In previous articles—The Spaulding Homestead and Revolution: Patriots, Hardship, and Survival on the Frontier—we explored the documented history of the Spaulding family in early Vermont. Here, we turn to something less tangible but equally meaningful: folklore.

Often described as “the knowledge of the people,” folklore preserves the stories that live beyond official records. These stories—passed down through generations—offer insight into how a place is remembered, not just how it was recorded.

In 1991, the Town of Panton published a revised edition of Panton—Past and Present: A Condensed History of the Town of Panton, Vermont. This work combines archival research with oral accounts, preserving both fact and memory. The following excerpts relate to the Spaulding family and their homestead, where history and storytelling intertwine.¹

The Spaulding House: A Place of Stories

According to local accounts, two houses were joined together to create the present structure. Old beams, wide floorboards, and original sheathing still hint at its early construction and long history.

Stories surrounding the home stretch back to the Revolutionary War.

In the fall of 1778, a large British force traveled up Lake Champlain, burning homes on both sides of the lake. Every house in Panton was said to have been destroyed—except one. Many believe the Spaulding house was spared, though others suggest it was Timothy Spaulding’s earlier log home.

Another story places the Spauldings at the center of wartime events. After the engagement at Arnold’s Bay (connected to the Battle of Valcour Island on October 11, 1776), the family reportedly returned to find a wounded British soldier left behind in their home. Unable to continue, his comrades had abandoned him during their pursuit of Arnold’s forces. The soldier—identified as McDonald—was buried on the property.

Other accounts describe frequent visits from small bands of Native Americans moving through the area. One story tells of Mr. Spaulding being attacked at the well early one morning. Though scalped, he survived—at least according to local memory.

Living with the Past

These stories are difficult to verify, yet they persist.

Each morning, as I walk the dogs through the woods and pass the old well, I find myself thinking about Phineas Spaulding—and wondering where the British soldier might lie at rest.

The well itself is stone-lined and roughly twenty feet deep. It’s hard not to marvel at the labor it required. Dug by hand, it stands as a quiet testament to the endurance and determination of those who lived here. Two additional, larger hand-dug wells remain on the property, further deepening that sense of history beneath our feet.

Where Folklore Meets Restoration

Years of restoring this old Vermont farm have revealed small clues—structural details, materials, and patterns—that begin to tell their own story.

The idea that two houses were joined together…
The possibility that an earlier structure was burned…

These aren’t just stories anymore—they’re questions that the building itself may help answer.

But more on that next time.

Source

1. Panton—Past and Present: A Condensed History of the Town of Panton, Vermont, revised edition (Town of Panton, 1991), p. 28.