USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 38
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WESTFIELD.
Westfield, by Emerson Davis, A. M .; " to which publication, the author is indebted almost entirely for the history of this town.
No special harm was received from the Indians until the commencement of this war in 1675. I have compiled an account of the injuries received during this war from records kept by the Rev. Mr. Taylor. He remarks that they were sorely distressed, yet sovereignly preserved. "Our soil," he says, "was moistened by the blood of three Springfield men, young Goodman Dumbleton, who came to our mill, and two sons of Goodman Brooks, who came here to look for iron ore on land bought of Mr. J. Pyncheon, who accompanied them, but they fell in the way by the first assault of the enemy. At the same time Mr. Cornish's house was burnt to ashes, and also John Sackett's house and barn with its contents, it being the first snowy day of winter. They also lodged a ball in Mr. Granger's leg. It was thought the enemy received some loss, because in the ashes of Mr. Cornish's house the bones of a man were found. Also in the winter some scattering rascals, upon a Lord's day, in the time of afternoon worship, fired Mr. Ambrose Fowler's house and barn, and in the week after Mr. Walter Lee's barın. On the last snowy day we had in the winter of 1675, we, discover- ing an end of the Indians, did send out a scout to make a full discovery of the same, designing only three or four to go with orders not to assault them, but, to our woe and smart, there going ten or twelve, not as scouts, but as assailants, run furiously upon them, and received from the enemy a furious charge, whereby Mr. Moses Cook, an inhabitant, and a soldier not an inhabitant, were killed."
In the fall after, nine men from Westfield were at Deerfield, at the time of an attack upon that place, three of whom were killed. The few families residing here during the war were so impoverished and distressed that some left, and all more than once were upon the point of relinquishing their lands and uniting with other. planta- tions for the purpose of protection. Thus their lives were in constant jeopardy ; they were few in the midst of savages, destitute of the luxuries and most of the comforts of life, contented with such food as their own valley produced. Previous to 1675, a grist mill and saw mill were erected on a brook emptying into the great river just below the county bridge. These mills were erected by a company of four men, Mr. Whiting and three Dewys. The toll was regulated by a vote of the town. Debts were paid in grain or meat, the price of which was also regulated by a vote of the town. In 1716 the price of rye was three shillings, corn two shillings and four-pence, and wheat and peas four shillings and six-pence. When debts were paid in money a discount of one fourth was made by the creditor in all cases. The creditor was obliged to take what was offered in payment, money or grain. Besides grain, tar and turpentine were also an article of traffic, being manufactured by the inhabitants. Persons paid into the town treasury two shillings for every hundred boxes they employed in collecting turpentine from the white pine.
There was an old Indian, whom they called Grey Lock, that produced considerable commotion among the people. He was constantly skulking about, waylaying them for the purpose of taking captives. He caught a young lad by the name of Loomis, who went out of the fort in the early part of the evening to get cherries. He was soon released. Mr. Bently, in the east part of the town, worked at ditching all of one sum- mer. He uniformly set his loaded gun one rod before him, and when he had cut his ditch up to the gun would move it forward again, but the next year he was taken. Grey Lock said he had watched for an opportunity to take him all the year previous, but could not ; he might have killed him, but he wanted captives. Mir. Bently was afterwards released. Mr. Noble, who lived near where Mr. Ambrose Day now lives, was much exposed. One night during family prayers Grey Lock stepped up and pulled the string and let the door swing open ; some of the family shut the door, and as soon as all was quiet he would pull the string again. Mr. Noble was persuaded by his friends to move into town. Grey Lock said he had several opportunities of killing most of his children at a shot, but did not want scalps so much as captives.
Mr. Phelps, who lived in Shepard Lane, returning from work at Pochasuck, came to the fording place of Great river, and saw three Indians in the river. He considered his situation perilous. They were coming towards him. He clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Here they are, my brave boys! rush on, we have them!" at which the Indians took the alarm and escaped.
Noah Ashley, of whom mention is made in another place, returning from work at Pochasuck, was met by an Indian near the Bancroft house. Both drew up their guns, but Ashley fired first and the Indian fled. He was tracked by blood through the brush to a place near by, but was never found. The plain has ever since been called " Indian Plain."
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WEST SPRINGFIELD.
A daughter of the second wife of a Mr. Sackett (her name I do not know) was taken captive by the Indians and carried to the north-west part of New York, married an Indian, and remained among them as long as she lived. Her descendants have been here to see their mother's friends several times since the French war. Previous to that they used some exertions to make others of the Sackett family captives, but did not succeed.
About the time of the French war a man was killed at the Farms while looking for his cow, and another at Southampton. He was in a barn threshing, with his gun standing near, but as he turned his back to the door he was fired upon by the Indian and killed.
A signal was given on the discovery of Indians in the vicinity by twice firing a gun. An alarm of this kind was once given, and the central village was deserted by all the male inhabitants ; while absent, a company of Indians appeared on the bank south of the town, with the intention, as it afterwards appeared, to make a hostile attack, but were deterred, on seeing the number of the houses and smoke curling from every chim- ney, through fear of finding the whites of superior strength. Thus the town was pro- videntially preserved, when four or five might have laid it in ashes. I have been informed that two tribes wandered about in this vicinity. The rivers afforded fish in great variety in those days, such as bass, salmon, shad, &c., and the forests abounded with bears, deer, &c., while on the meadows and plains maize was easily cultivated. A field on Little river, now called Squawfield, was probably cultivated by them. There arrow-heads and other Indian utensils were formerly found in abundance. . There is a collection of their utensils in the academy, together with an Indian's head, the bones of the skull and face nearly perfect, said to have been dug up in the vicinity of Harri- son's tavern. Very few facts relative to the aborigines have been recorded, and there- fore I am able to give only a very brief account of them at this period.
WEST SPRINGFIELD.
THIS town was originally a part of Springfield; it was made a parish in 1696, and was incorporated as a distinct town in 1773. It is supposed that settlements commenced in this town as early as 1654 or '55, as there were in those years a number of house-lots granted on Chicopee plain, on the west side of the river. These grants were made to the following persons :- Francis Pepper, Anthony Dorchester, Samuel Terry, Hugh Dudley, John Dum- bleton, Miles Morgan, John Stewart, Obadiah Miller, and Simon Sacket. Thomas Cooper and Abel Leonard settled on the south- west side of the Agawam, about 1660, and in a short time Thomas Merrick was there also. A few years after this, house-lots were granted as far west as Paucatuck Brook, and among the settlers are found the names of Riley, Foster, Jones, Petty, Scot, Barber, Rogers, Parsons, Fowler, Ely, Bagg, and Day. In May, 1695, the inhabitants on this side of the river, consisting of thirty-two families and upwards of 200 souls, presented a petition to the general court " that they might be permitted to invite and settle a minister." This petition was granted; a church was formed .in 1698, and in 1702 the first meeting-house was erected. The first or "old burying-ground " is said to have been the gift of a person by the name of Foster. The oldest monuments to be found in it are those of Mr. Nathaniel Dwit, who died Nov. 1, 1711, and of Deacon John Barber, who died June 27, 1712.
In 1750, a number of inhabitants in the north part of West Springfield united with a number on the east side of the river,
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WEST SPRINGFIELD.
and petitioned the general court that they might be incorporated into a distinct parish. This petition was granted the next year, and they were incorporated as the fifth parish in Springfield, and Rev. John M'Kinstry was set apart as their minister and a meet- ing-house erected the same year. Afterwards the part on the west side became the third parish in West Springfield, being thus incorporated in 1786. This place has been usually called Ireland, from the circumstance, it is said, that several Irish families were among the earliest settlers in this part of the town. The Congre- gational church in this parish was formed in 1799, and consisted originally of 9 members. The Baptist church here was formed, and Rey. Thomas Rand constituted its pastor, in 1803.
In 1757 the southern part of the town was erected into a dis- tinct parish, containing about 75 families. It was then the sixth parish in Springfield; in 1773 it became the second parish in West Springfield. In Nov., 1762, a church was formed here, and Rev. Sylvanus Griswold was constituted its pastor. In 1727, there were five persons baptized by immersion in the town, by Rev. Elisha Callender, pastor of a church in Boston. In 1740, they, with several others who had joined them, were formed into a church, and Rev. Edward Upham became their pastor. The prin- cipal field of Mr. Upham's labors was in the second parish. In 1800 this parish was divided by an act of the legislature, form- ing what are usually called the parishes of Agawam and Feeding Hills. The meeting-house, which had been built by the second parish, was removed in 1799 from its original site to where it now stands, in Feeding Hills. A meeting-house in Agawam, which the Baptists and Congregationalists occupied alternately, was erected in 1803.
West Springfield extends along the west bank of Connecticut river the whole breadth of Hampden county. It is intersected by Westfield river, and the soil is generally very fertile, particularly on the banks of the rivers. There are high hills or mountains in the north part of the town, and sandy plains at the south. Great quantities of rye are annually raised. In 1837, there was in this town 1 cotton mill, 2,700 cotton spindles ; 261,000 yards of cotton goods were manufactured; valued at $33,270. There were two woollen mills; woollen machinery 2 sets; 26,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $16,600. There were 80 Saxony, 1,881 merino, 1,413 other kinds of sheep; average weight of fleece, 3 pounds; value of wool produced, $5,107. There are 7 churches, 4 Congregational, 2 Baptist, and 1 Methodist. Population, 3,227. Distance, 10 miles N. of Suffield, and 93 westward from Boston.
The following is believed to be a correct representation of the first meeting-house in this town, which was erected in 1702. The dimensions of this meeting-house, as near as can be ascertained, were 42 feet square on the ground, and 92 feet in height. The architect was John Allys, of Hatfield. Until 1743, the people assembled for public worship at the beating of the drum. This continued to be occupied as a place of worship till June 20, 1802,
39
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WEST SPRINGFIELD.
Ancient Church, West Springfield.
when, the new one being completed, Dr. Lathrop preached a vale- dictory sermon, from Psalm xlviii. 9. The old house remained till - 1820, when by a vote of the parish it was taken down. A large part of the timber was then quite sound, and some of it used in building the town-house. "The house in which Mr. Woodbridge [the first minister] lived," says Rev. Mr. Sprague in his historical discourse delivered at West Springfield in 1824, "stood a few rods north of the spot now occupied by the house of Mr. Aaron Day. There is a tradition that there was a cavern connected by a pas- sage with the cellar of the house, to which the women and chil- dren of the neighborhood fled for protection in case of alarm from the Indians. The present appearance of the ground is such as to give a high degree of probability to the tradition."
"The following account of a singular incident, which took place," says Dr. Dwight, (vol. i. Travels,) "in the first settlement of this township, was communicated to me in the year 1798, by Captain Noble, a respectable inhabitant of Hoosac, N. Y., at Noble's Falls, who was then about 76 years of age. It was transmitted from his ancestor, one of the persons concerned. One of the first planters of Springfield was a tailor, and another a carpenter. The tailor had for a small consideration purchased of an Indian chief a tract of land in what is now West Springfield, forming a square of three miles on a side. The carpenter had constructed a clumsy wheelbarrow, for which the tailor offered to make him a suit of clothes, or convey him the land. After some delibera- tion he exchanged the wheelbarrow for the land. This tract contained the best settled part of West Springfield ; many an acre of which might now be sold, for the purposes of cultivation only, at the price of one hundred dollars. I will not assert that there is no error in the story ; yet on the face of it there is nothing improbable. When the fourth part of a township of the common size was sold by one Englishman to another for a wheelbarrow, it will be easily believed that it was of still less value to the aborigines. The small prices paid by the first colonists for the lands in this country, are no evidence that the bargains were fraudulent or inequitable. To the Indian without an English purchaser, the land was often worth nothing; and to the colonist its value was created by his labor."
The first minister in West Springfield was Rev. John Wood- bridge. He was constituted pastor at the formation of the first church, in 1698. He died in 1718, at the age of 40 years. His suc-
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cessor was Rev. Samuel Hopkins, who was ordained in 1720; he died in 1755, in the 36th year of his ministry. He has the reputa- tion of being an eminently prudent and faithful minister, though it appears that in the early part of his ministry he was suspected by some of being heterodox. A Mr. Jonathan Worthington, of Spring- field, was presented by the grand jury for making such an asser- tion, and was fined by the court, in 1722. Mr. Hopkins was suc- ceeded by Rev. Joseph Lathrop, who was consecrated to the minis- try here in 1756, and died on the last day of December, 1820, in the 65th year of his ministry.
The Rev. Dr. Lathrop was a descendant of the Rev. John Lothrop, who came to New England with several sons in 1634, and was afterwards settled in Barnstable. Samuel, the youngest son of this progenitor, went to Norwich in Connecticut, and settled there ; and there Joseph, his great-grandson, was born, in 1731. In his 19th year he entered Yale college, where he was graduated in 1754. In 1756 he settled in the ministry in a parish in Springfield, Massachusetts, now the town of West Springfield, where he per- formed the duties of the pastoral office upwards of 60 years. On the day which con- cluded the 60th year of his ministry, 25 August, 1816, he preached to a large audience, and the sermon was printed. His ministrations were still continued until the last Sabbath in March, 1818, when, on account of the infirmities of age and the imperfec- tion of sight, he declined the public services of the Sabbath, and requested his society to provide for him an assistant or colleague; and in 1819, the 63d anniversary of his own ordination, he attended the ordination of his colleague, the Rev. William B. Sprague, and took a part in the public solemnities. Dr. Lathrop, to " an intellect of the first order," united the kindly affections. Benevolence marked his whole charac- ter. To all his other estimable qualities, he added a serenity and cheerfulness of tem- per, which gave to his old age a charm as rare as it was delightful. ' He was equally remote from the intemperate heat of enthusiasm, and that lifeless system, which excludes all exercise of the affections. He was exemplary in the observance of the duties of piety and devotion, and of the social and relative duties. As a Christian minister he was very conspicuous. To his comprehensive intellect and exalted piety was added the acquired knowledge necessary to constitute a great theologian. In his pastoral intercourse he was peculiarly attentive to the state and circumstances of his flock, and an eminent example of prudence. "He was cautious without being timid, fami- liar without sacrificing his dignity, condescending without abandoning what he believed to be principles of duty." In doubtful and perplexing cases of ecclesiastical concern, he was distinguished as a wise, judicious, and upright counsellor ; and great confidence was reposed in his judgment. To the truly evangelical principles which he delivered to others he steadfastly adhered, and he finished his course in the faith and hope of the gospel. His occasional discourses have been extensively read and highly approved, especially the " Seasonable Warning to the Churches;" and his other works have met with an uncommonly favorable reception. Four volumes of sermons were published during his life, and a fifth volume, with a memoir of his life, has been published since his decease."-Holmes' Annals, 2d edition, published in 1829.
WILBRAHAM.
THIS town was originally a part of the ancient town of Spring- field. In May, 1731, Nathaniel Hitchcock removed from Spring- field, and built a house on the spot afterwards occupied by the house of Dr. Samuel F. Merrick. This was the beginning of the settlement of the town. Mr. Hitchcock and his family lived here one year alone. In 1732, Noah Alvord, with his family, removed here ; and in 1733, Daniel Warner and four others, with their fami- lies, also removed here. From that period, there was a gradual increase till 1741, when the number of families increased to twen-
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WILBRAHAM.
ty-four. In May of this year, the parish was incorporated by the name of the fourth parish of Springfield, but it usually went by. the name of Springfield Mountains till 1763, when it was incor- porated as a town by its present name. It had not, however, the privilege of sending a representative to the general court till the adoption of the new constitution, in 1780. Rev. Noah Merrick,' the first minister in this place, was ordained in 1741. The or- daining service was to have been performed under a large oak tree, but as the morning . proved rainy the people assembled , in a barn belonging to Mrs. Warriner, and there attended the ordaining solemnities. There were six male church members, viz., Nathaniel Warriner and David Merrick, (afterwards deacons, ) Moses Burt, Nathaniel Hitchcock, Stephen Stebbins, and Samuel Stebbins.
Western view of the Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham.
It appears that the council that convened to organize the church, determined that no less than seven could constitute a church, and were therefore brought to a stand in their proceedings. At length David Warriner stated that he had for some time wished to make a profession, but waited only for the ordination of a minister. Be- ing admitted to the number, the council were relieved from their difficulty. The first meeting-house in Wilbraham was built in 1748. It stood 30 rods south of the house occupied by Mr. Mer- rick, the first minister. In 1783, the town was divided into two parishes.
The above is a western view of the "Wesleyan Academy" in Wilbraham, taken from the boarding-house, a three-story building on the opposite side of the street. This institution was incorpo- rated in 1824, and is governed by a board of trustees. It has ever been in high repute; it had during the last year (1837) upwards of 300 pupils, of whom 190 were males and 114 females. Scho- lars are received from 10 years old and upwards. "The course of study is systematic and extensive, and includes all those branches which are requisite to prepare the pupil for the common business
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of life, or for a higher course of collegiate or professional duties. The year is divided into four terms, corresponding, as nearly as possible, with the four seasons." The academy is 10 miles west of Springfield, 30 miles north-easterly from Hartford, and 83 wester- ly from Boston. There are in the town 4 churches, 2 Congrega- tional and 2 Methodist. Population, 1,802. In 1837, there were in this town 457 Saxony, 1,054 merino, and 781 other kinds of sheep, and the value of wool produced was $3,668 62; capital invested, $35,460. The value of boots and shoes manufactured, $8,498 75 ; value of straw bonnets and straw braid manufactured, $2,000; palm-leaf hats manufactured, 7,145, valued at $1,000 30.
The following is from the Massachusetts Spy, (Worcester,) Nov. 20,1805 :
MR. THOMAS, JUN. Sir,-I have written the following at the earnest request of the relatives of the deceased. Please to give it a place in your paper, and you will gratify the public, and discharge a duty which humanity imposes.
Your real friend, Z. L. L.
HORRID MURDER AND ROBBERY.
Mr. Marcus Lyon, a young man of peculiar respectability, about 23 years of age, left his friends in Woodstock, Con., last March, and went to Cazenovia, N. Y., and labored through the season. As he was on his return to his native place, mounted on an excellent horse, he was attacked by two merciless ruffians in Wilbraham, on the Spring- field turnpike road, between the gate and Sikes' tavern, on the 9th inst. about 2 o'clock, P. M., and there murdered in the most barbarous manner. The circumstances attend- ing the awful scene are almost too shocking to humanity to relate. It is supposed, from the best circumstantial evidence, that the unfortunate young gentleman was first shot with a pistol ; but the assassins, perceiving the wound not fatal, (as the ball was afterwards found on the outside of his ribs,) fell upon him like bloodhounds, and with a club and breech of the pistol lacerated and mangled his head in a most savage and barbarous manner. The upper part of his head over the cerebrum, and also over his left eye, was indented with wounds, evidently made with the cock of the pistol, and the back part, against the cerebellum, was all mashed to a pulp. They beat him till the guard of the pistol flew off and the ramrod was knocked out, which were afterwards found lying on the fatal spot. Having thus far gratified their infernal disposition, they robbed him of his pocket-book, (how much money it contained we are not able to inform,) then threw him over the wall, dragged him a few rods to Chicopee river, and there deposited him, and placed large flat stones upon his head to prevent his rising. Without delay they next conveyed the horse through a small piece of wood to a sequestered enclosure, and then turned him loose, with saddle, saddle-bags and bridle on, and then went on. Soon after the horse was found and taken up; the neighbors conjectured he had by accident gotten away from some place where bis rider had hitched him, and supposed that inquiry would soon be made for him, it being Saturday in the afternoon. They waited till Sunday morning, but, alas! no rider appeared! The alarm spread. The woods, fields, and every bye corner were searched, and at even- ing they found the corpse close by the edge of the river, with all his clothes on, mittens on his hands, and his great coat wrapped about his head, with a large stone pressing him to the bottom. The pistol was found on the brink, broken to pieces. The young man's hat, new and unharmed, was discovered under a small bridge near the spot. The corpse was conveyed to a neighboring house, and the inhabitants paid that pecu- liar attention which sympathy alone can dictate and gratitude reward. The remains were conveyed to Woodstock on Tuesday, and the funeral attended on Wednesday, when the Rev. Abiel Ledoyt addressed the assembly from Mark xiii. 33 .. The grief of the mourners, the numbers convened, and the tears that profusely flowed, presented a scene which we conclude has never had a parallel in these our inland towns.
The villains who perpetrated the awful crime are supposed to be two foreigners in sailors' dress, who were seen that day by a number of people making their way toward Springfield. One particular circumstance tends much to strengthen the suspicion. A lad, about 13 years of age, being sent after some hogs in the woods, near the place of the murder, happened to come out into the road, within two or three rods of two men in sailors' habit. He declared under oath before the jury of inquest, that before
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