Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-09-04

E owen, w COX,
q Beech, BlodSett.
Historical Address by DIR. A. w. Cav
erIy.
Before entering upon the more impor-
tant and interesting exercises of this oc-
casion. it has been thought best that there
should be given brief historical account
of the location where we are assembled. l
have been requested to do this. But in
attempting it | labor under an embar-
rassment, for the little that | have learn
ed respecting the early settlers or settle
ment of the town, has already been pub
lished, and doubtless many of you are
familiar with it. Nevertheless it has
been thought appropriate, on the present
occasion, to recall some of the incidents
which have transpired here, though
at the risk of repeating familiar tale.
One hundred and four years ago this
territory was in a state of nature-an un-
broken wilderness. At the commence
ment of the French and Indian war very
few of the European race, save FEW
adventurous explorers, had ever pene-
trated this secluded part of the public
domain 1t was the haunt OF wild beasts,
and at certain seasons there might have
| been heard the footsteps OF the bear, the
bowling of the wolf and the screeching
of the owl The red men of the forest
made their annual incursiOns here for the
purposes of hunting and fishing, though
| the most of them had their homes far
ther to the north or to the west. 1t was
a military necessity that first brought
this territory to the notice of the New
! England colonies.
The war of 1756-60 transferred from
these colonies to the lakes quite host
of soldiers, many of whom had to pass
through this section, and in the transit
they discovered the beauty of the scenery
| and value of the soil. Soon after the
close of that war, on the 18th of Octo-
Der, 1861, the township was chartered
bv Gov. Wentworth, of New Hamp-
shire, but counter-claim, menacing per-
| sonal titles to the soil, urged by neigh
| boring State, postponed the settlement
some eight years, so it was not till 1853
that the town began to be settled. That
wear the Cooley brothers, from Green
wich, Mass, located in the south part
of it. - -.
The following year the first improve
ments were made, and the first family
settled in this part of the township
Isaac Rood and wife, with children,
Ira and Adah, from Windsor, Connecti-
cut. moved into log-house just this side
of wonder brook. Mr. Rood died in
1775, and there is little doubt that he
was the first of the early settlers who
died in the township. The place of his
burial is not known. -.
Three wears later, William Cox and
family. from Waltham, Mass, located
in a house which he had built the preVl-
Gus year on land now owned by Junia
Sargent. The house stood on the east
bank of the creek near the most
easterly point of short curve in the
stream.
In 1774 no less than eighteen families
located in different parts OF the town
ship. Four of these, viz: the Hendee,
Whalin. Daniels and ROwley families
had their residences here or in this vi
cinity.
Caleb Hendee, from East Windsor
Conn, came here in December, 1913
and purchased the lot of land upor
which we are now assembled: lie re
turned to Windsor and in March fol
: lowing he removed here with his family
CONSISTING of a wife and five children
He made clearing and built house OF
the ground which has been marked on
/
r early improvements on this ground wer
the result of his labor Mr.. Hendee wa
, an estimable man. He became a mem
ber of the Baptist church here at th
, time of its organization, Dec. 2, 1874
t and was its first deacon. He died Oct
: 2, 1928.
Peter Whalin, from Connecticut, bull
and occupied a house a little distanc
l north of Mr.. Hendees, on land nov
r owned by Mr. Dickerman
r Samuel Daniels, from Upton, Mass.
: purchased two rights of land in Pitts
ford, of which Amasa Bowers and Josh
ua Hutchins were the original prOprlC
l tors. These rights were east OF Otte
: creek and between William CoX's Ian
e and Caleb Hendees. The probability
: that he purchased this land of Isaac Rooc
, as it was the land formerly owned b
l him. and it is known that he lost hi
health about this time, and died soon a.
!, fer at Caleb Hendee's. Mr. Daniels
y with his family, occupied the Roo
Il house. He was afterwards killed by tn
n Indians.
OF Jonathan Rowley, previous to th
: time he located in Pittsford, little
Y known. He had resided in RichmonC
V berkshire county, Mass. In the fall {
\ 1773 he bought of Roger Stevens Oh
;. RIGHT of land in this town, the deed bea
u inc date Sept 9th. This land include
e the farm now owned by Edward Pain'
e He built a house at the base of the hll
some thirty rods west of the present res
&c dence of MIR. Paine. He removed hel
the following spring. At the time l
/, located here he had nine children: Hol
u kins. the eldest son, became soldier
It the war of the Revolution, and atte
,e wards settled in Shoreham. Jonathan
the second son, became also a soldier
the same war, and was killed by the l.
u dians on Lake Champlain. In Septen
}. Der. 1777, Joseph and John, the form
le aged fifteen and the latter eleven year
. were captured by the Indians few roc
: yest Of their fathers house, and carrie
% to Canada. About a year after the clo
L Of tEe war they were found in CanaC
nv their father, and arrangements mac
!. by which they returned home. On the
- return they were so changed in appea
ance that their mother could not reco
! nize in them her lost boys, and she vi
IS not convinced until they had relate
n some well-remembered incidents
st their past life. Joseph died soon atte
wards
John became a soldier in the war
1912. and he too was killed by the en-
my on Lake Champlaln.
These were all the families residing
this part of the township at the begi
ming of the war. During the war Sc
eraI families located in other parts
the township, but only one in this
cinity. Joshua June, young man FRO
Stamford, Connecticut, married Sara
the eldest daughter of William Co
and located on the north part OF the q
farm.
Time will not permit us to speak
the families residing in other parts
tbe township suffice it to say that at t
beginning of the Revolutionary struge
there were within its limits about thirt
- eight families, and including the , ch
On dren, nearly two hundred inhabitanI1i
These, with few exceptions, were poll
cally in sympathy with the colonies ire
which they had emigrated they espot
I, ortiI he cause. al