The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-11-08
EARLY VERMONT HISTORY.
Brought Up by Recent Visitor to Tops
ham.

For five days in September, Mr.. and
Mrs. Lucian j. Fosdick of Boston and
Mr.. Fosdick's uncle and aunt, Mr.. and
Mrs. A. I. Dexter of Birmingham, Ala
were at the home of Mr.. and Mrs
". p. Burgin in Topsham, the ances
! trail Dexter home, and so much did II
| impress Mr.. Fosdick. who is Ngriter
of books, cranberry raiser and Bos'
ton dry goods salesman, that upon his
return to the city he wrote this remi-
niscent article concerning his ancestors
and the old home;
Dear to nv heart are the scenes OF
my childhood
The orchard, the meadow, the deep
tangled wildwood.
sit was the spring of 1885 when
Parker and Betscy King Dexter jour
neyed BY OK team from Pomfret, Vt,
with their family of eight children and
their household goods, to make for
themselves home in the valley OF
Waits River. Orange county, Topsham,
Vt. At that time this region was a
primeval forest. covered with heavy
timber Of maple, beech, birch, ash,
butternut, spruce, fir, bass, pine and
hemlock.
Parker Dexter was born on Bunker
hill. Pomfret. Vt, Nov. 3, 1877. His
maternal grandfather was Ensign
Zachariah Parker, veteran of the
French and Indian war. Parker Dex.
ter's father was Sergeant John Dex.
ter of Mansfield. Conf, who with
Zacariah Parker went from Mansfield
to Boston on the call TO arms and
thew were under the command of the
hero patriot, General Israel Putnam, at
the battle Of Bunker hill, and they
served throughout the dangers and the
hardships of the war for American in
dependence.
Sergeant John Dexter married Sarah,
the daughter of Zachariah Parker, and
at the close of the Revolution he set :
tied and made for himself and family
a home on Bunker hill. Vermont, 800
feet above tide water. More than 20
soldiers of the Revolution made their
homes on this hin and gave TO il the
name of Bunker hill. and by this name
IL il known on the United States geo
graphical maps.
To-day the mansion house Of John
Dexter still remains, but it is fast
passing to decay. It's axe-hewed. huge
framing timbers OF hardwood, 10 inches
square, attest the purpose of the build
err TO make for his family substantial
and durable home.
1.-THE burial lot on Bunker hill is
kept in good repair by the town and
the spot is marked with Barre granite
posts, iron gate and bronze tablet
Across the vale, the cold spring
flows summer and winter to refresh
the traveller as il did the early settlers
in the DAYS Of yore The kings high
wav, named in honor Of the king Of
England. marks the old trail leading
from the coast colonies 10 Canada and
passes by the old cold spring on Bunk
er hill.
"Betsev King, wife of Parker Dex.
ter. was born in Dedham, Mass, May
81, 1900. She was daughter of Solo
mon King, who purchased farm in
North Ponlfret. VT. Solomon King
was a boy at the time of the Revolu-
ton and too young to be Continental
soldier, but Betsey's grandfather. on
her mothers side, Paul Lewis, fought
for independence.
Vermont was frontier land in those
days, inhabited by Indians and wild
beasts. but owing TO the scarcity Of
good farming land in Massachusetts,
and Connecticut, and the ambition of
young married couples TO obtain homes
for themselves and families. they