Part III. 



GAZETTEER OF VERMONT. 



83 



GUILFORD. 



GUILFORD. 



school of JefFerson. The Hon. Benjamin 

 Carpenter was a member of the first con- 

 vention in Vermont, held at Dorset in 

 177G. In those trying times with the 

 brave sons of the Green Mountains, when 

 they had not only to oppose the powerful 

 state of New York, the claims of New 

 Hampshire and Masschusetts, the tories 

 and Yorkers at home, and the menacing 

 threats of Congress abroad, but the power 

 of his majesty's legions in war, that brave 

 patriot, with an allowance of three days' 

 provisions upon his back, would cross the 

 Green Mountains on foot by marked trees, 

 to attend the legislature at Bennington, 

 for the purpose of devising ways and 

 means of defence against all the enemies 

 of the state. As delegate to the assem- 

 bly, as a member of the council, and lieu- 

 tenant governor of the state, he deserved- 

 ly holds a conspicuous place in the early 

 history of the same.* Hon. John Shep- 

 ardson, born in 1718, was a firm patriot 

 of the revolution, and held the ofhces of 

 judge of the supreme court and member 

 of the council for several years. Died, in 

 1798. Hon. Samuel Shepardson, born in 

 ] 757, was a useful member of society, and 

 had the honor of sitting as a member of 

 the council for several years. Died, in 

 1813. Hon. William Bigelow, one of the 

 first settlers of the town, and always a 

 father to the people, born in 1751, was a 

 judge of the county court, which office 

 he held with good reputation to himself, 

 and died in 1814. Among the early set- 

 tlers of the the town, since 1796, might 

 be mentioned the names of the Hon. Royal 

 Tyler, Hon. James Elliot, Hon. Richard 

 Whitney, Hon. Micah Townshend, Hon. 

 Henry Seymour, Hon. Gilbert Denison, 

 Hon. Samuel Elliot, Hon. John Noyes, 



* U|jon a large uiiile marble tomb stone, itj the 

 west part of Guilfoid, is the following inscription, 

 inserted here fur its curiosity. 



SACRED TO THE MEMORY 



OF THE 



Hon. BENJ. CARPENTER. Esq. 



Born in Rphoboth, Maps. A. D. 1726, 



A magistrate in Rijotle-Islanrl in A. U 17G4. 



A public teacher of righteousness, 



An able advocate to his last for Democracy, 



And the equal riglits of man. 



Removed to this town, A. 1). 1770, 



Was a field oificer in the Revolutionary war, 



A founder of the first constitution and government of 



Vermont. 



A Councillor of Censors, in A. D. 1783, 



A member of the Council, and Lieut Governor of 



the State in A. D. 1779, 

 A firm professor of Christiansty in the l?abtist church 



50 years. Left this world 



And 146 persons of lineal posterity, March 29tli 1804, 



Aged 78 years JO months and 12 days, 



with a strong 



Mind and full faith of a more 



Glorious state hereafter. 



Stature about six feet — weight 200. 



Death had uo terror. 



and many others of less note, who are 

 mostly identified with the history of the 

 state, bvit who have since removed from 

 the town. Guilford was the birth place 

 of Henry Denison, Esq., the late poet of 

 Georgia, and also of the Rev. Wilbur 

 Fisk, late president of the VVesleyan Uni- 

 versity at Middletown, Ct. The Rev. 

 Royal Girley was the first settled minis- 

 ter in Guilford. He was of the Congre- 

 tional order, and received the right of 

 land reserved and located for that pur- 

 pose. He was settled in the year 1775, 

 and died soon after. He was a yountr 

 man of science, and much respected for 

 his pious and amiable deportment. The 

 second of the same order was the Rev. 

 Henry Williams, who was settled in 1779. 

 Rev. Bunker Gay, of Hinsdale, preached 

 bis ordination sermon. His text was 

 '■'■Death in the pot." He was a violent 

 Yorker, and when the town submitted to 

 the state authority he left with his politi- 

 cal brethren. The third, the Rev. Elijah 

 Wollage, was settled in 1794, and dis- 

 missed in 1799. The next of that order 

 was the Rev. Jason Chamberlain. He 

 was settled in 1807, and in 1811, being 

 elected professor of languages in the Uni- 

 versity of Vermont, by his own request, 

 was dismissed. Afterwards the Rev. Eli- 

 jah Wollage returned, and was received 

 for a time, but dismissed in 1818. An 

 Episcopal church was formed in the east 

 parish, November 8, 1818, by the name 

 of Christ's Church ; and on the 8th of 

 May, 1819, the Congregational society 

 voted to unite with the Episcopal society, 

 and invited their minister, the Rev. A.L. 

 Baury, to perform divine service at their 

 meeting house, in the centre of the town, 

 half of the time. An Episcopal society 

 was formed for that purpose, and a union 

 of the two societies was effected, and so 

 has continued to this time. The Episco- 

 pal ministers who have officiated here are 

 the Rev. Alfred A. Baury from Septem- 

 ber, 1820 to May, 182-2, the Rev. Samuel 

 B. Shaw from 1822 to 1831 ; the Rev. Ja- 

 cob Pearson from 1832 to 1836 ; the Rev. 

 Luman Foote from 1837 to 1838; and the 

 Rev. John B. Pratt from 1838 to 1841. 

 The present minister is the Rev. Freder- 

 ick A. V/adleigh. This chtirch consists 

 of about 50 communicants. The Baptists 

 are the most numerous sect. Among the 

 Elders who have had the care of churches 

 in this town, may be mentioned the names 

 of Willis, Hicks, Snowe, Allen, Packard, 

 Leland, Bucklin, Wilson, Lamb, and 

 Bruce. Their present minister is Elder 

 Milo Frarey. The Methodisis have sev- 

 eral classes and there are two ministers 

 of this order in town, the Rev. Asa 



