Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-07-11
rME PInNEER sErTLERs

Inc early settlers ot llnlngtOn en-
countered the trials aud hardships INSOFAR
able from the frontier life of the day The,
lived IN log houses erected temporary shel
ter for their stock, aud we're subject to the
raVages of wild beasts aud Of the elements
As "a general thing they came from MasSa
chusetts aud Connecticut, either alone or
accompanied 10y their little families. max
lmg their way through the forest on foot or
on horseback, or possibly bringing their
earthly etfects IN rude GA wagons The
names ui the seven heads Of famalies'
who. lived N the town ia | 1Giare not know Ii,
nor who was the pioneer settler Elijah
Alvold, Irphaniah Swift, Samuel Darby
Asa Davis, EheneLer Davis, John Davis 3d
Nathan Davis, Micah Griffith, Leonard
Mayo, Joseph Marks, Thomas CrowfOot,
Jonathan Raynes, Chapman Swift aud Da
vld Davis we're the "A heads of families at
the census of l11l. Phineas Smith, the
great grandfather Of the Rev Origin Smith,
bought of Zephaniah Swift, March 5, l7,l
Tor Twelve shlllings of lawful money of
New England 200 acres Of land, and With
his son, Medad Smith, at once moved there
ON. They came from South iadley, Mass
IL Is recorded IN the papers of the Rev. Or
lgln smith, now in the possession of his
son, |. o. p. smith of Brattleboro, that
The first pig that Phineas and his son Me
dad raised, when nearly fat for the slaugh
ter, was killed by a bear. The next morn
ing the bear was shot, so they had pig and
bear meat To eat When Medad Smith
came to Wilmington from Coleraine, Mass
boy of IS, lie made his way by blazed
trees and carried on his back bushel Of
corn meal and five pail iron kettle.
One of the characters of his time must
have been one Samuel Ely, who came to
Vermont from Conway, Mass He was "a
bold but rash and impetuous man, who
fought in the battle of Bennington without
being connected with any company or regi
ment, and appears to have been general
ly restless and uneasy sort Of fellow, for
he got himself arrested in l1S2 for sedi
tious language used against the state of
Vermont In the course of long indict
ment against him it is alleged that this
Samuel Ely did at divers times with loud
voice declare these false malicious, sed
tious aud opprobrious English words, fol
lowing That is 10 say The state of Yer
mont is damned state and the act for the
purpose Of raising ten shillings upon every
100 acres of land is a cursed act, and they
that make it are a cursed body of men
And that in further prosecution Of his NAL
ice he did then aud there publically declare
that the general or supreme court afore-
said we're pack of villains, aud that if no
other person would undertake to Overturn
or destroy the government of Vermont he
would do it, etc Several witnesses from
Wilmington testified against him when he
was tried in court in Marlboro lie was
convicted and sentenced To banishment
from the state for perind Of IL months
Certain documentary evidence, discovered
by Col Hasklns, makes it appear that Sam
uel Ely came to Wilmington as preacher
of the gospel IL is 10 him that Xephauiah
Swift made conveyance of certain lands
ON Bravrr brouk for the great aud good
design Of encouraging the selling of the
gospel" 1t was condition of the sale
that the grantee should allow one acre and
a half uf the land for meeting house and
burial place. The question arises ia this
connection whether Ely may not have been
the very person whom Thompson describes
in his story Of the Rangers Daughter" as
praying and fighting on his own hook at the
battle of Bennington,
Notes we're given by the speaker Of the
heads of the several well known early fam
lilies, aluung them Stephen Foster, Aduah
Baugs, Israel lawtnm, Jonathan Childs,
Capt. Josiah Lock. Jonathan Hastings,
Harlwick, Mass Jonathan Childs was
the father of the late Maj AdnA Bangs
Childs aud the progenitor Of the well
known family of that name hut Of his
numerous descendants Mrs. C. T. Alvord
and A, Lyman Childs are the only ones
now living in Wilmington.
THE FIRST MINISTER AND MEETING HOUSE.
The first town meeting Of which there is
record was held Jan ~, l77S, at the
house Of Elijah Alvord, when William Mel
len was chosen moderator. At meeting
held May TO- 1880, it was voted to ask the
Rev. Winslow Packard 10 preach on proba
tion, aud Aug 81, 1880, it was voted ito
give Mr.. Packard a call to the work of the
gospel ministry in this place, He was to
be given for his settlement flOO, payable
in beef, wheat, "rie," etc, at stipulated
prices, and his salary was to be ESQ year,
increasing f5 yearly, until it comes to be
f05 year" Mr. Packard was the first set
tied minister of the town, and remained four
years, although the Rev. Jonathan Smith