Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-07-17

out roads, or teams, or any of the ordinary
means of transportation, they wore under
the necessity OF conveying, By their own
personal efforts, all their provisions and
farming tools from Hinsdale, N. H.,-a
distance Of 20 les,-through an unbrok
en- forest. At that early day there was no
road or pathway up the valley Of the West |
river, from BrattleborO; but they were |
obliged TO cross wicopee Hill in Dummer-
ston, by marked trees. Lucy, a child of
Jonathan Park, was the first child born in
own,-August 49, 1859. A Congregational
church was organized in 1774, when there
were but six families residing in the town ;
it consisted OF nine members, and Rev.
Hezckah Taylor was ordained and as
sumed the pastoral charge Of it on the day
of its organization. Some years after the
organization Of this church, two others, a
Baptist and Univcrsalist, were established
and these three societies have continued
their organization since their establish
ment.
The early settlers of Newfane were new
er inolested by Indians, the inroads of saw.
age hordes from the Canadas having mate
rally ceased upon the settlement of the
the south par, of the town, between a par
ty of white men and rowing band of In
dams in 1858. One Captain Humphrey
Hobbs, with forty men, was ordered from
| Charlestown, No. 4, through the forest TO
Fort Shirley, in Heath, one of. The frontier
towns IN Massachusetts. The march was
made with out interruption until Hobbs, at
a point twelve miles northwest OF Fort
Dummer, on low piece of ground covered
with alders, intermixed with larger trees,
where he halted to give his men rest, en-
countered a party of Indians under the
command of one Sackett, half-breed, de-
scendant of a captive taken at Westfield,
Massachusetts. Sackett discovered Hobbs
trail, and endeavored to cut him off.
Hobbs had carefully posted guard on his
trail, and while his men were refreshing
themselves the enemy came up and drove
In the guard. Hobbs then arranged his
men for action, each man selecting his tree
for a cover. The enemy rushed forward,
but only 10 receive a well-directed fire
from Hobbs men, which checked their
progress. A severe fight ensued. Sackett
and Hobbs were well known to each other,
ty and courage. Sackett could speak Eng
lsh, and frequently called upon Hobbs to
surrender, threatening to sacrifice his men
with the tomahawk, if he refused. Hobbs
returned q defiaut answer, and dared his
enemy to put his threat in execution. The
fight lasted several hours, and resulted in
victory for the whites, they losing only
three men, while the Indians are supposed
to have lost heavily. In all battles the In
disns made extraordinary efforts 10 con-
ceal their loss, and to effect this would in
cur greater exposure than in actual com
bat. When one fell, the nearest comrade
was accustomed to crawl up, and under COW
er of trees and brush to f. tump line to the
dead body, and cautiously drag it to the
{ rear. Hobbs men related that in this ac-
/ ton they often saw the dead bodies of the
Indians sliding along the ground, as if by
enchantment. The Indians killed in this
fight were buried on "Robinson Flats" So
called in the south part of the town.
In the early settlement of the town &
village grew up on the summit of hill
which rose like cone in the centre of thu
town. In 1857 Newfane was constituted
the shire town of Windham county, anC
the courts were removed from Westmin
] sier, where they had previously been held
and where, too, the first blood of the Bev
olution was shed in the killing Of William
! French, to ''Newfane Hill," as it was call
ed, in Newfane.
From 1890 to 1920 the village consisted o
a courthouse, jail, meeting house, acade
i my-the first academy, by the way, tina
:, Wiudham county ever saw-two stores
two hotels, and variety of shops, such a
u were found in all New England villages a
= an early day, and about twenty privat
= residences.
e The village stood upon the summit c
o the hill, and afforded prospect as exten
n sive and picturesque as any in New Eng
" land. From the summit near the meet
y ing-house might be seen no less than fit
n townships in Vermont, New Hampshir
n and Massachusetts. On the west, "Hay
stack" in Wilmington, and "Manick
IS nung," in Stratton lowered above the ridg
ID of the Green Mountains, which formed tn
10 western boundary of the county. On til
e. north "Ascutney" was plainly visible t
v. the naked eye and on a clear summer da
e the "Vhte Hills in New Hampshil
le could be seen by the aid of a telescop
le The Highlands of Massachusetts, extenC
y, ing for distance of more than eight
miles from "Sunnapee' TO "Holyoke,
Of were distinctly visible on the east, viii
y "Monadnock" and "Wachusett," wit
y their cloud capped SUBMITS, seemed
is mingle with the heavens. Along the ma
It. gin of the horizon to the southeast, lit
y, was to be seen but a broad sea of moul
's, tain-tops, displaying in wild disorde
r ridge above ridge, and peak above peal
ht until the distant view was lost among Il
I'd clouds. Such was the situation of the ''o
y, village on the hill," the first village bui
n in Newlane. Not trace of this village
w the shape of building OF any kind r
y mains to-day; indeed, as long ago as lsG
"A. there was not a building lett standiT
n- which stood in the old village.
z In 1925 the site of the public building
er was changed from "Newfane Hill" to VIII
oy is now called Fayetteville, a village tv
at miles easto the old centre, in the vall'
ii of the WaLtastiquet river. The prese
"a site of the shire is near the geographic
on centre of Windham county, and also Il
In centre of population, and is easy of acce
lal from all parts of the county.
er, Incorporated in Mr.. Fields address we
nd many biographical sketches of promine
IA citizens of Newfane, who have been gat
M cred to their fathers. Chief among the
on were Luke Knowlton, Gen. Martin Fiel
ais Roswell NJ. Field, Ward Eager, Marshi
IA Newton, and Gen. p. It. Kimball. The a
a dress abounded in interesting reminisce
Hn ces, also, as, for instance, the fiogging
ly- old Mother White, on Newfane hill,
|