USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Deerfield > History of Deerfield, Massachusetts: the times when the people by whom it was settled, unsettled and resettled, vol 1 > Part 4
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No. 3. Wisdom. This is bounded east and south by the Pocumtuck river, north by Cheapside, and reaches west to Shelburne line. It has sixty dwellings, two schoolhouses, meetinghouse, postoffice, depot, wagon shop, cider mill, two slaughter houses and six graveyards. Here lie Carter's land, 1693 ; Little Hope, Old Fort, 1686; Old River, Harrow Mead- ow Point, 1766; Grass Hollow, New Fort Meadow, 1686; The Nook, Belding's Grant, 1688; Amsden's Hill, 1735; Field's Hill, Martin's Hill, 1717; Indian Hill, Round Hill, Long Swamp, Old World, Arthur's Seat, Hawks's Grant, Wolf Lot, House Lot, and Blakely Hollow.
No. 4. Hoosac, lies across the Pocumtuck to the south of Wisdom, with nine dwellings.
No. 5. Mill River, is still southward, occupying the south- east corner of the town. It has thirty dwellings, school- house, saw and grist mill, Sawmill Plain, 1747; Brooks's Hol-
27
TURNIP YARD.
low, Weller's Hill, Bear's Hole, Indian Hill, Long Hill West Division, 1688; and a graveyard.
No. 6. Wapping, 1687, one mile south of Old Street is the Plumbtree Plain of 1684. It has twenty-three dwellings and a schoolhouse.
No. 7. The Mill, 1795, is one mile west of Wapping, with nine dwellings, blacksmith shop, machine shop, saw and grist mill. Here are Indian Bridge, 1694; Gifford's Bridge, Steb- bins Meadow, 1692; Sutlieff's Island, 1712; Locke's Island, 1773; Locke's Mill, 1783 ; Stebbins Island, 1735 : Island Brook, 1767; and Stillwater Bridge, which leads over the Pocum- tuck river to Wisdom.
No. 8. The Bars, 1675, adjoins on the south, with nine dwellings, Indian Hole, Squaw Hill, 1746; Bars Long Hill, 1685 ; Boggy Meadow, 1686. One schoolhouse accommodates both Mill and Bars.
No. 9. Turnip Yard,# 1753, lies two miles southeast of Wapping, with nineteen dwellings and schoolhouse.
No. 10. Sugar Loaf-the old town sheepwalk of 1753-lies southeast of Turnip Yard, between Wequamps, 1672, and the Connecticut, south to Whately line, with twelve dwellings, sawmill and graveyard. From here a bridge leads across the Connecticut to Sunderland.
No. 11. Pine Nook, 1709, or Grindstone Hill, is next north of Sugar Loaf, extending three miles up the Connecticut. It has twenty-four dwellings, schoolhouse, two graveyards, Will's Hill, and Devil's Hollow, 1800. Whitmore's Ferry leads thence to Sunderland.
No. 12. Great River, 1686, lies still northward, extending on the river three miles to the town bounds, Cheapside and Old Street lying on the west. Here are twenty-six dwellings, schoolhouse, cider mill, one graveyard, Clesson's Ferry to Montague, 1830; Martin's Meadow, 1686; Sheldon's Fields, 1768. At the latter place the Boston and Troy Railroad has established a freight yard, with extensive buildings and de- pot. The Indian name of this section was Mantahelek.
No. 13. Bloody Brook, 1675, is three and one-half miles south of the Street by Wapping Long Hill road, and extends
* The namby-pamby name of Hill Side has recently been applied to this dis- trict in accordance with a taste which would reduce to insipid sameness every original and suggestive local name.
28
TOPOGRAPHY, LOCAL NAMES, GRAVEYARDS.
southward to Whately line. Half a mile north of this line is a small triangular common. From this point Sugar Loaf Street runs across Sugar Loaf Plain, 1700, by the south point of We- quamps, to Sunderland Bridge ; Depot Street west to Mill river ; Conway street northwest to Conway, and the North- ampton road south. Another road from the Old Street reach- es Bloody Brook by Bars Long Hill. This is the old Hatfield road, down which Lothrop led his men to slaughter in 1675. It is the dividing line between Long Hill East, and Long Hill West, divisions of woodland in 1688. On the streets and roads named are one hundred and forty-eight dwellings, three meetinghouses, two schoolhouses, six stores, pocket- book manufactory, wagon shop, blacksmith shop, grist and sawmill, two hotels, livery stable, postoffice, two graveyards, and the monument to the " Flower of Essex."
Elevations-East Mountain is made up of two ranges par- allel to the Connecticut river, about eleven miles long. The easterly one, of trap, is called Rocky Mountain. Its northern end, opposite the falls at Peskeompskut, rises boldly four or five hundred feet. The sides are generally precipi- tous and often bare of vegetation, more particularly the west slope. Its highest rise is at Hosmer's Peak, directly east of Pocumtuck Rock, whence it rapidly falls off to Turnip Yard and there disappears under the west range. At Cheapside there is a remarkable gorge, where the Pocumtuck river has cut a passage through the hill from crown to base, about two hundred and fifty feet in depth. Not far above this gorge on the north side is Sachems Head, with its Bears Den, and farther on, Poets Seat, places of much resort, from which are extensive and picturesque views of the Connecticut and Po- cumtuck Valleys.
The west range of East Mountain, of red sandstone, is called the Pocumtuck range. It springs abruptly from the plain at Whately line to the height of five hundred feet, forin- ing the noted " Weqvamps, called by the white men, Sugar Loaf" in 1672. From Wequamps, on which is a house for the accommodation of visitors, the prospect is charming, extend- ing down the valley beyond Holyoke and Mount Tom. North- ward, over Beaver Neck, is North Sugar Loaf, of equal height. Rising still northward, the range culminates at Po- cumtuck Rock, 750 feet above the valley. The view from
29
THE BIG BEAVER.
this point can rarely be surpassed in quiet beauty. "It is not excelled," said John Quincy Adams, "by anything I have ever seen, not excepting the Bay of Naples." Northward from "The Rock" the range gradually falls off, disappearing at length under the trap range in Greenfield.
The peculiar form of East Mountain, which suggests two strands of an enormous cable, did not escape the notice of the Indians, who called it Pemawachuatuck, i. c., at the twisted mountain.
The origin of these two ranges is as different as their ma- terial-if our authorities are reliable. The geologist tells us that the trap range was forced up between the old and new sandstone by internal action. The Pocumtuck range, accord- ing to Indian tradition, is only the petrified body of a huge beaver, which used to disport itself here in a pond of corre- sponding dimensions. This animal, by continued depreda- tions on the shores, had offended Hobomok, who at length determined to kill it. Accordingly, armed with the trunk of an enormous oak, he waded into the water and attacked the monster. After a desperate contest, the beaver was dis- patched by a blow across his neck with the ponderous cud- gel. 'The carcass sank to the bottom of the pond and turned to stone. Should any skeptic doubt the truth of this tradi- tion he is referred to the beaver itself. Wequamps is the head, north of which the bent neck shows where fell the fa- tal stroke; North Sugar Loaf, the shoulders, rising to Pocum- tuck Rock the back, whence it tapers off to the tail at Cheap- side. All this is now as plainly to be seen by an observer from the West Mountain as it was the day this big beaver pond was drained off.
The hills west of the Dedham Grant belong to the Hoosac range and rise in gradual swells to the summit, twenty-five miles away, and twenty-four hundred feet high. The high- est elevation attained in Deerfield is one thousand feet, at Arthur's Seat. This point is not difficult of access, and the view from it is extensive and grand. 3 It is the peer of Kunckquadchu, 1664; while Pocumtuck Rock and Wequamps are dwarfed between them.
Streams .- The Connecticut River-the Quinnehtuk of the natives-runs the whole length of the old township, with a shore line, as already stated, of twenty-five miles. Its gener-
30
TOPOGRAPHY, LOCAL NAMES, GRAVEYARDS.
al course is southerly, but at the southeast corner of Gill, where it receives Miller's river from the east, it turns sharply to the north west for a mile ; continuing a westerly course of two miles to the Narrows, it again turns abruptly to the north- ward, and after a mile of rapids, plunges over a rocky preci- pice at Peskeompskut-now Turners Falls. About 1796 a dam was built here; and a canal, constructed for the benefit of river navigation, was opened Oct. 29, 1800. In 1866 a new dam was built, about forty feet high and one thousand feet long. It is in two parts, one end of each resting upon a rocky island near the middle of the river. This dam was. inade to utilize the power for manufacturing purposes on both sides of the river.
The large body of water and the height of the fall; the historic associations; the pre-historic revelations from the sandstone hard by, make this by far the most interesting cataract in New England. A few rods below, where Fall river enters from the north, the river bends to the west, and sweeping in a semi-circle for three miles, it receives the Po- cumtuck from the south ; and a mile eastward, the brook Pa- pacomtuckquash, i. c., little Pocumtuck, from Montague. Here it resumes its southward course.
Pocumtuck River, 1665, rises on the east slope of the Green Mountains in Vermont. Entering Massachusetts near the mouth of Hoosac Tunnel, and taking a southeasterly course, it forms the boundary line between Rowe, Charlemont and Shelburne on the left, and Monroe, Florida, Buckland, and Conway on the right, and for two miles, between Conway and Deerfield. From the falls in Shelburne the river descends rapidly and has worn out a rocky bed through the Sunsick Hills from two to four hundred feet in depth. The canyon is so narrow and its sides so precipitous that in time of high water it is impassable to man. In the course of ages its foot has receded from the original outlet, forming a level reach about a mile in length, called,-
Stillwater .- Here the weary stream, after its impetuous rush from the mountain, dallies 'for a quiet rest, in the dim seclusion ; and Dryads and Naiads take it in charge to prepare it for a dignified progress across the sunlit North Meadows. The seething waters are soothed until every dash and rip- ple vanishes and every sound is silenced ; the dancing foam is
31
THE ROMANCE OF STILLWATER.
brushed away and the dark emerald surface lies like burn- ished glass. The nymphs then deck it with fringed garments of summer green, or autumn robes of purple and gold, which trail down on either side of its ample bosom, and leave it to glide out on its destined way. From the foot of the rapids to this outlet the water appears absolutely still-a perfect mirror, reflecting the forest trees which crown the rocky heights on either shore. Stillwater is a favorite resort for lovers of the romantic, and of each other. A row to the head of the reach reveals scenes of enchanting beauty which become grand and solemn, as one seems to be penetrating through the deepening shadows, the very heart of the moun- tain.
Pocommeagon, 1667 ; or Green River, 1672-rises in Southern Vermont, crosses Leyden, Greenfield and Cheapside, to the Pocumtuck, affording in its course power for many small manufacturing establishments.
Mill River, 1661, comes from the hills of Conway. Soon after crossing the town line at Mill river there is a fall, where a mill was built in 1693. Draining Long Hill West Division, it receives Bloody Brook near Whately line, and running due south, reaches the Connecticut in Hatfield. Hadley's first corn mill was built on this stream in 1661.
Fall River, from Windham county, Vermont, comes down through Bernardston, between Greenfield and Gill, entering the Connecticut a few rods below Peskeompskut, furnishing power for many small works.
To aid in the description of events occurring on the old territory of the town a concise notice of its principal brooks will be given :-
Mill Brook, 1726, rises about Frizzell's Hill in Leyden, crosses the southeast part of Bernardston, flows southerly five miles in Greenfield, and enters Green river at Nash's Mills.
McCard's [originally McHard's] Brook, a branch of Mill Book, also comes from Leyden. Another branch, Ash Swamp Brook, 1745, draining the Great Swamp at the eastward, enters near its mouth.
Glen Brook, from the famous Leyden Glen, supplies the Greenfield aqueduct and enters Green river one mile below the Leyden line.
Guy's Brook, another tributary of Green river, running
32
TOPOGRAPHY, LOCAL NAMES, GRAVEYARDS.
westerly through Greenfield village, drains the low lands east of it, and is utilized for the purpose of sewerage.
From the west slope of Shelburne the most considerable streams are Wells's Brook, which on reaching Greenfield re- ceives Jenny's Brook from the south ; Hinsdale's Brook, rising in Colrain and flowing southeasterly through Shelburne and Greenfield : Allen's Brook from the south, and Stewart's Brook from the north which are its branches. All this water finds its way to Green river in Greenfield.
From its southern slopes, Shelburne sends several brooks to the Pocumtuck-Sluice Brook, 1762, from Bald Mountain ; Dragon Brook, with Great Brook and Hawks's Brook from Brim- stone Hill, as branches; and Shingle Brook, from Shingle Hill, near the east line.
Conway, or Deerfield South West, abounds in streams. South River, 1763; and Bear's River, from Ashfield, cross the town northeasterly to the Pocumtuck; the former furnishing well improved mill power. The latter is noted for its deep channel. Near its mouth it is spanned by a railroad bridge, one hundred and forty-five feet above its bed.
From the southern slopes of Conway run Avery's Brook and Sink Pot Brook, which unite to form West Brook. Popular Brook is a branch of the latter. Roaring Brook, 1766, run- ning through Sanderson's Glen, famous for its picturesque- ness, absorbs North Hollow Branch. The water of all these streams enters Mill river in Whately,
In the opposite corner of the old township is Gill. There we find, running across the town to the southeast, Woodward's Brook, 1735, the outlet of Otter Pond. Its main branches are Dry Brook, 1734, on the left, and Beaver Brook, on the right. Ashucla Brook, 1743, and Beaver Run, lie to the northeast, and all fall into the Connecticut.
On the territory of the present town the larger streams have been noticed. Of the small ones, only those having established names will be described. Eagle Brook, 1670, comes down East Mountain by the side of the Pine Nook road, reaching the Pocumtuck at the south end of the Old Street. It was called Sawmill Brook in 1714, and Bijah's Brook as early as 1750. The north fork of this brook, run- ning through Northam's Grant, is called in 1735, Northam's Holm Brook.
33
BLOODY BROOK.
Plain Swamp Brook, rising under Meetinghouse Hill, runs parallel to the Cheapside road through Plain Swamp to the Pocumtuck at Cheapside. Tan Yard Brook, 1792, from Fort Hill; Roaring Brook, 1758-its name spoiled by the Con- necticut River Railroad-and Wateringtrough Brook, are its tributaries from the east. Taylor's Mill Brook, rising in Pole Swamp, east of the Street, reaches the Pocumtuck a few rods above Cheapside bridge. Hearthstone Brook, 1687, from the south, between the two East Mountain ranges, enters the Po- cumtuck near its mouth.
Running from the east slope of the Pocumtuck range to the Connecticut, are Will Brook, 1715; Peppermint Brook, Rail Brook, 1710, or Parsons Mill Brook, 1720, in Pine Nook, and two miles below, Roaring Brook, 1699.
South of Wequamps, is the brook "called by the Indians Weckioannuck," 1672, and Sugar Loaf Brook, in 1700; heading in the low lands west of North Sugar Loaf, it enters the Connecticut near the Whately line. Another sluggish stream rises north of the above, comes down east of Bloody Brook village and parallel to it for half its length, when it crosses the street to the west. At this point stands the monument commemorating the fall of Capt. Lothrop and the "Flower of Essex," in 1675. On that tragic day this stream was baptized Bloody Brook. Continuing southerly it falls into Mill river, near the Whately line. Wilkey's Brook, a branch of the above, heads about Bear's Hole and drains the flat lands south of it. Wash Brook, from the east, 1750, is another branch.
Second Division Brook, 1688, rising near the head of Bloody Brook, runs in an opposite direction through the low lands of Long Hill East Division, Boggy Meadow, and Indian Or- chard, into Second Division, where it was once dammed by beavers. Joined here by Beaver Dam Brook, it turns west- ward and reaches the Pocumtuck through Log Meadow. It was the outlet to the beaver pond and the boundary between First and Second Divisions of plow land in 1671. Barnard's Brook, 1695, drains the swamp under Bars Long Hill. It is crossed by Indian Bridge, near the Bars and Mill school- house. Stebbins's Brook, 1779, rises near Grange Hall and runs west. Broughton's Pond Brook, or Frary's Brook, as it is some-
·
34
TOPOGRAPHY, LOCAL NAMES, GRAVEYARDS.
times called, forms the outlet of that pond westerly. The three last named enter directly into the Pocumtuck.
Wisdom is well watered. Sheldon's Brook, 1743, comes down through Little Hope. To the south lie Carter's Land Brook, 1780; Jones's Brook, Hawks's Brook, Hoyt's Mill Brook, 1795; Amsden's Hill Brook, all running eastward to the Pocumtuck. Turkey Bin Brook, 1795, draining Round Swamp, and Lan- fair's Brook, Long Swamp, both run south to the same river.
The brooks for which names have been found are a small minority of those scattered in every part of the old township.
CHAPTER III.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
When our ancestors planted themselves at Pocumtuck it became the northwest frontier settlement of New England. The wilderness stretched to Canada on the north, and to Al- bany on the west : Lancaster and Brookfield were the nearest towns on the east. On the river below were Springfield, settled by William Pynchon in 1635, Northampton, settled in 1654, and Hadley in 1659. At Warranoco, [Westfield] a trading post had been established in 1640, as a commercial rival to Springfield.
From the first contact of the whites with the natives of the valley, traffic in furs was a lucrative business. Pynchon, located at Springfield, was near the source of supply and found great profit in the business. The Connecticut towns, being in a measure cut off from the up river Indians, sought to checkmate Pynchon by a counter move. In 1640, Fen- wick, agent of the Connecticut patentees, granted Gov. Ed- ward Hopkins and William Whiting of Hartford, one thou- sand acres at Warranoco. The grantees at once built a fort there and established a trading post. That region was a favorite haunt for beaver, and a brisk trade with the natives soon sprang up. Massachusetts, which had derived quite an income from a tax on furs, could not quietly see so large a trade diverted to Connecticut. She set up a claim that the fort was on her territory, and ran an ex-parte line to prove it. Fenwick resisted the claim; but the Commissioners of the United Colonies decided in favor of Massachusetts. Warranoco was annexed to Springfield and was taxed two pence for each skin of beaver, otter, moose or bear obtained of the Indians. Soon after 1649 the post was abandoned. Before 1660 a company under the lead of Roger Billings, made an · unsuccessful attempt to renew the settlement, un- der a grant from Massachusetts. A permanent colony was established there about 1660.
36
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
For more than thirty years friendly relations had existed between the English and Indians, to their mutual benefit, and no fears were now entertained of Indian hostilities. Under these conditions and with these surroundings, our fathers had decided to plant a colony at Pocumtuck. As we have seen, the pioneer, Samuel Hinsdell, had broken ground here in the spring of 1669, or possibly the fall before. The town had been surveyed and the land divided in 1671. It has often been stated by historians, and generally believed, that Deerfield was settled by a colony from Dedham, and that the list of proprietors of the eight thousand acre grant found on the town records is a list of the actual settlers. It is a remarkable fact, however, that not a single Dedham man became a permanent resident of Pocumtuck.
Samuel Hinsdell was soon followed by Samson Frary. A family tradition places Godfrey Nims here, as third settler, before 1671, but other evidence of this has not been found. Landless men, learning of the fertile, alluvial soil of this valley, where broad acres could be bought for a trifle, soon turned their faces toward this land of promise. Many rights in the Grant had been sold to speculators years before, but the question now being of settlement, picked men only were allowed a foothold on the new El Dorado. Although the house lots, and the best meadow land were held in severalty, real estate there was sold to such men only as were approved by Dedham. Entries like the following make part of the town record :-
"Dec. 4, 1671. Joh Plimpton is allowed to purchase Land of John Bacon at Pawcumptucke prouided that the said John Plimpton doe settle there vpon in his owne person
Dec. 4, 1671. Mr Tho: Weld of Roxbery came this daye with his brother Daniell Weld of Meadfield, moueing the select men to grant his said brother libertie to purchase Lande at Paucomptuke. this request was not granted"
"Feb. 16, 1671-2. Lieft. Fisher is alowed libertie to sell, 6 cowe Common Rights and one sheepe Common Right at Paucumptuck to Nathaneell Suttlife of Medfield"
These were acts of deliberation, and not mere formalities.
The grounds of objection to Mr. Weld, or what measures were taken to remove them, do not appear; but the next year he was an emigrant to Pocumtuck. An examination of the records of Dedham shows that the municipal affairs of the
37
CUTTING THE APRON STRINGS.
new plantation were for years exclusively under the control of the mother town. As the inconvenience of this arrange- ment became manifest, measures were taken to bring the ruling powers nearer home.
Samuel Hinsdell was sent to confer with the mother town in the winter of 1672-3.
"Feb. 3, 1672-3. The inhabitanc at pocomtick by Sam Hisdel de- sire that a company of meet persons: thier about be chosen: and invested with all such poure nesesary: for the well ordering of the afires: of that place, this being taken in to consideration: the fiue men vnder named are chosen to be the commity: Mr Petter Til- ton Liut Sam Smith Liut Alice good Willard Sam Hinsdel"
" March 7, 1673. [Genera lmeeting. ] SamH insdell in the behalfe of the inhabitanc of pecomtick: and the propriators: thier present thier request that the Towne of Dedham would consider thier case and the dificaltyes that are vpon them by reasone of thier remoat- nes: from the plac whear the poure of ordring of prudentiall do re- side: and to do something: that may: further thier setlement:
In Answer thier vnto: the Towne haue chosen thier trusty and wellbeloued and much esteemed freind: m' Peter Tilton Liut Sam Smith: Liut Alice Richard Wilard: and Sam Hinsdel to be a comity for that place: and haue betrusted and impoured them accordingly: as first to alow of sutable inhabitanc by: purchis or other wise secondly: to order thier herding: cattel and regolating: swine: 3 to make orders about fence: 4ly: that this commity: and the inhabi- tanc thier with the aduice of the Elders of the 2 neighboring: churches: shall haue liberty to procure: an orthodox Minester to dispenc the word of god amogst them."
These neighboring churches were at Hadley and Hatfield. Hinsdell-who was made constable for Pocumtuck at this time-on his return made a report of the above proceedings to his fellow adventurers. Whatever they might have ex- pected of the mother town, this action was unsatisfactory, and they resolved to cut loose from the authority of Dedham and set up an independent government. Samuel Hinsdell was again sent through the wilderness to the Bay; this time with an appeal to a higher power. The following action of the General Court at its session of May 7, 1673, shows the issue of this enterprise :-
In ansr to the peticon of the inhabitants of Paucumptucke, Samuell Hindsdale, Sampson Frary, &c the Court judgeth it meete to allow the peticoners the liberty of a touneship, and doe therefore grant them such an addition of land to the eight thousand acres formerly granted there to Dedham, as that the whole be to the con- tent of seven miles square, provided that an able & orthodox minis- ter wthin three yeares be settled among them, and that a farme of
38
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
two hundred & fifty acres of land be layd out for the countrys vse; and doe further appointt & impower Left Wm Allys, Thos Meakins, Sen & Sergent Isaack Graues, wth Left Samuel Smith, Mr Peeter Tylton, & Samuel Hindsdell, to be a Committee, and any fower of them to act in all respects to lay out ye said farme in a convenient place to admit inhabitants, grant lands, & order all their prudentiall affaires till they shall be in a capacity, by meet persons from among themselues, to manage their owne affaires, & that the committee be advised wth about settling of a minister there .- [ Mass. Records, IV, Part II, 558. ]
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