Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-03-24
From the Watchman.l
SINGULAR MILITARY WEDDING AND A
BRITISH SALUTE.

In the time of the Revolutionary War, and
before, some of the enterprising and hardy in
habitants of Connecticut and Massachusetts
penetrated the wilderness and settled on some
old improved farms on the east shore of Lake
Champlain, in the present town of Addison
These farms we're abandoned by the French af
ter the treaty of peace between England and
France, in 1863 the French having COM
mencod there soon after old Crown Point Fort
was begun, about 1920. Among these new
settlers ON the old improved farms was Mr.
Benjamin Kellogg (the father of the late Hon.
Isaac Kellogg of Essex county, New York; and
he had hired man about Is years of age, by
the name of John Ward, who had been on such
familiar terms with Miss Deborah Hinckley,
daughter Of neighboring farmer that the ico-
men in the vicinity were unanimous that some
thing must be done. The question was, what
could be Pas there was no civil tribunal or
government at the time in Vermont, and no
minister or justicc.o of the peace to be had, and
as the case was very urgent, and the parties
agreed about having a ministerial Office per-
formed before it was necessary to employ mid
wife or doctor, it was determined by the proper
board (women) to send to Lieutenant Butter
field, who had just arrived in the vicinity with
scout or guard to drive off the cattle to Pitts
ford, the most northern post, that they should
not fall into the hands of the British, then in
command of the Lake. The reason of select
ing the Lieutenant to affix the seal of the mar
riage covenant was that he wore three-cor-
nered, cocked-up hat and in those times the
ministers did the same. (The first minister
ever saw, in 1885, wore one.)
Agreeably to request, Lieutenant Butterfeld
in full military and dress, with his three-cor-
nered hat newly brushed, marched his whole
| r CT n - a.
Miss Hnckey and halted his force; and while
the sergeant kept order in this little army ou,
of doors, Lieutenant Butterfield went into the
house and with the least possible delay tied the
! hymeiidl knot, after which he Immediately as
sumed the command of his guard, fifteen OIL
twenty men; but in wheeling to leave the place
he was discovered by the enemy passing the
lake towards Crown Point who Immediately
fired upon them from their shipping, but with
out injury Mr. Ward and lady were much
elated at the honor done them-imagining that
it was only rejoicing in the British fleet Oh
their matrimonial alliance.
In time, Mr. Ward and family removed tc
Western New York and had large family
and in 1918, when the first pension law was
passed, he made the necessary declaration tc
obtain the benefit of that law. The law wa:
specific that marriage must be prored, and il
TINS he was uehclent Whlle he llVed; but after
death, the widow came to Addison and ransack
ed the country and at length heard of my in.
former, who was daughter of B. Kellogg, be
fore mentioned, and who told me sit was tn,
first wedding she ever attended," and that sht
twas nine years old at the time" In 1910, tn,
widow obtained the testimony of this nine yea
old girl, that she saw the marriage, but was no
questioned whether it was a minister or othel
officer, nor whether he wore a cocked-up hat o.
a wig. At any rate the marriage was proved
by this evidence, and the widow obtained back
pension to large amount, say two or three
thousand dollars, the husband, while living
having taken the necessary steps to obtain it.)
Il. HALL.