William French & Daniel Houghton - Westminster, VT
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 43° 04.290 W 072° 27.298
18T E 707205 N 4771898
William French and Daniel Houghton were shot and killed during the Westminster Massacre on March 13, 1775. They are buried in Old Westminster Cemetery.
Waymark Code: WMRE1B
Location: Vermont, United States
Date Posted: 06/16/2016
Views: 2
During the colonial era parts of present day Vermont was contested between New York and New Hampshire. On March 13, 1775, one hundred farmers occupied the Westminster, VT courthouse fearing that creditors from New York would foreclose on their lands before the fall harvest would enable them to pay off their debts. When the farmers refused to leave a New York sheriff ordered his men to fire upon the crowd. William French and Daniel Houghton were killed. Some cite the defiance against the British Crown that led to the Westminster Massacre as the first event of the Revolutionary War.
In 1873, the original gravestone of William French was set aside and the French/Houghton Monument was erected over their grave site by the State of Vermont. A 25' tall granite obelisk is inscribed with the names FRENCH and HOUGHTON. Four plaques attached to the obelisk are inscribed:
----------------------------
WILLIAM FRENCH
SHOT AT WESTMINSTER
MARCH 13, 1775,
ERECTED BY THE STATE
OF VERMONT IN 1873.
----------------------------
IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM FRENCH
SON TO NATHANIEL FRENCH
WHO WAS SHOT AT WESTMINSTER
MARCH YE 13TH, 1775
BY HANDS OF CRUEL MINISTEREAL TOOLS
OF GEORG YE 3D
IN THE COURTHOUSE AT AIIA CLOCK AT NIGHT
IN THE 22D YEAR OF HIS AGE.
HERE WILLIAM FRENCH HIS BODY LIES.
FOR MURDER HIS BLOOD FOR VENGANCE CRIES.
KING GEORGE THE THIRD HIS TORY CREW
THA WITH A BAWL HIS HEAD SHOT THREW.
FOR LIBERTY AND HIS COUNTRY'S GOOD.
HE LOST HIS LIFE HIS DEAREST BLOOD.
----------------------------
DANIEL HOUGHTON
SHOT AT WESTMINSTER
MARCH 13, 1775,
BY AN ACT OF THE
VERMONT LEGISLATURE ON 1904
THESE BRONZE TABLETS
WERE PLACED ON THIS MONUMENT
AND THE FOUNDATION REINFORCED
----------------------------
THE COURTHOUSE WAS
LOCATED NORTH 81 1/4 d.
EAST, AT 17 RODS.
COMMITTEE ON
TABLETS & REINFORCEMENT A.D. 1904
L.C. RICHARDSON
J.B. MINARD - J.P. RANNEY
----------------------------
The original slate gravestone is on display by the nearby mausoleum. It is inscribed:
In Memory of William French
Son to Nathaniel French, Who
Was Shot at Westminster
March ye 13th,
1775, by hands of Cruel Ministereal tools
of Georg ye 3d In The Courthouse At a11a Clock
At Night; in The 22d year of his Age.
Here William French his Body lies.
For Murder his Blood For Vengance cries.
King Georg The Third His Tory crew
tha with a bawl his head Shot threw.
For Liberty and his Countrys Good.
he Lost his Life his Dearest blood.
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