Dorset in Bennington County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)

Cephas Kent’s Dwelling

Cephas Kent Inn

Photographed By Steve Stoessel, November 7, 2020

1. Cephas Kent’s Dwelling Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Vermont Society of Colonial Dames
Historic Marker
Site of
Cephas Kent's dwelling
adjacent the
Cephas Kent Inn
where
the First Convention of the New Hampshire
Grants was held in 1776

The Dorset Conventions
July 24, 1775
Seth Warner elected Lt. Col. - First Revolutionary
Militia of the Green Mountain Boys
January 16 - 17, 1776
Created the district’s (state’s) First
Independent Congress.
July 24 - 25, 1776
Voted to defend the cause of the
United American States
September 25 - 26, 1776
Voted to form a separate district (state).
Erected 1912

Erected 1912 by Vermont Society of Colonial Dames.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. A significant historical date for this entry is January 16, 1776.

Location. 43° 14.254′ N, 73° 5.901′ W. Marker is in Dorset, Vermont, in Bennington County. Marker is at the intersection of Dorset West Road and Nichols Hill Road, on the right when traveling south on Dorset West Road. Touch for map

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. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 Nichols Hill Rd, Dorset VT 05251, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First Marble Quarry (approx. ¾ mile away); Dorset (approx. 1.2 miles away); The Dorset Field Club (approx. 1.3 miles away); Fenton Pottery Site (approx. 1.7 miles away); Harmon's Mint (approx. 3.3 miles away); The Southern Vermont Arts Center (approx. 4.3 miles away); Birthplace of William Griffith Wilson (approx. 4½ miles away); Ye Olde Tavern (approx. 4.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dorset.

Regarding Cephas Kent’s Dwelling. The New Hampshire Grants were a highlight of the endemic corruption of Royal officials in America before the Revolution and a leading reason that important wealthy landowners of the New York Colony favored the American cause. Before and after the French and Indian War, the Royal Governor of New Hampshire distributed township size lots in Vermont to Connecticut settlers, thereby extracting a personal fortune of nearly $1M (in today's currency). This was done despite an edict from the Crown. The Vermont settlers organized a militia as early as 1763 to fight off the New York landowners and sheriffs as well as the Royal Army, whose officers of the Royal Army were reluctant to to be involved in colonial spats, that

Cephas Kent’s Dwelling and Cephas Kent Inn image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Steve Stoessel, November 7, 2020

2. Cephas Kent’s Dwelling and Cephas Kent Inn

were trying to drive off "illegal settlers" in the Vermont Territories. This militia was the basis of the force that seized the cannon at Fort Ticonderoga in early 1775 at the start of the Revolution. Vermont ultimately decided to be independent of both New York and New Hampshire at the conventions noted in the marker. Most big New York landowners such as Robert Livingston and James Daune saw the ineptitude and unfairness of the Royal administration, and knew they needed to be out of London's grasp.

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. A marker about the Inn on Vermont Rt 30.

Also see . . . New Hampshire Grants (Wikipedia). (Submitted on November 8, 2020, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York.)

Looking East Past the Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Steve Stoessel, November 7, 2020

3. Looking East Past the Marker

Cephas Kent Inn image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Steve Stoessel, November 7, 2020

4. Cephas Kent Inn

The left section of the building has a sign identifying it as the inn.

Credits. This page was last revised on November 10, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 8, 2020, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 486 times since then and 86 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 8, 2020, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.