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The Brock Family line and the O'Brian Family line merged when Peter O'Brian married Hannah Brock (b.5 JAN 1824 d.12 MAR 1879 in Canada) they married on 27 MAY 1847, probably in L'Original. Hannah was the daughter of Robert 3rd Brock (b.1777 in Ryegate, Vermont d.1869 in L'Original,Ont.,Canada) and Lola/Lowly Frost (b.1797 d.1885 in L'Original, Ont., Canada). He married Lola\Lowly in 1822 in Vermont, and she was the daughter of Bela Penn\Fenn FROST and Cynthia\Phebe? PRINGLE?. This was Robert 3rd's second marriage - he had three issue from his first marriage (1804) to Hannah Nutter, they were; Helen, Samuel and Elizabeth. No research evidences any issue from these three children. It can only be presumed that the children from the two Families knew one another, although there is nothing to substantiate this in the record. Kathy and I also found it to be rather odd, that Lola would permit the naming of one of her children to be Hannah, the first name of Robert 3rd's first wife. Go figure!
A little background on the folks from the above paragraph would be appropriate here, before we go on with the Brocks. Bela Penn\Fenn FROST was born in 1765. Where, we do not know yet, but we know that he died 1 AUG 1838 in L'Original, Ontario, Canada. Of his wife, Cynyhia\Phebe? Pringle? we know only that she was born in Connecticut, and that is all we have about either of them. But, the research does continue. Now, on with the Brock Family line!
Robert 3rd Brock was the son of Robert 2nd Brock (b: 1752 in Barns-of-Clyde, Old Kilpatrick, Dumbartonshore, Scotland d.1804 in Barnet Center, Vermont) and Elizabeth Stuart (b.UNK d. UNK). She was the daughter of Claud\ius Stuart, son of Walter Stewart (notice the spelling change) and Elizabeth Lang and they married on 23 AUG 1715 in Old Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, Scotland, daughter of Alexander LANG and Mariane WHITLAWE. (this may be a mis-spelling of the name Whitelaw, which is a very well known name in the region of Ryegate and Barnet, VT. (Research is being conducted even as I write these words) Walter was the son of James Stewart (Jr.) and Jonet Lang and James was the son of James (Sr.) - no name for his spouse yet. Any Familial relationship between Elizabeth and Jonet (both were Langs) is unknown to us.
Robert 2nd Brock was the son of Robert 1st Brock (b.1715 in Old Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, Scotland d.1779) and Jean Millar (b.in New Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, Scotland d.1803 exactly where is not known at this time). Robert 1st was the son of William Brocke (notice the spelling) and Mary Forsythe. No particular data is available at this time on either of these distant relatives, but research continues! Putting this in perspective, William Brocke is MY Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather! He must have been born in the late 1600's as his son Robert 1st was born in 1715!
In May, 1774, nine men and one family, including Robert Brock* and his son Andrew, (b.1748 d.?) arrived from Scotland, to settle in Ryegate, Vermont. This is now called East Ryegate, as opposed to Ryegate Corner, or South Ryegate. These settlements apparently coming later as developement of the entire area continued. These towns are seperated in distance by a mere 6 miles, South Ryegate being that distance from East Ryegate, with Ryegate Corner being directly half-way between them. * This would have been Robert 1st Brock and his son Andrew, as all of Robert 1st's children, including Robert 2nd, were born in Scotland and subsequent issue to Robert 2nd were born in Ryegate, or in Canada!
In 1776 Andrew Brock was named treasurer of Ryegate. By 1783, he had become assessor for Ryegate.
The Settlement of Ryegate,
Vermont by the Scotch American Company
(from a paper written by Susan Breeyear, copyright 1996) Used by permission
The Scotch American Company, or the "United Company of Farmers" was formed in Scotland in 1774, with the goal of settling its members and friends in New England. Most of the farmers who joined the company were Reformed Presbyterians (an offshoot of the "Covenanters") from Rippen Parish in Scotland, near the towns of Inchinnan and Renfrew, and faced impending poverty due to religious persecution and land takeovers by the current British government. These farmers came to America looking for suitable and affordable land, and found what they were looking for in the Ryegate/Barnet area. Both the Wells and the nearby Connecticut River provided an easy means of transportation for the early settlers. The land was fertile and heavily wooded, which meant plenty of lumber for building homes, a necessity sadly lacking in Scotland. The Scots were already used to rugged living in their native land, as none of the settlers had come from the upper class. The prospect of the cold Vermont winters didn't frighten them, nor did the thought of extremely hard work in the establishment of their new home. The low rolling hills and broad valleys of the Connecticut River Valley were a constant reminder of home, and the sense of community and cooperation that soon developed helped the two settlements prosper.
Although Ryegate was originally chartered as a Hampshire Grant town in 1763, its full settlement didn't take place until 1775, when James Whitelaw and David Allan finally came into a deed of indenture for 10,000 acres in the south half of the town on behalf of the Scotch American Company. The northern section of town, which was mostly in the possession of Dr. Witherspoon, a Scot himself and the president of Princeton University, was established first. Other early settlers who helped establish Ryegate were Colonel William Wallace, who had come to Ryegate directly from Scotland and opened a store before 1774, where, according to Miller's History of Ryegate, he had "great influence", while the famous Colonel (later General) Jacob Bayley of Revolutionary War fame settled in the area and was a "tower of strength to the whole region". (Ryegate, p. 41). Two other men, Aaron Hosmer and Daniel Hunt, had lived in the area for some time, but had no title to the land, only squatters' "rights". Dr. Witherspoon had also allowed John Hyndman to "pitch" upon some of his own land, and eventually Hyndman and Hosmer were both given grants of their own. Apparently both David Allan and James Whitelaw helped John Hyndman build his new house, then lodged with him during the summer of 1773 while constructing their own modest homes.
It appears that the earliest settlers cooperated with each other, cutting down as many trees as they could handle, then carving and cutting the wood into various utensils and firewood, as well as running errands for one another to Newbury and Portsmouth. In the spring they cooperatively tapped maple trees and made maple sugar, and finally, they began to survey the land in earnest. 400 lots were drawn up, of varying sizes from ten to fifty acres, not including the Governor's lot or the common land. Houses were eventually built so far apart from each other that:
. . .we are not troubled much with our neighbors, having one family about half a mile from us, another a mile and a half, and two about two miles and a half--one above and the other below us. *(Letter from James Whitelaw to Scotland, Feb. 7 1774, in History of Ryegate, p. 41)
In May of 1774, eight more families arrived from Scotland and took possession of 40 lots of land, some of it for themselves and some in the name of friends and relatives who planned to emigrate to Ryegate in the near future. Some of the other early settlers were Scottish fishermen who "worked their passage to America as sailors". (Ryegate, p. 42) Many more Scots sailed to America during that summer and were "extraordinarily well pleased with the place" (Ryegate), with the only exception that the flourishing little 'colony' was at a loss for young women. In October Whitelaw wrote to Scotland and asked for help finding "help-meets" for the settlers in Ryegate, mentioning almost as an aside that "this is an excellent flax country. . .[and] a parcel of your spinners would be the very making of the place." (Ryegate, p. 43) By January of 1775, it is estimated that there were about forty emigrants from Scotland living in Ryegate, and more on the way, some of whom would eventually settle in Barnet, another Scotch-American "colony" which had been settled by Alexander Harvey.
Even though the northern section of town had already become home to many of the members of the Scotch American Company by 1774, the actual deed to the southern section of town was not given until a year later, due to the chaos generated by the land grants situation. Since the town was originally a Hampshire Grant town, and now had become a New York grant town, any deed given by either entity--the Hampshire Grants or New York-- was a risky proposition, and could have become invalid during the contention if the King had changed his mind.
The delay in the deed granting is explained more fully in the following letter, written to David Allen and James Whitelaw by William Pagan, a representative of the Governor of New York:
NEW YORK, 23d. Feb. 1774
GENTLEMEN:
Herewith you have five letters which
came to my hand, and which I have not before had an opportunity of conveying to
you.
Mr. Church on his coming to town
informed me that he had come into a division of Ryegate with you, which I have
seen and agreed to; he likewise mentioned that you was anxious to have the deeds
completed, which both doctor Witherspoon and myself would with pleasure do, but
find that we cannot give a more firm title than you already have, till such time
as it is Decided what Province Ryegate falls under, as a deed in the present
situation would answer no better purpose than the Instrument you have, under the
doctor's hand, which I am willing in every respect to confirm, and will join in
a Warrantee deed as soon as the controversary is determined between the two
provinces which must soon now be determined, as both our Governor and that of
New Hampshire goes home this spring in order to have the Controversary finally
settled before His Majesty in Council. Whatever Province Ryegate falls under, we
are entirely safe, having a Patent under the one and an Order in Council under
the other. You need not be in the least uneasy, but go on with your settlement
as if you had the most firm deed now in your possession.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your very humble servant,
WM. PAGAN
Apparently, at this point, Mr. Pagan had faith that
the land grant controversy would be settled in the near future. The tone of his
letter indicates a great deal of frustration, but also confidence in that he
feels he has handled the matter in the best way possible by getting both a
Patent and an Order of Council, thus covering all the possibilities. James Whitelaw and David Allen, on the other hand,
must have been dismayed to receive this letter if they were expecting a legal
deed in hand right away. Their aim--to continue the settlement of the
southern half of Ryegate with friends and members of the Scotch American
Company, who were arriving almost weekly by this point--was, at least
temporarily, thwarted unless they were willing to take the risk of putting their
time and hard work into the land, as Mr. Pagan suggested they should, without a
true deed to it. Finally, in 1775, the true deed of indenture was
given. John Church of Charlestown, New Hampshire signed over 10,000 acres to
James Whitelaw for the sum of one thousand, one hundred eighty-six pounds on
October 31. In this indenture, he stated that Ryegate was "in the Province of
New York", and that the money received by him was "Lawful money of New York".
(Ryegate, p. 44). The land containing the township of Ryegate was west of
the Connecticut River--New York's land. The town of Ryegate finally had its
borders. Thus the Scots who brought their families over and
made their homes in Ryegate had taken the risk of losing their land at the whim
of the King of England, but preferred that risk to staying in Scotland and
facing economic hardship and religious persecution there. At least in Ryegate
they were free to practice their beliefs and to build a new life for themselves,
whatever the political divisions. Bibliography Bellesiles, Michael. Revolutionary Outlaws:
Ethan Allen and the Struggle for Independence on the Early American
Frontier. University Press of Virginia, 1993. Brown, Dona. Lectures in Vermont History course,
University of Vermont, Fall 1996. Miller, Edward. A History of Ryegate,
Vermont: From its settlement by the Scotch- American Company of Farmers
to present time. Caledonian Company (St. Johnsbury, Vermont), 1913.
The above article is used with the permission of the author, for educational purposes only, and full credit is given along with it's usage! No monetary gain is sought through the use of this artcle. A special thanks to Susan Breeyear for allowing us to include this brief History of our ancestors life and times.
here, or to share any information you may have that would be helpful in our
search, please send E-Mail to;
Michael and Kathleen O'Brian