Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-25
THE ENTERING WEDGE.
BY Hon. Hoyt H. Wheeler, U. S. District
Judge.

On the broad meadow between Venter's
Brook and the Connecticut, now a part
Of the town of Brattleboro close by the
river bank once stood an Irregular, but
substantial blockhoLse known as Fort
p(ltnmer. 1t was named in honor of Sir
William Drummer, then lieutenant. govern
or and acting governor of the province.
Ihis, strangely enough, was the earliest
center of religious influence in the State
The building was begun Feb. g. l7li The
second house south of the depot between
the railroad and the river stands
partly upon it's site. The country for
many miles north was then within the
pi ovince of Massac husetts Bay. and the
fort was built by that government. Lieut..
Timothy Dwight of Northa mpton was first
commander and superintended its build
ing OF native pine timber by carpenters
from Springfield and Mortified, some Of
whom were Italians Inside tho wall
were a number of small buildings sur
rounding and facing a parade ground and
so constructed that the back wall Of each
was a part of the wall of the fort. while
Il single roof sheltered all. There was al.
~ d" uHuerSrounu ptSSaSe from the river
into the fort
Col. John Stoddard of NORTHAMPTON. in
writing Coy. Dummer about the fort.
sald: Dwight thinks they should lead
a heatlenlSn life unless a chaplain be al
lowed, and, besides the adv vantage the
Ehglsh soldiers may receive from him.
IL may possibly be an Cpportunity TO
Christanize the Indians, which the as
sen.bly Gin the former pArO seemed ve.y
deslrouS Of The General Court voted on
June following that "tJr. Mather M.
Coleman, Mr.. Sewall, Mr.. Wordsworth be
! uesited TO procure person of gravity
ability and prudence" to be nominated 10
me governor for his approval as chaplain.
Rev Daniel Dwight was nominated and
approved. Besides doing his duty as
chaplain, he was especially enjoined to
/ instruct the Indian natives residing
thereabouts IN the true Christian rclg-
ion He was allowed 1.loo as salary.
more than was paid his brother Timothy
VINO had then become Capt. Dwight and
commanded the fort, with fifty-hve eff
receive men, of whom forty-three were
English soldiers and twelve Mohawk In
dams. This Timothy Dwight afterward
reached the rank of colonel and--perhaps
an even greater ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
through son born at Fort Dummer,
grandfather of the first President Dwight
OF Yale College.
This was the first settlement in what
mas become the State of Vermont, eXcept
that the first settlement of Mortified in
l@i2 and years following had extended
over what since has become the line be-
tween Massachusetts and Vermont and
the ministrations of Chaplain Dwight at
this fort were undoubtedly the first pub
lie religious services OF any sort ever held
in this territory. There was no other set
Element even within 1t till that in 1881 at
Chimney Point.
In 1880 Rev. Ebenezer Hinsdell was made
chaplain of the fort. He Is said to have
been an excellent man, of sound Judgment
and good influence, he had been for Sow
eral years "A missionary to the Connecticut
River Indians In a letter written from
the fort Jan. &C. 1928, he stated that n
good disposition was prevalent among the
Indians, that on Sunday number of them
usually assembled to hear him, thar a
child had been presented to him for bap-
tism which he had refused because the
parents were not Christians, that he had
endeavo.ed to instruct the parents in
At this time the fort was not manned as
such. but was occupied as a trading post
OF the province. and called a truck house
In l742 Mr.. Hinsdell built fort Of his
own about two miles from Fort Drummer,
across the Connecticut river. He came 10
lie called Col. Hnsdell, and practiced
medicine and surgery with some skill.
And he continued TO preach at both these
posts. and sometimes at others near BY,