The Rutland County herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1852-1855, 1853-02-19
ilNne maiitrs.


H0ffefn ' Hftnfftf- - fh ~ Nff rsrsff ~
ocss po'.,ioal snd Legislative history Of The
s,sio, frrdcrs y pruPrf that We shauld NJ,
sus.f hi- decoasc h pass Of cr,irr'y un-
nsiccd
Trruau Ctnucndcn ~as the san of'rho-
mas Chiiruirn- til hr.s Go,ernos of Vcr.
ispts. iIc va the youngest II a family
u nine ohildrrn. and vas born in Sii.hu-
~. Conn-. on the "a VI August. I770. The
naisr and history u Thomas Chiiicnicn
ar bo closely identified with the early
history Il Vermont, t. require tia, We
should, Ia this short notice Of onr of hl.
sons, speak at any length Of the early pr
Naiions wiH,h h.. IN common with all the
ofhur early SETTLERS of this country. were
compelled 10 endure, or the courage and
fyritadr which they brought with them
into the wilderness 81 northern Vermont, 60
sustain them through the iirsi struggles Of
the infant settlement. Suffice II 10 saw,
,hst, Thomas Chit,endcn came from SAILS.
bury to Wilistan, VT, IN the spring Of
lOi, and located hlnself in the valley Of
the Winooski, IN the midst Of a then un-
broken wilderness. II was during tlss
year that the first family removed within
the limits Of the county of Chiticndcn, and
II Is believed that a, the beginning Of tins
I year there were no settlers on the ives,
SIDE a the mountain. 10 the norihward Of
Outer Greek.
Totbo people Of the present day, who
through the facilities for travelling which
I are nov at their command, are accustomed
TO reckon miles by minutes, the hardships
and pfivaiions Of u journey from Connect
cut TO the WiDooski River, IN I77i, can
hardly be understood. II is TO be rec
/ objected tina: at that time there was no road
TO the northward Of Rutland, and the only
/ guides TO the early settler, were marked
trees and Indian foo,paths. With hi. wife
and nine childfen, Truman then being only
four years Of age, the journey was under
taken by Govern Chi,tenden, and accom-
/ plished in May or June Of that year He
commenced clearing, built small log
house, and was busily engaged IN preparing
the soil for the production of the necessary
support Of his family, when, in TVS, the
news of the battle of Lexington, and the
breaking out Of the Revolution, found It's
way to him. In the Spring Of l776, the
advance Of the British up the Lake, the
exposed and defenceless state Of the from
tier, then wholly unprotected by the Amer
lean army, compelled all the settlers in this
County 10 abandon their clcaIiugs and re-
turn to the southwark. An incident which
has been related to the writer, shows that
! Thomas Chittcnden did not abandon his
new home sooner than proper regard for
his personal safety compelled him To do 80.
Early in the spring of i776, and shortly af-
ter the return Of Mr. Chi,tcnden from Phil
adelphip, whittier he had repaired immedi-
ately upon the breaking out of the Reyou-
ton, 10 call the attention Of Congress 10
the state Of the northern settlements the
family were somewhat startled by the abb
rupt entrance Of war party Of Indians
Mr. Chittcnden was then at dinner, and as
the inequalities of his house were always
extended 10 every stranger, he offered the
party sea, at his table After short
consultation, in which his host could hardly
determine whether they were determining
10 accept his fare or take his scalp, the
party seated themselves at the table, and
having satisfied their hunger, gave him by
signs To understand that they belonged to
the advancing British force, and that his
| longer stay in that section might not only
be Improbable but dangerous. They then
ground their hntchets upon his grindstone
and departed. He Immediately buried such
/ Of his furniture as he could not transport,
and started with his family for the SOUTH
/ lie went to Pownal. from thence TO Wi.
Jamestown, Mass. then back To Arlington,
VT, where he resided till the close Of the
war, when he returned again To Wilis,on.
/ OF his acts while member Of the Council
| of Delegates, which met at Dorset, Sep
temher, l776, and the Council Of Safety,
which held It's meetings during the revoln-
ton, 1t IL not necessary here to speak. II
If enough 10 say, although the evidence Of
some historians may be found TO the con.
] tray, that II was 10 the skill and energy Of
/ Chittendcn, Allen, and their associates
alone, that the then settlements of Yer
mont were indebted for their exemption
from being ovcrrun by the British army
/ during the war, and that in all their pre-
tended negotiations with Gen. Haldimand,
the only object Of which was 10 keep the
British army from advancing into the State,
they had MT only the entire consent Of
/ Gen. Washington, but acted IN some de-
I gree under his advice and direction.
Governor Chiiienden died in August,
l7g7--all his children but one being a, that
time living. OF his daughters, one Of thcrn
was the wife Of Governor Galusha, another
ofthe somewhat celebrated Mathew LYON,
who was elected 10 Congress while impris-
oDed for violation Of the alien law. No
all and Giles, two 81 his sons. resided IN the
towns Of Jericho and Willi-,on until their
deaths; the former occurred 10 st5. Mar.
tan Chlttendcn, sno,hcr son, for some time
member oi Congress, and ailerwanl. Gov
I erD0r of Vermont, federallst Of the rank
( ~, stamp during the war Of ISli. bu, after
wa"ds an equally ardent democrat, died IN
Willision, in 1870. Truman was the last
survivor Of the family Of Thomas Chiticn-
den. |, b usual IN articles like the prrsen,
ioslludc 10 the many public siuiions which
H. sYhicci has hllod, IN order TO show the
cs,imailon IN winch he vas held by HI.
coiemPoraros and the community IN uhich
b. lived bot IN these days, when Office
has hecono rather the wages II political
inaohinliious, than the reward of political
merit, ve may be well excused from mea.
surnF the worth q Truman Chit,endcn bv
b" number 81 Official stations which ne
T cccupied. n he ambition led han ~ thai
direction he had enough 81 iile,n % satisfy
z ~ sHhfi"n and y % perhaps enoush 10
F 10y TIA be- breuFht 10 thr dis-harye 81 al
f 81 them, a clear bead and an HONEST heart.
lie ~as a Contemporary u The Chipnans.
I Van Nrss Sevusngre and .,fher. 49,.