Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-08-10

strong traits Of one who afterwards became
one OF the most noted characters Of this part
Of the country, we will take the liberty here
to relate
While the settlements Of this and the
neighboring towns were yet in their infancy,
Josiah Benjamin, Esq, one of the early set
tiers Of Berlin, whose old farm lies within
about mile and in sight of our village, set
out, with a two horse sleigh deeply loaded
with wheat, for the market of Boston and
when he reached Williamstown, he was join
ed by Elijah Paine, the first settler Of that
town, with a similar load and bound 90 the
same destination. "The snow" said Mr..
Benjamin. from whose lips, in his lifetime,
we had the account, "was, at that time quite
solid, and nearly five feet deep on the level,
making it utterly impossible to turn out, un-
less we were lucky enough to hit on some
place where the snow had been beaten down
for that purpose. In going through Brook
field, and while in one of the worst places, we
met a team loaded with salt; when finding
there was no possibility Of getting by each
other, except by unloading all our sleighs and
then turning them up sideways on each side
Of the snow-wallcd path, and so running them
by each other empty, we all fell to, unloaded
the three seighs, run the mans sleigh past
ours, and, as it happened FIRST loaded up his
sleigh and got him ready to start. Judge
Paine and myself then turned back for the
purpose of loading up our own teams, expect
ing Of course that the stranger would assist
us. But the next instant we heard the loud
crack of his whip, when looking round, we
saw the fellow mounted on his sleigh and
lashing his horses into a run, to escape and
leave us to do our own work The Judge
looked after the pitiful fugitive an instant,
with eyes that fairly flashed fire when, sud
denly dashng off his hat and great-coat, he
gave chase on foot, running as | think | new
er saw any one run before, till he overlook
the team, leaped like a tiger upon the load,
seized the shrinking puppy by the collar and
made a flying leap with him sideways into
the snow. lie then drew his prisoner into
the road and led him back TO our loads when,
giving him a mighty significant push towards
our bags Of wheat, still lying untouched on
the snow, he coolly, and with that sort Of
curt, digniicd politness which, even in mo-
ments Of anger, rarely ever forsoke him, OBJ
seryed-'Thcre, friend, i you ,eiH take held
of those bags. and load mp both Of Our sleighs,
zee ,oU be much obliged 10 you-Uery much
oBliqed to you sir And the fellow, sheep
ishly did so, to the last bag, while we both
looked on, the Judge not permitting me to
lend the least assistance when we drove on,
leaving him to sneak back after his own team,
with all the comforting reflection which the
incident was calculated to suggest to him.
During the continuance of the deep SHOWS,
at this period, travelling was mostly perform
cd on rackets, or snow-shoes while hand
sleds were used for drawing all the various
kinds of light luggage. In this manner Abiiah
Whoelock and Samuel Twiss, two Of the first
settlers Of Calais, having arrived at Colonel
Davis, from Massachusetts,, in the winter
season of 1883, travelled, with their wives,
one child, some bedding &c, to their previ-
ously erected log houses in that town. dis
tance Of ten miles, But the greatest feat Of
female rachel travelling ever told us was ac-
complished by young girl of the neighbor-
ing town Of Waterbury, on mournful occa-
sion, which, as it was connected with the for
tunes Of one Of our early settlers, it may not
perhaps be out of place here to relate, as well
as the remarkable feat we have Just men
toned.
James Marsh, who was the first settler Of
Waterbury, undertook, in the month of March,
l7S5,-the winter season after he removed to
thar town, with wife and eight children
70 60 TO mill on rackets. with bag Of grain
ON MS uANhs 10 bttlCuNs NilOuHh kuH buGu Nll-
pathed forest, distance Of about twenty
miles After getting his grist ground, and
coming with 1.-TWO or three miles up the river
homeward, he crossed over the stream on the
ice, to a settlers house on the west side, for
the purpose Of running some pewter spoons
for the use Of his family in the spoon mould
the settler was known to have When he
had run his spoons, and borrowed or bought
brass kettle which he found he could obtain
Of the settler, to do his sugaring with, he at
tempted to recross the river, with the kettle
swung over his head or neck. but broke
through the ice into an undetected, thinly COW
cred glade in the stream, and, incumbered as
he with his grist, kettle and rackets, was
unable to extricate himself, and after beating
out an open place dozen rods down the
glade, in his terrible struggles for life, was
swept under the ice before those whom his
cries for assistance had attracted could reach
the spot. His body was soon recovered, but,
as it was so difficult to get it home, it was de-
cided to bury him in that neghborngh
and his oldest daughter, the only member of
his family which circumstances would permit
of attending went seventeen miles on rackets
to the funeral, on the morning of the day Of
his burial.