Memorials of a Century: embracing a record of individuals and events chiefly in the early history of Bennington, Vt, and its first Church

Front matter

MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY. "Time bolls his ceaseless couese. Tbe race of yome Weo danced our infancy upon their knee. And told our maetellino boyhood legend's store Of their strange yentuees hafp'd by land ob sea, How ABE THEY BLOTTED FROM THE THINGS THAT BE I How few, all weak and withered of their force, Wait on the verge of dark eternity, Like stranded wrecks, the tide returning hoarse To sweep them from our sight. Time rolls his ceaseless couese. MAP of BKXXIN'tiTOX BATTLE. See pp ?f& -171 77,r fi'ver was Hrv mzseaJbe called Eosadt/md. fterc was no •tufinil/nn as the, paints afroinpass . ofherwist ffu above, f-i r/jt e*zact Capj/ .reduced, etftkejfap in, Surgoirrma Stoic osfJir JJjcprd//t/m The letter press w oscourse BrctisTv. for Zbnere^an lolunfeers rand Torus. "Jtorf/eJ of {/te £'tuunf »uasis Forces of Gen Stark. trWatmsc0ek means Tia/Zoom-sar.

MEMORIALS OF A CENTURY. EMBRACING A RECORD OF INDIVIDUALS AtfD EVENTS CHIEFLY IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF BENNINGTON, VT. AND ITS FIRST CHURCH. BY ISAAC JENNINGS Pastor of the Church. BOSTON: (JOTJLD AND LINCOLN, 69 WASHINGTON STREET. 1869. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by ISAAC JENNINGS, In the Clerk's Office oftue District Court for the District of Vermont. Rockwell & Rollins, Printers and Stereotypers, 122 Washington Street, Boston. 5Cd THE PEOPLE OF HIS PASTORAL CHARGE, WITH AFFECTION AND ESTEEM, AND TO SHI interest., in tije l£arlg J_|tstorg of Bennington, THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, BT THE AUTHOR. Bennington, Jan. 6, 1863. To Rev. Isaac Jennings. Dear Sir: Having listened with much pleasure to your very interesting centennial discourse, delivered on the 4th inst., and considering it of great historical value, we are very desirous that it should be published for distribution and preservation; and we would respectfully request you to furnish a copy for the press.

H. G. Root. Hiland Hall. A. B. Gardner. Samuel Chandler. George Lyman. I. W. Vail. George Benton. M. C. Morgan. Stephen Bingham. S. F. Harris. M. G. Selden. F. C. "White. H. H. Harwood. William Webb. PKEFACE. /f-^OHE foundation of this volume is the discourse de- Jjsljs) livered at the Centennial Celebration of the organ- %^A^ ization of the Bennington First Church, the publi- JXs cation of which was requested by the note on the preceding page. The first nine chapters are, without essential modification, the discourse. Some account of the centennial celebration and the conclusion of the discourse make up chapter twenty six. In view of publication, four subjects presented themselves for a more complete consideration than the writer had given to them, namely : the land-title controversy ; the Ben nington battle ; the individual men and women of Bennington in the past times ; and the Separatist antecedents of many of the first inhabitants, together with their promotion of civil liberty as to public worship.

Preface

. which these memorials would be far more imperfect than they are; to the Bev. E. C. Learned, of Plymouth, Conn.,— an esteemed college classmate, deceased April 19, 1867, — for information respecting Separatism in Connecticut; to S. F. Plimpton, Esq., of Boston, Mass., — also an esteemed college classmate, deceased April 22, 1867, — for extensive and ac curate researches amongst the laws of Massachusetts in their bearing upon the Separates ; and to the Hon. Hiland Hall, — the able late president of the Vermont Historical Society, writer of the historical account of Bennington (so compre hensive as to be in itself a history of the town) in Miss Hemmenway's "Vermont Historical Magazine," and author of "The Early History of Vermont." Almost the entire manuscript of these " Memorials," before their final com pletion for the press, had the benefit of his careful revision.

His valuable aid in many ways, and active interest in the success of these labors, demand grateful acknowledgment. Thanks are also due to those who have encouraged the undertaking by subscribing for copies of the volume in ad vance, who belong to other churches and parishes in the town, and who, though now many of them prominent in the community, have not by early settlement here, or by genealogical descent, any connection with its early history, and it may be their names do not occur in the following pages. And finally the author feels under obligation to the ex perienced judgment and kind co-operation of the publishers. Bennington Centre, Vt., April, 1869. CONTENTS. CHAPTEB I. TOWNSHIP. Page Charter. — Proprietors' Records. — The first Immigration. — The first Public Meeting. — Hardships of the first Settlers 19

Chapter II. First Meeting-house

Its Location. — Its Cost, how provided for. — Description of the first Meetinghouse. — Memorable Days of the first Meeting-house. — Its Removal to give place to th* second Meeting-house. — Farewell to the first Meeting-house. 24

Chapter III. The Church

Name of the original Church. — Date of Organization. — Churches previously on the Ground. — Original Members of the First Church. — Call to Rev. Jedidiah Dewey. — Call to the Westfield Church and Pastor. — Council at Westfield. — Early Growth of the First Church. — Accessions during Mr. Dewey's Ministry. — State of Society. — Roll of the Church for its first Century. — Table of Additions. — Pastors — Deacons. — Clerks. — Interesting Memoranda X CONTENTS.

Chapter IV. Separatism

Interesting Subject of Inquiry. —Proceedings in the Sunderland Church.— Separates excommunicated in some Instances. — Cause of the Settlement of Bennington. — The " Great Awakening." — Connecticut Laws. — " Old Lights " and " New Lights." — Heat of the Controversy. — Massachusetts Laws. —Bennington Separates and Connecticut Separates sympathize.— Connecticut Separates compose the Westfield Council 47

Chapter V. Internal Perplexities Of The Church

Financial Controversy. — How shall we pay the Minister? — The Separate Way modified. — The Church opposed to extreme Separatism. — Two Parties to a long Church Controversy. —Spiritual Declension. — A Sign of better Things. — How to pay the Minister never settled. — Case of Rev. David Avery. — His Talents fail to unite the Church. — His singular Ceremony of Installation. — Ecclesiastical Council. — Mr. Avery's Resignation. — The Slavery Question. — A "Consci-hen-tious" Captain 55

Chapter VI. The Church In The World

Energetic secular Life. Roads and Bridges to build. — Accommodations for the travelling Public to maintain. — Land-title Controversy. — Revolutionary War. — Leading Men in public Life were leading Men in the Church. — Muster-roll of the first military Company. — First Saw and Grist Mill. — Spread of Religion 65

Chapter VII. Revivals

Bennington Christians believed in Revivals. — They were Friends of Whitfield.— They enjoyed numerous Revivals. — Revival of 1803. — The Revival needed. — Three-days' Meeting. — Original Hymns. — Miss Read's Narra- CONTENTS. XI tive of the Revival. — An Inquiry Meeting. — Fruits of the Revival.— The Friday Meeting. — Other Revivals. — Revival of 1831. —A joyful Communion Season 71

Chapter VIII. The First Seven Pastors

Rev. Jedidiah Dewey. — His Ability and Fidelity.— He became a Separate. — His«sterling Qualities. — His Ministry in Bennington. — His Services in the Land- Title Controversy. — Anecdotes of Mr. Dewey. — His Genealogy and Family. — Rev. David Avery. — His Army Labors as Chaplain iu the Revolution. — A War Sermon. — His Ministry in Bennington. — His Manner in the Pulpit. — His last Sickness and Death. — Rev. Job Swift, D.D. — His Genealogy and Education. — Troubled State of public Affairs during his Ministry in Bennington. — His ministerial Success. — His Matter and Manner as a Preacher. — His missionary Zeal. — His Hospitality and Benevolence. — His University Honors. — He died in the Triumphs of Faith. — Rev. Daniel Marsh. — His ministerial Labors.— His Call to Bennington and Installation. — Additions to the Church during his Ministry here. — Excellent Characteristics of Mr. Marsh. — His subsequent Labors in the Ministry. — His last Sickness and Death. — His Wife. — His Family. — Extracts from Diary of Benjamin Harwood. — Rev. Absalom Peters, D.D. — His Parentage and Education. — His Fields of Labor and public Services. — His Bennington Pastorate. — An Anecdote. — His Sermon against public Immoralities. — Rev. Daniel A. Clark. — His Ancestors. — His Settlements and other Labors in the Ministry. — His Power in the Pulpit. — His Assaults upon Intemperance and other Immoralities. — He excited Opposition. — Revivals in Connection with his Labors. — His Decease. — Rev. E. W. Hooker, D.D. — His Parentage and Education.— His Fields of Labor. — His published Works. — His Love for his Profession. — His Ministry in Bennington. — His Family "82

Chapter IX. Transient Ministers

Rev. Mr. Burton. — An Anecdote. — Father Marshall. — His Eccentricity. — His Conversion. — Anecdotes of Father Marshall. — Rev. J. Spaulding. — His Labors. — His printed Works. — His Politics. — Rev. Jedidiah Bushnell. — Rev. Lemuel Haynes. — Rev. Edward Dorr Griffen, D.D. — His Sermon at the Funeral of Alonzo B. Stiles CONTENTS.

Chapter X. The Land-title Controversy

Proclamation of Gov. Colden. — Charter to the Duke of York, 1664. — Order in Council of the King, 1764. — High-handed Proceedings of New York. — The Settlers determined to resist the New York Claim to Jurisdiction. — Order in Council of the King, 1767. — Spirit of the New York Colonial Government. — Spirit of the Settlers upon the New Hampshire Grants . — Their Shrewdness, Moderation, and Patriotism. — Length of the Struggle. . . 126

Chapter XI. The Land-title Controversy, Continued

Controversy with New Hampshire. — Bennington Head-quarters of the Resistance to New York. — Unsuccessful Attempt to get Possession of the Breakenridge Farm. — Rescue of Remember Baker. — The Green Mountain Boys. — Council of Safety. — Catamount Tavern. — Bennington Men prominent in the Negotiations at Philadelphia. — Convention at Dorset. — Notes to the above two Chapters ] HO

Chapter XII. The Bennington Battle

Anxiety in the Country previous to the Battle. — Surrender of Ticonderoga and Defeat at Hubbardton. — Perplexity of Gen. Washington. — Prestige of Burgoyne . — Indian Terrors. — Murder of Miss McCrea. — Baum's Expedition. — Burgoyne's Instructions to Baum. — Baum's Force. Vermont aroused. — Feeling at Bennington. — Determined Spirit of the Settlers. — Getting a Foothold. — Address of the Council of Safety. — Preparations to meet the Enemy. — Patriotic Offer of John Langdon. — Gen. Stark. — Effects of Tories confiscated. — Baum's Movements before the Battle.— Gen. Stark's Movements. — Gen. Stark marches to meet Baum. — Baum's Entrenchments.— Gen. Stark's Force. — His Plan of Attack. — The Battle.— Our Soldiers before the Assault on Baum's Works. — Valor of the Hessians. — Irresistible Onset of our Men. — The Breastworks carried.— CONTENTS.

Arrival of Breyman with his Reinforcement. — Renewal of the Battle. — Arrival of Warner's Reinforcement. — Anxiety of the Council of Safety. — Rout of Breyman and complete Victory. — Statements by Eye-wit nesses.—Results of the Battle. — Trophies. — Prisoners. — General Re sults.—Inhabitants of the Grants reassured. — The Country reassured. — Further patriotic Exertions of the Green Mountain Boys. — Compara tive Strength of Forces. — Estimate of Gen. Burgoyne. — Our Men not trained Soldiers. — Destitution in our Army. — Incidents of the Battle. — Exhausting Effects of the Engagement. — The fighting Parson. — Wil liamstown Volunteers. — Williamstown Prayer-meeting. — Our Dead. — Stanzas of Rev. E. H. Chapin, D.D. — Roll of Capt. Robinson's Company. — Ode by Mrs. A. C. L. Botta 146

Chapter XIII. Personal Notices

— SAMUEL ROBINSON, SEN., ESQ., AND MRS. MARCY L. ROBINSON. Samuel Robinson, Esq. — His History before his Settlement in Bennington. — His public Services. — His Mission to England. — His Death. — Letter of William Samuel Johnson. — Mrs. Marcy L. Robinson. — Her Energy.— Her Piety. — Her Decease 204

Chapter XIV. Personal Notices

— FIRST IMMIGRATION. Mrs. Bridget Harwood. — Peter Harwood. — Sarah Harwood. — Eleazer Harwood. — Zechariah Harwood. — Others of Mrs. Bridget Harwood's Descendants. — Rev. Mr. Winchester. — Samuel and Timothy Pratt. — Stephen Pratt 213

Chapter XV. Personal Notices

— SECOND IMMIGRATION. Dea. John Fassett. — John Fassett, Jr. — Col. Benjamin Fassett. — Col. Elias Fassett. — Other Descendants of Dea. John Fassett. — Dea. Joseph Safford. — Gen. Samuel Safford. — Other Descendants of Dea. Joseph Safford. CONTENTS. Dea. Erwin Safford. — Elisha Field. — Lieut James Breakenridge. — Dan iel Breakenridge. — Others of the Breakenridge Family. — Ebenezer Wood. — Dea. John Wood. — Gov. Moses Robinson. — Capt. Moses Robin son, Jr. — Major Aaron Robinson. — Other Descendants of Gov. Moses Robinson 228

Chapter XVI. Personal Notices

— SECOND IMMIGRATION, CONTINUED. Gen. David Robinson. — David Robinson, Jr., Esq. — Hon. Stephen Robinson. — Heman Robinson. — Other Descendants of Gen. David Robinson.— Judge Jonathan Robinson. — Jonathan E. Robinson. — Gen. Henry Robinson. — Isaac Tichenor Robinson. — Other Descendants of Judge Jonathan Robinson 239

Chapter XVII. Personal Notices

— 1762. Stephen Fay. — John Fay. — Dr. Jonas Fay. — BeDjamin Fay. — Samuel Fay, Esq. — Col. Joseph Fay. — Judge David Fay. — Other Descendants of Stephen Fay. — Nathan Clark. — Phineas Scott. — Col. Martin Scott. — Other Descendants of Phineas Scott 253

Chapter XVIII. Personal

NOTICES— 1763-1765. Capt. Elijah Dewey. — Elijah Dewey Hubbell.— Family of Capt. Elijah Dewey. — Dea. Hezekiah Armstrong. — Others of the Armstrongs. — Thomas Henderson. — Descendants of Thomas Henderson. — Simeon Harmon. — Dea. Nathaniel Harmon. — Austin Harmon. — Others of the Harmons. — Gen. Ebenezer Walbridge. — Stebbins Walbridge. — Other Descendants of Gen. Walbridge CONTENTS. XV

Chapter XIX. Personal Notices

— 1766-17C9. Elnathan Hubbell. —'James Hubbell, Esq.— Dea. Aaron Hubbell. — Other Descendants of Elnathan Hubbell. — Joseph Robinson. — Robert Cochran. — David Haynes. — Descendants of David Haynes. — Reuben Colvin. — Descendants of Reuben Colvin. — Nathaniel Fillmore. — His Family. — Simeon Hathaway. — Thomas Jewett. — Charles Cushman. — Eleazer Hawks.— His Family ' .... 283

Chapter XX. Personal

NOTICES— 1775-1776. Dea. Joseph Bingham. —Jeremiah Bingham. — Dea. Calvin Bingham.— Other Descendants of Dea. Joseph Bingham. — Nathaniel Brush. — Samuel Blackmer — Descendants of Samuel Blackmer. — David Henry. — James Henry. — John Henry. — Hon. William Henry. — Other Descendants of William Henry. — Joseph Hinsdill. — Dea. Stephen Hinsdill. — Other Descendants of Joseph Hinsdill. — Eleazer Edgerton. — Uriah Edgerton, Esq. — Other Descendants of Eleazer Edgerton. — John Kinsley. — Abisha Kinsley. — Capt. Moses Sage. — Descendants of Capt. Moses Sage. — Simeon Sears 289

Chapter XXI. Personal

NOTICES— 1777-1784. Gov. Isaac Tichenor. — Thomas Hall. — Dea. Nathaniel Hall. — Children of Dea. Nathaniel Hali. — Ancestors of Thomas Hall. — Anthony Haswell, Esq. — Thomas Haswell. — William Haswell. — Other Descendants of Anthony Haswell, Esq. — Thomas Weeks. — David Weeks. — Other Descendants of Thomas Weeks.— Ichabod Paddock. — William Potter. — Col. Martin Norton CONTENTS.

Chapter XXII. Personal Notices

— 1785-1800. Dr. Noadiah Swift. - Family of Dr. Noadiah Swift. -Capt. Saxton Squire. — Children of Capt. Saxton Squire. — Mrs. Mary Galusha. — Gov. Galusha. — Rufus Barney. — Elkanah Barney. — Capt. Ebenezer Chace. — Family of Capt. Chace. — Samuel Hicks. — Descendants of Samuel Hicks.— Mrs. Polly Roach. — Descendants of Mrs. Roach. — Dr. Micah J. Lyman. — Children of Dr. Lyman. — Col. Orsamus C. Merrill. — Dr. Heman Swift. — . Roger Booth. — Jesse Loomis. — Children of Jesse Loom^. — Capt. John Norton. — Jonathan Hunt. — Family of Mr. Hunt.— Ancestors of Mr. Hunt. — Andrew Selden. — Descendants o£ Andrew Selden 310

Chapter XXIII. Personal

NOTICES— 1803 AND AFTERWARD, Dea. Jotham French. — Rev. William Harvey. — Daniel Nichols. — Children of Daniel Nichols. — William Park. — Thayer. — Jacob Pool. — Charles Wright, Esq. — Lyman Patchin. —John Vanderspeigel. — Mrs. Betsey Carpenter. — Dea. Isaac Crossett. — Lewis Chandler.— Mrs. Susannah Watson. — Dr. William Bigelow. — Gay R. Sanford. — Hon. JohnH. Olin. 326

Chapter XXIV Education

Common Schools. — First district School-house in Bennington. — General Diffusion of common-school Education.— Education in the State. — Article in the first Constitution. — Act of 1787. — Remarks of Dr. Williams. — Academies and Colleges. — Sons of Vermont. — Academies in Bennington. — Clio Hall. — College Graduates, and Others 336

Chapter XXV. Churches Organized IX Bennington Subsequently To The Organization Of The

BENNINGTON FIRST CHURCH — 1702-1862. Rev. Mr. Hibbard and his People. —The First Baptist Church. — The Methodist Episcopal Church. — St. Peter's Church. — The Hinsdillville Presby- CONTENTS. XVII terian Church. — The Second Congregational Church. — The Universalist Meeting-house in North Bennington. — The Baptist Church in North Ben niugton. — The Hinsdillville Methodist Episcopal Church. — The Methodist Chapel in Paper-Mill Village. — The Methodist Chapel in the north-east Part of the Town. — The Roman Catholic Congregation aud Church Edifice. 342

Chapter XXVI. The Centennial Celebration

Account of the Celebration. — Concluding Remarks of the Centennial Discourse 349

Chapter XXVII. Supplementary

The Township in the Olden Time. — Location of some of the early Settlers. — Population of the Town at the Commencement of the Revolution. — Execution of David Redding. — Trial of Tibbetts and Whitney for the alleged Murder of Stephen Gordon. — Jefiersonian Democracy in the early History of Bennington. — Visit of Jefferson and Madison to Gov. Moses Robinson, — Anthony Haswell's Imprisonment under the Sedition Law. — Political Party Spirit in Bennington. — Present Meeting-house of the First Congregational Church. —Articles of Faith 354

Chapter XXVIII. Influence Of The Early Settlers Of Vermont On Freedom Of

PUBLIC WORSHIP. Laws of Massachusetts as affecting the Separates. — Law of 17G0. — Separates incompetent to collect by Law any Assessment or Subscription for their own Minister. — The exempting Laws. — Laws of Vermont respecting Public Worship. — The certificating Laws. — Article on Religious Worship in the First Constitution. — Remarks of Dr. Williams. — Credit due to the Bennington Pioneers 363 3* CONTENTS. NOTES OX CHAPTERS IV., AND XXVHI. I. The Halfway Covenant. — Time of its Prevalency. — Its Effects. — Great spiritual Degeneracy in the Country. — Opposition to the Reformation -371 II. Cases of Hardship to the Separates under the operation of Massachusetts Ecclesiastical Laws. — The Sturbridge Case. — The Titicut Case. — Other Instances of Hardship 376 III. Merits of Separatism. — Reformation needed. — Rudeness as well as Energy. — The Separates not always mindful of Charity. — Results of the Separate Movement. — General Return of the Separates to the old Churches after the latter had accepted in the main the Reforms which the Separates demanded. — The Bennington Separates more favorably situated than if they had remained in the vicinity of the old Churches. . . 379 IV.

Laws of Massachusetts and Connecticut Compared. ... 384 V. Justice to the Puritans. — They did not profess Principles of Equality, or entire Freedom of Conscience as to Public Worship. — They were nevertheless in Advance of their Times. — The Tree must be judged by it- Fruits - 387