The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-11-03


YEARS,
Mr. Wilson was born IN Addison. in the
year 1898, where his father, Noah vii.
son, settled in early lie, soon after the
revolutionary war, and raised a family OF
seven cmldren-four sons and three
daughters, The country having become
fully settled, SO that there was not much
chance to obtain land for his sons TO set
tie around him as they arrived at man.
hood, he resolved to seek new country
where there was room for his family TO
settle near him. About Is years after
the close of the war, with the mother
country, when our relations with her had
become pacific and settled, il was said
that great inducements were offered TO
settle on tie Canadian side of the ST.
Lawrence river. His father raised a
company Of sixteen, and with provisions
for two weeks, a pocket compas, and
few good rifles, started toward Canada
through wilderness of some 200 miles.
This wilderness journey being performed
Oi iOO', cu SINlctl NdDs.
| On finding the same kui of govern
ment and men which had so lately caused
them to sacrifice SO much for freedom and
release from the British yoke of oppres-
sion, they made up their minds, to a man,
to return TO the land Of freedom. Noah
Wilson was not willing to give up the en-
tcrprise ofsetIing in new country. He
soon heard that a Connecticut Go. owned
Il large amount OF land situated along the
northern part Of Pennsylvania, including
a part OF Ohio. He examined the title
of the company's land and found that they
claimed it under an original charter from
England lie determined 10 view the
country. In the month of April 1902, he
saddled his horse and rode to the place
now called Alba (the place where the son
now rcsldes) The water being very clear
and pure, lie gave the name of the place
Alba. meaning white, which is An en-
b!em of purity. IL spent his first sum-
mer in the wilderness, in Alba, and
raised the first crop of corn that was
grown in the settlement, by setting fire to
wlrdialI at the base of the Amcnia
mountain ("hich he also named) and bur-
hn9 II over pIai'i'i corn among the logN
with the pton OF n shoe hammer, it beng
the only hoe he could find in the country,
ana ra'7eo ABOUT forty bushel oI good
+o"nu corn "llch he stored III crib.
haV'hs II SAFE ior ms family he ensuing
year,
Ills nome the first summer was a little
heds'ead, open at ore end and covered
WITH peeled bark. Ills bed was hcmlock
noushs "l'h horse blanket for a covers
i'g Ills BOARD consisted OF bread made
by man 10 whom he carried the flour,
great distance away, going on horseback.
When he wanted meat he could kill a
leer at any Iihe II he preferred fish he
TOOK his ho'R n c; u!ht on at his ease.
""eii nc ""l''ed grease to cook his ven
i'oh ana 'ron' he Killed a bear. After
,''HNcS''hs' he returned to Vermont, where
ne spent 'ne WINTER
oh 'he ON day oil May lSO3, he stare
'cd WIN ms family, to 90 TO his new
home ms family consisting of wife, three
sons and three daughters. He had two
loaded wagons ard five good horses.
lie had bought and surveyed 800 acres
CT land nj 20 cents per acre, the title OF
which proved worthless. Mr., Trad Will
son says; "lhe first night | slept under
one OF tue wagons, father and mother in
'He 'i'ue CABIN before described. my Sis
ters IN one ot the wagons, and the men
oy "re MADE ny the side of log.
"hen thc norm ng came the men com
meneed cutting logs for a more convien-
,ehL mouse, he roo' was made of elm
oark' ana 'ne mouse was completed in
one day- onr neds'eads consisted OF
crolched s'lcts driven into the ground,
WIN ll''le poles reaching from the cracks
between The log', and elm bark served as
oed cords. Aswe had more leisure bass
wood pianks were cut for flooring and
DINER preparations were made. The
next thing was to cut down the forest,
clear up farm and make permanent
house. All our energies were exerted in
tins direction, and but little attention was
l,patd 10 schools, tor there were but few