Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-11-05
DUMMERSTON HISTORY.
The Towns Part in the West
minister Fight, March 13, 1875.

Events which Preceded and Led TO the
Court House "Msssscre"---AleIan
Nathan, Prominent DummeTston
Citizen, I'm the FiRht---His Gun, Now
in the Possession of a Defendant in
Dummerston, Did Not Contain Ball
more Friendly to the King Than TO |
the Congress-" as Tradition CiHims---
DR.. solomon Harvey, the "Nillsge
Hampdenv OF Dummerston.
When a court was established at Chester !
in 1870 for Cumberland county, now Wind
sor and Windh9m counties, the location
Of the county seat at that place and the
men appointed to off by the govern
ment OF New York caused much dissatis-
faction among the citizens Of the county.
Charges Of bribery and corruption were
made and resistance was offered on the
ground that the establishment Of the cOun-
~ was q sham and not a reality.
Col. Nathan Stone Of Windsor acted a
prominent part in this resistance and was
the leader Of "a mob comprising about 30
persons armed with guns, swords, pistols
and clubs" which forcibly prevented the
high sheriff, Daniel Whipple, from rear
resting Joseph Wait who had been in Gus
tody a short time previously. These
rio ersn appeared at the court house in
noisv and tumultuOus manner, Col. stone
being armed with a sword, Wait with
dagger, and the remainder Of the "motley
crew with large slaves and clubs"
The court was opened in the usual man
ner by the officers aud judges. The riot
ers then entered the court house in regular
ORDER bearing their weapons and with
their hats on, formed in regular body
facing the court. Col. Stone with drawn
sword. and Joseph Wait with drawn dag
ger, advanced TO the table in from, of the
Judges seat. The colonel, addressing the
judges, demanded, sin behalf Of the pub
lie, what business they had to sit there
as a court, and this demand was clamOr-
ously seconded by his followers. The
court was completely cOwed by these ''un-
whipped rogues,n as the sheriff was pow
erless before such resolute and war-like
company The judges were finally COM
PEELED 70 adjourn the court to the follow
ing day. in order to prevent any act Of viO-
lence in open court. The rioters exulted
over their success and said, we have now
broken up the court: if we thought we
had not effected it We would 60 back and
bring away one of the judges" Their ac-
ton was condemned as high-handed out
rage upon the civil authority Of the county.
Not a word has been written about these
men being patriots or the court party be-
ing tories. Their riotous proceedings had
aroused the whole community, who felt
that such proceedings could no longer be
endured. A paper was circulated extern
siyely in the county, abiding to the late
attempt TO obstruct the court, and was
,aJ l,t-l 90, rrIf 1isar,prfx-aI IF
such disorderly conduct. The courts Of
Chester were not again molested, although
riot occurred in Putney Jan. -, 1712,
during which the enraged citizens threat
ened to 90 to Chester, pull down ye jail
and release the prisoners"
Judge Wells d Brattleboro and others
favored the removal Of the county seat to
that town, but the supervisors. chosen for
that purpose by the towns Of Cumberland
county, selected Westminster. and that
place became the shire town in June, 1872.
A convention of delegates was held at
Westminster Oct. 10, IVA in which the
towns in the county were very generally
represented In the resolutions adopted
on that occasion are these words: I'VE
will bear testimony against, and discour-
age all riOtous, tumultuOus and unnecessa-
ry mobs, which tend TO injure the persons
or properties of harmless individuals" A
second convention was held at Westmin-
ster Nov. 80, IVA, in which the delegates
from Dummerston were Solomon Harvey,
Ebenezer Haven and Hosea Miller. a
third convention was holden at Westmin-
ster Feb. 7, 1873, and II towns were rep
resented, including Dummerston, whose
delegates were Solomon Harvey and Rich
ard Kelley. The proceedings at these con-
ventions indicated loyalty TO the British
government, although the delegates at the
last con vention we're friendly 10 the cause
of independence in the different colonies.
Probably two-thirds of the voters in the
county at that time favored the jurisdic-
ton Of New York. Even so late as Au-
gust, 177S, when a vote was taken TO as
certain the views Of the citizens in the
eastern and southern part Of the county,
II towns, including Brattleboro, Dunn
merston, Putney and Westminster voted
On this question Of jurisdiction. There
were $50 voters who supported New York,
$40 who supported the state of Vermont,
and lSj who were neutral in opinion.
The first interruption of the courts OF
New York occurred at Westminster March
-, l77j, and is known as the "Westmin-
ster massacre" The citizens of Dunn.
merston who took an active part in stop
ping the court included DR.. Solomon HaI,
vey, Joseph Temple, John Hooker, iona
than knight and Daniel Houghton, who
was MORALLY wounded in the fight. The
company from Brattleboro, including VIM
French, while on their way to Westmin,
ster, stopped for short time at Ebenezel
Ravens in Dummerston. They boosted
with acclaiming cheers that they were 60
ing up TO Westminster to prevent the cour
party from taking their seats. Alexander
Kathan, Esq, prominent citizen of the
town, resided near Mr.. Haven's place. Al
soon as he learned what was the intention
of the company from Brattleboro he shoul
dered his long gun, marched TO Westmin
ster and joined the defenders of the cour
party. The proceedings in stopping thu
court for a time at Chester by the com
pany of men led By Col. Stone, were, NJ
doubt, still fresh in his memory; also tn,
resolutions adopted by the delegates from
Dummerston and other towns in conven
ton at Westminster Oct. 10, 1774, il
which it was stated that they would dis
courage "all riotOus, tumultuous and un
necessary mobs."
The events at Westminster on the 1871
of March resulted in bloodshed and loss o
life and caused general disposition amonl
the inhabitants of the county to resist tn
government Of New York. Committee
were chosen to meet at Westminster Apri
IL, 1775, the delegates from Dummerstol
being Solomon Harvey, Ebenezer Haven
Cornelius Jones and William NeOus The