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CHAPTER III.

SETTLEMENT BEFORE THE WAR IN CHARTER LIMITS--BENJAMIN SMALLEY--GAMALIEL PAINTER--JOHN CHIPMAN AND OTHERS--IN TERRITORY ANNEXED FROM CORNWALL--SURVEYS AND PITCHES--ASA BLODGET--THEOPHILUS ALLEN--THE BENTLEYS AND OTHERS--SETTLEMENT IN THIS TERRITORY AFTER THE WAR.

THE first settlements, designed to be permanent, were commenced in the spring of 1773. At that time the settlers in the State, under the New Hampshire title, had become so numerous, as to inspire them with confidence in their strength effectually to resist the claimants under the New York grants. Most of the towns south of this County had already been settled, or immigrants were fast passing into them. A few settlements had already been made on the French clearing on the lake shore in Addison, and in New Haven on the creek above the falls, and one or more families had taken possession of lands, on the borders of the lake in Panton and Bridport. Gen. Wooster's claim to a tract of land in the north part of Addison, on the lake shore, had been effectually resisted, in the fall of the previous year, by the claimants under the New Hampshire titles. The Scotch tenants of Colonel Reed, who had a grant, as a reduced or half pay officer, including the falls at Vergennes, had, early in that season, been expelled by Ethan Allen and his company of Green Mountain Boys; and all the active New York partizans were in a course of being subdued or rooted out, by the same force. No grants had been made by the governor of New York of lands within the limits of Middlebury, and there were no claimants under that

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title.* Thus the way was opened for the proprietors of Middlebury to enter upon the possession of their lands.

Benjamin

Smalley from Salisbury, Conn., and brother of the late Rev. Dr. Smalley of Berlin, in that State, was the first immigrant, who brought his family into town. In the spring of 1773 he took possession and built the first log house in town, on his two hundred acre pitch, lying at the mouth of Middlebury River. John Chipman and Gamaliel Painter had been here to look out a place for settlement and make some preparation, and soon after returned with their families. Judge Painter's wife, being a sister of Col. Chipman, they joined forces in making preparations for living in their new abodes. They first built Painter's house, and perhaps had done so before their families came, and there they lived together until Chipman's house was completed. The first houses here, as in other new countries, were log cabins. There was no saw mill in this, or any of the neighboring towns; and if they had had the means, they would not have wasted in building more expensive houses, the time needed for clearing their land for the crops, which were needed for their subsistence. Smalley's house was on the site of the frame house, which he afterwards built and occupied to the time of his death. Chipman's house was also near the place where he afterwards built his brick house; and Painter's was north of and near the river, and east of the centre road leading south, and was thrown into Salisbury, by the re-survey of the town line.

John

Chipman had, before this, in 1766, cleared on his lot seven or eight acres, which was the first clearing in Middlebury. In the
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* Although no persons were here claiming lands under the New York title, several of the owners, under the New Hampshire charters seem to have been inclined to recognize the jurisdiction of New York. Daniel Foot, Benjamin Smalley, Thomas Skeels and perhaps others, in deeds given soon after the first settlement, describe their residence as in "Middlebury, in the County of Charlotte, and Province of New York." This seems to have been universal in Cornwall. Some deeds given about the same date say, "now the jurisdiction claimed by New York," or "reputed to be in the Province of New York." But it is known on the other hand, that there were in the town, many strenuous and active opposers of that jurisdiction. Many of the first settlers were the neighbors and acquaintances of Ethan Allen, in Salisbury, Connecticut.

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spring of that year, he started, with fifteen other young men, for the purpose of looking up, and making preparation for, a settlement in the wilderness. Some of them were destined for that part of New Haven now included in Waltham, bordering on the creek above the falls at Vergennes; some for the lake shore in Panton, and some for the French clearing in Addison. Among the latter was David Vallance, who afterwards settled in that place on the farm recently owned by David Vallance Chambers, his grandson. Chipman and Vallance jointly hired a colored man, with the understanding that he should work half the time for Vallance in Addison, and the other half for Chipman, in Middlebury. This company started from Salisbury, Conn., with a cart and oxen, which conveyed their farming tools and other freight. According to Chipman's account, as related by Dr. Merrill, they found no house north of Manchester. They made their way as they could, through the wilderness, cutting out their path, where there was not room between the trees for their team. They followed up the Battenkill to the headwaters of Otter Creek, which they followed down to the foot of Sutherland's Falls in Pittsford. Here they stopped long enough to make a canoe out of a large tree. They then fastened their cart to the stern of it, loaded their tools and provisions into it, with men enough to row it, while the rest with their oxen traveled through the woods on the bank. At Middlebury they loaded their canoe into the cart, which was drawn by the oxen around the bend of the creek on the east bank, until they arrived at the foot of the lower falls in Weybridge. Here they transferred their canoe to the water and followed the creek to Vergennes.

this time Chipman had no title to the land, on which he made his clearing, or probably any other in Middlebury. The deed by which he received his title to the land is dated January 14, 1773, only a short tame before he commenced his settlement. It is probable that when he reached the mouth of Middlebury River he followed up that stream to a place which promised well for a settlement, and there pitched his tent.

These

were the only families, which had located themselves in

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town the first year. Eleazar Slasson, the same year commenced a clearing on his two hundred acre pitch, before mentioned, directly west of home lot No. 36, and built a cabin there. The same year James Owen commenced on a part of the same pitch, being a fifty acre lot, which he had before purchased of Slasson. Dr. Merrill says, "James Owen made a beginning but sold to Joshua Hyde." Hyde's deed from Owen is dated 26th June 1781, while both were in Salisbury during the war. Besides, Hyde on his return in 1774, did not settle on any land, which Owen had owned, nor did he until after the war. Samuel Bentley made a beginning and put up a barn on his two hundred acre pitch, north of Hyde's pitch, and near the place where Eleazar Conant afterwards lived on the west side of Chipman's Hill. Jonathan Chipman the same year, commenced a clearing on the second hundred acre lot on the right of his brother Thomas Chipman. This lot lies northeast of Col. Chipman's pitch, and is the same afterwards owned and occupied by Freedom Loomis. Thomas Chipman, the original proprietor, soon after the date of the charter, and before the first meeting of the proprietors, deeded his whole right to his younger brother Jonathan, who attended the meetings and acted as proprietor.

the year 1774, Robert Torrance moved his family into town, and commenced a settlement on the west end of home lot No. 33, in the place where he afterwards built a brick horse, in which he resided until the time of his death. He owned also Nos. 31 and 32, lying next north.

The

same year Bill Thayer settled on fifty acres of Slasson's 200 acre pitch, which he had before purchased; lying west of and adjoing home lot No. 34.

Joshua

Hyde, one of the earliest settlers, was born in Lebanon, Conn., where his family resided; but when fourteen years of age, he went to live with his uncle, Dr. Joshua Porter in Salisbury, an original proprietor, and remained there until his manhood. In the year 1773, owning a lot of land in that part of New Haven, which has since been formed into the town of Waltham, on Otter Creek, near the falls in Vergennes, he worked on it and put in crops that season. A considerable tract of land in that neighbor-

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hood had been granted by the governor of New York to Col. Reed, a reduced or half pay officer of a Scotch regiment, for his services in the French war. Reed had before driven off the claimants under the New Hampshire title, and had put his own tenants in possession. These in their turn were driven off by a company of Green Mountain Boys under Ira Allen. In the summer of 1773, Col. Reed appeared again with a company of recent immigrants from Scotland. The result of the meeting was, that Reed's men went into possession, and the New Hampshire claimants went out. Reed's story was that he paid the men for their crops, and they voluntarily quitted. However that may be, the Scotchmen were not long left in quiet possession, before Ethan Allen appeared with a more formidable force, and effectually and finally banished them from the country. Reference is made to this subject more in detail in the history of Addison County. Mr. Hyde, for some reason, thought it not best to return there, and, after remaining a while in Middlebury; went to Salisbury and spent the winter. Hyde, on his way south, met Ethan Allen and his company, on their way to the falls, to drive off Reed's men, and returned with them.

the spring of 1774, he returned to Middlebury and commenced a settlement here. He was before the owner of some land in Middlebury, and about the time of his settlement here, he purchased two whole rights, embracing home lots No. 36, which he afterwards cultivated as a part of his home farm, and No. 33, which he sold to Robert Torrance. He also purchased Skeel's 200 acre pitch. This lot lies west of and not far from the home lots. It was undoubtedly on this lot, that he first settled. The place described by Dr. Merrill is on this lot, and the remains of his house are still to be seen there.

William

Hopkins this year commenced a clearing and built a cabin on the south part of Oliver Evarts' 200 acre pitch, east of the village, near the place, on which Dr. William Bass, in his life time lived.

Daniel

Foot from Dalton, adjoining Pittsfield, Mass., which, in some of his deeds, he calls "Ashuelot Equivalent," owned at least four or five home lots and as many second hundred acre lots, in the

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game neighborhood. Among others he owned No. 5, on the right of Nathaniel Skinner, and No. 6, on the right of Samuel Skinner, both lying west of and adjoining the home lots. In 1774, he commenced a settlement, and built a house on No. 5, southwest from where he finally settled. The remains of the foundation of this horse are still to be seen.

Simeon

Chandler from Arlington, in the year 1775, began a settlement on the west end of home lots Nos. 37 and 38.

Daniel

Foot had deeded to Enoch Dewey of Pittsfield, who had married his daughter, lot No. 2, in the second hundred acre division, which lies directly west of home lot No. 63, which Mr. Dewey also owned. On the lot which his father-in-law deeded to him he commenced a clearing near where his son Stillman Dewey lived and died. He did not remove his family before the war, and died of the small pox in February, 1778, in the thirty-third year of his age, leaving two children, Stillman and Patty.

Joseph

Plumley, from Salisbury, Conn., in the year 1775, began a settlement on a second hundred acre division on the right of Ebenezer Field. The lot was afterwards owned and for several years occupied by Billy Manning, then by John Simmons, Esq., and now by Reuben Wright. Plumley died soon after and left a widow and one daughter, to whom we shall refer in our account of the settlement after the war.

John

Hinman, from Wallingford, the same year settled on a second hundred acre lot, east of lot No. 14 of the same division, in the place where William Carr, Jr., now resides.

this year Samuel Bentley settled on his two hundred acre pitch on which he had built a barn in 1773. About the same time James Bentley, his father, settled on the north part of the same pitch, where he was living in 1775.

Philip

Foot, the eldest son of Daniel Foot, in 1775, came to Middlebury, a young man, and commenced a clearing on lot No. 7 in the second hundred acre division, lying west of and adjoining dome lot No. 56, and north of No. 6, owned by his father. He also owned No. 8, next north of the other.

Eber

Evarts, also a young man, and son of Nahaniel Evarts,

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an original proprietor, began a clearing this year, on a second hundred acre pitch on the right of his father, which is now owned and occupied by Col. Joel Boardman.

These,

so far as we are able to learn, were the only persons who attempted a settlement in the charter limits of Middlebury before the war. And these had scarcely nestled in their new homes in the wilderness, and were anxiously looking forward to brighter scenes, wider fields and more abundant crops and comforts, when the desolations of war disturbed their repose, drove them from their cabins and terminated their anticipations.

December 1776, and before the family were driven off by the war, Zerah Smalley, a son of Benjamin Smalley, died at the age of eighteen, and in February following, his daughter Anah, of the age of twenty years, having become insane, wandered into the woods, where she remained through the night, exposed to the severe cold of the winter, and perished before she was found in the morning.

TERRITORY ANNEXED FROM CORNWALL.

The territory annexed from Cornwall being separate in its early settlement, we here place together the history of the agricultural part of that territory, as well after as before the war.

The

partition of lands in Cornwall is in greater confusion than that of Middlebury; and no land owner can make out a title to his farm except by the statute of limitations, or by a prior possession, which no man can dispute with a better title. There was never any regular division of the lands. The whole seems to have been accomplished by an irregular system of pitches. The right of pitching was often granted on condition of performing certain services, such as clearing out and opening roads. Besides, all the records of the proceedings of the proprietors and of the surveys were burnt previous to the tenth of February 1778. A large portion of this part of Cornwall had been previously surveyed, the records of which were destroyed. The lands near the creek were generally settled earlier than other parts of the town; and nearly as many occupants were in possession of the agricultural parts as at the present time. A few of the surveys previously made, were

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recorded after the war, and others are ascertained from subsequent deeds. Such are the following. The proprietors granted to Judge Painter the right of pitching two hundred acres, for service done in surveying the "great road," through Cornwall which is described as lying "across the north and south road, not far from the middle of the town." One deed, dated May 1, 1784, conveys "one hundred acres, being a part of a certain grant of land, made and granted by the proprietors of said township of Cornwall, to Col. Seth Warner, and Major Robert Cochran and company, for building a block house at New Haven, and other services done for the proprietors of said town."

meeting of the proprietors was held on the 10th day of February 1778, by adjournment; previous to which all their records were burnt. This meeting was again adjourned from time to time, and on the 15th of April was further adjourned until October following. But no meeting was then held or subsequently until after the war. The next meeting was held in September 1783, the notice of which was signed by "Timothy Bronson Assistant," and dated "Sunderland June 36, 1783," where he resided.

Daniel

Foot, previous to his return to Middlebury, after the war, being desirous of obtaining a water power for the erection of mills on the west side of the falls, on the 6th day of February 1784, took a deed from Israel Dewey, of Westfield, Mass., conveying land of the following description,-"One certain right or share of land in the township of Weybridge, in the State of Vermont, and County of Rutland," "said right is laid out and bounded on Otter Creek, on the falls called and known by the name of Middlebury Falls, and is lot No. 53, which fell to me the subscriber, original proprietor, by draft." There are also on record several deeds referring to Weybridge "Old corner." It is obvious that a different line was originally recognized, as dividing the towns of Cornwall and Weybridge, and far enough south to include the falls in the latter town; and by persevering examination, we find that it forms the division line between Foot's mill lot, and the home farm of the late Col. Storrs. There is no record of the time and manner of altering this line, nor have we found any living man, who had any knowledge of

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such a line. But it is probable that the change was made by the surveyor general in 1784, when the town lines of Middlebury were re-surveyed and corrected. Among the records of Cornwall town meeting in November 1787, is the following: "A petition from Weybridge for setting off from Cornwall to the former old line was read and rejected."

The

town of Cornwall was organized on the second day of March 1784, two years before Middlebury. The following is the action of the town of Cornwall, in relation to the first bridge built by Daniel Foot across the creek at the falls, at a meeting in September 1788: "The report of the committee to confer with Mr. Foot about the bridge was read: Voted to join with Daniel Foot of Middlebury, to petition the assembly for a lottery to pay Mr. Foot for his bridge over the creek and, if not granted, to petition for a land tax for the aforesaid purpose." A land tax was granted on the town of Cornwall, as well as on the town of Middlebury, and of which one half the expense was paid by Cornwall.

Asa

Blodget from Salisbury, Conn., was probably the first settler in that part of Cornwall annexed to Middlebury. Previous to the 27th of October 1774, he seems to have been the owner of the right of Zuriel Jacobs. On that day he pitched, on that right, "one hundred acres and seven acres for allowance for highways, according to the vote passed at the proprietors' meeting the 3rd of May last," embracing the large bow in the creek, near the south line of the town, owned by the late Ira Stewart, Esq., and now in possession of his sons. In the summer of 1773, and previous to his survey, Blodget had settled on this lot, near the creek. The principal travel at that time was on the creek, by boats and rafts in the summer, and on the ice in the winter. His object in locating himself in this place, was to provide refreshment and rest for travellers. He built his cabin on the rising ground a little west of the creek, near where the present house stands. He had also a shanty near the creek to accommodate temporary travellers, when it was not overflowed, as was common in high freshets. His house was the point, to which all travellers to and from Cornwall and the vicinity aimed.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.

He continued in this place until the war and until most of the inhabitants had left.

Dr.

Merrill says, "Before the revolutionary war, Penuel Stevens settled on a strip of land near Otter Creek, south of Blodget, and north of Flat Brook." We have no further information of this man. He could not have owned land there, and he did not return after the war. Mr. Russell Vallett, who recently owned this land, says there is evidence of a former settlement there, about fifty rods above Blodget's pitch, and one hundred rods north of Flat Brook, on a small piece of land on the bank of the creek, which is not overflowed by freshets. Some remains of the foundation of a house and cornhills are found there, and the trees growing round it, when he purchased, were smaller than those of the surrounding forests. The small timber on about thirty acres, somewhat higher than the surrounding swamp, and about fifty rods from the creek, he thinks evidence of a former clearing.

Theophilus

Allen, before the war-probably in 1773, settled on an eighty acre lot next north of Blodget's farm. We find no record of the lands on which he settled until after the war. He subsequently pitched the lot on which he lived; and the hundred acre lot, on which his brother David Allen afterwards settled, and both on the right of Nathan Benton.

James

Bentley, Jr., previous to the war, settled on a hundred and fifty acre lot, a part of which is now owned by Mr. Warren Moore, and built a small house, near the house in which Mr . Moore lives.

Thomas

Bentley settled on a lot lying south and east of the above, and running to the creek, which is the farm since owned successively by Asa Harris and Hon. S. S. Phelps, and now by Marshal T. Shacket. His house was near the present dwelling douse. What title he had at that time we are not able to ascertain. But after the war in 1786, he made a pitch of two hundred and twenty-two acres, extending from the Creek west to William Douglass's land, including this farm. Bentley returned after the war and continued in possession of his farm until 1793, when he sold it to Hezekiah Wadsworth, and removed from the country.

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south of Thomas Bentley, William Douglass settled near the house in which his son James Douglass, and his grand son of the same name have since resided, and which was owned by the late Dr. Ford of Cornwall, and now by his son, Charles R. Ford.

Joseph

Throop, from Whiting, in 1774 settled on a lot next south and east of Douglass and running to the creek, on the ground where Dan Throop, his son, afterwards lived, and which has since been owned by Johathan Hagar, Esq., and occupied by Joseph Stearns. The same lot was recently owned and occupied by Abijah Hurd, and has lately been purchased by Gardner and Isaac Eells. Joseph Throop also owned the lot south of the above, on which his son Samuel resided, and which now belongs to the farm purchased by Eells of Hurd. In the spring of 1843, Alvah English resided on this farm, which he had owned and occupied for several years. He owned also a lot on the creek. In a great freshet which occurred at that time, the low lands were overflowed, his fences were swept away and the rails were floating on the water. In order to collect and save these he built a raft of rails, at the bend of the creek, near the foundation of the house, where James Bentley, and afterwards Samuel Benton resided before the war, took on his son, ten or twelve years old, and attempted to go in pursuit of his floating rails. Not being able to guide his raft it was drawn into the current and parted in the eddy, and he and his son fell into the creek and were drowned, on the 20th day of April of that year. He was in his forty-fifth year. The body of his son was never recovered.

1774 James Bentley, senior, had settled and resided on the bank of the creek, about five rods south of Throop's line at the bend of the creek, about two miles south of the village. In the year following he lived in a house on the north part of the Bentley pitch in Middlebury.

Col.

Samuel Benton, who owned considerable land in other parts of Cornwall, in 1775, established his residence on the bank of the creek at the same place and probably in the same house which had been occupied by James Bentley, and which, for want of a title or otherwise, he had left. The foundation of this house, some

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currant bushes, and other signs of a residence were to be seen, until they were removed by the construction of the rail-road.

These

were all the settlers on this tract before the war.

1783 Asa Blodget returned to his former possession, and continued it until 1795, when he sold it to Anthony Rhodes, from whom it has passed through several hands to its present owners.

Theophilus

Allen, at the close of the war also returned and went into possession of his former lot, and resided on it until 1797, when he deeded it to Joshua Henshaw, from New Hartford, Conn. Mr. Henshaw's first settlement in this town was at this place, where he resided until he removed to the village in 1800. It is now as it has been for many years, occupied by Silas Piper and his son Silas Piper, Jr.

William

Douglass, in the fall of 1783, returned to his farm with two young sons, for the purpose of making preparation for the return of his family. On the 19th of December of that year he went into the forest to cut wood and was instantly killed by the fall of a tree. On a monument erected at his grave on the rising ground southerly from his house is the following inscription:

"Mr.

William Douglass, born June 22, 1735, was killed instantly by the fall of a tree, December 19, 1783.

Here life and all its pleasures end,
Here mourners wander, read and weep;
Soon each succeeds his fallen friend,
And in the same cold earth must sleep.

Mr.

Douglass, his widow and children owned several tracts adjoining his home farm, occupied at different times by different members of his family, including Orange Throop, his son-in-law. James Douglass was the last of his sons, who occupied the homestead after the death of the widow. He went to the south in 1822, where his daughter was teaching, and died there. His widow and father-in-law James Bentley continued to reside there with his son, until their several deaths, and his son afterwards sold the farm and moved to the west.

Joseph

Throop, when he returned after the war, went into possession of his farm, but died twelve or fourteen years after, and

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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBURY.

his widow married Eleazar Davis. Davis and his wife continued in possession for a time, and in 1796 gave a deed of the two lots above mentioned to her sons Dan and Samuel Throop, who occupied the premises as before stated.

Col.

Samuel Benton did not occupy his house on the bank of the creek after the war, but resided elsewhere in Cornwall.

James

Bentley senior, after the war, built him a house on the bank of the creek near the house of Hop. Johnson, mentioned elsewhere, and after Johnson deserted his family in 1789 Bentley lived with his daughter Mrs. Johnson. She was soon after married to James Douglass, and Bentley lived with them for some years on the ridge south of Davenport's new house, until they removed together to the Douglass farm, as mentioned above. James Bentley, senior, died in 1829, at the age of ninety-three years.

James

Bentley Jr., returned to his farm after the war, and remained on it for some years. In 1788, he deeded fifty acres to William Donagby, who built a house southerly from Bentley's, on a road then open, leading from James Bentley's to Thomas Bentley's. On this lot Donaghy resided until 1795, when he sold it to Thomas and Ep. Spencer, who were in possession for twelve or fifteen years, and sold it to Dr. Willard and Ethan Andrus. The Spencers were succeeded in the possession of the house by Julius Wilcox. A part of the land deeded to Willard on which the house stood, is annexed to the farm of Warren Moore. Harvey Wilcox, son of Julius Wilcox, now residing in the village on the Cornwall road, purchased a piece of land and moved to it the old house in which his father lived, and resided there until 1830. In 1831, Harvey Pritchard purchased this and other adjoining lands-has repaired the house and still lives there.

the year 1788, Capt. Samuel Wright, then of Weybridge, purchased several pieces of land south of the Douglass farm and west of the Throop lot, and among others a small piece of Thomas Bentley, on which he erected a house, now occupied by Julius Douglass, who owns the farm. In this place he resided until his death in December 1818, at the age of eighty-two years. By his will he provided for the support of his widow, and her daughter

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by a former husband, during their lives, and gave the remainder to the Congregational Society. The amount remaining to the Society is about seven hundred dollars. His widow, Esther Wright died in 1840, aged eighty-eight years.

the year 1791 Thomas Bentley deeded to Andrew Nichols a tract of eighty-nine acres on the north side of his two hundred and twenty-two acre pitch, extending west from the creek, on which he resided fox some time, and it was called his "home lot." Not many years since there were on this lot an old log house and a plank house, probably built by him, a short distance north of the former residence of Thomas Bentley, now owned by Shacket.

1793 Bentley deeded to Luther Wright, of Swanzy, N. H., a tract on the south side of his pitch, extending west from the creek to the land of Capt. Samuel Wright. Wright occupied this as his home farm for some time; but while carrying it on it is understood that he lived with his uncle, Samuel Wright, and built no house on his land. No person, as owner of either of these lots has since resided on them. Both lots are now owned by James McDonald, Esq.

David

Allen, a brother of Theophilus Allen, after the war settled on the farm next north of his brother, now owned by Alfred Stowell. He continued his residence here until the year 1805, when he died at the age of forty-three years. His widow, after his death, was married to Elijah Keeler, and they remained in possession of the farm during their lives.

to the year 1796, Francis Garrett settled on a lot of ninety-two acres, next north of the home farm of David Allen, built a log house and resided on it until 1803, when he deeded it to Daniel and William Campbell. The title has since passed through several hands. The tract between the creek and the road was formerly owned by Asa Harris, and during that time his son built a house and resided in it for some time. The house has since been removed, and the land is now owned by Marshall T. Shackett. On the west of the road, John Stearns, son of Joseph Stearns, built a house and resided a few rods south of the barn belonging to Shackett. This tract is now owned by Jacob W. Conroe, Esq., and the house is occupied by a tenant.