Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1876-07-15

The nrSt settlement made in town was
on the farm lately owned by Irving Will
liams, and the Fiske farm, in I7G3 or I7G4, |
by David Page, Timothy Nash and George
Wheeler, December 18th, 1871. The
town adopted Meals survey, which set
our first settlers into the town of Guild
hall. Settlers came in slowly, and those
that came, established their cabins near
the river, where game and fish we're east
ly obtained. 1t is difficult to dctcrminc
when the first settlement was made with
in the present limits, but probably as
early as l7GS, by Leyiah Cross, Thomas
Gustin and Ebenezer Rice, on Mr.. Garlic
toms bow and James c. Warrens farm.
The first settlers suffered severe hard
ships and priYations for many years.
They brought their goods, grain and
provision, in canvass from Mortified,
Mass, a distance of $50 miles, camping
nights on the shores of the beautiful
Connecticut; with its meadows covered
with majestic pines, it possessed peculiar
attractions to these hardy men and women.
Their cattle were driven along the bank
of the river and browsed for Il living.
Moose and deer were plenty, and salmon
at the head Of the falls were very large
and caught very easily. At the time the
first settlers were building their rude
homes here in the wilderness, the war
cloud of the Revolution was fast gather
ing, which burst upon the colonies, when
but few homes were built in town. The
Connecticut river furnished the great
highway between Massachusetts, and Cam
ada, and expeditions large and small,
took this as the nearest route to their
great objective point-Canada. During
this period, the first settlers were in con-
tinurl alarm and were annoyed by the
Indians and Tories who killed their cattle,
plundered their homes and carried some
of them into captivity. The st. Francis
tribe of Indians had their headquarters
in Canada, but held the territory up and
down the Connecticut river as their hunt
ing grounds, and thus this river became
a great highway for the Indians. These
Indians were friendly, and were freely
admitted to the homes of the settlers,
with whom they bartered furs, for such
goods as the settlers happened to have;
their special object was to obtain guns
and ammunition. This continued till the
war commenced, when these Indians be-
came invetcrate and willy foes, so much
so that the country north of NCwbury
and Haverhill, which were the nearest
settlements, came near being abandoned
In 1888, after the war was over, Samuel
Gates, with four others, came to this town
from Mass, which was then an unbroken
wilderness, with few exceptions, and he
located on the lot now partly owned by
John b. Blandin, and built log house
Fifty acres were given him by govern
mcnt for settling and he paid twenty-five
dollars for the other fifty acres. lie was
but tWcnty-three years of age. 1t is
supposed that there were but three per-
manent families in town at this time.
For several years the necessary articles
Of life were brought from Portland, a
diStacc of over 100 miles, on foot or
horseback. Mr. GateS'S first visit to Port
land was in June, 1888, when with two
horses he made his way over Cherry
Mountain and through the Notch carry
ing with him few beaver skins and one
silver dollar to exchange for Goldfish,
salt, mOlasses and other necessary az
ticles, which were placed in bags and
strapped on the horses backs for the re-
turn journey. The early settlers pound
ed their grain in mOrtars made from hard
erected at Lancaster, and it was an easy
task for man to take a bag of grain on
his back and 90 to Lancaster to mill, and
back the same day. The first framed
house in town was built by Mr.. Gates in
1892, on the site of Mr.. Blandiu'S house,
taken down by John M. Lucas, a few
years since. Essex County was incorpor-
atcd at the October session of the Legis-
lature, A. ID. 1900, and on the third
Wednesday of December following, the
first county court was held at the house
Of Mr.. Gates. Hon. Daniel Dane was
chief judge and Samuel Phelps of Lunen-
burg and Mills DcFOrrest of Lexington
were assistant judges. Meetings were
held in this house for long time, and
many Of the noted men of oldcn times
spent days and nights within its walls,
and partook of the good cheer always so
freely rendered them. The first town
meeting to organize the town was held at
the dwelling house Of Reuben Howe, on
the 18th day of September, 1881, at two
O'Clock p. NJ. Seven names were signed
to the warrant, calling the meeting, At
this meeting EbeneZer Rice was .chosen
moderator, David Hopkinson, Jr., town
clerk; Elezer RosebrookS, EbcneZer Rice
and Simon Howe, sclectmen; Reuben
Howe, representative. They voted to
pay their rates this year, and chose three
Of their number to act as listers.
There were no tools in those early
days, and we know not Of the eXpedcnts
reSorted to to get along. Wooden
troughs were used in sugar making, but
many buckets were made from birch
bark with wood bottoms, which would
render good service for many years. No
boards were to be had, and all that were
used were split from the tree. The first
gig-wagon or wagon of any sort was
hrouUht into town Inv ASA Clark abnut