The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-10-28


Crown Point, and perhaps expecting
some settlements along the Hoosac
River in the west part of Pownal
where its boundaries lap over for hall
a mile or more upon the acient Rens
salaef Grant.
No Indians inhabited Vermont in
1851 or before, so far as history or
tradition shows except perhaps small
tribe in the north east corner.
| The advancing wave of civilization
was flowing toward it, but in 1851
had only reached its border and its
whole area, except the slight indent-
ations referred to, was one vast un-
broken forest, unmarried by the hand
of man and its fertile valleys, its
sloping hillsides and the Green Noun
tain range slept in primeval silence
as it had through the centuries gone,
save only when the French Colonies
| in Canada sent their troops with their
Indian allies across it to attack the
New England settlements on the coast,
t,or the Iroquois Indians met in deadly
conflict the Algonquin tribes VINO
dared otrespass on their domains;
for much of that part of Vermont west
of the Green Mountains was claimed
by the Itoquois as part of their
hunting grounds, which they guaraded
with constant watchfullness, and saw
age ardor and bravery, and woe to any
other Indians or Frenchman who dared
to trespass on their domain.
So fierce were these contests that
this territory was called "the dark
and bloody ground
But in 1850 came a change
After a long struggle the French
surrendered Quebec to the English
under General Wolfe in 1859 and all of
Canada the next year came under
British rule, and the Flag of England
floated from the Frozen North" to
Florida. The Indians in Canada came
under her control, and the Irequoih
who inhabited western New York had
always been her friends.
So in 1851 1t seemed safe for the in.
.habtants of the English colonies of
New England to settle here, and right
ready they were to do so.
They knew that the soil Of it's val
leys was fertile and its hillsides were
clothed with valuable timber that its
climate though severe in winter was
healthful; that the waters of Its
streams were the purest and that its
beautiful scenery was unsurpassed, as
it is today by any they had ever seen.
The dark and bloody ground" now
that it was no longer such, allured
them.
But serious question arose To
Which colony, New Hampshire or New
York did this territory belong. The
Colonial Governor OF each claimed il.
ana 1T was located between the Two
This was Ia years before the Revolut.
lonary war, and these two colonies be.
longed to England and they with the
others were, as yet, loyal to the Crown
The governors of these colonies were
Royal Governors that is appointed by
the King, and subject to be removed
by him at his pleasure They were
othed with much power, and being
three thousand miles away from their
Sovereign exercised it to the fullest
extent.
The Governor of New Hampshire
claimed that colony extended west.
ward not simply to the western
bank of the Connecticut River
as the present state of New Hampshire
does, but that its western boundary
line was within 20 miles of the Hud-
son River as far as that river extend.
ed north and then to and along the
eastern shore of Lake Champlain to
Canada. This would include substan-
TALLY all of the present territory of
Vermont.
The Royal Governor of New York
cliamed that the eastern boundary of
that Province was the Connecticut
River and so included all of Vermont.
The issue then was fairly made Was
what is now Vermont then a part of
the Colony of New Hampshire or of
New York?
They were both Crown colonies;
each had separate local government
under the crown and which one was
to govern this territory between the
Connections and the 20 mile line east
of the Hudson; which one was to have
the right to grant the lands, in the
name of the King, to the settlers when
they came, was the issue raised. 1t
took more than a quarter of century
10 settle this controversy, and when
1t was settled, Vermont was not part
CT either colony but first an indepen-
dent sovereign nation, and then ad-
mitted into the Union as one of the
states of the Great Republic; the first
one after the original thirteen.
The contention between the gov
ernors of the two colonies gradually
became active. In 1749 Governor Went
worth as the Colonial Governor of the
Province of New Hampshire had grant
ed by charter in the name of King
George H. township of land six
miles square, the west line of which
was supposed to be 20 miles from
Hudson River, though it was in fact
somewhat more, and he named it Ben.
nlngton, and notified Governor Clin-
ton, then Colonial Governor of New
YORK OF what he had done, who pro-
tested against it vigorously. claiming
it was in the Colony of New York.
and that the easterly boundary of
that Province was the Connecticut
River
Governor Wentworth however was
not deferred by this, and prior to 1854
he chartered thirteen other town
ships, But the war between the Eng.
lish and French Colonies coming on.
no settlements were made in any cf
these towns and no towns were chart
nrn6 hU -