Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-10-01
HISTORY OF COUNTY
TAKEN FROM VERMONT GAzATEER PUBLISHED in
~" THE YEAR 1862
GUILDHALL.
BY MILTON CUTLER.

known as the great Tx Bow, IN New
bury; but, on reaching that place,
they found it already occupied by
two men, Mr.. johnson being one
of them;consequently they continued
their journey northward, and on the
10Th of April, they crossed the
stream since known as "Israels Riv.
er," in Lancaster, N. H., and pitched
their camps, on both sides of the
Connecticut, on land since called the
Stockwell place, on the New Hamp-
shire side. on land now owned by
Messrs. Allen and Small, on the Yer
mont side. They continued to occupy
the lands ON both sides of the river
in common for some time, cutting
and clearing off and planting to corn
II acres the first season. This first
product of Indian corn in this region
was described by Mr.. Stockwell as
being full in the milk and standing
IL feet high, the ears as high as his
shoulders, on the 26th of August, and
the next morning was frozen through
and completely spoiled. But he
continues, it was no worse here
than in Massachusetts" His party
took with them from Massachusetts
20 head of cattle, and in the course
of the season added 20 more, all of
which were kept through the next
winter. ... ..
In journeying, horses and cattle
were under the necessity of subsist-
ing principally on browse" or the
foliage Of trees, except when they
were fortunate enough to find an
open grass plot. David Page, Sem,
we believe, never made a permanent
residence here, but did much for it's
success as new settlement, passing
back and forth frequently, and in
the course of the summer brought
his daughter Ruth, then II years of
age, to perform the indispensable
housekeeping for these pioneers.
She, not long after, became the wife
of Emmons Stockwell. ,..a ....
The first houses of these settlers
were rather temporary camps or cab
ins, and when Mr.. Stockwell made a
permanent location it was. upon the
New Hampshire side of the river,
upon the same farm on which his son
Emmons and family now reside. He
was said to be man of iron consti-
tuition, weighing about 240 pounds,
and insensible to fear; and Mrs. S.
was in all respects qualified to be a
companion and help, meet or suitable
for him. In proof the following
fact is adduced:
Indians were quite numerous in
these parts and they frequently call
ed in small parties at the houses of
the settlers to stay allnight, and
frequently to have a drunk" as
they termed it. Their place of cross
ing the river was at this settlement,
and the canoes of the white men
their means when travelling by land,
and their call, the "war-whoop"-
not in hostility however. Many
times has Mrs. Stockwell, on dark
and rainy nights, on hearing the In
dian whoop, gone alone, with her
firebrand for light, and taken the
canoe over and brought the savages
to her house. Their house was a
general resort for the Indians, with
whom, Mr.. Stockwell traded, pur-
chasing their furs and giving various
articles in return; but his authority,
or that of Mrs. S., they never disput-
ed-the tapping of his foot upon the
floor being sufficient to quiet them
when most rude or riotous. They
raised family of Is children, their
third child-being their first son,
David Stockwell-Mas the first child
born in Guildhall, and when the
youngest of the Is had reached q
years, not a death had occurred ir
the family.
Mrs. Stockwell lived till her 8Otf
Year, and when she died her family
could count 100 of her descendant
then living.
Timothy Nash was a hunter anC
trapper, and located his camp OF
the land that is now included in thu
farm of Hon. R. w. Freeman anC
son. George Wheeler, also hunter
pitched his teri on the south side o.
Fisk's Pond. Mr.. Rice, we are in
formed, commenced upon the mead
ow now owned by Mr.. Fisk, and nea
the river.
We have mo knowledge of any ad
dition to this settlement until tn
year ITS. AS we learn, Enoch Hull
Micah Amy and James RosebrooI
laA advanced northward as far a
Go ebrook, N. H.; but, at the break
ing out of the Revolutionary wa
hearing of the battles of Lexingto
and Concord, they were uncertain q