USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Simsbury > A record and documentary history of Simsbury > Part 6
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The Council now were exceedingly vigilant and active. They were in session every day.
On the 6th of August, 1675, it was ordered that one hun- Ib. P. 347
dred dragoons be raised, and "that all persons be duly prepared
Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 261
Ib. P. 332
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Ib. P. 358-9
and provided with arms and ammunition, and that they assem- ble, on Monday next, by sun an hour high, at the meeting house in their respective plantations," "There to receive such other directions as shall be given them by their commanders."
Ib.
P. 359
On the 3Ist of the same month, Major Treat, moving with his army towards Northampton, learned on his march, that Christopher Crow of Windsor, (he was probably about to settle in Simsbury, having shortly before received a grant of land there), while travelling between Hartford and Simsbury, had been shot at by four Indians out of a party of eight Indians. Halting at Windsor, he sent back to the council for advice, who ordered him to leave thirty (of the Hartford County) troops there, and move on with the remainder of his force. On the same day John Calt of Windsor was shot at by an Indian, and a party of Indians were seen that evening skulking around the North Meadow at Hartford. Major Treat was ordered im- mediately to return to Hartford.
Ib.
Sept. 3rd. The Council "Ordered that in the seuerall plan- tations of this Colony, there be kept a sufficient watch in the night, which watch is to be continued from the shuttin of the evening till the sun-rise; and that one-fourth part of each towne be in arms, every day by turns; to be a guard in their respective plantations." "It is also ordered that, durieng these present commotions with the Indians, such persons as haue occasion to work in the feilds, shall work in companyes; if they be half a mile from town, not less than six in a company, with their arms and ammunition well fixed and fitted for service."
1675
"Sept" 4th, 1675." "For the prevention of danger to travel- ours upon the road betweene towne and towne in this County. It is ordered that Windsor, each other day, shall send fowre men to clear the roads to Simsbury, and two, each other day, to cleare the roads between Hartford and Windsor; Windsor to begin Munday next, to Hartford, and Tewsday to Simsbury."
Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 361
Ib. 2 P. 268
A garrison had been established at Simsbury and kept up at the public expense. But, rumors of danger increasing, on the 14th of October, the General Court passed the following order : "This Court, from a deep sense of the eminent danger that all or plantations are in, by the nakedness of each and euery place,
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P. 361
Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 361
doe order and appoynt every plantation (as a means under God for theire safety), to make such suitable places of defence as they are capeable of, and appoynt such places for their women and children and others, that are not able to help themselves, to repayre vnto, in case of assault, that all our livers, and weak places, doe take a speedy and effectuall course to get their women and children, corn and the best of theire estate to places of the most hopeful security, as is within their compass to doe; and that each plantation doe appoynt suitable persons as a committee to order those affayres respecting places of fortifica- tion and defence." The intent and meaning of the foregoing order is explained by the following, made four days afterwards, on the 18th of Oct .- "This Court orders that the people of Simsbury shall have a week's time to secure themselves and their corn there, and the end of the week from this date, the souldiers now in garrison at Simsbury shall be released their attendance there." Thus the place was to be abandoned, and the people to seek a place of safety elsewhere. As has been before stated, Simsbury had been an "Appendix" of Windsor, whence most or all of its inhabitants had come. In obedience to this order, many of them returned thither, carrying with them such of their effects as could be carried with their limited means of transportation. But no attack was then made, and some re- turned.
In the Spring of 1676, appearances were more threatening, and the danger increased. Another Order of the Council was issued, March 3rd:
"The insolencies of the heathen and their rage increasing against the English, and the spoyle that they haue made in sundry places, hath moved us to order that forthwith, the people of Simsbury doe remoue, themselues and what estate they can remoue, to some of the neighbouring plantations for their safety and security."
Then came the rush for dear life. This order of the Council was obeyed. There was no bridge over the river; or ferry, by which teams could cross, nor was the river fordable except at "the Falls." The only mode of travel was on foot or horseback. There were few horses or carts, or cart paths, only foot paths or
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P. 269
Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 412
narrow trails, winding through the forests. Almost all the goods they could carry, therefore, were such as they could pack upon their backs. Their exodus was like that of the Israelites out of Egypt, who "took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading-troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders."
Let fancy dwell for a moment upon the scene.
See them now set forth upon their devious, winding way: "Forcd from their homes, a melancholly train."
These they are about to leave. They have already become endeared to them by familiarity, and the little means of com- fort which a few years of toil have procured, as well as by the associations of kindred and conjugal love. Their dwellings are humble, built of rough logs and roofed with thatch; without windows, and often without floors, still they are home. With tearful eyes and lingering steps they cross the threshold; mothers clasping their infants to their breasts; children huddled together clinging to a mother's or an elder sister's skirt, or to a brother or a sister's hand, whilst the father and stalwart elder boys, with muskets in their hands, and driving before them, their flocks and herds, with all their earthly goods upon their should- ers, bring up the rear. See them winding their way through the forest; crossing the river in canoes, or possibly (as it was early spring) on the treacherous ice, or, more probably, wading it at "the Falls", where alone it was fordable, those living on the East side climbing the mountain at Wetaug, or "at Terry's"; looking for danger at every turn, and fancying a skulking foe behind every tree, and every swaying bush, an Indian savage; at length, footsore and weary, they reach a place of safety.
But this is no fancy sketch. Rev. Daniel Barber, a native of Simsbury, who, in early life, was familiar with the children of these sufferers, and often heard the story from their lips, in the History of my own Times", published by him many years ago, thus describes the scene:
"The fearful apprehension of being suddenly murdered by savages, put in motion and hastened along whole bands of women and children, with men in rear, with sheep and cattle, and such utensils and conveniences as their short notice and
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hasty flight would permit. Their heavy articles, such as pots, kettles and plough-irons were secreted in the bottoms of swamps and wells. The father of the first Governor Wolcot and his family were among those who fled from Simsbury. He filled up a large brass kettle with his pewter cups, basins, platters &c, and then sunk the kettle with its contents in the deep mud of the Swamp, but was never able to find it afterwards. After the inhabitants had spent a day or two in their retreat, the men, under arms, were sent back for the purpose of looking about and making discoveries. They came to the highest eminence in the road, east of Simsbury river, from which, at one view, they could take a survey of the principal part of their habitations, which, to their surprise and sorrow, were become a desolation, and every house burnt to ashes." He adds, "I have recorded the story as a matter of fact, having very often heard it related as such, in my infant years; and also from the children of those who were both witnesses and personal sufferers.
The date of the disaster was the 26th of March, 1676. It was a Sabbath morning. This lovely valley lay in sweet repose, an unbroken forest, save where at intervals a little clearing had been made, disclosing to view a rude log dwelling with other buildings and enclosures; but these were vacant. No curling smoke above their chimneys told of human occupancy, no drumbeat called to Sabbath worship. "No watchdog's honest bark" gave warning of approaching danger. Silence and solitude had settled as a pall on the valley of Massaco. Then burst the storm. A horde of Philip's warriors, one of his guerilla bands, come rushing from the North and pour through the town. They enter every house. What their fancy craves or what they deem of value, they appropriate. All that Sabbath day is given to sack and pillage. The shades of night descend before their work is done. Through the late hours of night they ply their work of ravage. From house to house, they apply the torch to the thatched roofs, and the heavens are illumined by the lurid glare. On they rush till every building is destroyed. Nor was this all. Provisions and produce, furniture and fences, and farming utensils, were collected into heaps and burned. The ruin was complete. About forty dwelling houses, together with a large
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1676 Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 423
number of barns and other buildings, were thus consumed. During all the Indian Wars, before and since, no English settle- ment suffered such a total and complete destruction as in this conflagration.
The next day, the news having reached Hartford, the Council countermanded the order to Major Treat and called him back whilst on the March to Norwich.
"At a meeting of the Councill, March 27th, 1676." "The Councill hauing appoynted Major Treat to pass over Connect- ticut River, and so to goe to Norwich according to former order, and having recd intelligence of a party of Indians that, the last Sabboth day, did doe dispoyle there and on Sabboth night burned great part of Simsbury, the Councill ordered the calling back of that party that were going to Norwich."
P. 424 1b.
"The Councill ordered, that there should be a post sent to Farmington to give them notice of the burning of Simsbury, and to advice them to stand vpon their guard for their own defence."
Many places in Massachusetts were similarly attacked and partially destroyed, but Simsbury was the only town in Con- necticut that suffered in this manner.
The industry of the Indians that wrought this destruction may be inferred from the fact that the buildings consumed were scattered over a distance of nearly ten miles, on both sides of the river.
The Indians, too, who dwelt among them, shared their terror, and in fear of the hostile Indians fled westward, and made a settlement on the banks of the Housatonic river.
Trumbull Hist. Conn.
During the winter previous to the burning of Simsbury the "Great Swamp Fight" at Narragansett had occurred, by the result of which Philip had become exasperated and rendered desperate. That was a scene of horror, the thought of which, even now, after the lapse of two centuries, causes a fearful revulsion of feeling. Six hundred wigwams were burned by the colonists; the corn of the natives was consumed, and many old men, women and children perished in the conflagration. So horrible was the scene, rendered doubly appalling by the shrieks of the women and children, mingled with the yells of the war-
64
riors, that even the stout hearts of the assailants were touched. Says their chaplain, Rev. Mr. Ruggles: "It greatly moved some of the Soldiers". And he further says: "They were in much doubt then and afterwards often seriously enquired, 'whether burning their enemies alive, could be consistent with humanity, and the benevolent principles of the Gosepl'." Mr. Ruggles was chaplain of the troops in this expedition, the father-in-law of the first Col. Jonathan Humphrey, of this town. Mr. Ruggles was the minis- ter of Suffield.
There were supposed to be some four thousand Indians in the fort at the time of its destruction, most of whom perished in the conflagration. Three hundred warriors were killed, and as many taken prisoners. These were probably afterwards slain; as it was the practice of the Colonists in this war to kill the warriors taken captive, and to distribute the women and chil- dren among them, or exchange them for negroes in the West Indies.
From this time Philip's fortune began to wane. A price was set upon his head. His allies fell off in discouragement and dismay. Pursued and hunted from swamp to swamp, the In- dians began to come in, in large numbers, and surrender them- selves to their conquerors. To save their own lives they be- trayed their friends, and pointed out their hiding-places. By their aid, Philip was hunted and followed from place to place. Wetamoo, the widowed queen of Alexander, Philip's brother, was, through the treachery of one of Philip's Indians, betrayed and her little band of faithful followers, captured. She refused to be taken alive, but threw herself into the stream and sunk beneath its waters. Her body was found, her head cut off, and stuck upon a pole, and exposed to the public gaze in the streets of Taunton.
Such was the manner in which this dreadful war was con- ducted on both sides. The English slew, in cold blood, their captive warriors, and sold the women and children into West India servitude. The Colonist and the Indian vied with each other in acts of cruelty. Each felt and realized that it was a war of extermination.
But the hero's time had come. His wife and only child, a
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bright boy of only nine summers, were taken captive. He knew their doom; that they would be sold into bondage. In the agony of his soul he exclaimed, "Now my heart breaks. I am ready to die." But though environed by danger and confronted with death, he would offer no proposals of peace. One of his counsel- lors suggested it: he struck him dead. The brother of the slain Indian deserted to the English, and betrayed to him the hiding place of Philip. He was surrounded by his foes, and the bullet of the traitor passed through the heart of the hero.
By order of the Plymouth captain, his head was cut off and sent to Plymouth, where it was for a long time exposed upon a gibbet. The four quarters of his mutilated body were hung upon four trees, and there remained swinging in the wind, until the elements wasted them away.
The hand of the warrior that had performed such feats of valor was given to the traitor, by whom it was preserved in spirits, and carried about the country and exhibited for money, as a rare curiosity. "Philip having one remarkable hand, being much scarred occasioned by the splitting of a pistol in it form- erly, Capt. Church gave the head and that hand to Alderman, the Indian who shot him, to show to such gentlemen as would bestow gratuities upon him; and accordingly he got many a penny by it."
"Thus fell," says Dr. Trumbull, "a brave enemy, who had defended himself and his country, and what he imagined to be his own, and the just rights of his countrymen, to the last extremity."
Philip was a patriot and a hero. He fought in defense of the rights of the red man. He fought against the usurpations of the white man, whom his father had welcomed and cherished as a friend. He fought for liberty. The same spirit which warmed the hearts of Hampden and Sidney actuated him. Philip acted, in 1675, what Chatham in the British Parliament, in 1775, ut- tered; "If I were an American, as I am an Englishman, while a foreign troop was landed in my country, I would never lay down my arms-never, never, never." And Patrick Henry gave expression to the feelings of Philip when he exclaimed: "Give me liberty, or give me death."
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Church History of Indian Wars
Tradition, as well as history, so-called, hand him down to us a monster of cruelty; a savage fiend; but the facts on which that tradition and history are founded, present him to us, a patriot, and a hero. When the story of a red man shall be told by a red man; when his portrait shall be drawn by an Indian artist, whose pencil shall be dipped in the colors of truth, Philip will be recognized as a Patriot, and his good name be redeemed and restored.
This much of Indian history is deemed proper to be intro- duced here, for the purpose of showing when, how and by whom Simsbury was burned, with the causes which led to that catastrophe.
In connection with, or rather as a sequel to the burning of Simsbury, there was a beautiful manifestation of public and private sympathy and Christian charity, on the part of the people of Windsor towards the sufferers. Many towns in the other colonies had been ravaged by the savages; but Connecti- cut suffered but little. A subscription for the relief of the suffer- ers in the neighboring colonies was put in circulation. The people of Windsor were forward in this good work, almost all of the inhabitants giving according to their ability. After the people of Simsbury had fled to Windsor for refuge, and their homes were destroyed, it was suggested by the Council, that the money contributed by the Windsor people should be applied to relieve the sufferings and "supply those in want, that are removed by reason of the rage of the enemie in their town."
The contribution of the Windsor people was thus appro- priated, bringing joy to many a homeless refugee.
This was in June, 1676. There were, of the people of Wind- sor who subscribed for this beneficent object, about one hundred and fifty persons, in sums ranging from pence to one pound.
Let the people of Simsbury-the offspring of Windsor- ever bear in grateful remembrance, this act of Christian benefi- cence by the good people of Windsor.
Stiles' Hist. Windsor P. 205
Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 463
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FIRST CHURCH BUILDING . 1682
IX
Resurrection and Reconstruction
Town Rec. B. I. P. 8
For more than a year, Simsbury remained a solitude. Its fields lay uncultivated and waste. Where its buildings had stood was now nothing but blackness and desolation. But though its former inhabitants were driven from their homes, and their dwelling places were destroyed, still they maintained their Town Organization, notwithstanding their exile. Only one week after the catastrophe, "Aprill ye 4th, 1676, At a Towne meeting of ye inhabitants of Simsbury, in Windsor, (occasioned by reason of the warr,) at ye house of Joseph Skinner, their was then an Act passed by ye sd Inhabitants, that there should be a Comittiee chosen for ye perfecting the old account between ye Towne of Simsbury & Mr. Sam11 Stone: Also for ye perfecting of ye records, respecting ye Records of mens perticular grants, and any other thing yt is yet unrectified."
In June, 1675, "the town had indented with Mr. Stone that he was to preach to the inhabitants of Simsbury for half a year for which they were to pay him twenty pounds." It was for the purpose of settling this account with Mr. Stone, in part, that this meeting was held.
In the spring of 1677, the danger being supposed to be past, the former settlers began to return with their families, and again to take possession of their grants and allotments; and build again their habitations. The work was slow and discour- aging. It was "making bricks without straw." Some did not return; whilst others, who did, having lost all, or nearly all their goods and utensils, were greatly straitened. The first thing re-
68
quiring attention was making preparations to protect their future crops. Their fences had been destroyed, and some of the former inhabitants did not return, their portions of the common field being left unprotected; and for those who did return, to fill these gaps was a hardship. Under these circumstances the Council interfered, and passed the following order: March, 21, 1676-7. “Forasmuch as by order or aduice of the Councill, dated March the 3ª, 1675-6, the inhabitants of Simsbury might re- move from that plantation for their better safety in that time of war, but now the appearance of that danger being much over, and sundry of the sd inhabitants are in necessity to make improvement of their accomodations for livelyhood, which lyes in common feilds with others, so as that unless the comon fence be proportionately made and mayntained by all and each pro- prietor, the present improuers will be too intolerably burthened, for prevention whereof, the Councill sees cause to order (for the publique advantage), that all the sayd proprietors doe either repayre thither and doe their parts of such comon fence and carry on plantation duty with the rest, or that those who doe or shall goe, may haue liberty to take and use the lands of the desertors so much and so long as to defray the necessary charge of fences and rate due from, in or vnto the said plantation be- longing."
On the passage of this Order of the Council, the inhabitants of Simsbury who had returned, proceeded to enforce it. After reciting the Order, we have the following record:
"Upon which Council's act, the sd Inhabitants of Simsbury have let out and passed over ye lands of Mr. Joseph Persons, for the present year '77, to Joshua Holcomb-ye sd Holcomb to have, use, possesse or lease out to others, & take rent etc., either part or the whole, as he ses cause he making up ye fences and paying al such legall dues as shall fall on ye said Field for the defraying of public charges ct." This was the "Cook farm", afterwards John Terry's; and now owned and occupied by Campbel Case.
In several other cases where those who had received grants of land, and failed to return and make improvements thereon, the land was, by vote of the town, declared forfeited, and
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Col. Rec. Vol. 2 P. 491
Col. Rec. Vol. II P. 491
Town Rec. B. I. P. 8
"taken back into their own custody again, as fre Town land, to dispose, & so disinharitt" the former occupants.
Most of the proprietors, however, returned, during the Spring of 1677, and began again to erect their buildings and enclosures anew, and to rebuild the town. Some few, it is known, never returned. Those who did come, were in a most pitiable condition of poverty and destitution.
Under these discouraging circumstances, feeling that the added burden of taxation would be more than they could bear, the leading men drew up and presented a petition to the Generall Court for relief.
"To the Honoured General Assembly now sitting in Hart- ford."
"Honoured Fathers,-Wee, whose names are underwritten, the present inhabitants of Simsbury, having bin formerly burthened by the inequallity of levying of rates,-(as the case is circumstanced with us,) and now through the late afflictive dispensation of God's providence, having bin greater sufferers than other plantations in this Collony, and thereby allsoe in some measure at the present incapacitated to rayse rates in the common way that is stated in the country law: in this our infant State, do humbly request and desire of this Honoured Assembly, that they would be pleased to graunt at the present that privilidge (which we understand hath been formerly and of late granted to other plantations in their beginning), vix: that all rates that shall be raysed for the defraying of publike charges, may be levyed onely upon lands; the farther grounds and reas- ons of this our request wee have desired Samuel Wilcockson and Benajah Holcomb to represent to your Honours as our Agents in this case. Who are your very Humble Servants. May 14th: 77.
Col. Rec. "Town & Lands" Vol. I Doc. 169
Samuel Stone. Thomas Barber. John Pettybone. Joseph Phelps. Peter Buell. John Drake. John Griffin.
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Col. Rec. "Town & Lands" Vol. I 169
Michall Humphrey. John Humphrey. Josiah Clark."
The object of this was to compel non-resident proprietors of lands to pay their full share of the taxes, and thus in some degree afford relief to the actual settlers. The petition was at once acted upon and granted as follows:
"Generall Court, May Session 1677." "This Court upon the motion of the inhabitants of Simsbury, doe grant that the people of Simsbury shall haue liberty to rayse their rates for the ministry and towne charges onely upon lands for the three next yeares ensueing this date, any law to the contrary not- withstanding; and in regard of the great loss that that town hath received in the late warr, the Court haue seen cause to remitt to the inhabitants of Simsbury that make their constant abode there, their country rates for the three next yeares en- suing, both for persons, land and cattell; but those that doe not so inhabit there, there lands onely are freed from country rates, their cattell to be listed and returned according to order."
The old difficulties arising from the want of proper fences still continuing and increasing, the Selectmen, on the first of June of this year, passed the following stringent order: "Where as complaints come in to us, of great defects in fences, notwith standing al for mer orders; it is now ordered, by us ye Select men of Simsbury, yt all fences about cornfields on either syde ye river, be speedily set up where there is non and other fences tt are Insufficient be spedily repared and made sufficient for the preservation of ye present crope: which said fences is thus to be made sufficient according to the true Intent of this order by the ninth of this present moneth, after which nine dayes the fence Viewers are to View all ye fence in Simsbury, belong- ing to their charg: and whatsoever defects are found in any main fence, they are to order yt within three daies, men mak up their fences: and whosoever shall, after said warning, neglect erecting and making their fences according to law, and ye true intent of sd order, shall pay sixpence for every daies neglect, and just damaiges.
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