Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-30
MARKER DEDICATED
At PERSON FARM


exasperated the English leaders of the
army. A large bounty was offered by
the British authority for the capture
and delivery of the body of Moses
Pierson, dead or alive" and in the fol-
lowing April party was sent out to
take the notorious rebel. This would
tend to show that the first attack Of
the enemy was planned by the British
authorities. But Mr.. Person had antici-
pated the plan and had removed to
Shoreham and Rutland, and did not re-
turn to Shelburne until 1888, when he
rebuilt his burned farm house, and re-
sided there till 1891. when he erected
the first brick house in Sholburne.
which for many years was the home
of Judge Mech and is now owned and
occupied by j. Warner Bot. He died
in Shelburne, July rs, 1906.
According to an order OF the council
of safety, found by the late Capt Rob
ert White among the papers of Henry
stevens, the antiquarian. in Montpelier.
Col. Sawyer was ordered to proceed at
once to TT. william, at Vergennes, to
protect the inhabitants or harrass the
enemy. 1t was issued to Capt. Ebenezer
Allen and Isaac Clark.
1t may be of interest here to quote
from "A family chronicle, written by
Mrs. Rhoda Pierson Foot, Youngest
daughter of Moses Pierson, when she
was SO years old. Some scouts from
Canada burned my fathers house and
buildings then went to Vergennes.
where they took a few prisoners and
burned their houses. Among the prison
ers were my sister, Mrs. Sarah Van
Arnum, her husband and child one year
Ola. They were carried to Quebec and
Kept in prison till after the war when
they were exchanged. During the bat
tie my mother was in bed with me
then only ten months old. Three other
girls were lying in another bed beside
hers. As soon as the enemy left my
mother got up leaving the child in
bed. None of the family we're injured
zone would hardly expect to find such
furniture and family ARRANGEMENTS in n
block house,
After Mr.. Persons departure. if
being found that fodder for cattle was
scarce he sent his two sons, Ziba
and tzal, with hired man to browse
his cattle IN the forest. While thus
employed they were surprised by the
scouting party ON their way TO Ver-
Gennes in search of their father or any
other noted rebel. They were taken
prisoners and carried to 81. Johns
where Iiba, the eldest boy. was hand
CURED and kept i'm prison. MANAGING 70
escape the young boys made their way
Southward on foot and RATS and
weary ioot-Sore and almost starved
theN finally reached their old home
only TO ma it burned and the far,i1v
one IheN went on to Rutland, where
"i'er forty days of exposure and suffer
me- theN found their family
ms my friends. is the story which I
have been asked to give YOU. The his
torical facts which have recalled are
familiar to many of YOU. I will nor
attempt to enlarge upon them. and pic
lure TO YOU as ! might imagine them.
the horrors of that eventful snrinn
morning when death or mutation. al
the nan Is of savaGes threatened every
Occur ant of the Pierson farm house.
Fiction is not history.
when Mr.. Pierson came to Shelburne
in 100. nearly century and a half
ago. Vermont was covered with it's
primeval forests Astounding in game
and penetrated only by the trails of
the aborigines, or the occasional log
Sing paths of the early pioneers To-
day the cleared and cultivated fields
and homes of an Industrious and happy
p"opl" everywhere abound. The Indian
War-whoop has been succeeded by the
monk" of the automobile Modern
highways, railroads, stores, uuarries
manufacturers, telegraph and telephone
lines all under the beuilicent en-
couragement of a Christian civilization,
combined with the great natural at
fractions of the State. has brought Yer
mont to the forefront of New England
colonization
In our State-pride and civic-ambition.
let us not forget the many examples of
the many early experiences of our
brave, hardy, independent and patriotic
forefathers. The memories of their
trials are among our most precious in
heritances. Keep them green, and,
above all, impress them upon your chill
dren
In his eloquent plea showing The
Worth to a Nation of a Sense Of Its
Past" President Thomas says--"The
Champlain Valley is a laboratory for
the study of history, and of history
not as dry chronicle of all things
that ever happened, but as an inform
ing inspiring record of the progress
of mankind. The memorials of the lake
side, are suited, as few others on Amer
lean soil, to bring birth and keep in
life the sense of the mighty past.
Here is no teeming population to efface
the monuments of the fathers.
From the surface of Champlain one
catches the very vista which thrilled
the soul of the great discoverer. BY
these waters of beauty the sensitive
soul feels the very heart-be of great
France in its day of glory; catches the
passion of England as 1t essayed to
add another world to its dominion and
strikes hand with the Vermont pioneer
as in buckskin brooches and squirrel
cap he swings his rifle through the for
est, to do battle with the mightiest
nation of the world, for liberty and
home The American people need all
possible incentives to remember the
days of old, the years of former gem
. t..,,a -.