Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-08-28
Fort Dummer.
IL Probably stood Until IssI---Other
Facts Anent Its History.

Facts Anent Its History.
Where so much has been so well said and
done about Fort Drummer more might
seem out of place; still a few additional
things may be mentioned perhaps with
propriety. No one has told how long the
fort stood, and probably no one can tell
exactly. 1t appears to have been standing
in 1910, for deed of part of the land of
Col. Hunt dated April 10 in that year
bounds it, "beginning at the foot of the hill
at the lane west of Fort Dummer." This
was at the cascade, and the lane came
across the north end of where Col. Hunts
garden is, and went up the hill on the
south side of the brook. 1t was the scout
path to the fort at Colrain. William King
was surveyor of it as highway in I'LL
from the Country road to Dummer," and
to Guilford.
The fort probably was not standing in
1772 for in a deed of the land where that
! garden is, dated May 9 in that year, the
lane is described as "leading from the
main road to Connecticut river" instead
of to the fort. The main road, sometimes
called the country road, then came along
under where Col. Hunts buildings are and
on the west side of where the garden is.
The lane crossed it near the northwest cor
there. In petition dated Jan. 2, 1886,
James Hubbard, who lived just on the
east side, asked the legislature of New
Hampshire for the grant of a ferry, lover
| Connecticut river against where the Fort
called Drummer formerly STOOD" it was
granted in June after. The driveway
down to this ferry is there now, and is
against where Mr.. Hines has located the
! fort
In deed dated Feb. 10, 1856, the de-
scription reads: beginning at the Old
| Well on the Bank of the River where the
Old Fort Drummer stood" These express
sions show that the fort had been down
some time before 1856, and that probably
it was taken down in III. 1t was built
in the spring of 1924 of timber cut there,
hewn square and laid up. In 1881 barn
was moved there, and a piece of square
timber was noticed which Ebenezer Howe,
SEN, of Vernon, who could well remember
about it, said was one VI the tim
bers of the fort. Canes were made of
! it, some of which are in existence, and
one is owned by Mr.. Hines now. In the
charter of the town, granted Dec. 26, 1888,
there was reserved to his majesty, King
George H., besides pine trees for masts,
"Also his fort Dummer IL a Tract of fifty
|
twenty-five rods south Il twenty-five rods
North of said Fort" The state of Yer
mont succeeded to this title, and would be
entitled to this tract now, but for the right
gained to it by possession. 1t is held I'M
der Capt Nathan Willard, the last COM
mander of the fort; and the title acquired
by the occupancy of him and those under
him is unquestonably good
Some may have noticed the lone grave
stone on the little knoll west of this gar
den, and perhaps have tried, and been un
able, to make out the inscription. 1t reads,
as deciphered some time ago;
Here lies inferred
Susan wife to Lieut.
Wilder Willard
| who died Nov
20, 1868 in We 2Sth
| year of her age.
| Her grave is not there, but over beyond
the northeast corner of the garden A
farmer plowed up the stone and threw it
away many years ago; another, with more
reverence, set it where it stands. The hus-
band had been an officer at the fort. The
burying place for the fort was over the riv-
er, in sight, northeast of the present Hins
dale road.
The scouting party mentioned in the eX-
cellent address of DR.. Walker, as attacked
at Londonderry or Jamaica, consisted of
Is men, and started from Mortified under
Capt. Eleazer Melvin. He was attacked
May 81, 174S just at the salmon hole just
above Jamaica depot. He lost his sundial
compass in the skirmish; it was found
there in 1884, and is now here in working
order after lying there about 1876 years. Ser
geant Petty was left at a spring west of the
bridge and north of the road leading to
Jamaica village, and told by his compan-
ions to live if he could till they could re
turn with help from Fort Dummer. On
returning they could not find him. But
few days later Lieut.. Hunt, with u men
from Mortified, where he left widow and
children, went on horseback to search for
him and found him dead a little way up
the small brook northwest of Jamica vii
lage. The dead were buried by Ball
Mountain brook near the river, and their
names were all on a spruce tree which
stood till after the first settlers came.
|