USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > West Brookfield > Historical discourse : delivered at West Brookfield, Mass., Nov. 27, 1828, on the day of the annual Thanksgiving > Part 5
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Hutchinson, vol. II. p. 267.
J.
The first entry in the town records is dated February 24th, 1687.
* Mawtamps probably the same as Mattawamppe p. 53, and as " Neatump" p. 12. This should have been Netaump, and the reference to pp. 117 and 202 Ind. Wars.
The Indian name of " Sam" mentioned in page 12 of the Discourse was Shoshanim. See Worcester Magazine, Vol. II. p. 291.
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L.
At a great and General Court or Assembly convened at Bos- ton; on Wednesday the 8th June 1692. Upon reading a petition from the Inhabitants of Brookfield alias Quaboag, praying that a Committee may be appointed as formerly, to direct and regu- late the settlement of said plantation and the affairs thereof, or- dered, that John Pynchon, Esq. Captain Gaml. Partridge, Mr. Joseph Hawley, Mr. Hitchcock, and Mr. Medad Pomroy, be and are hereby appointed and empowered to that service.
William Phipps.
A true copy examined by Joseph Willard, Secretary.
" Though the inhabitants were incorporated and the town nam- ed by the court as early as the year 1673, yet they were not allow- ed the powers and authorities of a town till the year 1718: But the court appointed and continued a committee consisting of gentle- men belonging to other places, to direct, regulate and ratify all affairs relative to settling and building up the town ; so that without said committee the inhabitants could not take up for themselves, or grant to others, any lands. And it was by the direction and assistance of said committee, that monies were granted, a meeting-house built, a minister chosen, & c .- To en- courage the settling of the town, especially in the time of the Indian wars, lands were granted to divers persons upon condi- tion they would possess and improve them for a certain number of years." REV. DR. FISKE.
M.
Owing to the hostility of the natives and constant exposure to attacks from them, the inhabitants on their return to the town adopted measures for their safety and protection. Several tem- porary fortifications were erected. Of these the principal was
6
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Gilbert's Fort. It was near the place, where the central school house in the West Parish now stands. Its remains are said to have been visible till within a few years. On the hill north west of this place a tower was built, for the purpose of enabling the inhabitants to watch the movements of the Indians, and to ob- tain seasonable notice of their approach. It stood on a elevat- ed rock. It is related, that early in the evening of a cloudy day the sentinel discovered Indians lurking in the woods at only a small distance from him. By inadvertence a large portion of the guns which belonged to the fort, had been left at the tower. The sentinel knew, that if he gave the alarm the inhabitants would come for their guns and thus be exposed to the Indians, who were ready to destroy them. In this state of things he waited till it became quite dark. In the mean time he examined all the guns and prepared for an attack. At length he dis- charged a gun towards a place where he had seen the Indians. They returned his fire. As he was not exposed to injury from their muskets, he took a second piece ; and whenever one of their guns was discharged, he fired at the light occasioned by it. Thus single handed he carried on for some hours a contest with them. At length the firing ceased. In the morning blood was found in several places in the vicinity of the tower. It is not improbable, that several Indians were either killed or severely wounded.
Mark's Garrison stood near the south west end of Wickaboag Pond, on a knoll below the junction of the waters of the pond with the Quaboag River. It is related that one day Mrs. Marks being left alone, discovered hostile Indians in the neigh- borhood of the garrison waiting for a favorable opportunity to attack the settlement. She immediately put on her husband's wig, hat, great coat, and taking his gun, went to the top of the fortification, and "marched backwards and forwards vociferating like a vigilant sentinel, all 's well, all 's well." This led the In- dians to believe, that they could not take the place by surprise, and fearing the result of an open, or protracted assault, they re- reated without doingan y injury.
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Goss' Garrison stood west of Wickaboag Pond near the pre- sent residence of Mr. Isaac Gleason.
Jenings', or Banister's Garrison is supposed to have stood north east of the South Parish meeting house near the junction of the road from North Brookfield with that to Boston. Some, however, think, that it was south of the meeting house and beyond the river.
N.
" I cannot obtain information enough to enable me to point out the exact order of time, or the day, month or year in which some of the skirmishes and slaughters happened in this town. The first mischief was in the latter end of July or beginning of August, 1692. A party of Indians came into the town and broke up two or three families. Joseph Woolcot, being at work a little distance from his house, his wife being fearful took her children and went out to him. When they returned to the house at noon they found the Indians had been there, for his gun and several other things were missing. And looking out at a window he saw an Indian at some distance coming towards the house. IIe immediately sent out his wife and his two little daughters to hide themselves in the bushes ; and he taking his little son under his arm and his broad axe in his hand, went out with his dog in sight of the Indian. The dog being large and fierce, attacked the Indian so furiously, that he was obliged to discharge his gun at the dog to rid himself of him : immediately upon which Woolcot set down the child and pursued the Indian till he heard the bullet roll down his gun (the Indian charging as he ran) he then turned back, snatched up his child and made his escape through the swamps to a fort. His wife being great- ly terrified, discovered by her shrieks where she was ; and the Indian soon found and dispatched both her and her children. Others of the party about the same time came into the house of one Mason, while the family were at dinner. They killed Ma- son and one or two children, and took his wife and an infant
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which they had wounded, and carried them off. They also took two brothers, Thomas and Daniel Lawrence ; they soon. despatched Thomas, pretending he had misinformed them about the number of men that were in the town. John Lawrence, their brother, rode with all haste to Springfield for assistance. A company under the command of Captain Coulton came with the greatest speed and pursued the Indians. They found Mrs. Mason's child, which the savages had knocked on the head and thrown away in the bushes ; and continuing their pursuit, they came upon the Indians' encampment, which was a sort of brush hedge, which they deridingly called "Englishmen's fort." The party waited till break of day, and then came so near as to put their guns through this brush and fire upon the Indians, 14 or 15 of whom were killed. The rest fled with such precipitation as to leave several of their arms, blankets, powder horns, &c. and their prisoners, Daniel Lawrence and Mrs. Mason, whom our men conducted back .- This same John Lawrence, who rode express and procured the company that rescued the above- mentioned prisoners, was afterwards going in company with one Samuel Owen in search of a man that was missing : the Indians came upon them, killed Lawrence, but Owen escaped .- Mary McIntosh was fired upon and killed as she was milking her cows. Robert Grainger and John Clary were passing along the road on a certain day ; and being fired upon by the savages, Grainger was killed on the spot ; Clary attempted to escape, but had not fled far before he also was shot down .- At another time Thomas Battis of Brookfield riding express to Hadley, was killed in the wilderness, in a place now called Belchertown .- Early one morning John Woolcot, a lad about 12 or 14 years oid, was riding in search of the cows, when the Indians fired at him, killed his horse under him and took him prisoner. The people at Jennings' garrison hearing the firing, and concluding the people at another garrison were beset, six men set out for their assistance, but were waylaid by the Indians. The English saw not their danger till they saw there was no escaping it. And therefore, knowing that an Indian could not look an Englishman
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in the face and take a right aim, they stood their ground pre- senting their pieces wherever they saw an Indian without dis- charging them, excepting Abijah Bartlett, who turned to flee and was shot dead. The Indians kept firing at the rest, and wound- ed three of them : Joseph Jennings in two places, one ball graz- ed the top of his head, by which he was struck blind for a mo- ment ; another ball passed through his slioulder wounding his collar bone; yet by neither did he fall, nor was he mortally wounded. Benjamin Jennings was wounded in the leg, and John Green in the wrist. They were preserved at last by the follow- ing stratagem. A large dog hearing the firing came to our men ; one of whom, to encourage his brethren and intimidate the In- dians, called out " Captain Williams is come to our assistance, for here is his dog." The Indians seeing the dog and knowing Williams to be a famous warrior, immediately fled, and our men escaped. John Woolcot, the lad abovementioned, was carried to Canada, where he remained six or seven years, during which time, by conversing wholly with Indians, he not only entirely lost his native language, but became so naturalized to the sava- ges, as to be unwilling for a while to return to his native coun- try .* Some years afterwards, viz. in March, 1728, in a time of peace, he and another man having been hunting, and coming down Connecticut river with a freight of skins and fur, they were hailed by some Indians ; but not being willing to go to them, they steered for another shore. The Indians landed at a little distance from them ; several shots were exchanged, at length Woolcot was killed.
" The last mischief which was done by the savages in Brook-
* The difficulty of retaining in civilized society those who had been so long in captivity, as to become accustomed to savage life, was often very great. A singular instance is found in page 240 of the Record of Lands. " December 9th. 1714, then granted to Margaret Otice, alias Lebue one that was a prisoner in Canada and lately come from thence, forty acres of upland in Brookfield and twenty acres of meadow; provided she returns not again to live in Canada, but tarries in this province or territory and marries to Captain Thomas Baker." The proposal was accepted. Captain Baker was the first representative sent from this town to the General Court.
6*
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field, was about the 20th of July, 1710. Six men, viz. Ebene. zer Haward, John White, Stephen and Benjamin Jennings, John Grosvenor, and Joseph Kellog, were making hay in the meadows, when the Indians, who had been watching an oppor- . tunity to surprise them, sprung suddenly upon them, dispatched . five of them, and took the other (John White) prisoner. White, spying a small company of our people at some distance . jumped from the Indian that held him and ran to join his friends ; but the Indian fired after him, and wounded him in the thigh, by which he fell ; but soon recovering and running again, he was again fired at and received his death wound." REV. DR. FISKE.
0.
"October 12th, 1716. Whereas about three years since the General Court allowed to the ministry in Brookfield twenty pounds ; of which sum Mr. Elmer who left the ministry there so as he had but one half of said sum paid to him, there remains ten pounds of said donation ; the Committee judge it meet this last part be paid to Mr. Thomas Cheney the present minister, as part of his salary." How many such grants from the General Court the town of Brookfield obtained, is not known but in one, instance. That was on the petition of the inhabitants in 1698, then consisting but of twelve families. The document mani- fests so worthy a spirit in those early settlers, and the civil rulers of those times, that it deserves to be published, for a memorial of them.
The petition of the inhabitants of Brookfield to the Honored General Court, assembled at Boston, Nov. 1698, humbly showeth :-
First. That we seem to be called of God, to continue our habitation in this place, we are low in the world, and it would be a Lreaking thing to our estates, to remove to any other plan- tation. And the land here is very capable of entertaining a 1 considerable body of people ; though inhabitants have been slow
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to come to us by reason of the war, yet the land is very encour- aging, capableto afford a comfortable subsistence to many fa -! milies.
Second. That it is an intolerable burden to continue as we have done, without the preaching of the word. God doth re- quire not only family worship, but his public worship : it is the ordinance of God that on the Sabbath day, there should be an holy convocation : and that his word be preached by those that are able and faithful, and our necessities put us upon it earnest- ly to desire it ; both we and our children, need the instructions, rebukes and encouragements of the word : the darkness and deadness of our own hearts, together with the many snares that are in the world, and an experimental conviction to us, that we need all those helps and advantages that God hath sanctified for our good.
Third. That we are not able at present to maintain the wor- ship of God; we are but 12 families, and are not of estate suf- ficient to give suitable encouragement to a minister ; we are willing to do to the outside of our ability ; but though as much as can be expected from us, it will not amount to such a sum as a minister may reasonably require for his labor.
Fourth. That if this Honored Court would please to pity us, and grant us some help for a few years, for the maintenance of . a godly, able minister, besides the advantage that it may be to these few families that are here, it would be a means of bring- ing many other inhabitants to us, whereby we shall be so far assisted, that we may of ourselves, be able to uphold the wor- ship of God, and not be burdensome to others.
Under these considerations we humbly beg, that this Honored Court would exercise compassion to us, and assign some relief to us out of the publictreasury, which we shall look upon, not only as a testimony of your zeal for the worship of God, but also of your tender compassion to the souls of those, whom God. hath made you fathers of : and your petitioners shall pray, & c.
Read, Nov. 23 1698.
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In answer to the above petition, Ordered that there be twenty pounds paid out of the public Treasury of this Pro- vince, towards the support of an orthodox minister for one year to commence from the time of the settlement of such minis- ter amongst them.
Sent up to the Honorable the Lieuten- ant Governor and Council for Concur- rence. Nathaniel Byfield, Speaker.
L Samuel O. Owen; his mark. Thomas Barnes, Hervey Gilbert, Stephen Gennings, Jno. Woolcott, James Pettce, Samuel Davie, William Barnes, 'Thomas Parsons, Thomas Rich, Abyan Bartlett Daniel Price, Jno. Clary, Joseph Marks, ¿ John Pettee.
Read in Council, Nov. 24, 1698, and voted a concurrence with the Representatives,
Isaiah Addington, Secretary.
P.
Congregational Meeting Houses.
The first meeting house stood on Foster's Hill about half a mile south east of the present meeting house. It was on the north side of the old road to the south Parish, about equally distant from the house of Mr. Baxter Barnes and that of Mr. Tyler Marsh.
The place in which the people met during the thirty years which elapsed after their return from dispersion and before the building of the second meeting house, cannot now be ascertain- ed. From their constant exposure to the irruptions of the In- dians, it is probable, that according to the customs of insulated settlements at that time, they met in a fortified place. As Gil- bert's Fort was in the centre of the settlement, it is not unlikely, that for many years the inhabitants assembled there for public worship. For a few years previously to the building of the second meeting house it seems quite probable, that they met in,
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a house, which stood nearly opposite to the residence of Mr. Baxter Barnes. A building, called the TOWN HOUSE stood in that place; and after the completion of the second meeting house, was given to the Reverend Mr. Cheney, on the condi- tion, that he would release the town from that part of their con- tract in which they had agreed to build him a house.
The second meeting house was built on the ground, where the first had stood. The records of the town with the doings of the Committee thereon will give a distinct view of the house and illustrate the circumstances, in which the work was under- taken.
"Nov. 22, 1715. The Inhabitants of Brookfield agreed by the consent of the Committee to build a Meeting-house wherein to carry on the worship of God; in form and manner as fol- loweth, viz. 45 feet in length, 35 feet in width, and to put in gallery pieces so that they may build galleries when they shall have occasion ; and to carry on the building the said house as far as they can conveniently with their labors, and what shall be required in money for the carrying said work to be raised by a town rate and if any person or persons refuse to labor, having suitable warning by the committee hereafter mentioned, they shall pay their proportion in money. The inhabitants likewise agree to get the timber this winter."
" The Committee unanimously agree that the inhabitants build a meeting house wherein to attend the worship of God which shall be set up and erected in said place where formerly the meeting house was built near old John Ayres' house lot lying near about the centre of the town."
The third meeting house was built in 1755, and stood on the place which the present meeting house occupies. It was 45 feet in length and 35 in breadth. In 1794 it was removed and appropriated to the use of Parish and Town Meetings.
The present meeting house was raised in 1794, and completed the next year. Length of the house including the west porch 80 feet, length of the body 65 feet, breadth 55. It was dedicated November 10th 1795. In 1838, 43 years from the time of its.
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being built, the present meeting house was entirely remodeled .. It was wheeled round to a right angle with its former position, and carried back about a rod in the rear of its original site. An addition was made, on each side of the old porch, the ex- tent of the building; making the length 80 feet, the breadth 52 feet. A steeple was erected instead of the former cupola 92 feet in height and bears the vane which was on the old meeting house. A projection of six feet with four pillars were added in front .- Beneath the building a new basement story was formed, 65 feet in length, 52 in width, which is divided into two apart- ments ; one for a vestry, the other for a Town Hall. By slid- ing doors the two may be thrown together whenever occasion may so require. The house was dedicated January 1, 1839. Rev. Mr. Winslow, of Boston, preached the dedication Sermon.
The old house was appraised at 81488. The cost of the new, including the chandelier, stoves and other incidental ex- penses, was $5488. The pews sold for more than the apprais- ed value, 81165. The cost of finishing vestry and Town Hall, $300.
Second Parish, now North Brookfield.
The first meeting house was raised in 1749 and completed after a few years. This house was occupied for public worship till January, 1824, when a new one situated about half a mile north of the old one was completed. It is a neat and commodious edifice.
Third Parish.
The meeting house in the south Parish was raised in April, 1754. It was the design of the party, who erected the frame, eventually to induce the inhabitants of the First parish to unite with them in completing and occupying the house. When the subject was presented to the General Court, an injunction was issued against the proceeding, till some order should be given by the Court : a viewing committee was appointed, who reported
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in favor of a separation, and of the incorporation of a third parish. This report was accepted November 8th, 1754. For many years, little was done towards a completion of the house, as will appear from the report of a parish committee, April 19th, 1758. " The pew spots set out and numbered shall be sold, or granted as prized to such persons in the third precinct being freeholders ; giving the first offer and choice to the person, who is highest upon the town list in rateable estate and personal, as the list now stands in the clerk's office : and if refused by the first on the list, said spot shall be offered to the next highest on the list, and so to be sold, or granted in succession, till said spots are all taken up and sold. Also that the purchaser may pay for the spot in such materials, as shall be suitable for finish- ing the meeting house ; also the purchaser shall give his note of hand to a Committee, which said precint shall appoint for to receive notes of hand for said sum or sums of money, or mate- rials as the purchaser shall give, and to agree with the purchas- er and allow him a reasonable price for the stuff; and that the notes shall be payable in six months, and the Committee shall be obliged to use the money and materials in finishing the meet- ing house, as the precinct shall give orders to said Committee within eighteen months. Also every purchaser shall be obliged to build his pew upon said spot, and ceil up to the windows and case the windows and the parts within the limits of the grant up to the gallery, or the first girt , if not the purchaser shall forfeit the before mentioned pew spot to the precinct to be disposed of as if it had not been taken up." This report was accepted, and it was voted, " that the precinct Committee be a Committee to dispose of the new spots according to the report and to take notes and to call in and receive the money, or materials of the purchasers of the pew spots; to provide stuff to build a pulpit, deacons seats and minister's pew, and to make use of the over- , plus towards finishing the meeting house according to the pre- cinct order, if any there be.
The dimensions of the house were, length 55 feet, breadth 42 feet. In 1790 it underwent a thorough repair. A porch 12
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feet square was built surmounted by a steeple. The back body seats below and above were removed, and pews were construct- ed in the places which they occupied. In 1811 a elock was presented for the meeting house by Cheney Reed, Esq. on the condition that the parish would keep it in repair. In 1836 this meeting house was entirely rebuilt, (except the body of the frame) and remoddeled. The porch and steeple, at the west end, were taken down, the frame removed south some sixty feet, a projection, pillars and steeple added at the east end; which makes the front or entrance, and a basement story formed be- neath. The whole is finished in a neat style. The story on the ground, called the Town Hall, is commodiously fitted up for holding Town meetings, and for other literary occasions. The cost of the whole about 83500.
The Meeting house of the Evangelical society in South Brook- field was raised in 1828, and was dedicated August 13th, of the same year. The dimensions of the house are, length, 50 feet, breadth, 42 feet. In 1833 the Evangelical Society was present- ed with a bell for their Meeting House weighing about 600 pounds, by Messrs Jabez & George Howe & Samuel Johnson of Boston. Also in the same year the society was presented with a suit of lamps, one astral, and 9 others-for lighting the pulpit and Church: by Henry Banister of Newburyport, also with a handsome table for the Communion Service by Miss Martha 'Tufts.
Since the building of the Meeting house, the basement story has been finished at the joint expense of Capt. William Howe and his son Francis. It is of the same extent as the house; is well lighted and divided into two rooms : the one 42ft by 20, the other 42 by 30. The former for holding religious conferences, &c., the latter to be united with the compartment, by removing the moveable partition, for the accommodation of the Town to hold 'Town-meetings.
Burying Yards.
The place of the first burials is not known. Tradition fixes
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it somewhere in the fields eastward of the meeting house in the first parish. It probably was near a road, which in the first settlement of the town connected Foster's Hill with the Con- neticut road in the neighborhood of Deacon Samuel Barnes.
The old Burying Ground in the first parish began to be used as a depository of the dead soon after the return of the inhabi- tants from the dispersion in Philip's war. Two men, who were killed by the Indians between this place and North Brookfield, are said to have been the first that were interred there. The six men, who in 1710 were killed in the meadows between this place and the South Parish, were soon afterwards buried near them. The six graves are still discernible in the line next west of Mr, Cornelius White's. It is often asked, why was a place se- lected so far from a public road. To this it is necessary only to say, that the ancient road from Boston to Hartford passed over the plain a little north of the meeting house, and through the fields along the east side of the burying yard.
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