one of them was arrested by death and the
other removed from the State. Notwithstanding the faithful exer-
tions of Philip Battell, Esq., Secretary of the society and one
of the committee, a few only of the histories have been completed.
But it was thought best to delay the publication no longer. On
examination and inquiry, however, no person could be found willing
to undertake the publication of the whole together, as was proposed,
or separately, on account of the limited sale which must attend the
work. Since the passage of the act of the Legislature at their ses-
sion in 1858, it is proposed to commence the publication of the his-
tory of each town separately, as fast as they are written, and the
towns shall furnish the requisite encouragement. The histories are
obtained through the agency and publishedthe State. Its history is only the history of a part of the State,
and the history of the State is its history. This fact may justify
the record we make of incidents, which properly belong to the hia-
lory of th« ?tnt9. In doing so W9 have relied on original docu-
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY, 7
ments, and do not design to give any general history, but to confine
ourselves chiefly to such incidents as are not contained in our present
State histories, and thus perhaps correct some views and facts stated
by them.
The County of Addison is situated on the west line of the State
and nearly in the centre north and south; between 43° 50' and
44° 10' north latitude. It is bounded on the west by Lake Cham-
plain, the western boundary of the State