Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-04-11
A Chapter Of History.

One OF the most remarkable characters In the
north part OF Middlesex fifty years ago, was Jack
Lyndes, who was the first settler on the farm
where St. Michael Rafter nov lives. He felled
the first tree, cleared the land and buit most OF
the buildings on that place. Jack was an old
bachelor and lived there all alone for some forty
years, and died there all alone about the year
1850. He was found dead in his bed by the
neighbors who happened to go there soon after
his death. His gun was found standing by his side
Like good soldier he died at his post He was
first buried in the cemetery In School District
No. 4, and around the box containing his coffin
were placed iron chains. His relatives all lived
out Of the state, and 1t was thought by the
neighbors that they might want to remove the re-
mains, ast they afterwards did to New Hampshire
The chains were put on for convenience in taking
him up. lie left good estate consisting Of the
farm, a good stock Of cattle and other animals,
farm tools, and some money at interest," probably
a larger estate than anybody has leftin that part
OF the town before or since. Jack was one OF the
oldest mortals that ever lived. Woodworking,
close and almost misery as he was at home, when
he went abroad to the village or to town meeting
he always calculated to have good time. twas
the fashion In those days to drink rum, and Jack
would be pretty sure to get enough every time,
II not too much. Then he was full Of talk and all
manner Of odd and funny expressions His fa-
vorite oaths were BY gorre" and " | vow fort"
and he managed to get them in pretty often.
Once at freemens meeting at the old school
house, when politics ran high with the wings
and democrats, Jack got Just about drunk enough
for fun so some OF the jOkers offered to bet that
he could not sit down in the top OF his tall hat
placed on the ground and get up again without
touching anything with his hands Jack took the
bet and, putting his silk stove pipe hat on the
ground with the rim up, began to lower away.
When he got almost down to 1t he lost his bal
ance, and down he went on to the hat, crushing
1t as fiat as pancake " By gorre," said Jack,
81 vow fort; | can do it," So he tried again,
but every time he came down the silk hat was
sat in. But it made lots OF fun for the boys. His
nearest neighbor was Uncle Eben Scribner, of
blts ed memory, who lived and raised large
family where c. II. Stone lives. Jack and
Scribner, though both excellent men, did not
agree on all points. One was Methodist, the
other Uniyersalist; Jack was whig and Scrib-
ner was not Among other things they disagreed
about was the liue fence between their land,
One day when they were debating the question
one said to the other "you lie" and the other
answered " you lie" Then they clinched hold to
see which would lie at the bottom. Jack got
Uncle Eben down and was just going to choke
him little, but instead of getting his thumb On
| one side Of his throat, it somehow got into his
| mouth guess Scribner was powerful man in
| the jaws, for he set his teeth so tight on the
| thumb that when Jack took 1t out the teeth came
with 1t. They had a lawsuit about 1t afterwards,
but can't tell which beat II it was like law
| suits nowadays. both got beat ! remember
hearing Jack say to my father one night, as he
Was going home, GORE, Joe, didn't Scribner
and have siderable asplosion tother day."
Jack used to make lots Of maple sugar-not SC
| white as some make 1t, but very uniform black.
| One night, when the sap was driving, he thought
he would boil all night Along in the evening
when he was fixing the fire his hat fell off. lie
| thought 1t went into the fire, SO he boiled on
| through the night and lol in the morning. when
he came to take off the syrup, there was the old
| hat in the kettle, well boiled out and sweet as
nut. They used To tell lots OF stories about Jack
| burying his silver and gold under great stone
| piles and in the cellar wall don't know that any
| OF it was ever found, but presume II Tommy
| Raiter should go down into that old cellar anc
put his hand into every hole in the wall he woulC
| either find bag Of gold, or else he would ge
hold OF q snake or toad, or something, W. O.