Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-04-01


A few weeks since there appeared in
these columns q suggestion that, in the
interest OF history, certain spots and To-
calities in Randolph ought to be marked
IN an enduring way. Among them was
mentioned the place where the party OF
nearly 300 Indians, with a company of
white men, encamped, in the eastern val
ley OF the town, on the night of Oct. 16,
1880, after they had attacked and burned
the settlement at Royalton.
Mr.. J. c. Greene of South Randolph
furnishes the Herald and News with sew
eral additional incidents OF this memora-
BILE trip Of the raiders through Randolph,
on their return to Canada, and fixes the
locations thereof in q way worthy of pres
ervation.
! The Indians, fleeing from the scene Of
their depredations up the Third branch of
the White river, came upon the hut of
Experience Davis, the first settler in Ran
dolph, captured him as he sat at his door
mending basket, took him away as q
prisoner, together with such of his effects
as they coveted, and burnt the hut. This
hut stood on the present Burnham place
near South Randolph. Mr.. Davis mare
took alarm at the Indians and fed into
the woods. The owner counted her as
lost, but on his arrival at Hanover, N.
H., after two years. captivity, be found
her there. She had come back to the still
smoking ruins OF the hut and there the
pursuing party OF armed settlers had
found and taken her away with them.
Mr.. Davis returned to his farm and in
1892 built a pretentious gambrel-roofed
house, drawing the boards from Hartford
and Sharon. This house, considerably re-
modelled, still stands and might we'll re-
ceive a marker.
The Indian party next stopped and
burnt the house of William Evans, q mile
distant from Mr.. Davis hut, but located
on his land. Mr.. Evans, returning with
grist from the Pierce or Adams mill in
Royalton, came over the hill iust in time
to see his house in flames. Tradition
records that the Indians, with more hum
or than is commonly ascribed to them,
took Mrs. Evans, large and slatternly
woman, Of celebrated uncleanliness, down
to the branch and soused her in the water
80 that she would get at least one bath
during her life time. She uphraided the
British spy, who had visited the section q
few weeks before and planned the raid,
for he had claimed the shelter Of her rooi
then and such a wanton insult as a forci
uiN AINntEei0H III kuc GESck III kuc Ant4IAt
of October appeared rank ingratitude tC
her.
The very site where the Evans houss
stood in South Randolph is now occupied
by the house of J. @. Greene. When Mr.
Greene's father. Josiah II. Greene, duG
the cellar in 1s43, be found among othel
cbarred materials proving the location
quite lot OF corn, somewhat blackenec
by the fire Of 1850, but still easy Of iaen
tification. This corn was stored in tn,
loft OF the Evans bouse, having beer
gathered Of that falls crop. Mr.. Greene
preserves some of the corn, and will al
low visitors to see it, but it is unpurchas
able.
Mr.. Greene has family chain reaching
directly back to the Royslton episode
His grandfather first came to Randolph
from Hanover in 1907, but did not re
main here. The grandfather had an un
Gle living on the now A. P. Paine plac'
who was a Revolutionary soldier and, who
lies in an unmarked grave at East Ran
delphi. Mr.. Greeneis father came to Ran.
doIph in 1911, and at that time the Evans
family were still living and personally
known to the Greene's.
The raiders encamped the night follow
ing the Royalton affair on the Simeon
Belknap farm near South Randolph
premises now owned by George Brigham
It was here they held their council and