The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-11-23
History Of st. Adams.
written for the vermont Historical Maya
zine by an old Resident.


tered in the year 1863, by Benning
Wentworth, then Governor Of New
Hampshire, under the British Crown.
1t contains an area equal to six miles
square, and about 23,040 acres of
land. 1t is boun led on the North by
Swanton, East by Fairfield, South by
Georgia, and West by lake Champaip
by which it is separated from the
county Of Grand Isle 1t is the shire
town Of Franklin County, and lies in
latitude # degrees and 40 minutes,
and longitude, degrees and 81 min
utes. 1t is about 25 miles north of
Burlington, 4S miles northwest frohi
Montpelier, and about II miles south
of Canada line.
Jesse Welden is supposed to have
been the first civilized person who
settled in ST. Adams He came here
from Bennington county before the
revolutionary war, and settled at the
head Of the Bay, about twelve rods
northwest of where the brick house
stands, that was formerly occupied by
William H. Wilkins as public Inn.
He built log house the first house
that was erected in the town. This
was burnt by the British during the
war. Duncan Dunn also settled on
seven or eight acres, before the war,
east of Welden's, and south of the
four corners. A Mr. Dorsey settled
south Of Dunn on about six or eight
acres. A Mr. Spafford also, before
the war, settled on what is called the
old Morrill, farm, more recently
owned and occupied by Mr. G. w
Bradford During the war, these set
tiers were all driven off by the British
Weldon was taken prisoner and car
red to Canada; anil his family re-
turned to Bennington county. He
made his escape from the British, and
joined his family After the close of
the war he returned to ST. Adams;
but it seems he did not remain long
on his former settlement, but soon
pitched on three lots, which extended
from the lake road, where the Ameri-
eau hotel now stands, south to what
is called the Mason road. He built a
log house, covered with bark, near the
southeast corner of Abel Houghton's
orchard, near which he planted some
apple trees. Weldon cleared up
about 20 acres, and afterwards bmlt
a house of hewn timber, near where
the brick house now stands, which
was recently built by the late David
Stevens, and now 1866 occupied by
his widow and SON. Weldon was n
man of considerable influence among
the first settlers, and was appointed
to several town Offices. He was acct
dentally drowned near Isle La Motto
in the year 1893, while returning in n
small boat from St Johns with load
of salt. He left several children,
none of whom, or their immediate de-
scendauts, are now residents of St
Adams In 1885 6 several settlers ar
rived in town, and pitched on lots
which they intended to improve for
farms. Among them were Daniel
b. Meigs, Andrew Potter, Noel Potter,
Freedom Potter, Job Green, Nathan
Green, Morrill,, Gibbs, and Baker.
The first settlers of st. Adams, like
the pioneers in the settlement of all
new territories, were obliged to endure
many hardships and inconvenience
for three or four years after they ar
rived, which the youth of the present
day can know little Of They often
found it extremely difficult to procure
the necessaries Of life, much more its
Injuries and conveniences. We have
been favored with the perusal of a
narrative dictated by Daniel b Meigs,
a short time before his death, depict
ing the hardships and deprivations
experienced by him in the journies he
made to st. Adams previous to, and
at the time, when he finally removed
here He left Manchester in August,
1884, in company with another young
man, to hunt out place for farm.
They got no farther than Onion river
when his companion gave out, being
disguised with the country, and said
he would go no farther They then
returned back. The next year MIR.
Meigs set out alone, intending to visit
st. Adams and make pitch for a
farm, After much difficulty in pick
ing his way by the aid of the marked
trees through the latter part of the
way, he reached st. Adams, lie
made pitch on lot near the resi-
dence of the late Joseph Weeks, The
next Spring, 1856, he came on with
I