The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-06-17
BRANDON, Thursday June II, 1847.

they communicated to the people Of Farming
ton with this caution" to stand upon their
own Defence"
II is understood that nearly forty dwelling
houses, chiefly of the poorer classes, were de-
stroyed with large number of barns and
other buildings. Nor was this all. Provisions
produce, furniture, fences and farming uten-
sis, were collected into heaps and burned
In short, every injury which the enemy could
devise was inflicted, and in a manner too so
as most to destroy the property Of the set
tiers
After this event, the town remained desert
ed about one year, during which time no at
tempt was made to rebuild it. During their
absence, the inhabitants, most Of whom had
fled to Windsor, held town meeting on the
fourth Of April 1876, at the house of Joseph
ord says, "by reason Of the war"
But in March 1917, the danger being sup
posed over, q number of the inhabitants, feel
ing DESTROYS to return applied to the Council
OF War for advice and permission to remove
back to Simsbury The Council granted
their request, and passed an order in refer
,ence to common fences, and another relating
to the occupancy Of the lands of such propri-
etors as should not return to the town within
q specified term Of time. Some few of the pro-
prictors, it is well known, never did return
back ;-preferring, probably, to sacrifice their
estates there, rather than expose themselves
and families to the hazard Of another Indian
invasion. But the greater number removed
back with their families during the spring Of
1917, and commenced to repair the damages
sustained, They found on their return little
else but ruin and desolation. Not even the
goods that had been secrcted could be discoy-
cred. Every thing showed too plainly, that
havoc had been 'let loose"-that the evil
spirit Of destruction had reigned triumphant.
In consideration Of the great losses sustain
ed by the inhabitants, and to encourage the
rebuilding of the town, the General Assembly
at the May Session 1917, granted liberty of
raising the rates for town charges and the
support of the ministry, for the three ensuing
years, upon lands only,-thus taxing non-rcs-
idents equally with the residents of the town ;
and also rcmittcd, to all actual inhabitants,
the payment of Colony taxes for the period of
three years.
But these enactments failed to accomplish
the objects intended. Many of the proprie-
tors, including some of the CONGRATULATIONS
neglected to take possession of their lands, or
to make any Improvements upon them. This
by the actual settlers, was deemed so injuri-
Gus to their rights, as to induce them in 1879
to call town meeting, and appoint agents to
apply to the General Assembly for relief
In pursuance of this application, the Gen
eral Court, at the October session, 1879, in
view of aiding the settlement, and giving
greater security to the inhabitants against any
future invasion of the Indians, appointed a
committee to determine whcre the proprietors
should hnld +ho;r ,oopcctVe mansion houses,
and ordered the proprietors to occupy their
premises,a and construct dwelling -houses there
on, within the space of six months after the
decision Of the committee should have been
made known. This committee in the follow
ing March, decided that eleven of the propri-
ctors should build at Captain Ncwborry's now
Westovers plain, thirteen persons, who
had grants on Salmon brook, should build at
the same place, to whom should be given
houselots of three acres each,-that fifteen
proprictors should build at Hop meadow
four, who had not already houses, at Weat-
auge, west of the river, and thirteen on the
east side of the riyer,-five at Tcrry'S plain.
and nine on the east side Of the mountain
This order included some proprietors who had
not previously erected any house in the town
Some Of the proprictors having neglected
to comply with the orders of the committee,
within the time allowed for building, were
prosecuted for the penalties forfeited They
were all joined in one process. The following
is copy of the writ.
Captain Benjamin Newborry, Captain
Daniele Clark, Quarter master Bissell Ma
thaniel Bissell, Samuel Bssell, Gcorg Girls.
ovid, Timothy Phelps, Scrg't Anthony Hos
kins, Joseph Skinner, Thomas Eggston
Samuel Pihncy, Aurthcr Hcnbery, Andrew
Hylliard, John Drak. In his DIajestics name
to appcarc at the County Court, to be holden
next, and then and there to answer Thomas
Barber, one of the Townsmen in Simsbury
and such other as they shall appoint as a com
nifty, in behalf Of said Towne Of Simsbury
in their Complaint made agacnst you and
every of you, for that you have erected man
sion houseing upon your respective and par
tcular house lots in Simsbury, according tt
the order of Court provided to that purposs
with the penalty annexed which has accrued
without payment whcreofto the Towns uses
You may not 1aie to mako your appearance
Feb. IA, 1852. Per, John Talcott, Assist
ant
One of the persons sued, Capt. Benjamin
Nowberry, belonged to the committee who
made the very order, for transgressing which
he was prosecuted The power exercised by
the Assembly, and delegated to the committee
in this matter, would, at the present day, be
deemed exceedingly unjust and oppressive
| But the proceedings, being in aid Of the gen
cncral welfare, were cheerlully acqusced In
/ II