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Nathaniel Atwell and Lydia Hunkins

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DIRECT LINE

Nathaniel ATWELL, son of John ATWELL and Bridget CUMMINGS , was born 15 Jun 1766 at Hollis, Hillsborough Co. NH. He died 13 Nov 1844 at Johnson, Lamoille Co. VT and is buried in the Plot Cemetery at Johnson.

On 15 June 1794 at Bradford, Orange CO., VT., Nathaniel married Lydia HUNKINS, daughter of Capt. Robert HUNKINS and Lydia CHAMBERLIN.

Lydia was born 21 Jan 1772 at Bradford, Orange Co. NH and died 20 Jan 1846 at Johnson, Lamoille Co., VT.

Nathan was 28 and Lydia 22 when they married. Nathan was 78 at the time of his death and Lydia was 73. They were married 50 years.

Nancy Benton notes, “From Hollis, N.H., came into Johnson among the earliest settlers, and located on Road 11, where he resided until his death, at the age of 84 years.”

Caroline Atwell, granddaughter, passed along the story that “Lydia came to Johnson VT. on horseback when the country was new. She brought her feather bed and mirror. The mirror was broken when her horse jumped a log and she did not have another mirror for twenty years.”

Asher E. ATWELL made a copy of the old family bible on February 17, 1883. Birth place and date, death and marriage information for Nathan, Lydia and children is from Caroline Atwell NOYES’ copying of the Asher E. ATWELL copy which she made March 1st 1885.

View Carrie Atwell Noyes’ copy of the Nathaniel Atwell Family Births.

View Carrie Atwell Noyes’ record of the Marriages of the Children of Nathaniel and Lydia Atwell

View Carrie Atwell Noyes’ record of the Deaths of the Children of Nathaniel and Lydia Atwell.

=======================================
Husband: Nathaniel “Nathan” + Atwell
=======================================
Born: 1766 Jun 15 – Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire
Christened:
Died: 1844 Nov 13 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Buried: – Plot Cemetery, Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Father: John + Atwell (Cir 1737-1820)
Mother: Bridget + Cummings (1739-1794)
Marriage: 1794 Jun 15 Place: Bradford, Orange, Vermont
——————————————————————————–
Events
——————————————————————————–

1. Name: ATWELL is the spelling in Carrie A. NOYES copying of the Asher
ATWELL copy of the Atwell Family Bible. An alternative spellling often
found is ATWILL.

2. Birth: 1766 Jan 15 Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.

3. Census: Give as a possible for Nathan Atwell. 1790 Cockermouth,
Grafton, New Hampshire.
Pg. 30
ATWELL John 1 2 2 – – 5
ATWEILL Nathan 1 – – – – 1

4. Migration: After 1790. From Hollis, N.H., came into Johnson among the
earliest settlers, and located on Road 11, where he resided until his
death, at the age of 84 years.

5. Marriage: 1794 Jun 15, Bradford, Orange, Vermont. Nathaniel ATWELL
marries Lydia HUNKINS, daughter of Capt. Robert HUNKINS and Lydia
CHAMBERLAIN. She is 22 and he is 28. Note that Nathan’s mother died two
days after the wedding, so perhaps the wedding took place when it did as
his mother was ill.

6. Mother’s Death: 1794 Jun 17, Hollis, Hillsborough, New Hampshire.
Nathaniel’s mother, Bridget CUMMINGS, dies.

7. Child’s Birth: Bridget is born., 1795 Mar 15. She will marry Ralph
HILL.

8. Child’s Birth: John is born., 1796 Jun 10. He will marry Evelyn COATS.

9. Child’s Birth: Susan is born., 1797 Nov 10. She will marry Joel
HAYFORD then N. THOMPSON.

10. Child’s Birth: William C. ATWELL is born., 1799 Aug 25. He will marry
Patty STINE.

11. Census: 1800 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.

12. Child’s Birth: Hiram is born., 1801 Mar 2. He will marry Rachel
SCAGEL. DIRECT LINE

13. Child’s Birth: Benjamin is born., 1802 Dec 2. He will marry Lora HUNT.

14. Child’s Birth: Lydia is born., 1804 Aug 2. Lydia is not recorded as
marrying.

15. Child’s Birth: Phoebe is born., 1806 Aug 2. She will marry Johnson
ROBINSON.

16. Child’s Birth: Olive is born., 1808 Mar 21. She will marry Clark FISK.

17. Census: Pg. 330 1810 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.
Nathan ATWELL 1 male 10 thru 15, 1 male 30 to 44, 3 females under 10, 2
females 10 thru 15, 1 female 30 to 44
COMMENT: The census shows John or William apparently but not Benjamin or
Hiram who were both under 10. It shows Lydia, Phoebe and Olive who were
all under 10, and Bridget and Susan who were over 10. So where are
Benjamin and Hiram?

18. Child’s Birth: Nathan is born., 1810 Sep 19. He is not recorded as
marrying.

19. Child’s Birth: Caroline is born., 1812 Oct 17. She will marry Caleb
SIMMONS.

20. Child’s Birth: James is born., 1814 Sep 26. He will marry Lucy
GILMORE.

21. Child’s Birth: Asher is born., 1816 Nov 10. He will marry Charlotte
THORNTON.

22. Father’s Death: 1820 Jan 31, Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts.

23. Residence: Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont.

24. Census: Pg. 172 1820 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.
Roll: M33_127
Page: 172
Image: 185
Nathan ATWELL 3 – 1 4 – 1 1 2 3 – 1 – 3
COMMENT: 3 males under 10 b. 1810 to 1820, 1 male between 16 and 18 b.
1802 to 1804, 4 males of 16 and under 26 including heads of families b.
c. 1794 to 1804, 1 male 45 and up born c. 1774 and over. 1 female under
10 b. 1810 to 1820, 2 females 10 and under 16 b. 1804 to 1810, 3 females
of 16 and under 26 b. 1794 to 1804, 1 female 45 and up born 1774 and
over.

The 3 males under 10 are Asher, James and Nathan. The male between 16
and 18 is Benjamin, guess the 4 males of 16 and under 26 are John,
William, Hiram and Benjamin, then there’s Nathan. The female under 10 is
Caroline. The 2 females 10 and under 16 are Olive and Phoebe. The 3
females 16 and under 26 would be Bridget, Susan and Lydia, and then there
is Lydia.

25. Census: Pg. 46 1830 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.
Pg. 46, Roll: M19_183, Image 97
ATWELL Nathan – – 1 2 – – – – 1 / – – – 1 2 – –
1
Nathan ATWELL 1 male 10 to 15, 2 males 15 and under 20, 1 male 60 and
under 70, 1 female 15 and under 20, 2 females 20 and under 30, 1 female
50 and under 60
NOTE: The census shows Asher in the 10 to 15 range, James and Nathan in
the 15 to 20 category, Caroline as 15 and under 20, and Lydia and Olive
as the 2 females 20 and under 30, Olive not marrying until 1832. Nathan
and wife Lydia are the elder individuals. (The marking for 1 or 2
females in the 20 to 30 category is actually ambiguous. It could be
either.)
ANDREWS Asa
ADAMS James
ATWELL John – – 1 – – 1 / 1 – – – 1
ANDREWS Samuel
ALLARD Henry
ABBOTT Oliver
ATWELL Benjamin – 2 – – 1 / 1 – – – 1

26. Census: Pg. 47 1840 Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont.
Joshua CHASE
Benjamin ATWELL 3 1 – – – 1 / – – 1 – – 1
…
Nathan ATWELL – – – – 2 – – – – 1/ – – – – 1 1 1 –
1

COMMENT: The two 20 to 30 males would be James and Asher. The 20 to 30
female would be Caroline. The 30 to 40 female would be perhaps Lydia for
whom a marriage isn’t given. The 40 to 50 female is unknown. Nathan
and Lydia are the elder adults.

27. Death: 1844 Nov 13 Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont. Died at age 78.
Nathaniel and Lydia had been married 50 years.

28. Accessory Document: Family Birth Record Nathan and Lydia Atwell, 1885
Mar 1.

29. Edit : 2003 Oct.

================================================================================
Wife: Lydia + Hunkins
================================================================================
Born: 1772 Jan 21 – Bradford, Orange, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1846 Jan 20 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Buried:
Father: Captain Robert + Hunkins (1739-1818)
Mother: Lydia + Chamberlin (1746-1831)
——————————————————————————–
Events
——————————————————————————–

1. Birth: 1772 Jan 21 Bradford, Orange, Vermont.

2. Residence: Bradford, Orange, Vermont.

3. Marriage: 1794 Jun 15, Bradford, Orange, Vermont. Nathaniel ATWELL
marries Lydia HUNKINS, daughter of Capt. Robert HUNKINS and Lydia
CHAMBERLAIN. She is 22 and he is 28.

4. Child’s Birth: Bridget is born., 1795 Mar 15. She will marry Ralph
HILL.

5. Child’s Birth: John is born., 1796 Jun 10. He will marry Evelyn COATS.

6. Child’s Birth: Susan is born., 1797 Nov 10. She will marry Joel
HAYFORD then N. THOMPSON.

7. Child’s Birth: William C. ATWELL is born., 1799 Aug 25. He will marry
Patty STINE.

8. Census: 1800 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.

9. Child’s Birth: Hiram is born., 1801 Mar 2. He will marry Rachel
SCAGEL. DIRECT LINE

10. Child’s Birth: Benjamin is born., 1802 Dec 2. He will marry Lora HUNT.

11. Child’s Birth: Lydia is born., 1804 Aug 2. Lydia is not recorded as
marrying.

12. Child’s Birth: Phoebe is born., 1806 Aug 2. She will marry Johnson
ROBINSON.

13. Child’s Birth: Olive is born., 1808 Mar 21. She will marry Clark FISK.

14. Census: Pg. 330 1810 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.
Nathan ATWELL 1 male 10 thru 15, 1 male 30 to 44, 3 females under 10, 2
females 10 thru 15, 1 female 30 to 44
COMMENT: The census shows John or William apparently but not Benjamin or
Hiram who were both under 10. It shows Lydia, Phoebe and Olive who were
all under 10, and Bridget and Susan who were over 10. So where are
Benjamin and Hiram?

15. Child’s Birth: Nathan is born., 1810 Sep 19. He is not recorded as
marrying.

16. Child’s Birth: Caroline is born., 1812 Oct 17. She will marry Caleb
SIMMONS.

17. Child’s Birth: James is born., 1814 Sep 26. He will marry Lucy
GILMORE.

18. Child’s Birth: Asher is born., 1816 Nov 10. He will marry Charlotte
THORNTON.

19. Father’s Death: 1819 Apr 1, Bradford, Orange, Vermont. Lydia’s
father, Captain Robert HUNKINS, dies.

20. Census: Pg. 172 1820 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.
Roll: M33_127
Page: 172
Image: 185
Nathan ATWELL 3 – 1 4 – 1 1 2 3 – 1 – 3
COMMENT: 3 males under 10 b. 1810 to 1820, 1 male between 16 and 18 b.
1802 to 1804, 4 males of 16 and under 26 including heads of families b.
c. 1794 to 1804, 1 male 45 and up born c. 1774 and over. 1 female under
10 b. 1810 to 1820, 2 females 10 and under 16 b. 1804 to 1810, 3 females
of 16 and under 26 b. 1794 to 1804, 1 female 45 and up born 1774 and
over.

The 3 males under 10 are Asher, James and Nathan. The male between 16
and 18 is Benjamin, guess the 4 males of 16 and under 26 are John,
William, Hiram and Benjamin, then there’s Nathan. The female under 10 is
Caroline. The 2 females 10 and under 16 are Olive and Phoebe. The 3
females 16 and under 26 would be Bridget, Susan and Lydia, and then there
is Lydia.

21. Census: Pg. 46 1830 Johnson, Franklin, Vermont.
Pg. 46, Roll: M19_183, Image 97
ATWELL Nathan – – 1 2 – – – – 1 / – – – 1 2 – –
1
Nathan ATWELL 1 male 10 to 15, 2 males 15 and under 20, 1 male 60 and
under 70, 1 female 15 and under 20, 2 females 20 and under 30, 1 female
50 and under 60
NOTE: The census shows Asher in the 10 to 15 range, James and Nathan in
the 15 to 20 category, Caroline as 15 and under 20, and Lydia and Olive
as the 2 females 20 and under 30, Olive not marrying until 1832. Nathan
and wife Lydia are the elder individuals. (The marking for 1 or 2
females in the 20 to 30 category is actually ambiguous. It could be
either.)
ANDREWS Asa
ADAMS James
ATWELL John – – 1 – – 1 / 1 – – – 1
ANDREWS Samuel
ALLARD Henry
ABBOTT Oliver
ATWELL Benjamin – 2 – – 1 / 1 – – – 1

22. Mother’s Death: 1831 Jan 26, Bradford, Orange, Vermont. Lydia’s
mother, Lydia CHAMBERLIN, dies.

23. Census: Pg. 47 1840 Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont.
Joshua CHASE
Benjamin ATWELL 3 1 – – – 1 / – – 1 – – 1
…
Nathan ATWELL – – – – 2 – – – – 1/ – – – – 1 1 1 –
1

COMMENT: The two 20 to 30 males would be James and Asher. The 20 to 30
female would be Caroline. The 30 to 40 female would be perhaps Lydia for
whom a marriage isn’t given. The 40 to 50 female is unknown. Nathan
and Lydia are the elder adults.

24. Death: 1846 Jan 20 Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont. Lydia died two years
after her husband, at the age of 73.

25. Accessory Document: Family Birth Record Nathan and Lydia Atwell, 1885
Mar 1.

26. Accessory Document: Deaths of the Family of Nathan and Lydia Atwell,
1885 Mar 1.

27. Edit : 2003 Oct.

================================================================================
Children
================================================================================
1 F Bridget Atwell
Born: 1795 Mar 15 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: Unknown
Buried:
Spouse: Ralph Hill (Cir 1784- )
Marr. Date: 1821 Mar 27 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
2 M John Atwell
Born: 1796 Jun 10 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1880 Mar 13 – Johnson, Franklin, Vermont
Buried:
Spouse: Evelyn (Elvina) Coats (Cir 1807- )
Marr. Date: 1827 Dec 10 – , , Vermont
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
3 F Susan Atwell
Born: 1797 Nov 10 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1862 Jun 21 – Ohio, Lorain County, Oberlin Township
Buried:
Spouse: Rev. Joel T. Hayford ( – )
Marr. Date: 1827 Nov 25
Spouse: N. Thompson ( – )
Marr. Date: 1840 Jul 15
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
4 M William C. Atwell
Born: 1799 Aug 25 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1865 May 15 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Buried:
Spouse: Patty Stine (Cir 1800- )
Marr. Date:
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
5 M Hiram + Atwell
Born: 1801 Mar 2 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1849 Dec 2-1850 – Waterbury Center, Washington, Vermont, USA
Buried: – Old Waterbury Center Cemetery, Waterbury Center, Washington,
Vermont, USA
Spouse: Rachel + Scagel (1802-1843)
Marr. Date: 1830 Oct 7 – Waterbury Center, Washington, Vermont, USA
Spouse: Matilda Smith (1805- )
Marr. Date: After 1843
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
6 M Benjamin H. Atwell
Born: 1802 Dec 2 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1884 Jan 4
Buried:
Spouse: Lora Hunt (Cir 1809- )
Marr. Date: 1832 Apr
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
7 F Lydia C. Atwell
Born: 1804 Aug 2 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: Unknown
Buried:
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
8 F Phoebe Atwell
Born: 1806 Aug 2 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1889 Feb 14 – Hyde Park, Lamoille, Vermont, USA
Buried:
Spouse: Johnson Robinson (Cir 1806- )
Marr. Date: Bef 1832
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
9 F Olive Atwell
Born: 1808 Mar 21
Christened:
Died: Unknown
Buried:
Spouse: Clark Fisk (Cir 1798- )
Marr. Date: 1832 Jul 15 – Eden, Lamoille, Vermont, USA
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
10 M Nathan Atwell Jr.
Born: 1810 Sep 19 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1846 Mar 24
Buried:
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
11 F Caroline Atwell
Born: 1812 Oct 17 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1878 Jul 1 – Waterbury Center, Washington, Vermont, USA
Buried:
Spouse: Caleb Simmons (1810- )
Marr. Date: 1848 Apr 14
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
12 M James A. Atwell
Born: 1814 Sep 26 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1895 Nov 5 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Buried:
Spouse: Lucy Ann Gilmore (1829-1895)
Marr. Date: 1848 Oct 22 – , Lamoille, Vermont, USA
Spouse:
Marr. Date:
——————————————————————————–
13 M Asher E. Atwell
Born: 1816 Nov 10 – Johnson, Lamoille, Vermont
Christened:
Died: 1900
Buried:
Spouse: Charlotte Thornton (1832-1888)
Marr. Date: 1854 Oct 29
Spouse:
Marr. Date:

PANSY NOYES BRYANT ON THE MARAIS DES CYGNES MASSACRE

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Pansy Noyes Bryant recorded the family’s connection with Marais Des Cygnes Massacre.

First, a few introductory notes from me. On May 19 1858, Charles Hamilton–who had arrived from Georgia in 1855 with the determination of making certain Kansas would enter the Union as a slave state–with some 30 Pro-slavery Missourians from the neighborhood of West Point, Missouri, set out to Trading Post, Linn County, Kansas where they proceeded to “arrest” Free State settlers. Just what this means that Hamilton and company “arrested” these men, and how they had any authority to do so, I’ve no idea. Such basic points that history takes for granted only baffle me. I read Charles Hamilton had also settled in Kansas and been run out. Elsewhere I’ve read that many of the men were former neighbors of Hamilton’s who didn’t imagine he’d do them any harm. I’m supposing they had been neighbors in Kansas–and if they believed Charles Hamilton wouldn’t do them any harm then they had sorrily misread his character.

Placing the so-called “arrested” in a wagon, they started for the Missouri line, and after about three miles met with others with more Free State prisoners. These 11 men were lined up facing a ravine and shot down. I read that after they were shot, Hamilton got up close with a pistol to finish them off executioner style. John F. Campbell, William Colpetzer, Michael Robinson, Patrick Ross and William Stillwell were killed. William Hargrove and brother Asa Hargrove, Rev. Benjamin Reed, Charles Snyder and Amos Hall were wounded. Austin Hall, brother of Amos, dropped with the others and feigned being dead. That Austin (who was then sun blind) got away with this paints a picture of the bloodiness of the scene. He was likely so covered in it that he appeared to be deathly wounded.

This incident is given as a key one in deciding Kansas’ decision toward being a free or slave state.

Only one man was arrested that year but escaped. In 1863, another was arrested, tried and executed, a William Griffith of Bates County, Missouri. He had been identified by William Hargove in Platte County, Missouri, was taken into custody and returned to Linn County, Kansas where, it’s said, William Hargrove was granted the duty of performing as his hangman.

Charles A. Hamilton returned to Georgia.

These thirty odd men had performed their deed openly and it was known who they were. Yet, if you search around the web, though you’ll repeatedly find the names of the victims, the identities of the other assailants are never revealed. I’ve read that Stillwell was a mason and, some of the assailants being masons, he gave the mason’s sign of distress to no avail. The names of the murderers are perhaps preserved in documents of the time, but I’ve a feeling that they were likely not broadcast and haven’t made it into the history books.

Despite Charles Hamilton’s notoriety, exactly who he was and how he subsequently lived seems also to not merit much attention, which is particularly odd.


From the web, the Marais des Cygnes Massacre,
as portrayed in A. D. Richardson’s “Beyond the Mississippi” (1867)

Pansy’s below story comes to us courtesy of Nancy Benton.

* * * * *

The Marias des Cygne Massacre

Linn County Kansas near Trading Post

by Pansy Noyes Bryant

My great grandfather Hiram Atwell had a sister Olive (born Mar. 21, 1808) who married a man named Clarke Fiske of Eden VT. They had a daughter Caroline Fiske who married Austin Wilbur Hall of Trading Post, Kansas. Caroline Fiske and my grandmother Caroline Atwell Noyes were cousins. They visited each other when they came to Kansas and Missouri to live.

Carolin Fiske Hall once brought my grandmother a gift of a paisley shawl. At my grandmother’s death this shawl was given to my aunt Viola Noyes Harmon and she in turn passed it on to her adopted son and also nephew Robert Harmon.

Austin and Amos Hall came from Eden VT. in 1857 to West point Landing. They were without money and walked to Trading Post Kansas that looked much more promising than Kansas City did at that time.

The bright sun and glare on the tall prairie grass caused Austin to develop a very severe case of sore eyes and he was unable to see any distance.

During the next winter the border warfare over slavery grew very bitter. Most of those on the Kansas side were “Free Staters” and ruffians from the Mo side kept stirring up trouble.

On May 19 1858 a man named Hamilton with 32 men came over near Trading Post and gathered eleven men and took them to a ravine east of town and had the 32 men standing on each side of the slope and shoot the eleven men down like dogs. Amos and Austin Hall were among the 11 men. Austin was driving a team of oxen from the forge and could have gotten away except the sore eyes kept him from seeing the enemy as they came toward him.

Most of the men were killed instantly, but Austin Hall did not get hurt at all. He feigned death and dropped with the man in front of him. The ruffians came down and kicked the victims to be sure they were dead. Austin Hall stayed perfectly still and was declared dead.

As soon as they left Austin went for help. He met a woman who had seen the men led away and had hitched up a ox team to a wagon filled with bedding and water.

Soon after this massacre Austin Hall went back to Eden VT. to have treatment for his eyes. He was very slow recovering his sight and did not return to Kansas until April 14, 1865.

He married Carolin Fiske Nov. 28, 1869 and to this union were born Amos Homer, Carlton Fisk and John Austin Hall. All live fairly close to their old home and are very prosperous.

Austin W. Hall and Caroline Hall are buried in the same cemetery where a monument is erected to the Marais des Cygne Massacre.

* * * * *

In 1982, the Ft. Scott Tribune reported on May 28:

50 YEARS AGO
(1932)

The death today of John A. Hall of Pleasanton serves to bring attention the part the Hall family has played in Linn County history. Austin W. Hall, father of the Pleasanton attorney, came to Kansas in 1857 and established his home two miles east of Trading Post. At that time Kansas was the center of border warfare and Austin Hall, together with his brother, Amos C. Hall, was one of the settlers captured by Charles Hamilton, the notorious perpetrator of the Marais des Cygne massacre on May 19, 1859. The Hamilton gang gathered up eleven settlers around Trading Post, lined them up and shot them. By a miracle, Austin Hall escaped unscathed when the volley was fired, but quick thinking induced him to fall to the ground and feign death. He was left unmolested. His brother was severely injured by recovered from his wounds.

The massacre was memorialized by the poet, John Greenleaf Whittier:

“Le Marais du Cygne”
By John Greenleaf Whittier

A BLUSH as of roses
Where rose never grew!
Great drops on the bunch-grass,
But not of the dew!
A taint in the sweet air
For wild bees to shun!
A stain that shall never
Bleach out in the sun!

Back, steed of the prairies!
Sweet song-bird, fly back!
Wheel hither, bald vulture!
Gray wolf, call thy pack!
The foul human vultures
Have feasted and fled;
The wolves of the Border
Have crept from the dead

Not in vain on the dial
The shade moves along
To point the great contrasts
Of right and wrong;
Free homes and free altars
And fields of ripe food;
The reeds of the Swan’s Marsh,
Whose bloom is of blood.

On the lintels of Kansas
That blood shall not dry;
Henceforth the Bad Angel
Shall harmless go by;
Henceforth to the sunset,
Unchecked on her way,
Shall Liberty follow
The march of the day.

Controversial abolitionist, John Brown, toward the end of June built a small, two-story log fort a couple of hundred yards from the massacre, the intention being to aid in the defense of free-soil citizens against such violence.

The massacre prompted the following, written by John Brown on January 13, 1859.

John Brown’s “Parallels”
Lawrence Republican, January 13, 1859

Trading Post, Kansas, Jan., 1859

Gents:–You will greatly oblige a humble friend, by allowing the use of your columns, while I briefly state two parallels, in my poor way.

Not one year ago, eleven quiet citizens of this neighborhood, viz.: Wm. Robertson, Wm. Colpetzer, Amos Hall, Austin Hall, John Campbell, Asa Snyder, Thos. Stilwell, Wm. Hairgrove, Asa Hairgrove, Patrick Ross, and B.L. Reed, were gathered up from their work and their homes, by an armed forced (sic) under one Hamilton, and without trial or opportunity to speak in their own defence, were formed into a line, and all but one shot–five killed and five wounded. One fell unharmed, pretending to be dead. All were left for dead. The only crime charged against them was that of being Free-State men. Now, I inquire, what action has ever, since the occurrence in May last, been taken by either the President of the United States, the Governor of Missouri, the Governor of Kansas, or any of their tools, or by any pro-slavery or Administration man, to ferret out and punish the perpetrators of this crime?

Now for the other parallel. On Sunday, the 19th of December, a Negro man called Jim, came over to the Osage settlement, from Missouri, and stated that he, together with his wife, two children, and another Negro man were to be sold within a day or two, and begged for help to get away. On Monday (the following) night, two small companies were made up to go to Missouri and forcibly liberate the five slaves, together with other slaves. One of these companies I assumed to direct. We proceeded to the place, surrounded the buildings, liberated the slaves, and also took certain property supposed to belong to the estate.

We however learned, before leaving, that a portion of the articles we had taken belonged to a man living on the plantation as a tenant, and who was supposed to have no interest in the estate. We promptly returned to him all we had taken. We then went to another plantation, where we freed five more slaves, took some property, and two white men. We moved all slowly away into the Territory for some distance, and then sent the white men back, telling them to follow us as soon as they chose to do so. The other company freed one female slave, took some property, and, as I am informed, killed one white man (the master) who fought against the liberation.

Now for a comparison. Eleven persons are forcibly restored to their natural and inalienable rights, with but one man killed, and all “hell is stirred, from beneath.” It is currently reported that the Governor of Missouri has made a requisition upon the Governor of Kansas for the delivery of all such as were concerned in the last named “dreadful outrage.” The Marshal of Kansas is said to be collecting a posse of Missouri (not Kansas) men, at West Point, in Missouri, a little town about ten miles distant, to “enforce the laws.” All pro-slavery, conservative Free-State and doughface men , and Administration tools, are filled with holy horror.

Consider the two cases, and the action of the Administration party.

Respectfully Yours,

John Brown

John Brown would be dead within the year. In October he led the Harpers Ferry Armory raid in which he and his eighteen men had been hopeful of freeing the slaves of that Virginia town and progressing then South, freeing other slaves along the way. The effort ending in failure, they were promptly brought to trial at the end of October. Brown was hung on December 2nd.

Victor Hugo had pleaded for a pardon for John Brown, writing,

“[…] Politically speaking, the murder of John Brown would be an uncorrectable sin. It would create in the Union a latent fissure that would in the long run dislocate it. Brown’s agony might perhaps consolidate slavery in Virginia, but it would certainly shake the whole American democracy. You save your shame, but you kill your glory. Morally speaking, it seems a part of the human light would put itself out, that the very notion of justice and injustice would hide itself in darkness, on that day where one would see the assassination of Emancipation by Liberty itself. […]

Let America know and ponder on this: there is something more frightening than Cain killing Abel, and that is Washington killing Spartacus.”

If I note this, it’s because James Allen Noyes and Caroline Atwell Noyes named their first son, born 1865, Victor Hugo. This has no connection with Austin Hall story. What it does show is the high regard held by the French free-thinker Hugo among American free-thinkers of the time.

If one clicks on the bottom blue dot twice, one will be given directions to Marais Des Cygnes.


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Family Record of Nathan Atwell and Lydia Hunkins

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Courtesy of Nancy Benton.

Family Record

Nathan Atwell was born in Holis N. Hampshire June 15. 1766
Lydia Hunkins wife of Nathan Atwell was born in Newbury Vermont June 21st 1772
Married in Bradford Vermont June 15, 1794

Their children
Bridgett Atwell was born in Johnson Vt. March 14, 1795
John Atwell was born in Johnson Vermont June 10, 1796
Susan was born in Johnson Vermont November 10, 1797
Wm. C. Atwell was born in Johnson Vermont August 25, 1798
Hiram Atwell was born in Johnson Vermont March 2, 1801
Benjamin Atwell was born in Johnson Vermont Dec. 21, 1802
Lydia C. was born in Johnson Vermont August 21, 1804
Phebe Atwell was born in Johnson Vermont Jan. 2, 1806
Olive Atwell was born in Johnson Vermont March 21, 1808
Nathan Atwell Jr. was born in Johnson Vermont 1810
Caroline Atwell was born Johnson Vermont Oct 17, 1812
James Atwell was born Johnson Vermont Sept. 26, 1814
Asher E. Atwell was born Johnson Vermont Nov. 10 1816

The above was taken from the old Family Bible by A. E. Atwell Johnson Feb. 17, 1883
And copied here March the 1. 1885 by Carrie A. Noyes