I believe that AARON SAVERY noted in the article below might be my great-great grandfather born June 2 1829 in Northfield, Massachusetts and died in Proctor, Vermont on March 10, 1892. BATV Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.vermont.counties .rutland/4962/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Names in this post: Albro, Allen, Bixby, Briggs, Field, Godfrey, Hinckley, Hyde, Lincoln, McGurk, Neary, Nelson, Sanders, Sanderson, Savery, Seymour, Sherman, Wheeler, Wright Rutland Herald January 9, 1866 BROKE JAIL Yesterday morning, as the jailer, Mr. Briggs opened the door of the prisoners' room, which he is compelled to do to pass in wood, a mulatto calling himself Augustus Albro, alias Nelson, jumped for the open door, and clung to it with such tenacity that Mr. Briggs was unable to knock him back, or shut the heavy door quick enough. Whereupon George Sanders, alias Samuel Wheeler, Stearns Sherman and John Hyde from Benson, rushed upon Mr. Briggs, and the negro, with an iron "jamb" which he had pried off beforehand, struck the jailer in the mouth, loosening his front teeth, and knocked him back into the hall. The whole four then "piled on," and the negro struck three or four blows on Mr. Briggs' head with his jamb, causing the blood to flow profusely. He then made for the front door, which was locked, and one of the young ladies [one of Mr. Briggs' daughters] ran for a revolver, but for some reason she could not succeed in firing before he had opened the door and escaped. ! Sanders jumped through the front window, and the other two escaped through the back way. A young Irishman by the name of "Pete Neary" started after Hyde, through the back gardens, and threatened to shoot. Mr. Briggs, bareheaded and covered with blood, also followed, when the fellow surrendered and was taken back. The others fled through Green street. Sheriff Field with a strong posse was very soon on the trail, through Green street, across Bald Mountain, thence to the brook north of Cuttingsville in the direction of "Copperas Hill," where four of the pursuers, James Hinckley, George Allen, George Lincoln and Aaron Savery, came up with Sanders, alias Wheeler. The latter drew a knife, when Hinckley snapped his revolver, but the cap only exploded. Wheeler then dropped his knife, and was taken by the men to the Cuttingsville depot, where Sheriff Field put him in irons, took him back and re-committed him. Sherman and the mulatto are still at large. The former, together with Sanders, was brought here from Bennington jail and committed for safe keeping. They were arrested for burglary. Sherman is about 21 years old, 5 feet 10 inches high, dark complexion, curly hair, cross-eyed, wore lightish colored pants, dark coat and gray cap. The colored man is 20 years old 5 feet 6 inches high, wore dark pants and a mixed sack coat. We may add that this fellow made a very narrow escape. Mr. Briggs, supposing, as it was so very cold, that the prisoner might take refuge somewhere called at every house in Green street to make inquiry. Among the rest he inquired at Old Mr. McGurk's and asked if any person had called. He was answered in the negative by a young woman who occupies the front part, and Mr. Briggs made no further examination. It subsequently appeared, however, that the negro had gone into the barn, where he was found by old Mr. McGurk, who innocently invited him to come into the house and take some breakfast and hot coffee. The negro accepted the invitation, and was really in the back part of the house when Mr. Briggs called. We are authorized by Sheriff Field to say that ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD will be paid for the recovery of either or both of these prisoners. [Note: In a followup story on January 12, the paper told of the recapture of Augustus Albro, alias Nelson. Albro told essentially the same story as above, saying the he had stayed in the McGurk barn until his feet began to be badly frostbitten, then hid in a privy on Green street the rest of the day. "He stayed with Mr. Joseph Bixby in Mount Holly Monday night. Mr. Sanderson (Officer Allen Sanderson of Shrewsbury) found him limping in the street in Ludlow." His badly injured and frostbitten feet required painful medical treatment. John Hyde, the article added, was also known as Godfrey. Two other prisoners, William Wright and John Seymour, were questioned in the investigation of the jail break.] ____________________________________________________________ Click here for free information on nursing degrees, up to $150/hour http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3nEnlQJWwFEinU6xkFbuFR2INGNemXn5vPtZ1ga63ux4MJcr/