Hathaway Point

Date: About 1785 to after 2015
Location: St. Albans, Vermont
Surnames/tags: Hathaway Bell Meigs

2015 marks the 230th Anniversary of Hathaway Point

Hathaway Point defines the western shore of St. Albans Bay in Lake Champlain Vermont. St. Albans Bay is on it's east shore, while LaPan's Bay and the Back Bay are on it's west shore.

The Abenaki name for Hathaway Point is "Sabagwilha" [1], [2] [3] meaning "sea duck" [4] It is pronounced "saw-buh-gwee-luh".

Silas Hathaway - Baron, Judge, Patriot, Speculator, The Great Mogul of St. Albans, and First Settler of Hathaway Point

Silas Hathaway was born in Suffield, Hartford, Connecticut on June 23, 1763. His parents were Simeon Hathaway and Deborah Austin. Simeon and his entire family moved to Bennington, Vermont while Silas was still young. Simeon and his sons Simeon Jr, Shadrach, Levi, Abraham, Alfred, Erastus, Joshua, and Nathan all fought in the Battle of Bennington. Silas was too young at the time but enlisted and served in the war shortly after. They were all Green Mountain Boys and Patriots of the American Revolutionary War. Each of their gravesites are marked with veteran medallions and flags.

Silas grew up in Bennington and lived there until moving to St. Albans around 1787. He was educated in Bennington and signed early papers as "Silas Hathaway, Esqire" or "Esq."

He married Tryphosa Jewett in about 1787. She went with him to St. Albans the same year and together they had 9 children.

Silas owned land in St. Albans as early as 1785. He purchased Levi Allen's holdings in the town in 1787, and is on the Grand List by 1788. At the first Town Meeting that year he was chosen to be the Moderator. He regularly paid the highest amount of taxes within the town for many years. His property ran for 25 miles to the north, reaching into Canada. It was said that he could walk for 3 days in a line and not leave his property. He was often referred to as "Baron", signed it on documents, and it is carved on his tombstone.

Silas built the first framed building in town. Known as "Hathaway Tavern", it was not only his home but also served as a tavern, town meeting hall, jail, and a court house. It still stands today on Main Street and is registered as an historical landmark. The accounts of Mrs. Barker of town record say that bands of Abenaki Indians used to camp in Silas' yard and that they would party late into the night drinking, dancing, and singing loudly.

While in Franklin County Silas lived in various towns in which he held interests or title to. He bought and sold Swanton, Highgate, and neighboring towns in deals concerning 20,000 acres at a time. When Ethan Allen's land was put up for sale it was purchased by two men who soon afterwards sold it to Silas for a profit. Silas then held title to over 500,000 acres... all of what had been Ethan Allen's in addition to what he already owned at the time.

When the legal dispute between land grants was finally settled, the New Hampshire Land Grants that were held by Silas and others were declared void and New York Grants to be valid. Those who were already settled were granted ownership and title to their land and the rest was granted to settlers by New York.

He was a Judge who presided over many interesting and landmark cases. One such case involved a man who had murdered another. Silas sentenced him to work at the dead man's job for one month to benefit the widow and children while making the killer suffer in his place. He was then hanged in Taylor Park. Silas was often called Judge Hathaway, Judge Silas, or as is inscribed on his wife Dolly's tombstone "Judge Sil".

Tryphosa died in 1820 leaving Silas a widower. Almost a year later, Silas married Dolly Brewster. She was the widow of a Dr. Pierce.

He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in St. Albans City. Next to him in the same plot are his first wife Tryphosa and his second wife Dolly.

Hiram Hathaway, son of Silas, purchased a farm on St. Albans Point in 1838.

Descendants of Hiram Hathaway who have lived on Hathaway Point:

Hiram Hathaway and his wife Adaline Tullar Hathaway

Tryphosa Hathaway

Roderick Hathaway

Bellesson Hathaway Hyde

Oscar Hathaway

Alice Hathaway Mitchell and her husband Eli Mitchell

Frederick Mitchell

Ellen Hathaway Lasell

Hiram Hathaway Jr and his wife Mary Corliss Hathaway

Florilla Hathaway

Frank Hathaway and his wife Bertha Meigs Hathaway

Robert M Hathaway and his wife Helen Bell Hathaway

Mary Hathaway

Jane Hathaway McGill and her husband Richard McGill

Robert F Hathaway and his wife Martha Easton Hathaway

Stephen Wallenfels

Michael Wallenfels

Kerry McGill Young

Michael McGill

Robert K Hathaway and his wife Genevieve Grannis Hathaway

Lisa Hathaway Pino

Paul Hathaway

Kaylan Hathaway

Jarrit Hathaway

click image to enlarge

The descendants of Robert Meigs Hathaway and Helen Bell Hathaway share common notable ancestors:

We are descendant from many of the Founding Fathers of St Albans Vermont including Silas Hathaway, Daniel Meigs, William Bell, Reuben Tullar, Reuben Tullar Jr, Ornan Tullar, Robert Lovewell, and Asahel Hyde

George Soule was a passenger on the Mayflower traveling as a teacher to the Winslow children. He became a successful pioneer acquiring large amounts of land and leaving many descendants.

Thomas Rogers was a passenger on the Mayflower. He died during the first winter with many others. We are descendant through his son who arrived on a different ship.

Baron Silas Hathaway was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War. He is described in detail above.

Simeon Hathaway was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was highly involved, serving on the Board of War. He was one of two men from Vermont who signed the Declaration of War against Britain. Simeon served as a Lt at the Battle of Bennington with seven of his eight sons (Silas was too young but served later in the war).

Reuben Tullar was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War. We are descendant from him twice; through his sons Ornan and Reuben Jr.

Daniel Meigs was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Cornelius Smith was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Colonel Benjamin Babcock was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

William Bell was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Deacon Roger Hibbard was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Reverand Jedediah Hibbard was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Thomas Jewett was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Samuel Todd was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Captain Jacob Hyde was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Colonel Samuel Robinson was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Thomas Hazen Jr was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Nathaniel Martin was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

John Taplin was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Robert Lovewell was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Nehemiah Lovewell was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Timothy Brownson was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Joseph Safford was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Jacob Scagel was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Abner Bickford was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Lemuel Whitman was a Patriot who served in the American Revolutionary War

Martin Corliss was a Veteran who served in the American Civil War

In June of 1963, a stretch of beach was leased and set aside and opened for Air Force personal, known as Air Force beach on west side of Hathaway Point. The beach featured a snack shack, bath houses, bathrooms, volleyball and boats for the use by squadron personal and there families. Today, there is still a street sign that reads “Air Force Beach Road” on the way to Kill Kare state park. [5]

source for Sobigwillow [6]

source for sl sea duck [7]