First Settlers of Colchester

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Ira Allen, who did more for Colchester than any other man, was born at Cornwall, Conn., May I, 1751, and received a good English education, including surveying. Though he had but just turned twenty-one when he came to Vermont, he was soon recognized as a leader of men.   He managed the affairs of Vermont in her darkest days, standing between the people of the State and the Continental Congress ; wrote a history of the State which was printed in London in 1798 ; projected a canal from Lake Champlain to the St.  Lawrence River ; resisted at all times the New York patentees ; and effected the establishment of the University of Vermont. He married Jerusha Enos, daughter of General Roger Enos, and had three children, Zimri Enos, Ira H.  and Maria Juliet. He resided during the later years of his life at Philadelphia, Pa., and there he died January 7, 1814. Allen was the second representative of Colchester, receiving the honor for six consecutive sessions of the Legislature ; from 1786 to 1792. After his death his widow resided for a number of years at the old " Allen house" in Winooski village, in which house the first county court of Chittenden county was held in 1785.

Remember Baker was born at Woodbury, Conn., about I740s came to Vermont in 1764, and was killed by Indians near St. Johns, P. Q., in 1775.  Like Allen he did much for the town and more for the State. He was cousin to the Allen brothers and was with Ethan at the capture of Ticonderoga. His life was a series of ups and downs. Upon coming to Vermont he built and ran a grist-mill at Arlington, then was "off to the wars, " where he saw much hard fighting. Baker proved in these times such a successful opponent of New York that a reward of fifty pounds was offered for him, and one John Monroe with a company of twelve or fifteen Yorkers attempted to take him prisoner in 1772.  Going to his house they broke down the door and acted in an inhuman manner. One of Mrs. Baker's arms was so injured that she never recovered the use of it, and Baker's right hand was nearly severed at. the wrist. He was put into a sleigh by his captors and started for Albany, but was rescued by a band of Green Mountain Boys near the Hudson. Baker never forgot his treatment and was ever possessed of a kingly wrath towards the Yorkers. His widow married Thomas Butterfield, the first representative of Colchester.

William Munson came to Colchester about 1790 from Dover, N. H., and at first was employed by Ira Allen in his saw-mill. He soon engaged in the lumber business for himself, building several saw-mills. He became one of the most wealthy and prominent men in the town. At one time he owned more than half of the lots in Colchester; and was representative and town clerk in 1806.  He had a family of fourteen children, Lucy, Artemissa, Eliza, William B., Sidney, George, Adeliza, Emeline, Francis, Caroline, Clarrissa, John, Fiances and Wallace. He died in 1830. William B. Munson now lives at the Center, aged eighty-six years.

John Law came to Colchester at an early day from New London, Conn., and settled on the Point. In 1793 he was a delegate to the State Convention at Windsor, called to consider amendments to the constitution, and in 1802, town representative.   Law was liberally educated, but eccentric and poor.  Joshua Stanton was one of the first settlers of Colchester and one of the original organizers. He was three years chief judge of Chittenden County Court, town representative from 1795 to 1800, and did much for the University of Vermont by his counsel and means.   He lived in the Penniman district. 

Jabez Penniman came to Colchester not far from 1800, and lived in town more than thirty years. He was town clerk from 1817 to 1822, and town representative in 1819 and 1820. He was also collector of customs for the district of Vermont under President Jefferson. Besides these offices he was for many years probate judge for Chittenden county. Judge Penniman, as he was called, married the widow of Ethan Allen, the ceremony taking place at Westminster, Vt, October 28, 1793.

Heman Allen, son of Heber Allen, and nephew to Ethan and Ira, came to Colchester from Poultney very early, being adopted by his uncle Ira after the death of his father. He died in Highgate, Vt, in 1852, and is buried in Green Mount Cemetery, Burlington. He was a public man, being town clerk of Colchester from 1807 to 1817, town representative from 1812 to 1816, sheriff of Chittenden county in 1808-9, chief judge of Chittenden County Court from 1811 to 1815, and United States minister to Chili under John Quincy Adams.

Nathaniel Collins came from Connecticut to Burlington about. one hundred years ago; he lived there till 1824, when he removed to Colchester Center, where he carried on the business of blacksmithing. He had thirteen children, one of whom, Charles, now resides near the Center. Charles says he remembers hearing his father say that when he first came to Vermont the settlement of Winooski contained only two houses and one saw-mill.

Nathan Bryant was an early settler in Colchester, where he died at an advanced age. He was engaged in the lumber business most of his life. He was a soldier in 1812. When Miller preached in Vermont in 1843 Bryant became a convert, and people used to say " had got religion," because he used his team better.    His son Martin Bryant now lives near the Center.

Benjamin Boardman was one of the first to buy a farm at Colchester Point He came from Connecticut. At the first proprietors' meeting he was chosen clerk. He married a Miss Weeks from Winooski village. Mrs. B. B. Hines, of Colchester Center, his daughter, is now ninety years of age, but quite well preserved.    He lived in the house that is now the Colchester poor-house.

George Bates early settled in town.    He married Mary Hine and died in 1876, aged ninety-one years.

Paul Clapp came in 1797 to Colchester from Orange, Vt.   He lived near Colchester Center.    He was a soldier in 1812.

Seth Carry, another Connecticut man, settled in Colchester in 1800.  was a farmer, and a soldier in 1812.

Ichabod Brownell kept for many years a tavern at Winooski village.

David Ferrin came to Colchester early, and resided about one mile of the Center, where H. B. Hines now lives. lie died seventy years ago. His son Cyrus always resided in town, and died some four years ago. Both father and son were prominent Congregationalists.

Samuel Austin, a Quaker, came from New Hampshire in 1790. He married Rachel Hawkins and had a family of six children, Abigail, Paul, Solomon, Anna, Stephen, and William.

Ebenezer Lyon was born at Canterbury, Conn., and came to Colchester in 1798. He was twice married and had eleven children. He lived on the farm now owned by W. D. Farnsworth.

Ebenezer Johnson settled early in Colchester, coming from New Hampshire ; he purchased one hundred acres of land for three dollars per acre. He had one child, Ambrose, now deceased.

Isaac Thompson came here from Dover, N. H., when Colchester was mostly a forest. He served in the War of 1812, and was present at the battle of Plattsburgh. He had fourteen children, ten boys and four girls; Noah, one of the sons, aged seventy-six years, now resides near Mallet's Bay. He was all his life engaged in lumbering and farming.

Thomas Greenough, a native of Boston, came at an early day to Milton, where he resided for a short time, and then settled in Colchester. He died about forty years ago. Three of his children are now living, Mrs. Noah Thompson, of Colchester, Mrs. E. Hodge, of Burlington, and Stephen A.  Greenough, of Michigan.    Mr. Greenough was a farrier.

Artemas Cushman came early from Massachusetts to Colchester. He had a family of twelve children, held many town offices, and lived to an advanced age.

Captain Mallett, as he was called by every one, was one of the first settlers in town. No one knows where he came from, but he had built a log cabin on the shore of the bay which bears his name, long before the Revolution. Here he lived a strange sort of life, hermit or host as it happened, and died a very old man in 1789 or 1790.

William Hine was another early settler in the town. He had three children, Hesekiah, Simeon and Israel. Simeon became a prominent man in town, and was representative in 1809 and 1810.

Ebenezer Woolcott came to Colchester from Pownal about 1795. He was engaged in making lime at the Center for a good many years. He had eleven children, and died in 1839.

Ebenezer Severance settled in Colchester early, coming from Connecticut with his father. They lived upon the farm now owned by George N. Rhodes.  He had eight children, two of whom, John and George, are citizens of Colchester, aged respectively seventy-six and seventy-one years.

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