Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-28


United States, and of the several States
and Territories as defined by treaty. char
ter or statute. These form Bulletin No.
l3, of the Geological Survey, and make
Il pamphlet of l3j pages. In an introduce
tory letter, Mr.. Henry Gannett, the Chief
GeOgrapher Of the Survey, by whom the
bulletin has been prepared, acknowledges
his indebtedness to Col. Franklin G. But
terrified (of Vermont formerly of the
Census Office, by whose labors most of the
material relating to the boundaries of the
States upon the Atlantic border has been
compiled.
We copy the sketch of the boundaries
of Nermont
The grants from King Henry of France.
of 1908, and King James of England of
1906, both included that territory which
forms the present State of Vermont II
was also included in the charter of New
England of 1920.
In the grants to the Duke of York. in
1864 and 1914, all the territory between the
Connecticut and Delaware Rivers was in
cluded. New York, therefore, claimed
jurisdiction of the territory now known
is Vermont. Massachusetts,, however.
at an early period, having made claim to
the tract west of the Connecticut River
now Il portion Of that State, by the inter-
probation of her charter, claimed the
greater part Of the same territory By
the terms of the charter of Massachusetts
Bay, of 1929, that colony was granted all
the lands
Which lyc and he within the space of Three
English mylCs to the uurthward Of the saidc
River, called MOnOmaCk alias Mcrrymact, or
10 the nurwurd OF any and every Pdrtc there
of.
Under this clause Massachusetts Bay
claimed that her jurisdiction extended
three miles north of the farthest part of
the Merrimac River, which would EN-
brace large portion of New Hampshire
and Vermont. New Hampshire contested
this claim, and after several years contrO-
versy was more than sustained by Il de
clslon of the King in li4O New Hamp-
shire in her turn claimed the territory of
Vermont, on the ground that Massachu-
sets and Connecticut, having been allow
ed to extend their boundaries to within
twenty miles of the Hudson River her
western boundary should 90 equally as
far, and contended that the Kings decree
of l14O left that fairly to he inferred also,
that the old charters of 1864 and 1914 were
obsolete.
by a decree of the King, George I'LL
however, the territory west of the Con
necticut River, from the 4jth parallel of
north latitude to the Massachusetts line,
VI
New York.
As most of the settlers of Vermont
We're from New Hampshire. this decision
of the King caused great dissatisfaction.
and the Revolution found Vermont the
scene of conflicting claims, ana the theatre
of violent acts, eliminating, in some in
stances, in actual bloodshed.
On January 10, III, Vermont declared
herself independent and laid claim to the
territory west as far as the Hudson River
and from its source north to the interna-
tional boundary, including tract along
the west shore of Lake Champlain. a
part OF New Hampshire, also, at one time
sought Il union with Vermont.
In l'Sl Massachusetts assented her in
dependence. She adjusted her differences
with New Hampshire in 1is2, but eight
years more passed before New York con
scented to her admission into the Union.
In 1901 Vermont was admitted as an in
dependent State, but was required TO re
strict her boundaries to their present eX-
tent
The act of New York, of March g. 1870,
giving her consent to the admission of
Vermont, defines her boundaries. U'idc
Shades Vermont, p. 500
The northern boundary was settled by
the United States and Great Britain by
the treaty of Washington, in 1872 The
10Th parallel of latitude.
The eastern boundary is lOw-water mark
on the west bank of the Connecticut
River.
The southern boundary was settled by
the decree of lao.
THAT the northern boundary of the pro-
vince Of Massachusetts Ice Il similar curve line
pursuing the course of the Mrrrimac River,
at three miles distance, on the north side
thereof, beginning at the Atlantic Ocean and
end NJ at point due north Of Pautuckct
Falls, and Il straight line drawn from thence,
due west, till ii meet, with His MaicSty'S 9th
crGoNcinmcnt>. LEd, Vermont State papers,
Sludc, p. 9.
The line between Vermont aud New
York was surveyed and marked by com
misslOncrS from the two states in 1911,
and Is rs follows, viz:
Bcgiuuin. at a red or black oak tree. the
northwest corner of Massachusetts, and run
ming north - 2Omn. west IL the magnetic
needle pointed in lNlf, ~ chains, To a munu-
mcut erected for the southwest corner of the
state of Vermont. 10y Smith Thompson, 81
mon De Witt, ana George rhhrttS, commits
Sioncrs ON the part of New York, and Joseph
Bccmun. Ir., Henry olin. and Joel Pratt sec
Ond, commissioners on the part of the State
of Vermont, which monument stands ON tn"
brow of high hill, descending to the west.
then northcrlN in Il straight line to Il point
which i slant 10 chains, on II course, south
- degrees west, from the most westerly corn
or OF a lot Of land distinguished in the records
of the town Of Powmul in the State of Yer
mont, rs the fifth division of the right of Ga
mallct Wallace, and which. i'll the year 1914,
was tM llt'l ana occupied 10y Abfdndln b~-
burgh then north - degrees east to said cor
ncr and along the westerly bounds of said lot ,
30 chains to a place on the westerly bank of
llaSirk River. where II hcmIOCk tree herctu-
fore stood, noticed in said records It's the mot
norhcrly corner of said lot; then north de
gree and 20 minutes west, chains to II mOnu-
mcnt erected by the said commissioners
standing ON the westerly side of Ilasick River,
ON the north side f the highway leading out
OF lIasick INTO POwnal, and near tho north
westerly corner of the bridge crossing said
river then north - degrees and 20 minutes
east, 30 chains, through the bed of the said
river, To Il large roundiSh rock on the north
eastcrv bank thereof then north - degrees
west, Ii cnuins and ~ links then north q de-
grceS west, IS chains ANA 10 links, To Il white
oak tree, at the southwest corner of the land
occupied in lsli by Thomas Wiiscy; then
north II degrees east, - chains To the north
side of Il highway, where il Is met by Il fence
dividing the possession of said Thomas Will
scy, Jr, and Emery Hunt then north Al de
gre, east, Il chains then south b6 degrees
east, % chains and - Inns : then north 9 de-
grccs east, - chains and 30 links 10 blue
slate stone, anCicntly set up tor the southwest
corner OF Bennington then north degrees
and 3OminutcS east, Al miles i3 CT aims ana ~
links to Il bunch of hornhcam saplingS ON the
south bank of POutney Xiv cr, the northern
most of which was marked by said ast-Incn-
toned commissioners, and from which atgc
hutternut tree bears north 70 degrees west, 80
links "A large hard mamie tree. south . chains