Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-07
Col. Ebenezer Allen.

The building of the Rutland Canadian
road north from Burlington by way OF the
islands, is not as altogether recent a pro-
ject as some may have supposed In
short Biography of Colonel benezer
Allen" printed in pamphlet by
Dr.. Melvin Barnes in 1881, he men
tons the reef which extends from
Colchester Point to Aliens Point on
Grand Isle, and says that the proposed
extension of the Rutland railroad north
will cross from the main land to the isl
it's name from Col. Ebenezer Allen, who
was the first settler in the town Of South
Hero. He was a prominent pioneer IN the
New Hampshire Grants, an active partci-
pant in the organization of the State of
Vermont. a brave soldier, cool leader
and typical Green Mountain boy. His bio
graphers gay tina. though Ethan Allen and
Ebenezer Allen were associated in various
enterprises and had similar traits of char
acter. there was no blood relationship he
tween them This. however has been dis
covered to be mistake. Mr.. o. 7. Allen
of Palmer Mass, who is preparing a gem
ealoey of the Allen family. has traced
the line of descent of each to a common
ancestor. He finds that Nehemiah Allen
the great grandfather of Gen. Ethan Allen
and Samuel Allen, the great grandfather
of Col Ebenezer Allen. were brothers. be-
ing sons of Samuel Allen, who emigrate
from England and settled in Windsor
Connecticut.
Ebcnezer Allen came from Berkshire
county. Mass. to Bennington, in 1868. He
moved thence to Poultney and made the
fest settlement in that town. then a wild
erness, in I'LL He was a lieutenant in
Warmers regiment of Green Mountain
Boys, and captain of a company OF min
utemen." He took part under Ethan Allen
in the taking of Ticonderoga in May, 1775.
He was a member of the Dorset convcn-
ton in 1776, which declared the New
Hampshire Grants to be "a free and separ-
ate district" and dsclaimed ale
glance to New York, TIe was
also member of the convention
which adopted the first Constitution of
Vermont. at Windsor, in July III He
commanded a company in Herrck's bat
TALON of Rangers, and showed conspcu-
Gus bravery in the battle of Bennington.
He fought later under Gates. at Saratoga.
In the operations against Ticonderoga, in
September. III. he with forty men sur
prised and captured the fortified post at
Mount Defiance, occupied by a superior
force of British regulars. who were taken
prisoners. When the garrison of Tioon-
deroga retreated north after Burgoyne' s
surrender, Colonel Allen with fifty Green
Mountain rangers cut off and captured
the rear guard of forty British soldiers
taking also over a hundred horses, and
other military property. He took also, al
, this time negro woman named Dinah
Maths who was In n British camp with
her infant child. Allen thereupon gave to
Dinah a certificate OF emancipation, which
he caused to be recorded In the towr
clerks office at Bennington. In this he
, recites that under a resolve of the Con,
!. tinental Congress, all prizes taken in wal
belong to the captors, but being con
scientious that 1t Is not right
in the sight of God to keep slaves,
he gives to Dinah and her chile
sequently promoted a major and coone
, Of the Rangers. He was in command o
the post at Vergennes in ITS and other
wise rendered important service in th'
war OF the Revolution. After the grant o
the 1.-TWO Heroes" was made in 1873, t.
l the Aliens and other patriots, Col. Allel
moved from Tinmouth to South Hero.
is related that he cut the lumber for
2 house and barn on Shelburne Point an'
made a raft Of II, on which he placed hi
family and household goods. and saileC
= with favoring wind and stout use OF hi
1 sweeps to Aliens Point. where he campei
= on the beach and thereafter made thu
S first clearing and built the first house II
(! South Hero. Later he established a ferr!
/ to the mainland. and after settlers follow
ed to the island he kept public house, o
, course In a rather small way. Ethan Az
, len spent the night before he died II