Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-07-29
John I<ilburn, The Pioneer.

burn Fight Against the Indians In
1858.
The query is often made, by those who
have lived here but a short time, From
whence comes the word "Kilburn," the
name of the noble mountain across the riv-
err and the frequent use of it as "NIount
Kilhurn Wheel club" "Mount Kilburn
Steamer company" "Mount Kilburn Mis-
sonary Society" the "John Kiburn Col
ony of Pilgrim Fathers" and numerous
other similar uses of the name Also the
question is often asked by new corners,
"Wbat is the origin Of the word "Aben
aqui,' from which the "Abenaqui Hose
company "Abenaqui Paper company"
"Abenaqui Chapter of Royal Arch Masons,
and other names are derived, which seem
entirely local in their use.
The latter name comes from Abenaquis
the Indian name for pines, which was the
name of the most prominent of the three
Indian tribes found 10y the French in the
great basin of the St Lawrence river when
they began settlements in that region.
Tradition says that long before the white
man came to this vicinity, there was
| large Indian village of wigwams extend
ing from the south end of Mount kiburn,
where the Fitchburg station of Cold River
|
and that it'was "A sub tribe of the great
| Abeuaquis, or Algonquins.
From time immemorial the "Great Falls
had been the best fishing ground in all New
England, and this tribe were here because
of the ease with which food of this nature
could be procured. Shad and salmon were
the most plentiful here, at certain seasons
of the year, of any place known. The
salmon went above here each year, but the
shad never were able to get over the falls
and would accumulate at a certain season
Of the year in immense quantities in the
Great Eddy that was just below the
"Great Falls" as they were called, The
poisoning Of the shad tree was the signal
for all the Indians for many miles around
to gather about the falls for the purpose
of salmon and shad fishing.
The oldest inhabitants of the village at
the present time talk of their parents and
grandparents telling them that at that sea-
son of the year the surface of the water in
the eddy would be perfectly alive and
black with shad, so muc1 so that 1t often
seemed as if man might walk across upon
the backs of the fish, and they could be
readily caught and thrown out of the water
in large quantities with the hands This,
even, within the past 100 years. 1t was a
very profitable industry for the inhabitants
to gather the fish, and ship them down the
river by boats to the markets, after the
boating was established by regular lines
as was described by The Phoenix in its is
sue of June 18th. The salmon were a more
gamey fish and were taken by both the In
dams and early settlers by means of spear:
as they passed up the narrow places undel
where the bridges now are.
The Abenaquis Indians used frequently
to return here after they were driven away
by the early settlers, and committed many
acts of murderous natures they being {
very savage and vicious tribe In the mar
row defle between Mount Kilburn and thu
river was the Indian path over which they
used to travel from Canada to the white
settlements below on their maraIding eX
To- petitions. An early account of the life o
the Indians in this vicinity says, "Imagina
ton can see them now, perched upon tn
rocks, spearing the twenty-pound salmon
1 or scooping with their nets multitudes 0
shad, or, perhaps, crossing and recrossin
in their bark canoes the basin below, Will
the old squaw was doing the drudger
about the huts, the papoose, half naked
wallowing in the filth, and the dusky maid
:, en- lettering about in the shade of the state
u ly elms, stringing her ornaments and wan
T. pun. Twas here, it may be, they hel
u their orgies and concocted their hells
% designs on the white settlers"
! Under such circumstances it seems a
? most incredible that any one could hav
the courage, hardihood, or even temerit
to plant himself in a bowling wilderness
far removed from any friendly habitatio
and nearly in the jaws of hostile Indian
but in the year 1149 John kilburn is foun
with Ruth, his wife, Mehitable, his daugl
III l;x-;, ha
a first white ttler, in a small log hut aboJ
II quarter of a mile south of Cold Rive
station. The exact site of his cabin is no
marked by a tablet on the east side of I'll
river road leading to Walpole, near tn
d residence of Mr.. Rawson, the stage driver
a John Kilburn had received from til
|, state of New York charter of all til
l land which later became the town of Wa
+ pole, and for some years held undispute
IS title, but in 1862 Col Benjamin Below
Y and g. others received a charter to tn
s. same lands from Governor Benning Wen
e worth of New Hampshire, which charte
IT was in 1861 signed by King George the III
a it being in the first year of his reign. Thu
! kilburn, the first settler, also held title
n the whole town, which was later super
V seeded, in the controversy between Ne'
d York and New Hampshire by the govern
ment Wnlcn gained the uaN IN une cOntr(
versy. Kilburn gave up his land very re
luctantly to Bellows and his companions
: and the town was many years called "Be
o lowstown," Kiburn still residing there
4 The records of the town show that he ofte
g held various offices of trust in the vicinity
in later years.
J. When Kilburn first moved into his 10
o cabin he built a palisade around it an
:. made what further provision he could fo
4 the protection of his family.
# He often sought to live on friendly tern
q with the Indians, who rejected all ovei
lures for peace and studiously avoide
him. Kiburn had lived in this place tw
, or three years before Col. Bellows came
settle, and during this time he was nj
u only exposed to the inclemency of sever
Il storms in his rude hut, and to all the hare
/ ships and trials incidental to frontier lif
but was living in constant fear of attacl
1t 1t is said that during the day he neve
10 dared to go further than few rods frol
l. his cabin without his gun. At night I'll
e, ground was his bed, with a bearskin fC
: covering and powder box for his pillow
Many times during his absence the Indiar
n are said to have visited his home and
is have stolen all that could be carried away
e Between 1851 and 1853 a company of II
,. dams came down the river and lande
g above the falls. They invited Kilburn
" trade with them, and for time peace an