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 41
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In the expedition of Captain Turner and others, in 1676, against the Indians at the falls in the vicinity of Greenfield, Rev. Mr. Atherton of Hatfield accompanied him as chaplain. In the con- fusion of the retreat from Greenfield, he was separated from the troops, and became lost in the woods. After wandering at random and despairing of finding his way home, he came to the resolution of delivering up himself to the Indians. Approaching a party of the savages, he by signs offered to surrender himself a prisoner ; but, as unaccountable as it may appear, they refused to receive him. When he approached and called to them, they fled from his presence, and appeared fearful of his approach, and Mr. Atherton was left to his fate. Upon this he determined if possible to find the river and follow it to Hatfield. This he effected, after a wan- dering march of several days of excessive fatigue and hunger, and arrived in safety among his people. The Indians, probably, know- ing Mr. Atherton's profession by his dress, and having some knowledge of the sacredness of his office, considered him as a sacred person, whom they dare not injure.
On the 19th of September, 1677, about fifty Indians, who had descended Connecticut river, fell upon Hatfield, as the people were
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raising a house, killed and captured about twenty, including among the latter several women and children. Among the pri- soners were the wives of Benjamin Wait and Stephen Jennings. Having received authority from the government to ransom the captives, they commenced their hazardous journey on the 24th of October, and followed the enemy through New York by the lakes into Canada. They returned, after an absence of eight months, with nineteen of the prisoners.
On the 22d of August, 1786, a convention of delegates from fifty towns in Hampshire county assembled in Hatfield, and passed certain seditious resolutions. "This was the first important blow struck against the government, in Shays' insurrection; it was soon followed up by attempts, some of which were successful, to stop the
proceedings of courts in various counties." The convention con- tinued for three days. This body voted that the essential branches of the three legislative departments of the state were grievous ; " material proceedings upon national concerns erroneous ; obvious measures for paying the debt blindly overlooked; public moneys misappropriated, and the constitution itself intolerably defective. The directions for transmitting these proceedings to the convention of Worcester, and to the county of Berkshire, displayed a design in this assembly of doing more than passively representing their own grievances."-Minol's Hist. Insurrection.
The following inscriptions are from monuments in this town :
In memory of the Hon. ISRAEL WILLIAMS, Esquire, who departed this life 10 Janu- ary, 1788, in the 79 year of his age. High and low, rich and poor, are death's equal prey, and no valuable distinction survives his resistless attack, but that, which enno- bles an angel, the love of God.
All on earth is shadow, all beyond Is substance; the reverse is folly's creed. How solid all, where change shall be no more !
To the memory of Mr. JACOB WALKER, who, respected by the brave, beloved by his country's friends, dear to his relations, while manfully defending the laws and liberties of the commonwealth, nobly fell by the impious hand of treason and rebellion, on the 17 of February, 1787, in the 32 year of his age. Citizen passing, drop a tear, and learn to imitate the brave.
MIDDLEFIELD.
THIS town, which is situated on a range of the Green moun- tains, was incorporated in 1783. Rev. Jonathan Nash, the first minister, was settled in 1792, and died in 1834. His successor, Rev. Samuel Parker, was installed pastor in 1832, and resigned in 1833. He was succeeded by Rev. John H. Bisbee, in 1834. Besides the Congregational, there is a Baptist church in the central part of the town. A Methodist church is situated in the south-eastern section of the town.
This town is watered by two branches of Westfield river. The stream called Middle river divides this town from Worthington.
Drawn by J. W. Barber-Engraved by S. E. Brown, Boston.
CENTRAL PART OF NORTHAMPTON, MASS.
The view shows the appearance of the Court-House, the First Congregational Church, and other buildings, as seen from the road in a north-eastern direction. The Congregational Church is the building seen in the central part of the engraving.
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NORTHAMPTON.
Soap-stone and an extensive bed of serpentine, or rock of various colors, are found in the town. In 1837, there were two woollen mills, 4 sets of woollen machinery ; cloth manufactured, 26,000 yards, valued at $54,000; males employed, 26; females, 24; capi- tal invested, $36,000. There were 9,724 Saxony sheep; wool produced, 26,741 lbs .; average weight of fleece, two and three- fourths lbs. ; value of wool, $17,381 65; capital invested, $120,945. Population, 710. Distance, 24 miles from Northampton, 17 from Pittsfield, and 110 from Boston.
NORTHAMPTON.
THE Indian name of Northampton was Nonotuck. It formerly included Southampton, Westhampton, and Easthampton, since incorporated as towns. The fertility, extent, and beauty of the fine intervals in this region attracted the attention of settlers at an early period. The township was purchased in 1653, and convey- ed to John Pynchon, Esq., for the planters, by Wawhillowa, Ne- nessahalant, Nassicohee, and four others, (one of whom was a married woman,) styled " the chief and proper owners," for one hundred fathom of wampum by tale, and ten coats, besides some small gifts, in hand paid to the sachems and owners, and also for ploughing up sixteen acres of land on the east side of Quonnecticut river the ensuing summer. These "all bargained for themselves, and the other owners by their consent." The original planters were twenty-one in number, and the legal grant was made to them in 1654, by " John Pynchon, Elizur Holyoke, and Samuel Chapin, commissioners for laying out Nonotuck, by the general court," and the settlement of the town commenced the same year .* In 1656, " towns men" (or selectmen) were chosen, and in 1657 three commissioners were chosen at a town meeting " as a court to end small causes." The same year, the town employed an agent "to obtain a minister, and to devise means to prevent the excess of liquors and cider from coming to the town." In 1662, at the for- mation of the county of Hampshire, consisting of the three towns of Springfield, Northampton, and Hadley, Northampton was made a half shire, and in 1794 was made the county town.
The village of Northampton is situated about a mile from Con- necticut river, a little elevated above the surrounding meadows. These meadows are some of the best land in New England, and are in the highest state of cultivation. The village, although very irregularly laid out,t is one of the most beautiful and best built
* There is a tradition that one English family came to Northampton in 1652, and lived on land which is east of what is now called Hawley street.
+" It has been said that they [the streets] were laid out by the cows, and that wherever these animals, when going to feed in the forests, made their paths, the inha- bitants located their streets. 'The probability is, that the first planters, being both in- clined and obliged to build near to each other, placed their houses wherever the ground
42
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NORTHAMPTON.
villages in New England. Situated in the delightful valley of the Connecticut, surrounded with beautiful and variegated prospects on every side, with the magnificent front of Mount Holyoke, rising to the height of 830 feet, on the opposite side of the river, the scenery of this place presents a specimen of the "sublime and beautiful." A fine stream passes the center of the town, possessing a good water power, on which are mills and factories of various kinds. This place has considerable river and inland commerce, which will pro- bably be increased by the New Haven and Northampton canal, which terminates a little north of the village.
.....
Eastern view of Round Hill, Northampton.
The above is a representation of Round Hill, an elevation which rises immediately back of the court-house and the central part of the village. It is very regular in its form, and the summit is crowned by a noble grove. A number of elegant residences stand on the side of this elevation, overlooking the village ; and from this spot there is a fine prospect of Mount Holyoke and the delightful valley of the Connecticut. The view from which the above engraving was made, was taken standing on the western side of the first Congregational church. The building appearing on the left is the Town School ; the Gothic structure on the right is the young Ladies' Seminary. Round Hill is seen beyond. There are 5 churches, 3 Congregational, (1 of which is Unitarian,) 1 Episco- pal, and 1 Baptist. There is 1 bank, the "Northampton Bank," with a capital of $200,000. Population, 3,576. Northampton is 91 miles W. of Boston, 72 E. of Albany, 40 N. of Hartford, 22 S. of Greenfield, 17 northerly of Springfield, and 376 from Wash- ington. In 1837, there were 3 woollen mills, 7 sets of machine- ry ; 70,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $230,000;
was sufficiently dry to furnish convenient building spots."-Dr. Dwight's Travels, vol- ume i., page 328.
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males employed, 64; females, 60; capital invested, $100,000. There are 2 silk manufactories; value of ribbon and sewing silk manufactured, $40,000; males employed, 20; females, 40; capi- tal invested, $100,000. There is a paper-mill, an air and cupola furnace, and other manufactories of various kinds.
The inhabitants of Northampton appeared to have lived in great harmony with the Indians. In 1664, the Indians requested leave of the people to build themselves a fort within the town ; leave was granted, and their fort was erected perhaps about thirty rods from the most populous street. The conditions on which leave was obtained for building their fort were,-that they should not work or game within the town on the Sabbath, nor powaw here or any where else; they should not get liquor, nor cider, nor get drunk ; nor admit Indians from without the town; nor break down fences, &c. , "The Indians," says Dr. Dwight, " were always considered as having a right to dwell and to hunt within the lands which they had sold." Although the Indians lived in such close contact with the whites, there is not even a traditionary story of any quar- rel between them and the people of Northampton. But after Phil- ip's war commenced, the inhabitants were in continual danger. In 1675, a guard was kept continually ; several of the inhabitants had their houses burnt. In King William's war, in 1690, a forti- fication was ordered to be run quite round the town. In 1704 a body of French and Indians, numbering, it is supposed, about five hundred, invaded the town, but it appears that the inhabitants were so vigilant and well fortified, that they made no serious at- tempt upon the place. It appears that one house was fortified in every little neighborhood, so that all the inhabitants might have a place of refuge near, in case of an attack. "These fortifications must have been expensive. Those which were erected around the town, were palisadoes set up in the earth, thrown out of a trench ; and must from their great extent have involved an expense scarce- ly supportable." The first road to Windsor, their only passage to market, was laid in 1664. The first bridge over Manhan river, a mill stream three miles south of their church, was voted in 1668. At the same time, they paid their taxes at Charlestown first, and afterwards at Boston, in wheat. This was conveyed to Hartford in carts and wagons, and there shipped for Boston. There is one account, only, of their expense in a transaction of this nature re- corded. In this instance, they were obliged to pay one third of the cargo for the transportation from Hartford to Charlestown.
During Shays' insurrection in 1786, after the insurgents had concerted their measures at Hatfield, they assembled to the num- ber of about 1,500, under arms, at Northampton, took possession of the court-house; and effectnally prevented the sitting of the courts as prescribed by law. Upon this violence being committed, the governor issued his proclamation in a feeling and spirited man- ner upon the officers and citizens, to suppress such treasonable proceedings, but such was the state of things in the common-
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wealth at this time, that the ill-disposed paid but little attention to this timely measure.
The first minister of Northampton was Eleazer Mather, son of the Rev. Richard Mather, of Dorchester. He was ordained in 1661, and died in 1669, aged 32. Mr. Mather's health having de- clined, Rev. Joseph Elliot, in 1662, was invited to settle in the ministry here; he was the second son of Rev. John Elliot, of Rox- bury, the celebrated apostle to the Indians; he afterwards settled at Guilford, Con. Rev. Solomon Stoddard was the next minister, was ordained in 1672, and died in 1729. His successor was Jona- than Edwards, the celebrated divine, who was invited in 1726 to assist Mr. Stoddard in the ministry. Mr. Stoddard " possessed probably more influence than any other clergyman in the province, during a period of thirty years. Here he was regarded with a reverence which will scarcely be rendered to any other man. The very savages are said to have felt towards him a peculiar awe. Once, when riding from Northampton to Hatfield, and passing a place called Dewey's Hole, an ambush of savages lined the road. It is said that a Frenchman, directing his gun towards him, was warned by one of the Indians, who some time before had been among the English, not to fire, because 'that man was English- man's God.' A similar adventure is said to have befallen him while meditating in an orchard, immediately behind the church in Deerfield, a sermon he was about to preach. These stories, told in Canada, are traditionally asserted to have been brought back by English captives. It was customary for the Canadian savages, after they returned from their excursions, to report their adven- tures, by way of triumph, to the captives taken in the English colonies. Among the works which Mr. Stoddard published, his Guide to Christ, and his Safety of appearing in the Righteousness of Christ, have ever been held in respectful estimation." "He published the Doctrine of Instituted Churches, London, 4to, 1700, in which he advanced some sentiments that were not very well received in this country, such as the following :- that the Lord's table should be accessible to all persons not immoral in their lives, that the power of receiving and censuring members is vested ex- clusively in the elders of the church, and that synods have power to excommunicate and deliver from church censures."
The Rev. Jonathan Edwards continued in Northampton more than twenty-three years, till he was dismissed in 1750. The causes which led to his dismissal were his endeavors to enforce what he considered to be his duty in regard to the discipline of the church, and likewise the opposition he made to the sentiment supported by his colleague and grandfather, Rev. Mr. Stoddard, that unconverted persons ought to be allowed to come to the sacra- ment of the Lord's supper. In 1751, he was settled at Stockbridge as missionary to the Indians, where he continued six years, preach- ing to the Indians and white people. Here he found leisure to prosecute his theological and metaphysical studies, and produced those works which will probably hand down his name to the latest
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posterity. In January, 1758, he reluctantly accepted the presiden- cy of the college at Princeton, New Jersey. The small-pox pre- vailing, President Edwards was induced to be inoculated, which was the cause of his death, March 22, 1758, in the 55th year of his age.
David Brainerd, the celebrated missionary, died at the house of Jonathan Edwards, in this place, Oct. 9, 1747, in the thirtieth year of his age. His life was written by Mr. Edwards. "His life and diary," says a celebrated English divine, "exhibits a perfect pattern of the qualities which should distinguish the instructor of rude and barbarous tribes ; the most invincible patience and self- denial, the profoundest humility, exquisite prudence, indefatigable industry, and such a devotedness to God, or rather such an absorp- tion of the whole soul in zeal for the divine glory and the salvation of men, as is scarcely paralleled since the age of the apostles. His constitutional melancholy, though it must be regarded as a physi- cal imperfection, imparts an additional interest and pathos to the narrative, since we more easily sympathize with the emotion of sorrow than of joy. There is a monotony in his feelings, it must be acknowledged, and consequently a frequent repetition of the same ideas, which will disgust a fastidious or superficial reader, but it is the monotony of sublimity."
[From the Massachusetts Spy, June 25, 1806.] " Springfield, June 10.
"EXECUTION OF DALEY AND HALLIGAN .- On Thursday last, pursuant to their sen- tence, Dominick Daley and James Halligan were executed at Northampton. At half past 10 o'clock, they were conducted to the meeting-house, by the high sheriff and his deputies, with a guard, composed of a company of artillery and a detachment of the militia. An appropriate and eloquent discourse was there delivered to a very crowded auditory, by the Rev. Mr. Cheverus, of Boston, from 1 John, 3. 15 : ' Whoever hateth his brother is a murderer.' After the sermon, the criminals were. constantly attended by Mr. Cheverus, with whom, during the greater part of the time, they appeared to be engaged in prayer. At 3 o'clock, sentence was executed by Major-General Mattoon, sheriff of the county. Notwithstanding their protestations of innocence, in which they persisted in to the last, it is believed that of the 15,000 persons supposed to be present, scarcely one had a doubt of their guilt. Daley and Halligan were natives of Ireland. Daley was about 34 years of age, and has been in this country two years ; he has left a wife, a mother, and brother in Boston. Halligan was about 27 years of age; and we believe has no connections in this country, in which he has resided for four years."
The following inscriptions are copied from monuments in the Northampton grave-yard :
Here is inter'd the body of the Revd. Mr. SOLOMON STODDARD, A. M., sometime Fellow of Harvard College, pastor of ye church in Northampton, N. E., for near 60 years ; who departed this life Feb. 11, 1729, and in the 86 year of his age. A man of God, an able minister of the N. Testament ; singularly qualified for that sacred office, and faithful therein, sealed by the H : Spirit in numerous converts to Christ, by his solid, powerful, and most searching ministry. A light to the churches in general, a peculiar blessing to this ; eminent for the holiness of his life, as remarkable for his peace at death.
Sacred to the memory of the Revd. DAVID BRAINARD, a faithful & laborious missiona- ry to the Stockbridge, the Delaware, & the Susquehannah tribes of Indians, who died in this town, Oct. 10, 1747, aged 30.
A tabular monument of free-stone is placed over the grave of
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NORWICH.
this celebrated missionary. The inscription at first was on an in- let of schistus, which many years since was destroyed by the frost, and the inscription at present is said to be unknown. An inlet of marble with the above inscription now supplies the place of the former one in the horizontal slab over his remains.
Here lies the Revd. JOHN HOOKER, who died of ye small pox, Feb. 6th, 1777, in the 49th year of his age & 23d of his ministry. In him an excellent & highly cultivated Genius, a graceful elocution, engaging manners, & the temper of the Gospel united to form an able and faithful minister, & to render him examplary and beloved in all the relations of life. The affectionate people of his charge, in remembrance of his many amiable & christian virtues, erected this monument to his memory.
SOLOMON WILLIAMS, born July 25, 1752, lived as a pastor of the church of Christ in Northampton 56 years and 5 months. His spirit ASCENDED in sweet peace to the upper Sanctuary on the morning of the Sabbath, Nov. 9, 1834.
In memory of CALEB STRONG, late Governor of Massachusetts, who, after a life emi- nent for piety and devotion to the public service, died November 7th, 1819, in the 75th year of his age.
John Breck, Esq., died Feb. 26, 1827, Æt. 56 years.
Great day of dread decision and despair, At thought of thee, each sublunary wish Lets go its eager grasp, and drops the world, And catches at each reed of hope in heaven.
In memory of Rev. Henry Lyman, son of Theodore and Susan W. Lyman, a mis- sionary of the American Board, who, with his associate, Rev. Samuel Munson, suffered a violent death from the Battahs, in Sumatra, June 28th, 1834, aged 24.
We are more than conquerors.
NORWICH.
THIS town was incorporated in 1793. The Rev. Stephen Tracy, of Norwich, Con., was the first Congregational minister of this town; he was settled here in 1781, and resigned in 1799. His successor was Rev. Benjamin R. Woodbridge, who settled here in 1799, and resigned in 1831. Rev. Samuel Russell, the next minis- ter, was installed in 1832, and resigned the next year. His suc- cessor was Rev. Alvah C. Page.
This is a hilly township; a northern branch of Westfield river passes through the town, from north to south. In 1837, there was in the town one small woollen mill and an axe manufactory, in which were manufactured 3,000 axes, which were valued at $4,250; hands employed, five. Population, 714. Distance, 12 miles from Northampton, and 108 from Boston. 'The following is the inscrip- tion on the monument of the Rev. Mr. Russell, one of the ministers of this place:
In memory of the Rev. Samuel Russell, a man who in doctrine was sound, in his labors diligent and faithful, in his life simple and irreproachable, in his piety distin- guished, in his death blessed. Why should we say more? He sought and found the house of his Father, Jan. 27, 1835, ÆE. 35.
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PLAINFIELD.
PELHAM.
THIS town was originally a section of what was termed the Equivalent Lands, granted by Massachusetts to Connecticut. The tract comprising the town was sold to Col. Stoddard of Northamp- ton, and was denominated Stoddard's Town. The township was afterwards sold by Col. Stoddard to a number of settlers from Worcester, and was incorporated into a town by the name of Pel- ham in 1742. The ancestors of the first settlers of this town were Presbyterian emigrants from the north of Ireland. The first minis- ter of the place was Rev. Robert Abercrombie, from Edinburgh, Scotland ; he was ordained here in 1744. His successors were Richard C. Graham, Nathaniel Merrill, Thomas F. Oliver, Elijah Brainerd, Winthrop Baily. Mr. Baily died in 1835, in Greenfield. In the second church Matthias Cazier and Sebastian C. Cabot have been ministers.
The soil of this township is good, but the situation is elevated and the surface is uneven. Swift river, a principal branch of the Chicopee, waters the eastern border, and Fort river, which falls into the Connecticut, waters the western part of this town. In 1837 there were 18,000 palm-leaf hats manufactured in this town, valued at $3,000. Population, 957. Distance, 13 miles from Northampton, 7 from Amherst, and 80 from Boston.
PLAINFIELD.
THIS town was formerly included in Cummington, and with that town was sold by Col. John Cummings, of Concord, in 1762. The first meeting of the proprietors was held at Concord, in December of that year. Many of the first settlers came from Bridgewater and Abington. Plainfield was incorporated a district of Cummington in 1785, and in 1807 was incorporated a distinct town.
A church of 14 members was organized here in 1780; but they had no settled minister till 1792, when Rev. Moses Hallock, a na- tive of Long Island, was settled with them. He continued in the pastoral office till 1831, in which year he was succeeded by Rev. David Kimball. Few men have been more useful than Mr. Hal- lock ; none more humble, holy, consistent, and devoted to the proper work of man. He had no brilliancy, but was strongly characterized in his whole deportment by kindness, sincerity, meekness, and a deep and heartfelt interest in the welfare of all. He died in 1837. The meeting-house of this society was built in 1792. A Baptist society was formed in the eastern part of the town in 1833. The church was organized in June, by an ecclesiastical council, Elder David Wright, of Cummington, acting as moderator.
This township lies on the eastern side of the Green mountain range, and, as might be expected, the surface is undulating, and in many parts rough and broken, less so, however, than that of the
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