Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-06-28
Written for the Rutland Herald,
Early Days Of Castleson.

Il
den light mingled with the blue waters
OF the quiet lake, and fell aSlsnt the
fields beyond where the Indian had
| cleared and planted his corn,
Full of enterprise of a new settlement,
he doubtless looked with less of poet
| ical than practical sentiment on the
| beauty OF the scene, counting in his
mind the trouble of clearing, and build
ing in fancy his saw mill.
There is tradition in which We put
implicit faith in our younger days, that
on this night he was surrounded by
Indians, seeking his life thinking every
! way of escape impossible to him, they
: sheathed their scalplng knives until
/ morning During the night he climbed
| down the PERCEPTIONS rocks of the Yves
tern side, leaving his pursuers as much
amazed as baflled.
Three years later Col. Lee with a
| colored servant spent the winter here,
depending on his good rife, hook and
| line for sustenance.
The early settlers of Casteton were
nearly all from Connecticut, and the
names of some of the old Puritan fam
lilies Of the colony of sixty still exist
here. We commend them for leaving
the Wooden Nutmeg State with its blue
laws, and coming to these delightful
green hills.
Every man came with his axe in his
hand to fell the trees and the sturdy
trunks We're soon constructed into rude
dwellings. We ourselves can testify
that log houses are both pleasant and
comfortable.
In 1772 Col. Bird completed his saw
mill, and the first board sawed were
made into his coffin. On his monument
we read
"He was the first possessor of the soil
for civilization, and the first called to
resign it, leaving the fruits Of his bold
enterprise to Others"
Some memories of the Revolution
"cling like mists around our hills" On
the 9th Of July 1777 Col Frazier de.
tached by Gen. Frazier from Hubbard
ton, surprised about twenty militia
posted here. Capt. Hall of this place
was mortally wounded. Lieut. Hail and
some others captured, the rest dispersed
or killed
"The Green Mountain boys Tough
bravely" always, Those killed wer,
buried in The field near by, and it is no
many Years since the plowman In turn
ing the soil might pitch up here anC
there bone of some American or Brit
ish soldier. The next year fort was
| erected, furnished with two pieces O
cannon. Whenever there was an alarm
of the british coming" the men would
rush to the fort with what ever arm
they could muster. The women anC
children took refuge sometimes in the
fort, sometimes in the woods
The name of but one Tory in thu
whole town is handed down to US, ant
he probably in sympathy with the en-
envy more from faint-heartedness thar
any other cause.
'Neighbor, said one of the patriots t
him one day, "the British are in posses
sion of Bennington meeting house."
81 told you so, told you So" sale
the old man, shaking his head with
much the same look that coppeIheads
within our memory put on over rebe
victories.
"But neighbor, they have a Yankee
guard around them"
The old gentlemens' eyes opened very
wide, and he walked away without fur,
Their comment.
A few years ago while teaching in
one of the northern districts Of the
town, going across the field one after.
noon, to our boarding place, we CHANGED
upon three or four OF our scholars in
tently digging under an oak tree.
"What are you digging for there
boys" we asked.
"Why," said one, looking up, "when
the British came through here they
buried their gold under this tree for
fear our soldiers would whip them and
take it away from them"
''Well said another, throwing down
his spade, 'if they did bury it here, I
believe they came back and got it, l
sha'nt dig any more"
ITO build their faiths pure shrine
was the object Of the pious forefathers
of every hamlet in New England. AS
soon as their numbers were sufficient in
Castleton, Congregational church was
erected near the site Of the present ed
| ifice, little east and;in front.
Every male inhabitant in the town,
we are told, was present at tho raising
of the building. 1t was furnished with
old fashioned straight backed, square
pews, having seats on two or three
sides. The deacons' pew was directly
under the pulpit. Why it was necessary
that these worthy patriarchs'should sit
so Immediately under the droppings of
the sanctuary we do not know, but such
was the custom.
Probably even then as now some pews
from their locality and occupants were
judged more fashionable and aristocrat-
ic than others but though a smart
feather, silk gown, or some other re-
markedly fine article of dress, visible in
these same aristocratic pews of course
created much admiration among the
humber, homespun wearing portion of
the congregation, we doubt not all paid
becoming attention to the instructions
of the Rev. Mr.. Cazier the first pastor
of the church. We are unable to learn
much Of him but doubt not he was an
exemplary aud acceptable shepherd to
his flock. However spiritual minded
he may have been ne certainly had some