Caledonia

DROWN, Samuel & Stephen

Vermont Historical Magazine, No XI, October 1867, p 418 (excerpt from a 
section on the history of Sheffield)

Samuel DROWN was born at Rochester [Strafford County], New Hampshire. He 
came into this town [Sheffield, Caledonia County, Vermont] in 1795. He was 
an old revolutionary soldier, having been attached during some part of the war 
to an artillery corps. His grandchildren have often heard him relate 
incidents of different battles in which he has been engaged, and of the 
difficulties they sometimes encountered in drawing their pieces into battery 
in places inaccessible for horses. He was first engaged in the battle of 
Bunker Hill, and served his country faithfully for several years afterwards. 
He died at the advanced age of ninety-six years, being the oldest person 
deceased in town.

Deacon Stephen DROWN, son of Samuel DROWN, above mentioned, was born 17 
September 1770 in Rochester [Strafford County], New Hampshire; was married at 
the age of twenty one to Sarah GRAY, daughter of James GRAY. [See also the 
Caledonia County, Vermont, biography of James GRAY.] They moved to this town 
in 1795, four years after their marriage, and settled upon the farm now owned 
by Elisha DAVIS, Esq., where they continued to reside until his death on 06 
April 1841. His wife survived him, and is now living with her son Horace, 
and is the oldest female now residing in town, and but so short a distance is 
she now removed from the scenes of her earlier years, that she can sit at her 
window and look upon the farm where she and her husband first commenced their 
labors, and for nearly fifty years lived and toiled together. They commenced 
in town poor, and often suffered for the necessities of life. For some time 
during the first year they subsisted entirely upon the milk of one cow. In 
the spring they had been unable to obtain potatoes for seed, but had planted 
a few parings given them for the purpose, which had sprouted and grown and 
were now in full blossom. To this field the wife turned her footsteps, when 
she could no longer behold her husband exhausted with the labors of the day, 
and no suitable food to prepare for the evening repast. Having dug a half 
pint of potatoes of diminutive size and killed a small chicken, she prepared 
a meal which may well be called the first product of the farm.

But they did not long remain in such circumstances. Industry and economy 
worked wonders in their case, and they were soon surrounded with plenty. Mr. 
DROWN represented the town for several years in the legislature of the state; 
was twenty-two years town clerk; and taught the first school in town. He 
experienced religion in 1800, was the first convert, and ever after one of 
the main pillars of the church. To him the people were indebted as to a 
pastor for visiting the sick, attending funerals, holding meetings, baptizing 
converts, and performing all other pastoral duties which devolved upon him. 
He lived an exemplary life, sustaining his Christian profession unblemished 
until death closed his labors.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly