DAPHNEY HAYNES HAMBLIN

In North Hero, Vermont on an Island in Lake Champlain, Daphney was

born to William and Polly Stoddard Haynes on 29 August, 1797. She was

their first daughter. She had one sister Emily, and brothers William

and Alson. One record says that William was older than Daphney, but the

1800 Census says William had one daughter under 10 and no sons were

listed.

Willian Haynes, Daphne's father was born 30September, 1769 in

Haverhill, Mass. Polly Stoddard was born 7April, 1776, probably in

Norwich, Conn.William came to Vermont with his parents, William

and Mariam Marsh Haynes about 1773. They first settled in Bennington.

Vt. Polly Stoddard's parents are David and Elizabeth Read Stoddard, who

came to Vermont from Conn. Many settlers came to Vermont came from Mass.

and Conn. David SToddard was a soldier in the American Revolution War.

When Daphney was born John Adams was the new president of the United

States. The United States had only been an independent country for 21

years. Vermont, at first declared her independence from the USA, but

then became the 14th State.

North Hero is on an Island in Lake Champlain. It was first settled

in 1779. North Hero and South Hero are two Islands, 24 miles long,

separated by water. At first they had one representation for both

towns.

North Hero has been in seven counties. In 1779 it was in Bennington

Co.,1780 in Washington Co. The name was changed to Rutland in 1781. In

1775 Rutland was divided and North Hero was in Addison Co. In 1787

Chittenden Co was incorporated. Then Franklin Co. was organized and

finally 9 Nov. 1802 the County Of Grand Isle was proposed and in 1805 it

became a county.

16 OCT. 1794 A petion was signed to make North and South Heros,

Isle La Motte and Allensburg (Alburgh)intoa county because it was so

hard to cross the lake to the mainland. William, Samuel and Jonathan

Haynes signed the petition.

To get to the mainland when Daphne was young, they had crude ferries

made of Cedar logs pinned to stringers with rails on the sides. It was

moved with oars. Later scows were used, propelled by long oars. After

a while a sail was added to the scows, but if the wind didnt't blow the

scow didn't go. Animals were often made to swim across. Children no

doubt, crossed very little. It was probably a real treat for the

children to go to the mainland. In winter time crossings were made on

the ice. Snow often hid cracks in the ice making it very dangerous.

Some animals and people lost their lives making the crossing.

The roads in North Hero were very bad. They were rough, mud pots in

the spring and dust bowls in the summer. In 1779 a road tax was placed

on each male from 16 to 60, later 21 to 60. A minimum of 4 days work a

year was required of each enlisted male to build road. They recieved a

wage of 18 shillings a day to go on the roads. In 1797 they were

credited 66 cents per day, but it had to be in labor. If someone didn't

pay some of his land was sold to make the payment. Daphne's father must

have done his share of road work. In 1816 the town was taken to court

because of the bad roads. A part of the record reads: a certain part of

the Public Highway aforesaid is very ruinous, Broken and in Great Decay

so that citizens of this State can not Pass through said Highway

without Great Damage of the lives and loss of their goods..."

Public Whippings for punishment happened sometimes. In 1808 a man

was found guilty of stealing 3 yards pf blue broad cloth, and was

sentenced to "between the hours of 12 noon and 2 o'clock afternoon on

the 12th March 1808 recieve 20 stripes on the naked body, pay $45 in

treble damages to James Gilbert (store owner), pay cost of prosecution

and stand committed till Judgement be complied with.' (it seem as

though crime really didn't pay in North Hero). A large crowd came to

witness his whipping. It was an unusually hard sentence, mainly because

he acted unrepentant and agorant. As he couldn't pay all costs he was

re-comitted to jail for awhile. I wonder if Daphneys parents let their

children watch this as they would have been very young.

Money was very scarse in North Hero. Most families were self

sufficient. Some families made potash using ashes of the hardwood trees

cleared from their land. After the trees were cut down they were burned

and the ashes saved. The ashes were then boiled down in a large iron

pot. When the water evaporated there was a brownish salt left called

potash. It was a caustic used in bleaching, soap making and glass

making. This was about the only cash product on the island.

People raised their own vegetables, grains and fruits. They grew

beans, cabbages, parsnip, turnips, carrots, potatoes and peas, things

that would store well through the winter months. Farmers butctered their

own meat which had to be dried, salted or pickled. In the winter it

could be frozen. Daphneys family must have been kept busy doing these

chores. They raised animals for meat, leather and wool.

Most of the clothing was produced in the homes also. Several different

types of cloth was woven, linen, muslin, serges,flannels, coatings, bed

ticking, sheeting and shirting. In 1810 there were 22 looms, 137

spinning wheels for woolens and 87 spinning wheels for linens in town.

Daphney must have learned early to do her part in helping with this

work. Most young girls learned to knit stockings and other items of

clothing.

Also in families wooden buckets, barrels, looms, spinning wheels,

furniture, sap troughs were made for their use.

This would have kept the housewives and the children who were old

enough to help very busy.

In their spare time wives were expected to make mattresses, feather

pillows, knit stockings, mittens and shawls. They carded wool, bleached

and dyed it before spinning it. They also made candles, soap, butter

and cheese and bread, did washings, bore and cared for children. It is

little wonder, with all this work of both men and women that many didn't

live to be very old. This is an example of how Daphney and her family

lived in North Hero...or in other places they lived for that matter.

Shoes and boots were made of cowhide and calf leather. There was a

cobbler in North Hero as early as 1792. Jackets, belts, breeches,

vests, aprons, harnesses and saddles were also made of leather. It may

have occassionaly been Daphneys job to help oil some of these leather

products to help keep them soft and pliable.

Most families had a few cattle, horses or oxen, poultry and pigs.

Pigs wandering around loose must have been a problem there because the

town had a hog constable, which job was usually given to a newly married

man.It was his job to catch and hold the loose pigs until the owners

paid the fee and poundage for their pigs.

Because parents needed their children to help with work at home, school

was only held in off seasons and in thw winter, seldom more than 12

weeks a year. The children spent their time planting and weeding

gardens,gathering and cutting wood, feeding and watering livestock,

milking cows and helping with other seemingly endless chores. The girls

besides helping with many of the above named chores had to learn to card

wool, spin knit, sew, make butter, cook and bake, tend younger children.

The first school was a crude, wooden building, with a fireplace at

one end. The heat from it didn't reach very far into the room. Around

three walls was a shelf built to serve as a desk. Backless benches were

made for seats. The teachers desk was in front. All ages attended the

one room school with one teacher. As there were often 60 to 80 students

enrolled there must have been some seating in the center of the room.

So many students caused a discipline problem and the teacher had to

know how to use the ferule (rod or ruler) and a cowhide whip or cane to

keep order.

Students learned the Three 'Rs", Reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic.

They also learned good habits of industry, self-reliance and

responsibility.

It is hoped that these bits of history givenwill help us to see what

life was like when the Hamblins and Haynes lived in North Hero, Vermont.

Daphney Haynes and Isaiah Hamblin were married 30 Nov.1812 at NOrth

Hero, Vt. Daphney was then 15 and Isaiah was 22. Their first Daughter

Melissa was born 2Feb.1814 at NOrth Hero.

In the War of 1812 North Hero men played an important part. The men

volunteered instead of enlisting in the regular army.

Between September 8th -10th 4sloops and 12 gunboats of the British

Navy were just off the shore of Isle LaMotte, and a few smaller gunboats

were hidden nearby. The shipmasts could be seen from North Hero,

causing much excitement. The American fleet had 4 sloops and 10

gunboats, poorly equipped, under the command of Lieutenant Mac Donaugh.

They were near Plattsburg, New York.

September 11,1814 North Hero people could see the British Fleet close

by. There wasn't enough wind to move the British Sailships. North Hero

had a company commanded by Captian Joseph Hazen. Since he was unable to

find transportation for his men to get across the lake to Plattsburg

they had to get across the best was they could. Most of them went over

in rowboats or skiffs. These man had no uniforms and had to use their

own guns.

A great battle took place on September 11th between the British Fleet

and the American Fleet. Quite a few men from North Hero were in this

battle. Many residents watched the battle from their shore.

A young man, Benajah Phelps, 14, gave a description of the battle as

he saw it. He described how terrible it was, so many deaths, and cannon

balls flying all around. The noise was as if thunder wasn't anything.

The British ships fired for 2 hours at the American Ship Saratoga,

knocking out all the guns on one side. The Saratoga turned around and

with fresh guns on that side began firing at the British. The British

surrendered and after about 2 hours they took their flag down.

Isaiah took part in the battle. He was wounded at Plattsburg. He

lost some of his hearing due to being so close to the cannons.

In the Hamlin Family by Franklin Andrews it says that Isaiah fought

under General Dearborn. I couldn't find this general mentioned in this

battle. Isaiah was probably directly under Captian Joseph Hazen, who

was under Lieut. Mac Donaugh and General Macomb at Plattsburg. This

book also tells about Daphney putting her baby and some medicine and

bandages into a rowboat and rowing 20 miles to the scene of action in

time to see the British flag go down. In reading Allen Strattons

history of North Hero Vermont the distance couldn't have been that far,

but probably four to ten miles. With so much action going on she

couldn't very well have gone through it, but could have come between the

time the British surrendered and when they took their flag down.

This shows great courage, loyalty and concern for her husband for her

to go to him at this time.

The Hamblins second daughter, Emily was born 31 August, 1816 at North

Hero.

Isaiah spent some time logging in Northern NewYork on the St

Lawrence River. Then they moved to Ashtubla County Ohio not to far from

Lake Erie. Their first son, Jacob was born there 2April, 1819.

Daphney must have been very busy with her young family and with all

of the work required of life in the frontier homes. I think the town

where Jacob was born was called Salem, but is n ow Conneaut. Their

third daughter, Olive was born here 7May,1821. Isaiah was Sheriff here

for awhile and he also ran some flour mills.

The family them moved a little further southwest into Geauga Cou

nty. Ohio.They were in Munson Township, Geauga Co. for about ten years.

Their fourth daughter Adeline Amarilla was born there 18Sept.1823.

Their next three sons were also born here, Obed was born 25Oct.1825,

Alsen, 28April,1827, and Willian Haynes, 25Oct.1830. At this time Ohio

was still a wilderness covered by lots of trees.

It appears that the family then moved Southwest again to Bainbridge,

Ross County, Ohio. It was so hard to make a living then and people kept

moving, hoping things would be better. Oscar was born there 4April,

1833. Two years later Edwin was born there 20May, 1835.

In a history by Delma Johnson she writes that Isaiah Hamblin was the

first settler in Lafayette, Wisc. in 1836-7. Their Daughter Olive was

married there to Henry Johnson. She died a year or two later in.

Isaiah and his son Jacob went to Spring Prarie, Wisconsin and

obtained some land there. Those two went to settle and prepare for the

family to come later. By 1838 the family had joined them. Their son

Francis Marion was born there 27 November 1838. Frederick was born

there 12February,1841. Daphney was then 43 years of age. She had 12

children. She had made several long moves by then. Spring Prarie was a

beautiful place of green rolling hills. Daphne probably thought and

hoped that this would be their final home. It must have been hard to

move so far and so many times and with such a large family.

Olive died probably not long after the family moved to Wisconsin.

The other 3 oldest children married about this time.

Jacob joined the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints known as

the Mormon Church in 1842. He and his family left Spring Prarie to join

the Saints in Illinois. The Prophet Joseph Smith was martyred in 1844.

After this happened Jacob made a visit back to visit his parents. Isaiah

had been very ill. Daphney had given up hope that he would live. Jacob

came to visit and he gave his father a blessing. He was healed

immediatly. Jacob then invited his parents to come to Nauvoo, Illinois

for the April Conference. They went to the conference. Before this

Isaiah had been very much against Jacob joining the Mormon Church as he

believed that the True Church of Jesus Christ wasn't upon the earth.

Daphney and Isaiah were very impressed with the Conference and with

the Church. THey were Baptized in Nauvoo 11April, 1845 by Jacob. They

didn't go back to Wisconsin but had the children come to Illinois to

join them.Emily had married in Wisconsin and died after her parents

left. Melissa married and lived in Ellison, Illinois near Nauvoo. She

died there also in 1845 if the records I have are right.

Once again Daphne must have hoped that they wouldn't have to move

again. Work was progressing on the temple. Isaiah and his older sons

were hepling as much as they could on the new temple. Daphney and her

daughter Melissa worked on sewing curtains and maybe on clothing for the

men who worked on the temple. Jacob's wife Lucinda also helped sew.

Persecutions against the Church were growing worse. The workers were

trying to get the temple finished enough so it could be dedicated, even

though the Saints knew that they would soon have to leave it. They had

hoped they wouldn't have to leave until later in 1846, not before summer

at least.

Early in January, 1846 Saints began going to the temple to receive

their temple endowments. Daphney and Isaiah went to the temple to

receive their endowments 2 Feb. 1846. They had received their

Patriarchal Blessings 20 January by John Smith.

The Saints began leaving Nauvoo 4Feb.1846, crossing the frozen

Mississippi River in the bitter cold.

The Hamblins weren't able to leave Nauvoo until the summer. Daphne

must have been very busy and concerned with preparing food, clothing,

bedding and utensils for their long journey, sorting out what they could

and couldn't take. As they were quite poor they probably didn't have

mush to leave behind. They did have to leave behind their three

daughters who had died. They were able to leave before Nauvoo fell to

the mob in September, 1846.

They crossed the Mississippi River, Settling first in Sugar City,

Iowa. Isaiah and Jacob and Obed looked for what work they could find to

help their families live and to prepare to move further West.

As they began to leave for Council Bluffs the next Spring

in 1847, Daphney became ill. They stopped for two days hoping that she

would get better. Instead, she became worse and died. She was burried

along the Mormon Trail as were so many others. She had only a crude

marker for her grave.

So many women became old by the age of 50, as was Daphney when she

died. Life was so very hard for them.

Daphne Hamblin had lived a good life. She bore 12 children, saw three

daughters burried in Wisconsin, Ohio and Illinois. She set a wonderful

example for us to follow. She was faithful to her husband following him

to many to places to live in wilderness areas. She accepted the True

Gospel of Jesus Christ after it was restored on earth. She stayed

faithful to the Gospel and died as she was again on her way with her

family to join the Saints.

Some of the words from the Hymn "Come, Come Ye Saints" that the Saints

often sang as they sat around their campfire after a hard day remind me

of Daphny. They are: "And should we die before our Journey's through,

Happy day! All is well! We then are free from toil and sorrow too, and

with the just we shall dwell."

She had accepted the Gospel and had endured to the end.

A blessing by John Smith, Patriarch, upon the head of Daphne Hamblin

daughter of William and Polly Haynes, born Aug.29,1797, Grand Isle

Vermont.

Daphne, I lay my hands upon thy head in the name of Jesus Christ, and

place upon you the blessing of a father, even all the blessings of

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This Holy Priesthood which was sealed upon

the fathers, which was to continue through all their generations the

same is now sealed upon thee and thy posterity in common with thy

companion to abide with them through all their generations. It in thy

privilege to have faith to heal the sick in thine house and in other

places when there is no ELder present. Thou shalt be blessed in thy

family with health, peace and plenty. The destroyer shall not have

power to disturb thy peace and inasmuch as you and your companion are

agreed in all things, calling upon the name of the Lord, thou shalt be

blessed with every favor which is calculated to happify life and

inasmuch as you abide faithful to the end no good thing shall be

witheld from you and glory and honor, immortality and eternal life shall

be added unto thee and no power shall take it from thee, even so amen.