Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 06.pdf/49

In 1798 his brother Israel had served as dent of Middlebury College, and was president of Marietta College, in Ohio; at the Chief Judge one year. His political opin ions were such that the Legislature, at what time of his death he was professor in Lane has become famous as the " Vergennes Theological Seminary, Cincinnati. Slaughter-House, " refused to re-elect him, Mr. Smith was elected a member of the but promoted Judge Woodbridge and elected Governor's Council in 1798, but resigned Noah Smith as the third member of the when elected judge. Mr. Graham, in his court. He served until 1801 and was then sketch of Vermont, says that Mr. Smith " is supplanted by a brother Federalist, his class an excellent character, and has pursued the mate, Stephen Jacob. practice of his profession in Vermont with Soon after he retired from the Bench, he reputation and success. He is also the became interested in lands in the town of collector of excise for the district of Ver Milton, and removed there with his family. mont, under the Federal government, and is, He built a church there and presented it to in every situation and relative connection of the Congregational society, of which his wife life, the gentleman, the scholar, and the Chloe Burrall and children were members. friend." He adds that " Mr. Dewey and His business matters were unsuccessful; his Mr. Smith have very elegant wood houses." lands in Milton passed from him in some way, and he was confined in the jail at Samuel Knight was at Brattleboro as Burlington upon a large debt in favor of early as Oct. 28, 1762, but probably came the Vermont State Bank. His wife died in there to reside in 1767. He had a large Burlington, in 1810; and in 1811, being farm, upon which he resided with his family, then in confinement, the Legislature passed between Brattleboro and West Brattleboro, an act for his relief, the preamble reciting and occupied it until his death in 1804. that " for some time he had been in a state He was commissioned an attorney in of mental derangement, almost wholly lost " His Majesty's courts of record " in Cum his reason, and it is thought that change of berland County, June 23, 1772. His com air and the use of medicinal springs are the mission was signed by Gov. William Tryon most probable means of restoring him his and noted by the Inferior Court of common reason." The act released and discharged pleas, in Cumberland County, Sept. 8, 1772. him from confinement and freed him from He was then forty-two years of age. arrest for five years from the date of his Where he obtained his education is un release. Seth Storrs of Middlebury was a known. It is probable that he studied with judgment debtor with him; he was im Charles Phelps of Marlboro and his son prisoned in the Addison County jail, and Solomon. He was a man of learning, but was required to release to the bank all legal not collegiate. In February, 1774, he was advantages which might result to him by appointed a commissioner to administer reason of Smith's discharge from confine oaths of office, the only position he ever ment. held under New Vork. He was regarded as Before the expiration of the five years, an unpopular New Yorker, and profession Smith was released by death. The County ally was at Westminster court-house, at the paper, under date of Dec. 31, 181 2, records time of the riot, in March, 1775. It does under the head of deaths, " In Milton, on not appear that he was personally engaged the twenty-third inst., the Hon. Noah Smith." in the assault upon the Whigs; nevertheless, the coroner's jury named him as among the Two of his sons, Albert and Henry, be came doctors of divinity; the latter married murderers of William French. He escaped arrest by crossing the river to New Hamp Abby, daughter of Joshua Bates, the presi