Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-09-19
HISTORIC FIELD DAY.
OF THE BRATTLEBORO CHAPTER D. A. R.
AT WESTMINSTER WEDNESDAY.
dwelling of Marker for the Site of the
Old Court House Where William French
Lost His Life-Ideal Day and Large At
tendance Interesting Program Embracing
Several Historical Speeches.


Lost His Life-Ideal Day and Large At
tendance Interesting Program Embracing
Several Historical Speeches
Brattleboro Chapter, Daughters of
the American Revolution, held field
meeting at Westminster Wednesday
which was attended by fully 1900 people
l0G of whom were from Brattleboro.
The main object of the gathering was
the unveiling Of a marker on the site
of the old Westminster court house,
the scene of the historic massacre,
where William French lost his life and
where, it is asserted by many, the first
blood of the War of the Revolution was
she'd The site of the court house is
near the east village of Westminster,
on a bluff known as court house hill.
The marker is a large granite boulder,
into which Is set bronze tablet with
the inscription; Court House built
under New York during the reign of
George III 1772. Scene of Massacre
March l3, l7715. Occupied by Vermont
until l7SS. Erected by Brattleboro
Chapter. No 10, Daughters of the
American Revolution, 1902. " The tab
let is 32 inches in length by 30 inches
in width. The committee which ar
ranged for marking the site comprised
Mrs. c. F. R. Jenne, Mrs. +. W.
Weeks, Mrs H. D. Holton Miss Maria
Stedman and Mrs. Z. H. Putnam
The committee of arrangements at
Westminster included Stephen n. Nut
ting, Brigham T. Phelps, Joseph Ii.
Underwood, George y. Banks, Fred |.
Lane, Mrs Stephen \. Nutting. Mrs.
Octavius L. Fisher, Mrs George H.
Walker, Brigham X. Phelps. Seth Ar
mold and Walter G. Nutting and the
selectmen of Westminster. DR.. II. ID.
Holton was president of the day. The
programme opened with music by the
First Regiment band of Brattleboro,
followed by prayer by the Rev. G. H.
DeBeyoise OF Westminster. George Z.
Wright of Westminster, made the ad-
dress Of welcome, to which DR.. Holton
responded.
Mrs. Edwin Putnam, regent of the
Brattleboro chapter, spoke in behalf of
the Daughters and DR.. Holton read
letter from George Sheldon of Deer
field, who gave a verbatim report of
some of the most interesting incidents
connected with the scrimmage at West
minister court house and the trip of
the nine prisoners to Northampton jail
March u, 1I7J. Alfred S. Hall of
the historical address, in which he re-
counted the trials and zeal of the early
settlers. the issuing of patents by Gov.
Tyron of New York to residents,
Ethan Allen visit TO Albany in be-
half of the settlers holding grants from
Gov. Wentworth, the holding of court
in the old court house, the first con-
yention, and finally the death of Will
liam French and Daniel Houghton.
The president called attention to sew
eral souvenirs on the platform, includ
ing a window from the old court
house, a quaint chair from the old
Norton tavern. as we'll as a bedspread,
an old drum which did duty in the
first militia company organized in
W Westminster, and an old flagstaff with
ball top, from which hoated the first
American flag from the court build
ing. The public school children sang
patriotic music from the site of the old
Norton tavern. and little Hollis and
Helen Wright of the fifth generation
Of AFRO Wright, who participated in
the Westminster fight unveiled the
marker Judge H. H. Wheeler of Brat
tleboro gave an address on the early
history of southern Vermont, and brief
addresses were made by Congressman
Haskins and others. Master George
Marsh gave a recitation, and two de-
;cendants of William French, from
irafton and Rockingham, were intro
1uced to the audience. The exercises
.losed with America. The souven-
r program of the occasion bore half
one of the old court house. The old
was about 40 feet square and
vas built of hewn timber, clapboard-
d. The roof was gambrel, surmount-
d by a cupola. An aisle through the
over story had double doors at each
nd There were two prison rooms.
The court room was in the second story.
7he building was torn down about the
ear 1S06 Parts of it still exist and
ne of the doors was recently brought
rom Westminster by DR.. Holton and
laced in the Brattleboro free library.