Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-05-15

al Made choice Of Deacon Jacob Spauldng &
Mr. Ebenezer Fisher for tything Men
'i9 Made choice Of Capt Oliver Cook for their
Horse Brander
"I3 Made choice of Mr., William Harris for
Sealer Of Measures
IA Made choice of Deacon Wilder Mr. Francis
Prouty MIR. John Dickerman, Mr. Samuel Mixer *
Mr. Asa Putnam for their Surveyors
rs Made choice Of Samuel Wells Esqr & Capt
Samuel Warmer for their Representatives to the
Assembly of Vermont
10 Made choice of Colo John Sergeant to go to
Putncy TO carry the votes taken in this Town at
our Election and there to assist in sorting and
counting the same, and was sworn to faithful
discharge of the trust reposed in him
per STEpAEN GREENLEAF Town Clerk"
Thus Brattleboro became organized as
a town under the state of Vermont; it has
ever since remained such.
The representatives elected did not take
their seats, probably because of their adj
herence to New York. "Col. John Sar-
geant and Saml Knight Esquire" were
afterwards elected, and attended.
The laws of Vermont required every town
to have "a good pair of stocks, with lock
and key, sufficient to hold and secure such
offenders as shall be sentenced to sit there
in, to be set in the most public place; and
in the same place a sign post, on which,
"all notifications warrants &c for meeting
&c shall be set up" At meeting Septem-
Der IA, 1871, the town, in compliance with
this law of Vermont:
Voted to build pair of stocks and sign post
Voted to sett the sign post near the Meeting
house
Voted to fit the stocks into the sign post"
The Westinghouse was on a common
south and southwest of the cemetery on top
of the hill north of Centreville. The sign
post and stocks were probably placed on the
same common.
Changing the town from under New York
to under Vermont did not subdue nor quiet
all the adherents of New York Timothy
Church, who lived north of the meeting
house, was appointed Lieut. Col. Com
mandant" Of the southern regiment of
militia as arranged under New York, and
was foremost in this opposition at Brattle-
boro. Stringent laws were enacted against
hindering the authority and officers of Yer
mont, and power was given to the governor
as captain general to raise men to assist
sheritfs when necessary.
An execution against the body of Col.
Church was issued on judgment rendered
by John Bridgman, Esq, "A Vermont Justice,
in favor of Gershom Orvis, and put into
the hands of Jonathan Hunt, Singh sheriff,
to be served. Church denied the authori-
ty of the Vermont authorities and resisted
being taken the sheriff commanded by
ISLANDERS to assist him, but they assisted
Church and prevented his arrest.
Other similar transactions took place so
frequently, as to demand attention of the
Vermont authorities BY direction of the
governor Brig. Gen. Ethan Allen raised
two hundred and fifty mounted men from
the regiments of Coils. Walbridge and Ira
Allen on the west side of the mountains.
and came with them to Marlboro September
8, 1882. They were re-enforccd there by
Capt Duncan of Dummerston with eighty
three men; Capt. Wheeler of Wilmington
with forty-siX; Capt. Warren of Marlboro
with twenty-seven; Lieut.. Moor of Cum
berland, now Nottingham, with twenty:
and another officer with twenty, from the
brigade of Gen. Samuel Fletcher, and regi-
ment of Col Stephen r. Bradley and Lieut..
Col. Charles Kathan who were present in
command in person.
Detachments were sent to Halifax and
Guiford, the rest proceeded to Brattleboro
with prisoners from Marlboro and arrested
Col. Church. The detachments from Hal
flax and Guilford came to Brattleboro the
same evening with prisoners They en-
camped at the inn of Josiah Arms, which
stood where the asylum farmhouse now
stands. The detachment of Gen. Allen
was fired upon when leaving Guilford.
whereupon he returned and made procla-
nation that he would give no quarter to
man, woman or child who should oppose
him, and that unless the inhabitants of Gull
ford should peaceably submit to the author
ity of Vermont he would lay it as desolate
as Sodom and Gomorrah. He was not
further molestcd in going to Brattleboro.
On the 10th he gave orders to kill with
ont quarter any one who should fire on his
men, and marched them with the prisoners
to Westminster. On the 18th several of
the prisoners were tried by jury for treason
to the state before the superior court then
in session, and convicted, among them,
Col. Church. He with three others was
sentenced to be taken back to the common
gaol of this county, there to remain in close
imprisonment till the 4th day of October
next; and that they be then taken by the
sheriff of the said county from the said
common goal and carried without the limits
of this state, and that they be then and
there banished from this state not to return
thereto on penalty of death; and that all
their goods, chattels and estates be con-
demned seized and sold as forfeited to the
use of the state" The sentence was car
ried into execution, and on the 4th of De-
tober they were taken from Westminster
Jail to the line of the state at the river
next to Walpole and there banished by the
sheriff according to the terms of the SEN
tence.
Emboldened by the further encourage
ment of the governor of New York, Col.
Church returned to his home in Brattleboro
on the 18th of December, was seized by
military force on the 22d and taken to
Westminster Jail, and on the next day
carried to Bennington Jail, from which he
was released May II, 1888, on pardon by act
of the assembly for his submission 70 tI,o