Genealogy information and records concerning 
ancestors in the thirteen original American colonies.

  
Some Revolutionary War Documents

Pawlet, Vermont 

To show the spirit of the times, the way our fathers managed before the organization of the state, and the part they took in the stirring events. of that period, we annex a few extracts from the Journal of the "Council of Safety," which commences the day before the battle of Bennington.

"STATE OF VERMONT, BENNINGTON,
In Council of Safety, Aug. 15, 1777.
To Mrs. Simonds, Lanesboro:
Madam—Please to send by the bearer, Jedediah Reed, six or seven pounds of Lead by Col. Simonds order. 
By order of Council
PAUL SPOONER, D. Sec. 

In Council of Safety, Sept. 6, 1777.
To Capt. William Fitch:
Sir—You are hereby directed to deliver to Capt. Goodnough the bearer two sides of Leather out of Marshs fatts and out of his leather taking his receipt for the same after appraisal.
By order of Council.
IRA ALLEN, Sec.

In Council of Safety, 19th of Sept. 1777.
To Capt. William Fitch:
Sir—Whereas Mr. Timothy Mead has some days past made application to this Council to take thirteen sheep out of Tory flock in Arlington in lieu of that number which he lost—this Council positively orders that none be delivered uptil further evidence can be had. I am your humble servant.
By order of Council. Jos. FAY, Sec.

In Council of Safety, Sept. 24, 1777.
To Captain Nathan Smith:
Sir—You are hereby required to march with the men under your command, to Paulett on horseback where you will apply to Col. Simonds for a horse load of flour to each man and horse, you will furnish bags sufficient for such purpose. By order of Council.
THOMAS CHITTENDEN, Pres.

To Capt. Ebenezer Wood:
Sir — You are hereby required to take the charge of the men, horses and bags, ordered from this town and proceed without one minutes loss of time, to Paulett where you will apply to Col. Benjamin Simonds for a load of flour for each horse, and proceed to Gen. Warner with the same, if Col. Simonds shall think proper.  When you return you are to take especial care that the horses and bags be returned to their proper owners.
                                                  JOSEPH FAY, Secy.

In Council of Safety, Sept. 24, 1777.
In consequence of a letter received from Col. Benjamin Simonds, for horses to forward flour to the relief of Gen. Warner at Tyconderoga we have granted warrants to procure them with all expedition. By order of Council. Jos. FAY, Sec.

In Council of Safety, BENNINGTON, Aug. 26, 1777
To Adjutant Elisha Clark: 
You are hereby required to make returns of the names and number of the officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers belonging to Col. Samuel Herrick’s Regiment of Rangers, already raised within this state for the defence thereof, to Ebenezer Walbridge at Arlington at 10 o’clock of the morning of the 28th inst. Of this you are not to fail.
                          By order of Council.
                              THOMAS CHITTENDEN, President.
Attest IRA ALLEN Sec.

In Council of Safety, 26th September, 1777.
To Mr. Wright and other Teams in Company you are to repair from this to Paulet, with your teams, there to apply to the commanding officer or Lt. Hyde to be loaded with plunder belonging to Col. Brown, and return with the same, and deliver it safe to this Council. By order of Council. JOSEPH FAY, Sec.

In Council, BENNINGTON, Oct. 8, 1777.
___________ _________ Paulett:
Sir — This Council are informed that you are found, since you passed examination before us with arms and ammunition secreted which gives the inhabitants great uneasiness; and nothing short of your making immediate satisfaction to this Council, will prevent your being ordered immediately to remove which must be done forthwith.
By order of Council. Jos. FAY, Sec.
P. S. —If you can satisfy the inhabitants and obtain their liberty you may remain until further orders. 
                                                                           Jos. FAY

In Council of Safety, 10th Feb. 1778.
This Council having been taken under consideration the complaint of Capt. Zadoc Everest of Paulett, in behalf of the United States of America, against ____ ____ for enemical conduct to the United States having examined the evidence and every attending circumstance relative thereto and after seriously deliberating thereon do judge and order that the said ____ ____  pay thirty pounds lawful money as a fine for the, use of this state and pay all reasonable charges of trial, and stand committed until this judgment be complied with. Costs taxed 16 pounds 8 shillings.
                                                           By order of Council.
                                                             THOMAS CHITTENDEN, Pres.

Received Feb. 11, the cost of the above suit 16 pounds 8 shillings, and 21 pounds 14 shillings on the above judgment.                        Jos. FAY, Secy.
18 pounds 6 shillings received by me.
                                                                      THOMAS CRITTENDEN

The above extracts will convey an idea of the manner of doing business by this anomalous and most singular body, who exercised all the functions of government, executive, legislative and judicial. Their reference to several prominent early settlers. of the town will give additional interest to these extracts.

It will be borne in mind, that at this period of our history, the settlers of this town in common with all the other towns in the state, in addition to the war with England—the common enemy—  were involved in a bitter quarrel with the, state of New York. That state claimed not only jurisdiction over the people of this territory but the absolute title to the soil.

Our fathers who had acquired a title to the soil from the royal governor of New Hampshire, and who had cleared much of it, built houses, planted orchards and were beginning to enjoy the fruit of their toils and privations, could not see the propriety of being summarily dispossessed of all, and compelled to abandon their homes, or pay for them over again.  Hence under the leadership of Ethan Allen and his patriotic compeers, under the general direction of the Council of Safety, they repelled every effort of the New Yorkers to gain a foothold on our soil, and triumphantly maintained their position until 1791, when they were admitted into the Union as an independent state.  What thanks do we not owe to our gallant fathers, who persistently refused to become a mere mountain appendage to the empire state.  Had Vermont been absorbed in New York the “Star that never sets” would have never risen, and the world would have lost the example of the most chivalrous and patriotic, community found in any age or country.  While engaged with the common enemy, and with New York, their most dangerous foes, against whom they were the most highly incensed, were the tories within their own midst.  While they applied with “Twigs of the wilderness” the “Beech Seal” to the naked backs of intruding New Yorkers, they hung the tories convicted of “enemical” conduct to the nearest tree. We may be pardoned for alluding to one instance.  One David Redding had been convicted by a jury of six persons of “enemical” conduct toward the people of the state, and was sentenced to be hung. He applied to the late John Burnham of Middletown, to interfere in his behalf on the ground that according to Blackstone no number of jurors less than twelve, could lawfully convict a criminal  The day of execution came and with it came an order from the Council of Safety to suspend the execution.  The people, clamorous for his blood, were about to proceed to hang him, notwithstanding, when Ethan Allen, who had just returned from his captivity suddenly made his appearance, mounted a stump and exclaimed, “Attention! the whole!” He then informed the people that the execution of Redding was postponed until the next Thursday, and if they would wait peaceably till that time they should see somebody hung. for if Redding was not hung he would be hung himself. During the interim a new trial was had when he was convicted by twelve jurymen, and at the appointed time Redding was placed in a cart with one end of a rope fastened around his neck and the other fastened to the limb of a tree. Redding, then, being allowed to speak, commenced giving good counsel and advice to the crowd, not to war against the state, but conduct themselves as good and loyal citizens, when the impatient assembly cried out, "Go to H— with your advice,— drive on the cart."

Notwithstanding our home difficulties, Vermont was ever ready to cooperate with New York and the other states against the common adversary. When Gen. Burgoyne started his first detachment on a raid on the stores at Bennington, they entrenched themselves in a camp a few miles distant and waited for a reinforcement before attacking Gen. Stark.  Stark also awaited asistance from Col. Warner who was rallying the Vermonters.  Stark hearing of the approach of the Hessians resolved to attack the enemy in his entrenchments before assistance came on either side.  After a bloody conflict he succeeded in dislodging and capturing most of the Hessian forces. At this crisis the reinforcements on either side simultaneously appeared on the field when the conflict was renewed with a triumphant victory for our side. Quite a number of our townsmen were in this battle. This was the first effectual check Burgoyne had received, and it led in a few weeks to his complete overthrow at Saratoga.

With the defeat of Burgoyne the war was chiefly ended on the northern frontier, though scouting parties mostly in pursuit of plunder found employment all through the year. This plunder, as we have before seen, was brought to this town, subject to the disposal of the Council of Safety.

The property of the tories was sequestrated, and many of them sent off to Canada.

Source:  Pawlet One Hundred Years by Hiel Hollister 1867, J. Munsell, Albany, NY.