The History of Averill Stand
Averill Stand in the 1800's from a postcard
The first "settlers" of Vermont were actually Native Americans from many tribes including the Iroquois, Algonquin, Narragansett, Natick, Pennacook, Pocumtuc and Wampanoag and Abenaki. Vermont was a rich hunting and fishing area, and nearly 200 place names in what is now Vermont were of Native American origin. Of those, nearly half were named by the Abenaki. So the earliest "Vermonters" had laid claims long before the White man arrived.
The Averell family (also Averill and Avery – same family) were some of the early European settlers of New England, arriving in Ipswich, Massachusetts about 1640. Even in those early colonial days, the Averills resided in Topsfield, Massachusetts, and had been visible citizens, and controversial ones. Sarah Averill Wildes and her cousin had been among the innocent people accused of being witches, and hanged in the Salem Witch trials in 1692. (See the actual documents). Even so, the family remained staunchly in the Salem area for another hundred years.
As the Averills continued to develop in Massachusetts, Vermont was developing likewise. In 1724, the English first settled Fort Dummer, near what is now Brattleboro. At the time, the area was occupied by the French, who were driven out by the English settlers. Then, around 1760, permanent settlement through more areas of Vermont began. New Hampshire "granted"129 towns in Vermont in the mid-1700's.. What is now Wilmington was one of these towns, named by Benning Wentworth, after Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington.
Simultaneously, the Averell Family was making their way to Vermont. In the Spring of 1751, John Averill and his family ventured up the Connecticut River ("The Great River") to "Massachusetts Charter Number 1," or what is now known as Westminster, Vermont. Averill settled there, at "the southernmost extremity of 10 Rods Highway" and both he and his son John Jr. fought in the American Revolution and are buried in Old East Parish Cemetery in Westminster. It is believed to be their cousins who ventured to Wilmington, establishing the Averill Stand.
In 1764, New York claimed Vermont as its own, and began to establish county governments there. New York decided not to oust the New Hampshire settlers who were already there, but rather to ignore the fact that the settlers had paid the Governor of New Hampshire for their land and to charge them for their it again! In response, the Vermonters formed the “Green Mountain Boys” to keep the New Yorkers out. And of course, one Robert Averill was among them! The battle for territory continued, and in 1775, the Averills of Westminster found themselves at the scene of the Westminster Massacre, which was the catalyst for folks to truly declare their loyalty to the British (the New Yorkers of "Yawkers") or the colonies. Even locally, the Revolution had begun!
Then, in 1776, the American Revolution formed the “United States of America” but Vermont remained an independent republic. In 1777, under pressure to declare its allegiances, Vermont declared itself independent (of the British AND of the colonists who claimed it as part of New Hampshire) and named itself "New Connecticut." Later, the name Vermont (Green Mountains) was officially adopted. In a further statement of its fiercely independent nature, one of the first decisions of the newfound republic was to forbid "Negro slavery," nearly 100 years before the rest of the country began to catch up! Interestingly, Averill Stand is reputed to have been a stop on the underground railroad, sheltering escaping slaves.
All the while, the British were still battling over New York, and heard that there were great gains to be made by capturing the colonists supplies kept at Bennington. In 1777, General Stark of New Hampshire led his troops from Charlestown, New Hampshire across what is now the Molly Stark Trail (directly through the location of Averill Stand) to fight the Battle of Bennington, in further efforts to keep the British at bay. Stark was aided by Vermonters under the command of Seth Warner. Together, Warner and Stark's troops defeated the "Yorkers" and won the Battle of Bennington. Through the battle, the alliances between independent Vermont and the State of New Hampshire grew stronger. Bennington Battle Day remains a state holiday in Vermont to this day. And of course, there was an Averill in this battle too!
In November of 1786, James Avaril of Palmer, Massachusetts purchased the first of several parcels of land in Wilmington. Vermont remained technically independent, though allied with New Hampshire and opposed to New York, until 1791, when it became to 14th state to join the Union. During this period, the Molly Stark Trail was about as traveled a road as any in this remote location. It is directly on the Molly Stark Trail that Averill Stand was built. It appears that James Avaril (Averill) remained in Wilmington until about 1797, when James deeded the land to his son Benjamin and (it is believed) removed himself to New York, while Benjamin remained in Wilmington.
Benjamin, it would appear, spent his entire life here at Averill Stand. It seems he had a hard life as a farmer, outliving two wives (one of whom died in childbirth) as well as at least two of his children. Surviving the grueling winters in Vermont was a tough job!
Benjamin and subsequent generations of Averills (all AVERELL In the cemetery) remained at Averill Stand until 1917. Two of the Averills of Wilmington were soldiers in the Civil War, presumably returning to Averill Stand afterwards. The little old cemetery on the grounds (in which Benjamin and his family rest) gives us a clue . . . so watch for more on this storybook tale (though it's true) of the relatives of a Salem witch who ventured forth to build Averill Stand, the oldest original homestead in Wilmington, Vermont.
We hope you will join us for a night or a week to relax, ski, enjoy, and maybe even take a little cemetery tour or view the secret (underground railroad?) room in the cellar!
Jim & Bob