Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-03-02
SINGULAR MILITARY WEDDING AND
A BRITISH SALITE

In the time of the Revolutionary War, and
before, some Of the cnterprising and hard y
inhabitants 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 were abandoned by the French
after the treaty OF peace between England and
France, in 1868 the French having com
menced there soon after old Crown Point fort
was begun, ab )ut 1920. Among these new
settlers on the old improved mrms was a Mr.
BENJAMIN Kellogg the father Of the late Hon.
Isaac Kellogg of Essex county, New York, 5
and he had a hired man about / s years of age,
by the name Of John Ward, who had been on
such familiar terms with a Miss Deborah
HIinkley. daughter Of ncighboring farmer,
that the ,oomea in the vicinity were unanimous
that something must be done. The question
was. what could be ;--as there was no civil
tribunal or government at the time in Yer
mont and no minister or Justice of the peace
to be had - and as the case was very urgent.
and the parties agreed about having minis
terial office performed before it was necessary
to employ a midwife or doctor, it was deter
mined by the proper board women to send
to a Lieutenant Butterield. who had lust ar
drive off the cattle to Pittsford, the most
northern post. that they should not fall into
the hands Of the British, then in command Of
the Lake. The reason Of selecting the Lieu
tenant to afx the seal of the marriage cove
nant was that he wore a three-cornored. cock
ed-np hat aud in those times the ministers
did the same (Thc first minister ever saw,
in 7Sj, wore one.)
A ,Il l
field, in full military and dress, with his three
cornered hat newly brushed, marched his
whole command in front Of the house Of the
father of Miss Hinkley and halted his force I;
and while the sergeant kept order in this little
army out of doors, Lieut.. Butterfeld went
into the house and with the least possible de-
lay tied the hymeniai knot. after which he inn
mediately assumed the command of HIS guard
fifteen or twenty men; but in wheeling TO
leave the place he was discovered by the enc
my, passing the lake towards Crown Point
who Immediately fred upon them from their
shipping, but without injury. Mr. Ward and
lady were much clated at the honor done them
Imagining that it was only rejoicing in the
British fleet on their matrimonial alliance.
In time, Mr.. Ward and family removed to
Western New York and had large family !;
and IN 1878 when the first pension law was
passed. he made the necessary declaration to
obtain the benefit of thai law. The law was
specific that marriage must be proyed, and in
this he was deficient while no lived but after
death, the widow came to Addison and ran
sacked the country, and at length heard Of
my iniormer, who was daughter of Is. Kel-
logg, before mentioned, and who told me "it
was tho first wedding she ever attended" !"
and that she twas nine years old at the time. r"
In l84O, the widow obtained the testimony of
this mne year od gtri, that she saw the mar
riage, but was not queationed whether it was
a minister or other officer, nor whether he
wore eocked-up hat or wig. At any rate,
the marriage was proved by this evidence, and
the widow obtained back pension to a large
amount, say two or three thousand dollars
(the husband, while living, having taken the
necessary steps TO obtain IL, Il. HALL.