found among them (the people of the New Hampshire Grants) than were found in other States." As a result of arrests, acts of confiscation and the open hostility of their republican neighbors, many of the Loyalists left the State, most of them going to Canada, where some of them were granted lands by the crown. In an act relating to Tories, passed by the Vermont Legislature, reference is made to one hundred and eight persons who had left the State voluntarily. This act provided that

if

any of the persons mentioned returned to the State voluntarily they should receive not more than forty and not less than twenty stripes on the naked back and be ordered to quit the State immediately. If any person, after conviction, should remain in the State one month "or presume to come again into this State," the death penalty might be imposed.

In July, 1783, the British Parliament appointed a commission of five members to classify the losses and services of the American Loyalists, more than five thousand of whom had submitted claims for compensation. In "The Loyalists in the American Revolution," Van Tyne gives as the most complete list to be obtained of the claims admitted by the commissioners, a total of two thousand, five hundred and sixty, more than one-third of which came from New York. There were sixty-one claimants in Vermont.

Naturally the hostility between Whigs and Tories engendered a spirit of bitterness and vindictiveness that sometimes resulted in bloodshed. It is related in a sketch of Danby that a few of the people in that town who were considered Tories were shot near their own

homes. A vote adopted at a town meeting held in Newbury, June 3, 1783, read as follows: "No person that hath joyned the Enemy shall have any abidence in this town, and any person that shall harbor or feed them shall get the Displeasure of the town by so doing." Although Vermont adopted stern measures with the Tories, yet an examination of laws enacted and orders issued during the Revolutionary period will show many acts of leniency toward the families of Loyalists, in protecting the needy from destitution and in aiding such people to cultivate their farms, when only the husband and father had fled. After peace was declared the general policy of Vermont leaders was one of conciliation.

One of the most conspicuous figures among Vermont Loyalists was Crean Brush, a native of Ireland, who came to New York in 1762. In 1771 he removed to Westminster, having acquired large tracts of lands by grant from New York in the region now known as Vermont. He was made clerk of Cumberland county in 1772 and from 1773 to 1775 he was an active member of the New York Assembly. He joined General Gage at Boston soon after the Revolutionary War began and had charge of the property in the buildings seized by the British authorities as winter quarters for the officers and troops. He became involved in difficulties through illegal seizure of goods and was confined in jail. He had married the widow of a British officer and she impersonated him in jail and enabled him to escape. He fled to New York but did not gain favor there and committed suicide. A daughter of Mrs. Brush, the child of

her first husband, became the second wife of Ethan Allen.

Justus Sherwood was proprietor's clerk in the town of New Haven from 1774 to 1776 and removed to Shaftsbury. As he was an avowed Loyalist, he was punished as such at Bennington. He was so exasperated that he raised a company of Tories and joined the British army in Canada. His activities in the battle of Hubbardton already have been related. D. P. Thompson made him one of his principal characters in "The Green Mountain Boys."

John Peters was one of the early settlers in Bradford, or Mooretown, as it was then called, being Moderator of its first town meeting. He became clerk of Cumberland county and a Judge of the Superior Court of Common Pleas. He was a devoted Loyalist and his property was confiscated. He fled to Nova Scotia with his family and raised a body of troops called the Queen's Loyal Rangers, which he commanded. He led a detachment of Tories in the battle of Bennington.

Luke Knowlton, the first Town Clerk of Newfane, and a prominent citizen, was a friend of the British cause. According to "Hemenway's Gazetteer," "in consequence of the great sacrifices he made in behalf of the British Government in the early part of the Revolutionary War, he received a large and valuable grant of land in Lower Canada upon a part of which the present town of Sherbrooke is built." Although he did not go to Canada to reside permanently, some of his family did and his descendants became prominent men in the Dominion. Later Knowlton held positions of honor in

Vermont, was a member of the Legislature, a Judge of the courts and a member of the Council.

Noah Sabin of Putney was a Judge of Cumberland County Court under New York jurisdiction and was one of the occupants of the bench at the time of the Westminster Massacre. On account of his Loyalist sympathies, the Committee of Safety, in 1776, ordered that he be confined to the limits of his farm and permission was given any person to shoot him if he disobeyed the order. So bitter was the feeling against him that some of his neighbors secreted themselves in the woods nearby with loaded rifles and watched Judge Sabin's movements. In 1781 he was elected Judge of Probate, but was suspended on complaint of certain persons who considered him a dangerous Loyalist. Later he was reinstated.

In Hayes' "History of Rockingham" reference is made to a protest signed by about fifty of the people of that town to the election of Noah Sabin as Judge of Probate, John Bridgman, Luke Knowlton and Benjamin Burt as County Court Judges and Jonathan Hunt as High Sheriff. These men were called "friends of ministerial Tirrany and Usurpation, who until within a few days had been aVowed Enemies to all authority save that Derived from the Crown of Great Britain." signers declared that they could see no difference "between being halled to Great Britain for Tryal or being Tryed by these Tools amongst our Selves." Their protests were not heeded, and it is intimated that Governor Chittenden considered it wise to conciliate the Tory element in this State.

The

Jehiel Hawley of Arlington was known as "the father of the town" and was a man of much influence and had been prominent in the resistance to New York authority. He was considered a Loyalist and late in the year 1777 he left for Canada, but died on the way. His residence was occupied by Governor Chittenden.

John Munro of Shaftsbury, one of the most violent partisans of New York in the land controversy, was a Loyalist. His lands and property were confiscated 'except two cows and such other effects" as were needed for the support of his family. Col. William Marsh of Dorset was not originally a Loyalist, but when Burgoyne captured Ticonderoga, Marsh and others became panic stricken, and with a number of avowed Tories, went to Canada. His property was confiscated and this included certain lands in Burlington which were sold to Ethan Allen, on which he spent the last years of his life. Later Colonel Marsh was permitted Daniel Marsh of Clarendon had a similar experience. After his return he represented his town in the Legislature. The Council of Censors severely censured the General Assembly which restored to Daniel Marsh his property.

to return.

Capt. Ebenezer Willoughby of Windsor, a member of the Convention held in June, 1777, later joined the British. He was captured and his property was confiscated. Col. Asa Porter and Col. John Taplin of Newbury were Loyalists. The former is said to have owned the greater part of the town of Topsham and large tracts in Newbury. His property was confiscated and to reimburse him for his losses and sufferings, he