The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-10-19
10 Memorial to Be Erected
to Commemorate
THE Stacking OF ROYALTON
RoyaltOn VIII Begin Immediate Steps
for Its Erection-Interesting
Story of the Indian
Massacre.

Just 10 years ago Monday, Oct. 16,
the town of Royalton, SO picturesquely
situated on the banks Of the White
River was sacked and burned by 800
Frenchmen, Tories and Indians. On the
anniversary Of this day Of history the
inhabitants have always stopped to con-
slider just what that tragedy meant to
the forefathers, but Monday the observ-
ance Of the day was Of unusual import
ance, for it was decided to erect mon
ument chronicling, in the best of Barre
granite, that dire disaster, which almost
wiped out all signs Of habitation in the
valley
Early in the forenoon the seleetmen,
Elmer Doyle, Hiram Benson and Charles
Black, accompanied by Representative
r. B. Galusha, met in the town clerks
office and granted to the Royalton's
Women's club the request for the right
to select a location for the proposed mon
ument.
At o'clock large number ASSEM-
BLEED from Royalton, South Royalton,
North Royalton and other surrounding
towns in front of the town clerks office
Mrs. Charles Joiner was chairman of
the day, and prayer was offered by the
Rev. joel Whitney. The president OF
the club, Miss Fannie Eastman, took
the first step toward the placing of the
monument BY turning the sod near d
lamp post, which marks the place Sc
iected.
The originator Of the plan for COM
menorating the burning Of Royalton is
Daniel Wilde, now of New York city.
He was born in Royalton and is di.
rect descendant of the brave Mrs. Hem
dee, who dared, on that day Of disast-
er, 10 cross the river on foot III search
of the commanding officer Of the enemy,
and BY sheer force of her eloquenee
aud persistence, not only regained her
oven son, who had been captured, but
secured the release Of eight other small
boys, Sous Of her neighbors.
Mr.. Wilde always desired TO have
some fitting memorial Of that tragic
eyent erected, and b few months ago
her offered to give 5000 for such mon
ument.
The Woman's Club has acquired a rep
utation for doing things, and when the
members proposed to erect a monument
the town authorities readily agreed to
give their sanction.
The order for the monument has not
yet been given, but the $500 donated BY
Nj. Wilde is the nest egg of the fund,
aud the town and Kvoman's Club will
monument that win meet with the APP
probation Of all.
The president Of the club, Miss East.
man, win suggest that one face be dedi-
Gated to the burning Of the town and
the opposite one to the eaptiyes.
tits expected that the monument will
be placed and dedicated next spring.
Mrs. Jniner's. recital Of the tragedy
WAS of especial interest to many pres
ent. who are descendants from those
families that suffered on that day, 125
years ago when about 800 Indians
French and Tories advanced By the way
of Tunbridge and, in the early forenoon,
began to pillage, burn and massacre
without mercy.
The Invaders, under the leadership Of
Lieut.. Horton 81 the British army, and
a Frenehman named lie Mott second in
command. left Canada with the inten.
ton Oh laying waste Newbury, VT.
Up lake Champlain they went by
boat and then followed up the Winooski
river to "a point near Montpelier, where
they were informed by hunters that
Newburv vas well fortified and soldier.
stationed there.
This was a false report that saved
Newburys but proved most disastrous
to Royaltea The guide Of the invader.
was the same Hamilton who had beer
taken prisoner by the Americans at tbs
time Of Gen. Burgoyne's surrender t
Gen. Gates at Saratoga.
Having visited both Royalton ane
Newbury on parole, Hamilton was wei
acquainted with the ground. and, ae
cording to tradition. the trouble he has
had with Royalton settlers caused hin
to seek this opportunity for revenge.
So they travelled via Barre, over th'
mountains, down the first branch O
the White River through Chelsea ans
Tunbridge to Royalton.
Their Sabbath day encampment wal
on what is now the Adams RoweH farm
oil the main highway from South Roy
alton to Chelsea
The roads on that October day wer
full Of men. women and children tleeini
for their lives, and the savages clos
behind, plundering. burning, shooting
scalping and taking prisoners. Abou
2 o'clock in the afternoon the invader
started for Canada, having burned ?
dwelling houses and 16 new barns file
with grain They killed $50 cattle an
many sheep and swine. They capture
30 horses.
The 20 prisoners were taken to Mon
treal and vicinity 4 year later, wit
the exception Of one who died, all re
turned to RoyaIt5n.
At the close Of the exercises ON Roy