Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-08-24
ADDRESS AT HAZEN'S NOTCH.

DIV Hon. r. w DAluNlu VI Dat Nous VS.
OF the unwilling OF the tablet at
Hszen's Notch last Friday:
Previous to the French and Indian
war, bat Few settlements had been
made In the territory now called Yer
mont, and those we're of a very un-
stable and transitory character. Mr..
Wells in his history OF Newbury, well
says, "with the close OF the French
and Indian war, 1880 the history OF
Newbury begins and practically that
OF Vermont before that time a few
settlements along the Connecticut
river had been made 10 the southeast
corner OF the state, and those held
only by the intrepidity OF the settlers.
All the rest of the state lay an unbro-
Zen wilderness, save only for few
spots OF land cleared by the Indians,
ike the ox-bow." History tells us
that when the fret white man visited
what IL now Newbury in Vermont and
Haverhin in New Hampshire, they
found portions of those great meadows
on both sides OF the Connecticut
cleared land to tome extent, and
covered with a luxuriant growth of
wild grass.
With the surrender OF Montreal on
the sth day OF September 1850, the
empire OF France in the New World,
which had been so valiantly held,
passed away. The army which had
conquered Canada was disbanded,
and the victors sought their homes to
the southwark.
Among those who returned through
the Connecticut valley from the sur
render Of Montreal, were four officers
who had served in COTS regiment;
they were Lieutenant Jacob Bayley,
Captain John Hazen, Lieutenant
Jacob Kent, and Lieutenant Timothy
Bedell.
II is not known whether either of
the four had ever passed that way
before, bot IL is certain that they re-
NAMED at or near the meadows be-
fore referred TO, several days and
carefully examined the surrounding
country. They decided it was de-
slrable place in which TO settle and
the natural gateway to vast fertile
and finely wooded country above.
The Indian name of this section being
the valley of the Connecticut, north
Of and including that about Newbury
and Haverhill) was "Co-os," which
word in the Abenaqui language, is
said to signify "the pines," and it was
known for many years by the name
Of the "Co.os country"
Upon their return to Massachusetts,,
these four men being prompt and
resolute set themselves at once TO the
work of obtaining charters of two
towns at "Coos," one on the east and
the other on the west bank of the
Come cticut. Bayley and Hazen
stood high in the estimation of the
colonial government, as both had done
efficient service in the war just closed
and both had influential relatives
whom Governor Wentworth was
anxious to please. Hazen was aide d
by bis brother, Gen. Moses Hazon,
while Bayley received the advice and
powerful support of his brother-in-
law, Col. Moses Little. These last
named men, were not only prominent
officers in the French and Indian war,
but were destined to become more
distinguished in that of the Revolt
ton.
As a result OF their comb ned efforts,
the charter of Newbury was granted
May IS, 1853, to Jacob Bayley, John
Hazen, Jacob Kent and Timothy Be-
del and seventy-two others, and on
the SEINE day the charter of Haver-
hill was granted to John Hszen and
others about the same in number.
From that time on until their death,
Jacob Bayley, John and Moses Hszen
stood first among the powerful men
OF that section.
Within a month after the granting
Of the aforesaid charters, Bayley and
John Hazen petitioned the General
Court, on behalf of the proprietors of
both towns, for aid in building road
from Dover through Darlington,
Barnstead, Chinatown, to cross
Winnepesocket Pond at the wares,
through Salem Ho'derness, the four
mile township, and Romney to Haver-
hill. On Christmas day, 1894, Bsyley
again wrote urging the importance of
road as an aid to the settlement Of
this part of the country.
From 1860 to 1874 the section all
about the "Coos" country was rapidly
eng settled up; Gen Bayley in let
ter written about 177o ssys, "The