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A History of the
Town’ of Williston

 

 

1763-1913
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A History

of the

Town of Williston

With special reference to Governor Thomas Chittenden, who was
the most distinguished Citizen of the Town
as well as of the State.

1763-1913

  

Published by

he Historical Committee
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PREFACE

The people of the town of Williston decided to cele-
brate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the
granting of the Charter to the town. At a meeting of
the Committee of the Whole, the subscribers were as-
signed to prepare a history of the town in conjunction
with the celebration. Accordingly this Historical Com-
mittee have collected the data from the town records,
the early state and county histories, and from the older
inhabitants, and our chairman, Odella Fay Wright has
compiled the same. We are indebted to Thompson’s and
Hemenway’s Histories of the State and Child’s History
of the County as well as to many of the older inhabi-

tants of the town.
ODELLA FAY WRIGHT
SYLVIA WARREN Historical

JOHN FORBES Committee
SETH JOHNSON

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THOMAS CHITTENDEN
“Father of the State”

One hundred and fifty years ago, Williston was a
wilderness inhabited solely by wild beasts and Indians.
Historical statements differ but the weight of authority
seems to indicate that this region was not the posses-
sion of any one tribe but neutral ground which often
pei as a meeting place and battle ground of various
tribes.

Into this wilderness, according to tradition, about 1764
came Thomas Chittenden. The family relate the follow-
ing story:

Col. Chittenden once led the pursuit of a party of
savages, returning to Canada with their captives and
booty, by the Indian trail up the Connecticut and
White rivers and down the Winooski to its mouth,
where the captives were rescued. Returning, he en-
camped for a night on the bench of land where after-
wards he built his home.

Inthe morning there was before him a scene of sing-
ular beauty. In front lay the unwooded intervals, beyond
a virgin wood of maple, beech, birch and pine, rising
by successive ridges to the mountain range. Just
northward was the valley through which flowed the
silvery Winooski. ‘‘It is a paradise’’ he thought. ‘‘If
the time comes when I can get a title, this upland and
interval shall be mine. Here will I build my home and
my sons shall be settled around me.’’ Nearly ten years
later he purchased this land.

This man who played such an important part in the
history of our town and state was born in Guilford,
Conn., January 6, 1730. His father was a farmer, and,
as was the case in those days, each member of the fam-
ily had to do his share of hard work. Thomas’s chances
for an education were very limited. At the age of
eighteen, tiring of the farm, he conceived the idea of
taking up a sea-faring life. He embarked as a common

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sailor on a merchant vessel bound for the West Indies.
At that time the mother country was at war with
France, but the young man, full of the spirit of adven-
ture, apprehended no danger from a public enemy. Be-
fore the ship reached its destination, however, it was
captured by a French privateer, and its cargo confiscated.
The captors, not wishing tu be burdened with the crew,
left them on an uninhabited island, without provisions,
to live or starve as the case might be. After months
of untold hardships and suffcring, Chittenden found an
opportunity to work his passage home. After this ex-
perience he was entirely satisfied to settle down to life
on the farm.

In October, 1749, when he was less than twenty years
of age, he married Eleanor Meigs, a girl in every way
fitted to be his helpmate. They settled in Salisbury,
Conn., at that time a wilderness in the northwest pari
of the state. He engaged in farming and by his good
management and industry accumulated a handsome
property. He was a leading man in town affairs; was
representative in the Connecticut legislature six vears;
was colonel of militia and held divers minor offices.

At this period the Governor of New Hampshire, Ben-
ning Wentworth, made several «rants of land in the
territory of Vermont, then known as the New Hamp-
shire grants and Col. Chittenden being interested in these
lands, became one of the original grantees of the
town of Jericho. He also, with Jonathan Spafford,
bought a large tract of land in the northeast part of the
town of Williston, which they divided between them,
Col. Chittenden taking the tract containing the plot of
land on which he had camped about ten years before.
Different stories are told as to the removal of his fam-
ily, but a descendant states that “‘In the spring of 1773
he came with two hired men, made and fenced a clear-
ing, planted a crop, built a log house, and leaving his
men to cultivate the ground, went back to Salisbury for
his family.’’

In May, 1774, Col. Chittenden, wife and family of ten
children, bringing farming tools and furniture with them,

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reached Whitehall in some manner, thougn now, nistory
does not tell. He proceeded with family and goods
down the lake and up the Winooski River, which was
then navigable, to their new home. Here they lived
for nearly two years in peace and contentment.

At this time there were about forty families settled
along the lake shore, the Winooski and Brown’s rivers,
and for their protection a block house had been erected
on the north side of the river and nearly opposite Col.
Chittenden’s home.

After the retreat of the American Army from Canada
in 1776, the bordering country was left unprotected
from attacks by the British and their savage allies, the
troops having deserted the block house. Col. Chitten-
den and three others were appointed as delegates to go
to Philadelphia to see if Congress could promise them
any protection along the northern frontier. They re-
ceived no encouragement that anything could be done
and accordingly the settlers, seeing their defenseless
situation, decided to leave their farms and remove to
the southern part of the state which had been settled at
an earlier date than the northern part. The wisdom
of this course was made apparent by the fate of the
family of John Chamberlain,a neighbor of Col. Chitten-
den, who was attacked by the Indians and his child and
a hired man killed.

Chittenden prepared for his departure from his home
by concealing his farming implements and furniture
and the heavier housekeeping utensils, in a sand pit.
Having placed provisions and the necessary household
articles upon the backs of two horses, he and his fam-
ily proceeded southward on foot, traveling one hundred
miles by means of marked trees to Danby. There he
rented a farm and lived with his family until Ticon-
deroga was evacuated in 1777, when he removed to
Pownal where he resided at the time of the battle of
Bennington, after which he removed to Arlington
where his family resided until they returned to Williston.

Chittenden’s arrival in the southern part of the state
was timely for never were people more harrassed than

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were the early settlers of Vermont. For seven years
previous to his arrival the authorities of the state of
New York had repeatedly endeavored to eject the set-
tlers from the land they had obtained by grants from
New Hampshire. In addition the settlers were threat-
ened by the British and were unable to obtain recogni-
tion as a state from Congress. Although they had
displayed much bravery they lacked what was essential,
a good leader, and that lack was supplied by the com-
ing of Thomas Chittenden, who was at once placed at
the head of affairs.

Col. Chittenden favored declaring Vermont a free and
independent state as being the only practicable method
of settling the disputed question of jurisdiction between
New York and New Hampshire. He was chosen asa
delegate representing Williston to the Convention at
Dorset, July 24, 1776. At this meeting it was unani-
mously decided to take suitable measures as soon as
possible to declare the New Hampshire Grants a free
and separate district.

This convention also passed a most important Petition
and Resolution, penned by Dr. Jonas Fay—Thomas
Chittenden being the second subscriber—which shows
the spirit of fairness which actuated these men in their
dealings with the Continental Congress, viz:

“This Convention being fully sensible that it is the
will and pleasure of the Honorable, the Continental
Congress, that every honest friend to the liberties of
America in these several United States thereof, should
subscribe an association binding themselves as members
of some body or community, to stand in the defense of
these liberties and

Whereas, It has been the usual custom for the indi-
viduals to associate with the colony or state which they
are reputed members of, yet nevertheless the long and
spirited conflict which has for many years subsisted
between the Colony or State of New York and the in-
habitants of that district of land commonly called and
known by the name of the New Hampshire Grants rel-
ative to the title of land on said district, renders it in-

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convenient in many respects to associate with the Prov-
ince or State which has hitherto been the sole reason of
our not subscribing an association before this. The
better, therefore, to convince the public of our readi-
ness to join in the common defense of the aforesaid
liberties, we do publish and subscribe the following
association, viz:

‘‘We, the subscribers, inhabitants of that district of
land commonly called and known by the name of the
New Hampshire Grants, do voluntarily and solemnly
engage under all the ties held sacred amongst mankind,
at the risk of our lives and fortunes, to defend by arms
the United American States against the hostile attempts
of the British fleets and armies, until the present un-
happy controversy between the two countries shall be
settled.”’

At a meeting of the same Convention held at West-
minster, January 15, 1777, a Committee was elected of
which Col. Chittenden was a member, to present to the
Convention the form of a Declaration of Independence.
This was accepted and it was voted to call the state
New Connecticut. Later, however, the convention
passed a resolution to name the state Vermont. At
this Convention the Committee addressed a communi-
cation to Congress, relating the doings of the Conven-
tion and asking that Vermont be admitted to the Union
and that delegates therefrom be allowed to take their
seats in the Continental Congress. Thos. Chittenden
was one of the delegates chosen at this Convention to
present this petition to Congress.

After this action the people lost no time in forming a
government among themselves and to Col. Chittenden’s
sound judgment, sagacity, and foresight we owe the
most democratic, free and enlightened constitution of
any State in the Union.

The Convention met at Windsor July 2, 1777 for the
purpose of adopting the Constitution, but the meeting
was brought to an abrupt end by the news that Bur-
goyne was approaching up the lake and the matter of
the constitution had to be postponed that the Convention

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might attend to the more pressing needs of the moment.
It was decided to arrange at once for a provisional
government, and a Council of Safety invested with all the
powers of government both civil and military, was
appointed. Thomas Chittenden was elected President,
Jonas Fay Vice President, Ira Allen Secretary and
Moses Robinson, Benjamin Carpenter, Nathan Clark,
Joseph Fay and Paul Spooner members of this council.
Thus an extraordinary body was created, having abso-
lute power over the life, liberty and property of the in-
habitants of the new state. Events show that the trust
reposed in this body was not misplaced.

At a meeting of the Council on July 15, 1777 it asked
aid of Massachusetts and New Hampshire in making a
stand against the common enemy. Gen. Stark and 800
men answered this appeal. In the meantime, the
Council discussed every means of raising troops and
equipping them, but it seemed almost an impossibility,
as there was no public treasury, no time for taxation
and the people were poor. It was a dark hour. To
add to their discouragement, some of their number had
deserted to the enemy. After much unavailing dis-
cussion, the President, Thomas Chittenden, made the
statement that he had ten head of cattle, and his wife
had some gold beads which were an heirloom and that
they would sell them and turn the proceeds over to the
common cause, believing that others would do no
less. This declaration had its effect and Ira Allen,
during a wakeful night, conceived the idea of seizing
the goods and chattels of all persons who had gone or
should go over to the enemy, selling them at public
vendue, the proceeds to be paid to a treasurer to be
appointed by the Council. This proposition was at once
adopted and in fifteen days a regiment was raised and
equipped (without the sacrifice of Mrs. Chittenden’s
gold beads). By this force the battle of Bennington
was won, and the part taken by the Vermonters in the
defeat of Burgoyne and their heroic stand in declaring
their independence in the face of such great odds, won
the respect and admiration of the whole country.

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The Council met again in December 1777 and com-
pleted the revision of the State Constitution and fixed
the dates of general election and the meeting of the
General Assembly. Nothing could equal the disinterested
loyalty and patriotism of this body of men. Instead of
taking advantage of their unlimited power for selfish
purpose, they labored solely to serve the best interests
of the people of the state and the cause of the Amer-
ican Union.

The general election under the new Constitution took
place March 3, 1778 and representatives, a governor
and other state officers were chosen for the first time in
the history of the state. The legislature met at Windsor
March 12, 1779 and on counting the votes it was found
that Thomas Chittenden was elected Governor by a
large majority. The state was divided into counties;
military and probate districts; courts were established ;
judges, sheriffs, and military officers were appointed;
and laws passed, the most important being the adoption
of the Common Law of England as the law of the state.

In the meantime Vermont’s relations with New York
and New Hampshire called for the keenest judgment
and diplomacy. Gov. Clinton of New York had issued
a proclamation declaring that New York intended to
maintain her supremacy over Vermont, pledging pro-
tection to all those who submitted to New York’s au-
thority and threatening reprisal to those who refused
to yield it voluntarily.

Some of the towns on the east side of the Connecticut
proposed to separate from New Hampshire and join
issues with the new state. This subject was submitted
to the Vermont Legislature and, although those of better
judgment were opposed to the idea, at this crisis, the
majority of the people voted for the annexation. New
Hampshire was duly notified of this step and she at
once proceeded to raise a force to reclaim her lost terri-
tory. Thus it was that this little state, with a population
much less than the present county of Chittenden, stood
friendless and alone with several powers allied against
her. On Gov. Chittenden rested the responsibility of

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delivering her from her enemies.

It was decided to send Ethan Allen to Philadelphia to
ascertain the views of Congress. He returned with the
report that if Vermont did not recede from her union
with the New Hampshire towns on the East side of the
Connecticut, the whole confederacy of the United States
would join to annihilate her and to vindicate the State
of New Hampshire. The people of Vermont now saw
their mistake and were anxious to rectify it, and at the
next meeting of the Legislature it was voted to dissolve
the union with the New Hampshire towns. Ira Allen
was sent to New Hampshire to inform that state of the
decision and to arrange a settlement, but New Hamp-
shire was not content with the restoration of the sixteen
towns, but wanted jurisdiction over the whole State of
Vermont.

New York, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts now
fell upon Vermont to destroy her completely and, to add
to the distress of the situation, her people were in great
want and destitution in consequence of having had to
abandon labor on their farms to go to the defense of
their country. The Governor appointed Ethan Allen
to proceed with a military force to put down the New
York insurrectionists; this he succeeded in doing, taking
the leader and several of his officers prisoners. This
so alarmed New York that she sent a message to Congress
asking for aid. Congress replied by sending five
commissioners to ascertain why Vermont refused to be
under the jurisdiction of the states that claimed her.
Gov. Chittenden replied that the people of Vermont
would never voluntarily return to the jurisdiction of
New York, but that they were willing to submit the
whole matter to Congress. Congress then passed a
series of resolutions, declaring that the officers arrested
by Ethan Allen ought to be immediately liberated, that
the internal peace of the United States was endangered,
and that it was the duty of Vermont to refrain from
exercising power over the friends of New York and
New Hampshire. These resolutions were sent by ex-
press by the President of Congress and laid before the

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legislature then in session at Manchester.

No attention was given to these resolutions by the
legislature but it at once proceeded to appoint a com-
mittee, composed of Ethan Allen and others, to form a
plan of defense against the neighboring states and like-
wise appoint a delegation to Congress to vindicate the
right of Vermont to independence and agree upon arti-
cles of union with the United States. These delegates
were allowed no hearing in Congress and returned to
their homes.

Before this Gov. Chittenden had issued a communica-
tion to Congress on the subject of Gov. Clinton’s com-
plaints, especially his hints at coercive measures such
as issuing orders to the New York militia to hold them-
selves in readiness. In it he says, ‘‘I have issued like
orders to the militia of this state,and notwithstanding I
am sensible that the assistance of every power which
has and continues to operate for the happiness of these
independent states ought to be exerted wholly for their
defense and security, yet the free born citizens of this
state can never so far degrade the dignity of human
nature or relinquish any part of that glorious spirit of
patrotism which has hitherto distinguished them in
every conflict with the unrelenting and long continued
tyranny of designing men, as to tamely submit to his

Goy. Clinton’s] mandate or even to be intimidated by
a challenge from him.’’

At this time the very existence of Vermont depended
upon the wisdom of her statesmen and it proved equal
to the needs. ”

On the 10th of December 1779, the Governor and
Council published ‘‘An appeal to the impartial world,”’
taking the ground that Vermont could not submit to
the arbitration of Congress things too sacred for arbi-
tration; that Congress had no right to interfere with
the internal policy of Vermont, that the state existed
independent of the other states, and, not being repre-
sented in Congress, was not bound by resolutions passed
without her knowledge and consent; that Congress had
no right to judge and determine in the case.

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After this appeal, Congress, in a new set of resolu-
tions, reiterated her declaration concerning the distribu-
tion of Vermont among the states that claimed her.
Gov. Chittenden, upon the advice of his Council, ad-
dressed the President of Congress a communicaton in
which he denied the right of Congress to interfere with
the liberty and independence of Vermont, and repudia-
ted the idea that Vermont could be divided up among
the other states. He declared that their posterity
would not call them blessed if they tamely submitted to
such a course. In this communication he makes the
following significant allusions,—‘‘The people of Ver-
mont are if necessitated to it, at liberty to offer or
accept terms of cessation of hostilities with Great Bri-
tain, without the approbation of any man or body of
men; for on proviso that neither Congress nor the leg-
islatures of those states they represent, will support
Vermont in her independence, she has not the most
distant motive to continue hostilities with Great Britain
and maintain an important frontier for the benefit of
the United States, and for no other reward than the
ungrateful one of being enslaved by them.’’ This com-
munication was accompanied by a renewal of the offer
of Vermont to become a member of the Union.

Ira Allen and Stephen B. Bradley were selected as
delegates to go to Philadelphia to represent the State in
Congress, but were not allowed seats in that body, and,
Congress having postponed indefinitely any considera-
tion of the subject of the annexation of Vermont, the
delegates returned home.

Vermont failing to obtain a fair adjustment of the
controversy, changed her tactics and decided if she must
fight to enlarge ner boundaries to the size of a respect-
able state and thus enhance her power. By the action
and consent of nearly all the people, the territory be-
tween the Mason line of New Hampshire and the Hud-
son River extending North to the Province of Quebec
came under the government of Vermont. The malcon-
tents in Cumberland and Gloucester Counties came into
it also. The territory now united under the government

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of Vermont comprised a most desirable country and in-
cluded both shores of Lake Champlain, while the valley
of the Connecticut and beyond came into its jurisdiction.
This move on the part of Vermont excited the admira-
tion of many and struck terror to New York and New
Hampshire, as she had not only materially strength-
ened her own position but now held the key to the
military situations of her frontier.

At this time Ira Allen as leader, Gov. Chittenden, and
a few others, had secret negotiations with Great
Britain, the object of which was the protection of the
frontier by holding the enemy in check. These secret
negotiations were, however, not initiated by Vermont;
she only sought to turn to her advantage and to the ad-
vantage of the whole country as well, a movement and
correspondence begun on the part of the British Gen-
eral who undoubtedly hoped to profit by the contest
going on between Vermont on the one side and New
York, New Hampshire and Congress on the other.

To the first letter which was addressed to Ethan Allen
and at once communicated to Gov. Chittenden, it was
decided to make no reply. After waiting ten months
another letter was received and it was again decided to
make no reply, but to send both letters to Con-
gress asserting the right of Vermont to independence,
avowing her loyalty tothe Union and maintaining that
the state had the right to agree on terms of cessation
of hostilities with Great Britain, providing the United
States persisted in rejecting her application for union
with them.

About a month after this Gov. Chittenden appointed
Ira Allen to proceed to Canada to effect an exchange of
prisioners with the British and also to procure an ar-
mistice. At that time the British hadten thousand
troops in Canada and the frontier was powerless against
them. The papers for the exchange of prisoners were
executed, but nothing in regard to an armistice was
reduced to writing. A correspondence was opened
with Gen. Haldimand, the British Commander-in-Chief,
and messengers sent back and forth, the army in the

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meantime remaining inactive. The subject of making
Vermont a British Colony was talked over secretly by
Col. Allen and the British Adjutant General and a ver-
bal agreement arrived at that hostilities should cease
between the British and those under the jurisdiction of
Vermont until after the session of the Legislature
which was to take place the following June, and longer,
if the prospects were satisfactory to the British.

Col. Allen returned and made a report to the Govern-
or and Council as to the exchange of prisoners and to
the Governor and his secret associates as to the armi-
stice.

The legislature met at Bennington in June, having a
representation from her newly acquired territories both
on the East and West, and also a large representation
of spies from Congress and other states to watch the
movements of Vermont and her leaders, and from Can-
ada to see if Col. Allen would prove faithful tc the
British interests and entitle Vermont toa further cessa-
tion of hostitilites. Col. Allen was called upon to make
a report of his mission to Canada, which he did in such
a manner as to satisfy both Congress and Canada.

These negotiations with the British were continued
some time, the British urging Vermont to declare her-
self a British Colony and Col. Allen, and the others in
the secret, delaying the matter on one pretext or another
and with so much skill as not to arouse the suspicions
of the British. However, the secret was on the eve of
being divulged through some letters falling into the
wrong hands, when the news of the fall of Cornwallis
was received. This put a new aspect on affairs, as the
evacuation of Ticonderoga and the retreat of the British
forces followed shortly after and so the secret negntia-
tions ended.

Gov. Chittenden in a letter to Gen. Washington ex-
plains the situation in detail: The perilous situation of
the state, the refusal of Congress to give aid, the over-
tures of the British ts become a British colony, ‘‘And
being thus drove to desperation by the injustice of
those who should have been her friends was obliged to

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adopt policy in the room of power.’’ He added, ‘‘that
the plan of using diplomacy had succeeded and the
frontier had not been invaded.”’

The crisis of the Revolution having now passed, the
next step was the recognition of Vermont as a free and
independent state. Congress unbent so far as to pass
a resolution inviting the delegates from Vermont to
meet a committee of Congress to confer on the subject,
but made it an indispensable condition that she surren-
der to New Hampshire the territory east of the Connec-
ticut River and to New York all that west of a prolonged
line from the northwest corner of Massachusetts. Both
New York and New Hampshire, however, persisted in
their original claims to the Grants and protested against
any act of Congress looking to a recognition.

The bright hopes that followed the overthrow of the
British power were now quenched in the fear of a civil
war. The fear entertained was that the controversy
between Vermont and the neighboring states would
endanger the cause of American liberty and indepen-
dence. Every patriotic heart felt that no other political
consideration should interpose to prevent such a great
consummation. But the leaders of Vermont, thouch as
patriotic as any, counted upon these fears as their best
ally in securing the independence of their own state,
and they felt so deeply the wrongs they had suffered,
to say nothing of the work they had done for the com-
mon cause, that they felt justified in persisting in their
demands for recognition.

At this time Gen. Washington sent a letter to Gov.
Chittenden, a high-toned, respectful letter, in which he
expressed the ardent wish to see the peace and union of
the country preserved and the just rights of the people
in every part of it fully established. He wrote that
Vermont had only to return to her old limits to obtain
recognition and acknowledgement of independence un-
der the resolution of Congress.

This letter of Washington’s had its effect upon the
policy of Vermont. At the next session of the legisla-
ture Gov. Chittenden laid it before that body and after

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calm and deliberate discussion, it was voted to comply
with the resolution of Congress, and to relinquish all
claims to jurisdiction beyond the bounds prescribed by
Congress (which substantially forms the present out-
line of the state). Thus, toescape the dangers of civil
war, the east and west unions were given up, much to
the disappointment and dissatisfaction of the people of
these sections, who were devotedly attached to the pur-
pose of forming a part of the Green Mountain State.

The proceedings of the legislature were laid before
Congress and referred to a committee of that body, who
reported that Vermont had fully complied with the res-
olutions of Congress and that the conditional premise of
recognition and admission had therefore become abso-
lute and necessary to be performed, and proposed a res-
olution declaring Vermont a free and independent state.
When the report was read, however, Congress, not
merely blind to the vital interests of the country, but
guilty of the most high handed treachery and breach of
confidence, indefinitely postponed the subject.

Thus it was that Vermont by the treachery of Con-
gress was deprived of a large portion of her territory
and left in practically the same position that she had
been for so many years.

A\t this time New York, taking courage at the blow
Vermont had received, passed two Acts in the legislature
of April 1782; one for ‘‘Pardoning certain offenders’’
and the other for ‘‘Quieting the minds of her inhabi-
tants in the northwestern section of her State’’ and
guaranteeing to the people of Vermont all their lands,
whether held under grants from New Hampshire or from
the authority of their own legislature, providing they
return to their allegiance to the government of New
York.

These actions deepened the hate and opposition in
the minds of the people of Vermont and they continued
from month to month strengthening their own govern-
ment. But this state of affairs was not satisfactory to
New York. The northern fronticr being in an exposed
condition, Vermont was obliged to make a draft of mili-

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tia to defend it. This was opposed by New York and
a military organization effected to enforce the laws of
New York upon the people of Vermont. Gov. Chitten-
den sent a force under Ethan Allen to put down the
insurrection and he arrested the New York sheriff and
other leaders of the insurgents and committed them to
prison. Some were fined, some banished, not to return
on pain of death, and their property confiscated.
Upon this Congress took up the matter and passed res-
olutions requiring Vermont to make full and ample
restitution of property to all who had been deprived of it;
to permit persons banished to return and to take effec-
tual measures to enforce the same. A copy of these
resolutions was sent to Gov. Chittenden to be commu-
nicated to the people.

Gov. Chittenden’s reply to this is a masterpiece. He
refers to the treachery of Congress in not fulfilling its
agreement, and denies the right of Congress to control
the policies of this or any other state, declares that Ver-
mont will remain independent of New York and advises
Congress to leave the controversy to be settled by the
two states rather than embroil the confederacy with it.
This letter evidently had its effect upon Congress for no
attempt was made to enforce her resolutions and Ver-
mont went on her steady course.

About this time the preliminary articles of peace be-
tween the United States and Great Britain were signed
and Vermont was relieved of any further thought of
trouble in protecting her frontier against the British.

The heavy expenses of the war had left the United
States in great financial embarassment; the army re-
mained unpaid and Congress was unable to adopt any
financial measures that seemed adequate to meet the
situation. But Vermont haviny been denied the right
of representation and refused acknowledgment as a
state, was free from the burden of the national debt,
which had a strong tendency to invite emigration into
this state, it being then acknowledged that the people
of Vermont were in a less embarassed situation than
any state in the Union. The policy of immediate ad-

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mission into the Union was now changed to a general
purpose to delay the matter as long as possible.

New York could not rest without making one more
move to assert her authority over the people of Ver-
mont, and she passed this resolution,—‘‘That if she
must resort to force for the preservation of her lawful
superiority, the impartial world will pronounce that none
of the bloodshed, disorder or disunion which may ensue
can be imputable to this legislature.’’

Encouraged by the support of New York a number of
the inhabitants of Guilford, Brattleboro, and some ad-
jacent towns, held meetings and conventions as loyal
subjects of that state, appointed their town officers,
several towns having two sets, and contended with
loyal citizens of Vermont in various ways. The oppo-
sition to the authority of Vermont became so strong in
those towns that there was no peace nor safety for the
new state people. Accordingly Gov. Chittenden com-
missioned Ethan Allen for the third time to call out a
body of militia to enforce the law. He took his stand
in the midst of the insurgents and issued a proclama-
tion to them as follows,—‘‘I, Ethan Allen, declare that
unless the people of Guilford peaceably submit to the
authority of Vermont, the town shall be made as deso-
late as were the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.’’ Upon
this the ‘‘Yorkers’’ fired upon Allen and without wait-
ing for ceremony he fell upon them and all were taken
prisoners cr dispersed.

Gov. Chittenden in communicating this affair to Con-
gress April 26, 1784, observes that Vermont does not
wish to enter into a war with New York, but that she
will act on the defensive and expects that Congress and
the twelve states will observe a strict neutrality. Dur-
ing the winter of 1784 several skirmishes took place in ,
which a number of persons were wounded and one
Yorker killed. Before the close of the year the insur-
gents either submitted to the authority cf Vermont or
left the state. Thus ended all attempts on the part of
New York to extend her authority over Vermont.

Congress soon realized that Gov. Chittenden’s policy

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was sound and that it had no legitimate power over him
or the state. Vermont was invited to accept the Fed-
eral Constitution, and did so February 18, 1791 without
a dissenting vote. This was the crowning event of
Gov. Chittenden’s life. The struggle lasting twenty-
six years was over and Vermont was an independent
state of the American Union.

In the meantime the internal condition of the state
was serious. The state and the people were nearly
bankrupt as a result of the expenses of the wars and the
neglect of private business. There were endless suits
for the collection of debts and as there was no money to
pay, imprisonment was the end of nearly every execu-
tion. Gov. Chittenden, although insisting on a strict
observance of the law, tried to pacify the people and
make conditions as tolerable as he could. To that end
the legislature passed an act, which was approved by
Gov. Chittenden, making specific articles of property
legal tender which helped to ease the situation somewhat.

Owing to this state of affairs there was great un-
rest and dissatisfaction. In 1789 there being no choice
of the people for Governor, the legislature in joint as-
sembly elected Moses Robinson. At the next election,
however, Gov. Chittenden took his seat again and held
it until just before his death in 1797, having held the
position of Governor for nineteen years, with the ex-
ception of one year.

GRANTING OF THE CHARTER

After the war, the tide of emigration set northward
and in 1786 there were many families settled in Williston.

Previous to this, June 6, 1763, a charter had been
given by Benning Wentworth, Governor of New Hamp-
shire to Samuel Willis and sixty-four others, for 23,040
acres of land, comprising the town of Williston. The
charter reads as follows -——

Province of New Hampshire,

George the Third, by the Grace of God, of Great

Britain, France and Ireland, KING, Defender of the
Faith, etc.

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To all persons to whom these presents shall come,
Greeting:

KNOW YE, that we of our special grace, certain
knowledge and meer motion, for the due encourage-
ment of settling a New Plantation within our said
Province, by and with the advice of our trusty and well
beloved BENNING WENTWORTH, Esq., Our Govy-
ernor and Commander in Chief of our said Province of
New Hampshire in New England and of our council of
the said Province, have upon the conditions and reser-
vations hereinafter made, given and granted, and by
these presents for our heirs and successors, do give and
grant in equal shares unto our loving subjects, inhabi-
tants of our said Province of New Hampshire and our
other governments and to their heirs and assigns for-
ever, whose names are entered on this grant, to be divi-
ded to and amongst them into twenty-one equal shares,
all that tract or parcel of land, situate, lying and being
within our said Province of New Hampshire, contain-
ing by admeasurement 23,040 acres, which tract is to
contain six miles square and no more; out of which an
allowance is to be made for highways and unimprovable
lands, by Rocks, Ponds, Mountains and Rivers, one
thousand and forty acres free, according to a plan and
survey thereof made by our said Governor's order, and
returned into the Secretary’s office and hereunto annex-
ed; butted and bounded as follows: viz:

Beginning on the southerly or southeasterly side of
Onion or French River, at the easterly or northeasterly
corner of Burlington and runs up by said river so far
as to make six miles upon a perpendicular to the upper
line of Burlington aforesaid; then south by parallel to
the upper line of said Burlington six miles; then west-
erly to a tree standing six miles from the river upon a
line with the head line of Burlington; then northerly
or northeasterly as Burlington runs to the bound at
the river began at, —

And that the same be and hereby is incorporated into
a township by the name of WILLISTON.

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And the inhabitants that do or shall hereatter inhab-
it the said Township are hereby declared to be enfran-
chised with and entitled to all and every the privileges
and immunities that other towns within our Province
by Law exercise and enjoy; and that further, that the
said Town, as soon as there shall be fifty families resi-
dent and settled therein, shall have the liberty of hold-
ing two Fairs, one of which shall be held on the
and the other on the annually, which Fairs are
not to continue longer than the respective follow-
ing the said And that as soon as the said
Town shall consist of fifty families, a Market may be
opened and kept one or more days in each week as may
be thought most advantageous to the Inhabitants.

Also that the first meeting for the choice of town
officers agreeable to the laws of said Province, shall be
holden on the 19th day of July next; which said meet-
ing shall be notified by Doctor Samuel Allen, who is
hereby also appointed the Moderator of the said first
meeting, which he is to notify and govern agreeable to
the laws and customs of our said Province; and that
the Annual Meeting forever hereafter for the choice of
such officers for the said town, shall be on the second
Tuesday of March annually.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said tract of land
as above expressed, together with all privileges and
appurtenances, to them and their respective heirs and
assigns forever, upon the following conditions:

I. That every Grantee, his heirs and assigns shall
plant and cultivate five acres of land within the term of
five years for every fifty acres contained in his or their
share or proportion of land in said township, and con-
tinue to improve and settle the same by additional cul-
tivations on penalty of the forfeiture of his grant or
share in the said Township, and of its reverting to US,
our heirs and successors, to be by us or them regranted
to such of our subjects as shall effectually settle and
cultivate the same.

II. That all white and other Pine Trees within the
said Township fit for masting our Royal Navy, be care-

 

 

 

 

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fully preserved for that use, and none to be cut and
felled without our special license for so doing first had
and obtained, upon the penalty of the forfeiture of the
Right of such Grantee, his heirs and assigns, to us, our
heirs and successors, as well as being subject to the
penalty of any Act or Acts of Parliment that now are,
or hereafter shall be enacted.

III. That before any division of the land be made to
and among the Grantees, a tract of land as near the
centre of the said Township as the land will admit of,
shall be reserved and marked out for Town Lots, one
of which shall be allotted to each Grantee, of the con-
tents of one acre.

IV. Yielding and paying therefor to us, our heirs
and successors for the space of ten years, to be com-
puted from the date hereof, the rent of one ear of Indian
Corn only, on the 25th day of December annually, if
lawfully demanded, the first payment to be made on
the 25th day of December, 1763.

V. Every proprietor, settler or inhabitant shall
yield and pay unto us, our heirs and successors, yearly
and every year forever, from and after the expiration
of ten years from the above said 25th day of Decem-
ber, namely on the 25th day of December which shall
be in the year of our Lord, 1763, one shilling Proclama-
tion Money, for every hundred acres he so owns, set-
tles or possesses and so, in proportion for a greater or
less tract of said land, which money shall be paid by
the respective persons above said, their heirs or assigns,
in our Council Chamber in Portsmouth or to such offi-
cer or officers as shall be appointed to receive the same;
and this to be in lieu of all other rents and services
whatsoever.

In Testimony Whereof we have caused the Seal of
our said Province to be hereunto affixed.

Witness,

BENNING WENTWORTH, Esq., our Gov-
ernor and Commander-in-Chief of our
said Province, the seventh day of June in
the year of our Lord Christ, one thousand

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; seven hundred and sixty-three.
By his Excellency’s Command,

With advice of Council,

B. Wentworth.

T. Atkinson, Jun., Sec’y.

Province of New Hampshire,

June 7, 1763.

Recorded in the Book of Charters, Page 409, 410.

Names of Grantees:

Samuel Willis
Nathan’) Williams
Jeremiah Wood
Samuel Allen
John Mowbray
Stephen Wood
James Rogers
Rich’d Conklin
Jonas Platt

Israel Ketcham
Solomon Ketcham
Benjamin Denton
Simon Fleet, Jun.
Jacob Brush

Thomas Fleet, Jun.

Cornelius Hart
Christ’r Tobias
Phillip Conklin
Thomas Brush

Joel Ketcham
Hubbard Conklin
Abel Gillett
Shubill Smith
Reuben Brush
Joshua Rogers
Henry Sammis
Nathan’! Kelley
Phillip Ketcham
James Chichester

T. Atkinson, Jun., Sec’y.

John Brush, Jun.
Ebenezer Gold

Israel Wood

John Weeks

John Carll

Samuel Hart
Nathan’! Harrison
Henry Smith

Zopher Platt, Jun.
Joseph Smith

Ezekiel Smith
Thomas Oakes
Ezekiel Weeks

David Chichester
Samuel Seaman of Jerusalem
Cornelius Stratton
Obediah Rogers
Hezekiah Rogers
Micah Rogers
Hezekiah Rogers, Jun.
Ezekiel Rogers

Jonas Wood

Stephen Conklin
Timothy Conklin
Thomas Conklin, Jun.
Samuel Averill

Hon. John Temple, Esq.
Tho. Atkinson, Esq.

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Robert Shadbolt Mk. J. J. Wentworth, Esq.
Benj. Seaman William Temple, Esq.
Tunis Wortman Tho. Atkinson, Jun., Esq.
William Frost, Sen.

His Excellency, Benning Wentworth, Esq., a Tract
of Land to contain five hundred acres as marked B. W.
in the Plan, which is to be accounted two of the within
shares.

One whole share for the Incorporated Society for the
propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

One share for a Glebe for the Church of England as
by Law Established.

One share for the first settled Minister of the Gospel.

One share for the benefit of a school in said town.

Province of New Hampshire, June 7, 1763.

Recorded in the Book of Charters, Page 41.

P. T. Atkinson, Jun., Sec'y.
Plan of Town.
Province of New Hampshire, June 7, 1763.
Recorded in the Book of Charters, Page 412.
P. T. Atkinson, Jun., Sec’y.
State of Vermont,
Chittenden Co., ss.
Williston, Jan. 2, 1804.

The foregoing is a true copy of the Original Charter,
Proprietor’s names and Plan of the Town of Williston,
together with the certificate of the Secretary.

Attest.

The earliest record that we can find in the archives
of the town is of the proceedings of the original propri-
etors in 1802, to quiet the titles to their several proper-
ties. There seems to be no known record of transfer of
lands previous to this date, the lands of Gov. Chitten-
den being held at this time by his sons.

This procedure was as follows:

“Application having been made to Stephen Pearl,
Justice of the Peace, by more than one-sixteenth of the
Proprietors of the Town of Williston to warn a meeting
of said Proprietors, such a meeting was called July 28,
1802. At this meeting it was voted to choose a committee

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of three to examine into all the records of the former
proceedings of the Proprietors, if any can be found,
and to make report of the true situation of the same at
the next meeting. Noah Chittenden, Jonathan Spafford
and Joshua Chamberlin were chosen as such a com-
mittee.

At the next meeting October 21, 1802, the committee
reported that after an examination of what records
could be found, it was of the opinion that a new survey
of the town should be made. The same committee of
three was accordingly elected to make a new survey of
the town.

At a meeting held December 6, 1802, it was voted to
add two more to this committee, Lemuel Bottom and
Elihu Allen, Jun.

At a meeting holden July 4, 1803, it was voted to ap-
point a committee of three, viz., Lemuel Bottom, Nathan
Allen and Isaac McNeill, whose duty it shall be to in-
vestigate all the conflicting claims either of proprietor-
ship or of location and make report of their opinion on
the same; and also to make all the applications of pro-
prietorship to all the lands respectively in said town of
Williston and to make a plan and book of records of the
same, to be exhibited to the Proprietors and land-
owners for ratification at their next adjourned meeting.

The report of the committee was accepted and accord-
ingly a plot and book of records was made and it was
voted to levy a tax of four cents on each acre of land in
said town of Williston to defray the expenses of said
survey, map and records.

John Johnson was employed as surveyor to make out
plots and the records agreeable to the vote of the pro-
prietors and landowners.

Each of the original grantees had 282 acres which
they disposed of to the various proprietors. This was
supposed to embrace the entire holdings of the grantees
after the exemptions named in the Charter and an
allowance of three per cent. for highways, but when
this survey of the land was completed, there was found
to be 200 acres undisposed of and this was divided

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among the proprietors.

It is interesting to note that many of our earliest in-
habitants, whose descendants are among the present
residents of the town, owned land as described by this
record; viz:

Lot No. 1 assigned to Arad Root was the original
500 acres set off to Gov. Benning Wentworth. It is
now known as the ‘‘Root Farm.’’

Other lots were assigned as follows:

Lot No. 2, to Lemuel Bottom is now known as the
Brownell farm and the western part of the Lorenzo
Chapin farm.

No. 3, to John Winslow, now known as the Byington
place.

No. 5, to Nathan Allen, located on the North side of
Allen Brook, on land owned by R. A. Arms.

No. 6, to Solomon Miller, the place where H. S.
Johnson now lives.

No. 7, to Nathaniel Brown, included a lot of land
next south of the Miller lot.

Nos. 8 and 9, Ephraim and Elisha Thacher, com-
prised lands west of Oak Hill.

No. 10 to ‘‘Widow’’ Downer, located in Sucker
Hollow.

No. 15 to Josiah Talcott, the J. G. Talcott farm.

No. 19 John Munson, the William Whitney place at
the west end of the village.

No. 21, Enoch Judson, a part of the Hiram Walston
farm.

No. 24, L. Bottom and Jno. Bushnell, what is known
as the Pape farm.

Nos. 26 and 27, to Lemuel Winslow, land known as
the Geo. Brownell farm and lots in the west part of the
village.

No. 29, Elisha Bradley, known as the Oras Bradley
farm.

No. 31, to David Talcott, known as the ‘‘Roswell
Talcott’’ farm.

No. 32, to Timothy Lee, a part of the Chas. Walston
and the Lockwood farms.

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No, 33 and 35, to Elisha Wright, now known as the
Patrick Lavell farm.

No. 38, to Elihu Allen, the extreme southeast part of
the town, known as the ‘‘Sutton’’ farm.

No. 43, D. and Z. Talcott, land south of Mud Pond.

No. +7, S. Miller, the Dr. Bingham place.

Nos. 49 and 56, to Joseph Bradley, which comprised
the Caswell and the Peter Senna farms.

Nos. 50, 54 and 55, toI. and W. Taylor and Eldad
Taylor, which included the land of the Bushnell farms.

No. 52, Lemuel Messenger, the Harry Fay farm.

No. 53, was the Incorporated Society for the Propo-
gation of the Gospel in Foreign Lands, and is a part of
the Nelson Bushnell and Jo Senna farms.

No. 58, to Deodat Morton, land north of Mud Pond.

No. 66, John Beach, north of Hinesburgh Pond.

Nos. 63, 64 and 65, to Calvin and Beriah Murray, in
the southeast part of the town, known as Beartown.

No. 75, to Dan Johnson, now known as the John
Johnson farm, in the east part of the village.

No. 76, to Giles Chittenden, a part of the C.J. andC.
S. Wright farm.

No. 77, to Giles Chittenden, a large tract of land in-
cluding what is known as the ‘“‘Old Fay Farm’’ on the
river, the Chapman farm and a part of the Wright farm.

No. 78, 79 and 80 to Truman Chittenden, includes the
Clark farm and the farm at the top of French Hill
owned by Dan McMahon.

No. 82 to Noah Chittenden, land known as the John
Charles Hill, lying south of French Hill.

No. 83, to Simeon Lee, a part of the Horatio John-
son farm.

No. 90, was set aside for the schools and for the first
settled minister, and is now known as the Henry Law-
rence farm.

Nos. 102, 103 and 104, to Jonathan Spafford, what is
now the Keefe farm, the Johnson meadows and a part
of the Clark farm.

John Chamberlin was located on the Goodrich farm.

These records also account for several grants of and

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which at that time belonged to the town of Williston,
but in 1794 these lands became a part of the town of
Richmond. Some of the proprietors of these grants
were :—

Joshua Chamberlin, Nathan Fay, Matthew Lyon,
Jonas Galusha, Asa Brownson, James Betty, Eli Brown-
son, Jedediah Lane, James Crane, Benony Thompson,
Peter Crane, Benj. Bishop, Edward Jones, Erza Smith,
Josiah Thompson, and Bigford Spooner.

It isinteresting to know that the grant of land to Sam-
uel Willis, for whom our town was named, comprised
part of the Geo. Brownell farm, the west end of the
village and as far south as the Oras Bradley place.

SPECIAL LAND GRANTS

One of the interesting facts that the early records of
this, and other towns, reveal in regard to the Charter
and relative to the reservations therein, is the disposi-
tion that was made of these reservations, which were as
follows:

Five hundred acres which Gov. Benning Wentworth
reserved for his own use, which shall be accounted two
shares.

One whole share for the Incorporated society for the
propogation of the gospel in foreign parts.

One share for a Glebe for the Church of England as
by law established.

One share for the first settled minister cf the Gospel.

One share for the benefit of a school in said town.

The earliest record we have is a proprietor’s record
which shows the Benning Wentworth tract as being set
off to Arad Root, but there is no record in this town to
show whether Arad Root received a deed direct from
Benning Wentworth, and whether said Wentworth re-
ceived any emoluments for the same.

The indications are that Gov. Wentworth did reserve

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this land for his own use, his heirs and assigns as the fol-
lowing from the Book of Records of Burlington will show:

“‘Know all men by these presents, that I, Martha
Wentworth, of Portsmouth in the County of Rocking-
ham and State of New Hampshire, widow of the late
Col. Michael Wentworth deceased and heir by will to
the late Gov. Benning Wentworth my former husband,
for and in consideration of $2000, lawful money to me in
hand paid before the ensealing hereof by Benjamin
Porter of Newbury in the County of Orange and State
of Vermont, Gentleman, the recept whereof I do hereby
acknowledge, have given, granted, bargained and sold
and by these presents do give, grant, bargain, sell,
alien, release, convey and quit-claim unto him, the said
Benjamin Porter, his heirs and assigns forever, all my
right, title, interest, claim, property and demand of in
and unto one equal half both in quantity and quality of
all and each of the five hundred acre lots of land which
were originally granted, reserved and intended in and
by the Charters of New Hampshire to and for the said
Gov. Benning Wentworth, in the following townships
of land in the now State of Vermont, to wit, formerly,
Bolton, Burlington, Cornwall, Dorset, Glastonbury,
Highgate, Mansfield, Middlesex, Moretown, Swanton,
St. George, Worcester, Whiting and Woodford, each of
which five hundred acres is supposed to be equal to two
proprietor’s shares and are commonly called the Gov-
ernor’s Rights, which land was devised to me by the
said Benning Wentworth. To have and to hold the said
granted and bargained premises, with all the privileges
and appurtenances thereto belonging, to him, the said
Benjamin Porter, his heirs and assigns, to his and their
own proper use, benefit and behoof forever. I hereby
engaging to warrant and defend the same to him the
said Benjamin Porter against the lawful claims or of
any person or persons claiming from, by or under me,
since the death of my last husband. In testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27th
day of November, 1797.

Martha Wentworth. (Seal)

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This shows rather conclusively that the five-hundred-
acre lot reservations in the different towns went to
Wentworth’s heirs and assigns.

The share for the Propogation of the Gospel in For-
eign Parts was divided into several parcels and when a
part of our town was set off to Richmond, the largest
share of these lands went to that town. There is, how-
ever, one tract of thirty-four acres, which comprises a
part of the Nelson Bushnell and Jo Senna farms, which
is still paying rental to this Society, its agent being Mr.
Fred Ward of Burlington. The Grant from King
George to this Society was supposed to be for their mis-
sionaries and at that time this country was a field for
missionary work.

After we seceded from England, this Society very
benevolently gave the Episcopal Diocese power of attor-
ney from time to time to use this money in connection
with their church work in this country.

The lot of land that was reserved for the Church of
England, and designated as Glebe Land, was also in
that part of the town set off to Richmond. The
Church of England evidently lost out or we find in the
early records of the Legislature where they passed a
law which gave over the rental of this land to the ben-
efit of the schools in the State, and such rentals or taxes
are being paid to the Town Treasurer for that purpose.

The disposition of the share for the first settled Min-
ister of the Gospel was treated differently in different
towns. In this town it was probably considered the
private property of the first minister that settled here.

Our earliest records show that it was set off to Elisha
Wright, but as he was not a minister, it would look as
though the first minister had made an assignment to
him. In Burlington this reservation was construed to
mean the first church established in town, and a contro-
versy arose as to which was the first church, so the
rentals were divided between the Unitarian and the Con-
gregational churches.

The last reservaton was for the benefit of the schools
and it has always been used for that purpose

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EARLIEST SETTLERS

THOMAS CHITTENDEN came back with his fam-
ily in 1787 to live in his home overlooking the river and
it is said that he occupied the old log house for some
years before the present brick one was built. He
carried on his large farm and took a prominent part in
town affairs as well as administering the affairs of the
State, until his death in 1797. One of the most inter-
esting and important events in the history of Williston
was the dedication of the monument erected to his
memory August 19, 1896. Although it would seem to
many a tardy recognition of his services, it showed
that his memory has never faded from the minds of the
people of Vermont and that after the lapse of nearly
one hundred years they were eager to pay a lasting
tribute to the memory of their greatest Governor.

The children of Thomas Chittenden were :-—

MABEL married Thomas Barney of Williston, a far-
mer, and lived about one-half mile west of the village
on what is now known as the Metcalf Place.

NOAH, born in 1753, a farmer, lived in Jericho on the
intervale opposite his father. Was the first sheriff of
Chittenden County, Judge of County and Probate Courts;
Town Representative and State Councillor. He diedin
1834. He had two children, Judge Thomas and Anna,
who married Truman Galusha.

MARY marreid Jonas Galusha of Shaftsbury who was
Town Representative, Sheriff of Bennington County,
State Councillor twelve years, Judge of Bennington
County Court, and Governor of the State nine vears.
He was a political rival of his brother-in-law, Martin
Chittenden.

HANNAH married Col. Isaac Clark of Castleton, a
man fond of military life, who was distinguished for his
bravery during the War of 1812.

BETSEY married James Hill of Charlotte, a farmer
of wealth.

BEULAH married Elijah Galusha of Arlington, who
died two years later. Later she married Matthew Lyon

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of Fair Haven, an Irish adventurer who became inden-
tured to pay his passage to America. He was conspic-
uous for his bravery during the Revolution; was a
member of the State Legislature fifteen years; a mem-
ber of Congress from 1796 to 1799 and Judge of Rutland
County Court. He removed to Kentucky in 1801.

MARTIN, born in 1763, was a farmer and settled in
Jericho near Noah. Graduated from Dartmouth Col-
jege in 1789; was Town Representative in 1790 and for
eight years following; Town Representative of Willis-
ton two years; Clerk of the Court for four years; Judge
of County Court ten years; Judge of Probate two years;
Member of Congress ten years, from 1803 to 1813; Gov-
ernor of the State two years, 1813 and 1814. A mem-
ber of the Corporation of the University of Vermont.
Died September 5, 1840 aged 71 years, and was buried
in Williston.

Gov. Martin Chittenden had twelve children of whom
his son Truman has a descendant living in this town, a
great-granddaughter, Mrs. Henry Patten, who has four
children.

GILES, born in 1768, was a farmer and resided in
Williston on the farm now owned by C. J. andC. S&S.
Wright. He was Town Representative and Colonel of
Militia. He died March 1819.

Col. Giles Chittenden had six children, of whom Eli
had a daughter who married Thomas Canfield, a man
of considerable note.

TRUMAN, born in 1770, a farmer, resided at the
top of French Hill on the place known as the Seymour
farm. He was Justice of the Peace 30 years; Judge of
Probate eleven years; Judge of County Court seven
years ; State Councillor twelve years; Member of the
Corporation of the University of Vermont twenty-six
years; represented the town four years. He was always
employed in public duties. He possessed sound judg-
ment anda penetrating mind. He died September 5, 1850.

Giles, sonfof Truman had three children of whom

Abigail had a daughter who became the wife of Dr. A.
L. Bingham.

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ELECTA, born 1774, married Jacob Spafford of
Richmond, a son of Jonathan Spafford.

JONATHAN SPAFFORD, one of the first settlers.
He located on the river above Gov. Chittenden’s. He
was a colonel of Militia, first town representative, and
also one of the first selectmen.

In the records of the Governor and Council we find
the following :—'‘‘October 28, 1790. Yesterday Hon.
Jonathan Spafford was elected Brigadier General of the
7th Brigade. October 12, 1807. The petition of Jona-
than Spafford praying for an Act to suspend all civil
prosecutions against him for a term of years, received by
the House. Nov. 1807. Received from the House
an engrossed bill entitled ‘An Act freeing the body of
Gen. Jonathan Spafford from arrest for the term of
three years’ which was read and it was resolved to con-
cur with the House in passing the same. He died at an
advanced age in upper Canada.

AMOS BROWNSON came with John Chamberlin in
1775 and located upon the flats. Their stay was short,
however, as they left the town the following fall and
did not return until after the close of the Revolution.
In 1784 they resumed the settlement of their farms,
accompanied by Asa and Joel Brownson, Samuel and
Joshua Chamberlain. Amos Brownson was the first
Justice of the Peace, elected in 1786, and Asa Brown-
son was a member of the first Board of Selectmen
elected in 1787. Eli Brownson, a member of the fam-
ily, moved to Williston later, and his daughter Mary
taught for many years in the famous Williston Academy.

LEMUEL BOTTOM settled in Williston in 1786 on
what is known as the Lorenzo Chapin farm and the old
homestead was a landmark until a recent date. After
moving into the town he at once became a leader and
held many important town and county offices. He died
in 1815.

JOHN CHAMBERLIN came to Williston in 1776,
but was compelled with the other settlers, to go South
two years later. He returned previous to 1786. His
home was what is now known as the Goodrich Farm on

 

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the river. He was elected moderator of the first Town
Meeting, which was held March 28, 1786. Was a soldier
in the war of 1812, and was called on the first jury trial
held in this County in 1788.

ABIJAH PRATT and ELIHU ALLEN came here
with their families in 1776 but they were no sooner
settled than they were obliged to leave their homes and
go South.

STILLMAN and SAMUEL BRADLEY were early
settlers. They helped Jehiel Johns to build the first
log house in Huntington.

ELISHA BRADLEY who was originally from Con-
necticut, removed to this town from Huntington in 1787
and settled on the farm now occupied by Alson Bradley.
He was a Revolutionary soldier. Sylvester, son of
Elisha, died here February 5, 1873.

JOSEPH BRADLEY, brother of Elisha, came from
Sunderland to Williston in November 1785 and settled
on the farm which now comprises the Peter Senna and
Caswell farms, where he lived and died. During the
first winter he and his family lived in a house twelve
feet square covered with spruce slabs. They saw no
one except the members of the family save once, when
they visited a family by the name of Messenger in
Essex. They subsisted principally on flooded corn and
potatoes, there being no snow that winter to enable
them to move their provisions from Sunderland. The
records show that he fought at Bennington with five of
his sons and that the Council of Safety first met at his
house in Sunderland.

ELDAD TAYLOR ‘came from Sunderland in March,
1786 and located on the Nelson Bushnell farm. He died
in 1796 aged 63 years. He left eleven children. The
Taylors at one time were the most numerous of any
family in town. Brimage Taylor, a son continued to
live on the old place and his daughter, Amelia, widow
of Daniel Fay, was a long time resident of this town
and is at present living with her son Ellery C. Fay in
Essex at the advanced age of 89 years. Her daughter,
Odella Amelia, the wife of Clayton J. Wright is the

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only descendant of Eldad Taylor living in town.

ARAD ROOT, from Montagu, Mass., came to this
town previous to 1800. He purchased and settled on
the 500 acre tract of land which Gov. Benning Went-
worth reserved when he made the grant of the town.
A portion of this land remains in the family at the
present time and is known as the ‘‘Root Farm.’’ Of
his six children, Zimri was the only one that settled in
Williston. Lucy Root, widow of Lewis H. Talcott,
her son Frank and grandson George, are the only de-
scendants living in town.

NATHAN ALLEN was one of the original settlers and
and land owners of the town. He located cn land on the
North side of Allen Brook, now owned by Robert Arms.
Dean, Nathan and Ethan represent successive genera-
tions from Nathan. They were all residents of this
town but there is no representative of the family here
at present.

DEACON DAVID TALCOTT, Born in Connecticut
in 1740, came to Williston previous to 1786, removing
here from Massachusetts. He had a family of five sons
and two daughters and bought a large tract of land in
the vicinity of Oak Hilland Mud Pond. He was elected
a member of the first board of Selectmen of the town in
1786 and held many other town offices. As soon as he
was located he erected a large frame house at the top
of Talcott Hill and here opened the first tavern in Wil-
liston, which he kept until his death in 1810. His sons,
Parker, Josiah, Zelah, and Jonathan were all farmers.
David Jr. was a tanner, his vats being located on Allen
Brook back of the frame house which he built and
which is now occupied by C. D. Warren. Josiah was
the great grandfather of D. I. Talcott, a present resi-
dent of the town. Jonathan had two children, Roswell
and Jerusha. Roswell’s descendants now living in this
town are Mrs. Jerusha Crane, a daughter, Frank Tal-
cott, a grandson, and GeorgeTalcott a great-grandson.
David, Jr. was the great-grandfather of Mrs. Mary
Whipple.

HENRY and NATHAN FAY came from Benning-

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ton in 1790 and settled at Fay’s Corners which at t
time was a part of Williston. They acquired their 1:
from the original grantees as the town records shc
Their father was John Fay who fought in and was kil
at the Battle of Bennington, and their grandfather
Stephen Fay who kept the famous Catamount Tave:
Their uncles, Joseph and Jonas, were intimately assc
ated with Thomas Chittenden and the Allens in -
early history of the State. Nathan’s son, John, liy
in the Northern part of the town, on the old “‘Fay Farr
on the river and died there in 1871. He had ey
children Roswell, Electa, Roxana, Daniel, Ransc
Julius, Edith and Hiram. Roswell has two grandchi
ren now living in town, Harry M. and Abbie L., w
of Clinton S. Wright, who has a daughter Julia F;
Electa has two sons, Roswell E. and Bertram F. Brov
Roswell E. has two sons, now living in town, Artk
and Charles Brown. Arthur has a son, Clayton anc
daughter, Barbara. Bertram F. has a daughter, Hatt
Edith has a daughter, Marcia F., wife of James E. Ki
nedy. Daniel B. has a daughter, Odella A., wife
Clayton J. Wright, all residents of Williston at |
present time.

STEPHEN N. WARREN came to Williston ax
the same time as Lemuel Bottom and settled near hi
He afterwards moved to Fairfax where he died. |
had eight children. Of these the youngest, Charles
followed the trade of carpenter and joiner for so
time, worked a while in the paper mills at Essex, a
finally purchased a farm in Williston where he died Jh
30, 1888. Charles E. married Rosetta Baldwin,
granddaughter of Abram Brundage, an early settl
soldier in the French and Indian War and in the Brit
Army of the Revolution. He stood at the top of 1
rock down which (Gen. Isaac Putnam made his famc
ride, at the time the deed was done. Charles E. t
three children, Isabel, Birney E. and Charles
Birney E. lives on the old homestead and has fc
children; Rose, wife of Mort James of this town, Nett
Bessie and Guy. Charles D., a merchant in the villa;

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has two children, Mildred, wife of Wright Clark who
lives on the old Gov. Chittenden homestead, and Sylvia.

SOLOMON MILLER settled in Williston in 1786
and was one of the first to occupy land in the village.
He built on the lot where Dr. Bingham’s house now
stands. He was born at West Springfield, Mass., in
1761 and young as he was he entered the service of the
American Army at the outbreak of Revolution and
participated in the Battle of Bennington and the capture
of Burgoyne. For several years before he came to
Williston he engaged with Nathaniel Chipman in the
manufacture of iron at Wallingford, Vt. From 1794 to
1815 he served as Town Clerk and fortwenty years was
Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, besides being
Judge of Probate about the same length of time. He was
also a member of the Governor’s Council for a time.
He died in 1847 aged 87 years. Hisson Harry built the
house where Dr. Bingham now lives.

ELISHA MILLER, brother of Solomon, came to
Williston from Wallingford at about the same time and
settled on the William Metcalf place. He was married
twice and had seventeen children, of whom his son
Elisha had two sons, Norman and Jackson. The latter
is now one of our eldest residents. His daughter Laura,
wife of R. L. Parker, with her three children, Laura,
Dorothy and Marion and his son Charles E. live with
him. Lucretia, daughter of Elisha Sr. married the Rev.
A. D. Barber and her son Judge W. M. Barber is a
resident of the town.

Of the Winslow family who settled in Williston at an
early date, we have no record except for the monument
which stands in the cemetery as a memorial to the three
brothers, the sons of Nathaniel, who were remarkable
men in their time. The inscriptions are as follows :—

Hubbard Winslow,
Author, educator, pastor at Boston and elsewhere,

Died August 13, 1864, aged 64 years.

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Gordon Winslow, D. D., M. D.
Rector at Staten Island, N. Y. and elsewhere,
entered into rest
June 7, 1864, aged 59 years.

Myron Winslow, D. D., LL. D.
Forty-five years Missicnary in India.
Died at Cape of Good Hope
October 22, 1864 aged 74 years.

A sister of the above brothers, Mrs. Byington was a
lifelong resident.

DAN JOHNSON a native of Windham County came
to Williston in 1787 and settled on the farm later owned
by John Johnson. He had two children, Nathan and
Anna. Nathan upon the death of his father came into
possession of the homestead. He had five children. Of
these, Dan settled on the farm now owned by Horatio
Johnson. He had eight children of whom Horatio and
his daughter Belle, wife of Frank Clark, are the only
descendants living in town at present. John, another
son of Nathan‘has two sons now living in town, Charles
F. and Byron C. Charles F. has a son, Seth, and a
daughter, Ella. Bryon C. has a daughter, Jessie, anda
son, Lester.

COL. ISAAC McNEILL, one of the earliest settlers,
located about a mile North of the village. He was the
first lawyer to settle in town, was well educated and
gifted and held many town offices.

JONATHAN and ZACHARIAH HART settled in
the west part of the town, which was then Burlington,
in the year 1789. Zachariah lived to the extreme age
of 103 years.

PHILLIP WALKER, one of the earliest inhabitants,
purchased land in the Southern part of the town, it be-
ing what is now known as the Walker Farm. He died
in 1840. He had two daughters, one of whom was Mrs.

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Griswold who was murdered in the south part of the
town some forty years ago and the other was a Mrs.
Saxton who lived on the Chas. Johnson farm.

ELISHA WRIGHT came to Williston from Litch-
field, Conn. previous to 1797. He located on land from
the original grantees in the southern part of the town
which is now known as the Patrick Lavelle farm. He
died there in 1830. His children were John, Brigham,
Eunice and Hannah. John Wright had seven sons of
whom Smith was a lifelong resident of the town and
one of the prominent men of the county holding many
town and county offices. His children were Mary A.,
Louisa J., Homer E., Clayton J. and Clinton S. Of
these Clayton J. and Clinton S. and his daughter Julia
are the only representatives of the family remaining in
town.

BERIAH MURRAY, a pioneer of Williston, came
from Claremont, N. H. He located here with his son
Calvin on what is now known as the Geo. Whitney
farm in the southeast part of the town. Calvin had nine
children of whom David A. was a lifelong resident of
the town. There are none of the family living in town
at present. :

DANIEL SHAW came from Taunton, Mass., in 1790
and settled about one mile east of the village where he
died in 1804. His son, Daniel, Jr., built many of the
first houses in the village. He died in 1810. His grand-
son, Webster Lockwood, is now one of our oldest resi-
dents and the only representative of the family in town.

ISAAC FRENCH came to Williston at an early date
and purchased five hundred acres of land of Ira Allen.

JEREMIAH FRENCH, brother of Isaac, moved
here from Manchester, Vt. He lived in the east part of
the town, which embraced the Chauncey Brownell farm.
His son, William Henry French was born in 1813 and
resided in town all his life. He was an influential and
prominent citizen, was instrumental in the formation of
the Liberty Party and was elected by that party as a
member of the Legislature in 1846.

JOHN DOWNER settled on the hill south of the

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French place in 1792. He also purchased his land from
Ira Allen. He died at an advanced age in 1851.

JOHN BUSHNELL came to Williston from Connec-
ticut in 1795 and settled in the north part of the town.
After a long and useful life he died here in 1821. He
had two sons, Alvah and Hiram. Alvah settled on the
old home place, and his son Nelson and the latter's
daughter, Mabel, are the only representatives of the
family living in town. Hiram settled on an adjoining
farm and his son Jesse was a resident of the town until
1912.

OBADIAH WALSTON came from Connecticut at an
early date and settled in the East partof the town. His
grandsons, Charles, Obadiah and Hiram, were old res-
idents of the town.

JOHN BROWN came from Massachusetts and set-
tled in the Western part of the town and afterwards on
the farm owned by his grandson William Whitney. He
died in 1853 at the advanced age of ninety-seven years.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWN AND
ITS INDUSTRIES

The Cha ter was granted June 7, 1763, but owing to
the Revolutionary War the Town was not organized un-
til 1786. The Judge of the County Court, John Fassett,
Esq., issued a warning calling the voters together. And
accordingly, March 28, 1786 the first town meeting was
held.

John Chamberlin was chosen moderator, John Don-
nelly Town Clerk, and Joel Brownson Constable. No
other officers are mentioned until the second annual
meeting, March 27, 1787, which was governed by Amos
Brownson Moderator. Robert Donnelly was again
chosen Clerk; Jonathan Spafford, Deacon David Talcott
and Asa Brownson were elected Selectmen; Nathaniel
Winslow, Constable; Lemuel Winslow and John Cham-
berlin, Grand Jurors; Felix Auger and Lemuel Wins-
1 w, Tithinemen; Lemuel Winslow, Jonathan Spafford

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and Robert Donnelly, listers. At this meeting forty
pounds was voted to use in improving and laying out
roads. On the 25th of March, 1788 the selectmen were
constituted a committee to ‘‘provide a place to bury the
dead.’’ At another meeting, held at the house of Col.
Spafford on the first Friday in October 1788, it was voted
that the roads be four rods ‘‘wyde’’ and a tax of two
pence on the pound was levied, to be paid in grain,
wheat at six shillings per bushel and corn at three
shillings. On the 24th of March, 1789 it was voted to
find the center of the town of Williston, and Felix
auger, Amos Brownson, David Talcott, Joel Leonard,
and Nathan*Allen were chosen to ascertain the spot.
Gov. Chittenden was one of the selectmen in 1790 and
his yard, with that of David Talcott was constituted a
pound for that vear. At the March meeting of 1790
Solomon Miller, Lemuel Winslow and David Talcott
were appointed ‘‘to agree with some person on a bury-
ing-place and to see it cleared.’’

In 1794 the town was divided and the lines altered
by an Act of the Legislature, setting off ten or twelve
thousand acres to help form the new town of Richmond
and receiving the same amount from the East part of
Burlington, making Muddy Brook the present line be-
tween Burlington and Williston. Before this change
was made Burlington came to within a mile of Williston
village and Williston extended nearly to Richmond
village.

The record of Williston’s representation in the Ver-
mont Legislature is a creditable one; both senators and
representatives sent from the Town being men of sound
judgment and integrity. Some of our earliest repre-
sentatives were Whigs and in 1846 we were represented
by the Liberal Party. Later we have been represented
by Republicans with the exception of one term—1910—
when we sent a Democrat. For many years the senators
which have been chosen by this town have been Re-
publicans, but in 1908 we held the unique position of
sending two senators to the legislature, one a Democrat
and the other a Republican.

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Some forty years ago there were as many as four
doctors in the town of Williston, but since 1875 Dr.
Albert L. Bingham has been our only physician. He
camc to Williston from his native town, Fletcher, when
only twenty-two years old, and immediately after
graduating from the University of Vermont. It wasa
hard struggle to yet a start, as people are rather pre-
judiced against youth in the profession of medicine,
but in time he succeeded and for many years has been
loved and respected by rich and poor alike. He married
Jennie Welch, great-granddaughter of Gov. Chittenden
who died in March 1906. In December, 1908 he married
Julia McLacklin and has two children, Albert Lemando
and Ruth.

During the War of 1812 Williston took an active part
in furnshing troops for the Americans.

From 1812 to 1830 the town grew very rapidly. The
names of the most prominent men in town will be
gathered from the paragraphs immediately following.
At the annual meeting held on March 15, 1825, Martin
Chittenden was chosen moderator of the meeting;
Chauncey Brownell was made town clerk; Jeremiah
French, Martin Chittenden and Roswell Morton, Select-
men; Timothy M. Bradley, Treasurer; Truman Chitten-
den, Calvin Morse and Zaddock Coleman, listers; Sam-
uel Smith, first constable and collector: John Wright,
grand juror; Truman Chittenden, Milo Winslow, Caleb
Munson, Phillip Walker, John H. Hall, Jeremiah
French, Hezekiah Morton, Josiah N. Barrows, James
Talcott, Martin Chittenden, Alexander Lee, David A.
Murray, Solomon Morton and Samuel Smith, surveyors
of highways; Nathan Johnson, Zaddock Coleman,
Zachariah Hart, fence viewers; Jonathan G. Talcott
and John L. Corning, pound keepers; Josiah N. Barrows,
sealer of leather; Samuel Smith, sealer of weights and
measures and Rufus Chapin and Leonard Hodges,
tithing men.

At this period there was only one village in town.
There were a good many taverns, the natural result of
the geographical situation of the town on the old turn-

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pike road and as the center of a number of stage lines.
Among the more prominent taverns was one kept by
Isaac French at what was called the ‘‘Four corners’’ in
the western part of the town. One kept on the opposite
side of the street, being the south side of the turnpike,
by Calvin Morse. This building is now standing and
is the home of Elmer Taft. There were two tavens at
the west end of the village, one kept by Epaphrus Hull
and the other by Mr. Arnold, one of these being the old
Alger place. Linus Atwater had one in the center of
the village. Eagle Hall, a large tavern on the site of
the present Methodist Church, was kept by Benj. Going
and in 1830 by David French and later by Eli Chitten-
den, son of Giles. It was for many years one of the
best hotels in the country and was noted for its fine
spring floor in the ball room. Four and six horse
teams and stages passed very frequently and passengers
and drivers were accustomed to stay over night at Eagle
Hall. It burned in 1850 while James Hurlburt was
proprietor. About 1840 the house now occupied by
Mrs. Carrie Morrill was a hotel under the man-
agement of William Brown.

The other village of North Williston was not in exis-
tence until after the opening of the railroad, about 1846.

As early as 1825 the population was 1600, nearly as
much as any time in its history.

The brick store, at present occupied by F. D. Put-
nam, was built in 1836 by A.J. Fuller and some of the
following merchants have conducted a prosperous
business there: James W. Hurlburt, George Morton,
Smith Wright, E. C. Fay, Carrol Macomber, Smith
Wright and Gilbert Harris, Geo. L. Pease & Co., and
A. E. Page.

The building now occupied as a store by C. D. War-
ren was erected in 1840 and has been occupied by
George Morton, Philo Clark, Henry Hurlburt, A. B.
Simonds, Smith Wright, E. R. Crane, George Miller,
George Button, Henry S. Joslyn and since 1885 by
Charles D. Warren.

The store building at North Williston was erected

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about 1865 by Frederick Simonds. His successors were
H. W. Thompson, J. R. Talcott, John Whitcomb and
since 1886 by R. E. Brown.

Smith Wright and Sons, wholesale produce and cold
storage business, has been in operation at North Willis-
ton since 1886. For many years previous to that the
business was carried on by Smith Wright.

There is a general store at Oak Hill run by Charles
Martell which has been in operation for about twelve
years.

Sixty or seventy-five years ago, one of our principal
industries was our saw mills. There was one located
on the Winooski River in the vicinity of the Cady Place
which was operated by the Brownell family, and did a
prosperous business. There was another on Allen
Brook at the Tucker place and operated by the Tuckers.
Portions of the old dam are in place at the present
time. There was still another saw mill on Allen Brook
in the East part of the village, operated by Willard
Moore and afterwards by Hiram Winslow and others.
Another stood on Muddy Brook near the town line, and
had in connection a carding mill and grinding stones.
This was operated by the Miller family. About 1860 a
steam saw mill was erected at North Williston by Hiram
Fay and later a grist mill and butter tub factory were
added. This was later operated by Whitcomb & Fay.
In 1871 these mills were destroyed by fire and rebuilt
by the North Williston Mill Co. The grist mill is still
in operation. Atanearly day there were several distil-
leries in town, most of the merchants being interested
in them and taking grain in payment of debts. John
Bradley operated a still on the site of the house now
occupied by Judge Barber. Another stood in the west
part of the town, on the east side of Muddy Brook.
John and William Bradley had one in the northeast
part of the town and one of the Ishams ran a cider-
brandy distillery in the southwest corner of the town.

Early in 1800 there was a tannery located on Allen
Brook in the east end of the village operated by David
Talcott, Jr. In 1825 there was a tannery operated by

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John and Harry Bradley and also one operated by
Emery Hill.

Before the land was much cleared sheep raising was
engaged in, it being better fitted for rough land than
dairying. This industry continued until about 1860.
From that time on dairying has been engaged in exten-
sively by the farmers, while at this time Williston has
probably the best dairying farms in the state. At first
the manufacture of cheese was engaged in, it being
made on the farm; later it was manufactured at facto-
ries and there was one at Oak Hill and another at North
Williston that did a large and prosperous business.

About fifty years ago, some of the larger farmers
turned their attention to making butter on the farm, as
it was then more profitable than the cheese. After the
cream separator was invented the butter industry was
changed from being made upon the farm to being man-
ufactured at a creamery, and up to a comparatively re-
cent time creameries have done a flourishing business
in this town. There was one located at Oak Hill, one
at Williston village and another at North Williston. As
the growth of our large cities developed the milk market,
it became necessary to reach out further for it and
within the last few years this section has come into that
zone and now instead of being a butter producing town,
the greater part of the milk is being sold to either the
condensed milk factories or shipped ‘‘whole’’ to the
markets and the creameries are used for receiving
stations.

CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS

The first Congregational church in Williston seems to
have been a ‘‘Union’’ church and not of any particular
denominaion.

As early as 1788 steps were taken to hire a minister.
In 1789 the meetings were ‘‘holden’’ in the house of
Nathan Allen the one half of the time and in Mr.
Auger’s barn the other half.

In 1790 it was voted to erect a meeting house large
enough to accommodate the whole town. Various

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things interfering, however, work was not actually
begun until 1796. The building stood on the north side
of the main street on the corner lot opposite the house
now owned by Mrs. Albert Bliss. It was 50 by 57 feet
and built in the ‘‘style of ye olden time,’’ with galler-
ies on three sides, square pews, and a lofty pulpit
perched on top of a shaft. There was no means of
heating it except by the old fashioned foot-stoves which
the women carried to meeting with them to keep their
feet from freezing while they listened, shivering, to the
long, drawn-out sermons usual in those days.

The first minister who resided in Williston was the
Rev. Abiel Jones. He was ‘‘Discontinued”’ in 1791, but
why, we know not and from then until 1800 preaching
was held irregularly.

There seems to have been a schism in this early
church for in the earliest records of the town we find
statements made and recorded by a number of citizens
to the effect that as they did not agree with the relig-
ious sentiment of the majority of the town, they dis-
sented therefrom and did not wish to be considered with
them in the support of their worship.

In June, 1800, the Congregational Church was
organized with sixteen members. Rev. Aaron C. Collins
was installed the same year. In 1813 the society was
teorganized in order to eliminate ‘‘certain heresies’’
that had crept in. In 1832 the present church was built.
It is of brick and of pleasing architecture. It was in
this church that Gov. Martin Chittenden might be seen
of a Sabbath walking majestically down the aisle to his
seat in one of the ‘‘amen’’ pews carrying his tall hat
and gold headed cane straight out in front of him. He
sat very straight and stiff during the service, paying
close attention tothe sermon. The church was repaired
in 1860, but since 1899 the Congregationalists have
worshiped with the Methodists in their Church.

METHODIST CHURCH

It is uncertain when Methodism was first organized in
Williston, but it was undoubtedly the result of the dis-

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sention in the Union Church. As early as 1808 this
town belonged to the Charlotte circuit and was supplied
occasionally by itinerant preachers. Its meeting place
for many years was in the south part of the town at the
Lake Iroquois school house. Here many people from
Hinesburg came to worship. In 1836-7 preaching be-
gan to be held at the village and at the Muddy Brook
school house. A Sunday School was established in
1841-2 with thirty members, the Methodist children
having attended the Congregational Sunday School pre-
vious to thattime. The first pastor, Samuel Haws, was
appointed to this charge by the Troy Conference in
1844. For some years the people had worshiped in the
town hall and in the school houses. Finally they were
forbidden the use of these, so a church building became
an imperative need. About 1842 the first Methodist
Church was erected. It is what is now the M. W. A.
Hall. Twenty-five years later a larger and much better
house being considered necessary, a new church on the
site of the old ‘‘Eagle Hall’’ was built, which with the
lot, cost over $18,000. In 1900 a subscription was raised
to buy a town clock to put on this church. This church
is the only one in town at the present time, where re-
ligious services are held regularly.

BAPTIST CHURCH

Very little is known at this time of this society, al-
though we know that such an one once existed here.
One of their ministers, Peter Chase, in 1828 founded
the famous Williston Academy, and did double duty as
preacher and teacher. He erected a building west of
the present school which was first used as an Academy
and was later purchased by the Baptists for a church.
This is the building now owned by Mrs. George Bom-
bard.

Mr. Chase was succeeded in the work by the Rev.
William Arthur, father of Chester A. Arthur, former
President of the United States.

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UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

The first Universalist Society was organized Febru-
ary 18, 1844, having for its objects ‘‘The purpose of
sustaining the Gospel and promoting the cause of truth,
righteousness, humanity, liberty and charity.’’ There
were at first fifty-one members. For sixteen years the
society worshiped inthe Town Hall but in 1860 a brick
house of worship was erected on the South side of the
main street, opposite the Congregational Church. In
1867 a parsonage was purchased. Eli Ballou was-he
first pastor. The church and society were prosperous
for many years but about 1900 services were discon-
tinued. At the present time the building is being re-
modeled and is to serve for social hall, rooms for the
King’s Daughters and the town library.

WILLISTON ACADEMY

In 1828, the Rev. Peter Chase, at that time pastor of
the Baptist Church in Williston, purchased a site upon
which was erected a building to be used for a High
School or Academy. The school was not large, but as
Mr. Chase was a good instructor, it prospered and was
sustained by the people of the village and vicinity who
took considerable interest in it. Mr. Chase was suc-
ceeded both as teacher and pastor by the Rev. William
Arthur, the father of President Chester A. Arthur. The
future president was a small boy at that time and those
who saw him playing on the streets or studying in the
school, little dreamed of the high and responsible office
he would afterwards fill. In 1841 a building of brick
was erected just east of the old school building, which
had been sold to the Baptist society for a church. The
expenses of the new building were met by a stock com-
pany composed of individuals residing in the town.
They owned the property and shared in the profits.

From that time the school prospered greatly. Inthe
issue of August 23, 1844 of the Burlington Free Press
is the following notice:

“Williston High School
‘The fall term of this institution will commence on

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Wednesday, the 18th of September, under favorable au-
spices under the charge of J. Lyman, A.M. The long
and successful experience of the Principal as a teacher
in High Schools warrants the assurance that the wishes
of the community will be met under his supervision.
He has in his possession a large Herschelian telescope
and other apparatus which he will use for the benefit of
the pupils. A course of chemical and philosophical
lectures will be given illustrated with experiments.
Special attention will be given to those who expect to
become teachers. Tuition the same as in similar insti-
tutions. Board can be obtained in respectable families
on reasonable terms. It is expected that a large and
commodious boarding house will be opened with special
reference to the accommodation of students from abroad.
Williston Female Seminary. This department will be
under the charge of Mrs. Lyman, assisted in the in-
struction by her husband. It is intended to make this
department a permanent and prominent object and it is
believed that under the charge of Mrs. Lyman, whose
education has been acquired at some of the best semina-
ries of the land, rendering her perfectly familiar with
the best methods of instruction, the Female Seminary
will afford advantages to young ladies second to none
in this part of the state. The Seminary will be opened
on the same day as the High School and will be taught
in the upper story of the Academy building. The young
ladies will have access to the lectures and to the Chem-
ical and Philosophical experiments. Williston is cen-
trally located for the whole county and is easily access-
ible by stages which pass and repass daily from all parts
of the country and is well situated for a school of this
kind.’’

Under the management of Mr. Lyman the records
show that the school was very prosperous. Upon his
Tetirement Patrick Sanford, afterwards a prosperous
lawyer in Illinois, conducted the schcol with great
success. Under his management the pupils aggregated
as many as 129. After this, the instructors changed
more frequently and the school was not as prosperous.

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In 1858, the people desiring greater permancy to the
school and laboring to secure it, nobly and generously
contributed for the enlargement and improvement of
the building. On September 1, 1858 the school was
opened by J. S. Cilley. This was a most fortunate
choice as he was a man of great ability as a teacher and
the fame cf the school spread far and wide. Pupils not
only came from all parts of Vermont and the New
England States but also from New York and Pennsylva-
nia. Jt was said that under his management boys whom
their parents could not manage, became models of good
behavior. Mr. Cilley remained in town many years
much respected by pupils, teachers and the townspeople
who were proud of the reputation the school had ac-
quired. From this academy many have gone forth to
hold high positions in college and in business affairs.
After Mr. Cilley’s departure the school declined and at
last was closed altogether. After some years it was
re-opened as a part of the school system, for which
purpose it is still used. At present it is being remod-
eled with the idea of using it for a Grammar School.
Although the days are long since passed when the Wil-
liston Academy was in its glory, even now the prestige
of its name remains and casts a glamor over the old
historic town so full of the associations of the past.

THE CIVIL WAR

Williston sent her quota of brave soldiers to the Civil
War, among whom was the Rev. Joseph Sargent, pas-
tor of the Universalist Church who remcved to Williston
from New Hampshire to give his children better edu-
cational advantage. He was active and influential in
the rallies held at that time, and spoke with great force
and conviction. One time, as he stood beside the table
where the boys were enlisting, he signed his name to
the enlistment roll saying that he could not ask so many
others to goand stay at home himself. He was appointed
Chaplain of the Thirteenth Vermont and not only filled
the position with credit to himself and his country, but
did much by his cheerfulness and sympathy to make

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the lot of the soldiers more tolerable. He cared for
them in sickness and they were passionately fond of
him. Later he contracted the typhoid fever of which
he died in Virginia, April 20, 1863, aged forty years.

A record exists of the first meeting called by the
ladies of Williston for the purpose of preparing clothing
and hospital stores for the soldiers.

The following story shows the spirit of the times,
when all other considerations were forgotten in the
needs of the soldiers. One Saturday evening found
the box which the Phelps family were preparing to send
the next Monday still unpacked. The Phelpses were
noted for their strict observance of the Sabbath, but on
this occasion a sewing woman was engaged and all day
Sunday the women plied their needles and the sewing
machine hummed while the grandmother alternately
worked and prayed for the five boys of the family who
were at the front.

At one time there was a G. A. R. organizaton in the
town. At present there are nine veterans of the Civil
War living here. Sidney Tilley, Bertram Brown, J. G.
Loggins, Webster Lockwood, James Bryant, Ed. Miller,
Bert Forbes, George Bing and Frank Forbes.

The following is a list of those who served :-—
Volunteers for three years credited previous to call for
300,000 volunteers of October 17, 1863.

Reg. Co.
Alexander, Sam’1 C. 6 I
Alexander, Rob’t J. 10 D
Allen, Geo. B. 7 A
Allen, Orville E. 7 A
Austin, Wm. 5 I
Beach, Wm. A. 6 I
Bliss, Geo. J. 6 I
Bliss, John Cav. B
Boyle, John 6 I
Brownell, Horace W. 6 I
Brownell, Martin 6 I
Chapin, Chas. B. Cav. L
Chapin, Cornelius 6 A Su.

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Chapin, Wm. R. 6 I
Davis, Luther H. Cav. B
Doyne, Fred’k Cav. A
French, Lucian W. B band

Gill, Chas. 3 K
Green, Wm. C. 7 A
Hall, Hiram H. Cav. L
Holton, David M. 6 I
Holton, Edwd. A. 6 I
Irish, Richard 6 I
Isham, Hiram J. 5 I
Isham, Jackson 5 I
Lander, Joseph 10 D
Lander, Lewis 7 A
Lander, Peter 7 A
Loggins, Geo. A. 5 I
Marshall, Alonzo Cav. A
Marshall, Sanford H. Cav. L
McHerd, David S. 6 I
Miller, Geo. Cav. L
Nichols, Leroy D. 2 G
Osborn, Alfred M. 10 D
Osborn, Eli 6 I
Osborn, Walter 6 I
Phelps, Haskell M. 10 D
Prior, Homer 7 A
Roland, John 6 I
Roleau, Dorr A. 3 band

Roleau, Dorr A. Br. band

Roleau, John B. Br. band

Shepard, Wm. 6 I
Simonds, Willis S. 10 D
Ward, Frank 2 H
Welch, Geo. P. 10 D
Wright, Allen S. 9 F

Credits under call of October 17, 1863 for 300,000
volunteers and subsquent calls —
Volunteers for three years:

Reg. Co.
Batey, Isaac 7 A

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Bradley, Henry H. 17 K
Bullock, Prentice 8 D
Burke, Michael 8 D
Bushey, Oliver Cav. B
Charles, Benj. F. Cav. L
Christmas, Geo. 11 D
Demars, Israel Cav. E
Drappin, Sam’ 7 A
Ennis, James 17 K
Fay, Alfred C. Cav. E
Fay, Ransom T. Cav. E
Hall, Chares L. Cav. E
Isham, Benj. F. 5 I
Johnson, Nathan Cav. B
Johnson, Orson B. 4 U.S. I
Kelley, Lawrence 8 D
Labelle, Peter Cav. E
Larkin, John 8 D
Lee, Alonzo N. Cav. E
Magaghan, John 8 D
Miles, Thomas Cav. E
Miles, William Cav. E
Munson, Albert 17 B
Pine, Geo. A. Cay. E
Potter, Chas, H. Cav. E
Sister, Chas. 8 D
Sprague, Chas. A. Car. E
Walston, Amos 9 F
Yale, John L. iF kK
Volunteers for one year:

Clay, William Cav.

Cole, Geo. W. 17 K
Gregory, John. 17 kK
Kelley, Thos. Cav.

Osborne, Edward 17 Kk
Tebo, Albert 6 I

Volunteers re-enlisted:

Allen, Orville E. 7 A
Austin, Wm. 5 I
Brownell, Horace W. 6 I

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Brownell, Martin 6 I
Chapman, Wm. R. 6 I
Holton, David M. 6 ag
Jackson, Andrew 6 I
Osborne, Eli 6 I
Poquet, Leander 6 I
Starks, Henry 6 I
Ward, Frank 2 H
Enrolled men who furnished substitutes :
Clark, Hiram Clark, Jason
Morton, Henry Whitney, Geo. W.
Naval credits:
Loggins, Cassius Prentice, Oscar
Miscellaneous—not credited by name:
7 men.
Volunteers for nine months:
Baldwin, Geo. L. 13 F
Brown, Bertram F. 13 F
Culligan, Thomas J. 13 A
Dubia, Peter F 13 F
Harper, Chas. A. 13 F
Harper, John F. 13 F
Harper, John F. 13 F
Harper, Nelson 13 F
Isham, Alfred W. 13 F
Isham, Milton E. 13 F
Johnson, Nathan 13 F
Johnson, Thomas 13 F
Kelley, Lawrence 13 F
Kelley, Thomas B. 13 F
Lee, Alonzo N. 13 F
Lee, Harmon 13 F
Lee, Melancthon S. 13 F
Lee, Thos. J. 13 F
Patten, Jas. 13 F
Phelps, Oscar E. 1S F
Pine, Geo. A. 13 F
Reynolds, Gordon 13 F
Sargent, Joseph 13 Chaplain
Tyler, Frank J. C. 13 F
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Walston, Albert 13 F
Whitney Wm. F. 13 F
Yale, John L. 13 F
Entered Service:
Watson, Wm. F. 4 B
Woods, Eugene W. 4 B
Volunteers for one year:
Chapin, Edgar W. 1st Fe
Doyne, Fred’k 1st Fc
Mitchell, Wm. H. E 17
Munson, Seth 1st Fe
Taft, Nathan S. 1st Fe

LODGES AND SOCIETIES
FREE MASONRY

The brethren in Williston sent in a petition for a
Charter for a Lodge in 1823, signed by Martin Chitten-
den and others, the same to be called Chittenden Lodge.
This was granted but the name was changed to North
Star.

Masters to 1884 :—1823-24, no returns.

1825-28 inclusive, John Brown, Jr.

1829-34 inclusive, John Bates.

After a time the Lodge became dormant but was re-
vived with the Grand Lodge and renumbered 12.

This Lodge “‘never surrendered.’’

Was represented in Grand Lodge in 1846 by John
Bates, W. M. and David A. Murray, J. W.

By the burning of Eagle Hall where the Lodge held
its meetings in 1856, its records, charters and books
were destroyed.

It held its last meeting in the town of Williston July 3,
1856 and subsequently moved to Richmond, holding its
first meeting there September 4. 1856.

Masters after 1846, John Bates 1847-51 and David A.
Murray 1852-60.

MODERN WOODMEN OF AMERICA

The order of King’s Daughters was organized in
Williston June 30, 1891 with eighteen charter members.
This order is still flourishing and does splendid work

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both in a charitable way and in adding to the social life
of the town. Although most of the original members
have passed away or removed to other towns, recruits
are coming in from time to time to keep the number
good.

KINGS DAUGHTERS

This order was organized in this town in 1905 and is
in a flourishing condition. It owns and occupies the
building just west of the Town Hall.

OLD LANDMARKS

The oldest house in town is that formerly occupied
by Gov. Chittenden on what is now the Clark farm. It
overlooks the river and the Winooski Valley to the East.
It was built of brick about 1790 and is a substantial
house to this day.

The next oldest house is the one on the Wright farm,
west of the old Chittenden place. It stands on a hill
overlooking the mountains to the east. This is alsoa
brick house and is apparently in as good condition as
when it was built. A member of the family tells us
that this house was built by the Governor for his son
Giles in the year 1796. «An article in Hemenway, how-
ever, by the Hon. David Read, states that Giles Chit-
tenden took up his residence on the intervale below
his father’s and that Truman lived on the farm west.
But we are inclined to think it was Giles, the son of
Truman, who lived on the river farm and that Truman
Chittenden lived on what is known as the old Seymour
place at the top of French Hill, for our early Land
Records show that Giles Chittenden owned the lots of
land on the Wright farm, as well as the river land
which comprises the old Fay and Chapman farms, and
that Truman owned the lot of land on the north side of
French Hill and also a lot to the south of it which
joined Giles Chittenden’s lot on the west. Later on,
Truman owned the Governor’s farm.

The Truman Chittenden house at the top of French
Hill is a wooden structure, of good type of Colonial

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architecture and is in good repair at this time.

The Ferguson House, known as the Leet ‘Bishop
place, was built by Martin Chittenden, the second.

Truman Chittenden, son of Gov. Martin, lived in the
house now owned by John Forville and known as the
“Chittenden House.’’ Truman Chittenden was post-
master for some time and had the office in his house.

There were other Chittenden houses. Jonas built and
occupied a house which many of the older residents
remember as standing on the Deacon William Miller
farm, to the south of Dr. Bingham’s place. The C. D.
Warren house, built by David Talcott, Jr., was the first
frame house erected in town.

The old Dr. Alger place owned by Jerry LaFrance
was occupied at an early date as a hotel.

The house now occupied by Mrs. Carrie Morrill was
in early times used as a hotel, as was also the house on
the turnpike at the four corners owned by Elmer Taft.

Dr. Bingham’s house was built by Harry,son of Sol-
omon Miller, one of the earliest settlers.

The house just west of the school house, occupied by
Mrs. Geo. Bombard, was built and used for the first
academy in town.

ANECDOTES AND LEGENDS

Gov. Chittenden and his wife were very simple in their
tastes and disliked display of any kind. There is a story,
however, that the Governor preserved a broadcloth coat
capable of being turned inside out, one side blue which
he displayed when he occupied his seat as (;overnor,
and the other scarlet, which was shown when he acted
as Commander-in-Chief of the militia.

The Governor was a working man, laboring with his
men in the field, or doing other necessary work. One
day a British officer in gorgeous uniform rode into the
yard where the Governor was carrying swill to his hogs,
and asked if the Governor was at home. Being an-
swered in the affirmative, the Governor was told to
hold his horse while he went to the house to speak to
him. The Governor set his pailon the ground and held

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the horse while the officer went to the door and asked
of Mrs. Chittenden if he might speak to the Governor.
She replied that she had seen him speaking with him
but a moment before and using him as a hitching-post.
The young officer very much mortified, tried to apol-
ogize but the Governor only laughed and said he did not
blame him in the least for mistaking him for a hitch-
ing-post.

When the Governor was living in Arlington a party
of fashionable people came to call, and were invited to
stay to dinner as was the hospitable custom in those
days. When the dinner was ready Mrs. Chittenden
went to the door and blew the horn for the men. One
of the ladies remarked that she was surprised that the
family and help all ate at one table, to which Mrs.
Chittenden replied that she had told the Governor that
as the men had to work the hardest, they should eat at
the first table.

While Martin Chittenden was at home on a vacation
one time, during his college course, the other boys
thinking they did rather more than their share of the
work, got him out to try to teach a young calf to drink.
After several attempts Martin got provoked and ex-
claimed, ‘‘What shall we do with the paltry fool?’ “‘I
can’t tell,’’ said Truman, “‘unless we send him to col-
lege.’’ ‘‘Send him to college?,’’ said Martin, ‘‘I should
want a smarter calf than that.’’ ‘‘Just the one,’’ said
Truman, ‘‘he should be sent and made to know as much
as others.’’

Governor Chittenden’s drinking cups were made from
the horn of an ox bottomed with wood. An English
Lieutenant who used secretly to bring letters to the
Governor and who at one time staid for several days,
observing the view from the west window of the Gov-
ernor’s residence, engraved it on one of the horn drink-
ing cups. It was of a wheat field in the distance beyond
which on a knoll stood a solitary pine tree. The wheat
field was fenced off from a level space intervening be-
tween the house, and within this space he put the cow
with her head over the fence for the grain. The en-

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graved cup attracted the notice of Ira Allen, who adopted
its device for our State Seal, only changing it by bring-
ing the cow over the fence into the midst of the grain.

In 1825 Gen. Lafayette visited our town. As may
be imagined, when the news of his coming was noised
about, a crowd collected around ‘‘Eagle Hall’’ to see
the great man. The innkeeper, in a state of great
excitement, rushed out of the door scattering the people
right and left. He nearly ran over a little man coming
up the steps, and pushed him aside exclaiming, ‘‘Get
out of the way, Lafayette is coming,’’ to which the
little man replied, ‘“My good sir, I am Lafayette.’’

In the days when the non-payment of a debt meant
imprisonment, the sight of the sheriff coming along the
road struck terror to the hearts of young and old alike.
The feather bed was the most cherished possession of
the housewife in those days, and it was quite the usual
thing for the sheriff to find the wife and mother too ill
to rise from her bed when he made his call, the law be-
ing that a bed could not be taken from under a sick per-
son. Mr. Ezbon Sanford was sheriff for a long time,
and although a very pleasant, kind-hearted man, was
looked upon with much fear by the children as he rode
around the town on his white horse.

More than seventy-five years ago, the Burlington
Sentinel, a weekly paper, was carried on horseback in
saddle bags by an old man by the name of Joseph Blush,
and delivered to the subscribers in Willston. So ‘‘Rural
Free Delivery’’ is not a new idea by any means.

In 1839 a big brown bear wandered into the barnyard
of Sylvester Bradley and created quite a sensation. The
news spread rapidly and soon men from far and near
were in pursuit of him with rifles. Many a ball pierced
his skin but he continued on his way until an ounce ball
from a musket in the hands of Roswell Talcott pierced
his brain and brought him down. The men gathered
together, brought a double wagon with a board across
the box, stood the bear up supported by the board, and
Mr. Talcott rode the bear, carrying a flag belonginy to
the militia. The crowd went to a tavern in the village

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kept by Mr. Lathrop and there quenched their thirst
with the avails of the bounty on the bear, then pro-
ceeded to Burlington and presented the bear to the
University.

Williston is said to have a buried treasure. Years
ago there lived on what is now the Will Metcalf farm,
aman by the name of Munson. One evening a stranger
came to his dcor and asked for lodging. This was
granted and in the morning he went his way without
telling any one his name or business. About a week
Jater, the same man came back and asked again for
lodging. That evening over their pipes, he told the
story cf the lost treasure. It seems that many years
before when he was a youth, he with several of his
mates came from Montreal to seek silver in the side of
Camel’s Hump. They came down the lake and up the
Winooski as far as the falls where they hid their pro-
visions and canoes in the forest, then proceeded on foot
in a straight line for the mountain, reaching it the sec-
ond day. After very little prospecting, they found very
rich ore in a sort of cave. They worked quickly, dig-
ging the ore and smelting it near by and running it into
bars by making slits in the trunks ot fallen trees. Every
few days some of their party went back to their hiding
place for provisions. In the meantime the Indians
were making attacks on the white settlers all around,
and on one of their trips to the river, they discovered
that the Indians had found their trail. The runners
immediately returned to the mountain to appraise their
comrades of the fact. Camp was broken, the cave filled
with rocks, and they started back with their ore. The
load after a time became so heavy that they decided to
bury it. Accordingly they followed up a small brook
which emptied into the river at quite a distance below
the mountain, and finally found a place where it was
thought best to bury it. The spot was made to look as
natural as possible, and they continued on their way,
reaching Montreal in safety. They took an oath’ that
no one should go back for the ore until they could all
go together. Time passed, and for one cause and an-

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other the return for the ore was postponed until the
narrator of the story was the only one living of the
original party. Therefore, he felt justified in returning
to search for the treasure. He found the brook and
searched throughout its length for the spot where the
ore was buried, but to no purpose. So it remains for
this generation to find the lost treasure, though no such
brook as the one described, can be found at this time.

A story is told of Gov. Chittenden of how when travel-
ing to the Legislature on horseback one time and fear-
ing a storm, he stopped at a farm house and asked for
a night’s lodging. It was granted but when it was time
to retire the Governor found to his dismay that the
house contained but one room. In one corner was a
bed with curtains around it, in another corner the loom,
in another the fireplace and in the last a door. The
bed was urged on the Governor and refused when the
house-wife made him a bed under the loom. He was soon
sound asleep but was awakened by something nosing
around him, and saw by the light of the moon that it
was a good sized shoat on a tour of investigation. The
Governor fearing to awaken the others in the room, let
it alone and it was soon sleeping at the foot of his bed.
At daybreak the Governor awoke, left a crown on his
pillow and continued on his way leaving the pig asleep
in his bed. The people of the house were very much
mortified that the pig had driven away their guest, but
not knowing who he was, could not send an apolory.
The man of the house, however, decided to visit the
Legislature, which was only ten or fifteen miles away.
Imagine his feelings when he saw his guest of the night
before in the person of the Governor of the State. He
tried his best to apologize, but the Governor appreciat-
ing the joke cut him short and thereafter they were
always the best of friends.

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