APPENDIX A, No. 1. PROCEEDINGS OF THE "CONGRESS" AND "COMMITTEES OF SAFETY" FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY. JUNE 1774 TO SEPTEMBER 1777. THE first uprising in the New Hampshire Grants against "the landjobbers of New York" was mainly in Western Vermont; and as the state government originated in that uprising, and was, for the most part, the work of Chittenden, the Allens, the Fays, and the Robinsons, all of whom resided west of the Green Mountains, their acts have figured most largely in all histories of the state. Eastern Vermont was nominally under the jurisdiction of New York, and for many years a majority at least of the leading men in that section were content to submit to it. But it should be remembered that while these men were "Yorkers," in the phrase of their day, most were also whigs, and, getting rid of the tories, they ultimately united heartily with the western whigs in establishing Vermont as an independent state. The records of their acts therefore are part of the history of the state, and justly demand recognition and preservation. These records, so far as they are obtainable, are now gathered and published, some of them from the original minutes. These originals constitute what are called "THE PINGRY PAPERS," which seem to have been preserved mainly by SIMON STEVENS of Springfield, and are now in the possession of the Hon. WM. M. PINGRY of Perkinsville, The fact should be noted that for twenty years after settlements to any considerable extent had been made in what is now the territory of Vermont, the eastern half contained much the largest part of the population. Dr. Samuel Williams estimated the population of Cumberland and Gloucester counties, [Windham, Windsor, and Orange,] to be in 1771 about two thirds of the people in the whole territory; and in 1791 the number on the east side was 43,970, and on the west side 41,569.— Williams's Vermont, vol 2, p. 478. to whom the editor of this volume is greatly indebted for their use. Copies of these, with other interesting papers, have been furnished by Hon. JAMES H. PHELPS of West Townshend, to whom the Vermont Historical Society and the State are under obligations for important contributions to the history of Vermout in its early days. To B. H. HALL, Esq., author of the History of Eastern Vermont, credit is also due for citations, references, and statements which have been very useful. though the source of each important paper is indicated as given, a particular acknowledgment to these gentlemen, in this form, is justly due. MEETINGS IN 1774. CONVENTIONS. Al May 16, 1774, a committee of correspondence, consisting of fifty members, was formed in the city of New York for the purpose of eliciting the sentiments of the people of the respective provinces, and particularly of New York, on the measures of the mother country in respect to her American colonies. Of this committee Isaac Low' was chairman. Two days before he was confirmed in that office, he addressed the supervisors of Cumberland county, May 21, 1774, asking information as to the sentiments of the people. The supervisors met in June, but took no action on this letter, and in fact endeavored to conceal it. By accident, Doct. Reuben Jones of Rockingham and Capt. Azariah Wright of Westminster heard of it, and immediately notified their towns, when a meet 1ISAAC LOW was a leading merchant in New York, and in 1774 a very ardent whig, having been appointed chairman of the committee of correspondence, May 23, 1774. “Let us," he wrote in an appeal to the people, as chairman, "with the brave Romans, consider our ancestors and our offspring. Let us follow the example of the former, and set an example to the latter. Let us not be like the sluggish people, who through a love of ease 'bowed themselves and became servants to tribute,' and whom the inspired prophet, their father, justly compared to asses. Had I the voice which could be heard from Canada to Florida, I would address the Americans in the language of the Roman patriot." He was a member of the first Continental Congress, and also of the New York provincial Congress in 1775. But notwithstanding his ardor as a whig, and these high positions, he was wealthy, and, probably to save his property, he became a loyalist when the British army controlled New York. In 1782, when Sir Guy Carleton occupied the city, Low was President of the New York Chamber of Commerce. The whig government of the State, however, attainted him and confiscated his property, when he went to England, where he died in 1791. His brother NICHOLAS Low was a firm and honored whig through the struggle.-Sabine's Loyalists of the American Revolution. Doct. REUBEN JONES of Rockingham, afterward of Chester, was among the earliest and most ardent of the whigs of Cumberland County. ing was held and a committee appointed in each of those towns to wait upon the supervisors at their September session and inquire whether any papers had been received which ought to be laid before the several towns of the county. The supervisors, with many excuses for their delay, produced Low's letter, when a copy of it was sent to each town, and a County Convention was called to meet at Westminster on the 19th of October. In response, on application of four inhabitants, Col. Thomas Chandler, clerk of Chester, called a meeting of the freemen of that town, which was held on the 10th of October and appointed a committee of five to join the County Committee for the purpose of preparing a report to be sent to the New York Committee of Correspondence. The proceedings of that meeting, which are entitled to the honor of being the first recorded, were as follows-a literal copy from the record: Request for a Town Meeting CHESTER TOWN MEETING, OCT. 10, 1774. October 34 1774. We the Subscribers Inhabitants of the Town of Chester Desire Colo. Thomas Chandler as Clerk know the minds of the People, Wither they are Willing to Choose a Comtee to make Report to sd Comtee will Stand for the Priviledges of North America He was very active in stirring up the people to arrest the loyal court after the Westminster massacre, riding express and hatless to Dummerston on this errand; and it is from his pen we have the full account of that affair in the "Relation” published hereinafter. He was also an ardent supporter of the independence of Vermont, serving efficiently in each Convention, beginning with that of Sept. 25, 1776, and officiating as Secretary in some of them. He represented Rockingham in the General Assembly four years, beginning with the first Legislature, and Chester one year. In his last years he was embarrassed by poverty, and driven to and fro between Vermont and New Hampshire to escape jail. On one occasion while under arrest, the popular sympathy was so strong for him as to force his releasement, for which he with two friends was indicted in Windsor County court.-See B. H. Hall's Eastern Vermont. Capt. AZARIAH WRIGHT served in John Burk's Company in the old French war, and in 1757 was stationed at Hinsdale's fort. In 1770 he was captain of militia in Westminster, and a leading whig in 1774. On the Westminster massacre in March 1775, he was very efficient with his company in arresting the leaders of the court party and dispersing their adherents. In 1778 he with twelve men went to Quebec. In 1779 he was greatly offended because Thomas Chandler jr. was speaker of the Vermont Assembly, and wrote two queer letters to the Governor and Council and Assembly, which caused the resignation of Chandler.-See B. H. Hall's Eastern Vermont for details as to both Jones and Wright. Warrant or Notific tion Meeting opned 1 2 Moderator. or Wither they view them as unjust. George Earl, David Hutchinson, Willm. Agreeable to the above Request Two of the Clock in the Afternoon then and Tho Chandler Supervisor & Clerk. At a meeting of the Inhabitants of the Thos. Chandler Esqr Chosen Moderator Voted that Thomas Chandler Junr, Timo Olcott, be a Comtee to Joyn with the County Comtee to make At said meeting Resolved first That the People of America are Naturally Intitled to all the Priviledges of Free Borne Subjects of Great Britain, which 2ly Resolved that Every Mans Estate Honestly 1GEORGE EARL was one of the jury of inquest to inquire into the death of William French, which sat at Westminster March 15, 1775; captain of the Chester company of militia, Aug. 15, 1775; and a member for Chester of the Cumberland County Committee of Safety in 1776. In the last capacity, he united with six other members in a protest, Nov. 7, 1776, against further proceeding, as a committee, because the action of the majority was Repugnant to the resolves of the Honble Continental Congress." The matter was compromised, and the protestants resumed their seats; but their protest stands as proof of their fidelity as patriots. -JONATHAN TARBELL was first lieutenant in Earl's company.-See B. H. Hall's Eastern Vermont; also record of Cumberland County Committee of Safety, Nov. 5-9, 1776, post. |