Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-02-11
3 rec ID SIS,
OBIrU AIRY
BURLINGTON, VT.
FRIDAY MORNING FEB II, Is, 3.

Died, IN WllIlson, on the lst instant, Tau.
MAN CHirrtNpEv, aged cighty-two years.
The connection Of Judge CnIrrEHpr with
the early settlement and history of western
Vermont, as well as the more recent polite al
and legislative history Of the State, renders it
proper thu we should not suiflr his Iocoase to
pass entirely unnoiced
TRUMAN c IrrENDES was the son Of Tuo-
MAS CHirrESDES, the first Governor Of Yer
mont lie was the youngest of a family Of
nine children, and was born in Salisbury, Con-
hectlcut, on the 3D. of August. ~. The
name and history of Thomas Chittenden are too
closely identified with the early history of Yer
mont, TO require tlIat we should, in this short
notice of one of his ms, speak at any length of
the early prvations winch he, in COMMON with
oil the other enrly settlers of this country. were
compelled to endure, or the courage and fort.
tude which they brought with them into the
Wilderness of northern Vermont 10 sustan
them through the first struggles of the ntan |
settlement. Suffice II to say, that, TuuNAs |
CHIrrENDEN came from Salisbury to Willis |
ton, Vermont, IN the Sprlng OF l17l, aud loco !
ted himself IN the valley Of the Wnooskl, in |
the midst Of tlirn unJroken wilderness. l. |
was during th. years that the first families
removed within the limits of the County of
Chltten len, ana il Is believed that at the be-
ginning of this year there were no settlers on
the west side of the mountlln, to the northwa,d
Of Otter Creek.
To the people of the present day, who through
the facilities for travelling which are now at
their command, are accustomed to reckon miles
by minutes, the hardshIps and privltions Of
journey from Connecticut to the Wlnooskl
River, IN IVA. can hardly be UNDERSTOOD 1t
Is to be rccollectcd that at that time there was
no road to the norhward of Rutland and the
only guides to the early settler were marked
trees and Indian tootplths With his wife and
nine children, TRUMAN then being only four
years Of aye, The journey was undertaken by
Governor Chltten4en, and accomplished i'll
May or June of that year. He commenced ii
clearing, built a small log house, and was buoly
engaged in preparing the soil for ,he Produc-
ton of the necessary support OF his family,
when in l11J, the news Of the battle of Lex
lngton, and the breaking cut of the Revolution,
found It's way to him. In the Spring Of l776,
the advance of the British up the Lake, the cx-
posed and defencrless state of the frontier.
then WHISKY unprotected by the American ar
my, compelled all the settlers M tins Co@ury, to
abandon their cearinys ana return to he south |
ward. An incident which has been rela-
Cd :, ~l,o,
den did not abandon his new home sooner than
& proper regard Tor his personal safety compel-
ed him to do So Early in the spring of 1916,
and shortly after the return Of Mr.. Chittenden
from Philadelphia, (wllltrcr lie had required I'M
medlately upon the breaking out OF tie Revou-
uon to call The attention OF Congress to the state
Of the northern settemeut5,} tire fluiIy were
somewhat startled by the abrupt entrance Of
war party Of Indians. Mr.. Chittcndcn WAS then
at dinner, and asthe hospltalltes Of his house
were always extended to every stranger, he Of
cred the party seat at his table. After short
Consultation, in which their host could hardly
determine whether they were determining to
accept his fare or tuAc his scalp the party seat
ed 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 hotchets 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
Willlamstown, Mass, then back to 4 ellington
VT, where he resided until the close of the war
when he returned agrln to Wl.lslun. Of nj.
acts while a member of The Council or deleglte>
which met at Dorset, September E,,,, ;.nl the
Council Of Safety, which held lis meetings dn.
mig the Revolution. II IS not necessary here to
speak. Il is enough to say, althoush the cvi
dence of some historians may be found 10 the
contrary, that it was to the skill AMI energy of
Chittcnden, Allen, and their associates alone,
that the then settlements of Vermont were in
deb ed for their exemption from beng over
run by the British army during the war, and
that in all their pretended negotiations with
Zen. llALDIMAND, the only object o. which
was to keep the British army from advancing
INTO the State, they had not only the entire con
sent of Gen. WAsHiNGroN but acted in some
degree under his advice and dnection
Governor CHIrrENDEy died in Angus, 1897.
All his children but one being at that limo iy-
ing OF his daughters, one of them was the
wife OF Governor GALUsHA, another of the
somewhat celebrated MATTHEW LYON, who was
elected to Congress while imprisoned for vio'
laton OF the alien law. NOAH and GmE-, two
0! his sons resided in the towns of Jcrlcho and
Wllistou until heir deaths, The former of Hhch
occurred in 1885. Martin CAlr,rnlen, another
son, for some time member o! Congress, and
afterwards Governor of Vermont, a lederallst
OF the rankest stamp during the war Of 1914
but afterwards an equally ardent democrat, died