The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-11-25
OUR FIRST REPUBLIC
Early Vermont History as Portrayed
by Recent Pageants

Vermont. the first republic on the
American continent, is enjoying
series of notable celebrations this fall
Sixty-one towns, practically one
fourth of the entire area of the state,
are observing their 150th anniversary.
Gov. Renning Wentworth began grant
ing charters in July, 1851 and before
the year closed he had incorporated
towns which are now located in seven
counties. Incidentally he had increa-
sed his private fortune by sum
which is variously estimated. FER
haps $4,000 would be conservative
figure. In addition he received ooV
acres of land In every town he grant
ed. Some of the land was worthless
but in most towns it was in the most
fertile portion of the grant.
Gov Wentworth chartered Ben
nington in 1749, the first town in the
state. II carries his own Chrlstlah
name in commemoration OF the event.
In 1850 another grant was made IN
what is now a portion of Windham
county. In 1851 two more Wlndnam
county towns were chartered. Inc
next year there were seven grants
FIVE in what is now Windham county
and two in Bennington. In 1884 three
charters were issued, one in windsor
and two in Windham county. Nothing
further was done until 1860 when one
town was charterer in Bennington
county. Then came 1851 with It's
wholesale grants scattered through
what are now Addison, Bennington,
Essex Orange, Rutland, Windham
and Windsor counties Speculation
had much to do with this. Land hun
ger which had seized the inhabitants
of other colonies had more But a
desire to secure rights in this fertile
locality upon which to found homes
was, undoubtedly, the principal in
fiuence. The motives which actuated
the promoters are uncertain, Dut
whatever they may have been these
men we're instrumental in founding
a state which afterward performed
valiant service for the Union, even
though kept out of it for years.
The first white man to visit what Is
now Vermont SO far as the records
show, was Samuel Champlain, who,
in 1909, sailed up the Sorel river and
into the lake which now bears his
name. Near what is now Chimney
Point, in Addison, he and his party
had a battle with the Indians, who
were repulsed because the invaders
carried firearms. There were
threads of cotton in the coats of mail
which the Indians wore at that time.
Antiquarians have always been inter
ested to know where they obtained 1t.
The first settlement was for many
years credited to Fort Dummer, now
Brattleboro. which was settled in
1874 Later historians date the first
settlement from the construction OF
Fort Anne on Isle la Motto in 1865,
and inasmuch as there was some oc-
cupation ever afterward this seems
reasonable conclusion. From this
fort an important expedition against
the Mohawk Indians was led by De
Tracey in 1866. There we're incur
sions Of Indians and the French came
down from Canada to the northern
portions OF the state, particularly
along Lake Champlain, for years af-
ter the discovery, but no permanent
settlement was made until 1880 when
a fort was built at Chimney Point and
a few families settled near Years
afterward when the grantees of Addi-
son came up from Connecticut they
built their houses on the foundations
laid by the French a generation be-
fore.
The infant settlement at Fort Dunn
mer did not long enjoy peace. II was
attacked by Indians the houses were
burned, some of the settlers were kill
ed and such others as did not escape
were carried into captivity. In 1893
settlement was begun at Westmin-
ster, but there is no record to show
whether 1t continued long. or was
broken up by the Indians. In 1742 or
1743 assettlement was begun at Put
ney by the same men who built the
fort on "Dummer meadow" but they
abandoned il upon the outbreak of
the French war soon afterward. Then
followed Bridgman's fort and Sart-
wells fort, which were built in Yer
non. Bridgman's fort was attacked
by Indians in June, 1746 but the at
tacking party was repulsed. The next
year the Indians took the forts and
killed most of the settlers, carrying
others into captivity In 1853 a set.
Element was begun at Rockingham
and the one at Putney was re-estab-
lished in 1854. Probably there we're
other attempts at settlements here
and there, but the location of Yer
mont, between provinces controlled by
England on one side and France on
the other, made it very dangerous to
undertake anything of that character.
The Indian allies of the French were
roaming through the territory and
they destroyed anything which be-
longed to an Eglishman How many
pioneers lost their lives during this
period no one will ever know but
probably very many more than the
records show or tradition even indi.
Gates.
Canada was ceded to the English
In 1850. Immediately there was an
Increase in the movement toward the
new locality. Gullford was settled in
176O and in a few years became the
most populous town In the territory
Population increased so that by 1765
there were 100 families between the
Green mountains and the Connecticut
river nanpipofnp ,r,, ....t.a