Biographies Of Whitingham

Green Leaves from Whitingham
By Clark Jilson in 1894

ROBERT BRATTEN and his family were the first to settle permanently in Whitingham. They were from Coleraine, and returned there three successive winters before making their residence continuous. Their first visit was in the spring of 1771, and their abode near Deerfield River, in the northwest part of the town.  They followed up North River by where Jacksonville now is, to Wilmington. Mrs. Bratten ascended a tall tree and discovered the Deerfield valley, and their course was turned in that direction. They had marked trees as they came along so that they might find their way back, for they had no chart or compass.  They drove before them a cow, and carried their cooking utensils on their backs. A small iron kettle was used as a water pail, milk pail, and for cooking; and as the population increased the milk of one cow was divided among several families. Their log house was located near the river above where Cyrus Wheeler now resides. Its site now covered with forest trees and the hearth-stone around which merry children played, lie unnoticed under the fallen leaves.  On the 19th day of May, 1780, known as the dark day, Mrs. Bratten set out an apple tree near this spot which has since borne the name of "Grand-mother Bratten's apple tree."

SILAS HAMILTON was a native of Brookfield where he was born in 1740. He went to Deerfield in 1760 and there commenced the manufacture of felt, and on the 27th day of July, 1763, he married Hannah Hoyt of Deerfield, who was born Sept. 6, 1744, in the "Old Indian House" and was a grand-daughter of Ensign John Sheldon. In 1768 he was the owner of 200 acres of land whereon he erected pot and pearl-ash works. About 1771 he reached Whitingham.  In 1778-9 he represented the town in the General Assembly of Vermont. In 1780, with 7 associates, he obtained a grant of 3,000 acres of land in the north-east corner of Whitingham, and the same year he was Selectman and Treasurer. He became involved in some financial trouble while he held this position and mortgaged all his property, real and personal, to secure the town. Soon after this he removed to Western, Mass., where he adhered to the Rebellion of Daniel Shays, just a century ago. He was arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to stand one hour in pillory and to be publicly whipped on his naked back 20 strikes.   The charge against him was, "For stirring up sedition in this Commonwealth." He was a man who took an active part in all the affairs of the time, never failing to carefully vindicate what he advocated, even when his life was in peril.

The information on Trails to the Past © Copyright  2024  may be used in personal family history research, with source citation. The pages in entirety may not be duplicated for publication in any fashion without the permission of the owner. Commercial use of any material on this site is not permitted.  Please respect the wishes of those who have contributed their time and efforts to make this free site possible.~Thank you!