Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-08-07

head stone marks her grave, but none stands
at his. His son, Josiah, who lived at Win
chester, was at once put in command Of the
fort and his son Nathan made second in
command Oliver Willard cleared and
fenced in the meadow on which the fort
stood from the river to the foot Of the bank
on the west side.
In the charter OF Brattleboro by Gov.
Benning Wentworth under King George II
December 20, 1853, His Majesty's Fort
Drummer and a Tract Of Land fifty rods
round it, viz. 80 rods West twenty five rods
South & twenty five North Of said Fort"
were reserved. The rest of the meadow as
cleared and fenced by Willard was granted
to him for his share. The garrison at the
fort was reduced to eight men, 10 FIVE, and
TO three. In 1854 it was increased to eight
and September 10, placed under command
Of Nathan Willard as sergeant. Another
French war came on in 1865, and the gar
rison was increased TO nine under him as
captain. Oliver Willard, Wilder Willard
and William Willard were among them.
The troops were dismissed from all the 9th
er forts in 1859, hostilities closed and this
ceased 10 be military post in 1860
Capt. Willard, the last in command, APP
pears TO have got the land about the reser-
walton for the fort and to have been left
in possession of the whole. Nathaniel
French, father Of William French, killed
at the court house in Westminster, lived in
the fort and this son with him in 1869.
he moved to the French place by the
Dummerston line the next year. From
the description in deed the fort appears
TO have been standing in 1872. Probably
it did not remain long after that. James
Hubbard, who lived opposite, Jan. 2, 1856,
petitioned the New Hampshire Legislature
for ferry lover Connecticut river against
where the Fort called Drummer formerly
| Stood" house was built on its ground
where the present house is. The travel
/ from the east side of the river came past
| there over the place Of this ferry before and
/ over the ferry after it was granted in June,
| 1886, till the bridge at Brattleboro village
was built in 1904; and a tavern was kept
there. Some of the timber of the fort re-
NAMED and was used about the buildings
/ till 1881.
OF the commanders, Lieut. Dwight, the
first, returned TO Northampton and became
| judge of probate and a land surveyor.
Capt. Joseph Kellogg, the longest, was
mostly afterwards engaged as an Indian
interpreter. He died in 1856 at Science
tady on his way TO Oswego with General
Shirley. He was said TO be the best inter-
prefer New England ever had. Col Jo-
siah Willard, senior, next longest, was a
principal proprietor of No. l on the west
side of the river, now Westminster, and an
owner in other towns about here. He
bought James johnson, an active boy, at
the wharf in Boston, who married Abigail
Willard, relative, of No. 4, afterwards
and now Charlestown, n. II. They were
the parents of Captive johnson, born Au-
gust 81, 1854, in now Reading on a jour
ney in captivity by Indians to Canada.
Col. Josiah Willard, jr., was born in 17l6,
left Ashuelot and settled in Winchester in
l749; and was large owner in Brattleboro
under the New Hampshire charter. He
married Thankful, a daughter of Sergeant
Thomas Taylor, whose captivity is COM
memorated by the monument at North
Hinsdale. In the Worcester magazine this
was printed of him: winchester, Novem-
Der 10Th, 1886. This day departed this life
in sure hope of a glorious immortality in
the seventy second year of his age, to the
great loss of his family and friends as well
as the public in general Josiah Willard
Esq. an affectionate husband, a tender
parent, faithful friend, generous bene-
factor" In his will we're these clauses:
Item. II is my will that my Negro wench named
Nancy be free at my decease, and il she
should stand in need OF support that she
be maintained out of my estate.
Item. 1t is my will that my Negro Man Jacob be
free at my Death and the Death of my
wife, which shall last happen"
Capt. Nathan Willard the last had three
sons, Nathan, Benjamin and Allin, and
five daughters, Lucy, Abigail, Olive, Re
lief and Lois. Nathan married Submit
Phips, taken prisoner TO Canada in 1875
when nine years old, with her mother, Je-
NINA Howe, who went back to Canada
alone and brought her to the Howe place
in Vernon. He and his wife, this son and
his wife, and some others of his children,
are buried in that old cemetery. This in
scription is on his grave stone;
NATHAN WILLARD Esq,
Departed this life
March 18th 1874 in We
Goth year of his age
Tho death mighty victor stands,
And 10th to yield his prey,
Yet by the power Of Gods command
Resstless, must obey.
Tho in the grave my body lies,
Slain by Death & fatal wound
The wished for hour with speed draws higher,
That frees me from the ground.
OF the soldiers at the fort many of the