Thomas County cat., 1886-11-04
HISTORIC wALPoLE.
New Hampshire Town With n Remark
mbly interesting History,

| A New Hampshire Town With n Remark
rbiy Interesting History.
Two Important events have given
this part of the Connecticut valley IN
almost pre-cm'nent interest for the
historical student, writes a WaIpolc
(N. H. correspondent. and. indeed.
there are few ears SO dull that they do
not t;ngle at the tales that are told of
what was done here. In the old Wal
pole bnryiny-groundthe visitor is shown
a tombstone on which is engraved the
following: ''In memory of John Kill
bourn. who departed this life April 8.
1889. in the S5th year of his are. He
was the first settler of the town in
1919"
During the French and Indian war
q scheme was cOncOcted in Canada in
| accordance with which band of soma
four hundred savages was sent fort
to destroy ali the white settlements on
the Connecticut river. On the 18th of
August. l735, the Indians attacked the
cabin of John Kilbourn. Walpolc was
then nearly. if not quite. the highest
point on the river where settlements of
white men hal been established. and the
kil5oUrn place. although no longer the
only civilized hab.tation in the vicinity.
was too far from any other to make
it pass bic for the family to receive
either warning or assistance. Happily.
al; tl:e inmates of the cabin were at
home. Bat what situation it was.
The white people were just six in num-
ber: John kilbourn. Sr.. his son John.
eighteen years Old, hired man AMI
his son, anil Mrs. Kilbourn with Il
maiden daughter. And four hundred
boodtlirs.y. well-armed savagcs Diet T.
mined on their destruction! Tneleider
of the Inlians WAS gigantic creature
named Phiiljn. who had visited the Kill
boarns repeatedly unler the pretensc
of friendship. an had learned both the
language and the condition of the
family. Before bcginning the attack
he called out: "5ig join and lttlc
John. come out and we will give You
quarter To which Kilbourn replied:
go away You rascals. or we viii
quarter YOU" The attack began about
noon and cont nued until sundown.
when the savages. totally defeated and
large numbers of their companions
slain. went away, never to retura.
Within the cabin there was but one
killed, Mr.. Peak. the hired man.
The project OF ravaging the valley OF
the Connecticut was at once abandoned.
During the terrible conflict the women
loaded the muskcts for the men TO fire;
and when the supply of bullets gave
olt the women hung up blankets in
such way as to catch tne bullets which
the Indians fired into the rOof; and these
they melted and run into mods " new
supply. To show tina; the number of
the savages was not exaggerated, It is
on record that when they wer, creep
ing, one by one, to the point chosen
for attack, one hundred and ninety
seven were counted by the beleaguared
garrison, and body evidently as large
remained in ambush as reserve.
Mrs. w. G. Barnette. the wife of lead
ing citizen of Walpole, is the great
great-granddaughter of this John Kill
bourn, Sr.
The other notable event was nothing
less than what the folks here claim was
the spilliny of the first blood she'd in
the Revolution. This was not. indeed,
in Walpole. n. H.. but in Westmin stcr.
VT. on the opposite side OF the river.
1t was in March. 1775. 4 few weeks be-
fore the battle of Lexington. The royal
officers were holding court for the en-
forcement of some of the obnoxious
British acts; and so great was the popu-
lar disafection that a considerable
company of royali>t troops had been
sent as guard. At ten o'clock In the
evening. while the officers of the court
We're absant taking supper. and the
guard was off its guard. a well-armed
and determined band of citizens took
possession of the courthouse. and. on
the return of the judge and sheriff. re-
fused to admit them. The troops were
and Il fl cree struggle ensued.
Victory remained with the friends of
liberty: and the officers of the crown
fed across the Connectic However,
one Of the patriots was killed. His
body lies buried in the ancient cemetery. |
AMI on the m6s,-covcred stone which |
marks the spot the epitaph may still be
dec;phered:
Here William French his body les.
His blood to God for vengcnce cries.
King George We 3D. his Tory crew.
They WITH bawl his head shot through.
For liberty. his cOuntry's good.
He lost his LIE, his dearest blood.