NOW that we have sought out, researched, established and confirmed the truthful identity of Catherine Émery dit Codèrre, whom married and had children by Antwine Philips, of Highgate/Sheldon, Franklin County, Vermont ... let us move forward, and around a bit more, genealogically and documentarily speaking.
About two years after the Phillips family moved from the Highgate/Sheldon, Franklin County, Vermont area, specifically Land Lot No. 51 in the 4th Division, on the Highgate Township side of the boundary between Highgate and Sheldon Townships ... to the South Burlington / Williston area of Chittenden County, Vermont, thus began interaction(s) and altercation(s) with varied people in their new neighborhood / geographical area. Particularly with Peter Phillips, the son of Antoine Phillips Sr. and Catherine.
January 21, 1859
The
Burlington Free Press Newspaper
Alleged Assault with Intent to
Kill –
The
examination of the parties concerned in the recent assault on an Irishman named
Goulding, took place before Justice
Hollenbeck, Wednesday forenoon. The testimony of the witnesses went to show
that the principle criminal was Peter
Phillips Sr. – (a son of Antoine Phillips,
otherwise known as “Black
Jack”) who made a violent and unprovoked attack, having attacked
first upon Mr. Patrick
Cassidy, an Irishman, whom he assaulted with a bottle, an axe, a sled
stake, besides giving him divers kicks, blows in the face with the fist and
other “gentle reminders” of his [Peter Phillips] presence,
and next upon Goulding, who
interfered to preserve the peace, and who received a blow from Peter Phillips
Sr. which fractured his skull, and
placed his life in jeopardy.
Antoine Phillips Jr. and a young Frenchman named Peter
Trueheart, appeared to have been participants in the outrage, by keeping
the bystanders from interfering with the more violent operations of Peter
Phillips Sr., and by telling him, at one stage of the affray, to “kill”
Cassidy. All three were, probably, under the influence of liquor.
The three
were bound over for trial at the next term of the County Court, in the sum of
$500.00 dollars each, for breach of the Peace, and Assault with Intent-to-Kill.
A sobriquet (pronounced soh-bri-kay) is a nickname,
sometimes assumed, but often given by another. [See Elisha Sheldon Jr. Probate file in May 31, 1808.]
January 21, 1859
The
Burlington Free Press Newspaper
Affray and Almost Murder
A drunken
row, resulting in the dangerous and perhaps fatal injury of an Irishman named
Goldin, occurred on the Williston road, near the corner of Dorset
Street, Thursday night. It appears, from the information gathered by
us concerning the affair that a low grocery is kept at the place indicated, by
a man named Wheeler. Here an Irish teamster and a Frenchman [the ‘Frenchman’ was Peter Trueheart] named Peter Phillips Sr., known by the soubriquet of “Black Jack,”
(given him, doubtless, from his complexion, which is very
dark) after getting well primed with fighting rum, fell into an
altercation, which they continued after leaving Wheeler’s place, and finally
came to blows in front of Goldin’s house, which is nearly opposite the grocery
shop. Goldin went out bare-headed, and mixed in the affray, probably to
separate the combatants, when he received a terrible blow from Peter Phillips Sr.,
given with a cart-rung, fracturing the skull into which a man’s thumb might be
laid.
Peter
Phillips Sr.
was arrested Friday morning by officers Flanagan and White, and lodged in jail.
He is represented to us as an ugly fellow, and has been “hauled up” once
before, for biting a man’s nose nearly off, in some similar affray.
NOTICE the name "Black Jack" ... this was a name noticeably given, or used by African Slaves, Free Black Persons, just as the name "Cato" was a name used somewhat more frequently.
January 22 1859
Vermont
Phoenix Brattleboro, VT Newspaper
Two colored men, father [Antoine Sr.]
and son [Peter Sr.], surnamed Phillips and a Frenchman [Peter Trueheart],
nephew of the elder [Antoine Sr.] Phillips,
were committed to jail at Burlington on Friday, for a murderous assault upon
Peter Goulding of Hinesburgh, fracturing his skull with a cart rung and
otherwise bruising him in a shocking manner. Peter
Phillips Sr. has been dealt with once
before, for biting a man’s nose nearly off.
April 08, 1859
The Burlington Free Press Newspaper
State vs. Peter Phillips, for assault with intent to
kill, upon Goulding, was tried Monday P. M. Verdict guilty.
Antoine Phillips and Peter Trueheart plead guilty to a charge of assault and battery
upon Patrick Cassidy, and with the other
Phillips’, were remanded for sentence.
April 11, 1859
Windsor State
Prison of Vermont Intake Book
April 11, 1859
Windsor State
Prison of Vermont Intake Book
Peter Phillips age 26 years old, at 5’9” in
stature, having blue eyes, black hair and a dark complexion, identified as a mulatto, being born in Franklin County,
Vermont, was convicted of the assault with the intent to kill, on April 09,
1859 in Burlington, Chittenden County, Vermont, was admitted to the Windsor,
Vermont State Prison, on April 11, 1859 for two years being his sentence. He
was discharged from that sentence on April 09, 1861.
More to be posted ...
