Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-10

In Norwich, VT, on certain day in
May, almos six years before the beginning
of this century, hoy of one year and nine
IN lnths and his sister, a little more than
two years older, were amusing themselves
by lettering on board thrust through the
,loor-yard fence of their neighbor, Squire
Burton. The boy was seated at one end
with his sister while their neighbor' S
daughter, older than themselves, made
equpoise with both of them. They stopped
10 listen to the tones of the chapel bell of
Dartmouth college, which came clear and
distinct from the plain upon the other side
of Connecticut river. 1t was an unusual
hour for the bell to ring.
the bell rings said the neighbor's
daughter, "for your mothers funeral"
The boy was too young to understand
wha, Il misfortune had befallen him. He
w,l> an orphan His father had died at the
ACE Of 40, three months before the child
wa, born (July 2lst, 1922. His grand
father on this side had been one of the
earliest settlers in Norwich; had been one
of the first board of selectmen the town
ever had, and had built the first highway.
This pioneer had pushed his way thither
from some town in Connecticut, and in the
early years when the first president and
founder of Dartmouth college, Rev. Eleazar
Wheclock, was struggling nobly to plant
an institution of learning on The very bor-
dcrs of civilization, he had supplied milk
and butter across the river. There was
no bridge. and one day, long before the
event first recorded above, he met his death
in this river. Little did he think that a
grandson cf his-the boy already spoken
of-would one day most happily wed the
grand daughter of his faithful friend, the
luslrious President Wheelock, and would
become an honored citizen of a state, the
very name of which, probably had not then
been heard but which was to include within
its borders the farm he had manfully con-
quered from the wilderness.
The grandfather's name, as well as the
fathers and the sons, was Daniel Baldwin.
The boy from this point on, therefore, will
be called Daniel. There were seven chill
drcn,-four girls and three boys. There
was farm of one hundred acres which,
according to the custom of the time, was
divided among them-twenty acres to each
son and ten to each daug ghter; but this little
patrimony did not mitigate the fortune of
the youngest son, and to his history this
sketch will confne itself.
After the death of the mother Ia daugh-
ter of that Robert Havens, whose house
was the first one attacked by the Indians.
at the burning of Royalton in l7S0), the
family was broken up and scattered; the
two oldest daughters were put to service,
the two youngest given away, the two
older boys apprenticed to the carpenter
and i0inor's" trade, and Daniel was taken
for Il short time into the care of his moth
er's sister, Mrs. Lovejoy, of Sharon.
worthy farmer by the name of Morse
was soon found in Royalton (Vermont)
who was willing to adopt the two-years-
Old boy, whose only competency was his
capacity for usefulness. There were in
this household three daughters, but no
sons, and Daniel, although among the
hardships and privations of hard work
ing family in a new country, soon found
his way into the hearts of all. The
daughters piled their wits and their nee
dies to tit him out in the neatest manner
the settlement knew. So we'll did they
succeed that Daniel found his dress wa
likely to put bar of envy between him
and his boy companions. One Sunday a.
he trudged along beside daddy" anc
nanny upon the invariable journey
of wo or three miles to " meeting" some
boys OF his acquaintance whispered: See
how proud Daniel is with his white ruffit
about his neck! This was too much
Daniel would not be finer than they. Ht
watched for an opportunity; stepped asid'
into the bushes tore off the ruffie, and pu'
it in his pocket and nothing of the kind
would he wear afterwards. Daddy
and NANNY" were the words used b.
children in those days when addressin!
father and mother, and their use by DAME
shows the familiar relation in which h
lived with Mr., and Mrs. Morse.
He began to go to school in his sixt
year and WAS particularly proficient TO
one OF his age in spelling. Every Satur
day the whole school was sharply quizzet
in the catechism by Priest Tuller of RoyaI
ton, who made his regular round of visit
Tor the purpose The catechism besa'
with; "What is the chief end of manP
and every scholar must know it thorough
ly. Mr.. Morse himself was very piou
man, AS is shown by the following:
Dtniel's U6cle Daniel Havens was
near neighbor of Mr.. Morse and was er
gagged one winter in hauling logs past tf
latter's house to mill. One Saturday nigl
he left his loaded sled standing not fl
from Mr.. Morse's door Monday mornin
he came bouncing into the house just a
the family were sitting down TO an ear
break fast and Daniel with his WOOde
trencher in his lap, had already assume
his regular place upon the dye-tub in
corner.
Mr. Morse, can get you to help n
reload my logsP Some rogue has role
them off my sled"
81 was the rogue" replied Mr.. Mors