April 9

1790 At Champlain was born Ann (baptized Anna), the eldest of the three daughters, Ann, Sophia and Matilda, of Judge Pliny Moores.  Their mother, nee Martha Corbin, was a woman of wonderful energy and very ambitious for her daughters, so she sent them to a convent in Montreal to learn French and the needlework embroidery of the times.  On their return, having no carpet for her drawing room, (no carpets having been brought so far north in those days), she set them to work to embroider one.  An adopted cousin, Harriett Hicks, assisted.  The room for which the carpet was designed was about twenty feet square.
    This wonderful carpet, made from crewels of wool, sheared from the home flock, dyed with stuffs at hand, embroidered on material obtained in Montreal, with a lining woven on the kitchen loom, as begun in 1808 and completed in 1812.  The designs, sea-shell border and all were the work of Ann.  The carpet became indeed a 'magic carpet" for around its frame gathered the young law-students Julius Hubbell, Thomas Whiteside and several army officers The carpet (1909) is well preserved.

1818 A site adjacent to the Friends' burying ground was deeded by Silas Macomber for ten dollars to Warren Corbin and Seth Griffith for a Friends' meeting house at Grand Isle.

1853 Died in Champlain, the Hon. Abiajah North of Scottish Ancestry and a native of Shoreham, where he was born in 1772.  He came a pioneer to Champlain in 1799, and his brother Lemeul came in 1800.  the two brothers worked together, acquiring several hundred acres of the best farming land of the section.  They were successful farmers and Abiajah was widely known as a breeder of fine horses and cattle.  His son Lemuel at one time owned the celebrated stallion known as "The Sherman Black Hawk" or North Horse.  some of his horses have sold as high as $7,500 each.  Father and son were of the Democratic Party and have held many public offices.

1855 In Plattsburgh died Eliza Walker Dobie, a native of St. Helen's England and wife of the Rev.. David Dobie.
        Nearer and dearer are the blessed dead
            Than we are wont to think. -James Buckham.

1876 Elizabeth Mooers, daughter of Col. Benjamin H. Mooers, and wife of Judge George M. Beckwith, died.  Of the First Presbyterian Church she was a consistent member forty-three years.

 Today In the Champlain Valley History