day.  Here  is  water  for  two  mills 
and  dead  water  to  the  foot  of  the  falls." 

He  describes  the   "  Savaniac  "  river   (Saranac) 
and  "  that  Peninsula  "  (Cumberland  Head). 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  329 

OCTOBER  10 

Can  thought  present 
A  tint  more  light,  and  yet  more  gorgeous, 
Hues  more  sweetly  mingled,  one  dim  shadow, 
Blending  in  grace  more  lovely  with  another! 

— Margaret  Davidson. 

1725  Philippe  de  Rigaud,  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil,  before 

whom  so  many  of  our  captives  had  stood  and  from 
whom  our  commissioners  had  sought  satisfaction, 
died  at  Quebec. 

1734  The  Marquis  de   Beauhamois  reported  to  the 

home  government  that  he  had  taken  all  necessary 
measures  for  the  construction  of  the  "Redoubt,  a 
machicoulis  at  Crown  Point,  in  Lake  Champlain," 
having  sent  workmen  thither  to  be  ready  to  commence 
operations  in  the  Spring.  Meanwhile,  he  has  ordered 
the  Commandant  at  Crown  Point  to  be  on  his  guard 
with  his  garrison  of  thirty  men. — Paris  Documents. 

1759  The    new   brig    reached  Amherst    from  Ticon- 

deroga  "with  eighteen  guns;  seventy  seamen  and 
sixty  soldiers  embarked  as  marines." 

1761  Bridport,  a  post  town  of  42  square  miles,  char- 

tered to  64  proprietors,  mostly  from  Massachusetts, 
of  whom  Col.  Doolittle  and  Benj.  Raymond  were 
most  active  in  making  a  settlement. 

1776  While  Arnold  was  writing  a  despatch  asking  for 

a  supply  of  shoes,  watchcoats,  blankets,  hats  or  caps 
for  his  men  and  saying,  "We  cannot,  at  present, 
determine  how  long  it  will  be  requisite  to  remain 
here.  It  may  depend  on  the  intelUgence  w^e  receive. 
******!  have  received  no  late  news  from  the 
northward.  The  loss  of  two  small  canoes  (all  we  had) 
has  prevented  my  sending  out  small  parties,"  the 
British  fleet,  having  passed  out  of  the  Richelieu,  was 


330  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

sailing  up  the  lake  and  anchored  that  night  between 
Grand  Isle  and  North  Hero. 

1864  Three  strangers  arrived  at  St.  Albans  from  St. 

Johns  in  Canada  and  "  put  up  "at  the  Tremont  hotel, 
and  later  in  the  day,  two  others  came  to  theAmerican 
hotel. 

1866  Rear- Admiral  Theodorus  Bailey  was  placed  on 

the  retired  list.  On  his  first  cruise,  in  1 820-1,  on  the 
Cyane,  several  slavers  were  captured  on  the  African 
coast.  In  1846,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Mexican 
war,  while  in  charge  of  the  store  ship  Lexington,  he 
conveyed  to  CaUfornia,  by  way  of  Cape  Horn,  an 
artillery  company  and  several  officers,  among  them, 
Henry  W.  Halleck,  William  T.  Sherman  and  E.  O.  C. 
Ord.  The  part  taken  by  him  in  the  conquest  of 
California,  in  connection  with  the  riots  at  Panama, 
and  in  restoring  friendly  relations  with  the  Fiji 
islands,  all  previous  to  the  Civil  War,  are  noteworthy. 
As  commander  of  the  Eastern  Gulf  blockading  squad- 
ron, he  is  said  to  have  taken  over  150  blockade-runners 
in  eighteen  months. 

"  In  the  U.  S.  S.  Cayuga  he  led  the  fleet  of  Admiral  D.  G. 
Farragut  through  the  fire  of  Forts  Jackson  and  St.  Philip,  and 
opposing  vessels,  April  24,  1862.  It  was  a  contest  between 
iron  hearts  in  wooden  vessels  and  ironclads  with  iron  beaks 
and  the  iron  hearts  won." 

— From  Inscription  on  Loving  Cup  of  the  Bailey. 


OCTOBER   11 

Already  the  bleak  autumnal  winds  were  sweeping  over 
the  lake;  the  nights  fell  dark  and  chill;  the  dreary  winter 
approached,  when  no  zeal  or  courage  could  avail  an  invading 
force. — Warburton. 

1 759  The  raft,  the  brig  from  Ticonderoga  and  the  new 

sloop  (just  built  by  the  English)  were  ready  for  action. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


331 


1763  (Friday) — from  the  bottom  of  Cumberland  we 

proceeded  homeward  and  arrived  that  night,  on  our 
passage  viewing  the  Islands  Saint  Michael,  Valcour 
and  Chapon  or  Schuyler  Island,  all  of  which  we  found 
ordinary,  light  rocky,  stony  land,  and  ill  timbered. 

— Gilliland. 

1776  On  Friday  the  battle  of  Valcour  was  fought.     At 

eight  o'clock  the  English  fleet  commanded  by  Capt. 
Thomas  Pringle,  of  the  Lord  Howe,  was  discovered 


BENEDICT    ARNOLD 


passing  Cumberland  Head  with  a  strong  north  or 
northwest  wind, and  bearing  in  the  direction  of  Crown 
Point,  the  supposed  location  of  Arnold.  Gen.  Water- 
bury  at  once  advised  fighting  the  enemy  on  the  retreat 
in  the  broad  lake,  but  Arnold  declined.  At  half-past 
twelve  the  Carlton  and  gunboats  were  within  musket- 
shot  and  the  action  became  general,  continuing  with- 
out cessation  until  about  five  in  the  afternoon.  Early 
in  the  action,  the  Royal  Savage,  Arnold's  flagship, 
poorly  managed  by  her  crew  of  landsmen,  was  dis- 


332  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

abled  and  run  aground  on  the  southwest  point  of 
Valcour  Island,  her  crew  escaping  in  safety.  Arnold 
now  transferred  his  flag  to  the  Congress  and  fought 
that  vessel  "  like  a  lion  at  bay,  pointing  almost  every 
gun  with  his  own  hands,  and  cheering  his  men  with 
voice  and  gesture."  "  Waterbury  fought  bravely 
on  the  quarter  deck  of  his  vessel  (the  Washington) 
and  towards  the  close  of  the  action  was  the  only 
active  officer  on  board." 

1790  William  Pitt  Piatt  and  Hannah  Kent  of  Fishkill 

were  married  and  at  once  set  out  on  their  wedding 
journey  up  the  Hudson  and  through  the  lake  in  a 
batteau  to  their  new  home.  The  bride  is  said  to  have 
been  much  impressed  with  the  beautiful  scenery. 
Three  weeks  later,  on  a  Simday  morning,  accompanied 
by  a  colored  servant,  she  stepped  ashore  on  Cumber- 
land Head. 

1864        Three  more  strangers  appeared  in  St.  Albans. 


OCTOBER  12 

1708  Jean  Baptiste,  fourth  child  of  Sergeant  Jacques 

and  Abigail  (Stebbins)  de  Noyon  of  Boucherville, 
was  bom. 

Oh!  thou  hast  seen  the  setting  stin 

Slowly  retire  behind  his  cloud, 
Night  gathering  round  the  mountain's  brow 

While  autumn's  blast  roared  long  and  loud; — 

— Mrs.  Davidson, 

1759  The   batteaux,   containing   a   wing   of   the   42d 

Regiment  under  Major  Reid,  went  astray  among  the 
sloops  of  the  enemy,  but  succeeded  in  running  the 
gauntlet  of  the  French  gims  in  safety  with  the 
loss  of  but  one  boat  containing  a  Heutenant  and  20 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  333 

men.  Towards  evening,  the  wind  increasing,  the 
waters  were  lashed  to  fury  and  Amherst  was  compelled 
to  seek  the  shelter  of  a  bay  on  the  western  shore. 

1776  Early   in    the   morning   Arnold's    fleet    reached 

Schuyler  Island,  nine  miles  distant,  the  vessels  having 
passed  in  single  file  quietly  out  from  the  strait  between 
Valcour  Island  and  the  mainland  during  the  previous 
evening,  bearing  around  the  north  end  of  Valcour 
and  so  passing  outside  the  British  line,  which  extended 
from  Garden  Island  to  the  York  shore.  From  Schuyler 
Island,  Arnold  wrote  to  Gates,  giving  an  account  of 
the  engagement,  and  there,  on  examination,  finding 
two  of  the  gondolas  too  badly  injured  to  repair, 
Arnold  sunk  them  and,  with  the  remainder,  fitted 
out  as  best  he  could,  again  set  sail  for  Crown  Point. 

— "  Was  awoke  very  early  in  the  morning  by  a  confused 
noise  about  my  tent  *  *  made  the  greatest  haste  to  the 
shore  side,  where  a  boat  had  just  arrived  with  our  wounded 
men  from  the  fleet.  The  accounts  were  *  *  that  the  Royal 
Savage  engaged  her  (the  Carlton)  and  at  last  was  obliged  to 
strike  to  the  Carlton,  but,  against  all  the  rules  of  war,  after  strik- 
ing, they  ran  her  on  shore,  blew  her  up  and  escaped  in  the  wood." 

— Digby. 

OCTOBER  13 

1759  Captain   Loring  of   Amherst's  army  pursued  a 

French  schooner  and  three  sloops  under  the  shelter 
of  Valcour,  where  one  of  the  sloops  was  grounded  by 
her  commander  and  two  others  sunk,  while  M.  de 
Bolabarras  and  his  men  escaped  through  the  woods. 
The  storm  prevented  Loring  from  knowing  this. 

1 763  Returned  home  and  employed  my  time  from  now 

to  31st  Oct.,  in  laying  out  lots,  filling  leases  and 
settling  accounts  with  the  people. — Gilliland. 

To  the  following  leases  were  given :  John  Chism, 
Robt.  McLane,  Robt.  McAwley,  John  King  and  G. 


•724  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Hicks,  George  Wilson,  George  Belton,  William  Luckey, 
Mires  Dixon,  Martin  Tayler,  Eliakim  Ayres. 

1 776  Early  in  the  morning  the  American  fleet  was  off 

the  Bouquet  and  the  English  lay  a  little  above  Schuyler 
Island  favored  by  a  fresh  northeast  wind,  blowing  in 
the  broader  part  of  the  lake,  while  a  south  wind 
retarded  Arnold's  escape.  Soon  after  Arnold  had 
passed  Spht  Rock,  Capt.  Pringle,  leading  in  person 
on  the  Maria  followed  by  the  Inflexible  and  Carleton, 
attacked  the  Washington  galley,  which  was  too  much 
injured  to  keep  up  with  the  rest.  This  galley  struck 
after  receiving  a  few  shots  and  her  brave  commander 
was  made  a  prisoner  of  war.  The  three  other  vessels 
then  concentrated  their  fire  upon  the  Congress,  which 
warmly  returned  the  same.  Arnold  keeping  up  a  run- 
ning fight  until  within  ten  miles  of  Crown  Point,  when 
he  ran  the  Corigress  and  four  gondolas  into  a  small  bay 
in  Panton  and,  having  saved  the  small  arms,  burned 
the  vessels  to  the  water's  edge,  escaping  with  his 
party  through  the  woods.  Thus  ended  the  naval 
engagements  off  Valcour's  and  Schuyler's  Islands,  in 
which  the  American  loss  was  about  90.  In  the  mean- 
time the  sloop  Enterprise,  the  schooner  Revenge  and 
the  galley  Trumbull,  with  one  gondola,  had  reached 
Crown  Point  in  safety  while  the  galley  Lee,  Captain 
Davis,  had  been  run  into  a  bay  on  the  east  shore  above 
SpUt  Rock  and  blown  up.  The  galley  Washington  and 
gondola  Jersey  were  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

1812  The   new  commander   of  the   lake   fleet,   after 

consultation  with  Gen.  Dearborn  at  Plattsburgh, 
went  to  Whitehall,  where  he  began  to  fit  out  two 
gunboats  and  prepare  for  service  the  sloops  Hunter 
and  Bull  Dog.  These  were  remodeled  to  carry  eleven 
guns  in  place  of  seven  and  their  names  changed  to 
Growler  and  Eagle. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallkv  335 

1813  Birth  of  Frances  Henrietta,  only  child  of  Judge 

and  Mrs.  Henry  Delord.  A  few  months  preceding 
her  birth,  Murray's  raid  upon  Plattsburgh  had  oc- 
curred and  her  father  with  many  others  had  suffered 
serious  losses.  On  the  approach  of  the  British,  Mrs. 
Delord,  hastily  burying  the  fine  silver  service  in  the 
garden,  had  sought  refuge  with  her  baby  in  her  arms 
in  Peru,  the  former  home  of  the  family.  The  British 
fled,  Mrs.  Delord  returned  to  find  much  of  her  furni- 
ture and  many  household  treasures  injured  or  de- 
stroyed. The  enemy  had,  however,  in  the  haste  of 
departure  left  an  officer's  mess  chest  and,  inadver- 
ently,  a  silver  pepper  box,  salt  spoon  and  sugar  tongs, 
still  preserved  in  the  old  house.  Margaret  Davidson 
and  Frances  Delord  were  next-door  neighbors,  play- 
mates and  hfe-long  friends.  On  the  latter 's  death 
in  early  married  life,  leaving  a  baby  daughter, 
Margaret  wrote  a  poem  "  On  the  Death  of  Mrs.  F.  H. 
Webb,"  referring  to  their  childhood  thus: 

But  memory  still  can  paint  the  scenes 

Of  past,  but  ne'er  forgotten  joy. 
When  we  have  sported  wild  and  free, 

No  sorrow  pleasure's  tide  to  cloy. 

Thy  form  as  it  was  wont  to  be, 

Still  mingles  with  each  thought  of  home; 

My  earliest  sports  were  join'd  by  thee, 

When  graced  by  beauty's  brightest  bloom. 

and  of  her  personal  appearance — 

"  Again  I  view  that  hazel  eye, 

With  life  and  pleasure  beaming; 
Again  I  view  that  fair,  white  brow, 
Those  dark  locks  o'er  it  streaming. 

and  of  her  mind — 

"  Oh,  'twas  unsullied  and  refined 
As  is  this  spotless  page. 


336  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

and  lastly  of  the  little  one  left  motherless — 

"  But  the  spirit  we  mourn  has  ascended  on  high. 
And  there  it  will  watch  o'er  its  little  one's  fate; 

In  whispers  her  voice  will  be  heard  from  the  sky, 
With  a  mother's  affection  which  ne'er  can  abate. 

1834  Frances  Montezuma,  wife  of  Dr.  Jabez  Penniman, 

died,  aged  74  years.  She  was  formerly  the  wife  of 
Gen.  Ethan  Allen,  as  her  monument  in  Elm  wood 
cemetery,  Burlington,  states. 

1841  The  date  of  the  earliest  existing  known  copy  of 

Westport's  first  newspaper,  ''The  Essex  County  Times 
and  West  port  Herald."  Anson  H.  Allen  was  the 
editor,  but  associated  with  Allen  from  the  first  was 
David  Turner,  an  Englishman  from  Hull,  who  had 
come  to  Essex  county  in  1837  and  begun  work  in  a 
Keeseville  printing  office.  From  1841-49  he  lived 
in  Westport  and  there,  in  June,  1847,  his  son,  Ross 
Sterling  Turner  of  Salem  and  Boston,  one  of  the  best 
known  American  painters,  was  bom.  Other  sons, 
Byron  Pond,  Jasper  C.  and  Louis  M.,  were  bom  at 
Rouses  Point,  Elizabethtown  and  Alexandria,  Va., 
respectively.  Their  father  died  in  Washington  in  1900. 

OCTOBER  14 

The  sky  is  dim  and  dreamful  soft, 

The  hills  are  gray  with  veiling  haze, — Buckham. 

1759  After  a  stormy  night,   as  day  dawned,  Loring 

perceived  the  abandoned  vessels  and  left  Lieut. 
Grant  with  the  sloop  to  try  to  save  the  stranded 
vessel  with  her  equipment,  himself  putting  out  into 
the  lake  in  pursuit  of  any  hostile  sail. 

1761  On  account  of  a  bend  in  the  lake,  the  proprietors 

of  Addison  procured  from  Gov.  Benning  Wentworth 
a  grant  of  that  township. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  337 

1776  At  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  Arnold  and  his 

men  reached  Crown  Point  in  safety,  having  halted  and 
been  refreshed  at  the  hospitable  home  of  Zadock 
Everest  in  Addison,  about  four  miles  from  the  scene 
of  action.  Later  in  the  day,  on  the  approach  of  the 
enemy,  the  small  force  at  Crown  Point  withdrew  and 
Gen.  Carleton  took  possession  without  opposition. 

1819  The  "  First  Cattle  Show  and  Fair  "  of  Clinton 

county  was  held  at  Champlain.  After  a  declaration 
of  premiums  by  Silas  Hubbell,  one  of  the  censors, 
and  a  short  address,  the  procession  moved  to  the 
district  school  house,  where  the  Rev.  Mr.  Byington 
opened  the  exercises  with  prayer  and  Allen  C.  Moore 
gave  an  address  on  agriculture  and  manufactures. 
The  officers  of  the  society  and  of  music  then  ascended 
a  car,  decorated  with  "  articles  of  domestic  manu- 
facture and  agricultural  products,  surmounted  with 
a  flag  and  bearing  an  appropriate  motto,  elevated 
upwards  of  thirty  feet,  drawn  by  100  yoke  of  oxen." 
This  conveyed  them  to  the  grounds,  where  the  animals 
were  offered  for  inspection.  All  members  of  the 
society  wore  wheat  cockades.  A  special  feature  was 
the  half  acre  plowing  match,  won  by  Henry  Ladd  of 
Chazy,  who  finished  in  twenty-four  minutes  and  a 
few  seconds.  But  Col.  Thurber,  vice-president  of  the 
society,  was  awarded  the  premium  for  best  driving. 

There  mark  the  realms  of  plenty  smiling  now; 
There  the  full  sheaf  of  Ceres  richly  glows, 
And  Plenty's  fountain  blesses  as  it  flows; 

— Lucretia  Davidson. 

OCTOBER   15 

1750  Birth  of  John  Stearns  of  New  Hampshire,  who 

served  under  Arnold,  Stark  and  Warner  and  partici- 
pated  in   the   battle   of    Bennington.     He   died   in 


228  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Monkton,  Vt.,  in  1823.  Mary,  the  daughter  of  his  son 
Calvin,  became  the  wife  of  Eleazer  WilHams  Robinson. 

1759  The   storm  continued  and   Gen.   Amherst  was 

forced  to  remain  quiet, 

1 766  George  Belton  sowed  his  last  wheat. — Gilliland. 

Nay,  nay!     Let  the  blade  of  grain — 
One  more  in  the  crowded  sod, 

Yet  nourished  by  sun  and  rain — 

Speak  a  truer  thought  of  God. — Buckham. 

1809  Mr.  Samuel  Southby  Bridge,  an  English  merchant 

engaged  in  the  exportation  of  Turpentine,  in  an 
account  of  his  journey  through  the  Champlain  valley, 
says  that  his  party  "  arrived  at  the  Hne  at  half -past 
five,  over  which  no  vessel  is  permitted  to  pass,  the 
Non-Intercourse  (Act)  being  now  in  force."  They 
landed  at  Rouses  Point  and  walked  half  a  mile  to  the 
small  hut  or  inn,  kept  by  Jacob  Rouse,  a  captain  of 
militia,  where  the  night  was  passed. 

— The  November  Munsey,  1908. 

1812  Marriage  of  Lewis  Samuel  Robinson  and  Hannah 

Eldred.  They  owned  a  farm  (lot  No.  95  Duerville 
Pat.)  and  kept  a  hotel  in  Chazy  on  the  Military  turn- 
pike. It  was  near  this  place,  by  a  Httle  brook,  that 
a  collation  was  served  to  President  Monroe  which 
delayed  for  a  year  the  purchase  of  a  fire  engine  for 
Plattsburgh.  Robinson's  Tavern  was  built  of  logs 
with  a  "  bar-room  "  in  one  end,  an  open  shed  for 
wood  and  carriages  in  the  middle,  and  a  kitchen  and 
dining  room  in  the  other.  All  the  floors  were  of 
earth  and  the  huge  back  logs  were  hauled  for  the 
immense  fire-places  by  a  horse.  In  1823,  this  first 
building  was  superseded  by  a  large  stone  house  with 
all  the  conveniences  of  that  time. 

1815         The  Vermont  resumed  her  trips  to  St.  John's. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


339 


1900  Rowland     Evans     Robinson,    the    well-known 

author,  died  at  his  old  home  at  Ferrisburgh. 

"On  our  way,  (from  Easton  to  Coeyman's  Patent)  we  fell 
in  with  a  little  preacher  by  the  name  of  Rowland  Robinson  who 
kept  our  company  for  several  weeks." 

— Jourtial  of  the  Life  of  Joseph  Hoag. 


OCTOBER  16 

— For  the   pleasure  of  the   eye  give  me  a   fall  morning, 
after  the  first  sharp  frost. — Buckham. 

1759  Frost  came   and   still   Amherst  had   to  remain 

inactive. 

1779  Joseph  Everest  and  Sarah  Eells  were  married. 
The  groom  was  still  lame  from  his  jump  in  the  dark- 
ness into  the  snow  in  escaping  from  his  imprisonment 
at  Quebec  in  the  winter  of  '77  and  the  bride's  heart 
was  sad  when  she  remembered  her  father's  home 
leaving  on  the  morning  of  the  Bennington  battle, 
from  which  he  came  not  back.  But  they  made  their 
home  in  Addison  where,  on  his  mother's  twenty-fifth 
birthday  (July  26),  the  next  year,  their  son  Joseph 
was  bom.  Calvin  and  Luther  were  born  at  Ticon- 
deroga,  where  the  Everests  lived  during  the  Revo- 
lution, and  where  they  entertained  Washington  during 
his  visit,  and  Baron  Steuben,  many  times. 

1780  Royalton,  Vt.,  burned  by  Indians.  Two  men 
were  killed  and  twenty-six  prisoners  taken,  among 
them,  Sheldon  Durkee,  a  boy  of  nine,  who  afterwards 
settled  in  Plattsburgh  and  from  whom  Durkee  street 
takes  its  name.  His  brothers,  Andrew  and  Adan, 
were  also  captured,  the  latter  dying  a  captive  in 
Montreal.  The  father,  Timothy  Durkee,  was  absent 
on  a  scout,  and  as  the  family  fled  from  home,  Sheldon 
went  back  for  the  youngest.     Escaping  to  the  bushes, 


340  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

he  was  seen  by  an  Indian  who  hurled  a  tomahawk, 
which  hit  him  on  the  back  of  the  head.  It  was  through 
the  brave  and  persistent  endeavors  of  Mrs.  Hendee 
that  Sheldon  was  released  with  other  boys.  The 
savages  took  thirty  horses  and  killed  all  the  cattle, 
sheep  and  sw4ne  they  could  find. 

1909  In  the  Brighton  Beach  twenty-four  hour  endur- 

ance race,  the  Lozier  automobiles,  manufactured  in 
Plattsburgh,  finish  first  and  second  and  establish  a 
new  world's  record. 


OCTOBER  17 

'  "  I  must  confess  that  I  like  the  October  wind  least  of  all. 

It  is  too  petulant,  too  rebellious,  too  fitful. — Buckham. 

1646  Father  Jogues,   on  his  return  to  the   Mohawk 

country,  was  set  upon  by  the  savages  who  believed 
him  responsible  for  the  failure  of  their  crops  and 
sickness  of  their  tribe;  was  stripped  of  his  clothing 
and  beaten  with  heavy  clubs, 

1759  A  contrary  wind  arising,   Amherst,   though  he 

had  heard  through  a  hostile  chief,  by  flags  of  truce 
and  letters  of  ceremony,  that  a  British  fleet  lay 
before  Quebec  and  battles  had  been  fought,  still 
lay  helpless  with  his  mighty  army  on  the  banks 
of  the  stormy  lake. 

1763  Swanton,  Vt.,  was  chartered,  containing  23,040 

acres.  Previous  to  the  English  conquest  of  Canada 
there  had  been  a  settlement  at  Swanton  Falls  of 
about  50  huts,  a  church  and  saw  mill,  belonging 
to  French  and  Indians  who  remained  until  the 
beginning  of  the  Revolution.  John  Hilliker,  a  Ger- 
man, with  his  family,  settled  here  about  1787.  Other 
German    settlers   were    Conrad    Barr,    John    Hogle, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  341 

Abram  and  Joseph  Rykard,  John  Sax,  John  Shelters, 
Peter  Wagner,  and  others.  Jeremiah  Brewster  and 
Thomas  Butterfield  were  also  prominent  early  settlers. 

1 780  A  deep  snow  covered  the  ground  and  the  Indian 

raiders  of  Royalton,  pursued  by  whites,  killed  two 
prisoners  and  sent  back  a  third  with  the  message 
that  they  would  kill  all  if  molested.  Passing  through 
Randolph  they  captured  Zadock  Steele,  whose 
account  of  his  captivity  is  well  known.  The  savages 
then  made  for  Canada  by  way  of  the  Winooski 
River  and  Lake  Champlain. 

1809  "Rose  at  six.     After  taking  some  rum  and  milk 

to  keep  out  the  lake  fever,  which  is  frequently  taken 
by  strangers,  went  to  see  Mr.  Glennie's  land,  about 
three  and  a  half  miles.  About  one  mile  on  our 
way  we  had  to  pass  an  unfinished  bridge,  hardly 
worthy  the  name,  about  twenty  foot  high  and 
sixty  yards  over,  composed  of  large  single  logs,  at 
a  distance  from  each  other,  a  little  flattened  on 
the  top  with  an  ax." — Samuel  Bridge's  Diary. 

On  this  bridge  the  traveller  relates  that  he 
crawled  on  all  fours  and  was  then  taken  in  a  canoe 
"  up  the  Little  Chauze."  The  party  returned  by 
a  different  route  "  to  Chandonet's  about  eleven 
to  breakfast."  Mr.  Bridge  had  intended  to  go 
to  Plattsburgh  that  night  but  was  unable  to  get 
a  conveyance. 

1903  Dedication  of  Bronze  Tablet,  placed  upon  the 

Custom  House  by  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.  in 
commemoration  of  the  Battle  of  Plattsburgh.  The 
presentation  to  the  City  of  Plattsburgh  in  behalf 
of  the  Chapter,  was  made  by  the  Regent,  Mrs. 
Gamble,  and  accepted  by  Mayor  Sharron,  As  Mrs. 
Stoddard,  founder  of  the  Chapter  and  Ex-Regent, 


342  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

and  Mrs.  Sowles,  both  descendants  of  pioneers  who 
participated  in  the  battle,  unveiled  the  tablet,  it 
was  saluted  by  three  volleys  fired  by  Co.  C,  Fifth 
Infantry.  On  account  of  unfavorable  weather,  the 
literary  exercises  were  held  in  the  auditorium  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  where  a  patriotic  address 
was  made  by  Hon.  Charles  Halsey  Moore,  the  Fifth 
Infantry  band  furnishing  music. 

OCTOBER  18 

1646  The  martyrdom  of  Father  Jogues  was  completed. 

As  he  was  entering  a  wigwam  for  supper,  he  was 
treacherously  felled  with  an  axe,  his  head  cut  off 
and  stuck  on  the  palisades  while  his  body  was  flimg 
into  the  river. 

1755  Rogers,    the   ranger,    arrived   at   the   moimtain 

west  of  Crown  Point,  where  he  lay  with  his  men 
all  night  and  the  next  day  observing  the  enemy. 
He  also  detected  ambuscades  built  about  "30 
rodsS.W.  of  the  fort." 

1759  The  storm  subsided  and  a  gentle  south  wind 

arose.  Amherst  now  hurried  his  troops  on  board 
bateaux  and  in  a  few  hours  reached  the  bay  where 
the  French  vessels  had  a  few  days  before  been  driven 
ashore,  but  the  winds  changed  and  a  storm  approached 
from  the  north. 

1775  The  Americans  have  already  fortified  Isle  aux 

Noix  and  now  Fort  Chambly  is  taken  by  a  detach- 
ment under  Majors  Brown  and  Livingston.  Carleton, 
also,  is  repulsed  by  Col.  Seth  Warner  and  his  Green 
Mountain  Boys,  while  trying  to  land  at  Longueil 
to  raise  the  siege  of  St.  Johns  which  is  being  invested 
by  Montgomery. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  343 

1864  Two  more  strangers  took  breakfast  at  the 
Tremont  in  St.  Albans  and  were  joined  by  four  others 
at  dinner.  "  The  greater  part  of  these  men  were 
afterwards  identified  as  those  who  had  been  boarding 
at  the  hotels  in  St.  Johns,  in  Canada,  for  some  days 
previous." 

1865  At  the  Stetson  homestead,  Champlain,  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Coit  of  Plattsburg  officiating,  was  celebrated 
the  double  wedding  of  Eleazer  J.  Larkin  and  Helen 
E.  Stetson  and  Franklin  Palmer  and  Marion  E. 
Stetson.  Thus,  on  the  same  day,  two  daughters 
of  John  Smedley  and  Cynthia  (Beach)  Stetson 
left  the  parental  roof  for  homes  of  their  own. 

OCTOBER  19 

1755  Rogers  went  in  the  evening  to  the  houses  south 

of  the  fort  and  on  the  lake.  Finding  a  barn  well 
filled  with  wheat,  he  left  3  men  there  and  took 
one  with  him  "  to  make  further  discoveries  near 
the  fort."  About  60  rods  distant,  finding  a  good 
place  to  ambush,  he  lay  there  with  the  men  left 
at  the  barn  until  next  morning. 

1809  Mr.  Bridge,  having  been  detained  by  his  business 

until  the  dinner  hour  at  the  home  of  Gen.  Mooers 
on  Cumberland  Head,  accepts  the  General's  hos- 
pitality and  writes  thus  in  his  diary: — "  Dined  on 
pig  and  plum  sauce,  and  also  partook  of  some  home- 
made wine — very  good.  General  Moore  appears 
to  be  a  very  hospitable  gentleman.  He  has  a  large 
family — nine  children." 

1864  The  day  of  the  St.  Alban's  raid.    At  the  American 

House,  five  strangers  took  dinner  and  there  were 
six  more  at  the  St.  Alban's  House.  The  afternoon 
was  cloudy,   threatening  rain,   and  the  streets  un- 


344  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

usually  quiet,  since  about  forty  of  the  principal 
men  of  the  place  were  in  Montpelier  and  Burlington, 
attending  the  session  of  the  legislature  at  the  first 
place  and  Supreme  Court,  at  the  second.  Just  after 
the  town  clock  had  struck  the  hour  of  three,  simul- 
taneously the  banks  were  entered  by  armed  men, 
with  drawn  revolvers,  who  proceeded  to  take  pos- 
session of  bank  bills,  treasury  notes,  and  United 
States  bonds.  Any  chance  caller  at  either  bank 
was  robbed  at  once.  But  little  silver  was  taken, 
being  "  too  heavy,"  and  they  found  no  gold.  The 
robbery  occupied  some  twelve  minutes,  and  in  the 
haste  both  gold  and  bank  notes  were  overlooked. 
Outside,  in  the  streets,  other  raiders  intimidated 
the  citizens,  ordering  chance  passers  to  the  green, 
shooting  any  who  resisted,  throwing  Greek  fire 
upon  the  wooden  buildings,  and  seizing  horses  for 
flight.  Bennett  H.  Young,  the  leader,  rode  about 
the  streets  giving  orders  to  his  men.  They  declared 
themselves  Confederate  soldiers  come  to  rob  and 
burn  the  town.  In  a  few  minutes,  the  raiders  jumped 
upon  their  horses  and,  taking  the  Sheldon  road, 
made  all  haste  to  escape.  In  a  half  hour,  an  armed 
party  from  St.  Albans  was  in  pursuit.  The  robbers 
succeeded  in  getting  across  the  line  into  Canada, 
but  thirteen  were  arrested  there  and  held  for  trial. 

During  the  raid  the  news  reached  Burlington 
by  telegram.  Bells  were  rung,  hundreds  of  citizens 
gathered  in  the  banks  and  a  large  body  of  armed 
men  started  by  train  for  St.  Albans.  Offers  of  assist- 
ance came  from  outside  towns.  At  four  o'clock 
a  telegram  reached  Plattsburgh  and  every  man 
made  ready  to  defend  his  native  town.  On  a  street 
corner,  that  evening,  the  forming  of  a  military 
company  was  suggested  and  to  Benj.  M.  Beckwith, 
just  returned  from  the  seat  of  war,  was  intrusted 
the  making  out  of  a  list  of  prominent  citizens. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  345 

OCTOBER  20 

1755  At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  man  who  came 

out  of  Fort  St.  Frederic  without  his  gun,  refusing 
"  to  take  quarter  "  was  killed  and  scalped  "  in 
plain  sight  of  the  fort  "  where  there  were  500  men. 
Rogers  and  his  companion  escaped  after  running 
"in  plain  view,  about  20  rods."  In  the  province 
of  Maine,  Elisha  Bradford,  the  youngest  son  of 
Elisha,  Sr.  was  born  that  day.  His  mother  and 
only  sister  were  killed  by  Indians,  two  brothers 
carried  into  captivity,  from  which  they  were  after- 
wards released,  and  Elisha  escaped  only  by  hiding 
under  the  bed.  He  afterwards  lived  with  an  uncle 
and  joined  the  American  army,  after  the  war  settling 
in  Litchfield,  Conn.,  whence  he  came  a  pioneer  to 
Plattsburgh  and  remained  through  life. 

1759  After    driving    back    the    enemy    by    "fifteen 

or  twenty  barges,"  the  enemy's  intrenchments 
were  reconnoitred  at  Isle  aux  Noix. 

1866  Arrival  at  6  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  two 

U.  S.  Invalid  Veteran  Corps  ordered  out  by  the 
Governor  of  Vermont.  A  company  of  infantry 
Home-Guards  and  one  of  cavalry  were  organized 
and  streets  patroled  during  most  of  the  ensuing 
winter.  In  Plattsburgh  resolutions  were  drawn 
up  and  signed  by  Benj.  M.  Beck  with,  in  regard  to 
the  organization  of  the  "  Home  Guards  "  and  more 
than  a  hundred  added  their  names  to  that  of  Mr. 
Beckwith. 

OCTOBER  21 

1759  Winter  approaching,   Amherst   fell  back  upon 

Crown  Point  and  turned  his  attention  to  the  com- 
pletion of  the  defences,  building  roads  and  bridges 


346  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

and  nursing  the  sick  among  the  Provincials.  Capt. 
John  Stark  was  sent  with  200  rangers  to  cut  a  road 
through  to  Charlestown,  N.  H,  This  followed  to 
a  great  extent  the  largest  eastern  branch  of  the 
Otter  Creek  and  the  Black  River,  and  was  finished 
the  next  year. 

1766  — paid    off   Jabez    Rudd    and   discharged    him. 

— Gilliland. 

1788  The  two  Heroes  was  divided    into    North  and 

South  Hero.  In  1783,  Enos  Wood  from  Bennington 
and  Soloman  Wood,  with  his  wife  and  one  child,  from 
Norwich,  Conn.,  came  to  North  Hero  in  mid-winter 
and  commenced  a  settlement,  suffering  much  priva- 
tion and  hardship.  The  town  was  organized  in 
1789,  with  Nathan  Hutchins,  who  Hved  to  the  age 
of  ninety,  as  town  clerk.  The  garrison  in  the  block- 
house w^hich  the  British  had  built  at  Dutchman's 
Point,  was  not  withdrawn  until  1796.  In  1799,  the 
bilious  fever  was  very  mortal  and  the  next  year, 
Solomon  Wood  and  his  son-in-law,  William  Lawrence, 
removed  to  Chazy  Landing.  In  1810,  Wood  again 
removed,  this  time  to  Hemmingford,  Canada,  return- 
ing to  the  United  States  on  the  outbreak  of  the 
war.  His  property  was  confiscated  by  the  British 
government  and  his  son  Amasa  served  with  con- 
scription papers,  but  succeeded  in  escaping  before 
being  mustered  into  service. 

1806  Mary   Sheldon,    daughter   of    Arunah    Sheldon, 

was  bom  at  Odletown,  Canada,  but  her  parents, 
within  a  few  months  removed  to  a  farm  near  the 
Creek,  where  they  lived  within  sight  of  both  Amer- 
ican and  British  forces  at  the  time  of  the  invasion. 
The  names  of  Arunah,  Naomi,  and  Mrs.  A.  Sheldon 
appear  among  the  list  of  charter  members  of  the 
Methodist  Church,   Plattsburgh. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  347 

1821  The  Legislature   of  Vermont  granted  to  Charles 

McNeil,  of  Charlotte,  Vt.  and  H.  H.  Ross,  of  Essex, 
N.  Y.  a  charter  for  a  ferry  between  those  places.  The 
ferry  boats  were  propelled  by  horse-power  and  were 
a  great  convenience  for  carrying  cattle,  sheep,  horses 
and  teams. 

1860  Death  of  William  F.   Haile  at  the  age  of  69. 

He  was  a  veteran  of  Lundy's  Lane  where  he  had 
been  severely  wounded.  As  a  lawyer  he  had  a  rep- 
utation for  " honor,  integrity  and  sound  judgment." 
For  several  years  he  was  in  partnership  with  his 
brother-in-law,  William  Swetland;  was  judge  of  the 
county  and  fifth  collector  of  customs  for  the  district 
of  Champlain. 

1866  Friday  evening  the  first  meeting  for  the  organiza- 

tion of  the  "  Home  Guards  "  was  held  in  the  Court 
House,  with  19  present.  Mr.  Beckwith  was  called 
to  the  chair  and  speeches  were  made  by  S.  Wright 
Holcomb,  Geo.  Henry  Beckwith,  H.  A.  Wood  and 
others.  The  election  of  officers  was  as  follows: — 
Captain,  B.  M.  Beckwith;  ist  Lieut.,  Peter  Fa- 
fountain;  2nd  Lieut.,  S.  N.  Howe;  ist  Sergt.,  Fred 
H.  Cramer;  2nd  Sergt.,  E.  C.  Miller;  3rd  Sergt., 
E.  Brown;  4th  Sergt.,  H.  A.  Wood;  5th  Sergt.,  H. 
A.  Woodruff;  ist  Corp.,  S.  Wright  Holcomb;  2nd 
Corp.,  E.  G.  Moore;  3rd  Corp.,  Freeman  M.  Vilas; 
4th  Corp.,  G.  E.  Barber;  5th  Corp.,  N.  B.  Barker; 
6th  Corp.,  Jas.  S.  Higby;  7th  Corp.,  M.  Sowles; 
8th  Corp.,  Chas.  S.  DeForris.  In  St.  Albans, 
Mr.  Elinus  J.  Morrison,  a  contractor  engaged  on 
the  brick  work  of  the  Welden  Llouse,  who  had 
been  shot  during  the  raid,  died  at  his  lodgings 
at  the  American  House.  His  remains  were  taken 
to  his  home  in  Manchester,  N.  H.  for  inter- 
ment. 


348  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1892  Columbus   Day   was  celebrated   in   Plattsburgh 

by  a   procession   of    1,400   children,   an   oration  by 
Royal  Corbin,  Esq.,  and  other  exercises. 

What  must  have  been  the  feehngs  of  Christopher  Columbus 
when,  for  the  first  time,  he  knelt  and  clasped  his  hands,  in  grati- 
tude, upon  the  shores  of  his  newly-discovered  world.  *  * 
At  that  moment,  his  name  was  stamped  upon  the  records  of 
history  for  ever;  at  that  moment,  doubt,  fear,  and  anxiety 
fled,  for  his  foot  had  pressed  upon  the  threshold  of  the  promised 
land. — Lucretia  Davidson,  written  in  her  sixteenth  year. 

OCTOBER  22 

1774  Phelix  Powell,  the  first  settler  to  come  into 
Burlington,  bought  of  Samuel  Averill  of  Litchfield, 
Conn.,  in  consideration  of  ;^3o,  the  grant  made  to 
Averill  by  Gov.  Wentworth.  This  tract  included 
village  lots,  the  whole  of  Appletree  point  and  land 
running  northerly  to  Onion  river,  and  was  considered 
in  "  county  of  Charlotte,  and  Province  of  New  York." 

1775  Gen.  Wooster's  regiment  of  335  men  sailed  from 
Ticonderoga  to  join  Montgomery. 

1801  George  Sherman  (of  the  firm  of  Lee,  Sherman 

&  Witherbee  of  Port  Henry)  w^as  born  at  Clarendon, 
Vt.,  the  son  of  Nathan  and  Polly  (Carpenter)  Sherman, 
Seventy  years  of  his  active  life  were  spent  in  the  town 
of  Moriah  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake.  Here 
associated  with  such  men  as  Silas  H.  Witherbee,  like 
himself  a  native  of  Vermont,  and  John  A.  Lee,  one  of 
the  founders  of  the  great  mining  industry  of  Essex 
county,  he,  and  after  him  his  son,  George  R.  Sherman, 
were  prominent  in  the  development  of  the  lumber 
and  mining  industries  of  that  section.  The  firm 
names  of  Lee,  Sherman  &  Witherbee  and  later  of 
Witherbee,  Sherman  &  Co.  will  ever  be  associated 
with  Port  Henry.  Sherman  Academy  (now  Sherman 
Collegiate  Institute)  founded  by  George  Sherman  was 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  349 

after  his  death  aided  by  his  son.  The  father  died  in 
Saratoga,  September  7,  1877;  Mr.  Lee  at  the  same 
place  in  1888;  and  Mr.  Witherbee  in  New  York  City 


the  next  year. 


GEORGE    SHERMAN 
180I-1877 


1866  Saturday  evening  the  first  regular  detail  of  guard 

was  chosen.  This  was :  Officer  of  the  guard,  F.  H. 
Cramer;  sergeant  of  guard,  E.  Brown;  corporals^ 
S.  W.  Holcomb,  E.  G.  Moore  and  G.  E.  Barber' 
privates,  E.  W.  Pierce,  H.  H.  Sherman,  O.  C.  Gregg' 
Frank  McCadden,  J.  Klock,  F.  Lafave,  J.  K.  Myers', 

E.  C.  Baker,  William  Manning,  M.  F.  Parkhurst' 
P.  J.  Tormey,  H.  Griffin,  J.  Montville,  H.  L.  Isham,' 

F.  E.  Booth,  James  Delaney,  H.  C.  Sanborn,  F.  San- 
bom,  C.  Cottril,  J.  Q.  Edwards,  Wm.  H.  Chandler, 
A.  Guibord. 

OCTOBER  23 

1759  ^   After  several  days  delay  from  adverse  winds, the 

British  fleet  retired  up  the  lake  and  any  idea  of  attack- 
ing the  frontier  was  abandoned  for  that  season.     In 


350  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

the  meantime,  Amherst  attempted  to  communicate 
with  Wolfe  at  Quebec  by  way  of  the  country  of  the 
Abenakis,  but  his  messengers  were  intercepted  by  the 
French. 

1766  Nehemiah  Smith  sowed  his  wheat. — Gilliland. 

1783  Nicholas    Barker    and    Clarinda    Folger    were 

married.  She  was  descended  from  John  Folger  and 
Tristram  Coffin,  both  founders  of  Nantucket.  The 
Barkers  settled  in  Peru  in  1785,  where  their  eldest 
daughter,  Hannah,  in  1799  with  the  approval  of  the 
Society  of  Friends,  to  which  the  contracting  parties 
belonged,  married  Cyrus,  son  of  Aaron  and  Elizabeth 
(Knowles)  Benedict,  who  had  come  to  Peru  in  1795. 
The  marriage  "  was  in  a  good  degree  orderly  accom- 
plished "  in  the  log  meeting  house  after  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Peru  Monthly  Meeting.  This  first  meet- 
ing house  was  built  entirely  of  spHt  logs,  floor,  benches, 
and  all — not  a  nail  or  board  used  in  the  structure. 
Such  was  the  first  religious  edifice  erected  in  this 
county. 

Vergennes  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  Otter 
creek,  was  "  incorporated  with  city  privileges,  being 
480  by  400  rods  in  extent."  Donald  M'Intosh,  a 
veteran  of  CuUoden,  who  had  come  to  this  country 
with  Wolfe  in  1766,  made  the  first  settlement  within 
the  present  city  limits.  MTntosh  died  July  14,  1803, 
aged  84  years.  A  U.  S.  Arsenal  was  built  here  in 
1828  and  from  this  arms  were  taken  South  before  the 
CvA\  War. 

1852  Sarah    (Burchard)    Balch,   widow  of   Ebenezer, 

older  brother  of  Timothy,  died  at  West  Pittsburgh. 
She  was  a  daughter  of  James  and  Abigail  (King) 
Burchard  of  Becket,  Mass.,  and  was  married  about 
1790,  in  1800  coming  here  with  the  four  children  then 
born,  to  a  hard  life  in  the  wilderness.     All  their  six 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  351 

children,  Ebenezer,  Sarah,  Alvah  Burchard,  Betsey, 
Clarissa  and  Horatio  James  grew  to  maturity.  The 
remains  of  Mrs.  Balch  and  her  husband  were  removed 
to  Riverside  cemetery  in  1891  and  placed  beside 
those  of  their  son,  Alvah,  who  died  in  1871. 

OCTOBER  24 

Season  of  ripened  gold, 
Plenty  in  crib  and  fold, 
Skies  with  a  depth  untold, 

Liquid  and  tender. — Buckham. 

1845  At  the  home  of  his  son,  Elam,  the  old  Revo- 

lutionary soldier,  Loren  Nehemiah  Larkin,  at  the 
age  of  ninety,  was  "gathered  to  his  fathers."  He 
had  served  with  Capt.  Ebenezer  Allen,  had  marched 
to  Skeensboro,  sailed  to  Ti,  and  retreated  with  the 
army  to  Mt.  Independence,  later  returning  to  Man- 
chester, Vt.,  his  home  during  the  Revolution.  In 
1777,  he  joined  Col.  Herrick's  regiment  of  Rangers 
and  did  guard  and  scout  duty  at  Pawlet,  Castleton, 
and  Pittsford.  He  served  other  enhstments  and 
responded  to  several  alarms,  after  the  war  settling 
at  Salisbury,  Addison  county.  But,  in  1804,  he 
bought  300  acres  of  land  on  the  Military  Turnpike 
in  Beekmantown  (near  present  Methodist  Church) 
and  there  built  the  homestead,  still  standing,  though 
unoccupied.  He  is  said  to  have  resembled  Andrew 
Jackson  in  appearance,  usually  wearing  a  blue  coat 
with  brass  buttons  and  having  long,  white  hair.  His 
remains  and  those  of  his  wife  lie  side  by  side  in  the 
private  cemetery  south  of  the  old  home.  A  double 
marble  slab  marks  both  graves  and  on  his  is  a  marker 
placed  by  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R. 

1866  The  first  regular  drill  of  the  "  Home  Guards  " 

was  held  Monday  afternoon  on  the  public  square.    The 


352  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Orderly  Sergt.  reported  6i  privates  present  and 
to  them  W.  A.  Fuller,  Lieut.-Col.  commanding 
37th  Regt.  District,  N.  Y.  dealt  out  20  old  army 
muskets,  that  "  would  kill  at  either  end."  Only 
4  proved  serviceable  but  nearly  every  man  was 
furnished  a  pistol  and  some  had  their  own  rifles. 

OCTOBER  25 

1780  Captain  William  Chambers  wrote  from  Crown 

Point  on  board  the  Maria  of  the  arrival,  the  day 
previous,  of  "  the  families  that  were  detained  at 
Point  au  Per  "  and  that  another  party,  sent  for 
refugees  on  the  eastern  shore,  was  fired  upon;  adding, 
that  the  season  was  so  far  advanced  that  he  did 
not  think  it  "  safe  for  a  vessel  to  remain  at  Crown 
Point  "  for  any  more  refugees. 

1892  At  Chase's,  in  the  Adirondacks,  Caroline  Scott 

Harrison,  wife  of  President  Harrison  and  President 
General  of  the  Society  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  passed  from  earth,  mindful 
to  the  last  of  other  sufferers. 


OCTOBER  26 

— it  is  because  you  have  heard  them   (the  birds)  singing 
all  summer  long  that  you  can  be  pleased  with  October's  silence. 

— Buckham. 

1768  Timothy,  son  of  Ebenezer  and  Lois   (Belden) 

Balch,  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn.  His  father 
was  a  goldsmith  and  clock-maker,  and  from  him, 
the  older  son,  Ebenezer,  Jr.,  learned  the  trade, 
which,  however,  he  did  not  follow  but,  removing 
to  Plattsburgh  two  years  before  Timothy,  devoted 
his    energies    to    lumbering,    building   and    farming. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  353 

As  early  as  1806,  Ebenezer  built  a  frame  barn  and, 
in  1 81 2,  a  frame  house,  considered  in  those  days 
"  very  fine."  All  the  nails  used  in  its  construction, 
he  made  himself.  He  also  assisted  in  the  building 
of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  which  both  himself 
and  wife  were  members. 

1789  Reuben  Hyde  Walworth,  son  of  Benjamin  and 

Apphia  (Hyde)  Cardell- Walworth,  was  born  at 
Bozrah,  Conn.  Being  injured  by  the  overturning 
of  a  load  of  hay,  while  at  work  upon  his  father's 
farm  in  Hoosick,  N.  Y.  to  which  the  family  had 
removed,  Reuben  was  obliged  to  give  up  such  labor 
and  was  induced  to  study  law.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and  settled  in  Platts- 
burgh,  where  he  was  associated  with  John  Palmer, 
also  from  Hoosick. 

"  AFTERWARDS." 

God  laid  a  burden  on  me  when  I  came 
To  man's  estate.     At  first  I  took  it  sore, 
And  grieved  because  my  freedom  was  no  more, 

And  wrought  unwilUngly.     Ah,  me!  the  shame, 
The  bhndness  of  it  I     Afterwards  I  saw 
The  blessedness,  the  crown,  of  duty's  law. 

— Buckham. 

1809  A  great  snow  storm,  in  which  two  men,  named 

Stone  and  Skeele,  were  frozen  to  death,  while  at 
work  in  the  town  of  Mooers,  blazing  trees  for  a 
road  to  some  mills  (afterwards  called  Tripp's), 

1826  Organization    by    charter    of    the    Champlain 

Transportation  Company.  Its  first  steamer,  the 
Franklin,  was  landed  at  St.  Alban's  Bay  and  made 
her  first  trip,  Oct.  loth  of  the  next  year.  The  first 
captain  of  the  new  company,  Jehaziel  Sherman, 
was  her  captain. 


354  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1909  Major-General  Oliver  Otis  Howard,  the  last  of 

the  Civil  War  commanders  of  armies,  died  at  his 
home  in  Burlington  of  angina  pectoris.  As  educator, 
soldier,  author  or  peacemaker,  he  was  a  devoted 
Christian  always,  and  to  the  last  "the  unselfish  and 
untiring  servant  of  a  people" — the  Freedmen — 
whose  highest  good  was  his  heart's  desire. 

OCTOBER  27 

1776  Monday  morning  the   British   fleet  approached 

Ticonderoga  and  landed  from  five  large  transports 
a  detachment  at  Three  Mile  Point  and  another  party 
were  sent  into  a  bay  four  miles  below  the  works. 
Gen.  Gates  ordered  the  main  garrison  to  be  strength- 
ened with  the  three  regiments  from  Mount  Inde- 
pendence and  the  defences  manned.  After  two 
armed  boats  of  the  enemy  had  been  fired  upon  by 
a  row  galley,  Carleton,  evidently  deciding  the  post 
capable  of  defence,  about  four  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, withdrew  to  Crown  Point,  where  he  prepared 
to  retire  to  Canada  for  the  winter, 

1779  Grand  Isle,  the  two  Heroes  (named  for  Ethan 

and  Ira  Allen)  and  Vineyard  (Isle  La  Motte)  were 
chartered  to  Ethan  Allen,  Samuel  Herrick,  and 
other  soldiers  of  the  Revolution.  In  March,  1783, 
Capt.  Ebenezer  Allen,  Alexander  Gordon  and  Enos 
Wood  visited  the  township  to  locate  their  respective 
claims.  By  agreement  they  were  to  choose  in  the 
order  of  Wood,  Gordon  and  Allen.  Wood  chose  the 
south  end  of  the  north  island;  Gordon,  the  north 
end  of  the  south  island,  and  Allen,  the  south  end. 
Within  two  years  fourteen  pioneers,  most  of  them 

I  with    large    families,    came.      The    Aliens    were    all 

natives  of  Massachusetts.  Col.  Ebenezer  Allen,  a 
first  settler  of  Poultney,  and  officer  under  Herrick, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  355 

had  led  the  defence,  in  Sept.,  1777,  against  the 
British  post  on  Mount  Defiance  and  on  the  retreat 
of  Burgoyne's  army,  had  captured  fifty  of  the  rear- 
guard, among  them  a  slave  woman,  named  Dinah, 
to  whom  he  gave  her  freedom.  Lamberton  and 
Samuel  Allen,  sons  of  Samuel,  Sr.,  killed  by  Indians 
at  Deerfield,  in  August,  1746,  and  the  family  of  their 
deceased  brother,  Enoch,  (except  the  youngest  son, 
Heman,  afterwards  of  Milton,  Vt.)  came  early. 
Samuel  had  escaped  from  Indian  captivity  and 
later  served  in  the  Continental  army. 

1821  Caroline    Adriance,    widow    of    Judge    Charles 

Piatt,  died  at  her  home  on  Broad  street,  surviving 
her  husband  but  a  few  months. 

They  had  grown  old, — together  old. 

They  had  not  marked  the  slow  decay, 

Or  noticed  on  their  loving  way, 
The  change  that  time  and  care  had  told. 

— Rev.  O.  G.  Wheeler. 

Mrs.  Piatt,  a  native  of  Holland,  was  accustomed 
to  read  her  Dutch,  as  did  John  Sax  over  at  High- 
gate,  his  Lutheran  Bible, 


OCTOBER  28 

1766  — this  day  N.  Smith  put  up  his  logs  and  W. 

McAuley  arrived. — Gilliland. 

1776  At  the  battle  of  White  Plains,  Daniel  Hobart 

of  Asburnham,  Mass.  was  wounded  in  the  thigh 
and  left  upon  the  field.  As  the  enemy  approached, 
his  retiring  companions  saw  him  beaten  to  death 
with  clubbed  muskets.  Shortly  before,  while  Wash- 
ington was  encouraging  his  troops,  he  dropped  his 
hat  which  was  picked  up  and  returned  to  him  by 


•7c6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Sergeant  Joseph  Spalding  of  Plainfield,  Conn.,  who 
later  removed  to  Vermont  where  he  died  in  Middle- 
town  in  1840. 

1780  Esther  Wheelwright,   for  nearly  seventy  years 

a  sister  of  the  UrsuHnes  of  Quebec,  died  at  the  age 
of  eighty-four  years  and  eight  months.  From  1713 
to  1780  she  was  one  of  the  "finest  ornaments  and 
firmest  supports  "  of  that  house.  It  was  she  and 
her  nuns  who  ministered  to  the  wounded  and  dying 
soldiers  after  the  fall  of  Quebec. 

1814  The  Miiller  family  with  their  household  reHcs 

saved  from  happier  days,  including  silver,  two 
pianos,  and  Melusina's  harp  and  guitar,  began  their 
journey  from  Baltimore  to  Harmony,  Pa.  Only  the 
month  before,  the  daughters  of  the  house,  with  their 
friends,  the  Loneys,  during  the  night  of  the  bom- 
bardment of  Fort  McHenry,  had  lain  upon  the  ground 
in  a  log  cabin,  twelve  miles  distant  from  the  city, 
"  hearing  and  feeling "  every  explosion,  Melusina 
little  dreaming  that,  as  the  wife  of  Bishop  Hopkins, 
her  life  was  to  be  spent  near  the  scene  of  that  twin 
engagement,  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 

OCTOBER  29 

— the  wild  berries  are  the  flowers  of  the  fall,  many  of  them 
as  brilliant  in  color  and  beautiful  in  arrangement  as  the  spring 
and  summer  blossoms  whose  children  they  are. — Buckham. 

1793  "  This  day  we  compleat  the  Bridg  here  (Platts- 

burgh) ready  to  Raise;  to  morow  we  proceed  to 
Great  Sable  on  where  we  expect  to  compleat  the 
brid  in  a  few  days." — Letter  from  Nathaniel  Piatt. 

This  was  the  bridge  built  by  the  State  where 
the  State  road  crossed  the  Ausable  River,  and  was 
the  first  bridging  of  the  stream.    The  road  then  ran 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev  357 

by  way  of  Schroon,  Elizabethtown,  Poke  0 'Moon- 
shine to  Plattsburgh. 

That  day  Samuel  Keese,  son  of  Stephen  and 
Ruth  (Hull)  Keese,  was  born  in  Dutchess  county 
and  the  following  year,  with  his  brothers,  William 
and  Richard,  was  brought  to  Peru.  Samuel  became 
one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  "  Quaker  "  preach- 
ers and,  as  early  as  the  winter  of  1835-36,  he  attended 
a  meeting  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  held  in  New 
York,  and  labored  with  a  few  others  to  induce  the 
Society  to  strive  for  the  promulgation  of  the  doctrine 
of  immediate  emancipation  as  the  only  means  of 
preventing  future  bloodshed.  His  sister,  Elizabeth, 
became  the  wife  of  Benjamin  Smith. 

1899  Mrs.    Harriet    (Hunt)    Vilas,    widow  of   Samuel 

F.  Vilas,  finished  a  long  and  unselfish  Christian  life 
of  nearly  89  years.  Mrs.  Vilas  came  a  bride  to 
Plattsburgh  in  1836  and  her  early  married  life  was 
spent  in  the  large  white  house  with  green  blinds, 
standing  on  the  corner  of  Margaret  and  Brinckerhoff 
streets.  This  was  burned  in  the  Great  Fire  of  '49. 
The  Vilas  Home,  erected  by  Mrs.  Vilas  in  memory 
of  her  husband  and  an  object  of  her  solicitude  to 
the  end,  stands  as  a  lasting  memorial  to  her  Chris- 
tian charity. 

OCTOBER  30 

1706  On  a  petition   for  naturalization  of  this  date, 

C.  Alice  Baker,  author  of  "  True  Stories  of  New 
England  Captives,"  found  the  names  of  the  fol- 
lowing:— Louis  Marie  Strafton  (Charles  Trafton  of 
York),  Mathias  Claude  Farnet  (Matthew  Famsworth 
of  Grotcn,  Mass.),  Pierre  Augustin  Litrefield  (Aaron 
Littlefield  of  Wells,  Me.),  Madeline  Ouare  (Grizel 
Warren  of  Dover,  N.  H.),  Christine  Otesse  (Margaret 
Otis    of    Dover),    Thomas    Hust    (Thomas    Hurst), 


3^8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Elizabet  Price  (Elizabeth  Price),  Elizabeth  Casse 
(Elizabeth  Corse),  Marie  Francoise  French  (Freedom 
French),  Therese  Steben  (Thankful  Stebbins),  all 
of  Deerfield. 

1785  Petition   of   William   Gilliland   for   a   grant   of 

1,000  acres  of  land  on  the  west  side  of  Lake  Cham- 
plain, — Calendar  of  Land  Papers. 

OCTOBER  31 

An  enchanted  place  is  the  October  wood. — Buckkam. 

1794  Rebecca  Leflin,  daughter  of  James  and  Experi- 

ence (Williams)  Leflin,  was  born  in  Georgia,  Vt. 
Her  mother,  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Warham  Wil- 
liams, brother  of  Eunice,  was  in  that  way  related  to 
the  Rev.  Eleazer  Williams,  if  he  were  not  the  Dauphin. 
During  the  summer  of  1814,  Rebecca  was  teaching 
school  on  Rugar  street,  living  in  the  family  of  her 
half-brother,  Nathan  Perry,  but  at  the  time  of  the 
invasion,  she  was  with  her  mother  in  Champlain, 
sickness  in  the  family,  requiring  her  assistance.  She 
married  David  Leeke,  a  pioneer  from  Long  Island, 
whose  sisters,  Phoebe  and  Abigail,  married  David 
Parsons  and  Elias  Woodruff,  respectively.  Rebecca's 
mother's  family  left  Connecticut  on  account  of  the 
witchcraft  delusion  and  settled  in  Rutland,  where 
her  mother's  uncle.  Judge  Samuel  Williams,  became 
Vermont's  historian.  The  Leekes  lived  at  Point 
au  Roche,  where  Mr.  Leeke  died  in  middle  Hfe.  His 
widow  Hved  quietly  on  the  old  place,  attaining  the 
age  of  93  years,  6  months  and  4  days. 

1818  Saturday,  the  house  of  James  Mix,  Beekman- 

town,  was  burned.  The  next  day  his  neighbors  went 
into  the  woods  and  by  nightfall  had  hewn  the  timbers, 
and  made  and  raised  the  frame  for  a  new  house. 


Threk  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  359 

20  X  25  feet,  which  they  completed  on  Monday  and 
Tuesday  so  that  the  family  moved  in. 

1832  On  Wednesday,  in  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  New  York, 

the  Rev.  John  Henry  Hopkins  was  consecrated 
Bishop  of  the  new  Diocese  of  Vermont,  by  Bishop 
White,  assisted  by  Bishop  Griswold  of  the  Eastern 
Diocese  and  Bishop  Bowen  of  South  Carolina.  Bishop 
H.  U.  Onderdonk  preached  the  sermon.  Within 
three  weeks  the  new  Bishop  had  resigned  as  Assistant 
Minister  of  Trinity  Church,  Boston;  had  made  two 
trips  to  Vermont;  bought  a  house  in  Burlington 
with  thirteen  acres  of  ground  attached,  and  moved 
a  family  of  fifteen  souls  there. 

1853  Allen    Breed,    pioneer,    died    at    Crown    Point. 

He  had  settled  there  with  his  young  family  about 
1808  or  '09,  purchasing  land  now  occupied  by  the 
village  of  Crown  Point  on  the  lake  drive.  He  was  an 
extensive  lumber  dealer  and  built  many  of  the 
houses  in  the  village,  his  old  home  having  but  recently 
undergone  modem  changes. 

1857  At  West  Chazy,  Capt.  William  Atwood,  a  native 

of  Plymouth  county,  Mass.,  died.  He  had  settled 
in  Chazy  in  1801  and  on  the  invasion  of  our  frontier 
by  the  British,  Atwood  raised  a  company,  two  mem- 
bers of  which,  Daniel  and  Gardner  Goodspeed,  were 
wounded  on  Sept.  6th  and  Jonathan  Clifford,  Caleb 
Douglass  and  Hezekiah  Fay,  taken  prisoners. 


360  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


NOVEMBER  1 

With  November  comes  a  braver  and  saner  wind,  whose 
sound  I  like  right  well. — Buckham. 

1752  A  seigniory  along  the  lake  and  including  Chazy 

River  was  granted  to  Sieur  Bedue.  John  La  From- 
boise  is  said  to  have  settled  on  this  seigniory  and 
to  have  remained  through  life,  being  the  first  per- 
manent settler  in  the  county.  Some  of  his  des- 
cendants are  still  residents  in  the  vicinity.  On  the 
accession  of  the  English,  the  claims  of  all  these 
seigniories  were  refused,  and  on  the  retreat  of  the 
French  army  to  Canada,  all  the  French  settlements 
on  the  lake,  except  that  of  La  Frombois,  were 
abandoned. 

1785  The   first  boy  was  born  in   Plattsburgh.      He 

was  a  son  of  the  Hon.  Kinner  and  Lucretia  (Banker) 
Newcomb,  and  was  named  Piatt.  To  this  child 
fifty  acres  of  land  was  given  on  which  descendants 
still  live.  Piatt  Newcomb  graduated  from  Union 
College  in  1808.  In  the  War  of  181 2,  he  served  as 
orderly  under  Capt.  Seth  Sherry,  Col.  Miller's  regi- 
ment, was  in  skirmish  at  Beekmantown  and  helped 
tear  up  the  bridge  at  Plattsburgh.  He  was  also 
adjutant  on  Gen.  Mooers'  staff,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  Legislature  of  the  State.  He  died  in  West 
Plattsburgh  in  August,  1871.  The  first  child  bom 
in  the  new  settlement  was  Ida  Ostrander,  born 
September  7th  preceding. 

1802  The  name  of   Isle  La   Motte  was   changed  to 

Vineyard.  This  year  Caleb  Hill  of  Granville  came 
to  the  island  and  at  once  began  fitting  tracts  of 
wild  land  for  market,  establishing  highways  and 
building  schoolhouses.  He  ran  the  first  ferry  from 
Isle  La  Motte  to  Alburgh,  receiving  a  grant  from  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  361 

Vermont  Legislature  in  the  winter  of  1805-6  for  the 
operation  of  the  same.  This  remained  in  the  hands 
of  his  descendants  and  was  used  until  the  building  of 
the  bridge  in  1882.  Mr.  Hill  was  captain  of  a  com- 
pany of  Vermont  State  Militia  which  helped  guard 
the  frontier  during  the  war.  The  members  of  his 
company  were: — Isaac  Ayslin,  Isaac  Barber,  David 
Bassett,  Orlin  Blanchard,  Charles  Carron,  Bethuel 
Clark,  John  Clark,  Jesse  Clark,  Jacob  Darby,  Conrad 
Denio,  George  Dennis,  lona  Dixon,  John  Durham, 
Claudius  Fiske,  Eben  Fiske,  Ira  Fiske,  Solomon 
Fiske,  Lewis  Gordon,  Elihu  Hall,  Nathaniel  Hall, 
Ira  Hall,  Minard  Hilliard,  Amos  Holcomb,  Jesse 
Holcomb,  Carmi  Holcomb,  Ephraim  Holcomb,  Ches- 
ter Holdridge,  Ezra  Knapp,  Ezra  Pike,  James  Racy, 
Enoch  Sherman,  Amaziah  Smith,  Henry  Scott,  John 
Scott,  Luther  Strong,  Nathan  Strong,  Joseph  Sumer- 
icks,  Cyrus  Wait,  Gardner  Wait,  Harry  Wait,  Solomon 
Wait  and  William  Wait. 

1805  I   have   been   to   the   Roman   Catholic   church 

to-day,  the  annual  festival,  of  the  dead. 

— E.  Williams  in  Diary. 

1820  Gov.    Richard    Skinner   appointed    William    H. 

White,  son  of  William  White  of  Vergennes,  who 
had  contributed  generously  to  the  building  of  Mac- 
donough's  fleet.  Aide  de  Camp  to  the  Brigadier 
General  of  the  First  Brigade  in  the  third  Division 
Vermont  Militia. 

1881  Samuel  Keese,  the  Quaker  abolitionist  of  Peru, 

died  at  Great  Neck,  L.  I.  While  the  fugitive  slave 
law  was  in  force,  his  home,  like  that  of  Benjamin 
Smith,  who  had  married  his  sister,  Elizabeth  Keese, 
was  a  station  of  the  Underground  Railroad,  where 
fugitives  were  fed  and  clothed  and  helped  on  to  the 
next  station  at  Champlain. 


362  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

NOVEMBER  2 

1761  Middlebury,  Vt.  was  chartered  and  Col.  John 

Chipman  began  the  first  clearing  in  1766,  at  a  time 
when  there  was  not  a  dwelling-house  in  the  section 
west  of  the  mountains  and  north  of  Manchester 
which  was  60  miles  away.  The  prospect  was  so 
discouraging  that  Chipman  returned  to  Connecticut 
and  did  not  visit  his  clearing  for  seven  years.  He 
then  came  with  the  Hon.  Gamaliel  Painter,  who 
located  near  an  ancient  encampment,  where  many 
fine  Indian  relics  have  since  been  found.  In  1820, 
a  large  pot,  made  of  sand  and  clay  and  holding 
about  20  quarts,  was  dug  up  nearly  entire.  After 
the  war  the  settlers  returned  to  their  abandoned 
farms  and  by  Nov.  i,  1800,  Middlebury  College  was 
incorporated. 

1775  The    fort    at    St.    John's    was    surrendered    by 

Major  Preston  to  Montgomery.  The  prisoners,  among 
them  John  Andre,  were  taken  to  Lancaster,  Reading 
and  York,  Pa. 

1805  — I    have   been   to    La    Prairie   to-day,    and    I 

attended  the  Mass.  Rev.  Mr.  Boucher  preached,  a 
Roman  Catholic  clergyman.  I  think  he  is  the  most 
eloquent  orator  I  ever  heard  in  my  life,  and  has  the 
most  graceful  gestures.  After  meeting  I  went  to 
Mr.  Perault's,  and  dined  there — and  there  I  saw  Mr. 
Thomas — to  be  remembered,  &c.,  &c.,  &c.  Yester- 
day several  men  came  to  see  me,  &c.,  &c. 
"  If  I  am  honest  I  will  speak  the  truth." 

— E.  Williams. 

1858  The    Hon.    Joseph    T.    Everest    was    appointed 

Inspector  of  Prisons.  His  second  son,  Aaron  Sibley, 
after   reading   law   with    his    father,    went   west   in 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  363 

1856.  Having  served  with  distinction  throughout 
the  Civil  War,  Col.  Everest  began  the  practice  of 
law  in  1 87 1  at  Atchison,  Kansas,  becoming  one  of 
the  ablest  civil,  criminal  and  railroad  lawyers  of  the 
west.  For  him  the  town  of  Everest  was  named. 
He  was  first  vice-president  of  the  Missouri  Pacific 
railroad  for  some  time  and  the  entire  Kansas  system 
is  largely  the  result  of  his  labors.  Col.  A.  C.  Everest 
was  one  of  the  few  Democrats  honored  by  election 
to  the  State  Senate. 

How  oft  I've  sat  in  melancholy  mood, 
Where  mad  Missouri  rolls  his  reckless  flood, 
To  watch  the  mighty  stream  with  wond'ring  eye, 
Born  of  a  mountain  spring  to  swell  the  sea. 
And  to  man's  life  compare  the  aspiring  wave, — 
"  Is  born,  is  great,"  then  thunders  to  the  grave. 
— Longings  for  the  West  by  Lieut.  Levi  P.  Davidson. 

Plattsburgh,  1816 — Saratoga,  1842. 


NOVEMBER  3 

Meanwhile  the  clouds  were  gath'ring  drear. 

— Lucretia  Davidson. 

1761  Salisbury  (Vt.)  was  chartered.     The  first  settler, 

Amos  Story  was  killed  by  a  falling  tree,  but  his 
widow  came  with  her  large  family  of  children  and 
did  the  work  of  a  man,  in  felling  trees,  rolling  logs 
and  clearing  the  land.  During  the  Revolution,  she 
had  a  place  of  refuge  in  a  cave  in  the  bank  of  Otter 
Creek.  A  monument  on  the  site  of  the  home  of  that 
bravest  of  pioneer  mothers,  Ann  Story,  was  dedicated 
July  27,  1905. 

1764  Panton   (Vt.)   was  chartered.  Among  the   first 

settlers  were  Joseph  Pangborn,  Odle  Squire,  Timothy 
Spaulding  and  others  from  Cornwall,  Conn.  Peter 
Ferris  came  from  Nine  Partners  and  the  death  of 


364  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

his  wife  before  the  Revolution  is  said  to  have  been 
the  first  in  town. 

1776  The  rear  guard  of  the  British  army  left  Crown 

Point,  and  it  was  immediately  occupied  by  the 
Americans. 

1791  Incorporation  of  the  University  of  Vermont,  for 

which  Ira  Allen  had  given  a  site  of  fifty  acres  covered 
with  valuable  pine  trees  and  4,000  pounds  in  money. 
The  president's  house  was  completed  in  1799,  its 
officers  appointed  in  1800,  and  the  college  building 
begun  in  1801. 

1794  Joseph  Ketchum,  the  Revolutionary  soldier  from 

Dutchess  county,  who  settled  at  Plattsburgh,  died 
in  New  York  City  while  on  a  business  trip.  He  was 
buried  in  Trinity  churchyard.  In  September,  1797, 
his  widow,  Phebe,  lived  on  lot  number  five,  north  of 
the  present  court  house.  She  later  married  Caleb 
Nichols,  a  young  la's\yer  of  the  period, 

1813  — Went    to    Cumberland  Head  and  attended  a 

council  of  war  led  by  General  Bloomfield.  An  order 
given  by  the  Council  to  repair  boats  and  wagons  for 
transportation  and  be  in  readiness  for  a  winter's 
campaign. — E.  Williams. 

1880  Miss   Helena   Augustin   opened   a  kindergarten 

(the  first  in  Plattsburgh)  with  nine  pupils  in  the  stone 
building  on  the  comer  of  Oak  street  and  Protection 
avenue.  This  old  building,  which  had  been  spared 
from  the  ravages  of  the  fire  of  '67,  was  demolished 
to  make  room  for  the  block  known  as  "Clinton Court." 
A  primary  department  was  soon  added  to  the  kinder- 
garten and  here  hundreds  of  Plattsburgh  children 
began  their  school  life. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  365 

NOVEMBER  4 

Chill  snows  the  mountain  summits  crown; 
The  harvest  field  is  pale. 

— Rev.  O.  G.  Wheeler. 

1763  This  day  I  gave  possession  to  the  lessees   (?), 

Ayers,  Taylor,  Dixon,  Chism,  McLane,  McAwley, 
Wilson,  Belton  and  Luckey.  I  proceeded  to  Crown 
Point,  where  I  engaged  pro  v.  for  my  settlement  until 
summer  next  and  then  continued  my  journey  to  New 
York,  where  I  arrived  the  20th  November. — Gilliland. 

n  79 1  Birth  of  WilHam  F.  Haile.     In  1 8 1 1 ,  at  the  early 

age  of  twenty-one  he  entered  the  United  States  army 
as  ensign ;  was  promoted  to  captain  for  gallant  con- 
duct and  remained  in  the  army  several  years  after 
the  war,  when  he  resigned  to  practice  law.  His 
home  in  Plattsburgh  was  on  Broad  street,  the  Judge 
Charles  Piatt  house,  which  the  Judge's  son  Nathaniel 
had  moved  back  and  enlarged  by  an  addition  in  front. 

1819  Sophia  Solace,  daughter  of  Judge  Solace  of  Brid- 

port,  Vt.,  was  born.  September  9,  1841,  she  became 
the  bride  of  the  poet,  John  G.  Saxe,  and  after  a  com- 
panionship of  forty  years,  her  husband  said  he  re- 
garded her  as  the  most  unselfish  person  he  had  ever 
known.  To  her  he  dedicated  one  edition  of  his 
poems  in  these  words: 

To  my  best  friend  (a  diamond  edition  of  a  woman)  I  in- 
scribe this  Diamond  Edition  of  the  poems  of  her  husband. 

— /.  G.  S. 

What!     Fifty  years?     I  never  could  have  guessed  it 
By  any  token  writ  upon  your  brow, 
Or  other  test  of  Time — had  you  not  now, 

Just  to  surprise  me,  foolishly  confessed  it; 

Well,  on  your  word,  of  course,  I  must  receive  it; 
Although  (to  say  the  truth)  it  is,  indeed, 
As  proselytes  sometimes  accept  a  creed, 

While  in  their  hearts  they  really  don't  believe  it: 


366  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

While  all  around  is  changed,  no  change  appears 
My  darling  Sophie,  to  these  eyes  of  mine, 
In  aught  of  thee,  that  I  have  deemed  divine, 

To  mark  the  number  of  the  vanished  years — 
The  kindly  years,  that  on  that  face  of  thine 
Have  spent  their  life,  and,  "  dying,  made  no  sign." 

— Sonnet  to  his  wife  on  her  fiftieth  birthday. 

1826  The    "St.    Alban's    Steamboat    Company"    was 

chartered. 

NOVEMBER  5 

1785  Moorefield,    a    tract    of    land    lying   along    the 

northern  boundary  of  the  county  and  named  for 
Pliny  Moore,  one  of  the  proprietors,  was  granted  to 
Mark  Graves  and  Levi  Smith  and  then  took  the  name 
of  Smith  and  Graves  Patent. 

1810  The  name  of  Middle  Hero  changed  to  Grand 

Isle.  An  early  settler  was  Stephen  Pearl,  who  had 
been  unsuccessful  as  a  merchant  in  Pawlet,  Vt. 
But,  in  1794,  he  removed  to  Burlington,  occupying 
the  house,  built  by  Frederick  Saxton  in  1789  and 
standing  at  head  of  the  street  afterwards  named 
Pearl.  It  was  the  first  frame  house  in  the  place  and 
is  still  standing.  Pearl  was  made  sheriff  of  Chittenden 
Cotinty  of  which  Grand  Isle  was  then  a  part  and  held 
that  office  many  years.  The  Friends  had  much  to  do 
with  shaping  the  early  history  of  Grand  Isle.  The 
first  to  come  and  remain  was  Jonathan  Griffith  of 
Po'keepsie,  about  1784.  With  him  came  his  son 
Seth,  who  became  prominent  in  the  Society  and 
affairs  of  the  town,  teaching  in  the  school  which  the 
Friends  maintained.  His  maternal  uncle,  Ephraim 
Dual,  made  early  surveys  but  preferred  living  at 
Missisquoi  Bay  on  the  Canadian  side,  "  under  his 
king. ' '  A  frame  house  built  and  occupied  by  Jonathan 
Griffith  is  still  in  use.  Seth  built  a  large  house  on 
the  rise  of  ground  one-half  mile  from  the  lake  and 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  367 

opposite  Cumberland  Head.  He  was  a  nursery- 
man and  many  of  the  apple,  pear  and  other  fruit 
trees  of  the  Valley  were  grown  from  the  seed  (and 
grafted)  in  his  nursery. 

1817  The   Northern  Canal  connecting  the  waters  of 

Lake  Champlain  with  the  Hudson  was  commenced 
this  day. 

1840  The    Rev.    O.    G.    Wheeler    was    ordained    and 

installed  pastor  of  the  church  of  South  Hero  and 
Grand  Isle,  beginning,  what  proved  to  be,  the  longest 
continuous  pastorate  of  any  minister  in  the  Congre- 
gational Sociey  of  Vermont.  The  church  had  been 
organized  by  the  Rev.  Asa  Lyon,  in  1795,  with  a 
membership  of  seven.  Mr.  Lyon,  though  not  installed, 
ministered  to  the  church  he  had  formed  imtil  1840. 
He  was  the  first  representative  of  the  town  and  was 
chosen  in  1810.  The  first  post-ofRce  was  established 
that  year,  the  entire  receipts  being  $14.71.  Mr. 
Wheeler,  a  native  of  Charlotte  and  graduate  of  the 
U.  V.  M.,  succeeded  the  venerable  Mr.  Lyon  and  for 
nearly  forty-seven  years,  with  scarcely  a  vacation, 
preached  in  the  two  towns,  usually  one  sermon  each 
Sabbath  in  each.  He  was  senator  from  Grand 
Isle  county  in  i860  and  1861,  and  represented  the 
town  of  South  Hero  in  the  House  of  Representatives 
in  1864.  He  loved  his  work  and  his  people  and  all 
mankind  as  well,  being  prominent  in  the  anti- 
slavery  movement.  In  i860  he  published  a  volume 
of  poems  from  which  the  following  is  selected  from 
a  "  Semi-Centennial  "  poem  delivered  before  the 
associated  Alumni  of  his  Alma  Mater,  Aug.  i,  1854. 

And  truth,  though  old, 

Grows  never  gray; 
The  ages  fold 

The  young  to-day 


368  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

With  unresisted  arms, 

But  lend  no  brighter  charms 
To  that  which  perfect  came  from  old  Eternity, 
And  never  while  Jehovah  is,  can  changed  be. 

1850  Henry  G.  Hewitt,  bom  in  Peru  Oct.   6,   181 1, 

was  elected  assemblyman  from  Clinton  county  for 
the  74th  session,  1851.  He  conducted  a  dry  goods 
business  in  Cooksackie,  Redford  and  Plattsburgh, 
in  the  latter  place,  both  wholesale  and  retail  dry 
goods  and  groceries.  His  father,  Jeptha  Hewitt, 
bom  in  Tinmouth,  Vt.,  1780,  was  a  fifer  in  Capt. 
Septa  Fillmore's  company  in  1813.  Henry  died  in 
Milwaukee.  While  in  Plattsburgh  Mr.  Hewitt  was  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Hewitt,  Stoddard  and  Piatt 
(Moss  K.)  and  lived  in  the  home  built  by  Ephraim 
Buck,  which  he  changed  materially. 

1909  Elizabethtown    celebrated    the    return    of    the 

County  Seat,  "  after  a  perilous  journey  of  five  years." 
with  ringing  of  bells,  songs,  speeches  and  fireworks. 

NOVEMBER  6 

1712  EUzabeth  Corse  (Casse),  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 

married  Jean  Dumontel  of  St.  Lambert.  Her  first 
child,  she  named  Mary  for  her  aunt,  the  wife  of 
Dea.  French,  who  had  been  killed  with  her  baby 
boy,  John,  on  the  retreat  from  Deerfield. 

1837  The  Sons  of  Liberty  (the  club  of  the  insurrec- 

tionists) and  the  Doric  club  (the  opposing  club  of 
the  English),  after  many  altercations,  came  into 
collision.  Dr.  Nelson  carried  everything  before  him 
by  his  impassionate  oratory,  and  thirteen  resolutions, 
declaring  the  rights  of  man,  were  passed. 

1901  Chazy  Public  Library  organized.     The  building 

for  the  library  was  given  by  Julius  C,   Hubbell  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  369 

Ellenburgh,  Wash.,  and  the  books,  by  Edmund 
Seymour  of  New  York,  both  grandsons  of  "  Squire  " 
Hubbell,  who  built  the  substantial  stone  structure 
opposite  his  home  in  1811-12  and  used  it  as  a  law 
office  more  than  sixty-seven  years.  For  a  week,  in 
1 813,  Gen.  Wade  Hampton  made  the  office  his  head- 
quarters, receiving  here  the  disastrous  news  of  his 
Chateaugay  expedition,  which  so  wTOught  upon  the 
temper  of  that  irascible  officer  as  to  occasion  remark, 
whereupon  his  son,  who  was  aide  to  his  father, 
replied:  "Yes,  he's  so  crabbed  you  can't  touch 
him  with  a  rod  pole."  British  officers  spent  one 
night  here  on  the  retreat  from  Plattsburgh  and  the 
old  door  was  tarred  and  feathered  three  times  by 
the  enemy. 

NOVEMBER  7 

1763  This    evening   the    3    Batteaux   returned    from 

Crown  Point  loaded  with  provisions. — Gilliland. 

1766  Paid  off  Isaac  Williams  and  John  Smith,  who 

went  away. — Idem. 

1798  South  Hero  was  a  second  time  divided  and  the 

northern  part  named  Middle  Hero.  Timothy  Pearl, 
Jedidiah  Hyde  and  Daniel  Samson,  all  from  Con- 
necticut, came  soon  after  1785.  Then  Wesson 
Macomber,  Daniel  Hoag  and  James  Tobias  came 
from  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.  Macomber  and  Hoag 
cleared  the  land,  sowed  winter  wheat,  built  log 
houses  and  returned  to  their  old  homes  for  the  winter. 
In  the  spring  of  1787,  they  brought  their  families  by 
boat.  Ezra  Kinney  arrived  from  Connecticut  when 
but  two  houses  had  been  built.  Grinday  Reynolds 
brought  a  family  of  ten  children.  By  1801,  the 
Friends  on  the  island  had  organized  a  meeting  and  a 


370  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

log  meeting  house  was  built  on  the  shore  near  the 
Mosher  Hoag  (now  Vantine)  place,  and  this  was  also 
used  for  a  school.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  on  Cum- 
berland bay,  the  Friends,  at  the  regular  hour,  gath- 
ered in  this  building  to  hold  "first  day  services," 
apparently  oblivious  to  the  roar  of  battle  from  three 
to  six  miles  away,  since  their  faith  prevented  any 
participation  in  the  conflict. 

1813  Evening  of  the    7th.     The   first   artillery  train 

arrived,  when  Gens.  Bloomfield  and  Mooers  discussed 
with  me  the  plans  of  coming  engagements.  Orders 
sent  out  in  various  directions  to  the  Rangers,  and  in- 
formation to  the  Indians. — Williams. 

1835  The  Young  Men's  Association  for  Mutual  Im- 

provement was  formed  in  Plattsburgh.  The  officers 
were:  George  Moore,  President;  John  H.  Sanborn, 
Vice-President;  I.  W.  R.  Bromley,  Corresponding 
Secretary;  R.  G.  Stone,  Recording  Secretary;  T.  P. 
Cady,  Treasurer;  Lucius  Boardman,  L.  D.  Brock  and 
I  Caleb  Nichols,  Executive  Committee;  Ways  and 
Means,  etc.,  Bela  Edgerton,  Dr.  Edward  Kane  and 
H.  Boardman;  Constitution  and  By-Laws,  I.  W.  R. 
Bromley,  Horace  Boardman  and  R.  G.  Stone. 

NOVEMBER  8 

1775  A  committee  consisting  of  Robert  R.Livingston 

Robert  Treat  Paine  and  J.  Langdon  was  sent  by  the 
Continental  Congress  to  Ticonderoga  to  consult  with 
Gen.  Schuyler  as  to  the  condition  of  the  fortifications 
and  reinforcements  needed  for  Canada. 

1813  Williams  "started  for  Albany,  arriving  there  on 

the  loth,  dined  with  the  Commander-in-Chief, received 
his  instructions."     He  wrote  in  his  diary,  "St.  Regis 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  371 

is  taken,  prisoners  secured  and  the  first  flag  captured 
from  the  British." 

1864  Orrel  Town,  Sheriff  of  Clinton  county,  ordered 

from  Capt.  B.  M.  Beckwith  of  Co.  A,  Home  Guard,  a 
detail  for  patrol  duty  "of  thirty  men,  good  and  true, 
to  patrol  the  streets  within  the  corporation  of  the 
town  of  Plattsburgh,  commencing  at  the  hour  of 
nine  o'clock  P.  M.  till  sunrise  of  the  morning  of  the 
ninth  of  November,  under  the  following  orders,  that 
no  guns  or  pistols  shall  be  fired  during  that  time 
unless  imperative  necessity  requires  it."  That  elec- 
tion night  was  one  of  the  quietest  ever  known  in 
Plattsburg  for,  after  9  o'clock  not  a  person  other  than 
the  guards  was  to  be  seen  upon  the  streets. 

The  guard  that  night  was  F.  H.  Cramer,  officer 
of  the  guard;  H.  A.  Woodruff  and  E.  C.  Miller,  ser- 
geants; E.  G.  Moore  and  G.  E.  Barber,  corporals; 
privates,  M.  F.  Parkhurst,  Henry  C.  Sanborn,  F. 
Hoag,  James  A.  Hagar,  Julius  D.  Beckwith.  C.  H. 
Cottrill,  J.  H.  Towne,  T.  S.  Rogers,  F.  E.  Booth, 
George  W.  Watson,  W.  E.  Reed,  James  Delany, 
H.  M.  Witherill,  E.  Crosby,  O.  C.  Gregg,  H.  W.  Cady, 
Thomas  Shields,  T.  E.  Derochers,  Peter  J.  Tormey, 
Fred  E.  Sanborn,  J.  K.  Myers,  William  Myers,  W.H. 
Griffin,  C.  Gunn,  W.  H.  Durkee,  G.  H.  Webb,  H.  W. 
Brown,  E.  W.  Pierce,  H.  Walworth,  John  McCadden, 
E.  S.  Ames,  Giles  Morrill. 

NOVEMBER  9 

1713  Capt.  John  Stoddard  and  the  Rev.  John  Wil- 

liams reached  Northampton,  having  left  Boston  the 
5th,  and  were  joined  by  Capt.  Thomas  Baker  and 
Martin  Kellogg,  who  had  been  captured  with  Eunice 
but  had  succeeded  in  escaping.  There  were  two 
others  in  the  party  as  they  set  out  for  Albany  on 
their  Canadian  mission. 


XJ2  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1785  Charles   Piatt  wrote  from  Crown  Point  to  his 

brother,  Zephaniah,  "  Dutchess  county,"  saying: — 

"  I  left  home  the  5th  Inst,  all  well  have  got  all  the  Logs 
on  the  Crib  and  mostly  filled  with  dirt  and  finished  according 
to  Directions,  have  called  on  Mr.  Ferris  for  the  wheat,  tis  not 
yet  delivered  and  I  think  tis  not  likely  that  any  of  it  will  be. 
I  shall  get  that  at  Col.  Strong's  to-day  and  return  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  have  purchased  some  wheat,  as  much  as  I  shall 
want  for  the  winter  and  more.  Mr.  Wait  bro't  me  about  3 
Barrels  of  Beef  and  some  potatoes,  the  steer  here  shall  kill  and 
take  home  and  shall  husband  everything  to  best  advantage, 
the  Bearer  hereof  Mr.  Ball  has  been  to  Plattsburgh  to  view 
the  Country  and  likes  it  well,  there  has  been  Numbers  of  People 
to  view  and  purchase  since  you  left  it  but  I  had  no  direction, 
nor  no  plan  of  the  Town.  I  could  give  little  satisfaction  more 
than  shall  give  all  encouragement  Possible. 

I  called  at  Willsboro  and  learn  that  a  Certain  W  Pope 
&  Co  have  taken  Ross  Mills  and  fixing  them  to  Run  this  fall 
and  have  actually  got  a  Charter  for  a  City  and  laid  it  out  by 
the  name  of  Clinton,  and  are  going  do  Great  Business  they 
say.  So  that  hope  you  will  forward  Matters  as  early  in  the 
spring  as  possible  that  we  may  vie  with  them." 

1864  Death    of    Maria    D.     (Kirtland)    Myers,    wife 

of  Lawrence  Myers  and  daughter  of  John  and 
Lucy  (Burbank)  Kirtland  of  Granville.  Memorial 
windows  in  the  First  Presb3rterian  Church  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  Mr.  Myers  and  his  wife  and  in  memory 
of  their  son,  John  Henry  Myers,  his  widow,  has,  in 
1909,  given  the  equipment  of  the  new  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
Gymnasium. 

1868  Henry  Lobdell  from   Danby,   Vt.,   one   of  the 

original  settlers  of  Schuyler  Falls,  died  at  the  age 
of  86,  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  a  son 
of  Darius,  Jr.  (born  at  9  Partners)  and  Angeleek 
Secor,  daughter  of  a  French  soldier  accompanying 
Lafayette.  A  farmer  as  well  as  blacksmith,  Henry 
Lobdell,  found  a  market  for  the  produce  from  his 
500  acres  in  Albany. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  373 

1894  Reception  in  the  Normal  school  building  by  the 

citizens  of  Plattsburgh  to  the  officers  of  the  Twenty- 
first  Infantry. 

NOVEMBER  10 

Nature  will  be  found  as  busy  in  November  as  in  April — 
perhaps  more  so,  if  we  could  count  all  her  shifts  and  stitches. 

— Buckham. 

1787  In   a    "  frame   house   low   on   the   ground  "   at 

Burlington,  John  Boynton,  one  of  a  family  of  nine, 
seven  boys  and  two  girls,  was  bom.  His  father 
had  come  a  pioneer,  about  1780,  from  New  Hamp- 
shire through  an  almost  unbroken  wilderness,  bring- 
ing his  family  on  horseback.  The  father  and  all 
the  sons  were  among  the  first  engaged  in  navigation 
on  Lake  Champlain  for  the  transportation  of  merchan- 
dise and  passengers. 

1792  A  public  meeting  was  held  at  the  Block  House 

in  Plattsburgh  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  trustees 
to  take  in  charge  the  temporalities  of  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  town,  and  to  form  a  corporation  by  the 
name  and  style  of  the  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  Congregation  of  Plattsburgh  and  to  call 
a  minister.  The  trustees  chosen  were :— John  Addoms , 
Charles  Piatt,  Nathaniel  Piatt,  Melancton  L.  Woolsey,' 
John  Ransom,  Nathan  Averill. 

1815  Vermont  granted  to  John  Winans,  A.  W.  Bow- 

man, C.  P.  Van  Ness,  and  E.  D.  Woodbridge  the 
sole  and  exclusive  right  of  building  and  navigating 
vessels  on  the  Vermont  waters  of  Lake  Champlain 
"  by  the  force  of  steam  "  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
three  years. 

1819  ^^  A  dark  day  throughout  the  Champlain  Valley, 
"  from  about  2  o'clock  p.  m.  candles  were  necessary 
in  transacting  business  within  doors." 


374  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1825  Commodore  Thomas  Macdonough,  the  hero  of 

Lake  Champlain,  died  at  sea. 

1836  The  wedding  day  of  David  R.,   son  of  David 

Parsons  and  Lillis  M.  Mason,  daughter  of  Aaron 
and  Margaret  (Hodgkins)  Mason,  whose  home  was 
on  one  of  the  roads  leading  into  the  Military  Turn- 
pike. The  bride's  pioneer  mother,  (born  on  Long 
Island,  about   1790)   while  alone  with  her  children, 


'1/ 

COMMODORE    MACDONOUGH,    1783-1825 

was  awakened  by  the  sound  of  some  large  animal 
clambering  down  the  kitchen  chimney.  With  quick 
wit,  Mrs.  Mason  kindled  a  brisk  fire  and  vanquished 
the  intruder,  which  proved  to  be  a  panther  (Cana- 
dian lynx). 

1851  Mary  E.  White,  wife  of  George  Moore,  died  aged 

44  years.  Twenty  years  before  she  had  gone  forth 
a  bride  from  her  father's  house  (now  Home  of  the 
Friendless)  on  Broad  street.  This  house  (later  known 
as  the  Benjamin  Ketchum  house)  young  Matthew 
Standish  built  for  his  step-father,   Elijah  White  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  3/5 

Granville.  George  Moore  was  a  son  of  Samuel,  who, 
with  his  brother  Andrew,  settled  in  Plattsburgh. 
Another  brother,  Allen,  located  in  Champlain  and 
afterwards  in  Granville. 

1 869  Major-General  John  Ellis  Wool  died  at  Troy,  N.  Y, 

1871  On  Friday  evening,  the  old  Academy  building 

was  burned.  No  more  would  its  scarred  and  bat- 
tered walls,  pitted  with  shot  tell  of  the  siege  of 
Plattsburgh,  nor  the  "  Angel  Gabriel  "  blow  his 
trumpet  in  the  winds  of  Heaven. 


NOVEMBER  11 

1763  ^dispatched  3  Batteaux  to  Crown  Point  for  some 

of  the  provisions  and  they  returned  loaded  the  14th. 

— Gilliland. 

1766  John  Smith  returned  to  my  employ,  and  to  con- 

tinue at  45s.  per  mo.  to  ist  April  next,  then  to  take 
a  farm. — Idem. 

1813  Returned   north — and   in   the   afternoon   heard 

heavy  cannonading  in  direction  of  the  lines.  Troops 
were  sent  out  from  many  ways  to  this  point,  and 
before  going  myself  issued  orders  to  the  whole  Corps 
of  Observation. — Williams. 

1857  Isaac  Smith,   son  of  Allen  Smith,   patriot  and 

pioneer  from  Connecticut,  died  at  the  home  of  his 
birth.  He,  with  his  brother,  Harvey,  and  the 
children  of  the  neighboring  McCrady,  Piatt  and 
Miller  famiHes,  attended  the  early  school  taught  by 
Mr.  Halsey  in  the  frame  building  in  his  front  yard. 
As  early  as  1785  or  1786  a  school  had  been  kept  by 
one  Samuel  Young  and,  about  1805-6,  a  Mr  Taylor 
kept  a  school  in  "  Judge  Piatt's  old   Dutch  barn," 


376  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

which  still  stands  at  the  end  of  Oak  street,  where  it 
was  moved  by  Capt.  Boynton  from  its  original  site 
west  of  the  Boynton  house.  To  Mr.  Halsey's  school, 
Benjamin  J.  Mooers  used  to  trudge  all  the  way  from 
his  uncle's  home  on  the  Head. 

1908  Installation  of  the  Rev.  John  Bailey  Kelly  as  the 

fourteenth  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church. 
This  solemn  service  was  conducted  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Champlain,  the  Rev.  John  A.  Macintosh  of  Malone, 
Moderator  of  Presbytery,  presiding  and  preaching 
the  sermon.  The  impressive  Charge  to  the  Pastor 
was  given  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  T.  Kelly,  D.  D.,  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  father  of  the  pastor-elect,  and 
the  Rev.  W.  C.  Taylor  of  Keeseville  gave  the  Charge  to 
the  People. 

NOVEMBER  12 

1687  A   formidable   party   of   Iroquois   attacked   the 

stone  fort  at  Chambly  and  though  the  garrison  made 
a  successful  resistance,  the  flourishing  settlement 
that  had  sprung  up  around  it  was  ravaged  and  several 
captives  taken.  Soon  the  whole  country  between  the 
St.  Lawrence  and  Richelieu  swarmed  with  savages, 
"like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  in  number  and  stronger 
than  the  mighty  oak,"  and  the  governor,  M.  de 
Denonville,  was  compelled  to  make  peace,  which  the 
savages  hesitated  not  to  break  within  a  twelfth  month, 

1772  Birth,    at   Spencertown,    N.    Y.,    of    Benjamin, 

youngest  son  of  Noadiah  Moore.  He  was  named  for 
his  grandfather,  Benjamin  Moore,  of  Poquonock, 
Conn.,  who  was  in  the  Louisburgh  expedition  and 
died  at  Cape  Breton  in  1746.  Young  Benjamin 
married  Martha,  daughter  of  Joseph  Corbin,  In 
1797  he  settled  in  Champlain  and  was  the  first 
physician  to  remain  there  and  for  fifteen  years  the 
only  one. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  377 

1892  J.  Gregory  Smith,  Vermont's  war  governor,  died 

at  his  home  in  St.  Albans,  his  native  place.  A  prac- 
tical farmer  and  representative  of  the  agricultural 
interests  of  the  Green  Mountain  state  and  a  gradu- 
ate of  its  university,  he  was  also  widely  known  as 
a  railroad  pioneer  and  manager  in  Champlain  Valley 
for  a  third  of  a  century.  Just  previous  to  the  St. 
Alban's  raid,  Bennett  Young,  who  proved  to  be  the 
leader,  called  at  the  governor's  and  politely  asked  per- 
mission to  inspect  the  grounds  and  stables.  This  was 
readily  accorded  him.  The  raiders  made  their  escape 
on  stolen  horses.  Little  Dorothy  Smith,  a  grand- 
daughter of  the  governor,  was  chosen  with  Master 
Harry  Hill  of  Buffalo,  a  great-grandson  of  Caleb  Hill, 
a  martyr  of  the  War  of  181 2,  at  Isle  La  Motte  to 
unveil  the  boulder  erected  on  that  island  in  1909. 

The  stately  organ  pipes,  o'erlaid  with  gold, 

Look  down  on  reverent  worshipers. — Buckhatn. 

1909  Inaugural  organ  recital  given  in  the  First  Pres- 

byterian church  by  J.  Warren  Andrews,  organist  of 
the  Church  of  the  Divine  Paternity,  New  York  City, 
assisted  by  Miss  Grace  Bullock,  soprano,  of  Boston. 
The  new  organ  was  built  by  the  Estey  Organ  com- 
pany of  Brattleboro,  Vt.,  and  has  pneumatic  action 
throughout. 

NOVEMBER  13 

1773  Birth    of    Joseph    Israel    Green,    son    of    Israel 

(bom  in  Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  7,  1743- 
4)  and  Sarah  (Deane)  Green  of  Nine  Partners.  Israel 
Green  was  associated  with  the  Platts  in  Dutchess 
county  and,  like  them,  settled  in  Plattsburgh.  All 
were  originally  from  Long  Island.  The  people  of 
Nine  Partners  were  life  tenants  of  the  patentees 
and  had  no  fee  simple  title  as  had  those  who  had 
settled  on  the  "  Oblong  Strip."     Here  a  clear  title 


2/8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

could  be  obtained  after  the  adjustment  of  the  bound- 
ary line  between  New  York  and  Connecticut  had 
been  concluded  and  to  this  came  many  families  from 
Rhode  Island,  among  them  Friend  Barlow  Green 
of  Warwick,  whose  son,  Israel  (born  Jan.  26,  1726), 
is  easily  confused  with  Israel  of  Nine  Partners. 

1775  General  Prescott  surrenders,  not  only  his  fleet, 

but  a  large  part  of  the  garrison  of  Montreal  and 
many  persons  of  civil  and  military  prominence  who 
had  sought  safety  on  the  vessels,  to  Montgomery 
who  now  enters  the  city. 

1909  Wesleyan  University  honors  President  Matthew 

H.  Buckham,  D.  D.,  of  the  University  of  Vermont, 
one  of  the  foremost  educators  and  thinkers  of  New 
England  as  well  as  of  Champlain  Valley,  with  the 
degree  of  LL.  D.  Though  of  English  birth  and 
Scotch-English  parentage.  President  Buckham  has 
spent  most  of  his  life  in  Burlington  and  is  a  graduate 
of  its  University,  with  which  he  has  been  connected 
either  as  a  professor  or  president  for  more  than  half 
a  century.  Since  1871,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
presidency,  the  University  has  shown  a  steady  growth 
and  the  gathering,  at  its  Centennial  in  July,  1904  of 
college  presidents  and  delegates  with  representa- 
tives of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court  and  of  the 
Army,  Navy  and  States  Courts,  was  a  notable  one. 

NOVEMBER  14 

And  there's  never  a  bird  on  bough  or  spray, 
Alas,  how  dreary: — Buckham. 

1869  In  the  white  house,  built  for  a  boarding  house 

for  the  Academy  on  the  hill  straight  up  from  the 
dock  at  Westport,  but  the  home  for  many  years  of 
John  Hatch  Low,  "  Squire  Low,"  as  he  was  famil- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  379 

iarly  called,  was  gathered  to  his  fathers.  He  was 
bom  Sept.  17,  1799,  in  Brookfield,  town  of  Wills- 
boro,  whither  his  father,  Wilson  Low  (a  drummer 
boy  under  Washington  at  Valley  Forge)  had  come 
with  his  brother-in-law,  Charles  Hatch,  both  pioneers 
from  Connecticut.  In  1801  they  moved  to  Bessboro, 
now  Westport,  and  there  from  1823,  John  Hatch 
Low,  the  youngest  of  his  father's  family,  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  and  held  various  town  offices. 
He  was  postmaster  many  years  when  that  office 
was  kept  in  the  stone  building  owned  by  the  Lows 
but  burned  in  the  70s.  His  wife,  Eliza  Rising,  was 
a  daughter  of  Asahel  Rising,  a  custom  house  official 
under  Peter  Sailly,  and  Hannah  Perkins  (of  the 
Massachusetts  family  famous  in  the  settlement  of  Cleve- 
land, Ohio).    Of  their  ten  children  but  two  survive. 

1884  This  week  the  new  County  Building,   ordered 

by  the  Supervisors  of  CHnton  county,  was  occupied 
for  the  first  time. 

At  Sunnyside,  Plainfield,  N.  J.,  Letitia  M., 
beloved  wife  of  the  late  Lawrence  Myers,  Esq.,  passed 
to  the  life  beyond.  She  was  the  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Frederick  Halsey  and  the  last  of  his  family. 
Her  young  womanhood  was  spent  in  beautiful  devo- 
tion to  her  aged  parents  and  to  the  church  of  which 
he  was  the  first  pastor.  Here  she  gave  her  services 
as  organist  many  years  and  to  the  end  retained 
an  affectionate  interest  in  its  welfare. 

The  new  organ  in  the  Presbyterian  Church 
dedicated  and  used  in  divine  service  for  the  first  time. 

Where  Time's  great  organ  stands  in  spaces  dim, 
God  sets  some  lives  to  shine  and  some  to  hide. 
But  in  the  darkened  chamber  where  they  bide 

The  hidden  reeds  breathe  sweetest  praise  to  Him — 

— Buckham. 


1909 


380  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

NOVEMBER  15 

1809  Arrival  at  Sudbury,  Ohio,  after  a  journey  of  two 

months  and  eleven  days  from  Peru,  N.  Y.,  of  Cyrus 
Benedict  with  his  wife  and  three  children.  In 
December,  1810,  they  removed  to  Peru  township, 
Morrow  county,  their  log  cabin  being  the  first  in  that 
township.  Two  years  later  the  aged  parents  of  Cyrus 
also  came  and  within  a  decade  "the  rest  of  the  Bene- 
dicts, Bucks,  Bunkers,  Earls,  Osboms  and  Handlys" 
followed  them.  When  Grandmother  Benedict  died 
in  1 82 1  "she  had  one  hundred  and  two  descendants, 
all  except  two  of  whom  lived  within  16  miles  of  her." 
Hannah,  her  daughter-in-law,  died  in  1862  and  was 
buried  in  the  Friends'  Cemetery  near  the  Alum  Creek 
Meeting  House,  Peru  township. 

There  has  a  kindly  feeling  grown 

Among  that  people,  firm  and  high, 
Like  some  strong  bulwark  upward  thrown, 
To  shield  when  foemen's  grape  reply. 

— '■  The  Hamlet  "  by  Byron  Sunderlin. 

1863  The  Rev.  Luke  Harney,  a  native  of  Schuyler 

Falls,  said  his  first  mass  as  pastor  of  Port  Henry, 
where  he  labored  with  great  success  during  the  fol- 
lowing sixteen  years  and  built  up  the  Messiah  church 
at  Mineville,  besides  looking  after  the  churches  at 
Westport,  Crown  Point  and  Hammondville. 


NOVEMBER  16 

1803  Birth  of  Charles  Frederick  Halsey,  oldest  son^'of 

the  Rev.  Frederick.  Following  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
honored  father,  he  w^as  licensed  by  Champlain  Pres- 
bytery in  1835  and  ordained  the  next  year.  The  Rev. 
Charles  Frederick  had  a  family  of  eleven  children, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  381 

the  same  number  as  his  grandparents,  Cornelius  and 
Mehcant  (Rogers)  Halsey  in  Long  Island.  Removing 
west  in  58,  he  preached  at  Fosterburgh,  111.,  where 
he  died  m  1882.  «=   »        . 

'^^^        T.M1  ^^'^^^  ""^  ^''^-  ^^P^^  Fillmore,  a  cousin  of  Millard 
Filhiiore  and  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Chazy  village 
where  he  built  a  hotel  of  logs  in  1799.     His  wife   a 
sister  of  Bela  Edgerton,  came  in  the  winter  of  18^0 
her  father  taking  her  in  a  sleigh  as  far  as  Middleburv' 
yt  ,  where  she  was  met  by  her  husband.     For  months 
before  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh,  officers  boarded  at 
Fillmore  s  tavern.     There  was  a  separate  bake  house 
and  at  one  time   several  hundred  loaves  of  bread 
were  baked  and  handed  as  fast  as  possible  through  a 
window   to   soldiers   on    their   way   to   Plattsburgh 
Dunng  the  War  of   1812   Landlord  Fillmore  com- 
manded a  company  of  mihtia. 

Henry  Harrison  Markham  was  born  in  Wilming 
ton  and  received  his  education  at  the  schools  of 
his  native  place  and  at  Wheeler's  academy,  Vermont 
In  1861  he  removed  to  Wisconsin,  from  which  state 
he  entered  the  army  and  was  with  Sherman  on  his 
famous  march  to  the  sea.  Though  he  never  fullv 
recovered  from  a  wound  received  at  the  battle  of 
\^ hippy  Swamp,  he  settled  in  Cahfornia  in  1878  was 
successful  m  business,  was  elected  to  Congress  made 
a  manager  of  the  National  Soldiers'  Home  ;nd  in 
1890  elected  governor  of  California  bv  the  Republi- 


1840 


1841 


cans 


The  MacDonough,   valued  at  twelve  thousand 
dollars,  was  wrecked  on  a  reef  in  Panton  Bay. 

'^^^         F      "^^u^u^  "^tf  ^^^^^^^  '^^^^b^^'  ^idow  of  Gen 
Ezra  Thurber.     Their  marriage  occurred  March  15, 


382  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1806.  Both  were  from  Massachusetts;  he,  from 
Dartmouth;  she,  from  Athol,  where  she  was  bom 
September  2,  1781.  In  1803  Rouse's  Point,  then 
rising  fifteen  feet  above  high  water  mark,  contained 
but  six  small  huts.  Soon,  however,  Ezra  Thurber 
built  the  first  frame  house. 


NOVEMBER  17 

1763  Mr.  Gilliland  wrote  (probably  from  memoranda 

kept  by  his  steward  during  his  absence). — "began  to 
make  a  road  from  Mill  town  to  R.  McAwley's  bam." 

1817  The   "  Rev.   Frederick  Halsey  assumed  charge 

of  the  Academy  as  Principal,  with  Miss  Cook  as 
Lady  Principal." 

1836  The  last  preparative  meeting  (like  a  local  church 

service)  was  held  in  the  meeting-house  at  Grand 
Isle.  After  that  the  building  stood  little  used  until 
demoUshed  in  1880,  and  the  title  to  the  land  passed 
to  others  about  1904.  The  Hixite  controversy  had 
brought  about  internal  troubles  for  the  Society  of 
Friends  at  large  and  aided  in  tearing  down  what 
persecution  had  built  up.  The  sole  survivor  of  this 
faith  who  has  not  accepted  other  religious  connec- 
tions, is  Friend  Joseph  T.  Macomber.  A  man  of 
rare  intelligence  and  kindliness,  he  lives  at  peace 
with  all  and  is  greatly  beloved  by  his  neighbors. 
A  horticulturist  of  no  mean  standing,  he  is  especially 
successful  with  small  fruits  and  flowers,  and  has  a 
green  house  full  of  the  latter. 

In  1899,  descendants  of  Friends  brought  an 
immense  boulder  from  the  west  shore,  near  the  site 
of  the  original  log  meeting-house  and  placed  it  in 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  383 

the  Friend's  cemetery,  opposite  the  site  of  the  last 
edifice.     Chiseled  in  the  rock  is  the  following: 

ERECTED  A.  D.   1899 

IN 

MEMORY  OF 

THE  SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS 

IN 

1827 

They  erected  a  meeting  house  near  this  spot,  where 
for  50  years  they  worshiped  God.  They  stood  for 
freedom  of  Conscience,  universal  peace,  spirituality 
of  worship.  Having  finished  their  labors  they  here 
lie  buried  and  their  works  do  follow  them. 

(      "  Ye  are  my  friends  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you." 

— John,  15-14. 

Daniel  Hoag,  1 761-1809 

Wesson  Macomber,  1 764-1818 

Wyman  Chamberlain,  1 772-1838 

Warren  Corbin,  1 769-1834 

James  Tobias,  1759-1810 
Jonathan  Griffith, 

Mosher  Hoag,  1807 

Lavinia  C.  Hoag,  1 804-1 891 

James  Hoag,  1 805-1 897 

Anna  T.  Hoag,  1 821-1888 

Seth  Hoag,  1 798-1887 

Sarah  Hoag,  1 798-1880 

NOVEMBER  18 

1766  — the  navigation  of  our  river  from  the  spring 

■^    well  to  Chism's  was  this  day  stop'd  by  ice. 

— Gilliland. 


^S4  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallky 

1771  The  marriage  of  John  Sax  and  Catherine^Weaver 

took  place  at  the  home  of  her  parents  at  Rhinebeck. 
The  bride  is  described  as  of  unusual  beauty,  having 
a  fair  complexion  with  black  hair  and  eyes.  She 
was  then  27  years  old  and  the  groom,  39.  He  was 
a  miller  and  cooper  by  trade  and  for  some  years  had 
been  in  charge  of  flouring  mills  at  Valley  Forge 
before  his  removal  to  New  York  City,  whence  he  had 
come  to  Rhinebeck.  There,  or  in  the  vicinity,  he 
lived  nineteen  years  and  there  their  eight  sons  were 
bom.  Mrs.  Weaver's  sister,  Elizabeth,  married 
Conrad  Barr  and  both  families  removed  to  Highgate. 
Another  sister  became  the  wife  of  George  Fellows. 

1813  Came  back   from   the   lines  to   Plattsburgh,   at 

night,  having  obeyed  orders  in  every  particular, 
sent  my  report  to  Chief. — Williams. 

1885  The  new  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Platts- 

burgh was  dedicated  by  Bishop  Bowman. 

Great  God!  we  consecrate  to  Thee 
All  that  we  are  or  hope  to  be; 

This  earthly  temple,  too. 
Grant  that  Thy  radiance,  so  divine, 
To  light  Thine  altar  here  may  shine, 
As  pure  as  angels'  view. 
Song  at  Dedication  of  M.  E.  Church,  Middlebury,    Vt.,   by 
Byron  Sunderlin,  D.  D.,  Shoreham,  Vt. — Washington,  D.  C. 

NOVEMBER  19 

1819  A  year  or  so  after  the  organization  of  a  Metho- 

dist Episcopal  Church  in  Plattsburgh  village,  a  class 
was  formed  with  David  Brock  as  leader.  The 
original  members  were: — Sheldon  Durkee,  Ann  Dur- 
kee,  Mary  Bacon,  Maria  Haynes,  Polly  Averill, 
Patience  Miller,  John  Wells  (from  whom  Wells  street 
is  named)  and  Michael  McDermott,  to  which  were 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  385 

now  added  John  Addams  and  wife  (parents  of  the 
Rev.  J.  Townsend  Addams  who  settled  in  1802  at 
West  Plattsburgh) ,  David  Brock,  Philena  Brock, 
Phebe  Edgerton,  Ann  Smith,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Joseph  I.  Green.  PubHc  services  were  held  until 
1831  in  the  Court  House.  Among  the  communicants 
was  "  Black  Maria  Haynes,"  a  pathetic  sight,  going 
solitary  and  alone  to  the  table  of  her  Lord. 

1865  St.  Peter's  Church  of  Plattsburgh  dedicated  by 

Bishop  Conroy,  assisted  by  seventeen  priests.  Father 
G.  Thibault  of  Longueil,  C.  E.,  preaching  the  sermon. 


NOVEMBER  20 

1759  In  the  service  at  Crown  Point,  Samuel,  son  of 

Eleazer  Graves  of  Athol,  Mass.,  died  and,  in  1760,  on 
his  way  home  from  the  army  at  Crown  Point,  Adon- 
ijah  Ball,  a  brother  of  Corporal  Moses  Ball  of  the  Rev- 
olution, died  at  Saratoga.  These  were  sons  of  Isaac 
and  Rachel  Ball,  who  had  removed  from  Brookfield, 
Mass.,  to  Athol.  Eleazer  Graves,  with  his  brother 
Nathaniel,  the  Smiths,  Aaron  and  Ephriam,  Mortons, 
Richard  and  Samuel,  Olivers,  William,  John,  James, 
and  Robert,  was  of  the  original  company  formed  at 
Hatfield  for  the  settlement  of  Athol.  "The  Olivers 
were  direct  from  Ireland,  stout  hardy,  resolute  men," 
and  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
Thomas  Oliver,  a  descendant  bought  the  Gen. 
Mooers  house  on  the  Head.  The  slave  quarters 
where  the  slaves  were  locked  at  night,  were  still 
intact  and  the  eleven  fireplaces  furnished  sufficient 
brick  for  the  "bricking-up"  of  the  entire  structure 
as  it  now  stands. 

1763  20th  and   21st   Nov.,   Wm.   Luckey,   and  John 

Watson  divided  the  hay. — GilUland. 


?86  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1775  The   Green   Mountain   Boys,   who  had   enlisted 

under  Warner,  not  having  suitable  clothing  to  with- 
stand the  rigors  of  a  Canadian  winter,  were  honorably 
discharged  and  returned  to  their  homes. 

1813  A  Council  of  War  to-day,  in  which  I  was  made 

conspicuous  as  the  only  person  who  could  give  the 
desired  information.  In  the  Council  disclosures  were 
made  in  relation  to  the  plans,  which  were  contrary 
to  my  expectations,  and  far  from  being  honorable  to 
the  public  service.  The  decision,  however,  may  yet 
be  reversed,  but  in  the  meantime  outspoken  demon- 
stration must  be  made  by  the  American  army  of  its 
intended  invasion  of  the  British  Province.  The 
Rangers  report  the  enemy  is  not  so  formidable  in  our 
front  as  to  give  any  fear  of  unfavorable  result  if  our 
advance  was  made  upon  them.  The  Canadians  are 
still  unwilHng  to  bear  arms  against  the  Americans, 
since  they  had  a  skirmish  with  the  royal  troops  at 
La  Chine  in  August  last.  They  are  forced  into  the 
service,  and  are  not  to  be  depended  on. — Williams. 

1841  The  Trustees   of   School   Districts  Nos.  i  and  2 

united  the  libraries  into  one  under  the  name  of  the 
Union  Library.  To  this  collection  of  about  240  vol- 
umes, the  Academy  library  of  some  150  volumes  was 
soon  added  and,  by  voluntary  contributions  and  pur- 
chases, a  library  of  2,500  volumes  was  collected. 
This  was  kept  in  the  second  story  of  Fireman's  Hall, 
on  the  site  of  the  present  Town  Hall,  on  the  South 
side  of  the  Park,  which  was  burned  with  all  it  con- 
tained in  the  great  fire  of  August,  1849. 

NOVEMBER  21 

1816  Col.  Stephen  Pearl,  one  of  the  most  striking  char- 

acters among   the  early  settlers  of  Burlington  died, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  387 

at  his  home,  where  for  many  years  distinguished 
strangers  "from  within  or  without  the  state"  and  the 
poor  and  friendless  aHke  had  been  received  with 
generous  hospitality.  Col.  Pearl  was  a  captain  at 
Bunker  Hill,  a  colonel  of  the  Rutland  county  militia 
and  present  at  the  "Rutland  Shay's  Rebellion,"  also 
town  clerk  of  Burlington  and  sheriff  of  the  coimty. 

1819  "Transportation  of  merchandise  on  the  canal  has 

already  commenced." 

— From  a  letter  written  from  Whitehall 
to  Plattsburgh. 

1832  John  Henry  Hopkins,  Bishop  of  Vermont,  began 

his  permanent  residence  at  Burlington,  his  first 
Episcopal  act  being  the  consecration  of  the  recently 
finished  stone  church.  The  same  day  Joseph  Hoag, 
the  Friend  to  whom,  in  the  eighth  or  ninth  month  in 
the  year  1803,  in  a  remarkable  vision,  approaching 
di\isions  in  the  various  religious  sects,  among  the 
Free  Masons  and  between  the  Northern  and  Southern 
States,  had  been  revealed,  set  out  to  perform  a  reli- 
gious visit  to  Friends  in  Upper  Canada.  The  first  stop 
was  made  at  Chateaugay,  but  there  the  people 
"appeared  fixed  in  a  choice  of  a  popular  reHgion," 
so  that  the  gospel  seemed  to  make  but  little  impres- 
sion. This  journey  included  a  visit  to  the  Yearly 
Meeting  of  Philadelphia. 

1846  Friend  Joseph  Hoag  finished  his  course  in  his  85  th 

year  at  his  home  in  Charlotte,  Vt.,  to  which  he  had 
come,  in  1789  or  '90,  from  his  native  place,  Dutchess 
county,  N.  Y.  He  was  the  eldest  child  of  Elijah  and 
Phebe  Hoag,  Friends  who  settled  in  Oblong,  where,  in 
1777,  the  father  was  seized,  carried  to  Esopas  (King- 
ston) and  put  on  board  the  fleet-prison  on  account  of 
his  faith.     The  journeys  of  Joseph  Hoag,  extending 


388  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

from  Nova  Scotia  through  New  England  and  the 
Southern  States  and  west  to  the  Mississippi,  lasted  for 
many  months  and  were  attended  by  many  hardships, 
but,  upheld  by  the  "inner  light,"  he  never  faltered. 

1906  Commander   Leroy   Mason   Garrett   was   swept 

from  the  deck  of  his  vessel,  the  United  States  Fisheries 
steamer  Albatross,  when  about  500  miles  northeast 
of  Honolulu.  Commander  Garrett  was  born  in  Beek- 
mantowTi  in  1857  and  entered  Annapolis  from  Platts- 
burgh  in  1875,  A  monument  to  his  memory  in 
Arlington  Cemetery,  erected  by  his  mother,  Mrs. 
Esther  Dunning,  is  the  first  in  the  cemetery  to  the 
memory  of  one  not  interred  there. 

NOVEMBER  22 

1766  — this   day   paid    of   Frans   Galland,    who   this 

day  went  away. — Gilliland. 

1772  John,  son  of  EHsha  and  Elizabeth  (Fish)  Allen, 

married  Phoebe,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Rachel 
(Smith)  Deuel.  John  first  settled  in  Cambridge, 
Washington  county,  on  a  farm  near  his  father,  but 
during  the  war  they  went  back  to  Dutchess  county, 
afterwards  returning  with  six  children.  About  1810 
they  removed  to  Peru,  now  Ausable,  Clinton  county, 
where  both  died,  John,  in  1825  and  his  wife,  Phoebe, 
in  1845.  They  were  the  parents  of  fifteen  children. 
Several  of  their  sons  settled  on  part  of  the  original 
tract  purchased  by  their  father  at  Allen's  hill. 

1837  On  the  Chambly  road  near  Longueuil,  the  first 

blood  was  shed  in  the  "  Great  Insurrection."  This 
event  followed  the  arrest  by  a  troop  of  horse  of 
Demaray,  a  notary,  and  Dr.  D' Avignon,  both  from 
St.  John's  and  sympathizers  in  the  cause. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev  389 

NOVEMBER  23 

1794  In  a  log  cabin  standing  in  a  clearing  to  which 

his  father  had  come  in  March,  1792,  Richard  Keese, 
Jr.  was  bom.  "  The  mother  of  Richard  Keese 
(Anna  Hallock)  would  have  been  a  notable  woman 
wherever  found."  His  father,  in  181 2,  became  the 
owner  of  most  of  the  land  on  which  the  village  of 
Keeseville  now  stands  and  was  prominent   in  the 


gilbert  THAYER,  LL.  D., 

Popular  Educator  from  Essex  County. 

Upbuilding  of  its  industries.  At  his  death  in  1821 
his  son  Richard  succeeded  to  his  place  and  became  a 
leading  figure,  especially  in  the  iron  business  in  its 
various  branches.  In  1826  he  was  elected  to  Congress 
and  later  served  as  one  of  the  judges  of  the  old  Clinton 
Common  Pleas.  For  years  Judge  Keese  was  the  only 
Democrat  who  could  be  elected  supervisor  for  the 
old  town  of  Peru.  In  those  days  Keeseville  was  most 
prosperous.     The  new  academy  building  was  erected 


290  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

on  the  site  of  the  old  in  1845  and  about  1852  Gilbert 
Thayer,  a  grandson  of  Silas,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
ol  Wilmington,  became  principal.  Immediately  the 
attendance  increased  from  60  to  over  200,  students 
flocking  to  the  school  from  all  parts  of  Essex  county 
and  the  southern  tovv^ns  of  Clinton.  Among  the 
students  were  many  who  in  after  years  became 
men  of  note,  among  them  the  Rev.  Joseph  Cook, 
Bishop  Goodsell,  Louis  N.  Beaudry,  "  the  lamented 
chaplain,"  Osceola  Kyle,  a  popular  educator  of 
Vermont,  and  Erastus  Bullard,  who  became  principal 
of  a  large  female  college  of  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Thayer 
also  removed,  becoming  a  leading  educator  of  the 
State. 


LOUIS  JOSEPH  PAPINEAU, 

The  Canadian  Patriot,  1 786-1871. 


1837  The  battle  of  St.  Denis,  the  opening  combat  of 

the  "  Great  Insurrection  "  in  Canada,  was  fought. 
This  uprising  was  soon  put  down  by  regular  troops. 
Dr.   Nelson,  a  prominent  figure  in  the  insurrection 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  391 

was  exiled  but  the  bill  of  general  amnesty  gave  him 
a  chance  to  return  to  Canada,  where,  in  1845,  he 
was  honored  by  election  to  Parliament  and  in  1854 
became  mayor  of  Montreal.  Louis  Joseph  Papineau, 
the  Canadian  statesman  whose  impassioned  oratory 
in  defense  of  the  liberties  of  the  people  had  given 
rise  to  the  rebellion,  also  returned  from  exile  and 
died  peacefully  at  Montebello,  his  beautiful  home  on 
the  Ottawa  river  about  50  miles  below  Ottawa, 
Sept.  17,  187 1. 

NOVEMBER  24 

1711  Martha  French,  given  by  her  Indian  captors  to 

the  Sisters  of  the  Congregation,  and  receiving  the 
additional  name  of  Marguerite,  was  married  to 
Jacques  Roi  of  St.  Lambert.  Her  sister  Freedom, 
now  Marie  Francoise  French,  was  one  of  the  witnesses. 

1763  — ^began  to  clear  a  road  to  south  meadow  from 

the  lake,  and  to  make  a  yard  for  cattle  at  Wm. 
Luckey's  lot. — Gilliland. 


NOVEMBER  25 

1799  Charles  Marsh  and   Martha  Howe,  daughter  of 

John  Howe,  were  married  in  Plattsburgh.  In  com- 
pany with  the  Howe  family  from  Canaan,  Conn., 
Charles  Marsh,  then  a  young  man  about  twenty,  a 
native  of  Salisbury,  Conn.,  settled  in  Beekmantown 
as  early  as  1795  or  earlier;  Mr.  Marsh  and  his  wife 
were  both  members  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of 
Beekmantown  and  he  was  an  Elder.  They  had  ten 
children.  The  main  body  of  the  right  wing  of  the 
British  army  passed  their  home  on  the  march  to 
Plattsburgh  and  many  a  shot  left  its  mark  on  their 
dwelling. 


392  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1838  The  spirit  of  Margaret  Miller  Davidson  took  its 

flight.  Her  earthly  remains  rest  in  the  cemetery  at 
Saratoga,  Lucretia's  mantle  had  indeed  fallen  upon 
her  sister  whose  life  had  burned  itself  out  in  the  same 
way  after  only  fifteen  years  and  eight  months.  The 
development  of  this  baby  sister,  Lucretia  had  watched 
with  greatest  delight,  prophesying  for  her  the  same 
poetic  genius.     Margaret,  in  turn,  imbued  with  this 


MARGARET    MILLER    DAVIDSON 


idea  sought  to  fulfil  it.  The  love  of  both  for  their 
own  home  and  family  was  consuming  as  the  titles 
of  many  of  their  poems  show,  among  them: — "To 
My  Old  Home  at  Plattsburgh,"  "  To  my  Mother  on 
Christmas  Day,"  "  On  the  Birth  of  a  Sister,"  "  To 
Brother  L— ,"   "To  Margaret's  Eye,"  etc. 

NOVEMBER  26 

1766  John  McAuley  with  some  hands,  went  to  Canada 

for  wheat;  this  day  we  had  the  first  snow  storm,  an 
inch  deep. — GUlikmd. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  393 

1769  Israel  Green  was  under  discipline  at  Nine  Part- 

ners meeting, 

1785  "  Margarite  (Eunice  Williams),  mother-in-law  of 

Onasategen,"  was  buried  at  Caughnawaga.  She 
was  eighty-nine  years  old. 

1789  Coi.  John  Trumbull  arrived  in  New  York,  fresh 

from  the  opening  scenes  of  the  French  Revolution. 
He  continued  his  painting  and  just  previous  to  the 
War  of  181 2,  petitioned  the  New  York  Legislature 
to  allow  his  wife  (of  English  birth)  to  own  property 


JUDGE  JONAS  PLATT. 
From  portrait  by  Samuel  F.  B.  Morse  now  owned  by  Mrs.  M.  P.  Myers. 

in  this  country.     On  the  final  vote  Senator   Jonas 
Piatt  stood  alone  in  voting  in  favor  of  the  petition 
m  recognition  of  which  Trumbull  painted  the  por- 
trait of  the  Judge   (opposite  page  192)  placing  the 
date  of  the  vote  and  following  motto  on  the  back:— 

"  Justum  et  tenacem  propositi  virum,  non  civium  ardor 
prava  jubentium  mente  quatit  solida."—-  A  just  man  and  tenacious 
of  the  nght,  no  popular  passion  shakes  him  from  his  firm  purpose  " 


394  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev 

NOVEMBER  27 

1755  Gen.  Johnson,  having  dismissed  the  New  Eng- 

land militia,  left  6oo  men  to  garrison  the  new  Fort 
WilHam  Henry  and  went  into  winter  quarters. 

1771  Gov.  Tryon  of  New  York  issued  a  proclamation, 

offering  a  reward  of  twenty  pounds  each,  for  the 
arrest  of  Ethan  Allen,  Seth  Warner,  Remember 
Baker  and  some  others. 

1775  "  I  shall  set  out  by  land  to-morrow  morning 

for  Ticonderoga,  and  proceed  with  the  utmost  des- 
patch, as  knowing  our  whole  dependence  for  cannon 
will  be  from  that  post." 

— Col.  Henry  Knox  at  New  York  to  Washing- 
ton  at  Cambridge. 

1786  The  first  girl  born  at  North  Hero — Dame  Knight, 

a  daughter  of  John  Knight.  To  Enos  Wood  was  bom 
the  first  boy,  to  whom  the  name  of  Adin  was  given. 

1819  The    Plattsburgh    Republican    of    this    date    has 

the  following  notice : 

"  ASSIZE  OF  BREAD 

"  Two  pounds  eight  ounces. 

"  Agreeable  to  the  by-laws  of  the  village  of 
Plattsburgh,  it  is  ordered  that  a  shilling  loaf,  made  of 
good  wheat-flour,  shall  weigh  two  pounds  and 
eight  ounces,  and  a  sixpenny  loaf  one  poimd  and 
foiir  ounces,  until  a  further  order. 

"  G.  Sperry,  President." 

1890  At    the    advanced    age    of    94,    Juha    (Lynde) 

Nichols,  widow  of  John  Nichols,  died  at  the  home  of 
her  son,  Col.  George  Nichols.  She  was  a  daughter 
of  the  Revolutionary  soldier,  Jonathan  Lynde  and 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  395 

his  wife,  Molly  Franklin,  early  settlers  of  Essex 
County,  their  eldest  daughter,  Elizabeth,  bom  March 
4,  1784,  being  the  first  white  child  bom  in  Wills- 
boro,  Essex  County. 

"  It  is  the  spirit  of  our  brave  and  loyal  ancestors  that  we 
want;  the  spirit  that  led  women  like  Molly  Franklin  Lynde  to 
keep  the  wild  beast  and  the  red  man  at  bay,  guarding  their 
children  with  musket  and  ax,  while  the  husband  and  father 
fought  his  share  of  the  battle  for  country  and  freedom  in  the 
ranks  of  the  army  far  away." 

— Miss  Helen  Palmer  at  the  unveiling  of  the  Gen.  Mooers' 
Memorial  Tablet. 

NOVEMBER  28 

1759  Gen.  Bourlemaque  withdrew  most  of    his  forces 

from  the  frontier,  leaving  300  men  under  Capt,  Lusig- 
nan  in  the  stockaded  fort  at  Isle  aux  Noix.  At  Fort 
St.  John  there  was  a  garrison  of  200  and  to  protect 
the  frontier  the  battalion  of  La  Reine  was  quartered 
at  Fort  Chambly. 

1766  Snow  all  gone. — Gilliland. 

1847  Death  of  Judge  John  S.  Larrabee,  who  settled  in 

Shoreham  in  1783  and  from  whom  Larrabee 's  Point 
takes  its  name.  He  was  one  of  the  early  surveyors, 
established  the  first  regular  ferry  at  the  Point  and 
became  Judge  of  Probate  and  the  County  Court.  Of 
a  social  nature,  trustworthy  and  intelligent,  he  made 
many  friends. 

NOVEMBER  29 

1752  Birth  of  John  Allen,  who,  with  several  of  his 

father's  family  became  a  pioneer  of  the  Champlain 
Valley.  He  was  a  son  of  Elisha  Allen  of  Dartmouth, 
Mass.,  and  Washington  county,  N.  Y. 

1763  Began  to  look  for  the  cattle,  having  sent  out  3 

men .  — Gilliland. 


396  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1796  Darius  Lobdell,  an  early  settler  of  Danby  and 

veteran  of  Bennington,  died,  his  wife  Mary  surviving 
until  1825.  "In  Fall  of  1763  or  Spring  of  1764  a 
road  was  laid  out  by  Darius  Lobdell  and  Samuel 
Rose— formerly  of  Nine  Partners,  N.  Y.,  from  Ben- 
nington to  Danby,  Vt."  Several  of  the  children  of 
Darius  located  on  the  western  side  of  the  lake. 


GENERAL  MOOERS. 


1813  Plattsburg, — I  have  made  an  arrangement  with 

Gen.  Mooers,  in  relation  to  my  department,  and  I 
am  preparing  once  more  to  cross  the  Lake  for  my  old 
quarters  at  Charlotte.  The  enemy  is  rejoicing  to 
see  that  our  armies  are  going  into  winter  quarters. 
Peace  be  with  him. — Williams. 

NOVEMBER  30 
1755  — snowed  all  day,  with  some  rain,  this  opened 

the  river. — Gilliland. 

Be  still,  my  heart!  let  mem'ry's  touch  divine, 

Bring  back  past  joys  to  glad  this  soul  of  mine. 

And  spread  the  kindly  veil  o'er  doubt  and  pain. 

1  would  not  call  back  grief's  but  pleasure's  form  again. 

— Lieut.  Davidson. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  397 

DECEMBER  1 

Then  ho!  for  the  field  when  December  draws  on. — Btickham, 

1759  Rogers  and  his  remaining  men  reached  Crown 

Point.  They  had  punished  the  St.  Francis  Indians 
and  stopped  further  depredations,  but  49  men  had 
been  lost  on  the  return  trip  and  those  left  on  the  banks 
of  the  Connecticut  had  barely  saved  themselves 
from  starving  by  eating  ground  nuts  and  lily  roots. 

1766  Froze  hard,  the  river  froze  again. — Gilliland. 

1775  Montgomery  joined  Arnold  at  Point  aux  Trem- 

bles, about  twenty  miles  above  Quebec.  Benjamin 
Vaughan,  son  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Vaughan,  who  had 
died  at  Manchester,  N.  H.  in  1766,  was  among 
the  troops  who  had  survived  the  march  with  Arnold. 
Benjamin  reached  Quebec  about  ten  days  after 
Montgomery's  death  and  there  had  small  pox,  but 
lived  to  serve  out  his  enlistment  and  became  a 
pioneer  in  the  Champlain  valley. 

1787  David  Breakenridge    McNeil,  son  of  John  and 

Mary  (Breakenridge)  McNeil,  was  born  at  Charlotte, 
Vt.  In  1806,  he  entered  the  U.  V.  M.,  when  Presi- 
dent Sanders  and  one  tutor  constituted  the  entire 
faculty.  He  left  college  in  1808  and  soon  removed 
to  Essex,  N.  Y.,  where  he  studied  law  with  Dean 
Edson  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  October,  181 1. 
The  preceding  February  he  had  been  appointed 
lieutenant  in  the  Essex  county  militia;  a  Httle  later 
adjutant,  and  in  July  inspector  of  customs  for  the 
district  of  Champlain. 

1804  A  road  was  laid  out    "Leading  from   Montie's 

Bay  to  Intersect  the  one  Runing  from  Lake  Cham- 


398  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

plain  Due  West  on  the  north  Line  of  Dean's  Patent 
at  Ezra  Graves'.  "  Also,  one  "from  Laflomboire 
bay  to  Barnabas  Minkley's,  where  it  mtevsects  the 
Road  Leading  from  Montie's  Bay." 

1838  Death  at  Plattsburgh,  of  Elder  Elias  Woodruff, 

son  of  the  Revolutionary  soldier,  Silas  Woodruff,  of 
Capt.  Zephaniah  Rogers'  company,  Suffolk  county 
militia.  Elias  Woodruff,  like  Judge  Treadwell,  Eze- 
kial  Hubbard,  the  Dominys  and  Millers,  came  from 
Suffolk  county  and  settled  on  the  State  road,  where 
he  became  the  owner  of  several  farms.  His  wife, 
also  from  Long  Island,  w^as  Abigail  Leeke. 

1909  Lake  Champlain  Hghtly  frozen  from  Whitehall 

to  Chimney  Point. 

DECEMBER  2 

1763  — this  morning  began  a  snow  storm,  being  found 

to  be  the  first  laying  snow,  and  this  day  completed 
the  road  to  McAwley's,  which  in  all  took  33  hands 
for  one  day. — Gtlliland. 

1766  The  saw  mill  stopped,  as  was  the  turning  mill 

some  days  ago,  good  walking  on  the  ice  to  the  mouth 
of  the  river. — Idem. 

1813  Mr.  Sailly  appointed  assistants,  John  Palmer  and 

Nathaniel  H.  Treadwell  (keepers  of  public  stores), 
Plattsburgh;  James  Campbell,  French  Mills;  James 
S.  Allen,  Chateaugay;  Othniel  Taylor  (storekeeper), 
Burlington;  Justus  Bellamy,  Vergennes;  and  Messrs. 
Reed  and  Hart,  Whitehall. 

Mr.  Williams  records  the  escape  from  arrest  of 
Gen.  Hampton,  who  had  received  timely  warning  at 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


399 


French  Mills  and  secured  passage  on  a  steamer  to 
Whitehall. 

1857  Altona  formed  from  Chazy.     This  locaHty  was 

first  settled  largely  through  the  discovery  of  an  unusu- 
ally attractive  site  by  Simeon  Wood  of  Shoreham, 
who  had  come  to  Plattsburgh.  In  1 798,  while  seeking 
a  yoke  of  oxen  that  had  strayed  away  several  weeks 
before  from  the  farm  of  Mr.  Piatt,  on  what  is 
now  the  Boynton  road,  Wood  came  upon  this  tract 
and  when  on  returning  to  Shoreham  to  spend  the 
winter  months  he  described  it  as  "the  handsomest 
land  you  ever  set  your  eyes  on,  more  than  a  thou- 
sand acres  as  level  as  a  house  floor  and  so  rich 
that  the  nettles  grow  nearly  as  high  as  my  head ; 
splendidly  watered,  too,  by  a  spring-fed  stream  that 
is  chock-full  of  trout,"  it  was  no  wonder  that 
Stephen,  Joab  and  William  Atwood  were  induced  to 
become  settlers. 

1871  Death   of  Elder  Lawrence   Myers,   a   native   of 

Herkimer,  who  had  removed  to  Plattsburgh,  in  1828, 
from  Whitehall,  opening  at  that  time  a  store  for 
general  merchandise  on  the  northwest  comer  of 
Water  and  Bridge  streets.  His  grandfather  was 
from  Holland,  but  his  father,  Joseph  Myers,  just 
before  the  Revolution,  went  from  New  Jersey  to 
Herkimer.  In  December,  1831,  Lawrence  Myers, 
Chester  Balch,  John  Boynton  and  Jonas  Piatt  were 
ordained  elders  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr. 
Myers  subsequently  engaged  in  the  lumber  and  iron 
business  on  the  Saranac  river. 

1882  A  pubHc  meeting  was  held  to  consider  the  build- 

ing of  an  opera  house.  A  committee  was  appointed 
but  no  action  taken. 


400  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

DECEMBER  3 

1732  Gov.  Beauharnois  and  the  Intendant  Hocquart 

deeded  to  Pierre  de  Lestage,  husband  of  Marie  Jose 
Sayer  (formeriy  Esther  Say  ward,  the  eight-year-old 
Indian  captive  from  York)  a  large  addition  to  his 
seigniory,  for  he  had  built  the  first  CathoHc  church 
at  Berthier,  about  1723,  and  was  "worthy  of  it." 

1763  — began  to  make  a   road   from   McAwley's  to 

Elizabeth  bay.  Yesterday  we  got  the  first  part 
of  our  cattle,  6  in  number. — Gilliland. 

1766  Snow,  sent  men  to  collect  our  cattle  and  take 

them  to  the  meadows.  Surveyed  the  river  from  the 
landing  to  the  lake,  being  assisted  by  James  Thomp- 
son.— Idem. 

Until  the  snow  comes  the  book  of  nature  lacks  an  index. 
— Buckham  in  the  Record  of  the  Snow. 

1806  Clinton  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M.,  was  chartered  by 

"the  Most  Worshipful  the  Hon.  DeWitt  Clinton, 
Grand  Master,"  to  "Brother  Melancton  Smith,  to 
be  first  Master;  our  Worthy  Brother  Henry  De 
Lord,  to  be  Senior  Warden ;  and  our  Worthy  Brother, 
George  Marsh,  to  be  Junior  Warden."  The  charter 
still  preserved,  is  one  of  the  very  few  of  that  date 
in  existence.  The  lodge  flourished  until  the  Morgan 
excitement,  when  its  charter  was  surrendered.  The 
"Lodge  Room"  was  in  the  half-story  or  attic  of 
Israel  Greene's  Inn,  an  "oblong  apartment,  with 
slightly  arched  ceihng,"  "finished  in  appropriate 
design  as  a  Masonic  hall,  with  a  neat  robing  room 
attached."  Two  small  windows  set  with  tiny  panes 
of  glass,  shadowed  by  outside  chimneys  and  an 
annex,  built  later  than  the  main  part  of  the  house, 
admitted  the  only  light  from  without. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  401 

DECEMBER  4 

1744  Darius  Lobdell,  after  the  death  of  his  father, 

Capt.  Joshua,  of  the  French  and  Indian  wars,  chose 
his  older  brother  Caleb  for  his  .guardian.  His  aunt, 
Susannah  Lobdell,  had  married  Seaborn  Burt,  whose 
strange  name  was  in  itself  a  reminder  of  the  circum- 
stances of  his  birth  at  sea,  when  his  parents,  Benja- 
min and  Sarah  (Belding)  Burt,  both  captured  at 
Deerfield,  were  on  the  voyage  to  Boston,  having  been 
redeemed,  with  about  forty  others  through  the  nego- 
tiations of  Ensign  Sheldon. 

1763  Excessive   cold,    the   snow   deep,    McLean,   and 

Ayres  began  to  make  shingles  at  Luckey's. 

— Gilliland. 

1804  Marriage  of  Heman  Allen  of  Milton  to  Sarah, 

daughter  of  Dr.  Jonathan  Prentis  of  St.  Albans,  a 
descendant  of  Capt.  John  Prentis  of  New  London, 
Conn.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen  had  nine  children,  among 
them.  Prof.  George  Allen  of  the  University  of  Penn- 
sylvaniri,  Sarah  (Mrs.  John  K.  Converse  of  Burling- 
ton), Charies  P.  of  Port  Kent,  Joseph  W.  of  Milton, 
and  James  H.  of  Montreal. 

'813  — The  cold  weather  has  commenced  with  all  its 

severity,  in  this  northern  climate.  My  health  is 
extremely  feeble— this,  I  trust,  is  for  my  good— it 
reminds  me  of  the  uncertainty  of  my  existence  here 
*  *  *  My  father  and  brother  are  with  me  here. — Col. 
Williams  has  just  returned  from  his  command,  at 
the  Lines,  several  officers  are  with  him. — Williams. 

1825  Joseph-Octave  Plessis,   Bishop  of  Quebec,  died 

suddenly  at  the  hospital  of  the  Hotel-Dieu.  He  was 
a  grandson  of  little  Martha  French  and  great-grand- 
son of  Dea.  Thos.  French  (both  Deerfield  captives). 


402  Thrke  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Often,  in  his  visitations  to  Caughnawaga,  the  good 
bishop  had  recognized  among  the  Indian  women, 
his  grandmother's  sister,  Abigail,  who,  captured  by 
Indians,  grew  up  and  died  unmarried  among  them. 

DECEMBER  5 

1775  The  united  forces  of  Montgomery  and  Arnold 

arrive  within  sight  of  the  walls  of  Quebec. 

1812  Rosannah     (Noble)     Averill,     wife    of    Nathan 

Averill,  Sr.,  died.  She  was  bom  July  12,  1752, 
the  daughter  of  Stephen  Noble,  and  was  married 
March  31,  1768.  Her  remains  were  placed  in  the 
home  cemetery  at  the  head  of  Broad  street. 

1842  Death  of  John  Warford.     He  was  admitted  to 

the  bar  in  1805,  and  subsequently  became  judge  of 
the  Common  Pleas.  He  was  Aide-de-Camp  to  Gen. 
Mooers  during  the  war  of  181 2-14,  and  made  one  of 
that  group  of  men  who  were  wont  to  gather  in  good 
fellowship  at  the  inn  of  Israel  Green.  The  pillared 
house  on  Charlotte  street  (known  once  as  the  Gough 
House)  was  built  by  him. 

The  same  day  Elkanah  Watson,  the  friend  and 
associate  of  Washington,  the  Adamses,  Franklin, 
Jefferson,  Lafayette,  Coimt  de  Vergennes,  Gen. 
Schuyler,  John  Trumbull,  Robert  Fulton,  Lord 
Shelburne,  and  many  others,  died  at  his  home  at  Port 
Kent.  That  village,  chiefly  founded  by  him  and 
named  for  the  chancellor,  was  his  home  from  1828. 
Here  he  spent  most  of  his  time  with  questions  of 
horticulture  and  agriculture  and  the  embellishment  of 
his  grounds.  Through  his  individual  efforts  the  State 
road  from  Port  Kent  to  Hopkinton  in  St.  Lawrence 
county  was  successfully  accomplished.  A  simple 
obeHsk,  erected  to  his  memory  at  Port  Kent,  refers 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  403 

to  him  as  the  founder  and  first  president  of  the 
Berkshire  Agricultural  Society,  expressing  the  senti- 
ment, "May  Generations  yet  unborn  learn  by  his 
example  to  love  their  country." 

1859  Arrival,  late  on  Monday,  at  Westport,  of  Mrs. 

Brown  and  her  party  with  the  remains  of  her  husband, 
John  Brown,  executed  on  December  2  at  Charlestown. 
The  party,  consisting  of  the  widow,  Mrs.  Mary  A. 
Brown,  Mr.  Wendell  Phillips,  Frank  B.  Sanborn  and 
others,  had  come  by  way  of  the  Hudson,  by  rail  to 
Vergennes  thence  by  teams  to  Adams'  Ferry  and 
then  across  to  Barber's  Point.  That  night  was  passed 
at  Person's  Hotel,  Westport. 

1891  Edgar  P.  Wadhams,  Bishop  of  Ogdensburgh,  died. 

"  I  want  all  my  priests  and  people  to  know  how  the  first 
bishop  of  Ogdensburg  died." 

The  priests  are  for  the  people  not  the  people  for  the  priests. 

— Wadhams. 

1899  At  noon,  from  the  shipyard  of  the  Gas  Engine  and 

Power  company,  Morris  Heights,  was  launched  the 
new  torpedo  boat  destroyer  Bailey,  named  in  honor 
of  the  late  Rear  Admiral  Theodorus  Bailey,  "who 
in  peace  or  war  for  fifty-nine  years  so  gallantly 
served  in  the  navy  of  our  land."  Miss  Florence 
Beekman  Bailey,  daughter  of  Edmund  S.  Bailey, 
the  admiral's  only  son,  christened  the  boat  and  the 
family  will  present  a  silver  loving  cup  for  the  Bailey's 
wardroom. 

1909  In  the  M.  E.  church  of  East  Middlebury,  Vt., 

the  Rev.  Sedgwick  W.  Bid  well,  said  to  be  the  oldest 
clergyman  in  the  world,  observed  his  looth  birthday 
by  preaching  a  sermon  of  25  minutes'  duration.  Mr. 
Bidw^ell  is  probably  the  only  person  living  who 
remembers  distinctly  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh. 


404  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

DECEMBER  6 

1778  Arrival   at   Quebec   of   the   prisoners   taken   by 

Carleton  during  his  raid.  Among  them  were  Nathan 
and  Marshall  Smith  of  Bridport,  Benjamin  Kellogg, 
Ward  and  Joseph  Everest  of  Addison,  Holcomb 
Spalding,  two  Ferrises,  Granby  of  Panton,  and 
Hinckly  of  Shoreham.  The  two  last  were  liberated 
to  care  for  the  women  and  children,  who,  after 
Burgoyne's  defeat,  had  returned  to  their  abandoned 
homes.  Kellogg  and  Everest  had  been  partners  in 
the  carrying  trade,  owTiing  sloops  together.  Kellogg, 
after  escaping  the  following  spring  and  being  retaken, 
died  in  prison  during  the  winter  of  '79.  Everest 
succeeded  in  escaping  a  second  time  from  his  captors 
and  finally  reached  home.  The  party  escaping  from 
Quebec  had  only  a  small  sack  of  flour,  a  frying  pan, 
hatchet  (or  tomahawk)  and  small  compass  (ij  inches 
in  diameter),  afterwards  treasured  by  Everest's 
descendants. 

1805  George  Provost  w^as  created  an  English  baronet 

and  was  the  same  year  appointed  major-general  and 
in  181 1  lieutenant-general,  at  the  same  time  succeed- 
ing Sir  James  Craig  as  govemor-in-chief  and  com- 
mander of  all  the  forces  in  British  North  America. 

1847  A  meeting  was  held  at  the  Phoenix  hotel  (present 

site  of  Cumberland  house)  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
measures  to  construct  a  plank  road  from  Plattsburgh 
to  Red  ford.  Among  those  especially  interested  was 
Moss  Kent  Piatt,  who,  well  knowing  the  importance 
of  such  a  road  for  the  development  of  the  lumber 
and  iron  interests  of  Saranac  valley,  labored  zealously 
for  it. 

1859  "A  steady,  icy  down-pour"  of  rain  all  day.     The 

sad  funeral  cortege  of  John  Brown  arrived  at  Eliza- 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  405 

bethtown  about  six  o'clock.  At  Wadhams,  Mr. 
Daniel  Braman  and  young  Dr.  George  T.  Stevens 
joined  the  company.  The  body  of  John  Brown  was 
placed  in  the  court  room  of  the  old  Court  House 
and  guarded  during  the  long  December  night  by  four 
young  men — Richard  L.  Hand,  A.  C.  H.  Livingston, 
Orlando  Kellogg  and  Henry  J.  r\dams.  At  the  hotel, 
then  kept  by  Elisha  A.  Adams,  sheriff  of  Essex 
county,  the  people  of  Elizabethtown  gathered  to 
meet  Wendell  Phillips  and  other  members  of  the 
•sad-hearted  company. 

1898  Formation  of  the  Political  Equality  Committee, 

which  held  its  last  meeting,  as  a  committee  in  Clinton 
County  Court  House,  inviting  the  public  to  listen 
to  Miss  Harriet  May  Mills  on  the  subject  of  Woman 
Suffrage.  After  the  address,  the  chairman,  Prof. 
Robertson,  assisted  by  Miss  Mills  (state  organizer), 
transformed  the  committee  into  the  George  William 
Curtis  Club  and  it  was  voted  auxiliary  to  the  National 
Suffrage  Association.  Plattsburgh  was  incorporated 
as  a  city  March  17,  1902,  and  it  is  generally  conceded 
that  to  the  influence  and  agency  of  the  George 
William  Curtis  Club  is  due  the  fact  that  the  city's 
charter  gives  to  women  the  right  to  vote  on  special 
taxation  propositions. 

DECEMBER  7 

1763  McLane  and  Ayers  returned  home. — Gilliland. 

1776    •  Robert  Holmes,  son  of  John  (one  of  the  original 

proprietors  of  Londonderry,  N.  H.),  began  a  third 
enlistment.  He  had  been  with  the  troops  engaged 
in  the  defense  of  Piscataqua  Harbor  and,  in  1777, 
was  among  those  "fit  to  march  to  Ticonderoga." 
His  son  Thomas,  born  July  15,  '75,  married  Lucy 


4o6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Tuttle,  daughter  of  Samuel,  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
of  Littleton,  Mass.  The  young  couple  made  a  home 
in  the  new  state  of  Vermont  at  Hardwick  and  later, 
at  Waterville. 

Full  many  a  dame  you  might  descry, 
As  trod  she  blithsomely  and  light, 

All  decked  in  dress  of  double  dye, 

With  warp  of  blue,  and  woof  of  white. 

— Sunderlin. 


DECEMBER  8 

1809  Destina,  wife  of  Martin  Winchell,  died  and  was 

buried  in  the  village  cemetery,  in  the  rear  of  her  own 
home.  The  Winchell  house  (now  known  as  the  Gor- 
ham)  stands  on  the  corner  of  Broad  and  Cemetery 
streets,  down  the  latter,  then  called  Winchell  road, 
the  British  marched  to  the  "Upper  Bridge."  Mrs. 
Winchell  left  children — Adelaide,  Abigail,  Lucy  Des- 
tina (Mrs.  Sidney  Gorham),  Ursula  and  Samuel, 
for  years  sexton  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

1812  The    eight    companies    of    the    First    Vermont 

militia,  stationed  at  Swanton  barracks,  discharged, 
but  soon  replaced  by  Col.  Fifield's  regiment,  which 
remained  but  five  or  six  weeks  before  being  ordered 
away  and  then  back  again  into  winter  quarters. 

1849  Clinton  Lodge,  F.  and  A.   M.,  received  a  new 

charter  under  the  same  name,  but  a  different  number 
(155).  It  was  issued  to  St.  John  B.  L.  Skinner, 
Master;  Samuel  Emery,  Senior  Warden;  George  W. 
Webster,  Junior  Warden. 

One  spirit  warms  each  kindred  breast — 
Bums  in  each  soul  one  holy  flame — 

Ah!  heed  they  well  God's  high  behest, 
Nor  may  blind  sin  their  purpose  tame. 

— Sunderlin, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  407 

DECEMBER  9 

1714  Grant  of  land  in  Brookfield  to  "Margaret  Otice, 

alias  Le  Bue,"  provided  she  remains  in  the  province 
and  marries  Capt.  Baker.  Mrs.  Baker  died  in  Dover, 
February  23,  1773. 

1766  The  snow  3  inches  deep. — Gilliland. 

1774  Elizabeth    ConkHn,    a    "pioneer    mother,"    and 

second  cousin  of  Roscoe  Conklin,  was  born.  She 
married  Thomas  Miller  (born  January  7,  1770), 
and  with  one  child  and  her  husband's  parents, 
Burnet  Miller  and  wife,  in  1795,  came  to  Plattsburgh 
from  Poughkeepsie.  They  settled  on  a  farm  of  400 
acres  west  of  the  "Priest"  Halsey  place.  All  that 
region  was  then  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of 
native  timber  and  Indians  were  frequent  visitors,  a 
squaw  one  day  bringing  to  Mrs.  Miller  a  glass  vase, 
which  is  still  preserved  by  a  granddaughter.  Visit- 
ing a  "neighbor"  ten  miles  away  on  horseback  was 
not  unusual,  but  as  soon  as  roads  were  built  Thomas 
Miller  sent  to  Poughkeepsie  for  a  wagon. 

1763  Zenas    Allen,    son    of    Ezra   and    Phebe    (Gary) 

Allen,  w^as  bom.  He  was  descended  from  Samuel 
Allen,  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  East  Bridge- 
water,  Mass.,  who  was  associated  with  Capt.  Church 
and  engaged  in  many  Indian  fights.  Zenas  served 
in  the  Revolution  and  lived  in  Tinmouth,  Vt.  His 
wife  was  Eliphat  Partridge  and  they  had  six  children 
— Charles,  Frederick,  Minerva,  Susan,  Ethan  and 
George.  Zenas  died  in  Plattsburgh  and  his  oldest 
son,  Charles,  removed  from  Orwell,  Vt.,  to  Mooers 
in  1 82 1,  an  unbroken  wilderness.  He  built  the  first 
saw  mill  and  carried  on  the  lumber  business  success- 
fully several  years. 


4o8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1798  George  Marsh,  son  of  George  and  Polly  (Buel) 

Marsh,  was  born  in  Plattsburgh.  He  studied  law 
with  his  uncle  by  marriage,  Gilead  Sperry,  and  soon 
took  a  prominent  place  in  the  church  and  community, 
being  one  of  the  two  largest  contributors  towards 
the  purchase  of  a  town  clock  for  the  village,  which 
was  put  up  in  Trinity  church  for  $325.  In  August, 
1832,  when  the  Asiatic  cholera  was  at  its  worst, 
the  promising  young  lawyer  was  stricken  with 
paralysis,  and  died  in  a  few  days.  The  attending 
physician,  however,  declared  the  later  symptoms 
those  of  the  dreadful  disease.  He  left  a  young  wife, 
Eleanor  Piatt,  daughter  of  Theodorus,  and  an  only 
child,  Julia  A.  Marsh,  who  survived  until  April  10, 
1908. 

1802  Lazau  (Eleazer)  Williams,  while  under  the  guar- 

dianship of  his  relative,  Deacon  Nathaniel  Ely,  at 
Long  Meadow,  wrote: 

"  God  is  once  more  pleased  to  send  our  father.  He  came 
today  about  sundown,  and  brought  us  news  that  my  sister  is 
sick.  God  be  praised."  Meanwhile  the  good  Deacon  wrote  in 
his  diary: — " 

"Thursday  at  home,  &c.,  &c. — Thomas  Williams,  of 
Connawaga,  came  to  our  house." 

1811  The  date  of  a  letter  written  by  Wm.   Ray  of 

ElizabethtowTi  to  Gov.  Tompkins  in  regard  to 
appointments.  The  following  April,  Mr.  Ray,  now 
editor  of  the  first  paper  ever  printed  in  Essex  county, 
wrote  to  the  Governor,  at  the  same  time  sending 
him  the  first  number  of  the  new  paper  and  referring 
to  Ezra  C.  Gross,  "a  young  gentleman  of  sound 
principles  and  excellent  talents,"  as  his  associate 
in  the  editorial  department.  Ezra  Carter  Gross, 
son  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Gross  (the  first  settled 
minister  of  Hartford,  Vt.)  and  his  wife,  Judith 
Carter,  was  a  graduate  of  Middlebury  College   and 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  409 

a  rising  young  lawyer.  In  181 7  he  held  a  captain's 
commission  in  Col.  Luman  Wadham's  regiment  and 
had  filled  several  civil  offices  with  credit.  During 
his  term  in  Congress  (181 9-1 821)  he  made  a  mem- 
orable speech  on  the  Missouri  Compromise.  His 
portrait  hung  for  years  in  Independence  Hall, 
Philadelphia.  In  the  famous  trial  of  Wm.  H. 
Houghton  of  Chazy,  indicted  for  murder,  Mr.  Gross 
was  associated  with  Judge  Lynde,  Wm.  Sweetland 
and  Samuel  Stevens,  then  of  Washington  county, 
in  making  a  successful  defense.  His  promising 
career  was  cut  short  by  his  early  death  at  Albany, 
April  9,  1829,  while  Member  of  Assembly.  His 
wife,  Phebe  Fisher,  daughter  of  Josiah  and  Phebe 
(Hall)  Fisher,  also  died  early,  leaving  three 
daughters,  Emily  P.,  Juhet  and  Charlotte  Caroline. 
Emily  was  adopted  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oliver  Keese. 
She  taught  in  Essex  County  Academy,  Westport, 
and  married  Ransom  E.  Wood,  a  wealthy  man  of 
Upper  Jay.  In  Derbyshire,  England,  where  she  lies 
buried,  a  memorial  window  in  the  little  church 
recalls  the  country  girl  of  Essex  county.  Her 
sister,  Juliet,  after  teaching  in  the  old  brick  school- 
house  of  Elizabethtown,  married  Monroe  Hall  of 
Lower  Jay,  while  Charlotte  became  the  wife  of 
George  Burt  of  Ausable  Forks. 

1839  Horace    Bucklin    Sawyer    was    promoted    com- 

mander. 

DECEMBER  10 
1763  — raised  our  barn. — Gilliland. 

1766  The  snow  4  inches  deep. — Idem. 

1814  John  Cochran,  the  founder  of  Peru  village,  died 

in  his   seventy-first   year.     He   and  his   wife   Sarah 


4IO  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Vallev 

were  from  the  north  of  Ireland.  In  1795,  on  the 
high  bluff  where  now  the  Hey  worth  house  stands,  he 
built  a  frame  house  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
deep,  rushing  river,  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  a  great 
blessing  to  all  the  settlers.  On  the  southeast  a  low, 
swampy,  dense  forest,  infested  with  black  bears  and 
other  wild  animals,  extended  some  miles.  George 
Heyworth  and  John  Hackstaff  came  in  1800  and 
"Cochran's  Mill"  in  time  became  "Hackstaff's"  and 
finally  passed  to  the  Hey  worths. 

1818  The  marriage  of  Esther,  daughter  of  John  and 

Phoebe  (Deuel)  Allen  of  Peru  to  Israel,  son  of  Daniel 
and  Mary  (Green)  Jackson,  took  place.  The  young 
couple  first  settled  in  Peru,  but  in  1828  removed  to 
Cumberland  Head,  Pittsburgh.  They  had  eight 
children. 

1866  George    Henry    Emerson,    son    of    Joseph    R. 

Emerson,  was  buried  from  his  father's  home.  Lieut. 
Emerson  had  helped  to  raise  and  equip  Harris' 
Light  Cavalry,  holding  a  commission  as  second 
lieutenant  until  hemorrhages  from  the  lungs,  which 
later  resulted  in  his  death,  compelled  his  resignation. 
He  died  in  Washington,  December  2.  From  the 
days  of  King  Philip  the  Emerson  family  had  been 
represented  in  every  war, 

DECEMBER  11 

1766  — to    1 8th,    warm   pleasant   weather,    sent   our 

cattle  to  the  meadows  the  17th  inst. — Gilliland. 

1844  The    Hon.    Heman   Allen    (formerly   of   Milton) 

died  at  his  home  in  Burlington  from  an  illness  brought 
on  by  exposure  early  in  the  year  in  making  a  journey 
to  Lamoille  county  during  the  coldest  day  of  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  41 1 

winter.  He  had  been  a  man  of  wonderful  physique 
and  endurance  and  had  been  wont  to  tax  his  powers 
to  the  utmost,  disregarding  all  experiences.  As  a 
young  man,  he  was  for  a  time  employed  as  a  tutor 
in  the  family  of  Judge  Piatt  in  Plattsburgh.  His 
powerful  intellect  was  accompanied  by  sterling 
integrity.  As  a  Federalist  he  preferred  to  forfeit 
re-election  to  Congress  rather  than  vote  against  his 
principles. 

1909  At  West  Plattsburgh,  where  her  ancestors  had 

located  on  the  settlement  of  the  town,  Ruth  E.  New- 
comb,  for  thirty-five  years  the  faithful  and  efficient 
principal  of  the  Elizabeth  street  school,  passed  to 
her  heavenly  reward.  Miss  Newcomb  was  a  daughter 
of  Samuel  and  Angeline  L.  (Newcomb)  Newcomb. 
Her  paternal  grandfather.  Dr.  Samuel  Newcomb,  a 
native  of  Nine  Partners,  was  a  celebrated  physician 
and  surgeon  and  director  of  the  medical  college  at 
Montreal.  In  1839  he  was  exiled  to  Van  Dieman's 
Land  for  active  participation  in  the  Canadian  rebellion. 
After  nine  years  he  was  pardoned  and  returned  to 
Plattsburgh,  but  his  last  days  were  spent  in  Montreal. 
Miss  Newcomb 's  maternal  grandfather  was  the  Hon. 
Piatt  Newcomb.  But  it  was  not  for  her  ancestry, 
but  because  of  her  own  lovely  character  and  person- 
ality that  Miss  Newcomb 's  memory  will  long  be  held 
precious  in  the  hearts  of  hundreds  of  grateful  pupils. 

DECEMBER  12 

1812  Macdonough    married    in    Middletown,    Conn., 

Lucy  Shaler,  daughter  of  Nathaniel  Shaler,  in  early 
life  a  Tory.  The  new  commander  brought  his  bride 
to  Burlington,  where  they  spent  the  winter,  while 
he  superintended  the  fitting  out  of  the  fleet  which 
was  to  engage  the  enemy  and  protect  the  lake  . 


412  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

The  same  day  in  Burlington  the  First  Cahin- 
istic  Congregational  Society  dedicated  their  first 
house  of  worship.  This  stood  on  the  site  of  the  pres- 
ent edifice,  but  fronted  on  Pearl  street.  It  \Aas 
burned  June  23,  1839.  The  second  church  building 
was  dedicated  April  14,  1842. 


HANNAH    KENT    PLATT. 

1846  After  twenty  years  of  blindness,  Hannah  Kent, 

w4dow  of  Elder  William  Pitt  Piatt,  opened  her  eyes 
on  endless  day.  In  spite  of  her  infirmities,  blindness 
and  rheumatism,  she  ahvays  had  a  pleasant  smile 
for  all  and  would  tell  fascinating  stories  to  the  younger 
generation,  while  her  fingers  were  busy  with  sewing  or 
knitting. 

DECEMBER  13 

1781  Jonas  Morgan,  son  of  Samuel,  and  Sarah   Mott, 

daughter  of  Captain  Edward,  were  married  at  Pres- 
ton, Conn.,  where  they  first  settled,  afterwards  remov- 
ing to  Lansingburgh,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died  in  1824. 
March  20,  1828,  his  son  William  H.,  moved  into  his 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  413 

new  brick  house  in  Plattsburgh,  on  the  corner  of 
Macomb  and  Macdonough  streets,  This  he  had 
built  after  the  fashion  of  his  childhood's  home  in 
Lansingburgh.  Very  early  Jonas,  Sr.,  had  built  a 
forge  on  the  Black  river  (present  site  of  Meigs ville). 
This  he  sold  in  1808,  receiving  a  new  grant  in  Eliza- 
bethtown,  on  which  he  built  "Morgan's  New  Forcre  " 
now  Brainard's  Forge.  Capt.  John  Lobdell  acted  as 
Morgan's  agent  in  Elizabethtown  and  Westport  In 
the  early  forties,  Jonas,  Jr.,  paid  a  last  visit  to 
Elizabethtown,  when  all  accounts  between  proprietor 
and  agent  were  settled  in  full. 

1841  "George  W.   Fitch  opened  a  private  school  in 

the  basement  of  the  Episcopal  church.  Terms  $2 
per  quarter."  An  infant  school  had  been  kept  here 
m  1832  by  Miss  Carpenter.  All  instruction  was  oral 
arithmetic  being  taught  by  an  abacus  and  spelling 
from  picture  cards  held  in  the  teacher's  hand.  The 
children's  wraps  were  hung  under  the  gallery  at  the 
west  side,  where  the  pupils  sat  while  receiving 
instruction  as  a  school.  The  exercises  opened  at 
nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  with  Scripture  reading 
after  which  the  little  ones  knelt  and  repeated  the 
Lord's  Prayer.  They  stood  in  the  aisles  while  receiv- 
ing instruction  and  several  times  a  day,  "to  keep  them 
quiet,"  following  the  lead  of  the  assistant  teachers 
they  marched  upon  a  black  line  about  three  inches 
mde,  singing  as  they  marched  this  song  or  some- 
thing similar; 

Oh,  liow  pretty  'tis  to  see 
Little  children  all  agree 
Try  and  keep  the  step  with  me 
While  we  are  exercising. 

Heads  held  up  and  hands  behind 
Toes  turn  out  and  heels  turn  in 
While  we  are  exercising. 


414  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1858  Death  of  Caleb  Nichols  at  the  age  of  ninety. 

I860  Commander   Charles   Theodorus    Piatt    died   at 

Newburg,  N.  Y.  His  last  service  was  in  charge  of 
the  navy  yard  at  Memphis,  on  the  Mississippi.  During 
the  battle  of  Pittsburgh ,  it  was  Mr.  Piatt,  then  a 
midshipman  on  the  Saratoga,  who,  when  the  Chub, 
crippled  by  a  broadside  from  the  Eagle,  with  half 
her  men  killed  or  wounded,  came  drifting  down 
between  the  opposing  vessels,  took  possession  of 
the  unfortunate  sloop  which  was  then  towed  in 
shore  and  anchored. 

1864  Incorporation    of   the    Peristrome    Presbyterian 

church  of  Plattsburgh,  with  the  Rev.  Francis  Blood- 
good  Hall  as  pastor,  a  position  which  he  held  until 
his  decease,  October  4,  1903,  when  the  congregation 
united  with  that  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church. 

The  same  day  at  Montreal  the  trial  of  the  St. 
Albans  raiders  was  brought  to  a  close,  Justice  Coursol, 
rendering  a  decision  in  favor  of  the  robbers,  who 
were  at  once  released  from  custody  and  the  money 
($80,000)  found  upon  them  restored.  Through  the 
recommendation  of  Governor-General  Lord  Monck, 
the  provincial  parliament  voted  $50,000  in  gold 
(equivalent  to  $88,000  in  currency)  to  be  paid  to 
the  banks.  Though  the  loss,  including  cost  of  trial, 
was  about  $140,000,  yet  the  financial  strength  of  the 
little  town  was  such  that  there  was  no  particular 
disturbance  in  the  monetary  situation. 

1884  Plattsburg  electric  fire  alarm  introduced. 

1907  Public  meeting  called  at  the    Court    House   in 

Plattsburg  for  the  formation  of  a  Clinton  County 
Branch  of  Mohawk  and  Hudson  River  Humane 
Society. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  415 

DECEMBER  14 

1823  In  Trinity  Church,  Philadelphia,  John  H.  Hop- 

kins, having  given  up  a  lucrative  law  practice  to 
enter  the  ministry,  was  ordained  Deacon  by  Bishoo 
White.  ^ 

1854  Dannemora,  named  by  St.  John  B.  L.  Skinner 

for  a  noted  iron  producing  section  of  Sweden,  was 
formed  from  Beekmantown.  It  was  the  latest 
settled  town  in  the  county,  the  pioneer,  Phineas 
Hooker  (son  of  Martin,  Revolutionary  patriot  and 
pioneer  from  Norwich,  Conn.),  with  his  wife  coming 
here  in  1836  and  settHng  on  the  site  of  the  present 
village.  That  year  Matthew  Lane,  son  of  the  Revo- 
lutionary officer,  Lieut.-Col.  Derick  Lane,  of  New 
Jersey,  became  a  partner  with  Messrs.  Coming  and 
Cook,  who  had  established  the  Crown  Glass  Works 
at  Redford  in  the  town  of  Saranac,  south  of  Danne- 
mora. Mr.  Lane  eventually  became  sole  proprietor 
and  continued  the  business  until  185  7,  when  the  works 
were  abandoned.  The  glass  makers  were  mostly 
from  England,  among  them  one  John  Davidson  and 
seven  sons,  all  glass  makers. 

1892  D'Youville  Academy,  founded  in   i860  by  the 

Grey  Nuns  of  Ottawa,  Can.,  was  chartered  by  the 
Regents  of  the  University  of  New  York.  A  long 
white  house  on  the  south  side  of  Cornelia  street, 
the  former  home  of  Vespasian  Nutting  (chosen  an 
elder  of  the  Presbyterian  church  April,  1826,  but 
five  years  later  dismissed  by  letter  to  the  Methodist 
church)  was  used  by  the  sisters  as  a  school.  Mr. 
Nutting  built  the  house  (now  known  as  the  Aaron 
Oliver)  on  Cumberland  Head,  where  Mr.  Sailly's 
daughter,  the  widow  Buel  once  Hved. 


4l6  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

DECEMBER  15 

1745  Nathan  Averill,  Sr.,  son  of  Daniel  Averill,   Sr. 

(17 1 6-1 785),  was  born  in  New  Preston,  Conn.  With 
his  brother  Daniel  and  son  Nathan,  he  was  employed 
in  transporting  the  goods  of  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt 
from  Poughkeepsie  to  Plattsburgh.  These  three 
received  deeds  of  land  amounting  to  300  acres, 
including  the  Sanborn  farm  and  other  land  running 
south  to  the  Saranac  river.  Nathan,  Sr.,  built  the 
house  on  Cornelia  street,  past  which  Margaret  street 
was  afterward  extended  north,  and  was  living  there 
1792-94,  but  in  1 81 2,  his  home  was  at  the  head  of 
Broad  street,  where,  down  the  hill  in  the  rear,  he 
had  built  a  tannery,  where  he  could  pursue  the  trade 
he  had  been  engaged  in  before  coming  here.  He  and 
his  wife  were  buried  in  the  family  plot  near  the 
homestead,  but  their  remains  were  afterwards  re- 
moved to  Riverside  cemetery.  Their  home  was  the 
first  "Home  for  the  Friendless"  and  its  first  inmate, 
a  cripple,  named  John  Ellsworth. 

1760  Sister  Esther  Wheelwright  of  the  Infant  Jesus 

was  elected  Superior  of  the  Ursulines. 
— C.  Alice  Baker,  in  True  Stories  of  New  England  Captives. 

1762  Sarah    Mott,    daughter    of    Edward    and    Sarah 

(Kinne)  Mott,  was  bom  at  Preston,  Conn. 

1772  Mother  Esther  "was  honorably  discharged  *  *  * 

only  to  be  made  assistant  superior,  and  six  years 
later  Zelatrix. ' ' — Baker. 

1852  At  the  Girard  house  in  Philadelphia,  the  Hon. 

Cornelius  P.  Van  Ness  of  Washington  and  New  York, 
died,  and  was  buried  in  the  family  vault  in  Wash- 
ington.    His  first  wife,  Rhoda  Savage   (daughter  of 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  417 

James),  died  in  Madrid  in  1834  of  malignant  cholera. 
Their  daughters,  Marcia  and  Cornelia,  became  Lady 
Ouseley  and  Mrs.  Roosevelt,  nieces  of  the  second 
Mrs.  John  Freligh  of  Plattsburgh.  Their  father  was 
governor  of  Vermont  1823-26. 

1855  Five  wolves  from  a  pack  that  had  been  harassing 

the  farmers  of  Ellenburgh,  Clinton  and  Chateaugay, 
were  killed  in  a  swamp  near  Beekmantown  Corners 
during  a  hunt  organized  for  the  purpose.  The 
wolves  driven  by  hunger,  had  moved  along  the  old 
MiHtary  turnpike,  killing  sheep  in  Chazy,  Beekman- 
town and  Plattsburgh,  as  far  as  the  lake  shore.  At 
the  same  time  another  pack  was  invading  sheepfolds 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  county. 

1864  The    grounds    comprising    "Rock    Point,"    orig- 

inally purchased  in  1841  by  Rt.  Rev.  J.  H.  Hopkins, 
the  first  bishop  of  the  diocese,  were  conveyed  to  a 
corporation  known  as  the  "Vermont  Episcopal 
Institute." 

1909  Pittsburgh's  new  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  opened 

to  the  public.  This  beautiful  structure  will  stand 
as  a  lasting  memorial  to  the  late  Loyal  L.  Smith. 
The  reception  room  is  furnished  through  the  gener- 
osity of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  C.  Pike;  the  assembly 
room,  by  Mr.  John  Haughran;  the  directors'  room, 
by  Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R. ;  the  boys'  department, 
by  Mr.  Edwin  G.  Moore,  in  memory  of  his  son;  the 
gymnasium,  by  Mrs.  John  Henry  Myers,  in  memory 
of  her  husband,  and  the  kitchen  and  dormitories 
by  the  Ladies'  Auxiliary. 

DECEMBER  16 

1775  Birth  of  Nathaniel  Zephaniah,  fifth  son  of  Judge 

Zephaniah  Piatt  of  Poughkeepsie.     In  1 80  7 ,  Nathaniel 


4i8  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

Z.  Piatt  was  a  member  of  the  State  Assembly  for 
Clinton  county  and  about  1810  on  "the  point,"  east 
of  Fouquet's,  he  built  a  storehouse,  which  was 
burned  during  Murray's  raid  in  181 3,  but  soon 
rebuilt.  After  Mr.  Piatt's  death  his  \\idow,  Sarah 
(Keyes)  Piatt,  with  her  young  son,  Samuel  Keyes, 
boarded  at  Israel  Green's  Inn.  Her  daughters, 
Elizabeth  and  Mary  Van  Wyck  had  married  Capt. 
Samuel  Russell,  U.  S.  A.,  and  Gen.  C.  A.  Waite, 
U.  S.  A.,  respectively.  After  the  death  of  Capt. 
Russell,  his  widow  married  Frederick  C.  Sailly. 

1819  A  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  taking  into  con- 

sideration the  expediency  of  forming  a  County 
Agricultural  Society  was  held  at  the  house  of  Joseph 
I.  Green.  Hon.  Thomas  Tread  well  was  president  of 
of  the  meeting  and  Isaac  C.  Piatt,  secretary.  Joseph 
I.  Green,  besides  keeping  this  hotel,  which  was  burned 
some  time  between  1822-32,  had  a  shop  where  he 
manufactured  saddles  and  harnesses. 

1855  St.  Peter's  church  of  Plattsburgh  incorporated, 

with  Joseph  Fountain,  Isaac  Jourdarmais,  Damien 
LaForce,  Lewis  Chaurain  and  Lewis  St.  Michell  as 
trustees. 

DECEMBER  17 
1766  — sent  our  cattle  to  the  meadows. — GilUland. 

1788  Occurred   the   first   marriage   in   Peru — that   of 

Lott  Elmore  and  Mary  Hay,  daughter  of  William 
and  Elizabeth  (Betsey  Williams)  Hay.  Mary  was 
the  baby  in  her  mother's  arms  when,  during  the 
battle  of  Valcour,  Mrs.  Hay  in  terror  sought  safety 
at  a  spring  near  her  home,  only  to  find  herself 
surrounded  by  the  Indian  allies  of  the  enemy.     The 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  419 

daughters  of  Mary  (Hay)  Elmore  were  among  the 
first  pupils  of  Mrs.  Emma  Willard.  August  2,  1818, 
Mr.  Elmore  died  suddenly  at  the  age  of  54  years, 
while  at  the  Falls  of  Montmorency,  whither  he 
had  gone  with  a  raft  of  timber.  His  remains  were 
brought  to  Plattsburg  for  interment  in  Riverside 
cemetery. 

1813  — Had  an  interview  with  the  commanding  officer, 

in  presence  of  Gen.  Mooers  and  Mr.  Sailly.  The  object 
of  my  call  was  arranged,  and  I  hope  it  will  be 
beneficial  to  the  public  service. 

— Williams  at  Plattsburgh. 

1841  Jemima     (Roberts)     Beman,     wife    of    Nathan 

Beman,  died  at  Chateaugay,  aged  87  years.  They 
were  married  in  1785  and  lived  first  in  Ferrisburgh. 
Their  children  were  Aaron,  John,  George,  Samuel, 
Lucy,  Amy  and  Phoebe. 

1849  Elizabeth  (Conklin)  Miller  died,  survived  by  her 

husband.  Col.  Thomas  Miller,  until  March,  1855. 
Their  first  home  in  the  wilderness  was  burned  in 
1844.  Here  Mrs.  Miller  had  remained  during  the 
siege  and  battle  of  Plattsburgh,  while  her  husband 
was  at  the  front  with  his  regiment.  He  had  advised 
her  to  go  to  friends  in  Peru,  but  she  preferred  to 
take  care  of  her  home  though  she  sent  away  the  older 
children.  British  officers  occupied  her  vacant  rooms, 
but  she  was  glad  of  their  protection  from  the  plimder- 
ing  of  the  soldiery.  During  the  battle,  with  them 
she  watched  the  struggle  on  the  lake,  they  several 
times  affirming  that  the  Stars  and  Stripes  had  gone 
down,  and  she  denying  it.  When  the  result  of  the 
conflict  was  evident,  the  officers  lost  no  time  in 
mounting  their  horses  and  riding  away. 


420  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

DECEMBER  18 

Far  on  New-England's  checkered  land. 

The  dark  Green  Mountains  bound  the  view, 
And  stretching  wide  on  either  hand, 

Lies  the  still  lake  with  sheet  of  blue. 

— Sunderlin. 

1813  Charlotte — Just  returned  from   Plattsburgh.     I 

am  greatly  fatigued,  and  have  suffered  much  from 
the  cold,  being  on  horseback.  My  waiter  is  sick. 
My  father,  Col.  Williams,  and  Major  Stone  are  in  high 
spirits — they  have  been  out  on  a  chase  and  killed 
two  foxes.  There  is  to  be  a  ball  this  evening,  I  am 
invited  to  attend — but  no!  My  Bible  shall  be  my 
company  this  evening,  and  may  God  give  me  a  heart 
to  understand  His  holy  word. — Williams. 

1843  Mr.    Billings    opened    a    class    in    Porter's    new 

system  of  arithmetic  in  the  Academy.  George  F.  Buck, 
William  Carter,  J.  R.  Grant,  Henry  J.  Gilman,  George 
W.  Hartwell,  A.  Moss,  Elric  L.  Nichols,  Richard  N. 
Ostrander,  F.  A.  Ransom,  John  H.  Sanborn  and 
George  N.  Webb  were  among  those  in  attendance. 

DECEMBER  19 
1766  — very  cold. — Gilliland. 

When  Peace  was  breathing,  where  had  been 
The  sanguine  carnage  of  the  brave. — Sunderlin. 

1816  Thursday,   under  the   supervision  of   Benjamin 

Mooers,  Melancton  L.  Woolsey  and  Levi  Piatt,  the 
pews  in  the  new  meeting  house  were  sold  at  auction 
and  brought  about  $2,000.  At  this  date,  for  the 
expense  of  more  than  $10,000  already  incurred, 
not  one  cent  was  owed  outside  the  community. 
A  bell,  stoves,  etc.,  as  well  as  means  of  lighting  the 
church  for  evening  services  remained  to  be  provided. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  421 

1856  Death  claimed  Hannah,  widow  of  Hon.  Jonathan 

Griffin.     She    had    survived    her    husband    fifteen 
years.     Mary,    their    youngest    daughter,    had    died 
m   early  married   Hfe.     Her  husband,   Theodore   P. 
Cady,  was  the  son  of  Heman  Cady  of  Bennington, 
who,  with  his  brother  Cyrus,  engaged  in  the  mer- 
cantile   business    in    Plattsburg.     Their   wives    were 
cousins.     Heman  had  married  Maria  Piatt,  daughter 
of  Judge  Theodorus,  and  Cyrus'  wife  was  Margaret 
daughter  of  Judge  Levi.     The  Heman  Cady  home- 
stead, on  the  corner  of  Broad  and  Margaret  streets 
was    burned,    together    with    the    "Standish    store'' 
and   house   of   Dr.    Edward    Kane,    May    29,    1863. 
Cyrus   Cady  lived   in   the   Melancton   Smith 'house, 
which    was    afterward    known    as    the    Smith-Platt 
house.     In  1833,  the  brothers  bought  a  large  tract 
of  land  where  Cadyville  is  now  located,  and  built 
a  forge.     They,  with  another  brother,  Hiram,  finally 
settled  in  Wisconsin,  where  they  remained  through  life. 

1882  Organization  of  Political  Anti-Bribery  Society. 

It  was  fitting  that  B.  M.  Beckwith,  whose  grand- 
father. Dr.  Baruch  Beckwith,  though  having  one  of 
the  longest  and  hardest  rides  in  the  county,  yet  felt 
conscientious  scruples  against  charging  more  than 
a  dollar  a  visit,  should  be  especially  interested  in 
this  society.  But  the  time  was  not  ripe  for  such 
a  movement,  and  it  failed  from  lack  of  support. 

DECEMBER  20 

Roll  back,  thou  tide  of  time  and  tell 
Of  book,  of  rosary,  and  bell; 
Of  cloistered  nun,  with  brow  of  gloom, 
Immured  within  her  living  tomb. 

— Lu€retia  Davidson. 

1654  The  widow  of  Champlain  died  at  the  Ursuline 

convent,  which  she  had  founded  at  Meaux  in  1648, 


422  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

three  years  after  she  had  entered  the  convent  of 
Ursulines  in  the  Faubourg  Saint- Jacques  at  Paris. 

1812  Macdonough,  in  his  report  to  the  navy  depart- 

ment, names  the  President,  a  sloop  which  had  pre- 
viously been  imder  the  control  of  Dearborn,  with 
six  transports,  all  of  which  were  transferred  to  the 
commander  of  the  fleet.  Macdonough  made  the 
President  his  flagship  and  so  it  remained  during  1813. 

1837  Thankful  (Sage)  Robinson,  wife  of  Daniel  Robin- 

son, died  after  54  years  of  married  life.  They  were 
the  parents  of  twelve  children.  Mr.  Robinson 
survived  less  than  three  months,  dying  at  his  home 
on  the  military  turnpike  in  Chazy,  March  25,  1838. 
His  sobriquet  of  "Governor"  grew  out  of  an  athletic 
contest  in  which  the  victor  was  to  be  addressed 
thereafter  by  the  vanquished  as  "Governor." 

DECEMBER  21 

1705  The  baptism  of  Samuel  Williams  (captured  at 

"Dearfielde"  on  the  nth  of  March  of  the  preceding 
year)  is  recorded  by  Father  Meriel  in  the  records  of 
Notre  Dame,  "de  Mont-Real."  The  captive  was 
afterwards  redeemed  and  returned  to  his  people, 
where  he  spent  a  long  and  useful  life. 

1743  Sieur  de  L'Estage,   at  the  age  of   63.   died  in 

Montreal  and  was  buried  in  the  church  of  the  Recollet 
fathers.  His  widow,  Marie  (Sayer)  de  Lestage,  sold 
their  fine  mansion  with  the  avenue  leading  to  it,  the 
grist  mill,  saw  mill  and  other  property  and  removed 
to  Montreal,  w^here  she  died  in  old  age,  a  "perpetual 
pensioner,"  cared  for  by  the  Sisters  of  the  Congre- 
gation, the  friends  of  her  girlhood.  To  them  she 
gave  her  most  valuable  household  goods  and  silver. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  423 

1809  Hannah     Piatt,    oldest     daughter    of     Captain 

Nathaniel,  and  wife  of  Gen.  Mooers,  died.  She  did 
not  live  to  see  the  battle  that  was  to  be  fought  on 
the  bay  so  near  her  own  home,  but  her  children  had  a 
lifelong  remembrance  of  that  day.  On  the  sixtieth 
anniversary,  her  son,  Charles  Sidney  Mooers,  far 
away  in  the  city  of  Des  Moines,  kept  the  American 
colors  flying  over  his  little  fruit  stand  on  wheels. 
He  had  been  an  aide  to  his  father  and  was  now  the 
only  man  in  that  city  to  remember  the  conflict. 
On  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  Mrs.  Mooers'  death, 
her  oldest  son,  Col.  Benjamin  Hazen  Mooers,  in  his 
Wisconsin  home,  wrote  a  most  interesting  letter  to 
his  sister,  Mrs.  G.  M.  Beckwith,  detailing  the  cir- 
cumstances. 

1 82 1  Aaron  Beman  and  Joseph  Megaphy  claimed  to 

have  killed  wolves  in  the  town  of  Mooers,  the  one, 
four  and  the  other,  three,  and  later  collected  the 
bounty  due. 

1853  Sheldon    Durkee,     son    of    the    Revolutionary 

soldier,  Timothy,  of  Royalton,  died  at  his  home  on 
Durkee  street.  It  was  Sheldon  Durkee,  who,  on  the 
morning  after  the  battle  of  Plattsburgh,  with 
Ephraim  Rand  and  Samuel  Norcross,  encountered, 
while  entirely  unarmed,  three  British  soldiers  on 
the  retreat,  and  succeeded  in  capturing  them  in  a 
hand-to-hand  combat  in  which  Norcross  was  killed. 
While  Rand  ministered  to  the  dying  Norcross, 
Durkee  triumphantly  marched  the  three  prisoners 
into  camp.  The  old  Durkee  house,  built  some  years 
before  1795,  stood  just  above  the  bend  of  the  river, 
just  south  of  the  first  forge  for  the  manufacture 
of  iron  erected  in  Saranac  valley.  The  stumps  of 
the  lilac  trees,  brought  by  Mrs.  Durkee  (nde  Hodg- 
kins)  from  her  home  on  Grand  Isle,  may  yet  be  seen 
but  the  old  home  was  taken  down  some  years  ago. 


424  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1855  At   Chazy,   fire    originating  in  ashes   stored  in 

an  adjacent  woodshed,  burned  the  stone  school 
house  and  Methodist  church,  built  in  181 6  at  a  cost 
of  $7,000  and  donated  to  the  Methodist  society  by 
Alexander  Scott.  George  Scott,  a  nephew  of  Alex- 
ander, left  Chazy  for  California  at  the  age  of  16 
and  was,  in  1889,  elected  the  first  Gentile  mayor  of 
Salt  Lake  City,  where  he  had  finally  located. 

1896  The   first   rural   free   delivery  in   Vermont   was 

established  and  put  into  operation  in  the  town  of 
Grand  Isle. 

1905  At  the  rededication  services  of  the  Baptist  church 

in  Burlington,  President  M.  H.  Buckham  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Vermont,  spoke  as  follows: 

"I  recall  your  first  pastor,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Safford,  a  gentle  and 
gracious  man  of  fine  spirit  and  temper,  a  man  who,  in  the  day 
of  small  things,  commended  your  little  church  to  the  respect  of 
the  community.  Rev.  Hiram  Safford  was  the  grandfather  of 
our  townsman,  Gen.  Theodore  Safford  Peck." 

1907  The  resolutions  (previously  adopted  by  a  special 

subcommittee)  setting  forth  the  advisability  of  an 
appropriate  celebration  of  the  tercentenary  of  the 
discovery  of  Lake  Champlain,  through  the  cooper- 
ation of  New  York  and  Vermont  and  the  federal 
government,  were  adopted  by  the  whole  commission 
at  a  joint  meeting  held  at  Albany.  The  commis- 
sioners appointed  under  the  law  provided  for  the 
same  are:  Hon.  H.  Wallace  Knapp,  Mooers,  Chair- 
man; Hon.  Henry  W.  Hill,  Buffalo,  Secretary;  Hon. 
Walter  C.  Witherbee,  Port  Henry,  Treasurer;  Hon. 
James  J.  Frawley,  New  York,  Hon.  James  Shea,  Lake 
Placid,  Hon.  William  R.  Weaver,  Peru,  Hon.  James  A, 
Foley,  New  York,  Hon.  John  H.  Booth,  Plattsburg, 
Hon.  John  B.  Riley,  Plattsburg,  Hon.  Louis  C.  La 
Fountain,  Champlain,  Hon.  Howland  Pell,  New  York. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  425 

DECEMBER  22 

1766  Thomas  Bready  went  to  the  meadows  and  took 

with  him  40  days  store  of  provs,  and  i  pot,  3  quarts, 
3  bottles,  I  trap  and  chain,  i  bag,  i  tub. — Gilliland. 

1 799  In  the  homestead  built  by  his  father  on  the  lot  on 

north  side  of  the  river,  purchased  from  Judge  Charles 
Piatt,  Frederick  Louis  Charles  Sailly,  son  of  Peter 
Sailly  and  his  wife,  Marianna  Adelaide  (GrelHer) 
Sailly,  was  born.  The  boy  acquired  his  education 
at  Granville,  Washington  county,  and  entered  the 
old  Bank  of  Plattsburgh  as  teller  at  eighteen.  Later 
he  became  cashier  and  on  the  death  of  his  father, 
succeeded  him  as  collector  of  customs.  Mr.  Sailly 
was  identified  with  all  the  public  enterprises  of  the 
town  and  county  and  served  as  county  treasurer 
several  years.  About  1830  he  became  interested 
in  mercantile  business  and  the  manufacture  of  iron, 
an  industry  in  which  his  father  had  been  interested 
in  France.  In  1844  he  retired  from  active  business. 
Two  years  before  his  marriage  his  bachelorhood  gave 
rise  to  "The  Bachelor,"  one  of  the  few  humorous 
poems  written  by  his  then  fifteen-year-old  neighbor, 
Lucretia  Davidson. 

"To  the  world,  (whose  dread  laugh  he  would  tremble  to  hear, 
From  whose  scorn  he  would  shrink  with  a  cowardly  fear,) 
The  old  bachelor  proudly  and  boldly  will  say, 
Single  lives  are  the  longest,  single  lives  are  most  gay." 

1803  Winslow  C,  son  of  Elkanah  Watson,  was  born 

at  Albany.  After  graduation  from  Middlebury  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  received  the  degree  of  A.  M.,  he 
studied  law  with  Justice  Ambrose  Spencer  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1824.  He  practiced  in  Platts- 
burgh until  1833,  when  ill  health  compelled  his  retire- 
ment. Besides  his  prominence  in  the  poHtical,  civil, 
and   ecclesiastical   life   of  the   community,   he   had, 


426  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

since  1819  contributed  to  magazines,  newspapers, 
etc.,  and  his  published  works,  "Men  and  Times  of  the 
Revolution,"  "Report  and  Survey  of  Essex  County," 
"Pioneer  History  of  Champlain  Valley,"  "History  of 
Essex  County,"  etc.,  form  a  valuable  part  of  the 
literature  of  this  valley. 

1807  Birth  in  Stanfordville,  Dutchess  county,  of  Caleb 

D.  Barton,  son  of  Caleb  Barton,  and  his  wife,  Damaris 
Hull  (a  granddaughter  of  Benjamin  Franklin),  whose 
sister  Ruth  was  the  wife  of  Stephen  Keese  of  Peru, 
in  whose  family  young  Caleb,  early  orphaned,  grew 
up.  The  first  wife  of  Caleb,  Jr.,  was  Eliza  Lapham, 
eldest  daughter  of  Joseph,  whose  English  ancestors 
located  in  Providence  about  1735.  Joseph  settled  in 
Peru  about  1800,  where  he  married  Anna  Keese, 
daughter  of  Richard,  and  built  the  Lapham  homestead 
nearly  opposite  the  spot  where  the  first  Keese  built 
his  log  cabin.  Both  the  Laphams  and  Caleb  Barton 
were  prominent  in  developing  the  industries  of  the 
river  as  the  names  Lapham 's  Mills  and  Bartonville  sig- 
nify. After  Mrs.  Barton's  death  in  1842,  Mr.  Barton 
married  Emma  Peale,  the  talented  daughter  of 
Rembrandt  Peale,  the  noted  artist  of  Philadelphia, 
who  painted  General  Washington  from  life  when 
but  seventeen.  The  elegant  home  of  the  Bartons  at 
Port  Douglass  hill  in  Keese ville,  was  filled  with 
beautiful  paintings,  many  of  them  the  work  of  Mr. 
Peale.  This  mansion  with  most  of  its  contents  was 
destroyed  by  fire.  Upon  its  site  Mrs.  Barton  erected 
another  dwelling,  now  known  as  Rembrandt  Hall. 
The  paintings  which  remain  are  now  in  Saratoga, 
the  property  of  Mrs.  Bosworth,  a  niece,  as  well  as  an 
adopted  daughter  of  Mr.  Barton. 

1852  The  farm  on  which  the  Lozier  Works  are  located 

was  purchased  by  Rensselaer  S.  Hewitt  of  Peru  and 
his  wife,  a  daughter  of  Judge  Josiah  T.  Everest. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  427 

1900  Death,    at    Fort    Frederick    light    house,    Lake 

Champlain,  opposite  Chimney  Point,  Vt.,  of  Antoine 
Peltier,  a  grandson  of  Capt.  Paulinte  (Poland),  of 
the  American  Revolutionary  army,  who  came  to  this 
country  with  Lafayette.  Mr.  Peltier  was  91  years 
old.     The  interment  was  at  Pittsburgh. 

DECEMBER  23 

But  still  our  earthly  feelings  cling 

Around  this  bounded  spot; — 
There  is  a  something  burns  within 

Which  will  not  be  forgot. 

— Margaret  Davidson. 

1786  At  Cumberiand   Head,   Washington  county,  in 

the  log  house  built  by  her  husband  on  land  bought 
from  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt,  Marie  (Caillat)  SaiUy 
was  gathered  to  her  fathers.  She  had  remained  with 
her  children  in  Albany  until  the  completion  of  the 
house  and  had  survived  the  hardships  of  pioneer  life 
and  the  rigorous  climate  but  six  months.  Hers  was 
the  first  death  in  the  new  township,  and  her  remains 
were  buried  under  the  big  pine  trees  on  the  Point, 
not  far  from  the  old  block  house.  When,  in  after 
years,  Capt.  Nathaniel  Piatt  had  given  to  the  town 
the  land  for  a  burying  groimd,  her  remains  were  the 
first  interred  there. 


DECEMBER  24 

Ye  angels,  sing  your  sweetest  songs, 
And  strike  anew  each  golden  lyre; 

Let  him  to  whom  the  praise  belongs 
The  sacred  strain  inspire. 

— Christmas  Hymn  by  Margaret  Davidson. 

1763  —this  day  the  lake  opposite  Willsboro  froze  up. 

— Gilliland. 


428  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1863  The  stock  holders  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 

Plattsburgh  elected  the  following  directors:  Z.  C. 
Piatt,  Jonathan  Hagar,  W.  W.  Hartwell,  C.  G.  S. 
Edwards,  James  Rogers,  S.  P.  Bowen,  E.  M.  Crosby, 
C.  D.  Blake,  P.  D.  Moore. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  directors,  Z.  C. 
Piatt  was  chosen  president  and  H.  Walworth 
cashier. 

1876  On  Christmas  eve  in  the  new  stone  church  of 

the  Mission  of  St.  James,  Ausable  Forks,  the  mission- 
ary, Rev.  Wm.  H.  Cook,  held  the  first  service.  The 
cost  of  the  edifice,  the  corner-stone  of  which  had 
been  laid  the  June  before,  was  $ii,ooo,  of  which  sum 
$io,ooo  was  given  by  Mr.  James  Rogers. 

DECEMBER  25 

Hail  to  salvation's  brilliant  morn, 

Hail  to  the  dawn  of  joy  and  peace, 
When  God's  supreme,  almighty  power, 

Bade  all  our  pains  and  sorrows  cease. 

— Christmas  Hymn  by  Margaret  Davidson. 

1635  Christmas    Day   the   end    came   to   Champlain. 

"The  intrepid  governor  lay  dead  in  his  own  Quebec, 
the  incipient  city  of  Blasted  Hopes.  Trade  had 
supported  it,  and  had  stunted  it.  A  summer  of 
activity  and  a  winter  of  inaction  was  its  story,  year 
in  and  year  out." — Winsor. 

In  what  is  now  an  open  square  in  the  upper 
town,  in  a  mortuary  chapel,  every  vestige  of  which 
long  since  disappeared,  the  Jesuit  Lalemant  did  the 
last  service  and  Lejeune  spoke  a  eulogy  as  the  dead 
hero  w^as  laid  to  rest. 

1803  Betsey    Roberts,    a    sister    of    Hannah,    both 

daughters    of    John,    became    the    bride    of    Joseph 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  429 

Wadsworth  Edwards,  a  descendant  of  William 
Edwards,  who  settled  in  Easthampton,  L.  I.,  in 
1650.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Pittsburgh, 
British  soldiers  were  about  their  home  in  South 
Plattsburg  all  day.  About  five  o'clock  the  soldiers 
threw  away  the  punk  which  they  had  used  in  lighting 
their  pipes  and  rode  away.  Seeing  this,  Mrs.  Roberts, 
having  no  fire  in  the  house,  sent  her  boy,  Gustavus 
Vasa,  then  about  ten  years  old,  to  get  the  precious 
substance. 

1805  St.    Louis. — The    commemoration   of   the   birth 

of  our  blessed  Lord.— I  have  just  returned  from 
church.  The  altar  was  dressed  very  fine.  There 
were  about  20  levites  attended  upon  the  High 
Priest. — Williams. 

1813  Albany. — I   heard   a   Christmas   discourse   from 

the  Rev.  Mr.  Clowes — it  was  an  excellent  sermon — 
took  a  Christmas  dinner  with  Lieutenant-Governor 
Taylor.  In  the  evening  went  to  Mr.  Walsh's,  and 
spent  the  evening  pleasantly  with  a  small  party. 

— Idem. 

1816  The  early  Presbyterians  saw  the  fruit  of  their 

labors  in  the  dedication  of  their  first  meeting 
hoiise. 

Its  architecture  *  *  *  was  in  its  main  features,  correct  and 
imposing — with  the  tall  columns  and  numerous  steps  of  its  front 
face.  Within,  it  was  of  unique  arrangement.  The  pulpit  stood 
between  the  entrance  doors,  and  the  gathering  people  came  at 
once  under  the  eye  of  the  pews  *  *  *  Then  there  were  deep 
galleries,  out  of  which,  at  the  reconstruction,  great  sticks  of 
pine  near  a  hundred  feet  long  and  a  foot  square  were  taken, 
hewed  from  trees  which  probably  your  Adirondack  forests  can- 
not now  match. — Rev.  E.  A.  Bulkley,  D.  D. 


430  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

DECEMBER  26 

And  all  the  stern  fatigue  of  life, 

Such  as  our  mothers  erst  endured, 
When  fast  and  hot  the  battle  strife 

Was  waxing,  and  our  sires  repaid 
The  Briton's  wrong,  and  Indian's  hate. 

With  many  a  ball  and  reeking  blade — 
The  guerdons  of  that  hour  of  fate. 

— Sunderlin. 

1784  Col.   Seth  Warner  died  in  his  native  parish  of 

Woodbury  (now  Roxbury),  Conn.  His  services  in  the 
patriot  army  resulted  in  early  death.  Connecticut 
has  erected  to  his  memory  a  substantial  granite  monu- 
ment with  this  inscription  on  its  north  side:"  Captor 
of  Crown  Point,  commander  of  the  Green  Moun- 
tain Boys  in  the  repulse  of  Carlton  at  Longueil  and 
in  the  battle  of  Hubbardton;  and  the  associate  of 
Stark,  in  the  victory  at  Bennington."  Seth  Warner 
settled  in  Bennington  within  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  from  the  New  York  line,  where  he  was  a  near 
neighbor  of  James  Breakenridge.  He  married  in 
1767  Hester  Hurd  of  Roxbury, 

DECEMBER  27 

1610  Champlain  entered  into  a  contract  of  marriage 

with  the  twelve-year-old  daughter  H61dne  of  the 
king's  private  secretary,  Nicholas  Boull^.  During 
Champlain 's  voyage  to  Quebec  in  181 1,  his  betrothed 
remained  with  her  parents  until  the  marriage  the 
following  year. 

1868  The   United   States   hotel    (once   Israel   Green's 

Inn,  on  the  site  of  the  De  Fredenburgh  house)  was 
burned.  For  more  than  seventy  years  its  sturdy 
walls  had  withstood  the  ravages  of  "war,  fire  and 
flood."     It  had  been  built  by  John  Clark  when  the 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  431 

road  on  the  south  side  led  down  to  the  only  wharf 
(Clark's  Landing)  in  the  village.  When  mine  host, 
Friend  Green,  was  "Master  of  the  Inn,"  the  house 
was  in  its  prime,  but  all  its  former  glory  had  long 
since  departed. 

1875  Judge  Gideon  Collins,  a  pioneer  in   1803,  died 

in  Chateaugay. 

1909  Dedication  at  Lake  Kushaqua  of  Stony  Wold 

Hall,  a  new  dormitory  for  Stony  Wold  Sanatorium. 
The  Hall  is  given  by  Miss  Blanche  Potter  in  memory 
of  her  sister  Martha.  A  stained  glass  window,  repre- 
senting the  Good  Shepherd,  back  of  the  Protestant 
chapel,  and  the  clock  and  chimes  are  gifts  from  Mrs. 
Walter  Geer,  another  sister.  The  fine  organ  came 
through  the  agency  of  the  Rev.  John  N.  Marvin  of 
Albany,  who  also  sent  prayer  books,  Bibles,  hymnals 
and  altar  service  books  through  the  Bible  and  Com- 
mon Prayer  Book  Society  of  Albany. 

DECEMBER  28 

1792  A  town,  named  for  its  mountainous  character, 

Peru,  was  formed  from  Plattsburgh  and  Willsborough 
(Essex  county),  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  dwelHng 
house  of  Samuel  Jackson,  when  the  first  officers  of 
the  new  town  were  chosen. 

1798  Joel  Stratton,  son  of  Elder  John  and  Esther  S. 

Stratton,  died  at  the  age  of  nineteen  and  was  buried 
on  the  hillside  sloping  to  the  lake,  near  Mrs.  Tread- 
well,  wife  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  Treadwell,  who,  unable 
to  survive  the  severe  winter,  had  died  the  fifth  of 
January  preceding. 

1806  Birth  of  Job  Sherman,  an  older  brother  of  Dr. 

Pliny,  both  sons  of  Benjamin  and  Philena  Sherman, 


432  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

members  of  the  Society  of  Friends  from  Rhode 
Island.  With  Benjamin  Sherman  Hved  his  mother, 
Mrs.  Martha  Sherman,  who  attained  the  great  age 
of  104.  She  was  an  aunt  of  Mrs.  John  Howard  (n^e 
Hannah  Earl)  of  Burlington.  Benjamin  Sherman 
and  Benjamin  Earl  taught  early  schools  at  the 
"Union."  Job  Sherman  died  on  the  farm  of  his 
birth,  unmarried,  July  8,  1863. 

1814  "Black  Maria"  Haynes  gave  birth  to  a  son,  to 

whom  she  gave  the  name  of  "Sir  George  Provost," 
the  defeated  commander  of  the  British  forces. 
"George,"  coal-black,  like  his  mother,  became  a 
barber  like  his  father,  Tom  Haynes,  who,  by  the 
way,  was  the  lightest  of  mulattoes.  Maria,  born  a 
slave,  remained  in  the  family  of  her  master.  Judge 
Melancton  Smith  in  New  York  city  until  his  death, 
when  she  was  transferred  to  the  home  of  his  son. 
Col.  Melancton  Smith  in  Plattsburgh  and  there 
remained  until  the  colonel's  death  in  181 8. 

1820  Asa  Elmore  Everest,  son  of  Joseph  and  Celesta 

(Stafford)  Everest,  was  born  in  Peru,  N.  Y.,  After 
graduation  from  Middlebury  College  and  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  he  was  ordained  in  1850  at 
Broadway  Tabernacle.  Besides  preaching  in  Brook- 
lyn, Mooers  and  various  places  in  Illinois  and  Iowa, 
among  them  at  Grinnell  and  Council  Bluffs,  he  was 
chaplain  of  the  11 8th  U.  S.  Colored  regiment,  1864-5. 
He  died  of  senile  paralysis,  April  20,  1899,  having 
survived  his  wife,  Anna  Mary,  daughter  of  Governor 
George  Franklin  and  Mary  (Bodine)  Fort  of  Pem- 
berton,  N.  J.,  many  years. 

DECEMBER  29 

1665  "M.  Courcelles,  the  governor  of  Canada,  began 

his  march  with  scarcely  six  hundred  men,  to  seek  out 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  433 

their  inveterate  enemies,  the  Mohawks."  The  snow 
that  covered  the  ground  "although  four  feet  deep, 
was  frozen." 

1818  Removal   of   the   Thurbers   to   their  new  brick 

house  (still  standing)  overlooking  the  lake  at  Rouses 
Point. 

1843  Gertrude  Kellogg,  daughter  of  Charles  White  and 

Demmis  Dewey  (Comstock)  Kellogg,  was  born  at 
Comstock's  Landing.  She  became  an  elocutionist 
and  actress  in  Europe  and  America,  supporting 
Edwin  Forrest  in  his  latest  engagements  and  also 
Edwin  Booth  and  Lawrence  Barrett.  In  1892  the 
Port  Kent  residence  of  her  grandfather,  Peter  Com- 
stock, became  the  summer  home  of  the  Kelloggs, 
Miss  Kellogg  died  in  Brooklyn,  April  18,  1903,  but 
was  buried  at  Comstock's,  N.  Y.  Her  brother,  the 
late  Peter  Comstock  Kellogg,  with  their  father, 
established  in  New  York  the  modern  auction  business 
of  highly  bred  horses  and  cattle,  besides  writing  for 
sporting  and  agricultural  papers  under  the  name  of 
"Hark  Comstock." 

1867  Bishop  Hopkins  resumed  his  visitation  "among 

the  churches  in  the  northern  part  of  his  Diocese, 
beginning  at  St.  Alban's."  At  the  request  of  the 
Rev.  Wm.  M.  Ogden,  rector  of  Trinity  Church  at 
Plattsburgh,  he  visited  that  parish  and  there  officiated 
for  the  last  time.  Already  ill  from  exposure,  he 
grew  worse  and  returned  to  his  home  whence  "he 
entered  into  Hfe,  January  9,  1868."  His  son,  the 
Rev.  John  Henry  Hopkins,  S.  T.  D.,  afterwards 
rector  of  Trinity,  presented  to  that  church  the  Altar 
Desk  bearing  this  inscription: 

4*  In  Memory  of  the  Right  Reverend 
John  Henry  Hopkins 
First    Bishop    of    Vermont    and    Presiding    Bishop 


434  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

whose  last  offering  of  the  Eucharistic  Sacrifice  was 
at  this  Altar  of  Trinity  Chiirch  Plattsburgh  on 
Sunday  January  5:  1868.  4" 

1894  Frederick    Remington,    America's    well    known 

artist  and  illustrator,  buys  a  summer  residence  site 
on  the  lake  shore  near  Plattsburg.  Though  a  native 
of  Canton,  N.  Y.,  he  has  spent  much  time  in  the 
West,  where  he  has  been  most  successful  in  depicting 
army  life  on  the  plains. 

DECEMBER  30 

Bitter  and  bleak  is  the  closing  day. — Buckham. 

1766  Our  raft  of  hay  was  drove  on  shore  last  night 

on  the  south  side  of  my  Bros,  point — 2  cocks  from 
Far  meadow,  went  with  some  hands  and  got  the 
hay  all  safe  to  shore,  and  one  Bateau  haul'd  up, 
wrought  till  9  in  the  evening,  then  came  to  McAuley's. 

— GilUland. 

1770  Death  of  Hannah,  wife  of  the  Rev.  EHsha  Kent. 

They  were  the  parents  of  Moss  Kent,  Sr.,  who  was 
bom  January  14,  1733  (O-  S.)-  and  died  in  February, 
1794. 

1784  Zephaniah  Piatt,  Peter  Tappen,  Zaccheus  New- 

comb,  Nathaniel  Piatt,  Piatt  Rogers,  Charles  Piatt, 
Thomas  Treadwell,  Simon  R.  Reeves,  Melancton 
Smith,  Jonathan  Lawrence,  Israel  Smith  and  John 
Addams  met  at  the  house  of  Judge  Zephaniah  Piatt 
in  Poughkeepsie  and  mutually  agreed  "to  be  jointly 
concerned  in  the  building  of  a  saw-mill,  grist-mill 
and  a  forge  on  the  river  Saranac  the  next  summer, 
each  to  advance  an  equal  proportion  of  money." 

"  I  could  wish  none  but  sober,  industrious  men  to  settle  in 
said   Township,  such  as  bid  fair  to  do  well  for  themselves.— 
Judge  Piatt  in  offering  terms  to  early  settlers. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  435 

1813  "Wedding"  was  the  pass  word  that  night  among 

the  troops  at  Plattsburg,  for  it  was  the  wedding 
night  of  young  Dr.  Benj.  J.  Mooers  and  Mary  Piatt  of 
Cumberland  Head.  A  few  months  later  the  young 
doctor  was  using  his  skill  as  a  surgeon  among  the 
wounded  of  those  troops. 

1831  At  his  homestead  on  the  State  road,  four  miles 

north  of  Plattsburg,  and  overlooking  Tread  well's  bay, 
the  Hon.  Thomas  Treadwell  died  at  the  age  of  84. 
The  old  house  was  taken  down  in  1870  or  '71  and  its 
timbers  used  in  the  erection  of  a  house  near  Allen 
Brook  on  the  Moffit  Road.  The  boards  used  in  the 
old  structure  were  very  wide,  in  fact,  wide  enough 
for  a  door.  One  of  these  (still  preserved)  has  in  it 
a  port  hole,  through  which  the  master  was  wont  to 
oversee  the  work  of  his  slaves  in  the  fields  of  the  estate. 
Near  the  grave  of  the  "Master"  is  that  of  one  of 
his  household  slaves,  marked  with  a  stone  bearing 
this  inscription: 

"Old  Phillis,  ago  and  her 

the  slave  was      last  request 
of  African  birth  as  she  passed 
And  she  died        to  her  rest 
long  ago,  long      was  'Lay  me 

at  old  Massa's  feet.'  " 

DECEMBER  31 

The  wind  goes  wailing,  the  sky  is  gray. — Btickhant. 

1766  — went  with  more  hands  and  hauled  up  the 

other  Bateau,  sent  Ireland  and  David  to  the  Far 
meadow  for  a  yoke  of  oxen  for  McAuley,  they  are 
also  to  assist  Thomas  Bready  to  skin  my  large 
white  ox  with  one  drooping  horn,  which  was  drowned 
at  the  far  meadow  creek  a  few  days  ago. — GilUland. 


436  Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 

1775  In  a  blinding  snow  storm,  Montgomery  attempts 

the  capture  of  Quebec  by  assault,  receiving  his 
death  wound.  Arnold  is  severely  wounded  in  the  leg. 
Morgan  fights  until  half  his  men  are  killed  or  wounded 
and  the  rest  benumbed  and  helpless  from  cold.  He 
then  surrenders  and  Dearborn  also.  Capt.  Edward 
Mott,  in  the  detachment  personally  led  by  Mont- 
gomery, behaves  with  great  bravery. 

"Happy  would  it  have  been  for  Arnold,  if  instead  of  being 
wounded,  he  too,  had  died,  since  by  his  subsequent  treason  at 
West  Point,  he  blasted  forever  the  glory  of  his  gallant  conduct 
on  that  occasion." 

That  dear  old  home,  where  pass'd  my  childish  years. 

— Margaret  Davidson. 

1783  In   a    small   story   and   a   half   house,    weather 

boarded,  at  the  Trap,  St.  George's  Hundreds,  New 
Castle  county,  Delaware,  was  born  Thomas  Mac- 
donough,  son  of  Major  Thomas  Macdonough  of  the 
Delaware  Continental  Line. 

1837  Margaret  Davidson  and  her  mother  watched  the 

old  year  out  and  Margaret  wrote  the  poem  beginning : 

Hark  to  the  house-clock's  measured  chime. 

As  it  cries  to  the  startled  ear, 
"A  dirge  for  the  soul  of  departing  time, 

A  requiem  for  the  year." 

1846  Death  of  Ebenezer   Balch  in  the  house  which 

he  built  in  181 2.  He  had  come,  a  pioneer  from 
Hartford,  Conn.,  in  1800;  was  a  member  of  the  com- 
pany of  "Silver  Grays"  and  as  such  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Plattsburg.  Meeting  with  financial 
losses  while  shipping  timber  to  Quebec  by  rafts,  he 
sold  his  farms  to  his  sons  Ebenezer  and  Alvah 
Burchard.  His  character  is  well  summed  up  in 
the  text  of  the  sermon  preached  at  his  funeral. 

Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright:  for  the  end  of 
that  man  is  Peace. — Psalms  xxxvii,  37. 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley  437 

1885  First  electric  lights  shone  in  Plattsburgh's  streets, 

the  company  being  organized  with  capital  from 
abroad. 

But  in  the  sky  the  Moon  rides  high, 

And  from  the  belfry's  height, 
The  midnight  chime  now  tolls  the  time 
When  we  must  bid  "Good  Night." 
Good  Night! 
Good  Night! 

— Rev.  J.  H.  Hopkins,  Jr. 

Every  date  in  my  pneumatic  calendar  has  been  checked  off. 
Have  they  not  strange,  subtle  voices,  these  messengers  of  the 
air. — Buckham. 

1909  The  last  day  of  the  year  in  Plattsburgh  found 

the  Smith  mausoleum,  begun  September  22,  com- 
pleted and  the  remains  of  Loyal  L.  Smith,  Platts- 
burgh's benefactor,  placed  therein;  also  the  new 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  building,  his  most  worthy  monument, 
ready  for  the  New  Years'  reception. 

Farewell!  for  thy  truth-written  record  is  full. 
And  the  page  weeps,  for  sorrow  and  crime; 

Farewell !  for  the  leaf  hath  shut  down  on  the  past, 
And  conceal'd  the  dark  annals  of  time. 


The  bell!  it  hath  ceased  with  its  iron  tongue 

To  ring  on  the  startled  ear, 
The  dirge  o'er  the  grave  of  the  lost  one  is  rung, 

All  hail  to  the  new-born  year. 

— Margaret  Davidson. 


ROLL  OF  HONOR  OF  SARANAC  CHAPTER,  DAUGHTERS  OF  THE 
AMERICAN  REVOLUTION,  PLATTSBURGH,  N.  Y. 


Name. 
Adams,  Joseph, 

Aldan,  Daniel, 


Ashley,  Thomas, 
Ball,  Adonijah, 
Ball,  Moses, 
Beckwith,  Barzillia, 
Beede,  Reziah, 

Beman,  Nathan, 


Benedict,  Thos.,  Sr., 

Billings,  John, 
Billings,  Samuel, 
Black,  Henry, 

Blish,  Daniel, 

Bonner,  Daniel, 
Brooks,  William, 
Bostwick,  Ebenezer, 
Brown,  Adam, 
Buell,  Elias, 


Carpenter,  Benj., 


Carriel,  Nathaniel, 


State.  Service. 

Conn.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Dep.   to    Gen 
Court  &  J.  P., 

N.  H.,  Private, 
Mass.,  Private, 
Mass.,  Corporal, 
Conn.,  Sergeant, 
N.  H.,  Private, 

N.  H.    Guide  to 
Grants,  Ethan  Allen 

&  Private, 
N.  Y.,  Sergeant, 

Conn.,  Priv.  &  Corp., 
Conn.,  Private, 
Mass.,  Lieutenant, 

Conn.,  Sergeant, 

Mass.,  Private, 
N.  H.,  Ensign, 
Conn.,  Sergeant, 
Mass.,  Sergeant, 
Conn.,  Major, 


Mass.,  Field  Officer, 


Mass.,  Ensign, 


Daughter. 

Miss     Elizabeth     Beckwith 
Sowles 
'I  Alice     Skinner     Whittelsey 
(Mrs.  S.  S.) 

(Resigned    1908.) 
Miss  Lucy  Rebecca  Warren 
)  Maria  Jeannette  Brookings 
i"      Tuttle  (Mrs.  G.  F.) 
Miss  Sowles 
Harriet   Dudley  Bell    (Mrs. 

W.  W.) 
Jessie      Beman       Campbell 
(Mrs.  J.  W.) 

Kate  Lyon  Botsford   (Mrs, 
E.  F.) 

>    Mrs.  Whittelsey 

Maude  Sawyer  Black  Buck 

(Mrs.  W.  S.) 
Miss    Lydia    Independence 

Jones 
)  Emma      Cynthia     Bonner 
\       Nichols  (Mrs.  G.  F.) 
Miss  Erminia  Juliet  Hall 
Miss  Jones 

Caroline  S.   Hudson   Bone- 
steel  (Mrs.  C.  H.) 
Jeanette      Mead      Guibord 

(Mrs.W.W.)  (Died  1901.) 
Eleanor  Mead  Hudson  (Mrs) 

Geo.H.) 
Lou     Mary     Slater     Ames 

(Mrs.  B.  P.) 
Miss  Ellen  A.  Hewitt 
Miss  Alice  Frances  Everest 

Hewitt 


440 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


Name. 
Carriel,  Nathaniel, 


State.  Service. 

Mass.,  Ensign, 


Chandler,  Benj., 
Chandler,  Joseph, 
Chandler,  David, 


Clark,  Samuel, 

Cleveland,  David, 

Cole,  Daniel, 

Converse,  Josiah, 
Converse,  Jude, 

Crane,  Joseph, 

Dewey,  Benj., 

Douglass,  Asa, 

Eastman,  Obadiah, 


N.  H.,  Sergeant, 

Selectman, 
Mass.,  Captain, 


Conn.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Private, 

N.  H.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Lieutenant, 
Conn.,  Drummer  & 

Private 
N.  Y.,  Surgeon, 

Mass.,  Sergeant, 

N.  Y.,  Major, 

N.  H.,  Corporal, 


Edgell,  John, 


Mass.,  Private  & 
Corporal, 


Daughter. 
Lucretia  Miller  Taylor  (Mrs 

Albert) 
Alice   Everest    Miller   (Mrs. 

E.) 
Florence     Dudley      Turner 

Price  (Mrs.  Sim.    J.    Jr.,) 

(Trans.  1903) 
Luna  Mabel  Leonard  Gris- 

mer  (Mrs.  C.  V.) 
Abbie     Hej-^'orth     Backus 

(Mrs.  Geo.  C.)  (Resigned 

1908) 
Sarah   Heyworth   Barber 

(Mrs.  C.  H.) 
Sarah        Imogene         Clark 

Hathaway    (Mrs.    F.    F.) 

(Transferred       1909       to 

'  Our    Flag"    Chapter, 

Washington,  D.  C.) 
Kate    H.    Cleveland   Smith 

(Mrs.  J.  O.) 
Jennie     B.     Cole     Dawson 

(Mrs.  M.  C.) 

Mrs.   Whittelsey  (Resigned 
■      1908) 

Ella   Barnes  Watson   (Mrs, 

W.  C.) 
Charlotte    Bancroft    Trom- 

blee  (Mrs.  F.  E.) 
Ellen  Maria  DeForris  Bailey 

fMrs.  S.  P.)  (Died  1901) 
Frances   Bentley   Wever 

(Mrs.  J.  M.)  (Died  1898) 
Miss  Louise  DeForris 
Elizabeth  Button  Arnold 
Mary  Boynton  Arnold 
Helen       Lansing       Burritt 

(Mrs.  B.  L.) 
Ida   Lansing   Wilcox   (Mrs. 

W.  B.) 
Mary  Edgell  Jocelyn  (Mrs. 

S.  P.) 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


441 


Name. 
Edgerton,  Simeon, 
Eells,  Waterman, 
Everest,  Joseph, 
Emerson,  Nathaniel, 

Fairbanks,  Phineas, 

Fitch,  Jabez, 
Fitch,  Roswell, 
Fitch,  Joseph, 

Fiber,  Thomas, 

Forbush,  David, 


Forsyth,  Matthew, 

Francis,  Asa, 

Fuller,  Ignatius, 
Gatchell,  Jeremiah, 

Gilliland,  William, 

Graves,  Benj., 

Gunnison,  Samuel, 
Hall,  John, 

Hartwell,  Jonathan, 


State.  Service. 

Conn.,  Captain, 
Vt.,  Private, 
Vt.,  Private, 
N.  H.,  Lieut. -Colonel, 

Mass.,  Captain, 

Conn.,  Captain, 
Conn.,  Private, 
Conn.,  Ensign, 

N.  Y.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Lieutenant, 


N.  H.,  Pres.  Chester 
Com.  of  Safety 
Conn.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Private, 
Mass.,  Matross, 


N.  Y.,  Captain, 


Conn.,  Private  & 

Bodyguard  to 
Washington 
N.  H.,  Private, 
Conn.,  Lieutenant, 


N.  H.,  Captain, 


Daughter. 
Miss  Sowles 
•  Miss  Ellen  A.  Hewitt 

Anne  Emerson  Low  (Mrs. 
E.  C.) 

Emma  L.  Weston  Barker 
(Mrs.  D.  F.) 

Mrs.  Geo.  F.  Nichols  (Re- 
signed 1909) 

Margaret  Brown  Backus 
(Mrs.  Jabez) 

Margaret  Dimon  Edwards 
(Mrs.  C.  E.  M.) 

W.  Ernestine  Towne  (Mrs. 
J.  H.)  (Transferred  1897 
to  Eunice  Sterling  Chap- 
ter, Wichita,  Kansas) 

Mrs.  F.  E.  Tromblee. 

Elizabeth  S.  Kellogg  (Mrs. 

D.  S.) 

Miss  Loraine  Snyder  Anson 

Miss  Elizabeth  York  (Trans- 
ferred 1909  to  Ironde- 
quoit  Chapter,  Rochester, 
N.  Y.) 

Miss  Emily  Thurber  Gilli- 
land (Died  1904) 

Julia    Ross    Nichols    (Mrs. 

E.  L.)    (Resigned    1897) 
Miss  Kate  J.  Saxe 


Mrs.  C.  V.  Grismer 

Adelia     W.     Martin     (Mrs 

John) 
Mabel  Martin  Brady  (Mrs. 

E.G.) 
Chastine    Hartwell    Rogers 

(Mrs.  W.  G.) 


442 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


Name. 

State. 

Service, 

Haynes,  Aaron, 

Mass., 

Private, 

Haywood,  David, 

Mass., 

Private, 

Herkimer,  George. 

N.  Y., 

Colonel, 

Hewitt,  Gideon, 

Conn., 

,  Private, 

Hobart,  Daniel, 

Mass., 

Corporal, 

Hobart,  Nehemiah, 

Mass., 

Selectman, 

Hooker,  Martin, 

Conn. 

,  Private, 

Hubbell,  Wolcott, 

Conn. 

,  Private, 

Hudson,  James, 

Mass., 

,  Captain, 

Hulett,  Daniel, 

Conn. 

,  Private, 

Hunt,  Ephraim, 


Johnston,  Chas. 


Jones,  Nathan,  Sr. 
Jones,  Nathan,  Jr., 
Kalb,  John, 
Kellogg,  William, 
Ketchum,  Joseph, 


Mass.,  Private, 


N.  H.,  Colonel, 


Conn. 
Conn. 
N.  Y. 
N.  Y. 

N.  Y. 


} 


Daughter. 

Anna  Palmer  Danis  ^(Mrs. 
F.  R.) 

Mary  Kate  Alden  Shedden 
(Mrs.  L.  L.) 

Miss  Josephine  Greene  (Re- 
signed 1899) 

Miss  Alice  Hewitt 

Mrs.  S.  H.  Price 

Mrs.  Barker 

Jean  McCain  Mooers  (Mrs. 

W.  B.) 
Anne  Moore  Hubbell  Jones 

(Mrs.  C.  H.) 
Miss  Coranell  Hudson 
Miss  Edna  Hudson 
Miss  Mary  Hudson 
Mrs.  C.  H.  Barber 
Emma       Cooke      Edwards 

(Mrs.  J.  Q.) 
Abigail  Arnold  White  (Mrs. 

J.  B.)  (Died  1899) 
Mary    E.    Williams    Brown 

(Mrs.   W.   F.)    (Resigned 

1902) 
I  Rosa  H.  Averill  Moore  (Mrs 
I       C.    H.)    (Resigned  1906; 

died  1908) 
Miss  Frances  Rosa  Moore 


Sergeant,  ) 

Private,  > 

Private,  ) 

,  Private, 

,  Quartermaster, 


Miss  Lydia  Independence 
Jones  (Transferred  1902) 

Miss  Louise  A.  Perry 

Mary  Edgerton  Nelson  Cle- 
ment (Mrs.  H.  C.)  (Re- 
signed 1 901) 

Miss  Frances  Rosa  Moore 
(Resigned  1907) 

Rosa  Averill  Moore  (Mrs. 
C.  H.)  (Resigned  1906; 
died  1908) 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


443 


Name. 
Lane,  Derick, 


Larkin,  Lorin  Nehemiah, 

Lawrence,  Nathaniel, 

Learned,  Isaac, 

Lincoln,  Elkanah, 

Little,  Moses, 
Little,  Stephen, 

Lynde,  Jonathan, 

Mapson,  Zacheus, 

Marshall,  Ichabod, 

Marshall,  Jonathan, 


State, 
N.J., 


Conn. 
Conn. 

Mass. 

Mass. 

Mass. 
Mass. 

N.  Y. 

R.  L, 


Service. 
Lieut. -Colonel, 


Private, 

Sergeant, 

Bombadier, 

Sergeant, 

Colonel, 
Rep.  Mass. 
Leg.  1776, 
Private, 

Ensign, 


Mass.,  Sergeant, 


Mass.,  Corporal 


Marvin,  Benjamin, 

N.  Y., 

Captain, 

Mason,  Aaron, 

Mass., 

Drummer, 

Mather,  Samuel,  M.  D., 

Conn. 

,  Captain, 

Matthews,  Stephen, 

Conn. 

,  Captain, 

Mclntyre,  William, 

N.  H., 

,  Coxswain, 

Mattocks,  Samuel, 

Conn. 

,  Captain, 

Miller,  Nathan, 

N.  Y., 

,  Private 

Mooers,  Benjamin, 


Mass.,  Lieutenant, 


Daughter. 
Julia    Russell    Lane    Myers 

(Mrs.  J.  H.) 
Gertrude  R.  Myers  Bentley 

(Mrs.  C.  H.) 
Caroline  Larkin  Baker  (Mrs. 

E.  E.) 
Bertha      Wilcox      Parsons 

(Mrs.  Lance) 
Ella      Farnsworth      Silver 

(Mrs.  C.  D.) 
Minnie      Lincoln      George 

(Mrs.  J.  A.) 

[•  Mrs.  G.  F.  Tuttle 

Miss  Helen  Mary  Palmer 
(Resigned  1896) 

Mary  Greene  Bonesteel 
(Mrs.  C.  H.)  (Resigned 
1902;    died    1904) 

Miss  Lucy  Warren 

Pauline  Marshall  Phelps 
(Mrs.  Lee) 

Miss  Warren 

Mrs.  Phelps 

Miss  Sowles 

Maude  Parsons  Viall  (Mrs. 
Harry) 

Miss  Sowles 

Miss  Mary  Matthews 

Mrs.  Tuttle 

Miss  Ellen  Rose  Nye 

Almira  Miller  Averill  (Mrs. 
H.  K.,  Jr.)  (Transferred 
1904) 

Lena  Almira  Elkins  Dale 
(Mrs.  C.  J.) 

Lucy  Beckwith  Sowles 
(Mrs.  M.) 

Margaret  (Beckwith)  Hough- 
ton (Mrs.  Silas)  (Re- 
signed 1899) 

Mrs.  C.  H.  Jones 


444 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


Name. 

State. 

Service. 

Moores,  Benjamin, 

Mass., 

Lieutenant, 

Moore,  Mark, 

Mass., 

Private, 

Moore,  Pliny, 

Mass., 

,  Lieutenant, 

Moore,  William, 

N.  H., 

,  Captain, 

Morgan,  Jonas, 

Conn. 

,  Ensign, 

Mygatt,  Eli, 
Newcomb,  Andrew, 


Palmer,  Fenner, 
Palmer,  John, 
Palmer,  Sylvanus, 
Paulinte,  Antoine, 
Payne,  Noah, 
Phetteplace,  John, 


Pease,  Calvin, 

Philips,  Samuel, 
Pierce,  Jonathan, 


Pike,  Ezra, 
Pike,  Jarvis, 
Piatt,  Charles, 


Conn. 
N.  Y. 


,  Lieut. -Colonel, 
Lieutenant, 


Conn 
Conn 
Vt., 
N.  Y. 
Conn 
N.  Y. 


Mass. 
N.  Y. 


N.  Y. 

N.  Y. 

N.  Y. 


Daughter. 

Miss  Bowles 

Miss  Sarah  Wool  Moore 

Sophie    Beckwith    Newton 
(Mrs.  H.  A.) 

May  Moore  Vert  (Mrs. C.J.) 

Miss  Helen  McDougall 

Annie  Hubbell  Jones  (Mrs. 
C.  H.) 

Katherine    (Moore)    Rogers 
(Mrs.  James) 

Ella      McCaffrey      Kernan 
(Mrs.    Frances)  (Re- 

signed 1899) 

Kate  McCaffrey  Burroughs 
(Mrs.  James)  (Died  1900) 

Jane       Ketchum       Morgan 
McCaffrey  (Mrs.  W.  J.) 

Miss     Isabella     C.     Mygatt 
(Resigned  1903) 

Eleanor  Mead  Hudson  (Mrs 
Geo.  H.) 

Jeanette      Mead      Guibord 
(Mrs.  W.  W.) 
)  Anna    Palmer   Danis  (Mrs. 
\       F.  R.) 

Miss  Jones  (Resigned  1902) 

Miss  Harriette  Blow 

Miss  Erminia  Whitley 

Ida    Thomas    Hayes    (Mrs 
L.  W.) 

Miss  Cora  Moon 

Miss  Ruth  Waterman  Nor- 
ton (Resigned  1906) 

Mrs.  Tuttle 

Mrs.  Katherine  Barber  Bar- 
ber    (Mrs.     P.     H.)  (Re- 
signed 1906) 
)  Lillian   Pike  Everest  (Mrs. 
)       E.  C.)  (Resigned  1908) 
Quartermaster,  Anna  Heath  Conant    (Mrs 
Frank) 

Anna    Palmer   Danis    (Mrs. 
F.  R.) 


,  Captain, 
,,  Ensign, 
Private, 
,  Captain, 
,,  Private, 
,  Private, 


Conn.,  Drummer, 


Private, 
Private, 


Private, 
Private, 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


445 


Name. 
Piatt,  Nathaniel, 

Piatt,  Zephaniah,  Sr. 


Piatt,  Zephaniah,  Jr., 


State.  Service. 

N.  Y.,  Captain, 

N.  Y.,  Signer  Ass'n 
Test  &  Prison 
Martyr, 

N.  Y.,  Lieutenant  & 
Adjutant 


Prescott,  Joshua, 

Randall,  Stephen, 
Ransom,  Elisha, 
Roberts,  John, 


N.  H.,  Patriot, 

Mass.,  Matross, 
Vt.,  Corporal, 
N.  Y.,  Drummer, 


Daughter. 
Mrs.  C.  H.  Jones 
Miss  Sowles 
Mrs.  Conant 
Mrs.  Danis 
Catherine     Cady    Endicott 

(Mrs.  F.  C.) 
Jeannette     Averill     Corbin 

(Mrs.    Royal)    (Resigned 

1897) 
Mrs.  Endicott 
Sarah    Piatt    Fuller    (Mrs. 

W.   A.)    (Resigned   1902; 

died  1902) 
Miss  Margaret  Piatt  Fuller 

(Resigned  1902) 
Susan  Averill  Kellogg  (Mrs. 

S.    A.)    (Resigned    1897; 

died  1899) 
Mary    Piatt    Lobdell    (Mrs. 

F.  P.) 
Miss    Mary     Piatt     Mooers 

(Resigned  1908) 
Katherine      Mooers      Piatt 

(Mrs.    A.    M.)    (Resigned 

1907) 
Margaret  Wolff  Rutherford 

(Mrs.  A.) 
Pauline      Cady      Stoddard 

(Mrs.  Chauncey) 
Mary   Sailly   Warren    (Mrs. 

A.  M.) 
Martha  Burch  Wolff   (Mrs. 

John) 
Miss  Helen  Douglass  Wood- 
ward 
Helen      Prescott      Lansing 

(Mrs.  C.  W.) 
Mrs.  Barker 

Miss  Mary  Elizabeth  Barber 
Jeanette      Mead      Guibord 

(Mrs.  W.  W.)  (Died  1901) 
Mrs.  G.  H.  Hudson 


446 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


Name. 
Roberts,  John, 

Sanderson,  Isaac, 

Scott,  Henry, 

Senter,  Joseph, 
Sherwood,  Adiel, 

Signor,  Jacob, 

Skinner,  William, 

Southmayd,  William, 
Spalding,  Joseph, 

Steams,  Asa, 

Steams,  John, 


Stiles,  Asa, 
Sykes,  Ashbel, 


Ten  Broeck,  John  C. 


Thomas,  Israel, 
Tompkins,  Gilbert, 


State.         Service. 
N.  Y.,  Drummer, 

Mass.,  Private, 

N.  Y.,  Private, 

N.  H.,  Colonel, 
N.  Y.,  Captain, 

N.  Y.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Private, 

Conn.,  Private, 
Vt.,       Sergeant, 

Mass.,  Private, 

Mass.,  Lieutenant, 


Conn.,  Private, 
Conn.,  Private, 


N.  Y.,  Captain, 


Conn.,  Private, 
R.  I.,    Sergeant  of 
Marines 


Treadway,  Jonathan,  Mass.,  Drummer, 


Daughter. 

SarahWeed  Ketchimi  (Mrs. 

Wm.S.)   (Resigned  1899) 
Flora  Clapp  Ransom  (Mrs. 

J.  B.) 
Elizabeth     Fiske     Johnson 

Clapp  (Mrs.  H.  Rowland) 
Miss  Lucy  Warren 
Theodora  Kyle  Chase  (Mrs. 

F.  H.)  (Resigned  1902) 
Mary    E.    Williams    Brown 

(Mrs.  Wm.  F.)  (Resigned 

1902) 
Mrs.   Whittelsey   (Resigned 

1909) 
Mrs.  Wm.  Brown 
Jessie  Spalding  Black  (Mrs. 

James  B.) 
Jessie  Barber  Johnson  (Mrs. 

C.  S.) 
Miss  Catherine  Hodges 
Marion    E.     Hodges    (Mrs. 

Chester  E.) 
Margaret     Robinson     (Mrs. 

John  R.) 
Miss  Amina  Stiles 
Emma      Brewer      Bromley 

(Mrs.  Earle  A.) 
Adelaide    Brewer    Kimmell 

(Mrs.  Wm.  S.)  (Resigned 

1909) 
Miss    Elizabeth    Ross    (Re- 
signed 1902) 
Frances    Ross   Weed    (Mrs. 

Geo.  S.)  (Resigned  1902) 
Mrs.  L.  W.  Hayes 
Elizabeth  Tompkins  Jones 

(Mrs.  E.  N.)  (Transferred 

to  White  Plains  Chapter 

1905) 
Adeline  Treadway  Lobdell 
(Mrs.  G.  M.) 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


447 


Name. 
Turbett,  Thomas, 


State. 
Penn., 


Service. 
Lieut. -Colonel, 


Tuttle,  Samuel, 


Tuttle,  Samuel,  Jr., 
Walworth,  Benjamin, 


Mass.,  Lieutenant  & 
Superintendent 
to  Working 
Parties 


Mass., 
Conn., 


Private, 
Quartermaster, 


Ward,  David, 

N.  Y., 

Private, 

Wesson,  James, 

Mass., 

Colonel, 

West,  Wilkes, 

N.  H., 

,  Private, 

Whitney,  Jason, 

Mass.; 

,  Private, 

Whitney,  Samuel, 

Mass., 

,  Private, 

Wilcox,  Eleazer, 

N.  H. 

,  Signer  Ass'n 
Test, 

Wilcox,  Obadiah, 

N.  H.; 

,  Corporal, 

Wilcox,  Obadiah,  Jr., 

N.  H., 

,  Private, 

Wood,  Jonathan, 

N.Y., 

,  Private, 

Wood,  Solomon, 


N.  Y.,  Private, 


Daughter. 

Eleanor  McGill  Carr  (Mrs. 
W.  B.) 

Alexandra  Gamble  Duke 
(Mrs.  T.  T.) 

Eleanor  A.  McG.  Gamble 
(Resigned  1909) 

Mary  McGill  Gamble  (Mrs 
Joseph) 

M.  Jeanette  Brookings  Tut- 
tle (Mrs.  G.  F.) 

Ella  Holmes  Waterman 
(Mrs.  John.  A.) 

Miss  Sadie  Laura  Wayne 

Mrs.  Tuttle,  Mrs.  Waterman 

Caroline  Walworth  Fams- 
worth  (Mrs.  John)  (Re- 
signed 1 901) 

Mary  Walworth  Joerrison 
(Mrs.  Joseph)  (Trans- 
ferred to  Oneida  Chapter, 
Utica,  1906) 

Miss  Jones 

Mrs.  Barker 

Charlotte  Bancroft  Trom- 
blee  (Mrs.  Frank  E.) 

Mary  Kate  Alden  Shedden 
Mrs.  L.  L.) 

Elizabeth  Fairchild  Stower 
(Mrs.  J.  N.) 

Miss.  L.  I.  Jones 

Augusta  Wood  Cady  (Mrs. 
H.  W.)  (Died  1898) 

Miss  Kate  H.  Wood  (Trans- 
ferred to  Philip  Schuyler 
Chapter  1896) 

Helen  Lawrence  Marshall. 
(Mrs.  Milo  H.) 

Alice  Phelps  Kellogg  Riley 
(Mrs.  F.  J.) 


448 


Three  Centuries  in  Champlain  Valley 


Name.  State.         Service. 

Woodbury,  Bartholomew,  Mass.,  Colonel, 


Woodruff,  John, 
Woodruff,  Silas, 


Conn.,  Captain, 
N.  Y.,  Private, 


Daughter. 
Miss  Grace  Mabel  Everest 
Miss  Alice  F.  E.  Hewitt 
Miss  Ellen  A.  Hewitt 
Mrs.  S.  J.  Price 
Mrs.  A.  H.  Taylor 
Miss  Mary  Matthews 
Katherine  Woodruff   Shaw 
(Mrs.  James) 


INDEX  OF  PERSONS  AND  ORGANIZATIONS. 


Abenakis,  163,  165,  350. 

AbERCROMBIE,      151,     202,     204,     207, 

214,  226,  235. 
Aboir,  p.,  231. 
Abolitionists,    8,    14,     139,    273-4 

361,  403-5. 
AcLAND,  John  Dyke,  175. 

Lady  Harriet,  191,  197. 
Adams,  Elisha  A.,  405. 

Henry  J.,  141,  405. 
Addams,  Elizabeth,  31,  149,  318. 

John,  31,  41,  42,  149,  197,  265, 
318,  373,  385,  434- 

John  Townsend,  190,  385. 

Mary  (Townsend),  42,  318,  385. 
Adirondack  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.,  44, 

264. 
Adriance,  Caroline,  147,  355. 
Agniers,  80. 
Agricultural   Societies,    30,    104, 

403,  418. 
Aikens,  Asa,  20,  119. 

Betsey  (Smith),  20. 

Martin  J.,  151,  281. 

Solomon,  20. 
Aiken's  Volunteers,  38,  151,  281-2, 

289. 
Alden,  Alonzo,  24,  223. 

Isaac,  223. 

John,  223. 
Alger,  Russell,  236. 
Algonquins,  163,  165,  181,  315,  318. 
Allen,  Anson  H.,  205-6,  336. 

Charles  P.,  401. 

Ebenezer  (Col.)  25,  45,  86,  351, 

354- 

Edward  Viel,  75. 

Elisha,  388,  395. 

Enoch,  354. 

Ethan  (Gen.),  10,  14,  23,  29,  32, 
45.  47.  50.  51.  54,  86,  105,  126, 
127-129,  131-133,  144,  146, 
158,  168,  200,  258-9,  312,  316, 

327.  336,  354.  394- 
Ethan  Voltaire,  14,  55. 
Ezra,  407. 


Allen,  Fanny,  55. 

Frances  Montezuma  (Buchanan) 

14,  54.  3i(^- 
Frederick,  289. 
Hannibal,  29,  55. 
Heman   (Capt.)  of  Bennington, 

261,  312. 
Heman  (Colchester,  Burlington) 

192. 
Heman      (Milton,      Burlington) 

354-5.  401,  410-11. 
Ira  (Gen.),  14,  23,  50,  140,  354, 

364- 
Ira  H.,  140. 
James  S.,  398. 
Jerusha  (Enos),  140. 
John,  388,  395,  410. 
Jonas,  94-5,  189. 
Lamberton,  25,  354. 
Levi,  23,  51. 
Lucinda,  261. 
R.  P.,  26. 
Samuel,  Sr.,  354. 
Samuel,  Jr.,  354-5- 
Thomas,  90,  157,  216,  284. 
Zenas,   87,   157,   407. 
Alvis,  Mr.,  296. 

Amherst,  36,  176,  185,  225,  227,  230, 
235,  242-3,  257,  321,  329,   T,2,z, 
338-340,  342,  345-6.  350- 
Andrance,  Albert,  266. 
Andre,  John,  318,  362. 
Andrews,  J.  Warren,  377. 
Anstruther,  Lieutenant,  250. 
Antill,  Edward,  291. 
Appling,  Lieut. -Col.,  281. 
Armstrong,  Clarissa,  324. 
Libean,  324. 
Martin,  77. 
Arnold,    Benedict,    39,    61,    11 7-8, 
127-8,    132,    136,    142-6,    177, 
180,   188,  260,  263,  279,  286, 
291.    305.    308-9,    324,    329. 
331-4,  337.  397,  402,  436. 
Elisha,  72, 


450 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Arthur,  Chester  A.,  323. 

Reuben,  10 1. 

Richard  D.,  292. 
Ashley,  EHsha,  49. 

Enoch,  49. 
AsTOR,  John  Jacob,  56,  84,  154- 
Atkinson,  Colonel,  231. 
Atwood,  Joab,  399. 

William,  359,  399. 
AuGusTiN,  Helena,  364. 
Austin,  President  (U.  V.  M.),  71- 
AvERiLL,   Calvin  K.,   26,   161. 

Daniel,  74,  266,  416. 

Henry   K.,   81,    87,    112-3,    151, 

157.  315- 
Maria  K.,  23. 
Mary   (Polly),   23,  87,   104,   112, 

161,   173.  384- 
Nathan,  Sr.,  74,  89,  94,  266,  320, 

373,  402,  416. 
Nathan,  Jr.,  23,  74,  87,  103,  112, 

161,  173,  266,  416. 
Samuel,  348. 
Ayers,  Eliakim,  60,  66-7,  166,  171, 
296,  324,  334,  401,  405. 
Robert,  121. 
Ayotte,  Pierre,  290. 
Ayslin,  Isaac,  361. 
AzY,  d'  Lieut.,  212. 

Badlam,  Mrs.,  318. 

William,  318. 
Bacon,  Esther,  3 10-3 11. 

Mary,  384. 

Wm.  C,  124. 
Bailey,  Florence  B.,  403. 

Edmund  S.,  403. 

Gen.  Jacob,  264. 

James,  115,  284,  319-20. 

John,  65,  78,  223. 

John  W.,  78,  244. 

Theodorus,  8,  45,  105-6,  229, 
330,  403. 

Thurber,  244. 

William,  8,  14,  45.  58,  65,  78, 
98,  104-5,  "5.  123,  140,  229, 
310. 

William,  H.,  58,  98. 
Bainbridge,  Commodore,  138. 
Baker,  C.  Alice,  357. 

Daniel,  115. 

E.  C,  277,  349- 

Jane,  32. 

Mrs.  M.  G.,  13. 

Remember,  82,  133,  213,  394- 

Reuben,  72. 


Baker,  Thomas,  307,  371,  407. 

William,  86. 
Balcarres,  General,  175. 
Balch,  Alvah,  350,  436. 

Chester,  163,  399. 

Ebenezer,  Sr.,   i6r,   352,  436. 

Ebenezer,  Jr.,  350,  352-3,  436. 

Mrs.  Timothy,  9,  353. 

Timothy,    148,    163,   350,  352. 
Baldwin,  Mary,  265. 
Ball,  372. 

Adonijah,  385. 

Isaac,  385. 

Moses,  385. 

Rachel,  385. 
Banker,  Lucretia,  259,  360. 
Baptist  Church,  12,  57,  63,  64,  68. 

95,  100,  147,  174,  424- 
Barber,  Alanson  D.,  55,  274. 

G.  E.,  347.  349.  371- 

Isaac,  361. 

John,  88. 
Barker,  Hannah,  350. 

Nicholas,  310,  350. 

N.  B.,  347- 
Barnard,  Charles,  no. 

Joseph,  no,  152. 
Barnes,  A.  C,  203. 

Asa,  132 

Jeremiah,  268. 

Lois,  152. 

Lucretia,  152. 

M.  A.  295. 

William,  136. 
Barr,  Conrad,  340,  384. 
Barret,  P.  J.,  212. 

Lawrence,  433 
Barron,  Joseph,  22,  157,  299,  306. 
Barrows,  Isaac,  88. 
Barton,  Caleb,  426. 

Lewis,  266. 
Bassett,  David,  361. 
Bateman,  Smith,  152. 
Bates,  Elizabeth,  35. 
Baum,  Frederick,  249,  262. 
Beach,  Cynthia,  313,  343- 
Beale,  George,  191. 
Beaudry,  Louis  N.,  390. 
Beauharnois,  Marquis  de,  329,  400. 
Beaumont,  Samuel,  27,  284,  328. 

William,  ri8,  216-17,  328. 
Beckwith,  Baruch,  27,  ^t,,  421. 

Benj.  M.,  344-5.  347.  37^.  42i. 

Daniel,  153  263. 

George  H.,  347. 

George,  M.,  33,103,148,277,423- 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


451 


Beckwith,  Julius  D.,  371. 
Bedue,  Sieur,  360. 
Beecher,  Lyman,  69. 
Beekman,  William,  58. 
Belden,  Lois,  352. 
Belding,  Sarah,  401. 
Bellamy,  Justus,  398. 
Bellemont,  Earl  of,  259. 
Bellevue  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.,  94. 
Bellows,  Hiram,  48. 
James,  291. 
James  T.,  48. 
Tryphena,  48. 
Belton,  George,  47,  52,  65,  66,  77, 
84,  112,  131,  185,  304,  334,  338, 
365- 
Beman,  Aaron,  419,  423. 
Amy,  96. 
George,  419. 
Jemima,  419. 
Nathan,  8,96,  13 1-2,  157,  263-4, 

300,  419. 
Samuel,    94,    96,    157,    264,   266, 
300. 
Benedict,  141. 
Aaron,  350. 
Cyrus,  350,  380. 
G.  C,  309. 
Walter  H.,  141. 
Bennet,  John  N.,  88. 
Bentley,  Charles,  116. 
Benzel,  Adolphus,  70,  306. 
Berrien,  John,  266. 
Berthier,  Sieur  de,  326. 
BiDWELL,  Sedgwick  W.,  403. 
Billings,  Andrew,  266. 

Mr.,  420. 
Bingham,  Jerusha,  312 
Bird,  Gustavus  A.,  151. 

105. 

Bissell,  Ben,  26. 

General,  90. 
Bissell's  Brigade,  239 
BixBY,  Deborah,  T.  S.,  76. 

George  F.,  44,  172. 
Black  Watch  Regiment,  201,  221, 

323. 
Blake,  C.  D.,  428. 
Blanchard,  Orlin,  361. 
Bleecker  )  r  -u 
Bleeker    [Jo^n.  52. 
Blood,  Nathaniel,  77. 
Bloomfield,  Joseph,  276,  301,  364, 

370. 
Blush,  Harvey,  283. 


Boardman,  Benjamin,  232,  269,  292, 

Edwin,  303. 

Elisha,  232,  269. 

Henry,  232,  269. 

Hezekiah,  292. 

Horace,  370. 

Joseph,  232,  269,  303. 

Lucius,  370. 

Samuel,  232,  292. 
Bogert,  William,  64. 
Boilau,  Pierre,  231. 
Boilleau,  Amable,  291. 

BOLABARRAS,   M.   dC,    333. 

Bonneville,  General,  167. 
Booth,  Edwin,  433. 

F.  E.,  349,  371. 

John  H.,  424. 
Bordwell,  Joel,  271. 
Bostwick,  Hulda,  153. 
Botsford,  E.  F.,  44. 
Boucher,  M.,  362. 
Bougainville,  General,  268-9,   272. 
Bouille,  Helene,  430. 

Nicholas,  430. 
Bourdon,  Sieur,  163. 
Bourlemaque,    General,    227,    240 

252,  395. 
Bowen,  Bishop,  358. 

S.  P.,  194,  428. 
Bowman,  Bishop,  ^84. 

A.  W.,  373.^ 
Boynton,  John,  146,  307,  373,  399. 
Bradford,  Elisha,  Sr.,  345. 

Elisha,  Jr.,  345. 
Bradstreet,  Colonel,  207. 
Brady    }  rj., 

BREADYf^^'°"^^S'     "2,    42s,    435. 

Braman,  Daniel,  405. 
Brand,  H.,  240. 

James,  263. 
Breakenbridge  )  T 
Breakenridge     f  James,  234,  430- 

Mary,  397. 
Breed,    Allen,    Sr.,    182,    248,    260, 

323- 

Allen,  Jr.,  248,  359. 

Eliphalet,  260. 
Brewer,  Chief  Justice,  304. 
Brewster,  Jeremiah,  341. 
Bridge,  Samuel  Southby,  338,   341, 

343- 
Brimmer,  George,  77. 
Brinkerhoff,  Abraham,  136,  137. 

Abram  D.,  21,  64. 

Mrs.  Abraham,  107. 


452 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Brisbane,  Ezekiel,  286. 

xMaj. -General,    263,    273,    275-6, 

284. 
Broadwell,  David,  qi. 
;••-.     Noah,  310. 
!t,  ]     Smith,  91. 
Brock,  L.  D.,  370,  384-5- 
Brook,  Lord,  33. 
Brooks,  Bartemas,  152. 
Bromley,  I.  W.  R.,  370. 
Brown,  Captain,  70. 
Captain  John,  279. 
Colonel,  58. 
George,  43- 
John  (of   Ossawatomie),    149-51, 

273,  279,  2S0,  403,  404-5. 
John  (of  Rhode  Island),  262. 
Josiah,  37. 
Judge,  134- 
Hannah,  134- 
Major,  342. 
Mary  A.,  403. 
Peter,  279. 
Sabra,  303. 
Brunneau,  a.  O.,  124. 
Brunson,  John,  35. 
Bryce,  Ambassador,  204,  208-11. 
Buchanan,  Fanny  (Allen  q.  v.) 
Buck,  Bellina,  153. 
Bostwick,  239. 
David,  153. 
Ephriam,    113,    130-    i53.    251. 

368. 
George  F.,  251,  420. 
Henry,  130. 
Hulda,  153. 
Joel,  153. 
Philander,  153. 
Buckham,  James,  10-14,  17.  21,  36, 
39,    51.    53.    59-    64,    84,    88, 
93-4,    100,    105,    107-9,    ii^~ 
112,    114,    116,    121,    123-125, 
127,     138,     140.     143.     M7-8, 
152,  154,  156,  160-3,  165,  168, 
172,   195,   206,   218,   220,  222, 
225,     228,     230,     236,     240-1, 
24^-7,    257,   274,   276-7,   296, 
298,  303-5.  318-321,  325.  327, 
336,  338-40,  351-3-  356.  358, 
360,     373,     377-9-    397,     400, 

434-5-  43  7- 
Matthew  Henry,  235,  378,  424- 

*"The  Heart  of  Life,"  a  collec- 
tion of  early  poems  is  pub- 
lished by  Copeland  &  Day  of 
Boston. 


Buhl     JElias,  252. 

BUELL,  J  '       -^ 


Julia  (Sailly),  415. 

Ozias,  244. 

Polly,  130,  408. 

Samuel,  18,  252,  273. 
BuLKLEY,  Catherine  F.,  76. 

Edwin  A.,  65,  429. 
BuLLARD,  Erastus,  390. 
Bullock,  Grace,  377. 
BuRBANK,  Lucy,  372. 
BuRCHARD,  James,  350. 

Sarah,  350-1. 

BURGOYNE,  126,  134,  170,  174,  178-9, 
182,    184-5,    I90-I,    197.    199.   202, 

248-9,  259,  354,  404- 
Burke,  Bishop,  212. 

Mary. 

Mayor,  211. 

Thomas,  70,  77,  79. 
BuRNHAM,  George,  281. 
Burroughs,    Kate   L.,    (McCaffrey), 

120. 
Burrows,  J.  M.,  286. 
Burt,  Benjamin,  401. 

George,  409. 
Bush,  Isaac,  136. 
Butler,  Benjamin,  87. 

Henr3^  E.,  19. 
Butterfield,  Thomas,  341- 
Byantum,  John,  177. 
Byington,  Joel,  67,  171,  337- 

Cabot,  Abigail,  43- 

Marston,  43. 
Cady,  Augusta  M.  (Wood),  171. 

Cyrus,  421. 

Daniel,  W.,  209. 

Heman,  113,  421. 

H.  W.,  371. 

T.  P.,  370. 
Caillat,  Marie,  427. 

Calkin,     f  ggniamin,  19,  266. 

Calkins,  ) 

Calvanistic  Cong'l  Church,  57,  60, 

80,  104,  III,  261,  367,  412. 
Cammeron,  William,  77. 
Campbell,  Anna,  250. 

Duncan,  221,  250. 

Jam.es,  398. 

John,  126. 

Lieutenant,  126. 
Cane,  William,  276. 
Captives,  Indian,  23,  24,  305,  400-2. 
Carew,  Judge,  107. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


453 


Carignan-Salieres,   i6,  32,  87,  41, 

47-  80,  315.  318. 
Carlton,  General,   160,   175-6,  248, 
278,   297,   318,  337,  342,  354, 
404. 

Lady  Maria,  313. 
Carpenter,  Benjamin,  228. 

Polly,  348. 

Miss,  413. 
Carroll,  Charles,  114,  133. 

John,  114. 
Carter,  John  M.,  140. 

Judith,  40S. 

Lieutenant,  294,  299. 

William,  420. 
Carver,  Nathan,  25. 
Cary,  Phebe,  407. 
Casse,   (Corse)  Elizabeth,  218,  357, 

368. 
Cassin,  Lieutenant,  137. 
Casson,  Father,  271. 
Catholic    (Roman)    Church,     121, 

124,  125-6,   137,   154,  201,  212, 

218—219,    229,    237,    256,    271, 

285,    313,    319,    321,    355,    361, 

362,    380,    385,    391,    400-403, 

415,  416,   418,   422,   429. 
Catholic  Summer  School,  44,  254, 

268. 
Catlin,  Mary,  319. 

Moses,  244,  261. 
"  Cato,"  14. 
Chamberlain,  Edward  B.,  69,  72. 

Wyman,  383. 
Chambers,  William,  352. 
Chambly,  de,  326. 
Champlain  Academy,  286. 

Assembly,    (Cliff    Haven,    q.v.). 

Canal,  30,  246—7. 

Ferry  Company,  35. 

Madame,  421-422. 

Presbytery,  19,  202,  380. 

Samuel  de,  181,  195-7,  ^99.  201, 
212-213,   225,   235,   421,   428, 

43°- 
Transportation     Company,     13, 

35,  38,  55,  150,  353- 
Chandler,  Doctor,  328. 

W.  H.,  349. 
Chantonette,  Francis,  171,  341. 
Charles  II,  279. 
Chartier,  Theodore,  291. 
Chase,  Moses,  55,  137,  244. 

Samuel,  114. 
Chasy,  Sieur  de,  80,  114. 


Chateaugay  Ore  &  Iron  Co.,  109. 

Chatterton,  John,  19. 

Chaurain,  Lewis,  418. 

Chipman,  John,  362. 

Chism,  John,  7,   108,    130,  324,  333, 

^       365,383- 

Chittenden,  Thomas,  9,  13,  108,  222, 

312. 
Church,  Captain,  407. 
Churchill,  Samuel,  64. 
Cincinnati,  Order  of  the,  123,  150. 
Clapp,  Joel,  317. 
Clark,  Bethuel,  361. 

B.  S.  W.,  115. 

Colonel  Isaac,  64,  91,  221-2. 

George  L.,  277. 

Jesse,  361. 

Joanne  W.,  76. 

John,  361,  430. 

Miss  C.  P.,  317. 

Newman  S.,  231. 

Sally,  II. 

Samuel,  no. 

W.  O.,  74. 
Clement,  President,  285. 
Clifford,  Jonathan,  359. 
Clinton  County  Agricultural  Soci- 
ety, 104,  276,  337,  418. 

Associate  Mission,  39. 

Bible  Society,  36,  67-8. 

Medical  Society,  22,  24-7,  245, 
3.02-3,  325. 

Military  Association,  294-5. 
Clinton    Lodge,    F.   &  A.  M.,  400. 

406. 
Clinton,  DeWitt,  400. 

George,  82,  113,  123,  231. 

Sir  Henry,  153. 
Cloutier,  Charles,  231. 
Clowes,  Mr.,  429. 
Cochran,  John,  98,  409-410. 

Robert,  177. 

Sarah,  409—410. 
CoDRiNGTON,  Sir  Edward,  49. 
CoE,  Martha,  318. 

William,  94. 
Coffin,  Tristram,  350. 
CoiT,  Joseph    H.,    136,    254,    318-9, 

321. 
Cole.  Caleb  P.,  69. 

Joseph,  69. 
Collins,  Gideon,  431. 

Mr.,  29. 
Columbus,  348. 


454 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Commissioners     (Boundary     Line), 
278,  285-6. 

(Land),   74,   123,  290. 

(Peace),  118. 

(Tercentenary),  286,  288-9,  4^4- 

(Turnpike),  96. 
CoMSTOCK,  Peter,  178,  246-7. 

Polly,  252. 

Rufus,  252. 

Samuel,  246. 
CoNANT,  R.  T.,  317. 
Cong'l  Presbyterian  Church,  26, 

64,  80-81,  loi,  116,  133,  274. 
Cong'l  Unitarian  Church,  16,  no, 

113' 
Congress,  Continental,  34,  133,  312, 

37°- 

Provincial,  34,  117,  236. 
CoNKLiN,  Elizabeth,  21,  407,  419. 

Roscoe,  407. 
CoNROY,  John  J.,  154,  3S5. 
Constable,  William,  115. 
CoNTRECOUR,  Sieur,  207. 
Converse,  J.  H.,  60,  401. 

Lucy,  164. 
Cook,  Joseph,  24,  229,  321,  390. 

Ransom,  121. 

Susan,  158,  231,  382. 

William  H.,  428. 
Cooper,  Charles  D.,  96. 

Henry,  177. 

J.  Fenimore,  156. 

Sir  AstleJ^  49. 
CoRBiN,  Abigail,  31. 

Charity,  43. 

John,  31,  43,  44. 

Josiah,  14,  113. 

Joseph,  113,  258,  320,  376. 

Martha,  21,  31,  43,  376. 

Mary  (Tallmadge),  258. 

Moses,  318. 

Royal,  43,  no,  348. 

Warren,  103,  383. 
CoRLEAR,  287. 

Corning  (Coming  &  Cook),  415. 
CoTTRiLL,  C.  H.,  349,  371. 
CouRCELLES,  M.  de,   16,  29,  37,  47, 

287,  318,  432-3- 
CouRSOL,  Justice,  414. 
CowLES,    C.    D.,    68,    74,    204,    209, 

268. 
CoYLE,  Dr.,  268. 
Craig,  John,  43,  94. 

Sir  James,  404. 

Sir  John,  48. 


Cramer,  Fred  H.,  347,  349. 
Crippen,  Sarah,  246. 
Crook,  James,  104. 
Crosby,  E.,  371. 

E.  M.,  428. 
Cross,  Henry,  177. 
Culbertson,  Lieutenant,  188. 
Culver,  Francis,  194,  196-7. 

John,  318. 
Curtis,  Zerah,  11. 
Cutler,  Christiana,  75. 
CuYLER,  John  Bleecker,  40. 

Stephen,  72. 

Daggett,  Naptha,  54. 

Mary,  54,  140. 
Dane,  Prof.,  196. 
Darby,  Jacob,  361. 
•'  David,"  9,  435. 
Davidson,  John,  415. 
Julian  O.,  277. 
Levi  P.,  219,  363,  396,  397. 
Lucretia,   86,   88,   104,   109,   117, 
124,     125,     155-6,     170,     191, 
210,     219,     243,     270—1,     314, 
337,  348,  421,  425. 
Margaret  (Miller),  122,  150,  155, 
195,     219,     223,     225,     275-6, 
281,  290,  332. 
Margaret  M.,   7,   18,   67,   69,   72, 
85,  86,  88,  99,  114,  1S7,  192-3, 
199,     219,     224,     264—5,     277, 
307,   310,   328-9,   335-6,   392, 

427-8.  436-7- 

]\Iatthias  O.,  88,  219,  277. 

Oliver  P.,  24,  25,  219. 
D'avignon,   Francis  J.,   244,  388. 
Davis,  Captain,  334. 
Davoust,  165. 
Day,  Thomas,  77. 
Deall,  Samuel,  16. 
Dean,  Mr.,  65,  273. 
Deane,  Sarah,   118,  377. 

Silas,  118. 
Dearborn,  General,  327,  334,    422, 

436- 
DeForris,  Charles  S.,  347. 

Truman,  302-3,  316. 
De  Goesbriand,  Bishop,  124-5,  237. 
Delaney,  James,  349. 

Patrick  K.,  154. 
De  Levis,  209,  214. 
Dellius,  Godfrey,  279. 
Delord,  Frances  (Quinac),  235. 

Frances  H.,  335. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


455 


Delord,  Henry,   88,   233,    235,  239, 
254,  310,  335,  400. 

Jean  Baptiste,  235. 

Madam,  24,  254,  335. 
Demary,  38S. 
Deming,  Julius,  244. 
Denio,  Conrad,  361. 
Dennis,  George,  361. 
Denonville,  M.  de,  376. 
Desabrevois,  38. 
Derochers,  T.  E.,  371. 
Deuel,  }  -c^  x,     ■         ^^ 

Duel  (Dual),  f  ^P^"^^""' •^^^- 

Joseph,  388. 

Phoebe,  388,  410. 
Dewey,  Thomas,  49. 

Zabadiah,  49. 
Dibble,  Israel,  178. 
Dickson,      |  t  a 

Dixon,  flona,  361. 

Moses,  171,  296,  324,  365. 
Dielle,     Caroline    A.     (Piatt),     97, 
223. 

John,  97,  223. 
DiESKAu,  Baron,  240,  279,  287. 
DiGBY,    Lieutenant,    160,    173,    176, 

198,    205,    208,    226,    251,    313, 

317.  333- 
DoBiE,  David,  9,  26,  32,  51,  52,  61, 
103. 

Eliza,  103. 
Dodge,  Daniel,  57,  267,  296. 

John  A.,  57. 

Jordan,  57. 
DooLiTTLE,  Ephraim,  327,  329. 
DoMiNEY,  John,  107. 

DONGAN,         )  ^  o 

DONEGAN,     f  Governor.  287. 
Doric  Club,  368. 
DoRLAND,  Elizabeth,  128. 

Sally,  290. 
Dougherty,  James,  245. 
Douglas,  Hon.  Capt.,  49,  162. 
Douglas,     |  , 
Douglass,    f^^a,  37,  75,202,257. 

Benajah  P.,  121. 
Caleb,  359. 
David,  123. 
James,  164. 
Jonathan,  37,  164. 
John,  37,  49,  59,  75,  134,  202. 
Lucy.  37. 

Nathaniel,   11,   134,   164,  202. 
William,  257. 
DowNiE,  George,  291-2,  294. 


Dual  (Deual),  q.v. 
Dudley,  Martin,  178. 
Duke  of  Kent,  62. 
Dumontel,  Jean,  368. 
Duncan,  Silas,  151. 
Dunning.  Esther,  388. 

Lovel,  286. 
Durand,  Calvin,  152. 

Francis  Joseph,  152. 

Joseph,  152. 

Marinus  F.,  63,  167. 
Durham,  John,  361. 
Durkee,  Adan,  339. 

Andrew,  339. 

Sheldon,  157,  339-40,  384,  423. 

Timothy,  339,  423. 

W.  H.,  371. 
Dutch,  147,  211,  279,  287,  355,  399. 
Dyer,  Jeremy  H.,  64. 

Earl,  Benjamin,  432. 

Hannah,  58,  432. 
Easton,  Colonel,  119. 
Edgerton.  Alfred  P.,  295. 

Bela,  85,  136,  200,  295,  315,  370, 
381. 

Elisha,  315. 

Joseph  K.,  295. 

Lycurgus,  295. 

Phebe,  295,  385. 
Edward.  Prince  of  Wales,  61,  174. 
Edwards,  C.  G.  S.,  428. 

Gustavus.  v.,  106,  310,  429. 

Joseph  W.,  429. 

J-  Q..  349- 

Margaret  E.  (Mrs.  C.  E.  M.),  76, 

ISO- 
Thomas,  240. 
Eels,  Sarah,  323,  339. 

Waterman,  Sr.,  257,  339. 

Waterman,  Jr.,  83. 
Eldred,  Alida,  99. 

Hannah,  291,  338. 

Warren.  99. 
Elkins.  S.  D..  126. 
Ellis,  Loring,  194. 
Ellsworth,  John,  416. 
Elmore,  Colonel,  132. 

Lott,  35.  418,  419 
Ely,  Nathaniel,  408. 
Emerson.  George  H.,  410. 

Joseph  R.,  44,  no,  410. 

Thomas,  44. 
Emery,  Samuel,  178,  285,  406. 
Ends,  Roger,  140. 


4S6 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Episcopal  Church,   8,   13,  39,   136, 

201,  233,  254,  284-5,  301.  306, 

317-319.   321.   358-9.  387.   413. 

415,    416,    428,   431,    433-4- 
Everest,  Aaron  S.,  317,  362,  433. 

Asa  E.,  432. 

Benjamin,  248. 

Calvin,  263,  339. 

Ethan,  152. 

Joseph,  248,  323,  339,  404,  432. 

Josiah,   276,  323,   362,   426. 

Luther,  339. 

Zadock,  248,  252,  337. 
EvERiTT,  Edward,  98. 

Facto,  Peggy,  78-9. 
Fairchild,  Benj.  S.,  24. 

Elizabeth,  24. 
Fairman,  James,  70. 
Farnsworth,  John,  263. 
Farquarson,  D.  L.  W.,  201. 
Farragut,  David,  46,  150,  330. 
Farrell,  87 

Farrington,  Lieutenant,  242. 
Farsworth,  Captain,  287. 
Fay,  Hezekiah,  359. 

John,  257. 

Jonas,  132,  312. 

Samuel,  19. 
Federalists,  48,  411. 
Fellows,  George,  384. 
Felt,  B.  F.,  97. 

Ann  E.,  97. 
Fenwick,  Colonel,  239. 
Ferris,  Benjamin,  248. 

Deacon,  29. 

Hiram,  150. 

Jacob,  36,  94-5.  216,  239. 

Mary,  125. 

Peter,  363-4. 

William,  118. 
Fessie,  John,  231. 
Fifield,  Colonel,  406. 
Fillmore,  Millard,  381. 

Septa,  368,  381. 
Finch,  Isaac,  98. 
Fish,  EHzabeth,  388. 
Fisher,  Josiah,  409. 
FiSK,  Josiah,  266-8,  296. 

Eleanor,  ^^,  301. 

Ichabod,  33,  301. 

Nelson  W.,  285-6. 

Samuel,  33,  291. 
FiSKE    (Claudius,    Eben,    Ira,    Solo- 
mon), 361. 


Fitch,  George  W.,  413. 

Ichabod,  96. 

Jabez,  286. 
Flagg,  Azariah,  67,  151. 
Fletcher,  Mary  L.,  40,  219. 

Mary  M.,  31,  40,  219. 
Flint,  Jonathan,  77. 
Floyd,  William,  266. 
Folger,  John,  350. 
Foley,  James  D.,  424. 
Fontfleyd,  John,  98,  243. 
Foot,  Mary,  M.  76. 
Forbes,  Colonel,  326. 
Forrence,  Miss,  231. 
Forrilles,  Sieur,  32. 
Forsyth,  Doctor,  26. 

Major,  64,  90,  174,  188-9. 
Fort,  Governor,  432. 
Foster,  John,  16. 
Fountain,  Joseph,  418. 
Fouquet,  Amherst  D.,  50. 

Hannah,  50. 

Douglas,  50. 

John  L.,  27,  49,  167,  243. 

Merrit  L.,  50. 
Fowler,  Captain,  278. 

Theodosius,  96. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,  114,  133,  173, 
402. 

Molly,  173,  395,  426. 
Eraser,  General,  175. 
Frazier,  General,  173,  175,  179,  183, 
189,   190,   193,  226,  249,  250. 

Lieutenant,  77. 
Frawley,  James  J.,  424. 
Fredenburgh,    Charles   de,    18,   35, 

59,  177,  252,  262,  278,  289,  430. 
Freligh,  Elizabeth  S.,  124. 

JohnG.,  8,  38,  107,  179,  310,  322, 
417. 

Margaret,  A.,  8,  38. 
French,   44,   77,  86,   107,   178,  241, 
279,  287,  350. 

Abigail,  109,  165,  196,  218,  401, 

Deacon,  218,  368,  401. 

Freedom,  218,  357,  391. 

Martha,  218,  391,  401. 

Mary,  218,  368. 

Thomas,  218,  319. 
Friends,  Society  of,  87,  102-3,  208, 

235-6,  279,  280,  350,  356-7,  366, 

369,  370,  382-3,  387-8. 
Friot,  Alex.,  291. 
Friswell,  John,  57,  160. 
Fry,  Colonel  James,  171. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


457 


Fuller,  Elsie,  295. 

Henry  C,  31. 

Ignatius,  295. 

Josiah,  234. 

W.  A.,  352. 
Fulton,  Robert,  402. 

Galusha,  Jonas,  320. 
Gamble,  Joseph,  40,  68,  248. 

Lieutenant,  294,  299. 

Mrs.,  341. 
Gardner,  Jacob,  77. 

Jothani,  77. 
Garrett,  Leroy  M.,  388. 
Gates,    General,    22,    86,    198,    260, 

308,  354. 
Geer,  Mrs.  Walter,  431. 
George,  the  Third,  62. 
Gibbons,  Cardinal,  201. 
GiBBs,  247. 

Gilbert,  Mrs.  D.  K.,  10. 
Gilchrist,  Robert,  96. 
Gilliland,  Charity,  186. 

Elizabeth,  129,  186,  297. 

Emily  T.,  229-230. 

James,  186. 

Jane,  131,  133-4. 

Jane  u.,  308. 

Mrs.  Jane,  93,  186. 

William,    7,    9,    11,    14,    19,    22, 

24.  31.  33'  36,  40,  42,  49-50. 
52-61,     63-72,      74-5,      77-9, 
81-8,  90,  93-5,  98,  100,  107-8, 
112— 116,  118,  123,  127,  130-1, 
133-6,  149,  160-6,  168,  170-9, 
185-7,    227-8,    230-3,    235-7, 
240,     263,     273-4,     278,     280, 
285-6,   289,   299,   306,   326-8, 
331.  357.  395-6.  397,  407,  409, 
410,  418,  427. 
William  Jr.,  145,  167,  248. 
Gilliland's  Colonists,  7,  36,  47,  50, 
52,  60-1,  69-71,  77-9,  81-4,  87, 
93,    107,    112,    118,    127,    130-1, 
136,  143-4,  153.  rSS,  165,  171-2, 
176—8,  185—7,  205,  214,  224,  230, 
290,    296-8,    304-5.    320,    324, 
333-4.  33^-  346,  350,   355,   365, 
369.  375.  382-3,  385,  388,  391-2, 
398,  400-1,  405,  425,  434-5- 
Gilman,  Benjamin,  136,  323. 
Henry  J.,  420. 
Rufus.  A.,  316. 
GiLMORE,  P.  S.,  149. 
Glasier,  Colonel,  61. 


Gleig,  R.  G.,  179. 
Glennie,  Mr.  341. 
Glover,  General,  259. 
Gold,  Levi,  276. 
Goodsell,  Bishop,  390. 
Goodspeed,  Daniel,  359. 

Gardner,  359. 
Goodrich,  Chauncey,  46. 

Silas,  27,  325. 
Gordon,  Alexander,  25,  324,  354. 

Benjamin,  325. 

General,  168. 

Ira,  325. 

Lewis,  325,  361. 

Seth,  325. 

Thomas,  325. 

Willard,  324-5. 
Gosford,  Lord,  178. 

GOSSELIN,      /  T        ■       r 
G0SSELINE,fL°'"^'69.   291. 

Graham,  Zeoha  Piatt,  179-180,^182- 

3.  185.  ^ 
Grant,  Capt.,  164. 

Fred,  247. 

Jesse,  247. 

John  M.,  144. 

John  R.,  420. 

Lieutenant,  336. 

President,  247-8,   295. 
Graves,  Benjamin,  63,  83,  94,   100. 

Eleazer,  385. 

Ezra,  398. 

Jeremiah,  157,  182. 

Mark,  366. 

Nathan,  128. 

Roswell,  128. 

Samuel,  385. 

Seth,  171. 
Green,  Anna,  118,  208. 

Barlow,  378. 

Caleb,  177. 

Deborah,  328. 

Henry,  177. 

Israel,  26,  118,  231-3,  260,  393, 
402. 

James,  177. 

John,  177. 

Joseph  I.,  377,  385. 

Piatt 'R.,  118 

Rodman,  177. 

Thomas,  82,  269. 
Greenleaf,  James  E.,  149. 
Green  Mountain   Boys,    131,   200, 
'     223-4,  259,  342,   386,   430. 


458 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Green   Mountain   Chapter,   D.   A. 

R.,  ii8,  316. 
Grey  Nuns,  415. 

Grielle,       [Marianne  a.,  166,  170, 
Grellier,    )      425. 
Griffin,  Delia  A.,  124,  180. 

Jonathan,    65,     113,    123,     136, 
180,  288,  421. 

Margaret  H.,  288. 
Griffith,  Jonathan,  366,  383. 

Seth,  103,  366. 
Griswold,  Bishop  (P.  E.),  358. 

WilHam  A.,  38,  300. 
Gross,  Charlotte  C,  409. 

Einily  P.,  409. 

Ezra  C,  408-9. 

Juliet,  409. 

Thomas,  408. 
GuiBORD,  A.,  349. 
Gunn,  C,  371. 

Hackstaff,  John  L.,  11,  410. 
Hadden,    Lieutenant,     175-6,     178, 

183-5,  188-190,  193-4,  250. 
Hagar,  James  A.,  371. 

Jonathan,  428. 

Sarah,  C,  28,  189. 
Haight,  Cornelius,  187. 
Haile,  John  J.,  106. 

William   F.,   284,   295,  307,   316, 

347.  365- 
Haldiman,  General,  108,  126. 
Hale,  Henry,  12. 
Hall,  Bishop,  210. 

Elihu,  361. 

Frances  D.  L.,   76. 

Francis  B.,  414. 

Ira,  361. 

John  P.,  124. 

Monroe,  277,  409. 

Nathaniel,  361. 

Phebe,  409. 
Halleck,  Henry  W.,  330. 
Hallock,  Anna,  208,  389. 

Peter,  208. 
Halseys,  141.  - 
Halsey,  Caroline,  319. 

Charles  F.,  380-1. 

Cornelius,  49,  294. 

Frederick,    18,    23,    31,    34,    43, 
85,    114,    130,    147,    182,    246, 

319.  375-  379.  382. 
Letitia  M.,  379. 
William  F.,  284-5. 
Zopher,  317. 


Halstead,  Piatt  R..  22,  63,  119,  121, 

295- 
Hamilton,  Eliza,  186. 
Hammond,  Charles  F.,  154,  260. 

Gideon,  63. 

John,  122,  154,  260. 
Hampton,  Wade,  214,  238,  369,  398, 

399- 
Hancock,  Major,  89. 
Hand,  Augustus  C,  43. 

Richard  L.,  405. 
Handle Y,  Nicholas,  325. 
Hand's   Cove   Chapter,   D.   A.    R., 

258. 
Hard,  Anson,  233. 
Harney,  Luke,  380. 
Harper,  Robert,  278,  306. 
Harrington,    William   C,    174. 
Harrison,  Caroline  Scott,  352. 

President,  352. 
Hart,  Mr.,  398. 
Hartwell,  George  W.,  420. 

W.  W.,  277,  428. 
Hartwick,  John  B.,  216. 
Harwood,  Benjamin,  19. 

Peter,  19. 
Hascall,  Helen,  8. 

Mary  (Sterne),  8. 

Ralph,  S. 
Haskell,  Asa,  143. 

Daniel,  71,  104,  iii. 
Hatch,  Charles,  69,  379. 

Charles  B.,  69. 
Haughran,  John,  417. 
Haviland,   Colonel,    176,    257,    267- 

9.  287. 
Hawkins,  Colonel,  301. 
Hay,  Anna  Maria,  248. 

Mary,  35,  418. 

William,  35,  61,    160,    177,  418. 
Hayes,  Ahaz,  190. 

Minnie  E.,  308. 

Reuben,  295. 
Haynes,  Maria,  384-5,  432. 

"  Sir  George,"  432. 

Tom.,  432. 
Hazen,  Abigail,  93. 

General    Moses,    79,    250,    264, 
291. 
Hazlet,  D.  E.,  273. 
Hebencourt,  227. 
Hedding,  Bishop,  255. 

Laura,  255. 

William,  255. 
Hegeman,  Catherine,  318,  459. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


459 


Hendee,  Mrs.,  340. 

Henderson,  Ira.,  63,  69. 

Hendricks,  287. 

Henry,  George,    130-1,   227,  235-6. 

John,  48. 
Herrick,  Capt.   (H.  M.   N.),   162. 

Doctor,  242,  310. 

General,  86,  351. 

J.  R.,  19- 

Samuel,  128-9,  ^5^y  354- 
Hewitt,  Henry  G.,  368. 

Jeptha,  263,  368. 

Nathan,  306. 

Nathaniel,  68,  107,  202. 

Rensselaer  S.,  426. 
Heyde,  Charles  L. ,  306. 
Heyers,  Mr.,  74. 
Heyworths,  410. 
Heyworth,  George,  410. 
"  Hick,"  257. 
HicKOK,  Mrs.  H.  P.,  60. 
Hicks,  George,  60,  66-7,  71,  74,  296, 
333-4- 

Harriet,  102. 

Mrs.  G.,  67, 

Samuel,  63,  107,  189,  232. 
HiGBY,  James  S.,  347. 
Highlanders,  201,  221,  324. 
Hill,  Abiah,  214. 

Caleb,  255,  258,  360-1,  377. 

Henry  W.,  212-213,  424. 

Ira,  255,  258,  298-9. 
Hill's  Company,  361. 
Hilliker,  John,  340. 
Hilliard,  Minard,  361. 
HiNMAN,  Colonel,  188. 
Hinton,  Richard  I,  273. 
Hitchcock,  D.  C,  286. 
Hoag,  Daniel,  369,  383. 

Eliiah,  387^ 

F-  371- 

Joseph,  339,  387. 

Lavinia  C,  383. 

Mosher,  383. 

Phebe,  387. 

Seth,  383. 
HoBART,  Bishop,  280. 

Daniel,  150,  355. 

Nehemiah,  150. 
HocQUART,  Giles,  99,  iii,  326,  400. 
Hodgkins,  Margaret,  374. 
Hogarty,  J.  W.,  326. 
HoGLE,  John,  340. 
HoLCOMB,  Amos,  361. 

Carmi,  :!6i. 


HoLCOMB,  Ephraim,  361. 

Horace,  63. 

Jesse,  361. 

S.  Wright,  347,  349. 
Holden,  Daniel,  138. 
Holmes,  John,  405. 

Robert,  405. 

Thomas,  405-6. 
Holt,  Jacob  H.,  311. 

— 24. 
Home  Guards  (of  Plattsburgh),  345, 

351-2. 
Hommedieu,  Ezra  L,  loi,  266. 
Hooker,  General,  167. 

Martin,  415. 

Phineas,  415. 
Hopkins,   John    H.,    165,    229,    356, 

358-9,   387,   415.   417.   433-4- 
HosKiNS,  Daniel,  88. 
Houghton,  William  H.,  409. 
Howard,  Daniel  Dyer,  58. 

Hannah  (Earl),  58,  432. 

John,  57,  58,  281-3,  432- 

John  Purple,  58. 

O.  O.,  354. 

Sion  Earl,  58. 
Howe,  Harmon,  27. 

John,  391. 

Julia,  309. 

Lord,  151,  204-8,  228,  321. 

Martha,  391. 

S.  N.,  347- 
HoxiE,  Gideon,  49. 
Hubbard,  Ezekiel,   116,  318,  398. 

HUBBELL,    Julius    C,    35,    72,    78,    102, 

286,  368-9. 

Silas,  78,  180,  286,  337. 
Huff,  William,  141. 
Hughes,  Bishop,  313. 

General,  65. 

Governor,     60,     201,     203,     207, 
209,  212,  254,  286. 

Mary  (Bailey),  65. 
Hull,  Damaris,  426. 

Ruth,  356,  426. 
Hulme,  Wm.  50,  59. 
Humane  Society,  10,  216,  414. 
Hunt,  Harriet,  97,  357. 
Hunter,  Edward,  22. 
Hunsden,  John,  63. 
HUNTON,  Mary,  51. 
Hurd,  Hester,  430. 
Hurons,  225,  315. 
HussEY,  Ann,  125. 
Hutchins,  Hannah,  loi. 

John,  87. 


460 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


HuTCHiNS,  Nathan,  346. 

Sarah,  10 1. 
Hyde,  Apphia,  353.; 

Azariah,  286. 

Jedediah,  25,  369. 

Indians,  14,  23,  38,  76,  80,  86,  93, 
103,  163,  165,  178,  181,  184-5, 
188-91,  196,  211,  216,  225-7, 
230,  250,  254,  263,  264-6,  280, 
287,  296,  301,  305,  318,  323, 
327,  340,  345,  354-5.  370,  391. 
400. 

Ingraham,  Amos,  144. 

"  Ireland,"  9,  166,  186,  435. 

Irish,  WilUam,  49. 

Iroquois,  38,  80,  172,  211,  226, 
235.  376. 

ISHAM,   H.  L.,  349. 

Izard,  George,  36,  132,  263,  266, 
274. 

Jackson,  A.  H.  W. 

Andrew,  351. 

Daniel  Sr.,  177,  279,  410. 

Daniel  Jr.,  177,  278-9. 

Samuel,  431. 

"  Stonewall,"  167. 
"Jane,"  257. 

Jefferson,  President,  43,  402. 
Jenner,  Samuel,  96. 
Jewett,  Elizabeth,  162. 

Horace  L.,  123. 
Jewish  Congregation,  96-7. 
JoGUES,   Isaac,    163,    178,   315,   340, 

342. 
Johnson,  Captain,  61. 

Henry  S.,  148. 

Moses,  88. 

President,  81. 

Samuel,  W.,  60. 

Sir   William,    9,    109,    255,    279, 
287,  394- 
Jones,  Cornelia  H.,  305. 

David,  233. 

Gardner,  305. 

Honorable  W.,  294. 

Reuben,  (Dr.),  26. 

Reuben,  312. 

William,  227,  235-6. 
JouRDAMAis,  Isaac,  418. 
Jusserand,   Ambassador,    204,    208, 

210. 

Kalm,  Peter,  196,  224. 


Kane,  Edward,  25,  316,  370,  421. 
Kearney,  General,  167. 
Keese,  Anna,  426. 

John,  208,  308. 

Oliver,  409. 

Richard,  208,  266,  389,  426. 

Samuel,  87,  356,  361. 

Sarah,  308. 

Stephen,  356,  426. 

William,  161,  356. 
Kelley,  William,  97. 
Kelly,  John,  266. 

John  Bailey,  201,  322,  376. 

John  E.,  152. 

Joseph,  T.,  376. 
Kellogg,  Benjamin,  252,  308,  404. 

Charles  W.,  433. 

D.  S.,  44,  245,  309. 

Elias,  327. 

Gertrude,  433. 

Isaac,  308. 

Martin,  371. 

Orlando,  31,  405. 

Peter  C,  433. 
Kent,  Elisha,  434. 

Hannah,     155,    219,    254,    332, 
412. 

James,    81,    89,    231,    245.    252, 
254,  402. 

Moss,      79,      155-6.      254     270. 
Ketchum,  Benjamin,   190,  374. 

Joseph,  89,   100,   104,   124,   173, 
189,  198,  364. 

Phoebe,   85,   89,    104,    173,    198, 

364- 
Keyes,  Sarah,  418. 
KiLLAM,  Rachel,  303. 
King,  Abigail,  350. 

David,  128. 

John.  296,  333. 
Kingsbury,  Lieutenant,  145. 
KiNGSLEY,  Abisha,   19. 

John,  63. 
KiNNE,  Sarah,  170,   416. 
Kinney,  Ezra.  369. 
Kinsley,  Ruth,  127. 

Stephen,  71,  loi. 
Kirtland,  Henrietta  J.,  99. 

John,  372. 

Marie  D.,  372. 
Kline,  Jacob,  104. 
Klock,  J.,  349- 
Knapp,  Ezra,  361. 

'H.  W.,  209,  424. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


461 


Knight,  Dame,  394. 

John,  Sr.,  320,  394. 

John  (Capt.),  320. 
Knott,  Samuel,  315. 
Knowles,  EUzabeth,  350. 
Knox,  Henry,  394. 
Kyle,  Osceola,  390. 

La  Corne,  St.  Luc  de,  14,  28. 

Ladd,  Henry,  337 

Lafave,  F.,  349 

LaFayette,  General,  9,  49,  192,  243. 

372,  402,  427. 
La  Force,  Damien,  418. 
LaFountain,  Peter,  347. 
La  Frambois,  John,   236,   250,   291, 

360. 
Lake  Champlain  Association,   60. 
Lake  Champlain  Pulp  and  Paper 

Co.,  so,  234. 
Lake    Champlain    Steamboat    Co., 

72,  169. 
Lalement,  The  Jesuit,  428. 
Lamereau,  Pauline,  256. 
Landon,  Rachel,  198,  328. 
Lane,  Derrick,  415. 

Matthew,  415. 
Langdon,  J.,  370. 
Lansing,  Abram  W.,  138,  139. 

Hannah,  76. 

Wendell,  138-9. 
Lapham,  Eliza,  426. 

Joseph,  426. 
Larabee,  Alexander,  84. 
Larrabee,  John  S.,  395. 
La  Reine  Regiment,  227,  395. 
Larkin,  Elam,  351. 

Eleazer,  J.,  343. 

John,  70. 

Lorin,  N.,  70,  78,  157,  351. 
La  Rocque,  J.  H.,  10. 
Lasambert,  Antoine,  231. 
Latourneau,  Joseph,  231. 
Lavan,  Antoine,  231. 
Lawrence,  89,  93. 

Jonathan,  41,  266,  434. 

Putnam,  115. 

William,  242,  346. 
Lawson,  William,  304. 
Leaky,  Captain,  274. 
Lee,  John  A.,  348. 
Leeke,  Abigail,  358,  398. 

David,  358. 

Phoebe,  358. 


Leflin,  James,  358. 

Rebecca,  358. 
Le  Jeune,  Paul,  17,  428. 
Lemieux,  Postmaster-General,  209. 
Leroy,  Dupont,  207-8. 

Pierre,  218. 
L'Estage,  M.  de,  215,  400,  422. 
Levy,  Mrs.  William,  10. 
Lewis,  Miner,  282. 

Morgan,  96. 
L'Hommedieu,  Ezra,  loi,  266. 
Lincoln,  President,  81,  109,  138. 
Littlefield,  Aaron,  357. 
Livingston,  A.  C.  H.,  140,  405. 

Gilbert,  231. 

Helen,  193. 

Henry,  193. 

Isaac,  183,  323. 

John,  119. 

Judith,  182-3,  323. 

Robert  R.,  370. 

Robert  W.,  35,  140. 
LoBiAC,  Sr.,  32. 
Lobdell,  Caleb,  401. 

Darius,  265,  372,  396,  401. 

Henry,  372. 

Jared,  265. 

John,  413. 

Joshua,  401. 
Logan,  James,  38,  52,  78,  81,  83,  87. 
Lomax,  Major,  52. 
LoNEYS,  356. 
LoNGUEiL,  Chevalier,  76. 
LooMis,  Anna,  31. 

Jarius,  162,  165. 

Phineas,  62. 
LoRiNG,  Captain,  259,  ^^^,  336. 
LoTBiNiERE,  Chartier  de,  99. 
Louis  XVI,  112,  272. 
Louis  XVII,  56. 
Louis  Phillip,  235. 
Low,  John,  379. 

John  Hatch,  379. 
Seth,  203. 

Wilson,  379. 
Lowell,  Samuel,  284. 
Loyalists,  57,  68,  84,  232-3,  352. 
LucKEY,  William,  39,  60,  66,  67,  144, 
165,  172,  185,  334,  365,  385,  391, 
395.  401. 

LUSIGNAN,  M.,   196,  224,  395. 

Luther,  Caleb,  64. 
LuYKASSE,  Gerrard,  211. 
Lyman,  General,  274,  287. 
Lynde,  Elizabeth,  395. 


462 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Lynde,  Frances,  286. 

John,    113,    116,    164,    173,   285, 
306,  409. 

Johnathan,   172,  394,  395. 
Lyon,  Asa,  367. 

Asahel,  121. 

Dan,  78,  283. 

General  Nathaniel,  167. 

Hattie,  248. 

Nathaniel,  167,  248. 

Mabie,  Hamilton  W.,  207. 
MacDonough,  Thomas,   22,   41,   98, 

105,  153,  155,  157,  167,  191,  228, 

238,  244-5,  258,  268,  288,  291-2, 

294,  297,  301,  307,  309-11,  374, 

411,  422,  436. 
Macintosh,  John  \.,  376. 
Mack,  Aaron  B.,  69. 
MacLane,  Robert  (McLane  q.  v.) 
Macomb,  Alexander,  17. 

Alexander,   Jr.,    12,    64,    90,    91, 
106,  132,  151-2,  239,  266,  288, 
306,  309,  311. 
Macomber,  Grace  P.,  129. 

Joseph  T.,  382. 

Silas,  102. 

Wesson,  369. 
MacGlassin,  Captain,  289,  290. 
Magruder,  General,  167. 
Maissonneuve,  128,  141. 
Malley,  Miss,  268. 
Malony,  Richard  J.,  154. 
Man,  Albon,  26,  81,  115,  325. 

Ebenezer,  81. 

Susan  M.,  8r. 
Manly,  Colonel,  295. 
Mann,  Isaac,  65. 
Manning,  William,  349. 
Manse,  Mdlle.,  141. 
Mansfield,  Amos,  49. 
Marguerite,  8aon'got  (Eunice  Wil- 
liams q.  V.) 
Marin,  217. 
Markham,  H.  H.,  381. 
Marsh,  Catherine  K.,  13,  130,  318. 

Charles,  13,  68,  391. 

George,    13,    68,    94,    113,    130, 
285,  400,  408. 

Julia  A.,  408. 
Marshall,  Paul,  302. 
Martin,  John,  87. 
Marvin,  John  N.,  431. 
Mason,  Aaron,  180,  374, 

Lillis,  180,  374. 


Matthews,  Captain,  195. 
Mattocks,  John,  26. 

Maria  C,  37. 
Mattoon,  John,  130. 
Maximin,  Sr.,  32. 
Mayhew,  Governor,  32. 
McAuley,  John,   78-9,  81,  83,   130 
205,  392. 

Robert,  50,  52,  78-9,  81,  83,  107, 
130,   185,  205,  3S3'  365.  382. 
McCadden,  Frank,  349. 

John,  371. 
McCaffrey,  W.  J.,  10. 
McClosky,  Archbishop,  125. 
McCracken,  Mr.,  71. 
McCrea,  Jane,  332-3. 
McCreedy,  Charles,  266. 

J.,  26. 
McCullogh,  Hugh,  81. 
McDermott,  Michael,  384. 
McElrea,  John,  7,  178. 
McFardin,  Rachel,  186. 
McGregor,  Duncan,  139. 
M'Intosh,  Donald,  350. 
McKay,  Mr.,  65. 
McKeever,  Bernard,  154,  277. 
McKesson,  John,  278. 
McKiNLEY,  President,  236,  285,  298, 
McKinney,  Norris,  69. 
McKowN,  307. 
McLane,  Robert,  130,  171,  333,  365, 

401,  405. 
McLaughlin,  Arch'd,  144. 
McLellan,  Samuel,  120. 
McMaster,  D.  F.,  277. 
McNeil,  Charles,  347. 

David  B.,  47,  128,  190,  252,  292, 

295.  397- 

John,  188,  397. 
McPherson,  291. 
Mead,  Smith,  8,  157. 
Megaphy,  Joseph,  423. 
Megapolensis,  Dominie,  315. 
Meigs,  247. 
Melson,  George,  130. 
Menomines,  217. 
Merial,  Father,  218,  422. 
Merrill,  Arthur,  loi. 
Methodist  Church,  38,  54,  126,  145, 

233.  251.  265,  272,  277,  303,  346, 

384-5.  403,  424- 
Michel,  M.,  99. 
Military  Exempts,  36,  197. 
Miller,  Abigail,  316. 

Burnet,  155,  157,  219,  266,  407. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


463 


Miller,  Dr.  Matthias  Burnet,  n^s- 

E.  C,  347. 

Eleazer,  123,  147,  306,  319-320. 

Eliza  H.,  7,  42,   142-3. 

Fanny,  186. 

George,  141. 

John,  7,  25,  42,  51,  67,  74-5,  91, 
107,  142,  155,  218,  239,  290, 
306,  325. 

John  Jay,  316. 

Levi  P. 

Lucretia,  156,  318. 

Morris  S. ,  199. 

Nathan. 

Patience,  384. 

Phebe,  11. 

PHny,  316. 

Sylvanus  S.,  186. 

Thomas,  21,  25,  70,  107,  156, 
182,   295,   360,   407,    419. 

Thomas,  Jr.,  315,  325. 

Van  Buren,  316. 
Mills,  Harriet  M.,  405. 

John,  191. 
MiNKLEY,  Barnabas,   398. 
Mitchell,  Margaret,  290. 

Sally,  290. 

William,  266. 
Mix,  Colonel,  299. 
Mix,  Mrs.  James,  358. 

Stephen,  318. 
MoFFiT,  Stephen,  114. 
Mohawks,   37,   47,   80,   89,   93,   163, 

165,  178,  209,  211,  215,  226,  233, 

263,  279,  315,  318. 
MoNASH,  Solomon,  276,  433. 
MoNCK,  Lord,  414. 
Monroe,  Colonel,  241. 

President,  231-4. 

MONTAGNAIS,    I  7. 

Montcalm,  Marquis  de,  209,  217, 
230,  241,  267. 

Montgomery,  Richard,  10,  121,  210, 
213.  257.  304,  342,  348,  362,  378, 
397,  402,  436. 

Montville,  J.,  349. 

Monty,  Francis,  231,  250,  291,  397-8, 

Mooers,  Benjamin,  8,  9,  13,  29,  31, 
51,  53,  59,  66,  69,  78-9,  82, 
85,  93-4,  96,  98,  107,  no,  113, 
114,  134,  149-50.  152,  157. 
200,  214,  223,  225,  231,  236, 
238,  250,  253,  275,  281,  288, 
292,  309,  343,  360,  370,  396, 
419,  420,  423. 


Mooers,    Benj.    Hazen,    48,    51,    91, 
103,    229,  423. 

Benj.  John,  9,  24,  25,  26,  27,  85, 
91,  loi,  116,  134,  146,  155, 
157,   182,   275,   307,  376,   435- 

Charles  S.,  294,  423. 

Hazen,  151. 

John,  9,  85,  146. 

John  Henry,  307. 

Moses  Hazen,  59. 

Richard  S.,  182. 

William  Piatt,  9,  210. 
Moore,  Allen  R.,  104,  337,  375. 

Amasa  C,  29,  66,  10 6, "2 95. 

Andrew,  316,  375. 

Ann,  35,  102,  296. 

Benjamin,  27,  325,  376. 

Charles  Halsey,  342. 

Charlotte  (Mooers),  29  66. 

D.  T.,  286. 

Edwin  G.,  347,  371,  417. 

George,  316,  370,  374-5- 

Hugh,  242. 

John  W.,  150. 

Lucretia  M.,  21. 

Margaret,  no. 

Matilda,  102. 

Noadiah,  31,  37,  104,  286. 

P.  D.,  428.      ; 

Phoebe,  104,  198. 

Pliny,  II,  21,  29,  31,  35,  52,  67, 
69,  96,  102,  107,  184,  261-2, 
296. 

Royal,  262. 

Samuel,    65,    79,    123,    128,    136, 

^  306,  375. 

Sir  Henry,  273,  278,  306,  366. 

Sophia,  102,  296. 

William,  129. 
Morell,  George,  10 1. 
Morgan,   Jonas   Sr.,    120,    170,    322, 
412,  413. 

Jonas  Jr  ,  322,  413. 

William  H.,  322,  412-13. 
Morrill,  Giles,  371. 
Morris,  Bishop,  139. 

Robert,  98. 
Morrison,  Elinus  J.,  347-8. 
Morton,  George,  60. 

Richard,  385. 
Samuel,  385. 
Mosher,  Warren  E.,  254. 
Moss,  A.,  420. 
Mott,  Ebenezer,  64,  266. 


464 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


MoTT,   Edward,  116,   118,   120,    170, 
412,  436. 

Margaret,  236. 

Samuel,  J.,  242. 

Sarah,  120,  170,  322,  412. 

Valentine,  146,  236. 
MuLLER,  Casper  Otto,  165. 

Melusina,  356. 
MuNROE,  John,  82. 

Col.,  167,  238-241,  252,  418. 
Murray,  Ellen,  no. 

General,     176,     248,     269,     285, 
287,  321. 

John  R.,  no. 

W.  H.  H.,  14,  15,  77- 
Myers,  John  H.,  39,  372,  417. 

Joseph,  349,  371- 

J-  K-,  399- 

Lawrence,  399. 

Letitia  (Halsey),  379. 

Margaret  P.,  76,  270. 

William,  371. 
Myrick,  Barnabas,  69. 

Nadeau,  Fred,  289. 

Napoleon,  165. 
Nathan  Beman  Society,  C.  A.  R., 

86,  147,  157. 
National  Guards,  120,  201. 
Neill,  Rev.  Mr.,  11. 
Nelson,  Bishop,  201. 

Horace,  128. 

Wolfred,    127,   368,   390,   391. 
Nesbit,  General,  176. 
Newcomb,    Cyrenius,    35,    95,    216, 
^259. 

Kinner,    35,    42,    95,    107,    216, 
259,  360. 

Piatt,  42,   135,  263,  360,  411. 

Ruth,  411. 

Samuel,  411. 

Simeon,  27,  35,  266. 

Zaccheus,  34,  41,  179,  265. 
Newton,  Benj.  Ball,  11,  18,  25. 

Daniel,  327. 

Liberty,  128. 

Marshall,  128. 
Nichols,  Caleb,  107,  115,  225,  364, 
370.  414. 

Elric  L.,  420. 

Geo.  F.,  394. 

John,  157,  317,  394- 

Julia  Lynde,  394. 

Levi,  306,  317. 

Nathan,  177. 


Nims,  John,  327. 
Niverville,  Chevalier  de,  38. 
Noble,  Ransom,  182. 

Rosannah,  402. 

Stephen,  402. 
NoRCROss,  Samuel,  423. 
North,  Abijah,  103. 

Mrs.  Clayton  N.,  213. 

Lemuel,  103. 
Northup,  Nathaniel,  266. 
Norton,  Charlotte,  M.,^j76. 
NOYON,  Jacques  de,  332. 

Jean  Baptiste,  332. 
Nutting,  Elizabeth,  232. 

Vespasian,  415. 

Oaks,  John,  320. 
Ogden,  William  M.,  433. 
Ogdensburgh,  Bishop  of  (Wadhams 

q.v.) 
Oldest  Clergyman,  403. 
Olds,  Horace,  63. 
Oliver,  Aaron,  385,  415. 

James,  385. 

John,  385. 

Robert,  385. 

Thomas,  385. 

William,  385. 
Onderdonk,  Bishop  H.  U.,   358. 
Oneidas.  80,  217,  272,  280. 
Ord,  E.  O.  C,  330. 
Ormsby,  Gideon,  174. 
Orvis,  Welthy  H.,  76. 
Ostrander,  Ida,  360. 

Richard  N.,  420. 
Otis,  Margaret,  307,  357,  407. 
Ouseley,  Lady  (Marcia  Van  Ness,) 

417. 
Owen,  Leonard,  49. 

Paine,  Robert  Treat,  370. 

Painter,  Gamaliel,  362. 

Palmer,  Franklin,  50,  no,  304,  343. 

George  W.,  251,  294,  316. 

Helen,  395. 

John,  65,   113,   123,   174-S.   182,        - 
239,   257,   285,  31^,   353,  398.        J 

Margaret  (Smith),  76. 

Marion  (Stetson),  32,  76,  202-3, 
280-1,  283. 

Peter  Sailly,   15,   175,   238,''266, 
285,  307. 

Uriah,  68,  83. 

William,  50. 

Zephaniah,  53,  88. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


465 


Papineau,   Louis  Joseph,    127,   390, 

391- 
Parkhurst,  M.  F.,  349,  371. 
Parker,  Elvira  S.  (Warner),  213. 
Francis,  25. 
Mrs.,  243-4. 
Parkman,  Francis,  225. 
Pangborn,  Joseph,  363. 
Parrot,  Adoniram,  157. 
Parsons,  Darius,  A.,  180. 
David,  180,  358,  374. 
David  R.,  180,  374. 
Samuel  Holden,  116,  117. 
Partridge,  Eliphat,  407. 
Patchen,  J.  H.,  26,  263. 
Patriotic  Relief  Association,  220. 
Patten,  James,  152. 
Paulinte,  Antoine,  291,  427. 
Peabody,  Oliver  D.,  30. 

Richard,  298. 
Peale,  Emma,  426. 

Rembrandt,  426. 
Pearl,  Stephen,  174,  366,  386-7. 

Timothy,  369. 
Pease,  Calvin,  72,  304. 
Peaslee,  Zacheus,  174,  231,  2^0. 
Peck,  T.  S.,  424. 

Theodora,  10. 
Pell,  Howland,  424. 

Stephen,  H.  P.,  267. 
William,  289. 
Peltrie,  Mme.,  de  la,  142. 
Pennell,  George  C.,  39. 
Penniman,  Jabez,  336. 
Pepin,  Andre,  291. 
Perault,  M.,  362. 
Peristrome  Church,  414. 
Perkins,  Hannah,  379. 

Lieutenant,  46. 
Perley,  W^illiam  (Col.),  171. 
Perriere,  de  La,  204. 
Perry,  Nathan,  358. 
"  Pete."    14. 
Petit,  Micajah,  96. 
Pettit,  Jabez,  216. 
Pettingill,  Amos,  80. 
Peyser,  A.,  276. 
Phagan,  Elizabeth,  43. 
Phelps,  Benajah,  Jr. ,"84. 

Noah,  1 1 7-9. 
Phillips,  General,  175,  190. 

Wendell,  403,  405. 
Phleming,  David,  70. 
Pierre,  de  la,  119. 
Pierce,  Colonel,  140. 


Pierce,  E.  W\,  349. 

John,  16. 

Lewis  W.,  29. 

Ransom  M.,  116. 
Pike,  Colonel,  66. 

Ezra,  361. 

W'illiam  C,  417. 
Pioneers,  Dutch,  22,  355. 

English,  75,  134. 

French,  14,  82. 

German,  18,  73,  340-41,  355. 

Irish,  7,  14,  385. 
Pitcher,  Elizabeth,  129. 
Plaisted,  James,  215. 
Platt,  Charles,  22,  31-2,  37,  40,  67, 
72,   85,   90,   94,   98,    107,    133, 

147.   155,   157.   173.   179.   183. 

216,   266,  355,  372,  425,  434. 
Charles   T.,    88,    159,    182,    288, 

414. 
Charles  Z.,  35,  147,  171. 
Daniel,  1 12,  157. 
Hannah,  1 14,  423. 
Helen  (Livingston),  loi. 
Isaac,    C,    20-23,   25,    107,    145, 

147,    223,    237-8,    246,   418. 
John  F.,  59. 
Jonas,    55,    56,    loi,    143,    193, 

393.  399- 
Julia  (Sailly  q.v.) 
Letitia,  31,  147,  319. 
Levi,   7,  42,  65,  91,   109,   123-4, 

130.      M3.      157.      182,      239, 

420-21. 
Margaret  F.,  76. 
Margaret,  20,  147,  218. 
Moss  K.,  8,  35,  58,  63,  79,   is6, 

247.    253,   277,   368,   404. 
Nathaniel,    41,    46,    75,    78,    81, 

90,    104,    106,    114,    133,    139, 

157.   179.   266,  373,   423,  427, 

434. 
Nathaniel  Z.,  147,  417-8. 
Phebe,  78,  104,  318. 
Richard,  210. 

Robert,  38,  54,  56,  140,  161,  198. 
Samuel  Keyes,  418. 
Theodorus,    83,    170,    182,    408, 

421. 
William  Mooers,  120,  147. 
William  Pitt,  9,  68,  81,  94,  loi, 

107,   112,   116,   119,   198,   219' 
r,  ^53-4,  318,  332. 
Zephaniah  Sr.,  152. 


466 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Platt,  Zephaniah  (Judge),  14,  32,  35, 
37,  41,  61,  75,  79,  82-3,  95, 
109,  112,  117,  119,  133,  140, 
152,  157-  179.  193.  195.  231, 
245,  252,  254,  266,  297,  372, 
417,  427,  434- 

Zephaniah  C,  21,  97,   100,   156, 
237-S,  428. 
Plattsburgh  Academy,  12,  19,  113, 

129,    136,    164,    277,    281,    307, 

317,  323. 
Plattsburgh  Institute,  44. 
Plattsburgh    &    Montreal    R.R., 

106. 
Plattsburgh  Normal  School,  46, 

187. 
Plattsburgh  Rifles,  231. 
Plessis,  Joseph  Octave,  401-2. 
Pomeroy,  Abner,  no,  318. 

John,  53. 
Pond,  George  E.,  44. 
PoPR,  Martin,  298. 

W.,  371. 
Porter,  General,  236,  247. 
Potter,  Andrew,  247. 

Blanche,  431. 

Martha,  431- 
Powell,  Horatio,  26. 

PheHx,  348. 
Powers,  General,  284. 
Pratt,  Rhoda,  43,  271. 
Premier,  Captain,  305. 
Prentis,  Jonathan,  401. 
Presbyterian    Church,    9,    11,    24, 

26,  29,  31,  34,  36,  51,  61-3,  68, 

81,  107,  113,  116,  137,  140,  145. 

148,     150,     185-6,    199,    201-2, 

210,    225,    233,    241,    244,    253, 

264,    283,    286,    318,    321,    322, 

353.    373.    376,    391.    399.    415. 

429. 
Prescott,     Alexander     H.,     241-2, 
262-3. 

General,  362,  378. 
Preston,  Willard,  15. 
Prevost,  Augustine,  12,  125. 

Sir  George,  12,  125,  144,  275-6, 
280,  284,  289,  404. 
Price,  Benjamin,  119. 

Mr.,  71,  137. 
Prindle.  Lucy  (Bostwick,)  146. 
Pring,    Daniel,    130-132,    135,    139, 

291,  298—9. 
Pringle,  Thomas,  331,  334. 
Proctor,  Redfield,  285. 


pROUTY,  Governor,  207, 2 10,  212-213. 
Purdy,  Azzel,  263. 
Putnam,  Israel,   144,   195,  204,  217. 
Rufus,  195-6. 

Racy,  James,  361. 
Rafferty,  Father,  84. 
Raimbault,  Pierre,  117. 
Ramsey,  B.  S.,io. 

Lieutenant,  326. 
Rand,  Ephraim,  423. 
Randall,  Lydia,  150. 
Randell,  Hannah,  11. 

John,  II. 
Rangers,  42,  61,  163,  204,  288,  351, 

370.  386. 
Ransom,  F.  A.,  420. 

George,  B.,  122. 

Hannah,  265. 

Harry  Sawyer,  122,  127. 

John,  43,  94-5.   154,   265,  271, 

373- 

John   Louis    (Lewis),    124,    136, 
265,  271,  310. 

Lodema,  43,  265. 

Luther,  27. 

Roswell,  67,  127. 

Russel,  265. 
Ray,  William,  408. 
Raymond,  Benjamin,  329. 

Henry  J.,  12. 
Reed,  General,  47. 

Prof.,  145. 

W.  E.,  371. 
Reid,  252. 

Major,  332. 
Rees,  Captain,  52. 
Reeves,  Simon  R.,  41,  265,  434. 
Refugees,  69,  74,  290-1,  352. 
Regents  of  the  University,  69. 
Reid,  Col.,  306. 

Whitelaw,  273. 
Riedksel,  Baroness,   191,   197. 

General,  175,  178,  190,  249. 
Re.mington,    Frederick,  434. 
Reynold,  George,  70. 
Reynolds,  George  B.,  63,  69. 

Grinday,  369. 

Lucius,  98. 
Rice,  Mark,  113. 

Mr.,  71,  273. 

Seth,  1x6. 

RiCKETTS.    167. 

RiGAUD,   Philip   (Vaudreuil  q.   v.) 
151- 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


467 


R1L1.Y,  J.  B.,  197,  26S,  286,  424. 
Rising,  Asahel,  379. 

Eliza,  379. 
RiSHwoRTH,  Mary,  215. 
Roberts,  Benjamin,  8. 
Betsey,  428. 
Christopher,  8. 
Eleanor,  301. 
Hannah,  8,  428. 
John,  Sr.,  8,  198. 
John,  Jr.,  8,  310,  321,  42S. 
John,  3d,  85. 
Peter,   8,  32,   1=17,  266. 
William,  8. 
Robertson,  Daniel,  119. 

General,  238,  284. 
Robinson,  Aaron,  19. 
Benjamin,  312. 
Catherine,  87. 
Daniel,  312,  422. 
David,  19. 

Eleazer  Williams,  291. 
General    (Robertson   q.    v.) 
John,  312. 
Lewis  S.,  291,  338. 
Moses,  19. 

Rowland  E.,  137,  339. 
Rock,  Anthony,  306. 
Rogers,  James  (aFriend,)  235. 
James,  428. 
John  de,  195. 
Mary,  149. 
Melicent,  381. 
Piatt,  22,  40,  41,  179,  183,  199, 

218-220,  225,  266,  317,  434. 
Robert,   36,    61,    66,    76-7,    144, 
163-4,  166,  170,  187,  197,  199, 
204,  207,  209,  217,  303,   321, 
322,   342-3,   345,   397- 
T.  S.,  371. 
Zephaniah,  398. 
Roi,  Jacques,  391. 
RoLLO,  Lord,  269. 
Romans,  117,  119. 
Roosevelt,  Theodore,  285. 
Root,  Elijah,  13,  122. 

Senator,  209. 
Rose,  Samuel,  396. 
Ross,  Daniel,  129. 

Henry  H.,  129,  347. 
Theodorus,  96. 
Rottenburgh,  General  de,  284. 
Rouse,  John,  259,  338. 
Royal  Scots  C'^th),'  201.  208,  324. 
RoYCE,  Mrs.  Nancy,  223. 


RuDD,  Jacob,  346. 

RuGAR,   Gideon,    98,    109,    125,    157, 

317- 
RuNK,  George  Vv'.,  306. 
Russell,  Lord  John,  127. 

Samuel,  418. 
Rykard,  Abram,  341. 

Joseph,  341. 

St.  Albans  Steamboat  Co.,  35,  366. 
St.  CLAiR^Acthur,  47,  202. 
St.  Denis,  John,  79. 
St.  Francis  Indians,  321,  397. 
St.  Martin,  Alexis,  216,  328. 
St.  Michell,  Lewis,  418. 
St.  Pierre,  M.  de,  14. 
Safford,  Charlotte,  234. 
Hiram,  234,  281,  424. 
Samuel,  19. 
Sage,  Thankful,  312,  422. 
Sailly,  Bemadine,  82. 
Charles,  82. 
Charlotte,  167. 
Frederick,   L.    C,   87,    113,    167, 

284,  418,  425. 
Julia,  18,  82,  252. 
Peter,  18,  33,  43,  56,  63,  76,  82, 
98,    107,    112,    145,    147,    167, 
170.  173-5.  182,  239,  272, 310, 
312,  379,  398,  419. 
Samson,  Daniel,  369. 
Sampson,  Lester,  104. 
Sanborn,  Frank  B.,  ^49,  403. 
Fred  E.,  371. 
Henry  C,  349,  371. 
John  H.,  370,  420. 
Reuben,  jr.,  122. 
Sanders,  James,  14. 
Margaret,  14. 
President,  397. 
Sanford,  Reuben,  82,  144-5. 
Saranac  Chapter,  D.  A.  R.,  39,  48, 
56,    120,    157,    171,    177,   200-1, 
217,  220,  230,  241,  270,  295—6, 
300,  341-2,  351,  417. 
Saunders,  George,  28. 

President  (U.  V.  M.),  397. 
Savage,  Anne,  163. 
David,  67. 

James,  134,  16^,  297,  417. 
Joel,  286^ 
Margaret  O.,  297. 
Rhoda,  416-7. 
Sawyer,  Ephraim,  55. 


468 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Sawyer,  H.  B.,  48,  55,  138,  iS3.  162, 
165,  409. 

James,  55. 
Saxe,  (Sachs),  Edward,  99. 

Godfrey,  162. 

Hannah,  81. 

Jacob,  99,  228. 

John,  17,  31,  73,  81,  99,  341,  355 
384- 

John  G.,   17,   21,   73,   91-2,   106, 
148,   162,   166,  365,  366. 

Matthew,   76,   99,  240,  242. 

Peter,  99,  162. 

Wilham,  31. 
Saxton,  Mr.,  266. 

Frederick,  366. 
Say,  Lord,  t,^. 
Sayward,  Esther,  400. 

SCHELINGER,    Phebc,   268. 

ScHENCK,  John,  197. 
Schuyler,  Abram,  89,  93. 

Abraham,  211,  269. 

David,  259. 

John,  254,  263-5,  267,  269,  277. 

Peter,  211,  215,  220,  230,  232-3, 
249. 

PhiHp,    96,    266,    278,    280,   301, 
306,  402. 
Scott,  Alexander,  104,  272,  424. 

Ebenezer  A.,  272. 

George,  424. 

Henry,  361. 

John,  361. 

Lieutenant,  77,  226. 

Polly,  33. 

Winfield,  167. 
ScoviLLK,  Hannah  (Saxe),  81. 

Josiah  B.,  81. 
ScRiBNER,  Jonathan,  116. 

Ruth,  135. 
Secor,  Angeleek,  372. 
Secret  Corps  of  Observation,  198, 

266,  375. 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  294. 
Secretary  of  War,  263,  266. 
Senezergues,  de,  209. 
Sexton,  Jonathan,  216. 
Seymour,  Edmund,  369. 

Julius,  60. 

Sir  Michael,  49. 
Shaler,  Lucy,  411- 

Nathaniel,  411. 
Sharron,  Mayor,  341. 
Shavers,  George,  83-4. 
Shaw,  Leander,  84. 


Shea,  James,  424. 
Shelburne,  Lord,  402. 
Sheldon,  Arunah,  346. 
Ensign,  401. 
Mary,  346. 
Naomi,  346. 
Shelters,  John,  341. 
Shepherd,  Catherine,  131. 
Sheridan,  General,  247. 
Sherman,  Benjamin,  161,  431-2. 
George,  348. 
Enoch,  361. 
George  R.,  348. 
H.  H.,349- 
Jehaziel,  281,  353. 
Job,  431-2- 
Lieutenant,  140. 
Philip,  58. 
Pliny,  431. 
Martha,  432. 
Nathan,  348. 
Richard  W.,  281,  283. 
Vice-President,  304. 
William  T.,  330. 
Sherrill,  Polly  (Miller), ^loi. 
Sherry,  Captain  Seth,  268,  360. 
Sherwood,  Captain  J.,  195,  249. 
Shields,  Thomas,  371. 
Shipbog,  Thomas,  65. 
Sibley,  Joseph,  203. 
SiGNoR,  Betsey,  265. 
Hannah,  265. 
John,  265. 
"Silver  Greys,"  42,  134,  257,  436. 
Sinclair,  John,  326. 
.Skeele,  353. 
Skene,  Major,  105,  129. 
Skinner,  Anne,  148. 
Joseph,  225,  295. 
Richard,  361. 

St.  John   B.   L.,    106,    115,   225, 
284,  295,  406,  415. 
Slaves,  7,  9,  14.  20,  22,  115,  166,  167, 

257'  332,  354,  385.  432,  435- 
Slosson,  Eleazer,  108. 
Lucy,  108. 
William,  108. 
Sons    of    the    American    Revolu- 
tion,  Society  of,   157,   258. 
Sons  of  Liberty,  368. 
SoPER.  Amos,  152. 
Daniel, 

Moses,  98,  216. 
Sampson,  115. 
SoREL,  de,  80. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


469 


SowLES  M.,  347 

Mrs.  Merrit,  342. 

William,  (Soule).   84. 
Smith,  Aaron,  385. 

Allen,  122,  157,  220-1,  375. 

Achsa,  381-2. 

Amaziah,  361. 

Benjamin,  266,  357. 

Dorothea,  213,  377. 

Edward  C,  213. 

Elizabeth,  91,  143,  155. 

Ephraim,  64. 

George,  295. 

Isaac,  155,  218,  250,  375. 

Israel,  41,   124,  265,  434. 

Jean  (Wells),  319. 

J.  Gregory,  377. 

John,  77,  266. 

J.  O.,  115. 

Levi,  366. 

Loyal  L.,  417,  427. 

Margaret,  142,  155. 

Marshall,  88-9,  135,  404. 

Nathan,  135,  404. 

Nehemiah,  77,  144,  350,  355. 

Melancton,  Sr.,  41,  119,  157,  182, 
186,  231,  236,  266,  317,  434. 

Melancton,  Jr.,  75,  90,  107,  118, 
119-  136,  233,  236,  259-61, 
305.  317.  400. 

Samuel,  265. 

Sidney,  44,  48,  143,  157,  161-2, 
199,  232,  236,  285. 
Smugglers,  56.  242, 
Solace,  Judge,  365. 

Sophia,  365-6. 
Spalding,  Holcomb,  404. 

Joseph,  355. 

Nathan,  28. 
Spaulding,  James  R.,  12. 

Timothy,  363. 
Spear,  Amos  C,  58. 

Caroline, 
Spencer,  Ambrose,  425. 
Sperry,  Gilead,  68,  115,  123-4,  130, 

231.  234,  394,  408. 
Spring,  Mrs.  Rebecca,  273. 
Springer,  Lieutenant,  295. 
Sproul,  Captain,  281. 
Squire,  Odle,  363. 
Staats,  Anna  Maria,   145,  248, 

Cornelius,  248. 
Stafford,  Celesta,  432. 

Wendall  P.,  212. 
Standish,  Henriette,  277. 


Standish,  Matthew  M.,   ii,  157,  277, 

281,  374. 
Stanley  Hannah,  325. 
Stansbury,  Lieutenant,  294,  29S-9. 

General  T.  E.,  298. 
Stark,  John,    10,  47,   77,    108,   204, 

337.  346,  430- 

Susannah,  108. 
Stearns,  Asineth,  loi. 

Calvin,  338. 

John,  337-8. 

Mary,  338. 

Peter,  10 1. 
Stebbins,  Abigail,  332. 

Benoni,  319. 

Thankful,  357. 
Steele,  Zadock,  341. 
Stephens,  119. 
Stephenson,  John,  85,  94. 

Lieutenant,  141. 

Peter,  200. 
Stetson,  Francis  Lynde,  8,  60,  197. 

Helen  E.,  343. 

John  L.,  303-4. 

John  S.,  116,  313,  343. 

Lemuel,  72-3,  134. 

Marion  E.,  32,  313,  343. 

Reuben,  72. 

Robert,  286. 
Steuben,  Baron,  339. 
Stevens,  A.  D.,  273. 

George  T.,  405. 

Mr.,  167. 

Samuel,  409. 
Stevenson,  Samuel. 

W.  H.,  140. 
Stiles,  Asa  Sr.,  255. 

Asa  Jr.,  255. 

Stocker,       }  T 

c   ^   „  Mames,  1^0,  -524. 

Stockner,    )  •'  '     o   '  o    t 

Stockwell,  Quentin,  305. 

Stoddard,  Chauncey,  loi,  149. 

John,  23,  24,  227,  371. 

Pauline  C,  341. 

Solomon,  23. 
Stone,  D.  C,  25. 

Dennis,  140. 

Major,  420. 

Roby  G.,  242-3,  294,  370. 
Storm,  Thomas,  266. 
Storrs,  Colonel,  278. 
Story,  Amos,  363. 

Ann,  363. 
Stoughton,  John,  16. 


470 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Stoughton,  Ruth,  i6. 

William,  173. 
Stowe,  Jeremiah,  240. 
Stranahan,  Mrs.  F.  Stewart,  213. 
Stratton,  Esther  S.,  318,  431. 

Joel,  431. 

John,  318,  431. 
Strong,  General,  281. 

John,  252,  361,  372. 

Luther,  361. 

Nathan,  361. 
Suffolk  South  Association,  69. 
Sullivan,  General,  198. 
SuMERiCKS,  Joseph,  361. 
Sumner,  General,  304. 
Sunderlin,    Byron,    316,    3S0,    406, 

420,  430. 
Swartout,  Jacobus,  266. 

Samuel,  266. 
Sweeney,  Captain,  152. 
Swetland,  William,   8,   67,  99,    113, 

148,   190,  306,  310,   317,  347. 
Sylvester,  Mrs.,  234. 

Tabor,  Sarah  M.,  44. 

Taft,  President,  204,  207-10. 

Tankard,  Martin,  115. 

Tappan,  Peter,  41,   T05,  124,  434. 

Taylor,  Absalom,  49. 

Doctor,  26. 

Governor,  198-9. 

John  S.  D.,  12,  263. 

Joseph  W.,  13. 

Lieut. -Governor,  429. 

Martin,  84,   153,   166,   172,  296, 

334,  365- 

Peter,  266. 

Othniel,  398. 

W.  C.  376. 
Teft,  O.  a.,  277. 
Ten   Eyck,   SherilT,   233-4. 
Thatcher,  Capt.,  324. 
Thayer,  Gilbert,  389,  390. 
Thibault,  G.,  385. 
Thomas,  General,  121. 

John  M,  212-3. 

Harry,  283. 
Thompson,  Barnabas,  148. 

D.  P.,  90,  228. 

James,  7,  61,  273,  400. 

Jonathan,  256. 

Robert  M.,  207. 

Zadock.  148. 
Thorndike,  Dr.,  26. 


Thorne,  Joseph,  308. 

William,  290. 
Thornton,  Captain,  132,  137. 
Thorp,  Josiah,  245. 
Thurber,  Edward,  146. 

Emily,  244. 

Ezra,     107,     146-7,      244,     337, 
381-2,  433. 
Ticonderoga    Hist.    Society,    151, 

229. 
Titus,  Benjamin,  266. 

Elizabeth  (Jackson),  208. 
Tobias,  James,  ^69,  383. 
Todd,  Mr.,  65. 
Tom,  Nathaniel,  266. 
Tompkins,  Governor,  191,  408. 
Tories,  19,  228,  411. 
tormey,  p.  j.,  349- 

IZ^:.    [Abigail,  ,,.0. 

J.  H.,  371, 

Orrel,  371. 
TowNSEND,  Canon,  321. 

Lord  Viscount,  97. 
TowNSHEND,  Colonel,  228. 
Tracy,  General  de,  80,  271.  315,  320. 
Trafton,  Charles,  357. 
Travesey,  de,  80. 
Travis,  Melancton  W.,  152,  289. 
Treadway,  Jonathan,  26. 

Lieutenant,  140. 

William,  26. 
Treadwell,  Ann,  20,  223. 

Nathaniel  H.,  20,  21,  147,  398. 

Thomas    Sr.,    20,    34,    41,    157, 
231,   240,   257,   266,  418,   431, 

434-5- 

Thomas  Jr.,  34,  107,  116. 
Treadwell's  Mills  Pulp  &  Paper 

Co.,  132. 
Trombly,  Bruno,  255-6. 

John  B.,  256. 
Trowbridge,  James,  68,  114,  151. 
Truman,  Almas,  283. 
Trumbull,  John,  393,  402. 
Try'ON,  Governor,  122,  394. 
Turner,  Byron  Pond,  336. 

Ezra,  96. 

David,  336. 

Jasper  C.,  336. 

Ross  Sterling,  336. 
Tuttle,  Joseph  W.,  46,  138. 

Lucy,  405-6. 

Samuel,  46,  406. 

Thaddeus,  193. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


471 


Twiss,  Captain,  68. 
Tyler,  Joseph,  129. 

Van  Buren,  John,  307. 

Martin,  22,  266,  296. 
Van  Ness,  Cornelia  (Mrs.  Roosevelt), 

417- 

Cornelius  P.,  t,^,  116,  192,  373. 

Peter,  ;^Ti. 

William  P.,  33. 
Van  Rensselaer,  J.  Ruten,  70. 
Van  Wyke,  Altie,  223. 

Mary,  83,  109. 
Varick,  Richard,  193. 
Vaudreuil,   De,    24,    76,    216,    222, 

329- 
Vaughn,  Benjamin  Sr.,  397. 

Benjamin  Jr.,  397. 

Rapel,  325. 
Vedder,  Hernia n,  211. 
Vermont  Colonial  Dames,  213. 
Vermont    Episcopal   Institute, 

149.  417- 
Vermont   Fish   and   Gun    League, 

285,  304. 
Vermont  National  Guards,  213. 
Vermont  Militia,  44,  216,  361,  406. 
Vermont  Volunteers,  287-8,  297. 
Vert,  Mrs.  C.  J.,  86. 
Victoria,  Queen,  62. 
Vilas,  Freeman  M.,  347. 

Samuel  F.,  16,  85,  97,  145,  194. 

Samuel  F.  Home,  74,  97,  357. 
ViMONT,  Father,  142. 
Vinson,  Major,  278. 
Vergennes,  Count  de,  402. 

Wadhams,  Edgar  P.,  125,  146,  154, 
403. 
Luman,  47,  iii,  146,  409. 
Wadsworth,  Miss,  49. 
Wagner,  Peter,  341. 
Wait       ) 
Waite,    [Benjamm. 

Carlos  (Gen.),  145,  294,  418. 

Cyrus,  361. 

Gardner,  361. 

John,  245-6. 

Joseph,  266. 

Solomon,  361. 

William,  361. 
Walden,  J.,  247. 
Walker,  Benjamin,  266. 
Walsh,  Dr.,  268. 
AValters,  Abraham,  306. 


Walworth,  Benjamin,  353. 

Hiram  Sr.,  38,   15 1-2,   157,   180. 
Hiram  Jr.,  44,  371,  428. 
Mi.ry  E.,  124. 

Reuben  H.,  24,  53,  65,  123,  159 
164,     174,     195-6,     231,     310, 

Warburton,  242,  330. 
Ward,  — ,  135,  404. 
Warford,  John,  310,  402. 
Warm,  Jacob  D',  86,  93,  269. 
Warner,  Captain,  309. 

Seth,    32,    82,    86,    131-2,    213, 
264,   301,  337,   342,   386,   394, 

430- 
Warren,  Grizel,  308,  t,^^. 

Mrs.  A.  M.,  56. 
Washington,  56,  83,  131,  158,  164, 

266,  295,  339,  379,  394,  402,  426. 
Waterbury,  General,  324,  331-2. 
Waterhouse,  Henry,  26,  182,  325. 
Watkins,  Mrs.  S.  B.,  197. 
Watson,    Elkanah,    9,    30,    96,    262, 
402-3,  425. 

George  W.,  371. 

John,    49,    63,    65,    70,    79,    118, 
166,  172,  273,  324,  385. 

Winslow  C,    28,    40,    185,    244, 
318,  425-6. 
Weaver,  Catherine,  17,  76,  384. 

Elizabeth,  384. 

Peter,  263. 

Thomas,  263. 

William  R.,  424. 
Webb,  Darick,  95,  188,  216. 

George  H.,  371. 

George  N.,  420. 

Henry  L.,  254. 

Leah,  220—221. 

Mrs.  F.  H.,  335. 

Seward,  285. 
Webster,  Charles  R.,  96. 

George  W.,  406. 
Weed,  Caroline  (Standish),  11. 

Mrs.  George  S.,  10. 

Smith  M.,  II,  109,  187,  208,  210, 
234,  277. 
Weeks,  William  R.,  11,  202,  225. 
Weir,  Alexander,  325. 
Welch,  Catherine,  144. 
Wellington,  Colonel,  194,  282-4. 

Duke  of,  49,  280,  282. 
Wells,  Deacon,  171. 

John,  384. 


472 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


Wells,  Louisa,  loi. 

Nathan,  286. 
Wentworth,  Benning,  10,  336,  348. 
Weston,  Elijah,  263. 
Wever,  Francis  C.  (Bentley),  59. 
Wharton,  Captain,  308. 
Wheeler,  Orville  G.,  309,  311,  315, 

355.  365.  367-8- 

Melancton,  292. 

Peter,  311. 

Preserved ,  3 1 0-3 1 1 . 
Wheelwright,     Esther,     229,     319, 

321,  355-6,  416. 
Whelpley,  Samuel  W.,  71. 
White,  Bishop,  358,  415. 

Ebenezer,  77. 

Elijah,  374-5- 

Lavater,  283. 

Mary,  374. 

Robert,  283. 

William,  361. 

William  H.,  361. 
Whiteside,  Thomas,  102,  296-7. 
Whitman,  Ann,  148. 

John,  148. 
Whitney,  David,  132. 

John,  24. 
Wilcox,   Daniel,   232,   303. 

James,  129. 
WiLKiNS,  Mr.  326. 
Wilkinson,  James,  15,  18,  89,  91. 
WiLLARD,  Emma,  419. 
Williams,  Andrew,  109,  194,  277. 

Betsey,  144,  418. 

Bishop,  125. 

Eleazer,  56,  198,  214,  217,  225, 
249,  265-6,  272,  280-2,  288, 
301,  326-7,  358,  364,  375.  396, 
398,  401,  408,  419-20,  429. 

Ephraim,  287. 

Eunice,  23,  195,  211,  214,  227, 
249,  269,  271-2,  358,  393. 

Experience,  358. 

Flavins,  152,  289. 

Isaac,  369. 

Jacob,  16. 

John     (Rev.),  23,  214,  371. 

John  (of  Caughnawaga),  290, 
420. 

Nathan,  199. 

Roger,  58. 

Sarah  F.,  76. 

Samuel,  214,  422. 

Samuel  (Judge),  358. 

Stephen,  271. 


Williams,  Thomas,  249-50,  408,  420. 

Warham,  358. 

William,  25. 

Zebediah,  327. 
Wilmot,  Francis,  291. 
WiLLSBORo  Compact,  77. 
Wilson,  George,  334. 

James  A.,  77. 

Mrs.,  283. 

V.  B.,  224. 
WiLTSE,  Eyda,  22. 
Winans,  James,  169. 

John,   22,   132,   135,   168-9,  373. 
WiNCHELL,  Destina,  406. 

Jonathan,  157. 

Lucy  Destina,  406. 

Martin,  406. 

Samuel,  406. 
WiNTHROP,  Thomas  F.,  255. 
WiNSLow,  E.  S.,  194. 
WiNSOR,  226,  428. 
Wise,  Stephen,  64. 
WiTHERBEE,  Silas,  H.,  348-9. 

W.  C,  187,  203-4,  424. 

WiTHERILL,   H.   M.,   371. 

WiTHERSPooN,  Andrew,  139,  276,  295. 
Wolfe,  General,  176,  350. 
Wood,  Adin,  394. 

Amasa,  346. 

Collier,  323. 

Enos,  346,  354,  394- 

H.  A.,  347- 

Ira,  151. 

James,  24. 

Jonathan,  171. 

Ranson  E.,  409. 

Simeon,  399. 

Solomon,  346. 

WOODBRIDGE,  E.   D.,  373. 

Enoch,  72. 
Woodruff,  Elias,  107,  358,  398. 

Silas,  398. 

H.  A.,  347,  371- 
WooDWARD,  Helen  D.,  309. 

J.  Douglas,  145,  164. 

William,  164. 
Wool,  John  E.,  167,  194,  283,  294-5, 

^r     375- 

WooLCUT,  Elijah,  188. 

Samuel,  327. 
WooLSEY,  Melancton  L.,  13,  68,  94, 

107,  171,  197,  266,  306,  373,  420. 
WoosTER,  Benjamin,  80. 

David,   118,   122,  326,  348. 
Worth,  General,  167. 


Index  of  Persons  and  Organizations 


473 


Wright,  Daniel,  47,  202. 

Dan  S.,  63. 

Harriet  A.,  317. 
Wykes,  William,  77. 
Wynkoop,  Jacobus,  260. 

Yale,  Lois,  152. 

Y.  M.  C.  A.,  21,  42,  97. 

Yates,  231. 

Christopher,  234. 


Yates,  Robert,  234. 
Young,  Bennet  H.,  344-  377- 

Colonel,  316. 

James,  125,  127. 

John,  125,  127. 

Joshua,  273. 

Samuel,  375. 

Thomas,  105. 
Youngs,  Captain  White,  300. 


INDEX  OF  PLACES  AND  EVENTS. 


Abraham,  Plains  of,  209. 
Adams  Ferry,  hi,  403. 
Addison,    29,    57,    86,    93,    99,    m, 
117,    132,    135-    i98>    248,    252, 
279,  310,  326-7,  336,  337,  339, 
404. 

Adirondacks,  220,  244,  258,  273, 
279.  352,  429- 

Adriance,  Va.,  97. 

Albany  (Fort  Orange),  9,  11,  22, 
44,  64,  72,  82,  86,  91,  103,  109, 
116,  118-9,  123,  125,  131,  135-6, 
147-8,  154,  169,  173,  178,  191, 
212,  214-5,  234,  238,  243,  249, 
252,  254,  256,  260,  269,  271, 
279.  287,  306,  316,  326,  370, 
372,  409,  424-5,  427,  429,  431. 

Alburgh,    57,    84,    139,    242,    272, 
360-1. 
Tongue . 

Alexandria,  Va.,  336. 

Allen's  Hill,  388. 

Allen's  Point,  45. 

Altona,  83,  399. 

Alsace,  167,  170. 

America,  44,  56-7,  73,  82,  95,  104, 
165,  277. 

American  House  (St.  Albans),  343. 

Amherst  College,  245. 

Amsterdam,  73. 
Classis  of,  315. 

Anthony  (Mt.),  10. 

Antietam,  303. 

Antrim  (Ireland),  129. 

Appletree  Point,  281,  348. 

"Ark,  The,"  123. 

Arlington,  Va.,  388. 

Vt.,  13,  82,  108,  249. 

Armagh,  Ireland,  7. 

Armenia   (Dutchess  co.),  250. 

Arnold's  Bay,  114. 

Arnold's  Point,  Frontispiece. 

Arsenal,  78,  84,  121,  190,  238,  350. 

i\SBURNHAM    (Mass.),    150,   355. 

Ash  Island,  162,  169. 
AsTOR  House,  84. 
Astronomer's  Island,  306. 


Atchison,  Kan,  363. 
Athol,  Mass.,  382,  385. 
AUSABLE,  89,  98,  138,  190,  388. 

Chasin,  172,  326. 

Forks,  88,  140,  244,  409,  428. 

Great  (River),  58,  84,  133,  138, 
244,  327,  356. 

Little  (Beaver),  328. 

Point,  57,  183. 

Bachelor's  Creek,  107. 

Ballston,  N.  Y.,  277. 

Baltimore,  Md.,  165,  356. 

Barber's  Point,  403. 

Barnard,  Vt.,  20. 

Basin  Harbor,  22,  40. 

Batten  Kill,  249. 

Bay  De  Roche  Fendue  (Split 
Rock,  q.v.). 

Bay  St.  Armand,  21,  305,  308. 

Bear  Hunts,  325,  327. 

Becket,  Mass.,  350. 

Beekmantown,  N.  Y.,  19,  ^;^,  55, 
71,  85,  116,  128,  173,  180,  252, 
268,  274,  282—3,  291,  295,  302, 
351.  358.  360,  388,  391,  415,  417. 

Belmont,  N.  Y.,  251. 

Bemis  Heights  (Saratoga),  44,  259. 

Bennington,  Vt.,  8,  10,  17,  19,  31, 
32,  50,  86,  118,  132,  158,  181, 
188,  210,  228,  234,  249,  251, 
257,  261-2,  300,  324,  337,  339, 
346,  396,  421,  430. 

Berkshire  Co.,  Mass.,  78. 

Bermuda,  127,  177. 

Berthier,  215,  262-3,  271,  400. 

Besancon,  France,  152. 

Betsburgh,  (Westport),  205. 

Beverly,  Mass.,  325. 

Bixby's  Grotto,  172. 

Black  Brook,  N.  Y.,  89,  112. 

Black  Hawk  War,  74. 

Black  River,  N.  Y.,  120,  413. 
Vt.,  346. 

Blanchard's  Point,  291. 

Block  Houses,  65,  68,  195,  238-9, 
246,  278,  373.' 


476 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


Bluff  Point,  N.  Y.,  192,  203-4. 
BoLENABE,  250. 
Bolton,  Vt.,  243. 

Boston,  Mass.,  49,  62,  68,  125,  132, 
149,  192-3,  214,  239,  285,  307, 

336,  359.  371.  377.  401- 
Boucherville,  262,  232. 
Boundary  Line  (Canada),  i6r,  178, 
iSi;,  252,  292. 

(N.  Y.  &  Ct.),  318. 
Bouquet     }  River,    N.    Y.,    19,    39, 
BoQUET       f      61,  94,  130,  135,  170- 

I,  176,  182,  184,  305,  326. 
Boxford,  Mass.,  171 
BozRAH,  Ct.,  353. 
Brainard's  Forge,  413. 
Branding  Iron,  300. 
Brandon,  Vt.,  55. 
Brattleboro,  Vt.,  377. 
Bridge  Street,  46,  50,  53,  82,  85, 

264,  319,  322,  399. 
Bridgewater,  Vt.,  148. 
Bridport,    Vt.,    88,    132,    135,    327, 

329,  365,  404. 
Brighton  Beach,  340. 
Broad  Street,  7,  22,  29,  75,  78,  84, 

121,   133,  173.   180,  238-9,  243, 

355.  365.  402,  416. 
Brookfield,  Mass.,  385,  407. 

(Willsboro),  N.  Y.,  379. 
Brookline,  Mass.,  16. 
Brooklyn,    N.    Y.,    18,    25,    272-3, 

432-3- 

Brouage,  France,  195. 

Brownington,  Vt.,  60. 

Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  213,  263,  377,  424. 

BuLwAGGA  Bay,  29. 

Bunker  Hill,  37,  47,  144,  192,  387. 

Burlington,  Vt.,  9-10,  12,  16,  21, 
28-9,  31.  35.  40,  42,  46-7,  49. 
53'  55.  57-8,  60,  62,  71,  78,  83, 
91,  95,  97,  103,  iio-i,  113. 
116-8,  123-5,  132,  137,  147, 
153.  157.  163,  165,  168-9,  174-6, 
189—90,  192—3,  200,  206,  210, 
212,  219—22,  234,  237—9,  242, 
244-5,  248,  252,  259,  261,  273, 
281-3,  285-6,  301,  304,  306, 
308-9,  316,  328,  336,  344,  348. 
359.  366,  373,  386-7,  398,  401, 
410—12,  432. 

Burton,  ^o. 

BuTTo.v  Bay,  279. 

Button  Mould  Bay,  286. 


Caddy,  Ireland,  7. 
Cadyville,  N.  Y.,  87,  115,  421. 
Caldwell,  Lake  George,  189. 
California,  127,  330,  381,  424. 
Cambridge,  Mass.,  232,  394. 

Washington  Co.,  388. 
Camp  (Encamping)  Island,  52,   71, 

95.  172- 
Canaan,  Ct.,  308,  391. 
Canada,  45,  49,  62,  74,  78,  84,  88, 
100,  121,  133,  135,  154,  161, 
164,  202,  207—8,  222,  230, 
238,  241,  250,  259,  264,  267, 
277.  290,  305,  319,  321,  327, 
360,  370,  387,  390-2,  432. 

Lower,  21,  32,  43,  57,  114. 
Canadian     Expedition,     32.    90-1, 

121— 2,  301. 
Canals,  30,  87,  246,  367,  387. 
Canton,  N.  Y.,  434. 
Cape  Breton,  376. 
Cape  Horn,  330. 
Carillon     (Ticonderoga),    197,   222, 

229,   235,   240—1,   296,   299. 
Carnegie  Library,  262. 
Carrara,  Italy,  200. 
Castleton,  Vt.,  127,  210,  327,  351. 
Catherine  Street,  Plattsburgb,  42, 

130. 
Caughnawaga,   178,  211,  271,  393, 

402,  408. 
Centreville. 
Chambly,    16,    89,    181,    191,    263, 

304-5,  388. 
Champlain  Canal,  30,  246,  247. 
Champlain,  District  of,  43,  63,  76, 

397- 

N.  Y.,  II,  14,  26,  29,  31-2,  35, 
37.  39.  63-4.  67,  69,  76,  78, 
80,  83,  89-91,  93-4,  100,  102- 
3,  107,  113,  120,  126,  128—9, 
146-7,  165,  174-5,  184,  189, 
201,  232,  238-9,  256,  258, 
261,  273,  276,  280,  286,  291, 
296,  313.  320,  325,  328,  337, 
358,   361,    374,   376,    424. 

Tercentenary,  201—15. 

Valley,  16,  40,  62,  69,  172,  174, 
201,  203,  222,  245,  251,  303, 
338,  373.  377-8.  395.  397.  426. 

Hospital,  187,  197. 
Charleston,  N.  H.,  327,  346. 

S.  C,  115,  147. 
Charlotte,  Vt.,  m,  152,  188,  311, 
347-  367.  387.  396-7- 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


477 


Charlotte,  County ,^72, 5348.         ? 
Street,    Plattsburgh,^^i59,  ^234, 
322,  402. 

Chase's,  352. 

Chateaugay  Expedition,  369. 

Chateaugay  Four  Corners,  15. 

Chateaugay,  N.  Y.,  8,  39,  43,  64,  78, 
105,  115,  128,  137,  192,  263, 
300-1,  387,  398,  417,  419.  431- 

Chatham,  N.  Y.,  297. 

Chazy  Landing,  83,  239. 

Chazy,  N.  Y.,  26,  35,  37,  39,  49. 
62-4,  67,  72,  76,  80,  83,  91, 
99,  107-8,  127,  144,  171,  180, 
191,  199—200,  236,  239—42, 
255-6,  271-2,  276,  281,  291, 
315.  337-8,  359,  381,  409, 
417,  422,  424. 
River,  148,  151,  164,  170,  245, 
360. 

Chesterfield,  N.  Y.,  53,  loi. 

Chianderoga    (Ticonderoga,   q.v.)- 

Chicago,  152,  203. 

Chimney  Point,  Vt.,  29,  87,  93,  203, 
240,  269,  287,  327,  398,  427. 

Chism's  Point,  7,  47,  79,  383. 

Chittenden  County,  Vt.,  13,  366. 

Cholera  (Asiatic),   132,  243-4,  408. 

Clarendon,  Vt.,  274,  348. 

Clayburgh,  N.  Y.,  109. 

Clermont,  169,  322. 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  319. 

Cliff  Haven,  N.  Y.,  201,  254,  268. 

Clinton,  N.  Y.,  137,  372,  417. 

County,  N.  Y.,  28,  52-3,  63-5, 

69,    78,    83,    95-6,    155,    171, 

182,  256,  281,  291,  297,  325, 

337'  368,  388,  390,  405,  417. 

Prison,  88,  121. 

Clintonville,  N.  Y.,  152. 

Cloven  Rock  (Split  Rock  q.v.). 

Cocheco  (Dover,  N.  H.),  308,  357, 
407. 

Colchester,  Vt.,  113,  119,  168,  281, 

303- 
Cold  Harbor,  224. 
Cold  Season,  33,  166,  171. 
College     Street,     (Burlington)    9, 

220. 
colonie,  n.  y.,  ii. 
Columbia  Co.,  N.  Y.,  33. 
Columbus,  Ohio,  144. 
Comstock,  N.  Y.,  433. 
Confiance,  292,  299. 


Connecticut,  57,  117,  121-2,  132, 
173.  196,  232,  271,  328,  358, 
362,  369,  375,  379,  397,  430- 

Constable,  N.  Y.,  115. 

Coon  Mountain,  40. 

Corlear's  Lake,  259,  287. 

Cornelia  Street,  (Plattsburgh),  42, 
49,  251,  302,  305,  307,  313,  319, 
415-16. 

Corinth,  N.  H.,  85. 

Cornwall   Ct.,  23. 

Crab  Island,  59,  61,  281,  286,  289, 
297.  306,  331. 

Cragen  River  (Saranac,  q.v.). 

Crown  Glass  Works,  415. 

Crown  Point,  23,  36,  49,  64-5,  66, 
69,  70,  76-7,  79,  87,  no,  114, 
131-3.  136,  143-4.  154,  160, 
163-6,  168,  171-2,  175,  178, 
182-4,  188-9,  ^9^-9'  202-3,  207, 
217,  224,  226,  240,  243—4,  248, 
257,  260,  263,  273,  285,  288-9, 
308,  324,  327,  329,  331-4,  337, 
342-3,  345-6,  352,  359.  364,  369, 
372,   380,   385,   397,   43°- 

Cuba,  68,  74. 

Culloden,  350. 

Culver  Hill,  54,  145,  194,  196-7, 
284,  309. 

Cumberland  Avenue,  8,  59,  76,  89, 
121,  166,  313. 

Cumberland  Bay,  18,  76,  86,  97, 
151,  167,  179,  254,  269,  282, 
286,   291,   324,   370,  423. 

Cumberland  Head,  8,  18,  31,  37, 
42,  43,  59,  63,  85,  94,  101-2, 
no,  119,  154-5,  178-9-  183, 
185-7,  ^^9^,  197,  219,  231-2, 
239,  240,  243,  248,  254,  262, 
264—6,  271,  276,  286,  296,  299, 
318,  328,  331,  343,  364,  367, 
376,  385,  410,  415,  427,  435. 

Cumberland  Valley,  76. 

Danbury,  Ct.,  122. 

Danby,  Vt.,  372,  396. 

Dannemora,    N.    Y.,    87,    173,    222, 

415- 
Danville,  Vt.,  300. 
Dansville,  N.  Y.,  82,  87. 
Dark  Day,  373. 
Dartmouth  College,  300. 
Dartmouth,  Mass.,  382,  395. 
Dead  Creek,  8,  151,  174,  180,  191, 

234,  281,  284,  346. 


4/8 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


Deerfield,  Mass.,  23,  214,  319,  327, 
354,  357.  368,  401,  422. 

Derbyshire,  Eng.,  409. 

Des  Moines,  423. 

Detroit,  Mich.,  106,  217. 

Dorchester  Heights,  131. 

Dorset,  Vt.,  32,  228,  312. 

Douglassville,  Canada,  164. 

Drouth,  33. 

Drury's  Bluff,  122,  127,  140. 

Duck  Creek,  327. 

dunbarton,  n.  h.,  66. 

Durham,  Eng.,  44. 

Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.,  22,  32,  65, 
67,  72,  74,  78,  103,  105,  118,  155, 
186,  198,  218-9,  223,  236,  250, 
252,  266,  297,  356,  363,  369, 
377,  387,  426. 

Dutchman's  Farm,  195. 

Dutchman's  Point,  346. 

Eagle,  153,  161-2  165,  227,  251,  292. 

334,  414- 
East  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  407. 
East  Hampton,  L.  I.,  loi,  186,  429. 
East  Middlebury,  Vt.,  403. 
Egremont,  Mass.,  246. 
Eliza  (Elizabeth)  Point,  7,  24,  51, 

70—2,  81,  400. 
Eliza  Meadow,  21,  28. 
Elizabethtown,  N.  J.    (Battle  of), 

83- 
N.   Y.,    12,    19,   31,   35,   40,   42, 
64,    100,    III,    141,    191,   274, 
33(>'   356,  368,   404-5,  408-9, 
413- 
Ellenburgh,   N.   Y.,   39,    no,    137, 
272. 
Wash.,  369. 
Elmwood  Cemetery     (Burlington), 

157,   163,  273,  282. 
England,    23,   66,    103,    125-6,    138. 

147,  312,  415. 
Esopus    (Kingston),  73,  387. 
Essex  County,  37,  63,  72,  96,  in, 
129,   182,  194,  205-6,  252,  275, 
281,    297,    308,    336,    348,    390, 
395,  405,  408-9,  426,  431. 
Essex   County   Academy,    69,    121, 

409. 
Essex  Village,  7,  42,  96,  129,  135, 

182,  188,  347,  397. 
Everest,  Kan.,  363. 
Ezraville  (Malone  q.v.). 

Fairfax,  Vt.,  48,  291. 


Fairfield,  Vt.,  323. 

Falls  of  Montmorency,  419. 

Federal  Stores,  N.  Y.,  290. 

Ferris  (Arnold's)  Bay,  114. 

Ferrisburg,  Vt.,  137,  300,  339. 

Ferris  Mills  (Peru),  84. 

First  Battle,  237. 

First  Births,  296,  360,  394-5. 

First  Boat,  232. 

First  Carpet,  102. 

First  Cattle  Show,  337. 

First  Docks,  43,  242. 

First   Dwelling,    53,    69,    85,    107, 

177-8. 
First  Church,  31,  318,  373. 
First  Forges,  120,   128,  189,  423. 
First  Horse,  78-9,  81,  87,  90. 
First  Mass,  271. 
First  Newspaper,  107,  408. 
First  Piano,  296. 

First  Religious  Edifice,  235,  350. 
First  Settlers,  40,  61,  75,  90,  96, 

107,    155,    184,    230,    237,    247, 

261,  360,  362. 
First  School,  301,  375. 
First     Steamboat,     22,     132,     150, 

168-9. 
First   Townmeeting,    77,    88,    179, 

272,  432. 
Fishkill,  N.  Y.,  147,  332. 
Floods,  82,  93-4,  99,  112,  113,  133, 

228,  233. 
Flushing,  L.  I.,  128,  208,  308. 
Fordham,  N.  Y.,  277. 
Fort  Albany,  (Orange),  22. 
Fort  Ann,  246. 
Fort  Brown,  278. 
Fort  Cassin,  137,  252-3. 
Fort  Chambly,  233,  271,  272,  299, 

342,  376,  395. 
Fort  Edward,  143,  212,  221,  232-3, 

255- 
Fort  Ethan  Allen,  197. 
Fort  Fisher,  224. 
Fort  Frederick  Light  House,  427. 
Fort    George,    35     15s,    161,    180, 

278. 
Fort  McHenry,  356. 
Fort  Miller,  149,  249,  251. 
Fort  Montgomery,  183,  256. 
Fort  Moreau,  hi,  261,  278,  322. 
Fort  Orange  (Albany  q.v.). 
Fort  Pickens  (Fla.),  244. 
Fort  Scott,  278. 
Fort  Sorel,  271. 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


479 


Fort  St.  Anne,  8o,  267,  271,  315, 

318,  320,  326. 
Fort   St.   Frederick,    14,    28,    196, 

224,  279,  303,  345. 
Fort  St.  John,  272,  299,  395. 
Fort  St.  Theresa,  16,  32,  37. 
Fort  Ticonderoga,    170,    179,   207, 

231,  263-4. 
Fort  Warren,  149,  150. 
Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  295. 
Fort  William  Henry,  61,  77,  182, 

230,  287,  394. 
Fosterburgh,  111.,  381. 
Four  Brothers  Islands,  183. 
Fox  Chase,  420. 
France,  56,82,95,  130,  152,  174,  182, 

208,  232,  240-1,  271,    287    425. 
Franklin  County,  27,  297. 
Franklin,  Ct.,  315. 
Fredenburgh  Falls,  41,  177,  239. 
French    Mills,    18,    63,    192,    301, 

316,  398-9. 
French  Revolution,  235,  393. 
Friend's  Burying  Ground,   102. 
Friswsll's  Patent,  57,  96,  160. 

Galena,  111.,  97. 
Gales,  100,  113. 
Garden  Island,  ^;}7,. 
Geneva,  Switzerland,  144. 
Georgia,  301. 

Vt.,  122,  259,  358. 
Gilmanton,  N.  H.,  323. 
GiLSUM,  N.  H.,  202. 
Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.,  100. 
Gordon's  Landing,  325. 
Goshen,  Ct.,  11 1. 
Gould's  Hotel,  9. 
Grand  Isle,  25,  55,  59,  62,  79,  84-5, 

103,    190,    249,    269,    278,    285, 

292,  324,  33°.  354,  366-7,  372, 

382,  423-4. 
Granville,    N.    Y.,    164,    255,    360, 

37.=^-  425- 

Vt.,  57. 
Great    Insurrection,    388,    390-1. 

411. 
Great  Neck,  361. 
Great  Sandy  Point,  57. 
Great  Snowstorm,  137,  166,  353. 
Green  Bay,  Wis.,  261,  272. 
Greenbush,  N.  Y.,  300,  308. 
Green  Mountains,    228,    258,    264, 

327,  420. 
Green  Mount  Cemetery,  50,  200. 
Groton,  Mass.,  273,  357. 


Growler,  334. 
Guilford,  Ct.,  13,  15. 
Vt.,  228. 

Hackensack,  N.  J.,  20. 

Half  Moon,  131,  144. 

Halifax,  162. 

Hallock  Hill,  280. 

Halsey's  Corners,  99,  145,  284. 

Hammond  Hill,  284. 

Hampton,  Wash.  Co.,  15,  307. 

Hand's  Cove,  327. 

Hardwick,  Vt.,  406. 

Harkness,  N.  Y.,  88. 

Harper's  Ferry,  273. 

Hartford,   Ct.,   117,   148,    163,   291, 

3.S2. 

Vt.,  408. 
Hartwell  Place,  75. 
Hatfield,  305. 
Haverhill,  Ma.ss.,  59,  85,  93. 
Hazenburgh,  291. 
Hazen  Notch,  264. 
Hazen  Road,  264. 
Hebron,  Ct.,  255. 
Hemingford,  P.  Q.,  185. 
Hempstead,  L.  I.,  250. 
Herkimer  County,  297,  399. 
High  Falls,  251. 
Highgate,  Vt.,  17,  31,  73,  162,  242, 

261,  355.  384- 
Hinesburgh,  Vt.,  302. 
Historic  Sites,  8,  22-:;,  ^8,  49-50, 

56,    58,    62,    78-9,^83-4,    86-7. 

89,  97,  107,  no,  118,  121,  134, 
136,  140,  14s,  147,  151,  153-4, 
167-8,  172-7,  179,  184,  189,  203, 
217,  220,  234-5,  238,  240,  242, 
251,  261,  267,  269,  271,  278, 
280.  282,  284,  286—9,  291,  295—9, 
305,  309-10,  312-13,  317,  319- 
22,     324,     338,     351,     363-4,     369- 

376-7,  t,Sti,  386,  390,  406,  410, 
416,    421,    423,    426-7,    430-1. 

Hixite  Controversy,  382. 

hoganstown,  n.  y.,  272. 

Holland,  138,  147,  355,  399. 

"  Home  for  the  Friendless,"  146, 
374,  416. 

Homesteads,  Old,  22-3,  ^^,  36,  38, 
41,  44,  49,  53.  56,  66-7,  79, 
85-6,  91,  99-102,  106,  118, 
129-30,  134-5.  173,  175.  180, 
1S5,  196—7,  200,  207,  229,  235, 
242,  256,  261,  302,  304,  307, 
310,  319-20,  343,  412-3,  421. 


48o 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


Honolulu,  S.  I.,  97,  223,  388. 
HoosicK,  N.  Y.,  50,   174,  257,  353. 
HoPKiNTON,  N.  Y.,  402. 
Hospital  Creek,  (Addison),  99. 
Hot  Day,  251. 
Hotel   Champlain,    181,    192,    201, 

209,  236,  286,  304. 
Hotel  Dieu,  55,  401. 
Howard's  Hotel,  9,  57,  175. 
Howard  Opera  House,  58. 
Howe's  Landing,  204. 
Hubbardton,  Vt.,  8,  430. 
Hudson  River,  29,  44,  82,  100,  117, 

131,  238,  332,  367,  403- 
Huntington,  L.  I.,  152. 
Huntington,  P.  Q.,  32. 

Indian  Relics,  245,  362,  407. 
Indian  Rock,  47,  258,  316. 
Industries,  Early,  35-7,  54,  56,  67, 

182,  186-7,  259-60,  312,  434- _ 
Inns,   9,   24-5,   26-7,   52,   118,    123, 

231-3.  271,  309,  338,  341,  400. 

402,  410,  418,  430. 
Invasion,  British    (1814),  132,  135, 
137,  140,   145,   176,  197,  219, 
240,  273,  275-6,  280-84,  307- 

9,  310.  346. 
Burgoyne's,    44,    84,    170,    249, 
259,  404- 

Inverawe,  221,  250. 

Ipswich,  Mass.,  44. 

Irasburgh,  Vt.,  140. 

Ireland,  410. 

Iroquois  River    (Richelieu,  q.v.) 

Island  Point,  183. 

Isle  Aux  Noix,  64,  162-3,  166,  170, 
176,  180-1,  183,  188,  191,  198, 
226,  238,  257,  267,  269,  280, 
298,  301,  313,  317,  342,  395- 

Isle  Aux  Tetes,  279. 

Isle  La  Motte,  33,  164,  166,  170, 
i8s,  199,  201,  212-13,  230,  232, 
250,  255,  258,  271,  277,  279, 
280, 285-6, 291,  298-9,  301,  305, 
354,  360-1,  377. 

Isle  St.  Michel  (Crab,  q.v.). 

Jamaica,  Island  of,  43- 
Jay,  N.  Y.,  23,  64,  87,  192. 
Johnson,  Vt.,  9. 

Keene,  N.  Y.,  206. 


Keeseville,  N.  Y.,  19,  26,428,  64, 
68,  73,  138-9,  174,  197,  205-6, 
224,  266-8,  295,  298,  336,  376, 
389-90. 

Kent,  Ct.,  244,  265,  271. 
Eng.,  36. 

KiLLINGLY,   Ct.,   43,    113,  320. 

KiNDERHooK,  N.  Y.,  23,  31,  33-4,  43- 

L'ACADIE,   191. 

"  La  Acadia  Plains,"  265. 

Lachine,  p.  Q.,  386. 

Lacolle,  P.  Q.,  191. 

Lacole  (River),  89,  182,  296,  317. 

Lake  Champlain  Association,  60. 

Lake  Champlain,  14-15,  18,  33-5, 
37-8,  47,  56,  58,  66,  70-2,  75, 
84-5,  89,  96-8,  103,  105,  113, 
117,  123,  129-30,  134,  140,  163, 
169,  179,  183-4,  190-1,  196, 
224,  230,  237,  250,  255-6,  262, 
268,  279,  287,  291-2,  294,  297, 
309,  329,  341,  357,  367,  373, 
397-8,  424- 

Lake  George  (Horicon),  16,  61, 
117,  185,  189,  205,  209-12, 
219—20,  226,  240,  266,  279. 

Lake  Kushaqua,  431. 

Lake  Michigan,  272. 

Lake  Ontario,  105,  240,  255. 

Lake  Placid,  197,  220,  273,  424. 

Lake  St.  Sacrament  (George,  q.v.). 

Lake  Superior,  245. 

Lamoille,  249,  410. 

Lancaster,  Mass.,  55. 
Pa.,  362. 

Lanesboro,  Mass.,  78. 

Lansingburgh,  N.  Y.,  412-3. 

Lapham's,  426. 

La  Prarie,  226,  233,  249,  264,  267, 
362. 

Larabee's  Point,  258,  395. 

Leith,  Scotland,  139. 

Lewis,  N.  Y.,  37,  96,  iii,  146. 

Lexington  Alarm,  37,  77,  171. 

Libby  Prison,  244. 

Lincoln  Pond,  112. 

Litchfield,  Ct.,  13,  29,  244,  261, 
328,  345,  348. 

Littleton,  Mass.,  46,  406. 

Logan's  Point,  52. 

London,  Eng.,  51,  155,  177. 

Londonderry,  Ireland,  14,  405. 

Long    Island      (Lake    Champlain), 
199. 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


481 


Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  ioi,  133,  141, 
144,  221,  257,  266,  268,  358, 

374,  398- 
Long  Meadow,  Ct.,  271,  408. 
longueil,  166,  342,  385,  388. 
Long  Point,  76. 
L'Orient,  France,  82. 
Lorraine,  France,  95,  112. 
LouiSBURGH  Expedition,  376. 
Louisiana,  143,  222. 
Lower  Jay,  409. 

Loyal  Block  House,  68,  108,  195. 
Lozier  Automobile,  340. 
Lozier  Place,  286. 
Lozier  Works,  426. 
Lundy's  Lane,  347. 
Lyme,  Ct.,  33. 
Lynn,  Mass.,  260. 
Lyon  Mountain,  248. 
Lyon  Street,  53. 

Macdonough,  35,  381. 

Park,  268. 
Macomb's  Purchase,  17 
Madeira,  147. 

Maine,  Province  of,  215,  345. 
Malone,  N.  Y.,  19,  26,  44,  81,  IOI, 

145,  163,  215,  264,  376. 
Manchester,  N.  H.,  347,  362,  397. 

Vt.,  32,  115,  130,  266,  351. 
Manila  Bay,  122. 
Martinique,  89. 
Massachusetts,    23,    58,    113,    118, 

121,  171,  329,  354,  382. 
McCreedy's,  25. 
Mediterranean,  49,  138. 
Melrose,  Mass.,  10. 
Memorials,    8,    39,    55,    60,    185-6, 

201,    242,    258,    319,    323,    357, 

372,  409,  417. 
Middlebury   College,    146,    212-3, 

238,  315.  362,  408,  425.  432. 
Middlebury,  Vt.,  37,  279,  ^62,  381, 

384. 
Middle  Hero,  Vt.,  366,  369. 
Middletown,  Ct.,  312,  411. 
MiLFORD,  Ct.,  301. 
Military  Turnpike,  137,  163,  256, 

338,  351.  374,  417- 

MiLLTOWN,      39,      61,      63,      66,      93-5, 

186-7,  214,  274,  280,  304,  382. 
Milton,  Vt.,  49,  170,  292,  355,  401, 

410. 
Milwaukee,  Wis.,  152. 
Mineville,  N.  Y.,  380. 


Mississippi    (River),  388,  414. 

MissiSQuoi  Bay,  366. 

Mohawk  Valley,  173,  193,  209, 
221. 

Monkton,  Vt.,  57,  338. 

Monmouth,  N.  J.,  81. 

MoNTPELiER,  Vt.,  192. 

Montreal,  14,  28,  55,  69,  71,  102, 
118,  122,  124,  133-4,  141,  162, 
164,  168,  170,  193,  201,  204, 
214-15,  227,  250,  256,  258, 
263-4,  267,  272,  281,  285,  304, 
312,  324,  339,  378,  401,  411, 
414,  422. 

Monuments,  99,  181,  200,  201,  213, 
221,  236,  258,  264,  268,  272, 
279,  282,  309,  336,  363,  377, 
382,  388,  391,   402-3,  430.  435- 

Monty's  Bay,  397-8. 

Mooers,  N.  Y.,  80-1,  no,  139,  185, 
272,  353-  407,  424,  432. 

moriah,  n.  y.,  348. 

Morris  Heights,  403. 

morrisonville,  n.  y.,  87. 

Morristown  Academy,  N.  J.,  71. 

Mosquito  Coast,  147. 

Mount  Assumption  Institute,  86, 
256. 

Mt.  Defiance,  (Sugar  Loaf),  199, 
354- 

Mt.  Hope,  (Mill  Heights),  151,  197. 

Mt.   Independence,   202,   205,   223, 

250,  351-  354- 
Mt.  Pittsford,  210. 

Nantucket,  32,  350. 
Newburg,  N.  Y.,  414. 
Newbury,  Mass.,  93. 

Vt.,  264. 
New    England,    48,    71,    187,    378, 

388,  394,  420 
New    Hampshire    Grants,    10,    13, 

29,  86,  105,  117,  234,  312. 
New  Haven,  Ct.,  54,  117. 

Vt.,  310-11. 
New  Ipswich,  N.  H.,  37. 
New  Jersey,  399. 
New  London,  Ct.,  401. 
New  Marlboro,  Mass.,  300. 
New  Milford,  Ct. 
New  Orleans,  46. 
New   Preston,   Ct.,    103,    120,   266, 

416. 


482 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


New  York,  105,  121,  348,  394,  424. 

City,  10,  12,  33,  41,  60,  62,  69, 

71,    74,    85,    117,    125,     144, 

146-8,    153,    186,    210,    236, 

349.  356,  364-5.  377.  384. 
393,  416,  424,  432. 

Niagara  Falls,  274-5. 

Nine  Partners,  N.  Y.,  42,  177, 
198,  208,  259,  265-6,  308,  363, 
372,   377-8,  393,  396,   4"- 

NiSMES,  France,  89. 

Northampton,  Mass.,  371. 

North  Elba,  N.  Y.,  273. 

North  Hero,  Vt.,  35,  87,  320,  330, 
346,  354,  394. 

North  Island,  44. 

North  Salem,  N.  H.,  325. 

Northwest  Bay,  85. 

Norfolk,  Va.,  14. 

Norwich,  Ct.,  25,  303,  346,  415. 

Nova  Scotia,  290,  388. 

"  Oblong,"  198,  377,  387. 

Odelltown,  p.  Q.,  90,  188,  263,  346. 

Ogdensburgh,  N.  Y.,  146,  256,  403. 

Oneida  Castle,  2S0. 

Oneida  County,  297. 

Onion,  (Winooski,  q.  v.)  River. 

Orwell,  Vt.,  248,  407. 

Ossawatomie,  279. 

Ottawa,  391,  415. 

Otter  Creek,  (Riviere  Aux  Lou- 
tres),  89,  93,  137,  154,  187-8, 
207,  227,  249,  259,  287,  346,  350. 

OuiNousKi,  (Winooski). 

Oxford,  Ct.,  117. 

Palatine,  N.  Y.,  205. 

Panama,  330. 

Panton  Bay,  334,  381. 

pANTON,  Vt.,  28,  III,  150,  363,  404. 

Paris,  45,  108,  287,  422. 

Pawlet,  Vt.,  351,  366. 

Peacham,  Vt.,  264. 

Pearl  Street,  53,  174,  366,  412. 

Peekskill  Mountains,  259. 

Pennsylvania,  73,  274. 

Perth  Amboy,  N.  J.,  273. 

Perue  Bay,  63,  67. 

Peru  Landing,  43,  94. 

Peru,  N.  Y.,  ii,  35,  43.  S6,  61,  83, 

87-8,  94,  97,  lOI,  104,  1X2,  140, 
149,  161,  177,  193,  198,  208, 
235,  245,  248,  310,  323,  350, 
356,  361,  368,  380,  388,  409-10, 
418-9,   424.    431-2. 


Philadelphia,    14,    87-8,    105,    387, 

409,  415—16,  426. 
Philippine  Insurrection,   74,   122. 
Philipsburgh,  p.  Q.,  74. 
Phoenix,  10,  55,  122,  154,  231,  281-3. 
Pike's  Cantonment,  hi,  239,  246. 
Pillory,  300. 
Pine  Point,  50,  52. 
PiscATAQUA  Harbor,  405. 

PiTTSFIELD,   Mass.,    II9. 
PiTTSFORD,  Vt.,   351. 
PiTTSTOWN,   N.  Y.,   37. 

Plainfield,  Ct.,  355. 

N.  J.,  379- 
Plattsburgh  Academy,  19,  51,  67, 
124,    136,    158,    238,    241,    277, 
281,    287,    307,    313,    315,    323, 
375,382,386. 
Plattsburgh    Barracks,    56,    104, 
123,    145,    160,    167,    183,    208, 
300. 
Plattsburgh,  Battle  of,  19,  29,  44, 
50,  84,  99,  108,  iio-ii,   150, 
157,    232,    253-4,    261,    268, 
277,  292-5,  297-300,  309-10, 
356,  370,  381,  414,  419.  423. 

429-  435- 
&  Montreal  R.  R.,  59,  106. 

N.  Y.,  7-9,  13-15,  18,  33-41,  46, 
52-6,  58-9,  61-3,  65-8,  70-6, 
78-91,94-107,114-25,  127-30, 
132-6,  139,  141,  143,  145-61, 
163-4,  167,  170-6,  179,  183, 
185-7,  189-90,  192-8,  200-4, 
208-10,  215-23,  225-8,  239, 
248,  254,  259,  264-6,  268-71, 
274-8,  280-90,  294-307,  309- 
25,  327-8,  334-6,  338,  340-3, 
345-53,  355-8,  360,  364-5, 
368-77,  379-80,  382,  384-6, 
391-2,  394,  396,  398-402, 
404-8,  410-21,  423-37- 

Siege  of,  143,  145,  ^S^,  180, 
182,  261,  278,  281-4,  287-95, 
306,    309-10,    323,    375,    419, 

435- 
State  Normal  School,  187,  373. 

Pleasant  Valley,   (Dutchess  Co.), 

322. 

(Elizabethtown,  q.v.) 
Plymouth,  Mass.,  30,  359. 

N.  C,  114. 
Poke  O'  Moonshine,  356. 
Point  Ausable,  183. 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


483 


Point  Au  Fer,   176,   183,   198,  224, 

286,  352. 
Point  Au  Roche,  85,  187,  240,  250, 

291.  358. 
Point  Oliver,  L.  C,  244. 
PoQuoNocK,  Ct.,  376. 
Point      SqueSonton     (Cumberland 

Head,  q.  v.). 
Port  Douglas,  426. 
Port    Gilliland     (Janesboro),    99, 

145,  167,  228. 
Port    Henry,    100,    189,    203,    316, 

348,  3S0,  424. 
Port  Jackson,  53,  56,  145. 
Port   Kent,   9,   78,    151,   266,   324, 

401—2. 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  229. 
Potsdam,  N.  Y.,  136. 
Poughkeepsie,   N.    Y.,   32,    79,   83, 

109,    112,    117,    139,    142,    145, 

147-8,   169,  195,  231,  236,  252, 

290,  366,  407,  416-17,  434. 
Poultney,  Vt.,  82,  86,  301,  354. 
Preston,  Ct.,  116,  303,  412,  416. 
Princeton,  Battle  of,  83. 
Prospect  Heights,  284. 
Providence  Island,  132,  139,  281-2. 
Providence  Orphan  Asylum,  124. 
Providence,  R.  I.,  21,  426. 
Province  Point,  183. 
Prussia,  162. 
Putnam  Creek,  190. 

Quebec,  10,  16,  23,  28,  31,  41,  62,  68, 
80,  89,  III,  126,  128,  131,  135, 
143,  176,  181,  195,  204,  214, 
216-19,  225,  228-9,  255,  260, 
267,  278,  315,  319,  321,  326-7, 
329.  339-40,  350,  355-6,  397, 
401-2,   404,  428,   430,  436. 

Queen  City  Park,  241. 

QuEENSTowN,  295. 

Raids,  Carleton's,  135,  248,  404. 

Indian,  248,  341,  345. 

Murray's,    167,    238-41,    252-3, 
335.  418. 

Pring's,  135,  137,  139. 

St.  Albans,  330,  332,  343-4,  377. 
Rand  Hill,  222. 
Randolph,  Vt.,  192. 
Ransom's  Landing,  154. 
Rattle  Snake  Den,  267. 
Ray  Brook,  N.  Y.,  196. 
Reading,  Pa.,  362, 


Redford     (Saranac),  36S,  404,  41!^. 
Red  Hook,  198. 

Reggio  (RockDunder),  226,  259,  279. 
Rensselaerwyck,  315. 
Rhinebeck,  N.  Y.,  73,  76,  384. 
Rhode  Island,  378,  432. 
Richelieu  River,  32,  121,  127,  181, 

196,  224,  257,  329,  376. 
Richmond,  Va.,  138. 

RiDGEFIELD,   Ct.,    II7. 

Riverside  Cemetery,  99,  133,  145, 
157.  159.  236,  264,  269,  295, 
351,  406,  416,  419. 

Rock  Dunder,  (Reggio.) 

Rock  Point,  168,  281. 

Rouses  Point,  13,  26,  29,  39,  60,  98, 
113,  122,  124,  130,  135-6,  147, 
163-4,  183,  244,  336,  338,  382, 

433- 
Royal  George,  126. 
Royal  Savage,  39,  331,  :i^^,. 
Royalton,  Vt.,  192,  339,  340-1,  423. 
Rtiisseaiimont,  197. 
Russia  (Town  of  Saranac),  109. 
Rutland,  Vt.,  358,  387. 

Sabbath-Day  Point,  202. 
Sackett's  Harbor,  118,  234. 
Saginaw,  Mich.,  319. 
Salem,  Ct.,  26. 
Salem,  Mass.,  295,  325. 
Salisbury,  Ct.,   119,   173,   198,  248, 
328,  391. 

Vt.,  351,  363. 
Salmon  River,   163,   177,  228,  246, 

317-  328. 
Saranac  Inn,  201. 
Saranac,  N.  Y.,  89,  316,  415. 

River,  46,  75,  97-8,  145,  174, 
186-7,  189,  234,  262,  289, 
297.  314,  328,  399. 

Wood  Pulp  Mill,  115. 
Saratoga  Alarm,  47,  84,  291,  320. 
Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  8,  23,  88,  211,  349, 

385.  392- 

Springs,  121. 
Sault  St.  Louis,  163,  301,  327,  429. 
Savages  Island,  134. 
Saxe's  Landing,  76,  171,  242. 
Saybrook,  Ct.,  33. 
Schenectady,     N.     Y.,     135,     143, 

266-7. 
Schroon,  80,  220,  225,  356. 
Schuyler    Falls,    N.    Y.,    96,    262, 

276.   295,  315,  372,  380. 


484 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


ScHUYLERS   Island,    183,    268,    324, 

33^,  333-4- 
Scotland,  43,  139,  201,  250. 
Seal  Rock,  275. 
Seigniory  L'  Orignal,  21. 
Sheffield,  Mass.,  107,  119. 
Shelburn  Harbor,  55. 
Shelburne,  Vt.,  123,  132. 
Sheldon,  Vt.,  46,  99. 
Shooting  Matches,  7,  29. 
Shoreham,   Vt.,   26,    103,    128,    131, 

146,    213,    255,    264,    266,    300, 

327.   384,  395.  399.   404- 
Shrewsbury,  Mass.,  128. 
SiMSBURY,  Ct.,  117,  264,  300. 
Skenesborough     (Whitehall),    105, 

128,  136,  142,  202,  210,  351. 
Sloop  Island,  60. 
Smithtown,  L.  I.,  21,  246. 
Smuggling,  189-90,  242. 
Sorel,  176,  252,  262. 
South  Bay,  195,  198,  279. 
South  Hero,  45,  86,  113,  232,  311, 

346,  367,  369. 
South  Island,  84,  108. 
South  Plattsburgh,  250,  303,  321. 
South  River,  38. 
Spencertown,  N.  Y.,  376. 
Split    Rock    (Roche     Rendue),    50, 

130.    135,    137.    185-    214,    258, 

267,  304-5>  334- 
St.  Albans,  13,  51,  94,  213,  247,  287, 

330.  332,  343-4,  347.  353.  377. 

401,  414,  433- 
St  Castor,  235. 
St.  Croix,  195. 

St.  Denis,  Battle  of,  127,  390. 
St.  Johns,  19,  57,  64,  133,  142,  168- 

9,  171,  174-5,  180,  191,  226-7, 

267,  274,  313,  330,  338,  342-3. 

362,  388. 
St.  Lambert,  218,  368,  391. 
St.  Lawrence  Co.,  95,  402. 
St.  Lawrence   River,  95,  99,   141. 

166,  181,  262,  269,  376. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  91. 
St.  Ours,  127,  178. 
St.  Paul's  Church,  10,  358. 
St.  Regis,  370-1. 
St.  Theresa. 

Stanfordville,  N.  Y.,  426. 
Stave  Island,  281,  283. 
Stephentown,    N.    Y.,    37,    49,    75, 

134.  257. 
Sterling,  Vt.,  16. 


Stevens  House  (Lake  Placid),  220. 

Stewart's  Patent,  61. 

Stillwater,  N.  Y.,  134,  238,  259. 

Stony  Wold  Sanatorium,  431. 

Suckertown  (Chazy),  26. 

Sudbury,  Ohio,  380. 

Suffield,  Ct.,  305. 

Suffolk  Co.,  101,  398. 

Sutton,  Mass. 

Swanton,  Vt.,  2x6,  240,  340,  406. 

Swed]-:n,  115. 

Tablets,  46,  200,  201,  213,  254, 
316,  341. 

Thorn's  Corners,  256. 

Three  Mile  Point,  193,  354. 

Ticonderoga,      >8,   32,   37,   47,   58, 

Tyconderogue,  )  80,    100,    114, 

118,  123,  126-8,  131-3,  142, 
146, 151, 169, 172,  190-1,  193, 
199,  201,  206—8,  211,  215—16, 
218,  231,  250,  259,  260,  301, 
308,  311-12,  321,  323-4,  327, 
329-30,    348,    351,    354,    370. 

405- 
Landing,  16,  160,  173. 

TiNMOUTH,   Vt.,   368,   407. 

Tioga  Co.,  297. 
Trap,  Del.,  436. 

Treadwell's  Bay,  34,  431,  435. 
Trenton,  N.  Y.,  36. 

Battle  of,  83. 
Trois  Rivieres,  197,  233,  237,  248. 
Trombley's  Bay,  255. 
Trout  Brook,  204-5,  321- 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  82,  224,  272,  290,  375. 
Trumbull,  309,  334. 
Turner's  Inn,  301. 

Upper  Jay,  319,  409. 
"  Union,"  88,  104,  208,  280,  284. 
Union  Coffee  House,  25. 
Unity,  N.  H.,  24S,  260,  323. 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  193,  199. 

Valcour,  38,  54,  140. 

Battle  of,  39,  61,   iio-ii,   157, 

268,  324,  329,  331,  334,  337, 

418. 
Valcour,      )  Island,    34,    160,    183, 
Vancour,      S  199,  281,  286,  309, 

324,  331- 
Strait,  268,  333. 
Valley  Forge,  158,  164,  379,  384. 
Van  Dieman's  Land,  411. 


Index  of  Places  and  Events 


485 


Van  Kleeck  House,  231. 
Van  Ness  House,  175. 
Vergennes,  Vt.,  72,  105,  132,  135, 
227,  251-2,  261,  315,  350,  361, 
39S.  403. 
Vermont,  9,   23,   25-6,   28-9,   31-8, 
40-2,  45,   47-51.   53-S.   57-8, 
60-2,  64-6,   71,  86-7,  89-94, 
105, 115,  119,  137,  149,  157-8, 
162,  166,  190— I,  229,  257,  317, 

3.55.  358-9.  373.  377.  417.  424- 
University  of,  28,  102,  116,  148, 
153,  192-3,  211,  235,  244, 
274.  304.  364,  367.  377.  378, 
397.  424- 
"  Vilas  Home,"  74,  97,  357. 

Wadham's  Mills,  24, 111,223-4,  405. 
Wallingford,  Vt.,  II. 
Walloomsac  Valley,  10. 
Waltham,  Mass.,  317. 
Warren  Co.,  297. 
Washington  Co.,  395,  409. 
Washington,  D.  C,  45,  74,  211,  241, 
336,  376,  384,  416. 

WaTERBURY,   Ct.,    122. 

Water  Street,  53. 
Watertown,  Ct.,  117. 
Waterville,  Vt.,  406. 
Wells,  (Me.),  214,  357. 
West  Chazy,  281,  359. 
Westchester  Co. ,186,  377. 
Westfield,  Mass.,  23,  172. 

Vt.,  264. 
Westford,  Vt.,  116. 
West  Indies,  49,  62,  147. 
Westminster,  Vt.,  54,  105. 
West  Plattsburgh,   148,   153,   180, 

350.  360,  385,  411. 
West  Point,  20,  144,  436. 

WeSTPORT,    20,    40,    63,    69,     85,     III, 

119,    121,    202,    206,    267,    322, 
336,  378,  403,  409,  413. 


Westville,  N.  Y.,  115,  325. 

Whiteface,  273. 

Whitehall,  N.  Y.,  19,  63,  122,  136, 

156,   168,  190— I,  254,  272,  291, 

292,  334,  387,  398-9. 
White  Plains,  Battle  of,  355. 
Wild  Pigeons,  Visitation  of,  222. 
William  St.  (Plattsburgh),  164. 
Williams  St.   (Burlington),  62. 
Williamsburgh  Road,  Va.,  152. 
Williamstown,  Mass.,  113,  320. 
Williston,  Vt.,  13,  55,  274. 

WiLLSBORO,  I  7,    23,    36,    37,    40, 

WiLLSBOROUGH,       )  <,!,,      69,       77, 

79,     84-5,     95-6,     116,     144,     168, 

172-3.   185-6,   197,  230,   267,  372, 

379.  395.  427,  431- 
\^'ilmington,  N.  Y.,  82,  87,  144,  192, 

316,  381,  390. 
Windmill  Point,  189,  224,  279,  286, 

290,  306. 
Windsor,  Vt.,  20,  192. 

WiNOOSKI,   242. 

Falls,  51. 

River,  13,  52,  57,  133,  168,  204, 
233,  258,  341,  348. 

AViSCONSIN,    151,    221,    229,    381,    421. 

Woodbury,  (Roxbury),  Ct.,  430. 
Wood's  Falls,  115. 
Woodstock,  Vt.,  192. 
Wolf  Hunting,  72,  97,  417,  423. 
Worcester,  Mass.,  256. 
Wyoming  Valley,  311. 

Yale  College,  54,  152,  202,  301. 
Y.  M.  C.  A.  Building,  21,  254,  372, 

417.  437- 
Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  ioi. 
York,  Me.,  215,  357,  400. 

Pa.,  362. 
Yorktown,  81,  83. 


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