He married Abigail Fisher of Claremont, New Hampshire, a sister of Timothy Fisher, a new settler in Burke. Eight children were born to them. Major Darling was a man of energy, ability, and a stern disciplinarian. He served Burke in several town offices and was in 1828-'30 her representative in the legislature. He died in 1858. 

Henry G., eldest son of Ebenezer, was born August 15th, 1816, and with the exception of a few years he always lived in Burke. He married Mehitable, daughter of Cummings and Louise (Quimby) Whitcomb of Lyndon in 1845. Mrs. Darling came from some of the bravest old colonial stock, and her grandfather and two of his brothers, Nathaniel and Major Benjamin, served in the Revolutionary war. 

Major Benjamin Whitcomb was one of Essex county's most energetic men before the war. How he obtained his major's commission is graphically told by David Goodall, to whom Major Whitcomb related the incidents. His narration is as follows: "Major Whitcomb was the most prominent pioneer, trapper, and hunter in Essex county, often spending months at a time in the wilderness, subsisting upon game, and falling in frequently with Indians, and camping and hunting with them, always taking pains to conciliate them and secure their friendship. 

"At one time he found an Indian in early winter, alone, nearly starved, his gun-lock having broken, and took him to his camp and fed and kept him there three weeks, and trapped with him and divided furs, and gave him food to last him home. 

"Major Whitcomb served under General Putnam in the old French war, was in several fights, and taken prisoner by the Indians and carried to Quebec. He often wrestled, ran, and shot at a mark with the Indians, but always managed to let them beat him, as it would have given great offense to beat them. After Ticonderoga was taken by Colonel Ethan Allen, Major Whitcomb hastened there and served as a scout. The commander of the fort received a circular from General Washington, saying that he wished to retaliate upon the British officers for the wanton butcheries and massacres of women and children by the British Indians; and, to accomplish it, he offered any American soldier who would go into Canada and waylay and shoot a British general, a major's commission and pay in the American army, a captain's commission for a colonel, etc. Whitcomb and two others volunteered to go and try. One man deserted before reaching the line. Whitcomb and his companion pursued their way to near Three Rivers, and ascertained that a brigade of British soldiers and some Indians were about to move towards the line in a few days, and the route they would go. Whitcomb selected a place of ambush and made ready. The night before the British were to move, Whitcomb's companion, alarmed by their dangerous position, deserted and went over to the enemy and informed them of Whitcomb's plans and intentions. Whitcomb was greatly annoyed and vexed, but had no thoughts of losing his major's commission. He moved nearer to the British camp, fixing upon a new place for his ambuscade, where a small river made a turn and came near the road — a deep, narrow ravine running back from the river some distance. His position was at the root of a large tree blown down, the top reaching into the ravine and the root affording cover and port-holes to fire through. This was about fifteen rods from the road, on the right side, and the river on the left side, and commanded a good view of the road in the direction the enemy would come. The ground to the river was covered with a thick growth of small trees, briars, and alders in the ravine. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon the British column came in sight and slowly passed. Several mounted officers passed, but none whose grade seemed high enough. Then came in sight an officer mounted upon a splendid white steed, richly dressed, with a broad red silk sash around his waist, and a long white plume in his hat, with several staff officers near by and Indian scouts in the road. 

Whitcomb thought that this officer would answer the purpose of General Washington's circular and when he came within a few rods, took deliberate aim and fired. He saw the officer throw his hands up and reel back, and quickly hid under the root. The Indians in the road near by saw the smoke of his gun and dashed into the woods after him, and supposing he would run back did not stop to look for him there, but hurried on and crossed the log within twenty feet of him. As soon as they had passed he crawled rapidly alongside of the log into the ravine, and down that, under the bridge and into the river, and up under the thick alders, occasionally coming upon the land for a rod or two, and crossing over and back. He had got about half a mile when he heard the blood hounds bay on his track, but all his arrangements had been made to baffle and elude them, and he succeeded in delaying them so much that he gained upon them until dark, when he took a smaller stream, running out of his direct route, and waded in that a mile; then left it and traveled all night and the next day without stopping, keeping in the woods. 

"The officer shot was General Gordon, and he died in half an hour. At the time Whitcomb shot him all his provisions consisted of was about half a pint of parched corn, and that was all the food he had for four days. On the fifth day he crossed the line into Vermont, nearly starved, and his shoes entirely worn out. In all this time he had not kindled a fire or dared to shoot game, lest the smoke and report of his gun should indicate his where-abouts to the pursuing Indians, but necessity, which knows no law, compelled him to act. He did not dare to go to any house, fearing Tories; but  finding a yoke of oxen feeding in a pasture, he shot one through the head and quickly cut out as much steak as he needed, and skin enough for a pair of moccasins, and ran into it deep swamp, kindled a fire, half roasted some steak and ate it upon the run, again fearing the smoke would betray him. The next morning he had gone about a mile only when he came upon an Indian camp, where several had stopped over night, the fire not being out. He turned and traveled east half a day, and then turned south, and hurried on until he arrived at Royalton, Vermont, where he went  into a house and asked for food and rest. 

"The British had offered a thousand crowns for his head and two thousand crowns for him delivered at any British post alive, and the Indians pursued and hunted for him along the lake to the very walls of Ticonderoga. After some little time had elapsed, Whitcomb joined a small frontier guard stationed at Lancaster, New Hampshire, in a blockhouse; feeling secure, he occasionally went out hunting. One day, when out alone, he was suddenly seized from behind, disarmed, and bound by five Indians, and hurried off into Canada, and down the St. Francis river. Night came on dark, when within twenty miles of a British post, at the mouth of the river, where the Indians were to give him up and take the reward. They camped upon an island. Whitcomb's hands and feet were securely tied to a stake and otherwise securely bound, and in addition he was bound to two Indians, one sleeping on each side, close to him. Escape seemed impossible. Whitcomb recognized in one of his captors the Indian whom he had years before found alone, nearly famished, and fed and supplied with food, and had by look and gesture tried to make the Indian know him, but entirely failed to gain any sign of recognition. Death seemed inevitable and hope departed, but yet he slept. About 2 o'clock in the morning, he was awakened by gentle taps on the mouth to indicate silence, and then the fingers passed to his eyes and found them open. His bonds were carefully cut. He was directed by a motion of the hand to rise and follow, which he cautiously did, to the river. The Indian whom he had formerly aided when starving turned to him and handed him his gun, powder-horn, ball-pouch, knife, and a bag of parched corn, and reminding him of his former kindness to him, said "I now pay you—go, go." Whitcomb slipped into a canoe and cast it off, and pushed out into the river. The Indian gave him the farewell salute by motion and turned back to camp. Whitcomb quickly pushed back to the shore and cut a hole in the bottom of each remaining canoe, pushed them off into the stream, resumed his own canoe, and crossed immediately to the shore, then cut a hole in his canoe and pushed it off and ran for life. About 4 o'clock he heard the Indians' distant whoop of alarm, and soon after the whoop of disappointment and anger when they found all their canoes gone. Whitcomb pushed on with all his energy, day and night, until safe, not stopping until he had reached Massachusetts, the home of his early childhood, where he remained during the war. In due time he received his major's commission and pay for the brave service he had rendered the cause of the colonies, and in his old age he received a major's pension. His good friend, the Indian, he never saw or heard of after their night parting on the island." 

Mr. and Mrs. Darling had four children, Elmer A., Scott E., Louise A., and Lucius A. Elmer A. was born in 1848, fitted at St. Johnsbury academy, under Professor Colby, and took a special course in architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1870-'72; and after teaching a few terms entered the employ of his uncle, Alfred B. Darling, then one of the proprietors of the famous Fifth Avenue hotel of New York city. In 1890 he was admitted to partnership in the house. His heart always beats warmly for his native town and some twenty years ago he purchased the farm of the late Hon. Harley M. Hall, and thus began what is now "Mountain View Farm." In addition to the farm, Mr. Darling has many important interests in East Burke, the home of his boyhood. Chief among them are the electric light plant, giving to the village splendid street and home lighting, and modern grist, saw, and dressing mills. He was largely instrumental in the village having its fine concrete sidewalks and sewerage system. For the past year he has devoted much time and attention to Woodmont cemetery (incorporated), and the improvements he instituted transformed it from the little old country burying ground to a beautiful cemetery, with excellent water system and all enlarged acreage. 

One of his notable achievements in regard to Mountain View was the laying of pipes to the Passumpsic river, and giving his estate an inexhaustible supply of pure water. In fact, upon every hand may be seen the achievements of an able, generous, and yet modest, son of Burke. 

Scott E. was born in 1851, fitted at Kimball Union academy, Meriden, New Hampshire, and graduated from Dartmouth in 1876. He taught school two years, but owing to failing health went on a cattle ranch for five years. He contracted malarial fever in Texas and died in 1885, in the Adirondacks. 

Louise A. was educated at Lasell seminary, Auburndale, Massachusetts, and has always remained at home. 

Lucius A. was born in 1857. He always resided in Burke, where for twenty years he has been superintendent of Mountain View Farm. He is a man highly esteemed by the citizens of Burke, both for his worth as a man and for the deep interest which he has ever manifested in anything that would beautify or benefit the town of his birth. In 1900 he represented Burke in the state legislature. In 1892 he married Miss Maggie McDonald, of Burke, and two beautiful children have blessed their union, Pearl E., a daughter (deceased), and a son, Henry G., 2d. 
 

Source:  Successful Vermonters, William H. Jeffrey, E. Burke, Vermont, The Historical Publishing Company, 1904, page15 -158.

Prepared by Tom Dunn, July 2006