dispossessed,
into re-possession of the lands and tenements."'
The follov/ing is the substance of the answer of the committees
of '• Bennington, and the adjacent country " to this letter, signed
by Ethax Allex, clerk, on the S.Sth of August 1772, in explana-
tion of the proceedings complained of The people, having noticed,
that " Mr. Cockburx, a noted surveyor," had taken " a tour to the
northerly parts of the New Hampshire Grants," (on Onion River)
'•to survey and make locations on lands," which had been granted
b}'- New Hampshire, " rallied a sm.all party and pursued and over-
t )ok him and his party, and in their pursuit, passed the towns of
Panton and New Haven, near the mouth of Otter Creek, dispos-
sessed Col. Reid of a saw mill in said Panton, which by force,"
and without right," he had taken from the original owners more
than three years before, and did, at the same time, extend his
force, terrors and threats into the town of New Haven," '' who so
terrified the inhabitants, (which were about twelve in number) that
they left their possessions and farms to the conquerers^ and escaped
with the skin of their teeth." " Col. Reid, at the same time, and
■with the same force, did take possession of one hundred and thirty
saw logs, and fourteen thousand feet of pine boards," and converted
them to their own use. In 1769, a man by the name of Pang-
born, built there a saAv mill, and a few claimants under the New
Hampshire grant, were in possession of the lands in that year.
After they were driven off, R kid's men built