Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-26
A SKETCH OF FRANCIS HOLDEN,
Soldier Of Two Wars and a Pioneer
Settler OF Westminster.


In icwelled phrases tell his conflicts past
bis deeds snatch back from dull Obliv
ions grave,
Nor let the story of his high emprise
TO generations vet unborn be lost
In an ancestral research of the past
year, cspo cially that relating to military
forbcars Ga most fascinating subject)
TIE personality of Francis Holden. Il
pioneer settler of the West Parish dis
trict in Westminster, has been of special
interest. He was native of Groton,
Mass. born in 1913 in that part of the
town which in 174s was formed into the
township of Shirley. Records state that
his father. Stephen Holden. was a con-
stable and sealer of leather. His grand
father, also named stephen Holden. has
n war record as ensign Of a company
which did scouting in 174s. When mere
hoy Francis is left motherless and in
1Hg stepmothcr comes in charge OF
the orphaned family. We next get trace
of him in the ranks of the English army
during the French and Indian war, as
n member of James, Reeds company.
which saw service in the Lake Champlain
region between the years 1856 176O, once
being sent on an expedition into Canada.
additionally he is believed to have suf-
fcred under him great hardships." He
was nicknamed by his comrades honest
Frank" merited appellation, we think,
as no disparaging word of him has ever
reached our ears. Discharged or paroled
in November, he probably in company
with others, made the journey home to
Shirley Mass, on foot. Naturally on
leaving Crown Point he would first take
the newly opened road between that place
and Fort No. 4, Charlestown, n. H., until
he found himself bearing too much to the
cast. Here we repeat the answer OF his
grandson Grant Holden, to the question,
Holden
| hill in Westminster" He said, Grand
| father took Il fancy to the place when he
| was returning home from the French ana
| Indian war" Now we ask ourselves,
"Why take a fancy here?" and the an
! swer is apparent. Leaving the open road
| for home from hilltop to hilltop, he
would, at this point. first sight familiar
| landmarks. The towering Monadnock the
| valley of the Connecticut. and to the
south--O joy to his straining eyes-old
Wachusett and the blue home hills of
Massachusetts. In a day or two now Out
it may have been many this boy-soldier
of Is thinks he will be again at home.
a fancy for the spot chung to him and
| after q few years he came back, got
claim to the land. and settled there. He
did not, however. make his first attempt
| at settlement in Vermont there. He
| ,irst tried low-land on what Is now called
the Corser farm In Dummerston and hay
ing failed in several attempts to raise
corn there snapped his meadow Tor a
heifer and with her in tow betook himself
to his fancied hillside, where in time he
founded a home which was well-equipped
and freuuented alike by kindred and
traveller His first shelter here was a
lean-to built against huge rock which
served also as the back to his fireplace.
This warm rock was conducive to the
comfort of snakes as well, but adders
are uncongonial company and they could
not for long dcmicle together So he
abandoned the lean-to and built himself
n second abode near a spring of water
then proceeded with the work of settle
ment; always able on clear days to feast
his eyes on the sunny slopes and dear
home hills of his boyhood. OF the bach
eor life which he led here DIR. Alfred
a. Ste, has told us something in his
history of West Westminster. written for
Miss Abby Maria IIcmenways Vermont
Gazetteer. viz: His Erist-mill was hol-
low log and n large block of wood hung
to a sprinG-pole to pound the corn tt
meal. IN this way he made his mea
until a grist~mill was built at Chester
field n H., some IL miles distant. This
distance he carried his grain on his bach
and returned with his meal, the only
road being marked trees. A grindstons
Of limestone was made by himself ant
by using sand for grit did good service il
sharpening the axes which felled the prim
tive forests of the ncighborhood. Ii
quite early times, however. "A highway
was opened which passed along the south
ern boundary of his land, known from
then till now as the Windmill Hill Road
1t took past him the traffic incident tt
the settling of new towns beyond and wa:
for the remainder Of his life busy thor
oughfare. His third residential structure
was a substantial log house, which Il
, still remembered by old inhabitants AT
ter something like 10 years spent in pre-
pairing the way and when about 30 years
of age he married Abigail Closson ii
Shirley, Mass. and brought to his hom
, a wife. Little ones clustered around hi
hearth; then a warcloud burst and TIN
, Revolution called for home and State de
, tenders. As early as the battle of Ben
nnEtOn he IL in the rankS-is WOUNDED
in this battle and by some of his de
scendants is thought to have been in com
: lnand of company or Green Mountain
, bows In 1880 he Is still serving and on
ured to war. does not return home at tn
I expiration of his term but remains som
l months longer as substitute for neigh
2 Dor who has become too Ill for duty
and this without pay. as the SICK mai
needed that most. But ne counted no
these things to himself as honor. Hi
l children and grandchildren were NO
! taught to prate his virtues and lttl
thought he that a great -granddaughte
would be making note of every obtainabl
{ incident Of his life and shedding rapi
tears as it's perils, sufferings, and tende
t sentiment are revealed to her
, century given back to dust. Pain an
care no more afflict No battlecry start
$ from his sumber deep. In spot sequest
{ cred in the fields his own strong arr
. wrested from primal sloth they laid nj
n soldier form away. Unmarked by sia
= or stone the humble resting place. Ye
\ Nature more mindful of her legacle
than man, ceases not nor overtires to pa
4 her flowers fresh. her sunshine. tears
f and tender kiss of passing breeze to grac
r his lowly grave
d Descendants have borne valorous part
: IN later wars Two sons served in III
n war OF 1912. Timothy. who succeeded I
r his fathers estate. brought from Canad
T an ear of corn which he developed III
: variety known to farmers as "iiolde
corn" In the American rebellion grand
r sons wore both blue and gray. In tn
= second battle of Fredericksburg, undo
$ command of General Burnside, great
s grandson, the late Hibbard G.. Holden c
Il St Adams, sustained a wound while
!. nearly cost his life. Yet MANNED as h
& ever after WAS he did good service as a
express messenger for long term c
> years, with route between st Adams an
n Troy, n. Y. He died In the latter cit
4 January 10, 1901, and with him ended "a
k far as known to the writer) this lines
o line of musket-bearing men. The oil
c farm still retains family titeship, but
- full set OF buildings, destroyed by fir