Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-02-05
LAND RIGHTS IN v{RNO L
Reservation First Found in
Charter of Town of Bennington.
One Lot in Burlington Leased for such
Time a~ wood Grows and Water
Runs nj Annual Rental of
sixty Dollars.

At the meeting OF the First Church
brotherhood Sunday noon. Charles
f. Allen gave an interesting talk on
Church and School Land Rights in
TIE State of Nermuut. lie sac.
CHURCH AND SCHOOL LAND RIGHTS
IN THE STATE OF VERMONT.
\ few years ago, while visiting the city
Of Portsmouth, n. H., I improved the
opportunity to spend an hour at the old
home Of the Hon Benning Wentworth
at Little Harbor, nearby. He was the
first governor of New Hampshire after
1t became a distinct province, and as
such, under It's charter, he claimed juris-
diction over and fee in the soil lying
between the Connecticut river and the
present eastern boundary of the State
of New York. tract then known as the
New Hampshire Grants" now as the
State of Vermont on June I, 1863. Gov
crnor Wentworth issued over his own
hand the charter of the old town of Bur
ington, which contained, as did all Of
his charters, the reservation of the land
grants we are now to consider. My in
tcrest in this place of residence was
therefore natural. The council chamber
where for many years all questions of
vital Importance were discussed, is
spacious. high-studded ROOM finished in
the richest style of the last century. At
Its entrance are still the racks for the
y muskets of the governors guard.
As I stood in this old colonial room and
razcd on its stored walls, I could al
most soc. pcering forth aud starting IN
to mimic life, the forms and faces of the
retinue Of faithful officers and cunfiden-
tal friends and agents of the stern. yet
dignfied and diplomatic man who once
represented so Loyalty his master, King
George III. OF ENGLAND.
Governor Bcnnng Wentworth was a
graduate Of Harvard College in l15. For
u time he was q merchant at Portsmouth
and frequently represented that town in
the provincial assembly, In l-5; he was
appointed kings councillor, and " hen
New Hampshire vas made "a Separatc
province in i7il, he became its governor
and held that office until 1867 In 17i9
he was specially authorized ny the king
90 grant patents of unoccupiod land in
his province, During his term of office
he Is reported to have issued 1873 char
tiers, granting lands in the State. Each
toWns1ip was surveyed and divided into
from g to 70 rights. OF these, two rights
were reserved for the governor himself,
and four for the following purposes, viz:
one whole share for the Society for the
propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts organized in England juno -. i701:
one share for Il glcbe for the church Of
England, as by law established: one share
Tor the first settled minister Of the COS
pei; one for the benefit of a school in
said town In most instances the towns
chartered were six miles square and com
prised a tract Of about 1900 acres Of
land.
While the governors charters were be-
ing issued they were met by proclama-
tion by the governor Of New York, De- /
ccnlber -, 1863, wherein he claimed the
territory, now Vermont under a grant
from Charles H., to the duke Of York,
and his sh.riffs were ordered to make
returns Of the names of those who had
settled IN that territory. 4 counter proc
lumaton vas issued by Governor Went I
worth March -, 176t in which he de-
AIRED the claims o. t-- sov,.a-! e
New York 10 be obsolete. i will nul lake
sour time to describe in detail this con-
troversy and the bitter resistance in
Wh!ch the "Beacn-Seal was often az
liked 20 the backs of the New York sher-
IT'S ana lana grantees by Ethan Allen
anu MS Green Mountain Boys 1t is suf-
n''eAl 10 say that the struggle, which
Ha4 ut'n temporarily suspended by the
l'VoInuohary war was at its close, re-
h'"'d between vermont ana New York,
ana eHueu ohIy IN l''"' When New York
htieeC 10 fclInqulsh heE claim Of juris-
i'-l!pH anu "lthdraW from the contest on
the pa M III TO tnat state ~ vermont of
''''"' MS vas IoHoWed oF the ad-
MISSION ot vermont mo the jh!on' with
htr territory intact March A. 1871
DUrlhN tH's early ,perlod the progress
When the constitution was adontod l.,
1893, Vermont was largely a wilderness.
The efforts Of the early settlers were
principally directed towards clearing the
land and erecting their farm buildings.
Money was scarce and attention was na-
turally called 10 the unappropristed lands
at the disposal of the State, and their
sale, largely to non-residcnts. even at a
low rate Brought into the State not onl,.
money but more rapid increase Of nom !
ulation. This resulted in a rapid Issue
Of land grants until the supplv was n-ac. !
tlcally exhausted
IN ,7s- pros,do,. u,boo,oo,, 80 w..
mouth Collage and Noor', cho-i,,.
school of t5ano,.or Y II r.,..on,ad -, |
,ho Legislature of vorr,o,, ,,,a,,,o-;aI