USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Deerfield > History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: the times when the people by whom it was settled, unsettled and resettled, vol 2 > Part 1
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011 Indian Hier 1: See Tot. Jpg.311. 1.01.1
1636-POCUMTUCK-1886
A HISTORY
OF
DEERFIELD,
MASSACHUSETTS:
THE TIMES WHEN AND THE PEOPLE BY WHOM IT WAS SETTLED, UNSETTLED AND RESETTLED :
WITH A SPECIAL STUDY OF THE
INDIAN WARS
IN THE
CONNECTICUT VALLEY.
WITH GENEALOGIES.
BY GEORGE SHELDON. VOL. II.
ME
VA
C
CU
PO
TION
INCOR
1870
DEERFIELD, MASS .: 1896.
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1895, by GEORGE SHIELDON,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
GREENFIELD, MASS: PRESS OF E. A. HALL & CO., 1896.
=75
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXII.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD. Page.
Stamp Act-Slave Trade-Boston Tea Party-Liberty Poie-Courts- Mobs-Social Life-Minute Men-Lexington Alarm-March to Cambridge-Benedict Arnold-Capture of Old Ti-Bunker Hill -Tory Minister-Committee of Safety-Declaration of Independ- ence-Home Letters-Arrest of Tories at Hatfield and Montague -Northampton Jail-Battle of Walloomsac-Spoils of War-Bur- goyne Campaign-Enlisting and Drafting-New Constitution- Ministerial Council-Death of Mr. Ashley-Colonial Taxation- Continental Money-Tories in Town Meeting-Tories in Prison. 673-749
CHAPTER XXIII.
Hard Times-Ely Insurrection-The Rescue-The Pursuit-Hostages -Northampton Threatened-Deerfield Contingent-The Inter- view-Close of the War. . 750-759
CHAPTER XXIV.
Roads-Scarcity of Money-The Remedy-County Lines-Shays Re- bellion -- Tobacco -- Counterfeiters -- Meadow Mill-Common Field-Opening the Meadows-Chronological Table. . 760-772
CHAPTER XXV.
Ministerial and Municipal Affairs-Too far from Meeting-Candidates for the Pulpit-John Taylor Settled-Obsequies of Washington- Missionary Tour-Mr. Taylor Dismissed-Samuel P. Williams- Prosperous Times-Causes-Settlement of Samuel Willard-Or- dination Refused-His Creed-Second Call-Yea and Nay Vote -Opposition on Territorial Lines-Ministerial Fund-Second Congregational Society-Brick Meetinghouse-Mr. Willard Dis- missed-His Successors, John Fessenden, Daniel B. Parkhurst, James Blodget, John F. Moors, James K. Hosmer, Edgar Buck- ingham-Third Congregational Society-Monument Society- Methodist Society-Baptist Society-Roman Catholic Society. . 773-809
CHAPTER XXVI.
Political Parties-War of 1812-Babies of 1812-Military Magazine- French Alliance-Capt. Lawrence on the Chesapeake-Art of
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Page.
War-Militant Professor-Fourth of July Celebration-March to Boston-Officers in Camp-Anti-Masonry-Anti-Slavery. . 810-822
CHAPTER XXVII.
Libraries-The Union, Social, Second Social, Encyclopedia, Juvenile, Agricultural, Reading Association, Academy, Military, P. V. M. Association, Dickinson, Bloody Brook-Literature-Literary Or- ganizations-Women at the Front-Washington Centennial- Town House-Authors of Books. . . 823-838
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Education-Select School-Deerfield Academy-Dickinson Free Acad- emy-Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association-Museum. . 839-852
CHAPTER XXIX
Civil List for Two Hundred Years, 1686-1886. . 853-859. CHAPTER XXX.
Great Rebellion-Town Action-List of Soldiers-Soldiers Monument. 860-867 CHAPTER XXXI.
Commissioned Military Officers for Two Hundred Years-The Old Can- non-Franklin Cadets-Agricultural Societies-Fire Engine- Burying Grounds. XXXII.
. 868-884
Bells-Passing Bell-Nine o'clock Bell -- Dinner Bell-Nooning -- Cold Pot Luck-Charities-Negro Slavery-The Coffee Plant-Jin- Luce Bijah-An Advocate-Comforting Sermon-Bill of Rights- Cheapside-Fall Boats-Canals-River Traffic-Bridges-Steam- boats-County Seat-Business -- 8000 Acre Line. . 885-924
Abbreviations used in Genealogies. 4
Genealogies, Part II. 5-395
Appendix-Additions and Corrections. . 397-407
Index to History. . 409-443
Index to Genealogies. . 445-477
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
This period fairly dates from the first act of Parliament for raising a revenue in their American colonies. In point of fact the Whig and the Tory parties here were then formed, the Whigs denying the claim of right to impose such taxes, and the Tories maintaining it.
These names were brought from England, where for more than a century the Whigs had contended for Constitutional liberty, while the Tories stood up for Royal prerogative and arbitrary power. The Tories of both continents were con- servative, anchored to the traditions of the past, while the Whigs struck out for the inborn rights of man, a larger lib- erty of thought and action.
The people of the present generation, certainly those of the north, can have little idea of the bitter feeling that grew up between these parties when the outbreak came. Among the Loyalists, Whig was a term of reproach, and used very much as the term anarchist is used to-day.
The Whigs were very much in earnest from the start. The Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act of 1765, and others, were denounced as unconstitutional, oppressive, and in viola- tion of their Chartered Rights. And it was on this broad ground that the Revolution grew up.
In view of the sentiment of opposition in the Colonies, Parliament repealed some of the most obnoxious acts; but, at the same time, asserted its full right to tax the colonies at will, and in 1766 several companies of Royal artillery were sent to Boston as a threat. This aroused our people as nothing else had, and Massachusetts soon took measures looking to- wards a union of the colonial Legislatures in a Continental
674
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
Congress. This movement was denounced by Parliament as " Highly Inflammatory, and Tending to Sedition,"-as it tru- ly was-and in 1768 Gov. Bernard was directed to dissolve the General Court. Sept. 28th, 1768, delegates from ninety- six towns met in convention in Boston to consider the condi- tion of the country. In the House of Lords the tendency of this and similar meetings was clearly seen, and denounced as a daring usurpation of authority, and an insult to the King
Parliament had directed the colony to billet its soldiers here. In May, 1769, the General Court utterly refused an ap- propriation for that purpose, and in August Gov. Bernard sailed for Europe, leaving Lieut-Gov. Thomas Hutchinson at the head of affairs. On the State Street Massacre, March 5th, 1770, at the demand of the people of Boston, led by Sam- uel Adams, Hutchinson removed all English soldiers from the town to Castle Island.
On the same 5th of March, Lord North introduced a bill in Parliament, abolishing all taxation except that on tea, and an ingenious scheme was devised whereby tea should be im- ported and sold here at nine pence a pound cheaper than in England. Our Whig statesmen did not walk into the trap aft- er that bait. It was the principle, not the "thripence a pound on tea," for which they were contending. Associations were formed agreeing not to use tea until the tax was repealed. The Whigs generally signed the articles, and this was made a test of partriotism. The appearance of a teapot on the ta- ble, or the fragrance of the Hyson issuing from the buttery, where the steaming vessel had been hurried on the advent of a neighbor, was considered a sure sign of a Tory house- hold.
For ten years Deerfield had been represented in the Co- lonial Assembly by Maj. Elijah Williams, or Jonathan Ash- ley, Jr., both Tories ; but in 1770 the Whigs came into power and sent David Field. In 1772, Hutchinson, now full-fledged governor, refused to call the Legislature together for fear of patriotic action. A town meeting in Boston filled the gap. A committee was chosen, with Samuel Adams at the head, to communicate with the other towns in the colony. This movement was far-reaching in its effects. The towns re- sponded, and out of it grew the "Committees of Correspond-
675
HUTCHINSON'S EMISSARIES IN DEERFIELD.
ence, Inspection and Safety," which became the ruling power in the land.
Hutchinson was justly alarmed at the doings of the Boston town meeting, and in 1773 sent his partisans over the country to counteract its effect. To Deerfield, came three Tories from Boston, Morton, Drury and LeBarron, and a conference was held with the Deerfield Tories at the tavern of Lieut. Seth Catlin, which held on until two o'clock in the morning of April 3d. A report of the doings at this meeting has not been received, but it is safe to say that a large quantity of flip was consumed in drinking the king's health.
May 12th, 1773, a town meeting was held, and Samuel Field was chosen representative to the General Court. Some ten years before, John Workman, and other Quakers of Philadel- phia, had opened a crusade against the slave trade. The discussion about the natural rights of man now going on called the attention of many to the accursed traffic, and at this meeting a paper setting forth its wickedness was read to the assembled people. The meeting was in the hands of the Whigs, and the Tory town clerk made no record of the doings thereat. We are indebted to a private diary for any knowl- edge of it.
Representative Field came home from Boston charged with news and stories. Two will be given which may not have been elsewhere preserved-a brace of patriotic toasts- one by Samuel Adams :-
May the fair fields of America be watered with the blood, and ma- nured by the ashes of its Malignant Enemies. [The other by John Hancock: | May the enemies of America have free export, with the benefit of a Draw-back.
Field also brought home copies of the famous letters writ- ten to England in the interest of the Tories by Bernard, Hutchinson, Paxton and Rogers, which had been discovered by Franklin and sent home to Samuel Adams. The contents raised to a white heat the party fire of the Whigs, while the Tories couldn't see anything in them to make a fuss about.
The big dish of tea made in Boston harbor, December 16th, 1773, stimulated the blood of two continents. David Field was in Boston that day, and when he brought the news there was a jollification meeting at David Saxton's tavern. When the meeting broke up the mellow Whigs woke the echoes of
676
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
the night by proclaiming about the town the exploits of those men :--
Who went aboard the British ships their vengeance to administer. And didn't care a tarnal bit for any king or minister; Who made a duced mess of tea, in one of the biggest dishes, Steeped the Bohea in the sea, and treated all the fishes.
If the Tories were less boisterous in their consultation, they were not less determined, and looked forward to a not distant day when their hour should come, and "king and minister" triumph ; and they did not join in the general mourning when the Boston Port Bill went into effect the first day of June following.
Benjamin Franklin was ousted from the office of Postmas- ter-General in America because he was a Whig, and the ser- vice broke down. In May, 1774, a few patriots formed a plan for a regular communication through the colonies. It was presumably under a plan adopted by Deerfield years before. The general postoffice service must have been very meagre and unsatisfactory to an intelligent community like that in Deerfield, and the general system was supplemented by one of her own. In December, 1773, the men named below paid Win. Mosman twelve shillings each, "for my Service in Rid- ing Post from Boston to Deerfield for the term of one year from November 1772 to November 1773." Through this Post communication with the outside world was kept up. He went no farther than Deerfield. Greenfield and Charlemont men came here to meet him :-
Daniel Arms,
Jona. ..
Jona. Ashley, Thomas Bardwell, Jr., Ebenezer Barnard,
David Field, Samuel " John Hawks,
David Hoyt,
Tona. ..
Joseph
Joseph " Jr.
Salah
Seth Catlin, David Dickinson,
Jonas Locke, John Russell, Remembrance Shel- don, Joseph Stebbins,
David Wells, John Williams, Thomas Williams, all of Deerfield. Moses Bascom, of Greenfield. Aaron Rice,
Othniel Taylor, of Charlemont.
It was, I suppose, under this arrangement, that the Post spoken of in this chapter came once a week to Deerfield with letters, papers and small packages. His arrival at David Iloyt's tavern, on the day he was due, was awaited in those exciting days with a good deal of impatience by the men gathered there. Many hot disputes between Whig and Tory arose on these occasions, and striking arguments were some- times resorted to. Joseph Stebbins and Oliver Field on one
677
THIE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.
side and Parson Ashley's sons on the other were not the least prominent in the wordy war.
1774. This year the Revolution ripened fast. May 13th, Gen. Gage arrived in Boston and fresh troops were landed. June Ist, Governor Hutchinson, being succeeded by General Gage, sailed for England and the Boston Port Bill went into operation. This measure developed abundant sympathy for Boston and served to cement the colonies into one body of opposition.
Governor Gage took high-handed measures with the Gen- eral Court, but it was made up of zealous Whigs, who were able to hold their own, and the representative of our town did his full share of the work. The most important act was to elect five delegates to a Continental Congress at Phila- delphia. There was rejoicing among the Whigs at the step, while the Tories were filled with indignation at this assump- tion of power. Gage, in a towering rage, at once dissolved the Assembly.
William, son of Col. Israel Williams of Hatfield, drafted a " Protest against the Proceedings of the House of Represent- atives and the Measures now adopted by the Colonies, and the plan the people are now acting upon." This paper was received here July 16th, by a young Tory, who made copies for circulation.
The General Court had appointed July 21st to be observed as a day of fasting and prayer. The Tories took no notice of this except to show pointedly their contempt for it.
July 22d, Parson Ashley had a tea party in defiance of the non-consumption association, and his son carried a pound of tea, which he had procured Fast day of Israel Williams & Son, at Hatfield, to the wife of Parson Roger Newton at Greenfield.
The Liberty Pole. It was the custom for the Sons of Liberty to set up tall liberty poles in public places. On the night of July 28th one was brought into town to be set up the next day. The fact coming to the ears of the Tories, some of them went and sawed it off in the middle. The story is told in the following letter written two days later :-
Permit me to tell you of ye Proceedings of some young Gents of this town in ye week past. Ephraim Potter and Edw'd Lawrence, taking into their Serious Consideration ye present alarming Situation
678
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
of America, occasioned by the oppressive hand of Power, and upon Mature Deliberation, thought the Erection of a Liberty Pole would have ye most happy tendency of restoring and Establishing Peace and Harmony between y' Mother Country and ye Colonies-There- fore did on the 28th of this instant get one into Town, but it being late, they were not able to erect it, and on ye same Night, by some Malicious Person, Inimical to his Country, ye sd Pole was sawn in sunder. Nevertheless, on the ensuing Night, ye Liberty Pole was set up and also a Tory Pole, (as they in their infinite wisdom are pleased to call it) and set old Mrs. Vassalls epitaph upon ye sd Tory Pole with little alteration *
* We have the Honor of having a Liberty Pole, & more to our Honor be it, that it was set up by a pack of ignorant villains. Where are things going, that so sensible people as you know the Town of Deerfield are, should suffer these Rascals to carry matters on so. I cannot help feeling, and very sensibly, when I think what the Consequences of these things will be & have no reason to think but that they will issue in blood, I feel not concerned for myself, but for my friends. But we have a God, and this Being we ought to look to, who alone is able to deliver us from our most inveterate enemies; and by whose Infinite wisdom I hope we shall be extracted from all our Troubles.
This letter was written by the one who handled the saw, four others being privy to it.
The Liberty Pole was put up in front of David Field's store, which stood just north of Mrs. Wright's brick house. Sunday, August 7th, Col. Israel Williams attended meeting here in the morning. At noon he went to Parson Ashley's to dine. While "passing the Liberty Pole, he observed and said that he thought such a pole a profanation of the ordi- nance." As we shall see, this man was destined to receive greater affronts than this from the profane Whigs.
Liberty Poles became common. August 22d, Hadley set up one one hundred and thirty feet high. The week be- fore, the Sons of Liberty in Montague raised one near the meetinghouse. August 21st the minister preached a sermon upon "the sin of erecting such an Idol." The next day Moses Gunn takes him to task in a strong argumentative reply to "the open, sudden and unexpected Attack" made upon his " brethren, the Sons of Liberty." He says he "could never have conjectured what you or any other person could have against erecting a Liberty Pole." That it "could be treated as an Idol and the Persons who set it up as Idolators, and that in a serious manner would never have entered his head. X An Idol made and Erected after the manner of a mast or May Pole with an Ensign of Liberty tacked to the top of it,
679
THE ISSUE MADE UP.
that is to say English colours with the Significant word Lib- erty inseribed, is a form of making and setting up a God, which I believe neither Antient nor modern Idolaters hit upon." He then tells his pastor "What is my Sense of a Lib- erty Pole." It means "This people are for Liberty *
* * This Liberty Pole innocently and Simply raises its lofty head ! I wish it reached the clouds! Strikes the eye of the Behold- er even at a Distance and in the most natural easy and ready manner puts him in mind of his Liberty and Rights."
It soon became the fashion for any who had wit to exploit, spleen to vent, or grudge to settle, to post over night on the Liberty Pole what was called an "advertisement." This weapon was used by both Whig and Tory. A single speci- men (?) has been preserved. It was scrawled over a page of foolseap. I have attempted some punctuation, which was wholly wanting, and may have obscured the poetie fire, and marred the deep thought or pure diction by so doing :-
Mr torys, i think its disgras, tho i give you my plase, to take up my painn for to right.
But siers, i do se this lyberty pool is so much in voge for such blackgard pesses, which I do not like. it is a disgras to the pool, & i am shewer that i should Be ashamed to let such flat peses be seen. O, you poor torise ! i think it is anof for to make any man right .- i should adress my self to you in the fooregoing linse that im not pro nour con, -but O! poor torys in Deerfield Dwell! you are the fewel of York Hell! for your peeses are as insipid as a cats face. i would not have you not get old Mother Spindle to word the pesses for you,
i mark this thing faith, for th-this is tory grammar, faith it is- roght strongue, i can sware. O, you poor towryes! when shall i get some tar? i do com mand you to not defile the libertie poole with no more of your Dambd skrools. David D. is an na fog gen, faith i am not the man that you tok me to be, be i? this is rought strongue, ant it now? also [?] th i have to say, as it is to darck.
Underlying all the chaff and froth on the surface strife, was the serious conviction, on both sides, that bad breakers were not far ahead. The Whigs declared that Parliament had violated the charter of the colony, had forfeited their claim to obedience, and that no legitimate governing powers existed. The issue was now made up. Parliament had de- clared its right to bind the colonies in all cases whatsoever. The Liberty party demanded all the constitutional rights of Englishmen. No taxation without representation. There was a strong minority in Parliament which took sides with
.
680
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
the colonists in this struggle, but the eloquence of Pitt, Burke, Greenville, Grafton, Richmond, Conway, Shelburne, Chester- field, Dartmouth and others, was of no avail against the im- perious determination of Lord North.
Congress approved opposition to the unconstitutional acts of Parliament, advised the people to dispense with courts as far as consistent with law and order, and to settle questions of law among themselves, or by arbitration. As the judges were not holding their places by tenor of the charter, the county of Suffolk, early in September, 1774, agreed in Con- vention to save harmless all sheriffs, constables or jurors who should refuse to carry into effect any orders of the courts; earnestly recommending creditors to show generous forbear- ance, and debtors to pay their dues with all possible speed. The convention denounced all who would not follow this course as enemies of their country. This was opening a pret- ty wide door, but they enjoined peaceable measures, depre- cating all violence or lawlessness.
This advice was lost on both parties. Gage filled Boston with soldiers, fortified the Neck and seized the military stores at Cambridge. He forbade the people meeting in convention and declared he would disperse them by force if they did. He called the General Court to meet at Salem, October 5th, 1774, and then by proclamation forbade the session. But the Whigs would not down. The representatives chosen met at Salem, and October 7th, resolved themselves into a Pro- vincial Congress. This Congress adjourned to Concord. After providing for a new election it was dissolved, Decem- ber ioth, 1774. A second Provincial Congress met at Cam- bridge, February ist, 1775. Committees of Correspondence, Inspection and Safety were established and given large pow- ers. Henry Gardner was chosen Receiver General. The third Congress met May 31st. In June it issued precepts for the elections of representatives and held on until the ineet- ing of the new General Court July 19th, 1775. The Whig rallying cry was liberty now or slavery evermore.
The Whigs of Deerfield had heavy odds against them. In- cense to the King from the fragrant Hyson filled the air. The minister, the judge, the sheriff, the esquire, the three doctors, the town clerk and treasurer, one store keeper, two of the three tavern keepers, most of those who had held com
.
681
ESQUIRE ASHLEY DRAWING WRITS.
missions from the King in the late wars, and generally the young bloods who were looking forward to places of honor or office from royalty, were loyal to the source of power. A large proportion of the civil and military offices in other parts of Western Massachusetts were held by men of the same mind, and there were many ties of blood or marriage between these and the Tories of Deerfield.
Dr. Williams, the Tory town clerk, made only such record of the doings of the town as he saw fit. Meetings of a political character, carried in the interest of the Whigs, his dignity forbade his noticing at all. But as the strength of the Whigs increased, new leaders came to the fore, and after being di- rected " to make a true faithful record of the votes passed " in vain, he was the next year superseded by David Dickinson, a Whig.
Great preparations were made by Tory creditors for the August courts. Esq. Jonathan Ashley was a busy man. He was so crowded that for many days his brother Elihu was engaged with him "drawing writs.'
August 4th, 1774, news reached here from Great Barring- ton that David Ingersoll, a Tory, had been mobbed by the Liberty men. His Deerfield connections and friends began to open their eyes to the possible consequences, but Esq. Ashley and his brother kept on "drawing writs."
August 19th came news that on the 16th the court at Great Barrington had been stopped, David Ingersoll mobbed and the windows of his house broken, but-Esq. Ashley and his brother kept on "drawing writs." Maj. Joseph Hawley was at Great Barrington ; what part he took in the row may per- haps be guessed. Ingersoll came over the mountain to Ches- terfield, but he was out of the frying pan into the fire. He and Col. Israel Williams were seized by a mob and compelled to sign a covenant dictated by their captors. Both, with Dr. Ebenezer Barnard of Deerfield, and John Graves of Pittsfield, took to the woods for Hatfield. Here Ingersoll fell into the hands of another mob, which drove him out of town, and on the 24th he sought refuge in Deerfield, for rest and comfort.
The atmosphere here increased in temperature so fast, that Ingersoll took advice from his fears, perhaps also from his friends, and the same day turned his horse's head towards Boston, that haven of distressed Tories. His coat and his
682
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
pocket book followed him to Deerfield the 25th. Any con- clusions drawn from this fact will not be disputed by the scribe. But meantime, Esq. Ashley and his brother kept on "drawing writs"-for the court was to meet at Springfield, Tuesday, August 30th. Should this court be allowed to do business, or should it be stopped by the Sons of Liberty ? Noah Cook and Warham Smith of Hadley sent out circular letters inviting the towns to choose delegates to meet in con- vention at Hadley, August 26th, to consider this question.
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