Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-01-23
AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL PAPER
DR.. James Conland Tells of "Brattleboro
Loyalist' at Meeting Of Brattleboro Chap
ter, D. A. R., Tuesday Evening.

tDf American hNit "h "i'
usually interesting meeting in the
Brooks House Tuesday evening. In
addition to the members large num-
Der of invited guests were in attend
ance to listen to the paper on "A Brat
tleboro Loyalist" by Dr. james Con
land. The parlors were appropriately
decorated with flags and cut iowers.
At the close of the session buffet
lunch was served in the reception room
which was trimmed with smilax and
cut flowers. Solos were given by Mrs.
| f. H. Putnam and Frank II. Brasor.
The subject of Dr. Conland's paper
was Col. Samuel Wells, an ardent sym
pathizer with England previous to the
Revolution and at one time leading
citizen of this town. In opening Or.
! Conland spoke of the intense hate in
which the loyalists or tories were held
! by the patriots. They were men who
for many years had been prominent IN
the various conventions which led up
TO the actual outbreak of hostilities at
! Lexington and who always asserted the
/ right of the Crown to govern her colo
nies according to the colonial policy
! then in force in the mother country.
Societies we're formed in every town to
{
/ of force to resist the mother country
/ and in every community where this
sentiment was strong the tories were
I admonished to make themselves scarce.
/ When the thirteen states were organ
lied, laws relating to the punishment
! of tories were among the first passed.
At that time what is now Vermont
was a bone of contention between New
; II
on the east claiming allegiance and the
/ latter using her utmost endeavors to
! extend her jurisdiction to the west
bank OF the Connecticut. The leaders
| in this disputed territory were thor
oughly loyal to the cause of independ-
ence but considering their exposed sit
nation believed that the policy of de-
ception was justified not only IN the
/ interest of their people but in the in
/ terests of the general cause. This sit
uation furnished an opportunity for
few whose sympathies were with the
mother country to aid in her move
ments against the colonies, and they
were able to do infinite harm by keep
+ ing the mother country informed OF the
/ sentiment and movements of the people.
/ A conspicuous example Of this type
was Col. Samuel Wells, native of
/ Deerfield who settled in Brattleboro
about l762 on a tract of land part of
/ which is now included in the Brattle-
boro Retreat farm. Having acquired
A large amount of land on his settle
mept here he was looked upon as one
of the leading citizens and soon be-
came an office holder, this section at
| that time being under the jurisdiction
os New York. At the time of the West
minister massacre he was in New York
attending the general assembly in which
he represented Brattleboro, and by vir-
tue OF his position as judge investigat-
ed the case and made report favor
able to the Crown Soon after he be
came an object of suspicion and there
+ is no doubt that his high position was
all that saved him from banishment as
the result Of some of his acts. When
the British generals in Canada were
irving to negotiate an alliance with
the prominent men of Vermont Col.
Wells was one of the hardest workers
toward that end and it is known that
he offered TO act as an Intermediary in
the matter.
As the result o. certain correspond
ence between Col. Wells and British
general in Canada, Congress ordered
| General Washington to take immediate
measures toward the capture of Samuel
Wells of Brattleboro and Luke hnowl-
ton of Newfaue both of whom were con-
cerned in dangerous intercourse with
the enemy. By some means not fully
ascertained Col. Wells and Luke
Knowlton learned of the action of Con
gress and the former made immediate
Preparations to place himself out Of
danger. An interesting incident OF ms
flight took place at Peru where Col.
Wells put up for the night. Soon after
supper colonial officer with two pri-
Yates asked for lodging at the same
place where Col. Wells was stopping
and later stated that they were on their
way TO arrest Col. Wells of Brattleboro.
a notorious agent of the Grown. Col.
Wells overheard the conversation, but
knew that his identity was not known
and therefore slept under the same roof
with his pursuers. Reaching New York
in safety Col. Wells remained there un-
til after the treaty of peace between
the United States and Great Britain
was signed.
For Col. Wells service to the Brit
ish and to compensate further for his
loss sustained in consequence each one
of his eleven living children was grant
ed 100 acres of land in Canada to
which province they gradually re-
moved, the last going from Brattleboro
in 1902. Col. Wells died in Brattle-
boro in 17Sf