Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-09-19

IN laJef years, Wnen tine lund h0u been /
opened up, the Haystack peak of this
range fully in view at a distance Of ten
miles, served as an Indicator Of weather TO |
guide in farming operations, according as
its summit stood in clear fair-weather out.
line, or was yelled in its cap of clouds, fore
boding rain. log house, following no
doubt the simple architecture of the day,
was erected upon this spot the cellar as
originally built remaining 10 the present
time and being still in use This solid,
warm structure, of dimensions sufficient,
according to the ideas of the time, TO con
tain large family, served the purpose of
dwelling house till 1928, when it was taken
down by Judah Higley, a son of Daniel, and
replaced by the present convenient house
and additions.
Daniel Higey must have built his house
before June 13, 1886, as there is a refer.
ence to it in the record of the town meeting
held upon that day. 1t was then voted
that the road from Wilmington line by
Lieut.. Hgley's new house be excepted If
his house was built in 1884 or 49, he prob
ably had the help of his oldest son, Daniel
who would have been g or l. years of age
His next son, Jourdan, was only ~ years
old, aud would have been of but little
assistance in the heavy work of clearing
the land and building log house. The
help of the daughters, Orpha and Ruth
who were older than Jourdan, may
have counted for something, however, and
the same may perhaps be said of their
mother, about whose physical powers, how
ever, tradition is silent. IL is known that
there were pioneer women, young and old,
who could swing the ak with effect but of
Ruth Higley and her daughters there is no
one living who can give the coveted infor-
nation This much at least is more than
probable, having few Of the cares entailed
! by modern housekeeping, the women, be
sides weaving cloth and making garments
for family use, would find time, if they
chose so to employ themselves, to assist in
caring for the horses, cattle and sheep
raised by the settler, as well as to help in
/ tilling his fields and gathering his crops Of
| hay and corn. Some shelter for cattle must
have been provided in the beginning, as the
winters were cold and the fall of snow con
siderable. 1t is believed that during the
life Of the first settler, barn was built Of
sawed lumber, and that the original struc
ture forms a part of the convenient barn
now standing on the place. The present
owner of the property remembers when the
old barn was altered and enlarged, and
that he. as boy, enjoyed the fun land
danger of running about upon the frame
when the carpenters were at work
There was in town another Higlev whose
name was Elijah, determined by our family
historian to have been a cousin who had per
haps preceded Daniel year or two in his
arrival, but whose lands were in a distant
part of the town. He certainly must have
been engaged in developing his own prop
erty (Which appears 10 have consisted Of "a
mill privilege, and could have rendered lit
tie, If any, aid to Daniel. The latter, it is
futH sIt,.l. Il. al
must have literally hewed out his way
alone, with only the aid Of the members Of
his family. 1t Is also clear that he must
have gotten ahead slowly in subdung the
great forest. The naples and beeches which
he was compelled to wage war upon were
great trees, and many must have been the
heavy blows OF the ak required to lay them
low. Grand old trees of the forest as in an
other day and place they would be called, to
him they were the enemy to be extirpated
with steel and fire. But the work Of sub
DUNG was slow aud his grandchildren re
member the time when the woods were
still near the house, and how they were re
qulred to help IN widening the clearings.
1t was not till their day, of the third gener-
alton, that the farm could boast of sixty
acres of clear, smooth moving lands and
a hardly less number of acres of fine pas.
ture.
To build home in such a new land had
not only its drawbacks, but must have af-
forded at times some pleasant experiences.
True, from the time the settler plunged his
AK into the first great maple to the end of
ms labOrs which never came-n widening
his farm, 1t was a continual round Of hard
blows, of heavy, laborious work vet there
must have been a pleasure in seeing the
clearing enlarge, in beholding the fire as it
consumed the dry logs and stumps, and
left a smooth field with deep rich soil made
fertile by nature for increasing crops The
heavy outdoor work built up bone and
muscle, and strengthened the mind no less.
which was called upon TO plan the work
and keep the machine of the body sharply
at its task. The early apprehension of an
attack by the Indians, as the Indians al
ways failed to come, would daily grow
weaker. The wild animals were not to be
feared The chief Of them, the black bear
would withdraw at the approach of hu
man footsteps, and would only display his
vaior upon some sheepfold IN the night. In
the woods there were Astounding pleasures
for the boys. Foxes, raccoons, rabbits,
and partridges were plenty. Without
going off the farm. fine string of
trout could be taken. There would be the
periodical hunt organized from the neigh
borhocd for the pursuit of bears and wolves.
the hunters going back upon the mountains
and lighting rousing fire for the night.
With the girls and young women it must be
conceded that attractions were limited, as
when chance visitor came, or a neigh
Dor dropped in for the day with the latest
news But if tradition is to be trusted
the girl of the period" did not hesitate to
Join her brothers in their sports, and when
the neighborhood party was organized for
the mountain hunt, she was to be counted
in, and at the bush fire in the night she
cooked the fish and game which she had
helped her brothers catch and shoot.
To Lieut.. Higley and his family it must
have been happy moment when the last
trees had been felled which obstructed the
sunrise, and they could look away thirty
miles east to the beautiful blue hills. They
were restored again to their lost compan-
ionship of the wide world
Daniel Higley appears to have been a
man of strong, well-developed character.
The fact that he won his title is a proof
of this, One of his grandchildren who
lived with him to seven years of age, has
told the writer, that as remembered, he
was tall, -propOrtioned, fne-looking
man, having somewhat sober and reserved
manner. In particular it was recalled that
he sometimes sang for their amusement
showing that the voice which history re-
lates was employed TO cheer his Revolution.
airy comrades ON the march and in camp,
was fresh and vigorous to the last An
other grandchild who was twelve Years
old at his death, remembered him as tax
ing pleasure in the company of children
and as being kind and affectionate toward
herself. The records of the town of Marl-
borough show that from the first he was in
terested in town affairs, and was consider
ed worthy of public trust and honor. He
was placed upon an important town COM
mttee early as September, 1885, proba
bly, not more than a year Or two after he
became full resident of the town. After
that date till near the close of his life, his
name appears on the records almost every
year, showing his election TO some important
office. Particularly he appears to have
been connected with the management of
the schools, aud was elected year after year
as a school trustee, indicating that he was
man of scholarly habits. His frequent
election as highway surveyor proves his
reputation for sound, practical judgment
On September 7, 1880, he was chosen one
of a committee of seven TO "seat the new
meeting house, The early church records,
if there are any in existence, the writer
has been unable to find but there is moth
ing in the town records to indicate that he
held other than the prevailing views in re-
lgion. So far as appears he paid his church
rates with becoming equanimity, and did
, not, like some of his townsmen, seek to es-
cape from the performance of religious du-
ties by certifying upon the town records
that he held in religion other views than
the majority.
1t is believed that there are none of