Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 9

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 972

USA > Massachusetts > Berkshire County > Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885 > Part 9

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But it is not necessary to enlarge upon this catologue. Charlevoix and other later writers have entered into elaborate disquisitions on this subject, and the curious reader will find much to interest, if not to instruct him. The aboriginal occupants of Berkshire belonged to the Mahican nation, and when first known to the whites here they had only a small village in Great Barring- ton, called Westenhook. The theory of a northwestern immigration by the barbarous hordes of Asia, long advocated, and holding credence among mod- ern authors generally, is in a measure substantiated by the early tradition of the Mahicans respecting their origin, which runs as follows :-

" The country formerly owned by the Muhheakunnuck nation was situ- ated partly in Massachusetts and partly in the states of Vermont and New York. The inhabitants dwelt chiefly in little towns and villages. Their chief seat was on Hudson's river, now it is called Albany, which was called Pem- potowwut-hut-Muhhecanneuw, or the fire-place of the Muhheakunnuk na- tion, where their allies used to come on any business whether relative to the covenants of their friendship or other matters. The etymology of the word Muhheakunnuk, according to original signification, is great waters or sea, which are constantly in motion, either ebbing or flowing. Our forefathers asserted that they were emigrants from west-by-north of another country ; that they passed over great waters, where this and the other country are nearly connected, called Ukhkokpeck ; it signifies snake water or water where snakes are abundant; and that they lived by side of a great water or sea, from whence they derive the name of Muhheakunnuk nation. Muhheak- unneuw signifies a man of Muhheakunnuk tribe. £ Muhheakunneyuk is a plural number. As they were coming from the west they found many great waters, but none flowing and ebbing like Muhheakunnuk, until they came to Hudson's river ; there they said one to another, this is like Muhheakun- nuk our nativity. And when they found grain was very plenty in that coun- try, they agreed to kindle a fire there and hang a kettle, whereof they and their children after them might dip out their daily refreshment. That before they began to decay, our forefathers informed us that the Muhheakunnuk nation could then raise about one thousand warriors who could turn out at any emergency."

The Mahicans, who, says O'Callagan, (" the Mahicanders or River Indians,")

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lined the Hudson on either side of its mouth, had, according to Hecewelder's account, been confined to the east bank of the river at the time of Hudson's advent in 1609. Hecewelder's information "of the extent of country the Mahicanni inhabited," (the best he could obtain,) " was from an aged and in- telligent man of this nation whose grandfather had been a noted chief." He said the western boundary was the Mahicanniltuck (the Hudson or North river) ; and that their "settlement extended on the east side of this river from Thuphane or Tuphanne, (a Delaware word for cold stream, from which the whites have derived the name Tappan,) to the extent of tide water up this river ; here was the uppermost town. From thence our towns were scattered throughout the country on the smaller rivers and creeks."

"Our nearest neighbors on the east," continues the narrative, "were Wam- pano. These inhabited the Connecticut river downwards, and had their largest town where the sea runs a great way into the land, and where the white people have since built a town, which they called New Haven. These (the Wampano) were in possession of an island, which the white people called Rhode Island. Adjoining the Wampano, east, were the Munachècanni; next to these the Paamnakto ; then the Putuchtinnau; then the Waw- ichtenno, and the Machtitschwannau. These latter lived at or near a place on the sea, where there were a number of islands together, through which a strong current ran, wherefore they were called by this name, which signifieth the same. All these nations were with the Mahicanni like one, and assisted their grandfather, the Delawares, in carrying on the war against the common enemy, the Maqua, until the white people had come into their country. Our grandfather (the Delawares), owned and inhabited all the country from the extent of tide water above Gàschtenick [Albany], to the extent of tide-water, in a river far to the south, where a place was called Pathamook or Pate-ham- moc [Potomac]. Clean across this extent of country [viz .: from Albany to the Potomac], our grandfather had a long house, with a door at each end, one door being at Pate-ham-moc, and the other at Gàschtenick ; which doors were always open to all nations united with them. To this house the nations from ever so far off used to resort, and smoke the pipe of peace with their grandfather. The white people coming over the great water, unfortunately landed at each end of this long house of our grandfathers, and it was not long before they began to pull the same down at both ends. Our grandfather still kept repairing the same, though obliged to make it from time to time shorter, until at length the white people, who had by this time grown very powerful, assisted the common enemy, the Maqua, in erecting a strong house on the ruins of their grandfathers."

Such, then, is a brief sketch of those Indians whose territory originally embraced the head waters of the Hudson, the Housatonic and the Connec- ticut, and the water-shed of lakes George and Champlain. But their "long house " had indeed grown shorter and shorter, until they finally had dwin- dled down to a few scattering remnants. One of these was located in Berk-

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shire county. It consisted of about twenty families, who were located mostly in Great Barrington, Sheffield and Stockbridge.

In 1722 Joseph Parsons and 176 others purchased of these Indians a tract of land in the valley of the Housatonic, which became known as the cele- brated "Upper and Lower Housatonic Townships." "That which the people of New England then regarded as an absolute essential in such enterprises," says one writer, " a reservation for the use and support of a minister was included in their charter. Subsequent investigation having proved that the location of a minister among them could be greatly promoted by availing themselves of the aid of the Society for Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and that the prospect of improving the condition of the Mahicans by direct association was better than through the intercourse had with them at the forts, where missionaries had been stationed, it was determined to make application to that society for a missionary. The application was granted. but on condition that the consent of the Mahicans should first be obtained. A committee accordingly visited them at Westenhook, in July, 1734. The relations existing between the Mahicans and the Massachusetts government being intimate and friendly-Konkapot, the Mahican chief, having been commissioned a captain by Governor Belcher, and Umpachene, his subor- dinate, made a lieutenant, in the colonial service-this consent was readily obtained. In September following, the Rev. John Sargent was appointed to the mission and entered upon his duties in October. In 1735, the mission was definitely located on the W-nahk-ta-hook, or the Great Meadow, the great council chamber of the nation, where a township six miles square was laid out by the legislature as a reservation, under the name of Stockbridge, by which name the Mahicans who were then located there, as well as those who subsequently removed thither, were known to the authori- ties of Massachusetts and New York."

Thus was commenced the celebrated Stockbridge mission, whose further history will be given in connection with the sketch of Stockbridge, on a future page; therefore, suffice it to say at this point, that after the erection of Stock- bridge into a township, these Indians shared in conducting all the town affairs until 1785-87, when they removed to Stockbridge, Madison county, N. Y., where they erected the first grist and saw-mill in that town. Subse- quently, in 1822, they made a second migration, to Green Bay, on the west- ern side of Lake Michigan. In 1833 the United States government effected a treaty with them, giving them $25,000.00 and two townships on Lake Win- nebago, in exchange for their improvements and lands at Green Bay. Thither they accordingly removed, remaining in comparative peace until 1838, when a new emigration began to be agitated, which finally resulted in their remov- ing to Shawnee county, Wis., where about 250 of them now constitute a little Christian community. And this little settlement has dwindled the mighty Mahican nation, the people who greeted Hudson on his visit to the river that

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has since borne his name, and who were the aboriginal occupants of the Berkshire Hills.

WHEN FIRST SETTLED BY THE WHITES.

Following along down the faded decades in search of the first event con- necting Berkshire county's territory with history, we arrive at the year 1676, when were transpiring the closing events of King Phillip's war. In August of that year Maj. John Talcot, with a body of Connecticut soldiers and friendly Indians, pursued a body of hostile Indians from Westfield, and over- taking them on the banks of the Housatonic, killed and made prisoners of a number of them. This sanguinary event turns the first page in the history of this region. Although the event certainly occurred in what is now Berkshire county, it is difficult to place the exact scene of the battle, some authorities claiming it for Stockbridge, others for Sheffield, and still others for Great Barrington. In Hoyt's Antiquarian Researches the following narrative of the affair is given :-

"Not long after his arrival at that place [Westfield], the trail of about two hundred Indians was discovered in the vicinity, shaping towards the Hudson. Talcot immediately took the trail, and pressed on to overtake the Indians, and on the third day discovered them encamped on the west bank of Housatonic river, in the most perfect security. Being late in the day, he resolved to postpone an attack until the next morning, and drawing back, lay upon his arms in the most profound silence. Towards the dawn of day, forming his troops into two divisions, one to pass the river below the Indians, make a detour, and attack them in the rear, while the other was to approach by a direct route opposite to their camp, and open a fire across the river the moment the attack commenced on the opposite side. The plan was partially frustrated. One of the Indians left the camp in the night, and proceeded down the river for the purpose of taking fish, and as the troops who had crossed the river, as had been ordered, were advancing to the attack, he dis- covered them and gave the usual cry, Awanux ! Awanux! on which he was instantly shot. Talcot, now opposite to the Indian camp, hearing the report, instantly poured in a volley, as the Indians were rising from their slumbers. A complete panic ensued, and they fled in confusion into the woods, followed by Talcot, and most who escaped the first fire made good their retreat. The division below was too far distant to share in the victory. Twenty-five Indians were left on the ground, and twenty were made prisoners, and among the former was the Sachem of Quoboag. Talcot lost but one man and he a Mohigan."

Hubbard, in his Narrative of Indian Wars, written soon after the occur- rence, says that Talcot fought with the Indians, " killing and taking prisoners forty-five, whereof twenty-five were fighting men, without the loss of any one of his company, beside a Mohigan Indian. Many of the rest were sorely wounded," he continues, " as appeared by the dabbling of the brushes with blood, as was observed by them that followed them a little further." As a postscript to this report, he states : " It is written since from Albany that there were sundry lost besides the forty-five forementioned, to the number of

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three-score in all; and also that a hundred and twenty of them are now dead of sickness."

Thus were the Berkshire Hills early baptized with blood, and its silent for- est wakened to the echo of the dying war-whoop and the death rattle. The next historical reference we find follows on a few years later, when cer- tain shrewd Dutch traders at Albany take advantage of the Indians igno- rance and cupidity to secure to themselves a title to the larger part of this beautiful region. But to make clear our statements we will d'gress for a moment.

It is doubtless well known to the reader that Massachusetts had great trouble in finally establishing and maintaining the boundary lines of the western put of her territory. On the north, where was then the province of New Hamp. shire, the boundary line was long a source of controversy, a mooted question that was not settled until March 5, 1740, when King George II. decreed that the line should be surveyed in accordance with certain special instructions, which was accordingly done during the following year by Richard Hazen, whereby the Bay State lost a large amount of territory, which she had sup- posed was her own. On the south, when the boundary line was fi ally determined, in 1713, it was found that Massachusetts had appropriated 107,- 793 acres of land that rightfully belonged to Connecticut. This land she retained, however, by ceding to Connecticut a like amount, located in other parts of her domain. This "equivalant land," was sold at public auction by Connecticut, on the 25th day of April, 1715, being bid off for £683, New England currency, or about one farthing per acre, the money thus obtained being applied to the use of Yale College. But over the western boundary of the Province occurred the sternest controversy of all. Here New York orig- inally laid claim to all territory as far east as the Connecticut river, thus including what is now the entire territory of Berkshire, and nearly all of Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties. And it was not without ap- parent good reason that New York insisted upon the Connecticut as her eastern boundary line, and had she rapidly pushed settlers into the disputed territory, the Berkshire Hills would doubtless at this time be the just pride of New York, instead of belonging to her Puritanic sister. But this she failed to do, neglecting to push her settlements east of the Taghonic Mountains, while Massachusetts by occupancy obtained possession, eventually establish- ing her right to the disputed territory. This divisional line, after long and tedious quarrels, sometimes resulting in bloodshed, was finally agreed upon in 1773, at a general distance of twenty miles east of the Hudson, though it was not permanently settled until 1787.

We will now return to the Dutch grant, given under the authority of the Province of New York, and known as the "Patent of Westenhook." The petition for the patent, dated July 11, 1705, with its claim based upon deeds given by the Indians in 1685, 1703 and 1704, recites, that "the petitioners had, several years before, advanced money and goods to the Indian proprie-

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tors of land on a creek called Westenhook, describes the boundaries of the two upper tracts, nearly as they were written in the patent, and states that the Indians mortgaged the premises to the petitioners ; that they had made fur- ther advancements of money and goods to the Indians, and had purchased the lands of them on the first and second of October, 1703 ; that, the Indians being unable to pay the sums previously advanced, or to obtain the money and goods which they wanted from any other party, the petitioners had ' con- descended' to make these further advancements and take deeds of the land." The grant under this patent covers four large tracts of land extending north- erly, along both sides of the Housatonic river from a point below Canaan Falls to a considerable distance above Glendale, and was issued in favor of Peter Schuyler, Derrick Wessels, Jno. Abeel, John Jouse Bleecker, Ebenezer Wilson, Peter Fanconier, Doctor Daniel Cox, Thomas Wenham and Henry Smith. The boundaries are vaguely stated, though sufficiently clear to show that the grant covered a large part of the county. It does not appear that any improvements were instituted previous to the advent of Massachu- setts settlers, though the subsequent clashing of titles led to vexatious quarrels.

Finally, in 1722, occurred the first movement towards a civilized settlement in the wilderness that covered the Berkshire Hills. On the 30th of January of that year, 176 inhabitants of Hampshire county petitioned the general court for two townships of land situated on the Housatonic river. The petition was granted, and the townships ordered to contain a tract seven miles square, each. John Stoddard and Henry Dwight, of Northampton, Luke Hitchcock, of Springfield, John Ashley, of Westfield, Samuel Porter, of Hadley, and Ebenezer Pomeroy, of Northampton, were appointed a com- mittee for dividing the tract, granting lots, admitting settlers, etc. This committee met in the following March, at Springfield, and fifty-five prospec- tive settlers received grants, complying with the conditions attached to them. Measures were taken to purchase the land contained in the grants, of the In- dians, and, on the 25th of April, 1724, a deed was executed by them, convey- ing a tract bounded on the south by the divisional line between Massachu- setts and Connecticut, west by the colony of New York, eastward to a line four miles from the Housatonic river, " and in a general way so to extend ;" and north "to the great mountains." The deed thus embracing the present towns of Sheffield, Egremont, Mount Washington, Great Barrington, Alford, a considerable part of Lee, and the larger part of Stockbridge and West Stockbridge. The Indians made certain reservations of land, and received in consideration £460 in money, three barrels of cider, and thirty quarts of rum. The tract was known, until its later division into townships, as the " Upper and Lower Housatonic Townships." Here, in what is now the township of Sheffield, was begun the first civilized settlement in the county, though there had been a few Dutch traders among the Indians. The first settler was Matthew Noble, who came on from Westfield in the autumn of 1725. He spent one winter here entirely alone, or with no other companions

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than the Indians. Returning to Westfield in the spring, he started in June, 1726, to resume his residence on the banks of the Housatonic, taking with him his daughter, only sixteen years of age. She rode on horseback, taking her bed upon the horse with her, and lodged one night in the wilderness while making the passage. Thus was begun the first settlement in Berkshire county.

During that year settlers came in to the number of about sixty, and from that time forward the new settlement slowly increased. In 1734-35 was begun the mission among the Indians, spoken of on page 69, giving a new impetus to immigration. But it was not long before the first French, or Cape Breton war came on, in 1744, bringing with it the constant dread of Indian and French invasion, which, together with quarrels over land-titles caused the young settlements to languish for many years. But during this time the terri- tory was crossed and re-crossed by British soldiers, many of whom, struck by the beauty of the country, subsequently became settlers as did also many of those who were stationed at the forts built in North Adams, Williamstown, and Lanesboro. But the memorable battle on the Plains of Abraham, September 13, 1759, when Quebec capitulated, and the subsequent peace treaty of 1763, when all of Canada was ceded to Great Britain, did away with the menace of a foreign and a savage foe, and settlers from Connecticut and the earlier settled parts of Massachusetts began to pour in, so that in 1791, when the first U. S. census was taken, the county had a population of 30, 291 souls, equaling nearly half its present population.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Scarcely had the pioneers settled down to the avocations of peace, when the tyranny of Great Britain began to be felt, terminating in the war of the Rev- olution. We will not rehearse the causes which brought this great event about, but simply glance at their results as shown in Berkshire county. In 1774, a county convention was called, meeting at Stockbridge on the 6th and 7th of July. At this convention, or "Congress" as it was then called, the several towns were represented by delegates, as follows: Adams, Eliel Todd ; Alford, Ebenezer Barrett, Deodote Ingersoll and William Brunson ; Becket, Nathaniel Kingsley, Peter Porter, and Jonathan Wadsworth ; Egremont, Ephraim Fitch, Capt. Timothy Kellogg and Samuel Culver ; Great Barring- ton, Mark Hopkins, Dr. William Whiting and Truman Wheeler ; Hancock, Capt. Asa Douglass ; Lenox, Caleb Hyde, Capt. Edward Gray, Lemuel Col- lins, Jno. Patterson and William Walker ; Lanesboro, Gideon Wheeler, Peter Curtis and Francis Gittau; New Marlboro, Elihu Wright, Jabez Ward, Noah Church, Zenas Wheeler and Ephraim Gittau ; Peru, Nathan Fisk ; Pittsfield, Jno. Brown, James Eason and Jno. Strong ; Richmond, Capt. Elisha Brown, Lieut. David Rosseter and Nathaniel Wilson ; Sheffield, Jno. Ashley, Capt. Nathaniel Austin, Silas Kellogg, Theodore Sedgwick, Capt. William Day, William Bacon and Dr. Lemuel Barnard ; Stockbridge, Timo- thy Edwards, Jahleel Woobridge, Samuel Brown, Jr., Thomas Williams, and Dr. Erastus Sergeant ; Tyringham, Giles Jackson, Benjamin Warner and

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Ezekiel Herrick ; West Stockbridge, Elisha Hooper and Benjamin Lewis ; Washington, William Spencer and Moses Ashley ; and Williamstown, Robert Hawkins, Elisha Biker and Jacob Marsh, making fifty-eight delegates in all. These gentlemen drew up the following set of resolutions and forwarded them to the " Committee of Correspondence," at Boston :-

" Whereas, The Parliament of Great Britain have, of late, undertaken to give and grant away our money, without our knowlege or consent ; and in order to compel us to a servile submission to the above measures, have pro- ceeded to block up the harbor of Boston ; also, have, or are about to vacate the charter, and repeal certain laws of this Province, heretofore enacted by the General Court, and confirmed to us by the king and his predecessors. There- fore, as a means to obtain a speedy redress of the above grievances, We do solemnly and in good faith covenant and engage with each other :

" Ist, That we will not import, purchase, or consume, or suffer any person for, by, or under us, to import, purchase, or consume, in any manner what- ever, any goods, wares, or manufactures, which shall arrive in America from Great Britain, from and after the first day of October next, or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the American Congress ; nor any goods which shall be ordered from thence and after this day, until our charter and constitutional rights shall be restored ; or until it shall be determined by the major part of our brethren in this and the neighboring colonies, that a non- importation agreement will not have a tendency to effect the desired end, and until it shall be apparent that a non-importation or non-consumption agree- ment will not be entered into by the majority of this and the neighboring col- onies, except such articles as the said General Congress of North America shall advise to import and consume :

" 2d, We do further covenant and agree, that we will observe the most strict obedience to all constitutional laws and authority ; and will at all times exert ourselves to the utmost for the discouragement of all licentiousness, and suppressing all disorderly mobs and riots :

" 3d, We will exert ourselves as far in us lies, in promoting peace, love, and unanimity among each other ; and for that end, we engage to avoid all unnecessary lawsuits whatever.

"4th. As a strict and proper adherence to the non-importation and non- consumption agreement will, if not seasonably provided against, involve us in many difficulties and inconveniences, we do promise and agree, that we will take the most prudent care for the raising of sheep, and for the manufacturing all such clothes as shall be most useful and necessary ; and, also, for the raising of flax, and the manufacturing of linen ; further, that we will by every prudent method endeavor to guard against all those inconveniences which might otherwise arise from the foregoing agreement :

"5th, That if any person shall refuse to sign this, or a similar covenant, or after having siged it, shall not adhere to the real intent and meaning thereof, he or they shall be treated by us with all the neglect they shall justly deserve, particularly by omitting all commercial dealings with them.

" 6th, That of this, or a similar covenant, shall, after the first day of Au- gust next, be offered to any trader or shop-keeper in this county, or he or they shall refuse to sign the same for the space of forty-eight hours, that we will from thenceforth purchase no article of British manufacture, or East India goods, from him or them, until such time as he or they shall sign this or a similar covenant."

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Gazetteer of Berkshire County, Mass., 1725-1885, Part 9

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office Number of Pages: 972

Author: Child, Hamilton, 1836- comp. cn
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Printed at the Journal Office
Number of Pages: 972