Bennington

CARPENTER, Isaiah

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 234

Isaiah CARPENTER was one of the first settlers in Shaftsbury [Bennington 
County, Vermont], under the New Hampshire grants, and a conspicuous character 
in the difficulties between the Green Mountain Boys and the Yorkers. Mr. 
CARPENTER was a near neighbor to Judge OLIN. The Yorkers had driven him from 
his cabin and little clearing of a few acres, and put one of their own 
grantees in possession. One day while the new comer was busy with his axe 
felling a tree, he heard the report of a gun, and with it, a bullet whistled 
past his head. Supposing it to be some hunter of forest game, he resumed his 
occupation; but very soon the report was repeated, and a bullet lodged in the 
tree just over his head. That day the interloper departed with his family, 
bag and baggage. And Mr. CARPENTER returned to his premises without further 
molestation. A short time after this incident, his neighbor Gideon got out 
of meat, went to Bennington and purchased a steer, and came home and shot it. 
Mr. CARPENTER, hearing the report of the gun, came running through the 
clearing with his musket on his shoulder, inquiring of Judge OLIN, "Where are 
the Yorkers?" Shaftsbury was the theatre of many notable events of the this 
character, situated as it is in the southwestern part of the State. The 
Yorkers in making their raids on the settlers in more northern towns, would 
necessarily pass through Shaftsbury, and the industrious settlers were 
subject to continued interruptions, and became habituated to sleeping on 
their arms, with one eye open. [Excerpt from a section on the history of 
Shaftsbury, Vermont.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly