Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-08-17
Vernon.
THE LEE FANNY REUNION.


The reunion of the Lee family was held
on Tuesday, Aug. II, at the house of Charles
Newton, which was built 1O1 years since by
Jesse Lee, who removed from Thompson,
Conn, to this place in 1880. Some of the Lee
family in linesl descent have lived in it for
five generations, Mrs. Julia (Weatherhead)
Newton's children being the fifth, her mother
having been a Lee. Three descendants Of the
sixth generation were present at the reunion,
and the company numbered 175 in all, a large
proportion being descendants of the Lee fam
lily. The gathering was called to order by
Chester Lee, Esq, and A. Withheld, Esq,
was elected president. The exercises CORE
sponded with the following programme
Singing by F. L. Brown and choir; prayer
by Rev. A. b. Truax of Brattleboro, who
claimed relationship because one Jesse Lee
was brother clergyman address by Rev. j.
S. Lee, d. d., of Canton, N. Y. Folio wing
the address came a bountiful and excellent re-
past, after which appropriate addresses were
made by Cyrus Lee of Hampden, Mass, ma.
tive of Vernon and son of Caleb Lee; o. L.
Davis of Connecticut Noyes Streeter, Sum
ner Titus, Esq, Lorenzo Brown, Esq, Thos.
Goodwile, M. D., Hon. N. +. Bryant, DIR.
Lee, j. A Brown, Esq, S. b. Houghton,
Esq, and Rev. A. b. Truax. The addresses
were interpreted with the following songs:
Aud Lang Syne, Gather Once Again, Our
Republic Home Sweet Home, Building for
Eternity Old Hundred, DoKology. The ben.
edction WAS pronounced by Rev. Mr.. Truax.
REV. DIR. LEES ADDRESS.
After extending hearty welcome to those
present, DR.. Lee gave a brief history of the
old house, whose frame was erected in 1882.
Jesse Lee purchased the farm in 1850, and
two years later began to clear the land and
erect the building, which was not finished till
the following year. At this time it was all a
wilderness in that part of the town. As early
as 1860, or a little later, settlements had been
made along the river road from Btattleboro to
South Vernon by Amos Tute, Samuel STRAIT
ton, Joseph Stebbins, Eleazer Patterson, and
others, and in 1880 the Elakim Stebbins
house was erected in the west part of the
town. This house, built by Jesse Lee was
occupied by his family during the winter of
1928. The wind whistled through the
cracks and wolves howled in the forest. Jesse
Lee, son of Jesse and father of Chester Lee
who still lives on the farm, was born here
April -, 1888, and died in the same room
Eov IL, 1885. Eli Lee, father Of the speak
or, was born here Dec lG, 1885, and died in
the town Nov. -, 1881. Caleb Lee was born
July II, 1877, the youngest of the ten chill
dren of Jesse Lee, who died here July IL,
1916, aged n years. His father, John Lee,
who moved from Connecticut about 1850,
died here in 1884 aged about 10. After his
fathers death in 1888, Chester Lee occupied
the house until he erected a new Que on the
same farm. Aud now the old house is owned
aud occupied by Charles H. Newton, whose
wife's mother was John Lees daughter and
whose children are the fifth generation of
Lees born in the house. Three children are
present to-day who constitute the seventh
generation from John Lee, who was born in
Thompson, Conn, in III. The first grant
L. n
as part Of Northfeld, the Massachusetts, line
being supposed to run as far north as the
Howe place near Brattleboro In 1853 the
governor of New Hampshire set apart town
chip SIX miles square on both sides of Connect
lieut. river, embracing the present towns of
Vernon and Hinsdale, when the territory
west of tls river was claimed by New Hamp-
shire. The to@n was named from Rev. Ebene-
ger Hinsdale, one of the proprietors. In l7G4
the king decided that the west shore of the
river was the boundary line between New
Hampshire and New York Thence arose the
local contest between the people of the differ
emit sections, which resulted in the declaration
of the independence of Vermont at Westmn-
ster, Jan. 10, l777. The state WAS admitted
into the Union March 4, 1871. 'It New York
had not demanded pay of the settlers for their
lands the second time no doubt we should
belong 10 that state at the present time, and
the early settlers of Vernon were Joseph
Stebbins, Samuel StrattOn and Col. Eleazer
Patterson, whose three frame houses were all
raised the same day in 1863. The town was
eettled az early as 1910, when SartWells fort,
on THO Howe place, was erected but settlers
outside the forts did not occupy their farms
until the Indians disappeared, about l1GO. In
l77l there were 10 heads of families in town
and l07 inhabitants. The name of the town
oh al IN
Der n, 1909. The latter name was suggested
by Washington's Virginia residence. The
speaker gave graphic sketch Of the mode of
living, the habits character and occupations
of the inhabitants 100 years ago, illustrating
II by various incidents and anecdotes. 1t was
what DIR. Bushnell calls 1.-The Age of Home
spun" The men were engaged in clearing
up the land and preparing it for grain and
grass, and the women used to cook spin, knit,
sew, patch and mend. Both sexes wore home
made clothing, and lived chiefly on the prod
ucts of the soil. None were ashamed to
work. Schools were maintained, and reli-
gious meetings were held in private houses or
rude school housos until 1902, when the first
church was erected at the centre Of the town.
Rapid sketches of some of the prominent
early settlers were drawn including the &C.
centric clergyman, Bunker Gay Amos Tute,
whose curious epitaph in the north burying
ground has been so often copied; Dr. Cyrus
Waghburn, the faithful physician of the town
from 1903 to 1860; Lieut. Gov. Jonathan
Hunt and his brother Arad Ensign Stratton,
the great hunter; Col Patterson, the military
man Joseph and Eliakim Stebbins; Captain
Jeriiah Thayer, revolutionary soldier. DR..
Washbprn vas for many years postmaster,
town clerk and justice OF the peace. He mar
ried sj3 couples during his lifetime. The
address closed with an earnest appeal to the
people TO reverence the memory of their fore
fathers, initiate their sturdy virtues, and hand
down the rich legacy which they have be-
queathed to us not only unimpared, but i'm
proved
The people of Vernon have been highly
gratifed by visit from Mrs. Lucia Ann whit
he'd Miller, widow of Ebene9er Miller, M. p.
native OF this town, hitter an absence of .:
ysars. She was accompanied by her son, DR.
Clinton Miller, who has been u surgeon in the
U. S. army for 1--WE years past, and by hei
daughter Lucia, who is principal of a sehoo
of 800 pupils in st. Paul. MINI.
Mr.. Frank Brock and Miss Ada Gone o.
.5taf 40 In NaNur