USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Easthampton > Historical sketch of Easthampton, Mass. : delivered before the Young Men's Association of Easthampton, Oct. 7, 1851 > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 Ea97w 1774611
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01115 2169
IT.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF
EASTHAMPTON, MASS.
DELIVERED BEFORE THE
YOUNG MEN'S ASSOCIATION,
OF EASTHAMPTON,
OCT. 7, 1851.
BY LUTHER WRIGHT, A. M. ...
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST.
NORTHAMPTON : PRINTED AT THE GAZETTE OFFICE. 1852.
WYTWARMI NOTSOTRITT
Finom & White Ery. Costa Com to Dinner & Locke
1774611
1 HISTORICAL SKETCH
EASTHAMPTON, MASS.
LUTHER WRIGHT, A. M. 1S52.
HERST
LLEGE L WRARY.
974 292
4 1466
F
84424
.97
1.
Wright, Luther, 1796-1870.
Historical sketch of Easthampton, Mass., delivered be- fore the Young men's association, of Easthampton, Oet. 7, 1851. By Luther Wright ... Northampton, Printed at the Gazette office, 1852. .
32 p. 23°m. Pub. by request.
SHELF CARD
1. Easthampton, Mass .- Hist.
299394
12-14303
Library of Congress
F74.E22W9
NOTE.
AT the time the following Sketch was written, the writer confined himself almost entirely to events relating to Easthampton, prior to the commencement of the present century, calling it the first chapter of the Chronicles of the town, leaving it to some abler pen, at a future time, to write the second chap- ter, and bring the history of the town down to the present time ; but after a re- quest had been made by the young men and others who heard it, that what had been written and delivered might be published, it was finally decided to yield to their request, with the understanding that the sketch might be revised, and any alterations or additions deemed necessary, made. The whole has accordingly been revised, some alterations made, and particularly the para- graph, stating the origin and design of Williston Seminary, been added.
EASTHAMPTON, JAN. 1852.
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
IN accepting the invitation of the young gentlemen of this Associa- tion, to address them, on this occasion, it occurred to me that it might be both interesting and profitable, to present them with a brief histori- cal sketch of this town. Easthampton, then, is the theme of my dis- course, this evening. The sketch will mostly relate, however, to East- hampton as it was previously to the commencement of the present century ; and, if I seem tedious in the statements I make respecting the aboriginal proprietors of this beautiful region ; the settlement of it by our fathers and their sufferings ; and the various incidents connected with the incorporation of Easthampton, with some allusions to the character and manners of our ancestors, my apology for any tedious- ness of detail, must be the deep interest I have ever taken in every thing that relates to my early home, and to those generations of men and women, who have long since left the stage of life, and to whom we are all so much indebted, under God, for every thing we possess and enjoy.
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It is just that I should here acknowledge my obligations for many of the statements I shall make, to SYLVESTER JUDD, Esq., of North- ampton, who is well informed on all subjects relating to the history of the Hamptons. In some cases I shall avail myself of his language, because I find none better for stating the circumstances he has con- municated.
Easthampton is a part of a tract of land which John Pynchon negotiated for, of the Indians, in 1653, and bought of them the next year, "in consideration," as it is stated, " of 100 fathoms (about 600 ft.) of wampum, 10 coats, a few trifling presents to the principal
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Chiefs or Sachems, one of whom was a woman, and the ploughing of 16 acres of land at Hadley." " The whole tract," according to Hoyt, " extended from the Falls at South Hadley, to what is now Hatfield, and westwardly from the Connecticut River, about nine miles, embrac- ing nearly 5,000 acres of alluvial bottom." This tract includes nearly all the four Hamptons # The consideration originally given for it would not probably exceed the five hundreth part of a cent per acre. It appears that in 1658, there was one Sachem who expressed some dissatisfaction, complaining that he had not received so much for his part of the land as he expected. In view of his complaint, the inhabi- tants of Northampton agreed to satisfy his demand, and a new deed was executed by the Sachem, and he relinquished to Northampton all his right and title to the township. The consideration seems to us at this day truly small, but we must remember that to the savage large tracts of land were worthless, except as hunting grounds ; and these grounds he could as well occupy for hunting after the transfer as before. And then, too, the articles received in exchange for land, were really worth to him, or he fancied them to be so, all the land could be worth to him. They were articles he really wanted, and the land he did not want for cultivation. And it may be added, that our fathers in the early settlement of the country, transferred to each other tracts of land, which are now very valuable, for a mere trifle. The money or articles they received in barter were worth more to them than the land. The ground where the speaker now resides, or near it, was bought as late as 1774, by David Chapman, Sen., for $1.91 . per acre.
We occupy grounds in this town, once the favorite resort and dwelling place of the Indian race, now long since gone from this val- ley. Here, they fished, and doubtless procured shad and salmon, in great abundance, at the Falls near us, below the grist-mill. "I say doubtless, for a gentleman is still living in our midst, who has seen a large quantity of shad, just canght, on the bank below the Falls. And there is testimony that salmon also were taken here. And here too they hunted, for these plains abounded with deer. This was truly the home of the red men, where they had their pow-wows, and their dances, sang their war-songs, and celebrated the valorons' deeds of their ancestors. Two portions of the town were named by them, and these names have been transmitted to modern times.
* See Appendix, Note 1.
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Would that we had more of these Indian names ; for instance, that we knew the Indian name of our noble mountain, so that we might no longer detract from its dignity, by calling it after Corporal Tom." Long may it be before the names of Nashawannuck and Pasconnnuck shall be forgotten, or cease to be used. They are names of which none of us need be ashamed. The last place occupied by the Indians, within the limits of this town, where they had a village and fort, was at Pascommuck, on or near what is now called Fort Plain. This location for a fort, it appears, they obtained by petition of the town of Northampton, in 1664, on condition " they would behave in an orderly manner." They resided at this place till Phillip's war, as it was called, in 1675 and 76, when they joined the hostile Indians, and never returned. They must have left reluctantly a position to them so favorable for obtaining the means of subsistence, but partaking of the spirit of the greatest Indian chieftain of that age, they left forever the banks of the Manhan and Connecticut, and the graves of their fathers, to ally their fortunes to those of that unfortunate mon- arch. There is a sadness connected with the reflection, that the race, who once roamed over these meadows and plains, is utterly extinct here, and so far as we know, they passed away unblessed by the gospel.
A few years before they left, the first settlement in what is now Easthampton, was made at Nashawannuck. "John Webb, who died in 1670, had built a log house, at that place, and had resided there a few years. Families of the name of Webb and Danks continued to dwell there for a long time, and many of these families died and were buried there." So that the first burial ground in Easthampton was in that place. But, it is asserted, that the place of burial is now unknown. So soon, in many cases, are the graves of the dead ploughed over and forgotton. One of the family of Danks, by the name of Benoui, became distinguished in military life. He was a Colonel in the British Army.
The next portion of what is now Easthampton, that was settled, was on the north side of the Manhan near us. The first building that was probably erected there was a saw-mill, near the mouth of saw-mill brook, not far from the ground ou which now stands the honse owned by J. Emerson Lyman. " The town of Northampton," says my informant, " gave liberty to erect the saw-mill, in 1674. In
" See Appendix, Noto 2.
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1656-7, the town gave Samuel Bartlett liberty to set up a corn mill, upon Manhan river, below the cart-way, on the Falls of the river." The mill was probably soon built. It is not known how soon a dwelling-house was erected. In 1705, Samuel Bartlett gave his son Joseph the mill and the land about it. The French and Indian war, about that time, probably prevented any one from residing here for some years. Joseph Bartlett was the first permanent resident here, probably as early 1725 or 30. It is evident that Jonathan Clapp, his nephew, resided with him about this time. Joseph died in 1755, and having no children, gave his property mostly to the Clapps: some, however, to his brothers. The gifts of land to his brothers were made, on condition they should pay £4. 8s. 11d. each, to the church of Christ that should first be established, and celebrate divine ordinances and worship, within half a mile of his dwelling house." This sum was paid in after the, agreeably to his will. Thus it appears from his will, dated April, 1754, that he and others were then looking forward to the establishment of a church in this neighborhood. " Joseph Bart- Jett kept the first public house, in what was afterwards Easthampton. He was licensed in 1727, and for nearly twenty years afterwards. Landlord Bartlett's was a noted place in those days, a place of much resort. When there was preaching in this neighborhood, and there often was, it was at his house !"
Some brothers by the name of Wait planted themselves, as early as 1726 or 30, near the present residence of Medad Clapp, but after many years, they removed to other towns. David Bartlett, a brother of Joseph, built a house fifty or sixty rods north-west of the present resi- dence of Medad Clapp, where he died, which was standing till with- in a few years. To this house persons were taken during the Revo- lutionary war, who had the small pox-a disease, the terror of the country in those days, before the introduction of the kine pock vac- cination. It was at this house, that Col. Hosford, of the revolutiona- ry army, died of this disease, and was buried near the house. Here, died also the Rev. Mr. Hooker, of the same disease, the successor of the Rev. Jonathan Edwards of Northampton. His body was carried circuitously, in the night, through the meadows, to its last resting place, in the Northampton burying ground. This privacy of burial was to prevent others from taking the disease. Mr. Hooker himself took it by merely passing along on the side of the street opposite to the house, where Col. Hosford was taken ill in Northampton, before hc, (the Col.) was removed to the house where he died.
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" Northampton," says my informant, " originally appropriated the meadows above and below the grist mill, to the use of the School. In 1744, the town sold all the upper School meadow, and some up- land adjoining, to Dea. Stephen Wright and Benjamin Lyman. They removed here soon after." Benjamin Lyman settled where J. E. Ly- man's houst now stands, then in Northampton, and Dea. Wright where Eli Graves now lives, then the second precinct of Northamp- ton, afterwards Southampton.
A son of each of these neighbors was in the memorable battle of Sept. 8, 1755, near Lake George, in which battle, Col. Williams, the founder of Williams College, was slain, and about 200 others, very many of whom were from this region. Of that number was Eliakim Wright, son of Stephen. Lemuel Lyman, son of Benjamin, then about 19 years of age, was in the battle, and was saved by his bullet pouch. A ball struck that, and by that was prevented from entering his body. The pouch is still preserved in one of the many families of his descendants. The balls used on that occasion by the enemy, were glazed with arsenic or some other poison, so that even a slight wound might prove mortal. I recollect hearing, in early life, an old gentleman * of this town, who was then a soldier near the place of carnage, on that day, give a most thrilling account of the terrible scenes that followed that battle.
But, it is time for me to liasten to speak of the settlement of the third division of the town, viz : Pascommuck. This occurred about the year 1700. Five families settled near each other, at or near the east end of Mount Tom : Moses Hutchinson, John Searl, Benoni Jones, Samuel Janes, and Benjamin Janes. These families estab- lished themselves on the land now occupied by the heirs of the late Phillip Clark - Capt. Thaddeus Parsons, Lysander W. Parsons, and Joseph Parsons, or near their present residences. It appears they were not properly protected and secured against any sudden attack of the savage foe. The consequence was, this village was destroyed by the Indians, in the month of May, 1704, under circumstances of appall- ing barbarity. It was when the meadows, near the Connecticut, were overflowed, and thus all communication with Northampton, except by water, was entirely cut off, that a party of savages, impelled by hunger and their natural ferocity, wandered along down towards the north end of Mount Tom, and, observing the height of the flood,
* Lieut. Asahel Clark. See Appendix, Note 3.
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they seized on an opportunity so favorable to themselves, to descend on these few families, just before it was fully light in the morning. The onset on these inhabitants was as unexpected to them, as it was furious on the part of their assailants ; and though a defence was attempted, at one house, yet, they were all soon overpowered, and nearly all slain or captured. Nineteen or twenty were slain. Tra- dition says, some sprightly lads were preserved by their captors, to accompany them on their route to Canada. It appears also that one man, believed to be Benjamin Janes, escaped and ran down to the water, where, finding a boat or canoe, as he probably expected to, he at once jumped in, and pushed beyond the reach of his pursuers. He arrived at Northampton and gave the alarm. A troop of Cavalry, under command of a Capt. John Taylor, started with the view of intercepting the savages with their prey. Ile came out, as it is understood, on what is called the Westfield road, passing through the present center of this town, on to the south part of it, where between the road and Mount Tom, on what was called many years since, the Brewer farm, nowowned by Charles E. and Chester Wait, he came up with the Indians. They had warning, doubtless, of his approach with his troop, and they knocked in head all the lads -- though not able in their haste, to scalp all-except one active lad by the name of Elisha Searl. He, secing the work of destruction beginning, caught up a pack, and ran along with them, thereby showing thein, that if they would spare him, he would' not only be no hindrance to them, but would help them and keep up with them. He was spared. Capt. Taylor, it is said, was too impetuous, and being considerably in advance of his men, fell on the first fire from the enemy, doubtless concealed in ambush. It is not known, whether any others were killed ; it is certain, however, that the party of savages escaped, and passed on over Pomeroy's mountain, where a woman, scalped and left by them, probably, as dead, was found by our people alive, and car- ried on a litter to Northampton. This woman, the wife of Benjamin Janes, afterwards a deacon of the church in Coventry, Ct , recovered from her severe wounds, and lived to old age.
Another woman, whose husband, John Searl, was killed at Pas- commuck, survived a severe blow from a tomahawk on her head, and from her daughter, born the following September, are many descen- dants. One of these has in her possession a silver hair pin, an article of head dress peculiar to those times, worn on the head of her ances- tor at the time the savage inflicted the blow.
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The lad, Elisha Searl, the son of the last mentioned woman, fol- lowed his new masters to Canada, and was brought up in the Catho- lic faith. To that he became much attached, as well as to Canadian or Indian life ; so much so, it is said, that it was with the greatest difficulty his friends could prevail on him when here, many years af- ter, on a visit, to remain here, and adopt civilized for savage life. These friends, however, at length, prevailed ;# and when Pascommuck was re-settled, some ten or twelve years after the massacre, he occu- pied the place where his father lived when slain. It might here be stated, that his attachment to the Catholic faith was somewhat weak- ened, previously to his return from Canada, when, on a certain occa- sion, being about to leave home, on a long journey, to the west, he asked a priest what he should do during his absence, there being with him no'priest to whom he could confess; he was told he could con- fess to a tree, that would do as well.
One other incident connected with the massacre of the lads, just before the skirmish with Capt. Taylor, ought not to be omitted. One of the lads, Samuel Janes, though knocked on the head, and doubt- Jess left for dead, was only stunned by the blow. He recovered, was one who re-settled Pascommuck, and was the progenitor of a multi- tude, many of whom are residents of this town, at this day.
On the same day of the slaughter at Pascommuck, ten Indians attacked a house lower down the river, near what is now Smith's Ferry. Though this place is not in Easthampton, as it might have been, if a true policy had always been pursued, yet I mention the cir- cumstance as illustrating the resolution and courage of men of those times, and showing, too, their mode of defense. "There were only two men in the house, and yet they would not surrender .; One of them fired and shot at an Indian and broke his arm. The Indians, then, tried to burn the house by shooting spiked arrows, dipped in brimstone, upon the roof," being covered, probably, with thatch or straw ; but one of the men within, wrapping a bed around him, went out to the well and drew water, and extinguished the fire. The Indians dared not approach to kill him while thus engaged, for fear of being shot by the one in the house; and having been foiled in their attempt they withdrew.
It is not known, certainly, that any others, after the disaster at Pascommuck, living within the present limits of this town, were killed
" Capt. Benjamin Wright and Thomas Stebbins. I See Appendix, Note 1.
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by the Indians. Samnel and Joseph Parsons were killed in 1708, either in Pascommuck, or just below it.
Nathaniel Edwards, 2d, of Northampton, was killed in 1721, at the brook near the present residence of Samuel Phelps. He was return- ing home with a cart lond of produce, probably from these meadows, as they were leased to Northampton men for cultivation, and though he was out here with others, who were together for the sake of mutual protection, yet it is said, that in crossing the fording place over the Manhan, just above the present bridge, he was delayed for some rea- son, consequently fell behind the other teamsters, was way-laid at the brook, shot and scalped. Tradition says, that a negro was asleep on the load at the time the event occurred Being awakened by the noise of the gun, or of the whooping of the savages over their fallen victim, he raised his head and looked over cautiously to see what was going on, and saw the savages scalping his master. The team, it appears, passed on to the top of the hill ; and then, he slipped from the load, took a horse from the team, mounted, and overtaking the other teamsters, informed them of what had hap- pened. The murderers, however, escaped unpunished.
It does not appear that the inhabitants of this region were again much alarmed from fear of the Indians, till about 1746, when some houses : viz. Joseph Bartlett's at the Mills, and Samuel Janes' at Pascommuck, were fortified as places of refuge, in case of an attack ; and mounts were erected as watch houses. Maj. Jonathan Clapp's house, too, which stood near where T. J. Pomeroy's house now stands, was protected, also, by extra defences. An aged lady, at the time I am speaking of, a youth in that family, told me some forty years ago, that she well remembered the Indians coming, at night, and rapping at the barred entrance of the house. So that we are not so remote, as some of us may imagine, from times of peril that tried the soul, when there was reason to suspect danger, on every hand, day and night, from a wiley and lurking savage.
But I proceed to speak of the settlement of other parts of the town. " The first settlers in the west part of this town were Samuel and Eldad Pomeroy and their sons. Eldad settled near where John Clapp now lives, and Samuel on the other side of the road, on land now owned by Deacon E. W. Hannum. Their settlement, probably, took place about 1732. Soon after, Caleb, son of Samuel, estab- lished himself on the hill where his grandson, Warham, now lives." In 1760, John Hannum and Eleazer Hannum, were located near
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where their descendants now reside. About the time the Pomeroys established themselves, "Ebenezer Corse planted himself on the plain, where Spencer Clapp now lives. It is said of him, that he was an eccentric man, of great boldness and courage. The tradi- tion is, that he would never remove, as others did, when the Indians were about, but always remained on his own premises." The other settlers on the plains, who followed in a few years, were Stephen Wright and Aaron Clapp and Benjamin Clapp. One of the first settlers in the south part, was Bildad Brewer. I presume that he was not established there very early, since that part of the town was not regarded as so favorable for cultivation as other parts. In the north part of the town, there were two families located as early as 1750, by the name of Joseph and Titus Wright. They afterwards removed from that location. The families recorded as settled in Pascommuck in 1750, were Eliakim Clark, Jonathan Janes, Joseph Searl, Ebenezer Ferry, Elisha Scarl, Samuel Janes, Widow Wharton, John Brown, Noah Clark, Jr., and Daniel Alexander. Zebadiah and John Alvord settled there in 1251 or 1752.
The first effort made to form what is now Easthampton into a town or district, was in 1773. At that time, what is now East- hampton belonged to Northampton and Southampton; and, was . divided as follows. All cast of a line beginning near the bridge over the Manhan river, and running southwardly on the Westfield road, so called, to land now owned by Gamaliel Pomeroy, in Southampton, and all northwardly of a line beginning near the mouth of Saw-mill brook, and extending westwardly in the rear of the houses now owned by Eli Graves and Samuel Wright, to the road just beyond S. Wright's house, along said road westwardly through the house now owned by Deacon E. W. Hannum, towards Pomeroy's mountain ; all east and north of these lines belonged to Northampton, and the other part of course to Southampton. The inhabitants of the part of the town of what is now Easthampton, which then belonged to Northampton, petitioned Northampton, in March, 1723, to be set off into a town or district. " The committee appointed to consider the petition and report, reported in favor of the petition, and proposed the lines for the new town or district ; they also proposed to raise 300 pounds to enable the new town to build a meeting-house and settle a minis- ter. The town accepted the report : and some time after instructed their representative in the General Court, to use his endeavors in fa- for of the new town. Southampton made strong opposition to the
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measure, and the revolutionary troubles coming on, the project was suspended for some years. The subject was again agitated in 1781 and 82. Northampton again voted to set off the new town, and estimating those who would be set off at one-eighth of all the inhabitants of the town, they proposed to give them one-eighth of the value of the public property of the town, and something more. But the district was not incorporated, owing, it is presumed, to the opposition of Southampton, till 1785."
The number of families set off from Northampton was probably less than sixty, and the number of persons not far from 300. On the 13th of Nov. 1785, forty-six persons were dismissed from the church in Northampton, for the purpose of uniting with others in a church to be formed in this place. Others, a few months afterwards, were dismissed for the same object. There were about fifteen families set off from Southampton. The number of church members was 26. These had been trained under the excellent ministry of the Rev. Mr. Judd of that town. The church in this place was organized, Nov. 17, 1785, at the house of Capt. Joseph Clapp. It then consisted of 72 members * The new District contained, probably, a few more than 400 souls.
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