Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-10-16

as they stopped at every house TO pillage
and destroy. Mrs. Xix caught the old
family horse and, mounting with the
younger children, started away. Garner,
the oldest boy, had to depend on his own
legs, but they were not quite long enough
to take him out OF danger and he was soon
overhauled by the murderous band. Jo-
seph Xix, his -year-old brother, was
also captured. The Indians pursued their
ravages in the most wanton manner as far
as Sharon, and then retracing their steps
set fire to all the buildings they found, of
every description.
Joseph Rfx and eight other children
were rescued by Mrs. Hendee, whose son,
Michael, was one OF their number. Learn
ing that her boy had been captured, Mrs.
Hendee, whose husband had gone to
alarm the fort at Bethel, came forth from
her hiding place in the woods and. seeing
the Indians across the river gathering in
their raiders and preparing TO leave, she
boldly leaped into the stream and strug
gled across, helped by an old Indian, who
supposed she wanted to give herself up as
prisoner. Finding the commanding
officer, she succeeded in obtaining possess
sion of her own boy and those sons Of her
neighbors who, she was able to make the
Indians think, were too young to be any
thing but burden to them on the march.
Her daring struck even the red men with
admiration and some OF them were gall
liant enough to assist her and her charges
to the other side of the river. In due
time these children were restored to their
friends and most OF them lived to be old
men, Joseph Xix reaching the age OF IS
years. In course of time Mr.. Hendee died
and his wife married Mr.. Moshier for her
second husband and after his decease lived
for many years a widow in Sharon, held
in the honor she so richly deserved.
On their return to Canada, the Indians
crossed the hills in Tunbridge lying west
of the first branch and proceeded to Ran
dolph, where they encamped the first
night near the second branch, distance
OF about 10 miles. The alarm had by this
time spread through the adjacent towns,
and the scattered, undisciplined militia
shouldered their muskets and fastened to
pursue the tribes. They collected at the
house OF Mr.. Evans In Randolph two
miles south OF the Indian eneampment,
and formed a company, 800 In number and
by Col. John House OF Han
gone to Brookfield, ten miles distant on
the second branch, and began their march
at midnight, hoping to reach Brookfield
before light and make the war party
prisoners. They had hardly started when
their front guard was fired upon by the
rear guard of the enemy. One OF their
number being wounded, Col. House COM
them to make a stand and kept
them in suspense until the Indians had
time to escape. To hasten their flight the
tribes were compelled TO leave behind
good deal OF their plumber and nearly all
the horses they had stolen.
With the other captives went Garner
Xix on the long tramp through the wilder
ness that lay between Royalton and Can
ada. He was an attractive lad OF 10 years
and at Montreal found a ransomer In a
good French lady, who, a. the close of the
war, sent him home to his
One Sunday morning his bright
lace appeared in the door of his fathers
cabin after an absence of about year. In
recent times there was found in the rub
bish where that cabin stood a stone, Ia by
| inches, ON which is handsomely carved
this inscription :-"Daniel Rix, Nov. is,
A. ID. 17S1.n This is about the date of
Gamers return, which his father no
doubt considered a memorable day in the
history OF the family and worthy of being
recorded in stone. In digging post hole
where Daniel Rix's cabin undoubtedly
stood, what was once a very handsome
sword was brought to light after a slum-
Der of 112 years in the ground. The
sword, when found, was in a state OF
entire preservation with the exception of
he wood that formed the handle and bore
evidence of having been in the fire. 1t
nay have belonged to a British officer,
who lost it in the hurry and excitement
II the raid. Both the stone and sword are
N the possession of Mrs. Rix, whose inter-
st in matters historical is deep and
abiding.