page 29 HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY

CHAPTER III.

INDIANS--INDIAN RELICS.

IN what we have to say of the Indians, the original inhabitants of the County of Addison, it is not our purpose to enter into any learned dissertation on their character, customs or history. Such treatises may be found elsewhere. We regard it as belonging to our province to speak only of their residence in the County, and of their depredations so far only as they affect the County and its settlement, and that not in detail. It is but a very short time since we commenced any inquiries on the subject. But from the accounts we have obtained, during our short examination, we find satisfactory evidence, in the Indian relics found in different towns, that the County of Addison was the established residence of a large population of Indians, and had been for an indefinite period. The borders of Lake Champlain, Otter Creek, Lemon Fair and other streams, furnished a convenient location for that purpose.*

Previous to the discovery of Lake Champlain, in 1609, the Iroquois, or Five Nations, which together formed a powerful Indian tribe, claimed and occupied an extensive country south of Lakes Erie and Ontario, and the River St. Lawrence, and extending to and including Lake Champlain and Western Vermont, and previously had been undoubtedly settled in this County. It is supposed by many, that their settlement extended as far north as the River Sorel, which forms the outlet of Lake Champlain, and that the

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river was called the Iroquois for that reason, and Champlain so represents it. But others suppose, that it was called by that name, because it came from the country of the Iroquois. When SAMUEL CHAMPLAIN, the French leader, came up the lake on his tour of discovery, in 1609, the Iroquois had withdrawn from the islands in the north part of the lake, which now constitute the County of Grand Isle, and which the Indians, with Champlain, represented, had been inhabited by them. He says, in his account of this excursion: "I saw four beautiful islands, ten, twelve and fifteen leagues in length, formerly inhabited, as well as the Iroquois River, by Indians, but abandoned, since they have been at war, the one with the other." "They retire from the rivers as far as possible, deep into the country, in order not to be soon discovered." And again he says, "Continuing our route along the west side of the lake, I saw, on the east side, very high mountains capped with snow. I asked the Indians, if those parts were inhabited. They answered, yes; and that they were Iroquois, and that there were in those parts beautiful vallies, and fields fertile in corn, as good as I had ever eaten in the country." In anticipation of this expedition, CHAMPLAIN, had entered into a treaty with the Algonquins, who dwelt along the north bank of the St. Lawrence, between Quebec and Montreal, in which "they promised to assist the stranger, in his attempt to traverse the country of the Iroquois, on condition, that he should aid them in a war against that fierce people;" and he and the two Frenchmen with him, came armed for the conflict, with muskets. The Indians described the place, where they expected to meet their enemies, and they, as well as the French in Canada, spoke of this as the country of the Iroquois. On the border of the lake, near Crown Point, as they expected, they met a war party

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of the Iroquois, who defied them. But, when CHAMPLAIN, at a single fire of his arquebus, killed two chiefs and mortally wounded another, and another Frenchman fired from another quarter, they fled in alarm, at the new and unheard of weapons of war, and were defeated.

Previous to this, incessant wars were carried on between the Algonquins, aided by the Hurons, a powerful tribe, occupying an extensive country in Canada, extending as far west as the lake from which they derived their name, on one side, and the Iroquois on the other. For many years subsequently, the latter had no aid from European Colonies or European arms. When the Dutch had possession of New York, they were too much engaged in commerce, and traffic with the Indians, to take part in their wars. But the wars still continued with great fury, between the French colonists and Indians, and the Iroquois unaided and without fire arms. The latter were particularly hostile to the French, because they had furnished their enemies with their new and deadly weapons. After the English in 1664, obtained possession of New York, they enlisted in the wars, which were still continued between the French colonists and their Indians on the north, and the English colonies and their Indians on the south, until the conquest of Canada in 1760. The Iroquois still claimed this territory, and their claim was acknowledged by the government of New York. But it does not appear, that after the discovery of the lake and their retreat on that occasion, they ever had any permanent settlement here. The Mohawks and the other confederate tribes seem to have occupied the

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region of the Mohawk River, and the territory south of Lakes Erie and Ontario.*

In the mean time, Lake Champlain and its neighborhood was a thoroughfare, through which the hostile parties made their excursions in their alternate depredations on each other. In the latter part of the 17th century and the fore part of the 18th, many of these incursions took place. In 1689, while the French and Indians were making fruitless arrangements to invade the settlements in New York, at Albany, and its neighborhood, the Iroquois fitted out an expedition, invaded Canada, plundered and burnt Montreal and destroyed other settlements in the neighborhood. The next year, 1690, the French and Indians fitted out two expeditions. One proceeded into New Hampshire, destroyed the fort at Salmon Falls, killed many of the inhabitants and took many prisoners; the other proceeded by the way of Lake Champlain, attacked and burnt Schenectady, and killed and captured many of the inhabitants. In 1691, the English and Iroquois made an excursion into Canada, through the lake, and made a successful attack on the settlements on the River Richelieu, and killed many of the settlers. In 1695, the French and Indians invaded the territory of the Iroquois, and, after several battles, in which the latter were aided by the English, under Col. SCHUYLER, they were driven back. In 1704, the English settlements on Connecticut River, having extended as far as Deerfield, the French and Indians, coming up the lake to the mouth of Onion River, and following up that river, invaded and destroyed that place, and killed and took captive many of the inhabitants.

In the meantime the English had come to the conclusion, that there would be no security from the ravages of the Indians, but by

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conquering the French, as well as the savages. In 1709 and several following years, attempts were made through the lake, to invade and conquer Canada. And while the English and French governments were at peace, for some years previous to 1725, wars were still carried on by the Indians, aided occasionally by the English and French colonies. In 1746, while the French were in possession of Crown Point, an expedition from that place was fitted out by the French and Indians, who captured Fort Hoosick, which before that had been built at Williamstown, Massachusetts, near the southwest corner of Vermont.

During all these expeditions and until the French were driven from Crown Point in 1759, this territory, including the whole of Western Vermont, was exposed to the depredations of the Indians, and settlements in it were wholly unsafe. Even the proprietors of Bennington, who had obtained a charter in 1749, did not venture to commence a settlement of that town until 1761, after the conquest of Canada.

In the short time, in which our attention has been directed to the subject, we have collected such information as we have been able, respecting the Indian relics found in the County, as the best evidence of the extent of Indian settlements. Our inquiries have not extended to all parts of the County. They have generally been made of those farmers and others, whom we have incidentally met. And now the printers threaten to tread upon our heels, and we are compelled to stop our inquiries. But such facts as we have obtained, we present below, and we trust the reader will find in them satisfactory evidence, that the Indians once had a permanent settlement here. But the permanent settlement, we think, must have closed with the discovery of Lake Champlain, by the French leader, SAMUEL CHAMPLAIN, two hundred and fifty years ago, and the manufacture of the implements we describe, of course ended then. There may have been a temporary residence of some tribes, while the French had possession of Crown Point, or during the Revolutionary war, while the British had the control of the lake. But we have, we think, the testimony of history, that after the Iroquois were first overcome off by the fire arms, which were used by CHAMPLAIN

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and his Frenchmen, they never returned to occupy this region by a permanent settlement. Besides, after the Indians were furnished by Europeans with fire-arms and other needed implements, they had no occasion to manufacture them.

The main object of our inquries has been to find evidence of the extent of Indian settlements in the County. But, if our time had permitted, we might have presented some other views of the subject. The want of time also has prevented our giving illustrations of some of the less common manufactures, as we intended. The following are the results of our inquries, and the sources of our information:

Professor HALL, in his account of Middlebury, in 1820, states that on the farm in the south part of the town, on which Judge PAINTER first settled, now owned by WILLIAM F. GOODRICH, on an alluvial tract, near Middlebury River,--and his statement is confirmed to us by Mr. GOODRICH,--"are found numerous articles of Indian manufacture, such as arrows, hammers, &c., some being of flint, others of jasper. A pot, composed of sand and clay, of curious workmanship, and holding about twenty quarts, has recently been dug up here nearly entire."

ALMON W. PINNEY, states, that in an old channel of the same river, on the old SMALLEY farm, and not far from the same place, the water had washed away the bank and uncovered parts of a broken "camp-kettle," as he called it, holding about a pailful and a half, of the same material as the above, curiously ornamented by flowers or leaves wrought on the sides. There were also found there half a bushel of perfect and imperfect arrow heads, one of which was four inches long.

ENOCH DEWEY, states, that on his farm, in Middlebury, on which his father was an early settler, two miles southeast from the village, and west of his house, on dry land near a brook between the hills, he has ploughed up on two separate spots, chippings, or fragments of stone, obviously made in manufacturing arrow heads and other implements, together with a bushel or more of perfect and imperfect arrow heads all of grey flint.

On the house lot of the writer, in the village of Middlebury, several years ago, was ploughed up an Indian pestle of hard grey

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stone, made round and smooth, and rounded at the ends, about fifteen inches long and two and a half inches in diameter.

Mr. RUFUS MEAD, editor of the Middlebury Register, states, that on the farm on which his father lived, and his grandfather was an early settler, in the west part of Cornwall, have been found large numbers of arrow and spear heads, from two to five inches in length, and, among them, stone chips, worked off in the construction of arrow heads, and many imperfect arrow heads, apparently made by unskilful artists, or spoiled in the manufacture; that at every ploughing for many years, these relics have been ploughed up, This locality is near a spring, and on ground sloping to Lemon Fair Flats. On this slope for some distance, the land is springy, and on several of the neighboring farms, similar relics are found. In that neighborhood was also found a stone gouge, in the regular shape of that tool, six or eight inches long, and two and a half inches wide. This tool Mr. MEAD thinks, was used for digging out their canoes, the wood being first burnt and charred by fire. The arrows, he says, were of flint; partly light and partly black; arid he is confident they were made of materials which are not found in this country. Otter Creek, and Lemon Fair, which empties into it, are navigable for boats from the head of the falls at Vergennes to this place.

Deacon WARNER states, that on his farm in Cornwall, first settied by BENJAMIN HAMLIN, were found, at an early day, a great variety of Indian relics, arrow heads, spear heads, and other implements of which he does not know the use: also chippings and fragments of stone, made in the construction of the articles, and defective and broken implements. Some of the articles were made of flint stone, and some, designed for ornament, of slate. This locality is on a rise of ground near a Beaver Brook and Beaver Meadow. The brook empties into Lemon Fair, and is navigable for boats from that stream, except in dry weather.

About three quarters of a mile from the above, on the same Beaver Brook, and on the farm of IRA HAMLIN, is found similar evidence of the manufacture of Indian relics, among other things, gouges, chisels and arrows, of three or four different kinds of stone.

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This statement was rececived from Mr. HAMLIN, and communicated to us, with specimens of the manufacture, by RUFUS MEAD, Esq., who was also personally acquainted with the locality, and generally with the facts.

Major ORIN FIELD, of Cornwall, states, that on his farm, on the road leading south from the Congregational Church, scattered arrow heads have been frequently found, and Judge TILDEN says, that on his farm, not far distant, similar discoveries have been made. Major FIELD also says, that on the same farm, then owned by BENJAMIN STEVENS, he was shown by Mr. STEVENS, in 1807, what was regarded as the foundation of an Indian wigwam or hut. It was a ridge of earth, about six inches high, in a square shape, the sides of which were eight or twelve feet long, the ridge running all around except at the east end was a vacant space, apparently designed for a door way. The earth vas thrown up, to form the ridge on the outside. The ridges have now disappeared.

Major FIELD also says, that on the farm of his father, on which his grandfather was an early settler, in a burying ground on sandy land, in digging a grave in 1802, there were thrown up three Indian relics, of the same size and shape and in the form of a heart, about five inches long and three wide at the top. A smooth and straight hole, one-half inch in diameter, was bored through the length, the exterior surface being swollen to accommodate the hole. The sides were worked to an edge.

AUSTIN DANA, Esq., of Cornwall states, that on his farm, which adjoins Lemon Fair, he has often ploughed up large numbers of points, from one and a half to seven inches long, all which he thinks were designed for arrow heads, intended for shooting animals of different sizes, together with some which were broken, and a stone gouge eight or ten inches long, in the proper shape of that instrument. Pieces or the arrow heads he has often used for gun flints. He has also found, at three different springs on his farm, as many different pavements of stone, designed and used for fires in their huts, which have evident marks of the effects of fire. They.are made of cobble stones, pounded down and made level and solid, like a pavement, six or seven feet in diameter. He says also, that on several

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farms lying north of his, he has seen hearths formed in the same way, and obviously for the same purpose. These are always on the border of the Fair, or of brooks running from the hills into it.

JESSE ELLSWORTH, of Cornwall, states, that on his farm, near Lemon Fair, on low ground, he has found arrow and spear heads often, and a pestle. Some of the spear and arrow heads are grey, and others black. On the farm of the late JOSEPH SMITH, in Salisbury, and other farms in the neighborhood, have been found also similar relics scattored over the land. But we do not regard it necessary to mention further cases of this kind. Almost every farmer of whom we have inquired, has found then, more or less, scattered over his farm.

Deacon SAMUEL JAMES, whose farm is in the south part of Weybridge and whose house is at the east foot of a ridge of land, about two miles west of the village of Middlebury, states that on the east side of the road, which passes by his house, on a dry sandy hill, near a Beaver Brook and meadow, are found many arrow heads, many of them imperfect, together with chippings and fragments of stone, which furnish evidence, that it bad been a place for the manufacture of Indian implements. On the hill west of his house, was found a rounded relic, two inches in diameter, about a foot long, rounded at one end, and the other end made in the form of a gouge, two and a half inches wide, but not wrought to an edge.

PHILO JEWETT, Esq., of Weybridge, gave us a particular account of his discovery of Indian relics, but unfortunately our memorandum of his statement has been mislaid. He stated however, that on his farm, in the neighborhood of Lemon Fair, and at a place near a large spring, at every ploughing, he has ploughed up large quantities of arrow and spear heads, and fragments of the materials of which they were made, and some broken and imperfect articles; on the whole, furnishing evidence of one of the most extensive manufactories. He says also, that he has often used pieces of the stone, of which the articles were made, for gun flints.

COLUMBUS J. BOWDISH, Esq., of Weybridge, states, that on his farm, next north of Mr. JEWETT'S, and also on Lemon Fair, and near a spring, he has often ploughed up arrow and spear heads, and chippings

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and fragments of the materials of which they were composed furnishing satisfactory evidence, that that was a place where the relics were manufactured. He says also, that in ploughing at one time, his plough hit a stone, at the bottom of the furrow, which he dug up, and found to be a stone gouge, about a foot long. He also states, that he has found on his farm, and in the locality of the arrow heads, places designed for fires in the Indian huts, which showed the effects of fire. These resemble those described by AUSTIN DANA, except that they are made of ledge stone, and raised a little above the level of the ground.

Mr. SAMUEL WRIGHT, resides on the farm in Weybridge, between Otter Creek and Lemon Fair, and at their junction, on which his father Capt. SILAS WRIGHT, formerly lived, and on which his brother Hon. SILAS WEIGHT, Jun., * was brought up from his infancy. It is the same farm, on which THOMAS SANFORD was the first settler, in 1775, and on which he was captured and carried to Canada, and imprisoned. Mr. BRIGHT says, that he has often found, and ploughed up on the farm, Indian arrow and spear heads, some of which were broken, also pestles and other implements. He ploughed up, in one place, where they had been buried, a collection of them, consisting of fifteen or twenty articles, some of which he presented to us. And he says, similar relics are found on all the neighboring farms. We have a perfect spear head picked up an the farm of his neighbor, JEHIEL WRIGHT, who says that other relics have often been ploughed up there. He says also, that on the narrow strip of hard land, on the border of the streams, formed by the overflowing of the water, he has seen evidence of tillage, such as corn hills and potato hills, and that on the neighboring lands are heaps of stone, which show evidence of being burnt by fire kindled about them. These he supposes were built for their fire in the huts, to secure them from being burnt. He states also, that he learned from Mr. SANFORD, that sugar was made by the Indians, in an extensive forest of maples, there, and that their sap troughs were made

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of birch bark. If there is no mistake in this; the sugar, at least, must have been made on a temporary residence of Indians, during the Revolutionary war, or while the French were in possession of Crown Point. All signs of sugar making, by the original inhabitants, must have disappeared.

Hon. HARVEY MUNSILL, of Bristol; at our request, has sent us the following communication:

The stone left with us and called by some an axe, is about five inches long, two wide, and three fourths of an inch thick, and reduced to an edge on one end. We have several instruments of the kind, but generally of smaller size, and thinner. The relic which Judge MUNSILL describes "as resembling a rolling pin," would well serve the use of that household implement, and we might judge it to be designed for that purpose if we could suppose the Indians made much use of "pie crust." As their history now is understood, it has generally been called a pestle. It is a smooth round stone, twenty inches in length, two and a, quarter inches in diameter in the centre, and tapering slightly toward the ends, which are rounded. It is now in the possession of the historical Society of Middlebury.

While commencing our inquiries on the subject of Indian relics, we saw in the possession of JUSTUS COBB, Esq., of the late firm of COBB and MEAD, an instrument ingeniously wrought, in the shape of a double hatchet, but the edges on each side were only worked down to the eighth of an inch. It is five inches long and two wide. In the centre is a smooth hole obviously designed for a handle, three fourths of an inch in diameter, and of about the same depth, the surface of the stone around the hole being swollen accordingly. It might have been intended to bore the hole through, or perhaps to fasten the handle with thong. This relic, we understood, was found at the mouth of Otter Creek. Knowing that our friend, PHILIP C. TUCKER, Esq., is much devoted to similar inquiries, and believing him to be acquainted with all the discoveries in that neighborhood, we wrote to him for such information as he might have. His letter in answer to our request, is dated March 24, 1859, and encloses a letter from Mr. JAMES CRANE who calls it a "battle axe" and says it was picked up by his brother, GEORGE F. CRANE, at Fort Cassin, mouth of Otter Creek, "on the embankment thrown up during the last war, to prevent the British Feet from ascending to Vergennes;" that he left it in the hands of Mr. COBB, and he

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adds, "I have picked up many Indian relics at Fort Cassin, and at other points on Otter Creek, in the vicinity of the Lower Falls, many of which are now in possession of P. C. TUCKER, Esq."

The first part of Mr. TUCKER'S letter, relates to the same subject. He then adds:

At the time of our first application to Mr. TUCKER, a request was published in the Vergennes Citizen, that any persons having information of Indian relics, would communicate it to him. On the 26th of April, 1859, he wrote us again on the subject, and among other things says : "The notice in the Citizen, had no other results than bringing in a few additional arrow heads. One piece of information however, grew out of it, which I believe to be true, that my copper arrow head, has another of the same metal to match it, and a far better one." It was ploughed up a few years ago, in Ferrisburgh ; and, although he has not been able to see it, he says, "I have no doubt of its existence." In speaking of the Indian relics in Bristol, which Judge MUNSILL has described, he says, "I have very reliable information as to the existence of similar relics in Monkton and particularly in the region of the pond. Some thirty years ago, an Indian burying ground was disclosed in that vicinity, and some four or five skeletons discovered, which were much talked about at the time, and which I quite well recollect." Mr. TUCKER states also, that about thirty-five years ago, he was shown on the farm of NORMAN MUNSON, Esq., in Panton, what was called an "old Indian fire place," which he thinks "showed evidence of fire," and he thinks it could not have been made by any body but Indians.

In the possession of the Historical Society, are a mortar and pestle, found several years ago, on the farm owned by the late Col. JOHN HACKETT, on White River, in Hancock. The pestle is twelve inches long and two inches in diameter, and undoubtedly of Indian

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Manufacture. The mortar consists of a stone, eight inches square, and eight and a half inches deep. In the top is a round smooth cavity, which constitutes it a mortar, five and a half inches in diameter, and three and a half inches deep. This hollow was probably wrought by the Indians, but the shaping of the stone shows rather evidence of civilized manufacture. We do not mention either of these as evidence of a permanent and ancient residence. They were probably left by the Indians in some of their excursions against the settlers at the east. The White River would form a commodious route for that purpose.

We have indeed little confidence in any thing, except the articles composed of stone, and those obviously made on the ground, as evidence of such residence. The forests must have covered and obliterated, and time wasted all other satisfactory evidence.

Anticipating the very natural inquiry, of what materials these relics were composed, and where the Indians found them, we wished, in addition to the information given by Mr. TUCKER, relating to those in his possession, to furnish satisfactory testimony respecting those in our possession. We accordingly requested Rev. C. F. MUZZY, who has made mineralogy, for many years, a prominent subject of examination and study, to examine the specimens, and give us the requisite information. Mr. Muzzy, was graduated at Middlebury College in 1833, has since been a missionary in Southern India, and is now on a visit to this country for his health. The following is his reply: