Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-03-31
A Chapter in the Early History Of Yer
mnnt

ing narrative of an incident in the early history
OF Vermont, which we give in his own wnlanguage.
We have never before seen an account of the
occurrence, and think it will be nightly inter-
estng to our readers. We are aware that there
are many such narratives treasured up in the
retentive memories Of our aged people, which
must go down to oblivion unless they be per-
suaded to furnish them for publication. VIII
Tthey not do so? Ed. FREEMAN.
Thefollowing narrative, ofthe murder OF George
and Aaron Robins by the Indians, at Bran
don, in the year l777, is not given in any
history have ever read ThorQ 2soe in his
Gazetteer, merely makes mention of Shese two
individuals as having been killed by the Indians.
1t appears either that he did not apply to the
right individual for narrative, or whoever he
applied to for a relation of the history of Bran
don, was possessed of but little knowledge Of
the early history of his town, or had so little
interest in it as not to trouble himself to enter
into details in this part of his narrative. Will
liams in his history of Vermont, is entirely 81
lent on this subject.
In the early part of the summer of 1910, this
transaction was made the chief topic of CONVEX
sation in the towns of Brandon and Pittsford,
in anticipation of the proposed celebration of
The coming anniversary of the Fourth OF July,
which all political parties had agreed to unite
in celebrating. Which order of celebration was
to be as follows
The remains of those two distinguished indi-
viduals was to be disnterred from their resting
place, by some of the inhabitants Of Pittsford,
who assisted in their burial on the day after
their encounter with the lndians,-an their
remains to be placed in a coffin and buried in
the common burying ground, with the honors
OF war; sermon peached on the occa-
sion; and narrative given of the circumstan-
ces of their distinguished death; and, likewise,
two orations were to be delivered by DR.. Joel
Green and the Hon. Penual Childs-one Fed
eral and the other Republican
! then lived In Brandon--was fifteen years
old-and was much interested in the narrative
given, by the Rev. Eber Hebard, (the Cong. min
lister Of the place, who preached the sermon.)
of the encounter Of those two individuals with
the Indians, by which they came to their death.
This narrative have always retained in my
memory, as though it was but yesterday, and
why it has never been written in aay history,
or the circumstances given in any of the period
| cals of the day, is what cannot account for.
1t may have been thought of too little eonse-
duence by the iuhubitantsjto ttoabF . liiStoriaa
with rehearsal of the transaction. If the
latter, certainly must differ from item.
will now give detail Of the narrative as
was given by the narrator, Rev. Ebr IIbbard,
on the occasion, as near as my memry dictates
me, which was as follows:
In August, 1777, while the British, under
Burgoyne, held Tconderoga, and not having
much to busy themselves about, and, of course,
not feeling much disposed, with their small for
ces, to lave another encounter with the Green
Mountain Boys, Gas they then styled them) since
the Hubbardton battle, thought the present q
good time to make divertion into the Grants,
AS they then anticipated that all the available
forces would be drawn off to Bennington. And
accordingly, they meditatod an attack on the
Forts at Pttsford Thlking to find these Forts,
(Which was only stockade Forts in situation
to be taken without much resistance. (But, as
these Forts were manned only by the inhabitants
r of the town, they did not think it prudent to
part with any of their forces for Bennington,
while their enemy was so near t.em.) And
accordingly, they, the Tories and Indians, fitted
out a small detachment Of Indians and Tories
to execute their base anticipated mischief
This detachment. after making their way II,
the Otter Greek, as far as Brandon, (then call
ed Ncshobe,) made prisoners of all the in,
habitants of Brandon, except those two Robins
of which they ascertained that they were deter
mined never TO be taken by the Indians.
These two brothers were like most of the in.
habitants of the Grants. They possessA bu
little of thisworld's goods. They had taken W
V their land and made some improvements, bull
them log house planted some corn and pota
. toes, with other vegetable, and were determined
to stand their ground and stick hy their stuff
Although they, with their neighbors, had it il
contemplation for some time, of going to The
= Forts at Pittsford but these two brother
- abo ,,Ib.v fn H,.Lt 4 tba,,
, than to be penncd up in the Fort; and. bein,
' strongly attached to each other, they consulted
. together to stand by each other till death shoul
separate them, rather than be taken by the In
dams. They had their mother and little sis
ter with them. They were stout, resoute, ro
= bust men, especially George, and possessed larg
share of the Green Mountain determination.
~ On the alarm being given of the approach
the Indians, they fled to the woods, but too
" their station where they could see all that tram
- pired about their house, and kept lookout f
% the Indians,-not fearing any harm for the
mother until they should be captured TT
Indians were laying all their plans night al
We day to entrap them, for tl.ey felt it unsafe {,
10 them to attempt an attack ON the Fort at Pitt
re ford, with two such antagonists in their rea
re with what force they then had.) The India
et' were frequently at their house interrogatil
III their mother about her sons, why they did n
ey come home and see to their mother. Oh, s
would say, they were hunting deer, and on
hard chase, &c. At length the lndinis wit
y, drew to Il secret covert where they thought til
all should be unobseryed, (but not 50 but tn
their watchul mother could occasionally d
INT cover some of them,) knowing that their pa,
; | would, before long, come to their house, a
then they would he ready to fall upon them