Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-09-19
From the Vermont Record.
Remember Baker.

/ While we pay all due honor to the Aliens,
Warner, Uhittenden and the other worthless,
who by their skill in council or their bravery in
battle, were prominently instrumental in cstab-
fishing Vermont as a State, it would be unjust
to forget those who acted well their parts in
narrower limits or in subordinate positions.
The most active statesman would be foiled in all
his plans ii the execution Of them were en-.
trusted to Incompetent or faithless agents and
the most consummate commander-in-chiet would
win no battles did not every officer, from gen
eral Of division to orderly sergeant perform
with ability and fidelity the part assigned him.
Nor would our fathers have maintained their
cause against their numerous and powerful ad
yersares had not che heroic leadei ot the people
had many heroic followers To commemorate
as we'll az the extant materials will allow, one
OF those followers, and by no means the least
worthy of them, is the object Of this paper
Remember Baker was born in the ancient
town of Woodbury., Ct., in June, 1877. lie
was the second child and only son Of Romem-
Der Baker, o. % February 7l2) and the
grandson Of John Baker, %. "a December
| l68I.) Ills mother was lamar Warner, %.
2G February l7l8,) daughter Ct Dr. Ebenezer
Warner OF Woodbury. His mothers brother
Benjamin was the father Of Seth Warner, and
his fathers sister Mary was the motherof Ethan
Allen. Baker was thus cousin to both Warner
and Allen though they two were not at all
related 70 each other While he was quite
young, his father was accidentally shot by
hunter, and he was LETT in orphanage and pow
erty. lie was apprenticed to a mill-wright,
under whose care be formed habits Of industry
and seli-reliance which, with his native energy,
stood him in good stead all the way through life.
His education was the ordinary education OF the
children Of the poor at that period, and only
qualified him to read write and cipher
In 1856 or 1857, when not yet twenty years
old, be enlisted as soldier, and went on an ex-
pedtion into Canada, during the French and
Indian war. lie was in the skirmlsh near III.
conderoga in which Lord Howe was killed, and
in the unsuccessful attack on the French lines
which followed, and he remained in the service
TIL 1859, in the mean time Distinguishing him
self SO much by bis bravery that he received
some promotion. He married, April 1850.
Desire Hurlburt, %. 20 May l743,) daughter Of
Consider and Patience Hurlburt. In 1868 he went
to Vermont, then know US the New Hampshire
Grants, where he procured employment as au
ex plorer and surveyor Of wild lands, and found
recreation and prof in hunting the game which
abounded. BY this means he became acquaint
ed with the most desire bic tracts for cultivation
aud sites for mills, and was prepared to take W
bis residence the next year in Augusta, one OF
the infant settlements in Bennington County.
By vote Of the proprletors OF that township
bounty of fifty acres Of land had been offered
to any one who would build grstmlll in the
town prior to November, l7G5. Baker accent
tLa H.. 4 H,. Il /
land now within the limits OF the village Of
East Arlington. These being the first mills north
Of Bennington gave considerable celebrity u
tho place, and were an inducement to many
settlers to locate in the vicinity At the or
ganizaton OF the town, (about l16s,) he was
elected town clerk.
lie was among the early and active resistants
to the attempts Of New York officials TO exercise
jurisdiction over the New Hampshire Grants.
When armed resistance was resolved upon. he
joined the military association" of which
Ethan Allen was Colonel, and in that he was
made Captain. 10 company with Ethan
Allen and Seth Warner he had the distinction Of
being outlawed by proclamation OF Gov Try
on and OF having reward OF sixty pounds Of
tered to any person who would deliver him,
either alive or dead, to the New York author.
ties. Inspired by the desire of obtaining this
reward, or portion OF it, one Bliss Wiilough.
By communicated to John Monroe, a notorious
Yorker, such information regarding ths residence
and habits OF Baker as enabled Munroe TO at
tempt hls seizure and abduction. Monroe
lived near Arlington, and had commission as
Justice Of the Peace under authority Of New
York.
About dsy.break on the morning Of the 2lst
(or 22d) of January l772, Munroe, accompa-
MED by Benjamin Stevens, constable, and ten
or twelve others, surrounded Bakers house and
assaulted the door, summoLing him to surrender,
and threatening to burn the house and all that
was in it. Mrs. Baker brayely defended the
door with an aye, till one OF the assailants Ell
ward Mcdonald by name, wounded her in the
right arm with sword, 90 severely as TO Grip
pie the arm for life. Baker in the meantime had
stationed himself in the chamber with his gun,
determided to sell his life or liberty as dearly as
possible But finding the assailants 50 numer-
Gus, and tearing that resistance might occasion
greater violence to hls wife and children, he at
tempted to escape by bursting o board off the
end Of the house and leaping to the ground.
lie was Immediately seized by the constablo's
dog, which 80 hindered him that he fell into the
hands OF his pursuers, The same man who had
wounded his wife made several blows at him
with the sword by one of which one of his
thumbs was nearly cut off and his wrist so badly
injured as to be quite disabled
In this condition, wounded, bleeding, and
nearly naked, he was bound fast and forced INTO
sleigh being silenced with the threat OF in-
mediate death if he should attempt to give the
alarm. Two OF his neighbors, however, Caleb
Henderson and John Winston, had been aroused.
and had armed themselves for the purpose ol
resouing him But they were oyerpowered and
Winston was taken prisoner, while Henderson
escaped and FASTENED 10 Bennington to give the
alarm. by noon party oil res0lute men were
mounted and IN hot pursuit Of the kdnappers
Messengers were also sent northwardly as lar as
PiltslOrd to request the inhabitants to arm and
hasten to the rescue, The pursuers took dit
ferent road from the oaptors, hoping to intercept
them at the Troy ferry, and with such speed did
they 70 that they reached the ferry ut three
O'Clock, having travelled thirty miles 10 three
hours, over very bad roads.
Baker and his oaptors had not arrived, and
the party went out several miles to meet them.
lie had been carried sixteen or seyeuteen miles
before his wouuds were dressed and had well
nigh pershed with cold and the loss Of blood.
When the rescuing party approached, ho re-
yiyed, and with his uninjured hand dld what he
could to hinder the progress Of his captors.
But their courage failed them when they found
themselves confronted by body Of the
Green Mountain Boys, and, with the exception
OF Munroe and the constable, they all sought
safety each for himself. Munroe attempted now
to accomplish by intimidation what ho could
not DO by fores, and threatened the Vengeance
OF New York upon any who should impede IT.
officers in the execution OF their duty. lie was