Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-02-03
DummerstOn History.

Members of the Melvin Family Among
Early Settlers---ReIatIves of Capt. DR-
vId Melvin and His Brother, Capt.
EIeaIer Melvin, who Lost His sand
Dial Compass i'm "A Fight with the In
dians at Jamaica, May 81, I74S.
In the "reminiscences by Judge II. II.
Wheeler, read by him at a service held on
cold Newfane Hill" Sunday, Aug. 81,
1898, reference is made to Capt Eleazer
Melvin, who lost his sand dial compass in
a battle fought with the Indians at ia
maica, May 81, 17IS. 1t served the pur-
pose of a watch as well as a compass. 1t
was found May p, 1884, having lain in the
ground 1876 years, und is now in the pos
session of Judge Wheeler. When we read
Judge Wheeler's address, it occurred to
the writer that possibly Susanna Melvin,
the wife of Samuel Laughton, who settled
in Dummerston before ITO was near
relative Of Capt. Melvin. The Melvin
family is first heard of in Charlestown,
Mass, in 1854. John, aged rs, married
Hannah Lewis, who was the mother of
Capt. David Melvin. She died and her
husband, John Melvin, married, second,
Margaret Shanesberg and moved to Con-
cord, Mass, where Capt. Eleazer was born
June %, 1908 Both these brothers, Da-
vid and Eleazer, served in the famous
"Lovewell fight" with the Indians at
Fryeburg, Maine, April 16, 1925. The
battle was fought on the margin of Love-
wells pond in the town of Fryeburg, and
the company of 80 English were under the
command of Capt. John Lovewell, some
times spelled Lowell. At the first fire,
Capt. Lovewell was killed with nine of his
men. Two men were MORALLY wounded.
Eight others were wounded more or less
severely. There were but u men unwound.
ed at the close of the battle. Penhallow, in
his History of the Indian Wars, represents
the number of Indians engaged in this con.
flict at 20. OF these he says 40 were killed
outright and Is were MORALLY wounded
and soon died.
The following incident of the famous
fight will interest many readers: During
the engagement, the combatants often con-
versed with ach other, from behind their
ramparts, separated by only few yards.
They called each other by name, and
talked in almost friendly terms, as the In
dams were well acquainted with Capt.
Lovewel and most of his men. John
Chamberlain was very bold magnani-
nous man of large stature. His gun had
become, by repeated firing, too foul for
use. He stepped down to the water to
wash it out. Just at that moment, Pau
gus, the Pegwacket chief, who was also a
man of herculean size, jumped down the
bank of the pond to wash out his gun.
They were at the distance of but few
yards from each other. They were well
acquainted, and had formerly met as
friends. Paugus could speak English.
The contest now was to see who would
get his gun first in order. AS Paugus
rammed down the bullet, he said to his
old friend, 81 shall now very quick kill
you" perhaps not" said Chamber
lain, as he struck the butt of his gun on
the ground, causing it to prime itself.
There was an instantaneous fash, fol-
lowed by a report, and the Indian chief
fell dead
Capt David Melvin was captain of Com
pany 3, 4th Massachusetts regiment, at
the siege of Louisburg, a seaport of Cape
Breton, one of the strongest fortified
places in America, which was taken from
the French by the English in 1745, where
he received wounds from which he died in
Concord, Nov. q, 1745. He was the
father of Susanna Melvin, who married
Samuel Laughton of Dummerston, and
was grandfather of Hannah Melvin, who
married James Laughton, son of Samuel
and Susanna Laughton. David Laughton,
brother of James, married Nov. 20,
1881, LIST, Mary, daughter of Capt. Leon
ard Spaulding of Dummerston. She died
May II, 1882, aged 21 years. He married,
I'd, about 1884, Ruth Melvin of Mortified,
Mass. Amos Laughton, another brother
of James, married Lucy Melvin of North
field, Mass. Ruth and Lucy Melvin were
cousins of their husbands.
Capt. Eleazer Melvin, who was in the
Indian fight at Jamaica, May 81, 174S,
was the commander of the scouting party
of rangers at Fort Drummer in 1746-47-48.
He and his brother David both died aud
were buried in Concord, Mass. Their
family records can readily be Obtained
David married Mary Farrar. Ephraim,
his brother, married Hannah Russell and
they were the parents of Hannah, the wife
of James Laughton.
d. L. MANSFIELD.
January 1901