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met, and resolved to defend their rights by ing. Several modes of blowing it up were force; and under his leadership associations suggested, when Ethan Allen, to divert were formed for the purpose of resisting the their minds from that manner of destruction, officers. A military organization was effected, proposed that Sim Sears, a famous landwith Mr. Allen as colonel commandant; and speculator, noted for selling property that in the vigorous language, undoubtedly, of the did not belong to him, " be employed to sell colonel, the settlers gave " all the land-job the d d thing."

bers of New York an invitation to come CUMBERLAND COUNTY, and view the dexterity of our regiment." established by ordi After the organization nance of the Governor of Gloucester County ^ in 1/70, all the terri-!• ! and Council of the tory west of the moun- •, • New York province, tains was within the • dated July 3, 1766, limits of Albany I was the first county County, with the city organized within the of Albany as the limits of Vermont. It county - seat. The embraced substantial sheriff of the county, ly the present coun with a posse comitatus ties of Windham and numbering seven hun Windsor. Chest er was dred and fifty men, at made the county-seat, tempted to serve a and provision made writ of possession for the erection of a against James Brack court-house and jail at en ridge of Bennington. that place. A court The Green Mountain of common pleas and Boys assembled to the general sessions of the number of three hun peace was authorized dred, and presented so to be held semi-anformidable an appear nually, each session ance that the sheriff -, being limited to four and his posse, " not days, and the two LUKE KNOWLTON. being interested in the courts authorized to dispute, made a hasty sit at the same time. retreat, so that a musket was not fired on in order that business might be " constantly either side." Writs of ejectment were still proceeded in and all unnecessary attendance issued and judgments obtained; but when avoided." In 1772 Westminster was selected an execution or writ of possession issued, it as the shire town; and it so remained was a matter of certainty that the officer until the sessions of the New York courts attempting to make service would experience ceased in March, 1775. The judges of the a vigorous application of the " beech seal " Inferior Court of Common Pleas were or " twigs of the wilderness." So many of Thomas Chandler of Chester, Joseph Lord the recalcitrant settlers were summoned to of Putney, and Samuel Wells of Brattleboro'. the City Hall in Albany, in which the blind Their commissions were first dated loth Goddess purported to hold sway, that a July, 1766, were renewed in April, 1768, and meeting of the settlers was held at Benning again four years later, when, Judge Lord ton to devise means to get rid of the build- being then " at the sixty-eighth year of his