Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-01-20

habitnnts "of the town Of Cumberland, 81
and the sheriff in his return Of the list Of
towns sworn nt Brattleburo May 10. 111l.
included Cumberland in that list This
shows that this territory was then called a
town
This historian further says that he has in
his possession the original request for dele
| gates 10 the Dorset convention and quotes :
1T is desired that the Gentlemen 1nhab-
tants Of Nottingham would appoint Il Del
egate or Delegates, etc. "Per order Jo.
mas Fay, clerk sd Convention " But if he
will look At the document again he will see
that it reads, Inhabitants of Whiting. "
not Whitingham. He adds that Whiting
ham "did get the invitation to send dele.
gates aud Jonas Fay knew enough TO call it
| by It's corporate name" This difference
might be thought TO be due to an inadver-
tent dropping of the last syllable of the
name, but on June 3d. 1710, the same Jo-
mas Fay, as secretary 10 the Governor and
| Council, addressed letter to ~ lieutenant
| Silas Hamilton, Wilmington, ~ directing him
TO 'call the male inhabitants Of the town
Of Wilmington between the age of lG and
| 60 years to the choice of military officers
This Jonas Fay was physician and re
sided at Bennington within twenty miles
Of this town, and still the name of Whit
| inghum does not appear at that time TO
| have made much impression upon his mind
| The roll Of the convention made by him by
towns shows Cumberland represented by
letter, "from some Of the principal inhab
itants.' Perhaps they knew the name Of
the town which they lived in
Whether Cumberland was ever charter
ed or not is not clear. Many Of the towns
in the vicinity were chartered twice, and
some of them three, and some more times
On the 9th Of December, 40, Governor
| Iryon, on account of the breaking out OF
| the revolution, took the colonial records oi
the Province of New York on board IA man
of-war in the hHrbor of New York and
| gave receipt for them 10 the Deputy Sec
retary. memorandum ON the receipt
says The books consist of ! vols of Rec
! ords Of Patents. $50 of Grants of Lands to
| reduced officers and soldier, pursuant to
| the RI Procl'm of oct. ! iG3, I do of In
dian cession, 10 the Crown. 3 do Of Com
missions Of Patents and Charters under the
Great Seal Of CT Britain, , do. Of Minutes
| Of Council Ia the State Department " When
| called upon for them in lii9 he wrote that
he received them TO be put by Capt. Van
depul ON board "A man-of war" and pre-
carried them home, never heard what he
did with them" Those familiar with the
records say that some of the books of rec.
ords Of grants of lands and Of charters
were never returned 4 record of a char.
ter OF Cumberland may have been in some
of those The map of the town made from
surveys in the patent office looks as if there
was such a record.
There is no evidence which | have OBJ
served to show that the town ,yas ever or,
ganized under the charter of Wbitinghom
or any other charter. In that charter is
this provision And we do also ordaiu and
establish that there shall be forever here
after IN the suid township two assessors
one treasurer. two over,eers of the hiyb-
ways, two uvcrsccrs of the Door. ou, col
hector. and four cou.tab.es chosen out nf
the inhabitants Of said township YEARLY and
every wear on the nrst TUESDAY i'm Nav
The records show mo- organization but he
gin with the record of an annual meeting
holden March 30. 1850. at which a town
clerk. selectmen. treasurer. con.tabl.s
highway surveyors listers. collectors grand
juror. ,ealeI of weight, ana measures. and
deer reeve were chosen. These ,yer. un,
the officers Of the New York charter nor
those provided for hy any law of New
York. but are likethos of Vermont andotb-
er New England towns. Ihave seem doc
ument showing that ,clectrnen were elected
in ms, but that could not be under the
New York charter. Sias Hamilton wns
enrolled as a member # the legislature of
Vermont from Whitingham in that vear
hut New York towns did not have the priv.
ilege Of electing representatives to their
own legislature. and certainly not to that
Of Vermont. The town appears to have
been known at first by the name of Cum
berland for several wears and aftervarIs
for "A time bv both that name and Whiting
ham. and then and ever since by the name
Of Mhitingham alone IL acted as 81 town
by that name and has been recognized as
such bv the Vermont authorities II NJ.
doubtedly took its name from Col Nathan
Whiting. lie was AN officer in the French
and Indian war. and commanded a Con
necticut regiment. lie was stationed with
his regiment at Charlestovn. \ II in the
summer Of l111. and in August Of that
wear marched from thpr. To Fort Edward
by way of Charlea,ont and Fort Mn,,arbu
,etts. This march would tax. him near Ia
and perhaps through the TERRITORY now
Whitingham. After the war was over b,
sought and obtained from the Governor of
the Province of \.u- HntupSbira ., grant .,f