The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-12-20

~ Cream Brush, who circulatedin great glory
uptO the timCof the massacre, and when he came
to Westminster was received with perfect
ovation, being Toasted from house to house, was
an uncOnsci0nablc rascal, such as usually APP
pears on the side of authority in troublous
times, He came to this country about lIb2 from
Ireland, where he had evidently had quite a
career being educated as lawyer and having
held a commission in the military service
There was quite a suspicion at the time that he
wa- not really married to the woman who &C
c0mpanied him, and afterwards SO signaliy
proved her devotion, and the mother of the nigh
spirited Fanny Buchanan. who afterwards Dc
came Ethan Aliens second wife. Brush first APP
pearednth this country at New York city,where he
was for several years assistant under the deputy
secretary of the province, and by this connection
obtained large land grants in this section, esti-
mated at 2j,e0O acres, and came to Westminster
IN l'I primarily to push the speculations to
which this fayoritism had given him the chance.
lie was In February, 70, appointed clerk OF
cumberland county, and it was charged that he
bought out Judge Chandlers son, who had be
lore had the appointments common practise
under British rule in those days and even later,
20 tha the charge is very probable one unless,
lhleeu. he got the Office by favortism. He
started the regular and excel ent record which
+ now IN the clerks room at Brattleboro, and IT
SHOWS nm to have been fine penman as well
a. an eliclent man generally. His house stood
a Ittle north of the meeting house, and was the
only one IN the town that faced the four cardi-
mdI points oi the compass. Here Brush ms
lth>td a lavish hospitality. and, being high
uef, became the center of the heightened and
arrogant oyalist society of all this section,
though the common people had come TO distrust
hln, In April -, within six months of his ar
INal on the Grants, he vas appointed surrogate
VI th' county, and also commissioner TO admin
Ext oaths Of civil office. lie was chosen with
lol; samuel Wells of Brattleboro. representative
10 New York colonial assembly, and became
iealtf ~ the advocacy of all ministerial meas
"g,, leading the opposition TO the patriotic
party, led by schuyler and Woodruff, and his
,peeeh, standing by the king'-which may be
t"tlhu IN the Phelps collection at the Brattle,
porO Free library-was really an able and
powerful effort ON that side of the case. 1t was
,,' w Mho male the report and got the bill passed
vwulawlng Ethan Allen and the other Green
mountain leaders,
Aier The Westminster massacre he is sup
Fostl 10 have gone to New York for while,
t 6;t IN inc fall he appeared at Boston, offered
~ seTNlCcs 10 ten, Gage ard was engaged TO
,eh0Ve goods from the buildings Gage wished
wtdhe Tor winter quarters. He improved the
"IPituhliy to the utmost to rob the people, ana
bbi'he'l snip with goods he had seized under
.s 'olhihlsslon for purposes of personal plumber
si, 1et sail for Halifax, but was taken when
Nv Uays out by an American cruiser under
1o.nlhonore Marley. lie was examined and
b o'TI"llteh to jail in Boston, which the British
a., 70. tleh evacuated, and kept under severe
uffatlneht Tor over ~ months until Nov. ., 'as,
"ueh ms wife came TO visit him and he made his
h "Pe ~ the time -honored device of DOMINIC
a., '4' dIpafel ana himself going out OF I1c
-, instead of her, when the visit closed. Inc
~" , vas not discovered until the next morning,
M men by means of relays of horses which
NJ, nav " provided, he had made good start for
nv; oik, and he succeeded in reaching the
in quarters in that city, where he presented
,jI ~ luilale claims for damages he had sufered
az ~; ine service of the King" But the character
III. ~ sttNlCe had come tn be pretty well under
Rr5,ii} dhn Lord Howe, then at the head of the
vrsr .sII estah shment with all his faults did not
In, Ut towards thieves, and Brush received little
,o.ltenpt at his hands So after living IN
h ~ ana neglect for several months, Brush,
p,o amy slilhs oi l179, blew out his brains one
m ''is IN an apartment house.
Il, ~ laiEe estate I'm Vermont was coniiscateu
in ~ gse ni the state, his name being included
M. ~ y specified by legislative act "a Tories.
n, NN"M ditcrwarl married Patrick Wall,
I,i,s s,il lalof, and they finally reiurnedto West
~ ~ and lived in the Brush house.
,lsptaic coming to this country. Brush leit
m sEG i'f by deceased wife in ireland, and Dy
~ i ~ He ieit her third of his estate, chleny
M. , i.ilr 10 coniiscated property. She bought
lied ~ tiis ol the other heirs, and having naf
rorr,i rl'eli's Norman in ireland, came 10 TINS
lrs,,sis - l.'I to try to recover Der father
h., ~ anu lid, little of il. She lived Win
ibev "us uand At Westminster until lsl4, when
Ist. moved to Caldwell, y. Y. at the foot OF
fIe SnSeerge She Is described as n ''wcman OF
xar suntIs, disnified department, AMI in every
- u hdulsnt 10 her sex"