Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-11-03
THE STEARNS FAMILY IN VERMONT
some Items From tho Family Genealogy.
Il, IL, III. .,r Of III, L,,.nn Hrass.

To the Editor of the Free Press:
Major F1ngbovu. AT a reunion of YER
noon,ers at brooklyn last winter. said that
IN no other locality had the old Puritan
stock maintained is principles and purity
OF blood NOR, than in Vermont Tho
S,earuS family has PURITAN ancestors who
came over sea with Gov. Winthrop and
SIR Richard SallonstaN in 1867. Some OF
their descendants located in Addison
county, VI, when by act Of the Lesisa-
ture, Oct. IL l7>S. the county embraced
the territory to the north line of the
state. Early in the present century Lieut..
Pc;-r Stearus removed from Plymouth,
y. IL, TO Hiucsburgh, VT, near the north
line ~ Nunkton. he afterward removed
tc Sh,lburne. 10 reside with his daughter.
Mis-. Hannah Symorts. At his death h.
Was buried near the old Gage meeting
house in South Burlington. HIS commits
son, signed by Gen. Washington, as leu
tenant in the Revolution, was careless, y
burned with other papers. grandson, :.
Drllpc: Symoads, was n distinguished
preacher OF Mcihodisn; member OF the
Troy conference at It's inception, and at
forwards OF the Michigan conference He
was appointed by the general conference
miss. on1ry ~ California, Rev. W, IL
Daniels, in his history OF Mcthodism. says
OF Mir SymuniS ANA has associates: 1t
WAS a glorious opportunity for men who
Were equal to it. Weak men would have
gone Gown at once and forever In these
sCrS.ng rapids. God selected three ! o-
nvcrs himself and He makes no mistakes.
They Mere men NJ TO found States and
enpircS-men who could stand steady IN
the widest torrents Of speculation, hold
.nE their faith ana their mission NJ more
value tnan al the sold in the placers and
gulC&vS, They Numbered the law and
shouted the gospel into the ears Of the
hurryinE crowds, invaded the gambling
heilS and preached lesUs and IN" rcsur-
rcction 10 gangs ~ halt-,rdxcd cutthroSis
and 9dVvn,urcrS. set up a Christian news
paper, tn, California Christian Advocate,
and made it the organ OF liberty, educa-
ton, Righteousness ana orthodoxy. hunt
ell baCbHr.Sm out III its saudy palaces and
drove IL into GCus and caves, fairly
wrvnchrl these golden shores from the
grasp If Nhcrt!niSm and atheism and gay,
il over 10 the hands OF men whose con-
sciences they had at last succeeded IN
waking up"
Mr.. Symonds he'd the first Method :,
camp meeting in California. tie was !
de'csaio 20 the general conference hvl,
At Chicago in the fiues, where ne pre-
scented striking appearance. lie now re
sides Al san Francisco, an oCtog' marian
Lieut.. Peter Slearns's second vii
was judith Bartlett Of Hebron, y
II, Her eldest daughter, judith
married Caleb Harding of Wiliamstown
VI, and they located in the southeas
part Of Charlotte Their eldes, sun, Dor
an Bartlett, Was a gifted young man
member Of Troy conference, pioneer Of
Ncthodlsm, and one of its martyrs. Ill
continued his labors and studies till h,
SuCCumbeJ 10 an incurablc disease. II,
lies in his grave near his boyhood home
Hero Ne was consigned 10 his grave am,
d. 49,. H. .nasn nH.a. -
grieVcd like those at the grave u
"Eccrdy Howe" Al Dy2mtochty, His cou
sins son ana his namesake, poran Hard
ing St,SrnS, resided with his parents a
bristol, ". lie received an academic edu
cation. enlisted in II, al the aSc of - il
80, + OF Brrian's sharp shooters; and re
manned with his regiment till May, ~
when he Was captured by the rebels, tax
en- 10 AndersonVille, paro,cd and arrive
Al Annapolis III the November following
He now resides at Portland, oregon. Whe,
Gen. Grant visited that city in his tou
around the world, II. II. Stoarns was pos
commander of the q, \, II, and welcome
his general, who had been welcomed am
Toasted ~ crowned heads, Speaking he
fore the Sons OF tho Revolution OF the cit
~ Portland, l. II. Stearus, about 81
years ago, uttered the astounding propheo
that the flag his great grand sire defend
ed and THAI he followed TO victory in IN
civil war, would float over the isles OF tn
Pacific. lie has lived 10 see this prediC
ton verified and his II years old son de
parted ioc the Philippines with com
mission in the signal corps, With talen,
Of a hish order this young shoot OF Pur
tan stock will up hold the principles q
his native land and aid in securing IN
advantages Of commerce with these ia
away isles mat Dewey Won at Manila,
|, South Lincoln, VT, oct, 1898 5, S. s.