The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-08-11
INCIDENTS


George Bdwell was born in Hartford,
Conn, October I, 1856, and was the fifth
in order from the parent stem, the first
English emigrant who came to Hartford,
running in this wise Z:
l. John Bidwell married Sarah wilcoxt at emf ct
2. " Wells.
3. David Mehtable Webster
:. j. George GTs sarah sarsh ssdswioE. sils.
OF Georges history up to about sigh.
teen years Of age, know nominal ,
nothing. At this period he exhibited his
loyalty to his country at the declaration
Of the war Of l775, by enlisting into its
service and remaining faithful soldier Of
the revolution till honorably discharged.
He was employed in the bakery at Ticon-
deroga, N. Y. Returning to his native
town, he was united in marriage to Sarah
Sedgwick. To them we're born eight chill.
dren-Ohester, the oldest, (my father
was born in Canaan, Conn, and when he
was about four years Of age my grand
father, George, contemplated an emigra-
ton to Vermont. He started from Ca.
naan to seek home in the wilderness 10
August, 1887, in company with Horace
Kellogg. They stopped in Starksboro,
Addison Co. VT, three miles from the
nearest dwelling house and no road but
marked trees to guide them, They
camped near where the old orchard now
is, on the farm now owned by Burlcy W.
Bidwell Ia grandson), cleared two acres
and commenced to build log house, but
returned to Connecticut sometime in Feb.
ruary, 1888. They started with their
families for Vermont again and arrived
in the northwestern part Of Monkton iu
the month Of March, when the snow was
so deep in the woods they were obliged
to wait till the snow melted. They had
to cut road two miles and build a
bridge across Lewis Creek at their own
expense, which lasted three years. The
7th day Of April, 1888, he reached the
settlement with his outfit and goods, con.
sisting of pair Of horses, one COW /
believe) a high set of drawers, nine il
number; (now in my possession) desk
some three or four chairs, a very limited
set Of crockery, with two beds and bed.
ding brought upon a sled. constituted the
whole paraphernalia. For two week:
their habitation consisted of the slol
boards and some hemlock barks set W
endwise, storing their all under its de.
fence. Subsequently log house was par.
TALLY finished to admit the emigrants Il
their home.
Under these forbidJiug circumstance.
Nature had it's charms. | have heard
my grandmother say that at the above
date the wild flowers Of the woods were
in full bloom, and while proceeding troul
Monkton to Starksboro they called oul
their greatest admiration and gave them
great cheer on their way, The pitch that
Mr.. B. made was of several hundred
acres and remained his permanent home
until his death. Mr.. Kellogg made hii
settlement more than three miles south il
the same town. Their rays were hedged
,cays-an unbroken forest hemmed the
in on every side The war path of the
Indian was yet fresh with the depreda
tions made upon helpless cmigrants at nl
great distance from their own marke,
spots. The wild animals Of the iore-
gave their night howls and were ready rC
make inroads upon man and beast Nc
highways were opened for their travel ant
provisions were scarce and far away. Tn
der all these circumstances here was s
dint and energy with faith for the future
that rendered all surmountable objects
For three or four years the necessarS
wants were met, but one was at hanc
which was to be more felt than all thu
rest. In 1892 i beicve) was the yea
Of great scarcity that fell upon the inhab
itants that had Just entered in Vermont
Vergennes, thirteen miles distant, was tht
nearest place where in the most iavorabl,
times supplies could be obtained, and tn,
road was marked trees only, with SOM
bushes removed. Famine stared them il
the face, and | have heard my father
then about five years old, say he well re
membered Of crying for bread. Nj
grandfather was cooper by trade, all,
he made some ware and proceeded t,
Nergennes and obtained one peck of bran
This was borne home in toll but with ioy
to the waiting family, and immediate
some Of it was baked into bran.brea,
which was dealt out most sparingly. =
small brook wound its way along ravin
Just at the foot Of the hill below that 81
cred spot now called home. that aboundc,
with numerous trout, which was dernir
resort to the furnishing anglers The.
were easily inveigled to the hook and &c
cured These very thinly sandwichc'
with little bran.bread supplied nature
most stern wants till kind Providenc,
brought to them a small wheat harvest, %
which they rendered in heart wave ol
fering to God for his kind mercies unit
them. Thanksgiving and praise ascende'
from tha. cabin, and there was JOY in tha
little family. These were hard times al,
destined to leave their marks benin,
them.
In the coming year Mr.. H. found ,
destitution, but Providence through hi
| lttucT- hmOS-tuC NJ IaTtlOTu. IL,
had heard of his sons suffering and de
termined to relieve bin. The ci-cum
stances as related to me by old Mr.. Jen
ney Of Leicester, few years since, wer
as follows Col. Storrs of Middlebur =
one of the earliest settlers of that town
took journey to his native State (Cop
necticut where he saw Amos b., VIII,
told him of his sons suffering and wishe,
the Colonel would convey favor Il
George. Although twenty.one mile
from the Colonel,yet they were neighbors
The Colonel consented and bore the treas
ure, knit stocking leg full of Mexican
dollars what honest people they ha,
then y through the long weary wildernes
to Middlebury, At the earliest opportu
nifty he sent word to Starksboro TO Georg
to come Immediately TO Middlebury 70
he had pressing business with him.
was Just like George to be on parade a
81 Il A