The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-07-16
THE STORY OF EARLY GUILFORD
Century and Quarter Ago 1t Was the Largest Town
in the State-Something About Its Colonial History

Very few people realize that in the yeal
| 1870 the town of Guilford was the largest
town in the state of Vermont having a
population of 2432 Brattleboro had at
that time 1889. In 1900 the population OF
Brattleboro was over 5000, while that OF
Guilford was 1872. The town of Guilford
received her charter by the hand of Ben
nlngton Wentworth, governor of New
Hampshire grants, from King George IL
though, when the charter was granted, it
was Il wilderness, yet by the terms OF the
charter the first meeting was to be held
May l, and on the first Tuesday in March
ever after. The grantees, Samuel Hunt,
John Chandler, David Field, Elijah Will
liams, Micah Rice Ira Carpenter and
others, having nothing to fear from par
lament in the wilderness of Vermont, as
Sumed the title which was virtually Gre
ated by the charter of little Independent
republic. The grantees were to settle,
clear and cultivate in five years five acres
for every 80 in the township. On account
of Indian wars they were unable to fulfill
these conditions, and they sent petition
by the governor of New Hampshire to the
king, and received an extension. From
the time OF the confirmation settlers came
rapidly from Massachusetts and other New
England states, and so rapid was the In
crease in population that the town be-
came the largest in the state. The pro
prletors We're for the most part talry nut
we have one instance cited where they
sold short" in land speculation and con
tracted and sold whole tier OF l0Dacre
lots on the north. beyond the extent OF
their charterl They made good their
deal, however, and to this day these lots
are comprised within the limits OF the
town.
1t is interesting to note, says the local
correspondent of the Springfield Republi.
can, that even in that early time England
was looking after her navy, for we md
among the early laws: IAN the trees suit
able for masting the royal navy shall be
reserved for his majesty" BY what
records can be found it appears that the
town was governed wholly by set of of
ticers chosen annually by the people under
their charter, until May |, 1772, when the
inhabitants at a district meeting voted
that Guilford was in the county of Cum
berland and province of New York, and
chose officers agreeable to that province.
Having renowned their charter and there
being no government which exercised an-
thority over them. they continued to leg
lslate Tor themselves without interruption
until lI6, when the town was beset by
violent tories and Workers on one side
and wings and New States men on the
other. The wings united with those OPP
posed to the claims of the state of New
York that and the succeeding year and
out-voted the tories and Workers. In
l116 the town resolved that no man should
vote for town officers who was not quah-
fed according TO the Continental congress,
This act excluded all tories from the polls.
In l11S there was again a change. IN poll
tics. A warrant and notification for town.
meeting was sent from the council OF
Bennington and a meeting was held
upon the same, when it was voted not
to act agreeable to said warrant, and
the meeting was dissolved. A year later
we find this notice: Voted Lowell Bull
lock, Timothy Root and Henry Sherburn
a committee to defend the town against
the pretended state Of Vermont. Vic.
lent Workers were chosen to take. special
care of the powder and lead and other
town stores.
These appear not to be regular meet
ings of the town, but Of the Workers, who
had secured possession of the town books.
etc, by a majority of votes in us. They
in turn excluded the other party from
the polls by force of arms. Frequently
company of armed Workers came from