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 51
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1535
117-122-138 85 115
Childs, Asa & David
3
1 I
154
37-113
287
77-102-121-126
580
Dwelley, Samuel
44
I
104
2 25-26-41-54-95
1323
Field, David
6
IO
5
58
204
Frary, Nathl. & Obadiah
IO
O
0
63-116
300
French, Thomas
45
9
IO
2-13-19-22-34-43-82-86
I370
Grout, Hilkiah
8
18
Hawks, Nathaniel's heirs
2
IO
73
132
S2
Simeon
2
5
153
65-139
284
Col. John
II
3
58
9-35
338
Hinsdale, Abigail
13
S
II
5-36-131
39
Ebenezer's heirs 42
3
31
16-55-62-87-88-91
I208
Hannah
8
6
120
57-66
255
John
79-93
270
Samuel
34
6
91
7-17-33-50-104-109-130
1035
Mitchel, Joseph
4
27
120
Nims, Ebenezer's heirs
4
2
16
60
125
John's heirs
15
I
31
6-12-32
453
Severance, Joseph
3
69
90
Smead, Joseph
30
S
9
40-49-73-76-106-140
918
Southworth, Elisha
18
18-61-75-84
540
Stebbins, Moses
23
I 150
28-31-44-59-115
694
Wells, Jonathan (Hatfield)
38-39
285
Mary
5
I
36
30
153
Thomas 2d's heirs
3
3
16
74
100
Williams, Elijah Warham
23
12
46
14-78-89-105-120
715
3
IO
20
96
105
9
7
116
Clesson, Mathews's heirs,
Dickinson, Samuel,s heirs 19
5
52
112-127-136
60
Eleazer
9
9
7
60
114-124-128
The "Minister's Lot" lay between Nos. 77 and 78.
The next recorded meeting of the Proprietors was held Jan. 21st, 1782, when agents were chosen to divide or sell at vendue so much as they think best of the "Common & Un- divided Land in the township of Deerfield, and townships or districts of Greenfield, Conway and Shelburne." The results of this commission are not found, but in 1788 considerable land was still held in common. In 1794, a gore "lying between the East Mountain Division on the north, the Connecticut river on the east, the Long Hill Division on the south, and on the road from Deerfield to Hatfield by the Bars on the west, 180 acres" was divided to nine parties. Nov. 19th, 1799, this action was ratified by the Proprietors and ordered to be put on record by the clerk. How and when the affairs of this corporation were finally wound up does not appear. The first act recorded in the volume before me was dated
511
THE BOOKS CLOSED.
Aug. 19th, 1699, and with the action of this meeting of Nov. 19th, 1799, closes the century of records contained in " The Book of Records Belonging to the Proprietors of Pacumtuck alias Deer field."
CHAPTER XVI.
LAND GRANTS-FORT DUMMER-CORSE'S JOURNAL-INDIAN CONFERENCES-THE LAST INDIAN.
With their release from harassing military service, our hardy yeomanry returned to the tillage of their farms with telling effect. To men accustomed to long tramps in the wilderness, often in the depth of winter, with provision and blanket at the back, hatchet and bullet pouch at the belt, and heavy matchlock in hand, spending weeks and making hun- dreds of miles at a trip, it was mere pastime to handle the hoe, the seythe and the sickle. Agriculture prospered under their sturdy and willing hands and a season of plenty pre- vailed.
Land Grants. During the interval of peace which followed Father Rasle's War, emigration from the older towns into the wilderness was rapid and constant. The large families of the period furnished plenty of material for new colonies. " The three brothers who came over" in so many family tra- ditions, are often found in this emigration from the old set- tlements to new ones.
There was little difficulty in getting possession of the vir- gin soil. The government encouraged new plantations, and on the slightest pretext, granted land with a bountiful hand to such as would occupy it. To soldiers who had been wounded or captured, and to the heirs of those killed in the wars; to those who had done or suffered anything unusual in any department of public service, recompense was made by drafts on the unfailing Land Bank.
Townships of six or seven miles square were granted cor- porations, or military companies, almost for the asking. Three were granted Boston, on her representation of paying heavy colony taxes. These were located at Charlemont, Colrain and Pittsfield, and were called Boston Townships Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Fall Town, or Bernardston, was granted to the survivors and heirs of those under Capt. Turner at the Falls fight,
513
REWARD FOR THE RESCUERS.
1676; Hunt's Town (Ashfield) to those under Capt. Ephraim Hunt in the Canada expedition of 1690; Warwick to the com- pany of Capt. Andrew Gardner in the same army. It was called Gardner Canada.
On the petition of Jonathan Wells, and others who came to the rescue of Deerfield people, Feb. 29th, 1704, they were granted a "township of land ten miles square on the west side of Connecticut River in the county of Hampshire." It was to be laid out in sixty-three lots, "one of which was re- served for the first-settled minister, one for the ministry, and one for the school." Within three years, a house " 18 feet square and 7 foot stud" must be built on each of the other lots, and six acres brought under cultivation ; a meetinghouse built and minister settled. What advantages the petitioners derived from this grant does not appear. A portion of it was laid out by Nathaniel Kellogg, and a return made to the General Court as follows, Sept. 20th, 1736 :-
A plat of 11,038 acres of Land Lying west of Hatfield & bounded east on Hatfield & all the other bounds on unappropriated lands. Be- ginning at a hemlock tree on Hatfield North west corner, from which we run West 10° North 868 perches to a stake & stones, thence north 10° West 1920 (?) perch, thence East 10' 868 perch; thence north 10° east 1920 (?) perch to where we began.
The north line crossed a "large brook" about 150 rods from the place of beginning. Shutesbury, called "Wells Town" and "Road Town," was granted Thomas Wells and others for clearing a road from Lancaster to Sunderland ; New Salem to a company in Old Salem. Eighteen square miles was added to Sunderland. Many townships were granted in other counties. Nearly all these grants were made about 1731-5, as also were those named below.
Col. John Stoddard had 1000 acres in 1734, for public ser- vice. People connected with Deerfield history who had grants at this period were :-
The heirs of Rev. John Williams, seven hundred acres ad- joining Northampton on the south and west. Maj. Elijah Williams, one-half the two hundred and fifty acres of land reserved in 1673 for the Country Farm. For the other half he was to pay £6 5 s in " Bills of Credit, Last Issue." This was a vicarious reward; being "on account of his brother Samuel's services in the Indian War." Samuel had been
514 LAND GRANTS. FORT DUMMER. CORSE'S JOURNAL.
dead nearly thirty years. The widow of the Joseph Bradley who went to Canada with Ensign Sheldon, two hundred and fifty acres. Ebenezer Sheldon and his sister Mary (Sheldon) Clapp, children of Ensign John, three hundred acres, on their representation that,-
In their long captivity in Canada, they contracted an acquaint- ance with the Caghnawaga Indians, who now put them to an ex- traordinary charge to entertain them when they come to Deerfield.
[Capt. Timothy Childs, three hundred acres, ] which Lyeth west of the Township of Deerfield, beginning at a white oak tree about ten rods north of the Great Falls in the river called the Deerfield River, from which it runs E. 19° South, 140 rods, thence N. 19° East 342 rods 14 feet and 2 inches. Thence West 19º N. 148 rods. Thence S. 19º West and closed; which land was surveyed July 10, 1740. Elijah Williams, surveyor, John Hawks & John Sheldon, chainman.
Can anyone locate the following reservation "for the con- veniency of " fishermen? By the General Court, March Ist, 1743, "Ordered that the Salmon Fishing Falls in Deerfield River, so-called, be reserved for the use of the public, with 20 acres around them for the conveniency of fishing."
Other grantees were John Sheldon, Joseph Clesson and Mehuman Hinsdale, three hundred acres each. Robert Cooper, Samuel Dickinson, Aaron Denio, Samuel Field, Jo- seph Kellogg, Benoni Moore, Joseph Petty, John Smead and Joseph Severance had two hundred acres each, and the heirs of Robert Bardwell one hundred acres.
The following had shares in the township of Keene: John Nims, William Smead, John Hawks and Seth Heaton.
In "No. 4," Charlestown, these were original proprietors : Jonathan Wells, Dr. Thomas Wells, Samuel Barnard, David Field, Samuel Field, Joseph Clesson, Joseph Severance, Eben- ezer Sheldon, David Hoyt, John Catlin, Benjamin Munn, John Nims, John Hinsdale, Thomas Wells, Daniel Belding, Ebenezer Nims, Benjamin Dickinson, Samuel Dickinson, Samuel Mitchell. Each share would give three or four hun- dred acres. All the above were Deerfield men.
Fort Dummer. This station was kept up as a military post, and a Truck House established, where business was carried on by Capt. Joseph Kellogg as Truck Master, under the di- rection of the Governor and Council. The policy of the col- onies was to encourage the Indians to go there to barter the proceeds of their hunting, and to furnish them goods at a
515
METHODS OF MISSIONARY HINSDALE.
lower rate than the same could be had at the French trading posts in Canada. The object was to cultivate friendly rela- tions with the tribes on the west and north, and detach them from the French interest. Some houses were put up for the use of the Indians, and a small garrison was kept, principally to keep order among the members of the various tribes which were expected to resort thither.
Three Caghnawaga chiefs were there with commission and pay from our government, viz :-
Colonel Ontosogo, with salary of £15.
Lieut-Col. Thyhauselkou, £10.
Major Conneighau, £10
There were also three chiefs of the Scatacooks :-
Captain Masseguan, £10.
Captain Nannatoohau, £6.
Lieut. Massamah, £6.
Ebenezer Hinsdale of Deerfield was acting as chaplain in 1731. Dec. 11th, 1733, Hinsdale was ordained at Boston as Missionary to the Indians, under the auspices of the Edin- burgh Society for the propagation of Christian knowledge, and stationed at this fort. He remained chaplain here until 1740. Edward Billings, afterwards minister of Greenfield, succeeded him, and he was followed by Dudley Woodbridge.
Chaplain and Missionary Hinsdale was much interested in the natives, but punctilious in his method of dealing with them. On one occasion a party of squaws having some crude notions of the efficacy of the rite, brought their children to him for baptism. The missionary had scruples about send- ing these young heathen to heaven in an irregular way. The mothers not being church members, in good and regular standing, he could not clearly see his way to baptize their children ; so he sent them away for a season, while he wrote to some ecclesiastical authority in Boston for direction. There are no records to show whether these savages reached the happy hunting ground without his aid, or whether they went to the other place for want of it.
If this little incident, showing such narrow bigotry and lack of sympathy with the natives, be the measure of the tact and zeal of the Protestant missionaries, we need not wonder at their small success in attracting the natives to the English- man's religion, or standard. Any Roman priest would have
516
LAND GRANTS. FORT DUMMER. CORSE'S JOURNAL.
gone through fire and water for the opportunity which this especially ordained missionary to the heathen thus passed by.
The following letter gives the details of the transaction noted above :-
To His Excellency Jonath" Belcher Esq edt the other Hon- ourble & Revd Commissioners for Propagating The Gospel Among The Heathen
May it Please Your Excellency edt others The Honourble and Revª Commissioners
It was Some Considerable Time after I Came hither before I Saw any of the Indians they being All out at yr Hunting, but since yr has been Some Number here yet but few compared wh what had been here heretofore, and wth those yt have been here I have Endeavor'd As much As In me Lies to Ingratiate myself wh by manifesting An Er- nest Concern to y™ for yr Wealfare, & as I have had Oportunity I have Endeavoured w" I think they will be most ready to hear, to In- troduce some Discourse on Divine things, & many times they will hearken wh Diligince & Consent to what I say One Came Into my Studdy & Sat wh me Sometime & I having ye holy Bible in my hand took occasion from thence to tell him of ye Excellencies of ye Book, from whence it came & ye End it was Sent Into ye World for he would Consent yt it might be sent for a Rule to ye white people but not for ym & argued it from yr never hearing of it before ye English Came among ym & from yr not being able to read it. I told him ye Al- mighty offered it to some first & y" to others and yt Many In ye world besides ym ware Intirely Ignorant of it, & yt now he was pleased to offer it to y" & as to ye reading of it, We ware all of us tought one of another & yt I was now sent to teach and instruct ym In it & yt I should be Glad to teach him if he would Learn, he Gave me some slight Encouragement yt he would learn In ye Spring. Some time after this I perceived they had a mind to have a Child Baptiz'd yt was wth ym I purposed to Discourse wtym about it, but before I had oportunity to my Surprise yr came a number of ym on ye Sabbath between metings to offer ye Child to Baptism but ye Capt: by whom they must speak being Suspicious of yr Design ab- sented himselfe yt they might take a more convenient opportunity to Discourse wt me, In ye Evening after ye Sabbath ye Grand parents of ye child ware sent to treat wth me Concerning it I told ym yt yr ware Certain Qualifications necessary In those yt offered yr Infants to baptism & first of all it was necessary they should be Instructed In ye principles of Religion yt they might be Qualified to receive ye Ordinance ymselves & wn they ware so I told ym yr Infants should have ye Seale administred ym as readily as to ours I told ym further I was sent to teach & Instruct ym and was allwaise ready to Do it & should be Glad they would Come to me they Seamed to be well pleased & satisfied at what I had said to ym & they gave me Incour- agement yt ye mother of ye Child Should live near & come to me this Winter to be Instructed, but she is this week Gone into ye Woods wt ye others to y' Hunt Contrary to my Expectation But my Expec- tations are now rais'd wth respect to some Children now in ye Woods, ye mother of ym has ye Character of a woman more free from vice yn
517
DANGEROUS COMMUNION.
ye Generality of y" & manifests a Concerne for ye vices she sees In her husband & told (as I am Informed) of Going to Canady next spring for ye sake of Having her Children Instructed. This Week she came out of ye woods for provisions and Gave me a Desired op- portunity to offer my Service to Instruct y" In ye principles of re- ligion & to read & write. She is now returned to her Children In ye woods & Gives me some Incouragement she will bring ym to me in Spring. In ye meantime & at all Times I shall Endeavour to pursue my Instructions & Strive If Possible I may be an Instrument of bring (sic) at Least some of yll to ye true Knowledge of God In Christ Jesus & Intreat Your Prayers yt Gods Blessing may be Granted upon ye Labours of your Most Obedient Humble Servt,
EBENEZER HINSDELL.
Fort Dummer January ye 26th Anno Dom. 1732-3.
The free intercourse between these parties so recently in barbaric warfare, with all its advantages, was not without serious danger to both. The savages when in drink, would boast of their exploits against our frontiers and detail their barbarities. The friends of their victims, according to tradi- tion, did not always restrain their resentment, and some of these boasters mysteriously disappeared, and were never again heard of. The rights of the Indians were strictly guarded by law but the law did not always have popular re- spect or support.
The following letter from Col. Partridge to the Governor, dated June 19th, 1727, points out some of the dealings, dan- gers and consequences of this condition of affairs :-
I thought it meete to inform yor Honor that considerable numbrs of Indians from their hunting come in at Deerfª, Northfield & the Fortt; the English Trade with them; and it sd some of ou men goe Out and carry them strong liquors & make the Indians Drunk & get their fures for a small matter so that when they get out of their Drink & see that their furrs are gone, they are mad, & care not what Mischief they do a Ready way to bring on Outrages & Murders if not the Warr againe. I Humbly am of Opinion, that it is needful either to prohibit trading wth them, or to Regulate their tradeing as yr Honrs the counsell or Corte may judge mete. We have some dis- orderly spirited men, in particular one Daniel Sevarns, that declares openly, that he will kill ye Indian that scalpt his ffather. I have given him warning that if he should do such a thing in tyme of Peace he must come upon Trial for his life, & if I understand he persists in such a Resolution, I shall send for him & send him to geole, these things may be of ill consequence, if men be suffered in them.
Daniel Severance was continued there as a garrison soldier for several years, doubtless in a subdued frame of mind.
518
LAND GRANTS. FORT DUMMER. CORSE'S JOURNAL.
Journal of James Corse of Deerfield. Monday, the 27th of April' 1730, at about 12 of the clock, we left Fort Dummer & traveled that day 3 miles & lay down that night by West river, which is three miles distant from Fort Dummer.
No ta bene. I traveled with 12 Canada Mohawks that drank to great excess at the Fort & killed a Scatacook Indian in their drunken condition, that came to smoke with them.
Tuesday we traveled upon the great river about ten miles.
Wednesday we kept the same course upon the great river,-trav- eled about ten miles & eat a drownded Buck that night.
Thursday traveled upon the great river within two miles of the great Falls, in said river, there we went upon land to the Black riv- er above the great Falls went up that river & lodged about a mile & a half from the mouth of Black river, which day's travel we judged was about ten miles.
Friday we crossed Black river at the Falls, afterwards traveled through the woods N. N. W., then cross Black river again about 7 miles above our first crossing, then traveled the same course & pitched our tent on the Homeward side of Black river.
Saturday we crossed Black river, left a great mountain on our right hand & another on the left, kept a north west course till we pitch our tent after 11 miles of travel by a brook which we call a branch of Black river.
Sabbath day. Soon after we began our day's work an old squaw, pregnant, that traveled with us, stoped alone & was delivered of a child & by Monday noon overtook us with a living child upon her back.
We traveled to Black river at the three islands between which & a larg pound we passed the river, enter a mountain that afforded a prospect of the place of Fort Dummer. Soon after we enter a de- scending Country & travel until we arrive at Arther [Otter] creek in a descending land on this day's travel which is 20 miles; we came upon several brooks which run a north west course at the north end of said mountain. From Black river to Arthers Creek we judge is 25 miles.
Monday, made canoes.
Tuesday, Hindered traveling by rain.
Wednesday, We go in our canoes upon Arther creek till we meet two great Falls in said river. Said river is very black and deep & surrounded with very good land to the extremity of our prospect. This day's travel is 30 miles.
Thursday, we sail 40 miles in Arthers Creek. We meet with great Falls & a little below them with two other great falls and about 10 miles below the said falls we meet with two other pretty large falls. We conveyed our canoes by these falls & came to the Lake. This day we sailed 35 miles.
Corse had a passport from Gov. Dummer, with the Province seal, dated April 13th, 1730, and probably had pecuniary aid in his outfit.
On his return to Deerfield, Corse sent a petition to the
519
PREPARING FOR ANOTHER WAR.
General Court asking the "consideration of the court for his charges he has been at in a journey to Canada, in order to Redeem his sister, who was captivated by the Indians when Deerfield was taken ; and for services by him done the Prov- ince on his Journey thither." February 20th, the Court "vot- ed that the further sum of ten pounds be allowed and paid to the Petitioner James Corse for the service therein men- tioned."
Elizabeth Corse, sister of James, was in Canada in 1716, and I do not find that she ever returned.
At the near prospect of another French war Corse felt en- couraged to ask further compensation, and sent the following memorial :-
Memorial of James Corse of Deerfield Humbly Shoeth :
That your Memorialist in the year 1730 at his own expense & charge went to Canada in order for the recovery of his sister out of Captivity where she had a long time been & was encouraged by Mr. Dummer the Commander in chief that he should have some reward from the Public provided he should go in the Indian road from fort Dummer to otter creek which the government were then about to employ some person in order to find out.
Now your Memorialist begs leave to represent that he did go in the Indian road from said fort to otter creek & kept a Journal of his travels & has since his return communicated said Journal to the Gen. Court of this Province in which there is a full description of said road & by which the same may be easily found when in time of war its probable will be of service to the Public & your Memorialist being at £50 cost & charge in & about said affair.
Your Memorialist prays your Excellency's & Honors to take the premises into your wise consideration & grant him some suitable re- ward for his pains & cost & services & your Memorialist as in duty bound shall ever pray.
Deerfield, May 21, 1743. JAMES CORSE.
In March, 1744, the Court voted him three pounds "as an encouragement to him to serve the government as a pilot if need be." Corse finally settled in Greenfield, where he was quite famous as a hunter of wolves and other wild " varmint." He died in 1783 at the age of 90.
CONFERENCE WITH THE CAGHNAWAGA AND OTHER TRIBES AT DEERFIELD IN 1735.
To keep up friendly relations between the Colony and the Western Indians, a conference was planned for the renewal of the treaty made at Albany in 1724. A large committee was appointed from the members of the General Court to at-
f
52(
FORT DUMMER. INDIAN CONFERENCE.
tend Gov. Belcher on the occasion, and July 3d, 1735, this committee was enlarged by the addition of ten members of the Council. The time and place for the meeting was fixed for the last week in August, at Deerfield. Monday, August 25th, Gov. Belcher and his imposing suite rode into town, where the Indians were waiting to meet him. He was fol- lowed, doubtless, by his commissary carts and two mounted field pieces .*
The only evidence tending to show that the Iroquois were represented at this meeting is found in a letter from John Schuyler to Gov. Belcher dated at Albany, Aug. 10th, 1735. He says,-
This day the Delegates of the 6 Nations are moving from hence towards New England as prudently fitted & instructed as I am ca- pable of. I doubt not but that they will ans" the expectations of the governnt of the Massachusetts, tho 'tis likely there may be more in number of the delegates than by yr govnt is expected it is that wch I could not avoid
If at any time I am Capable of serving yr Govrnt in anything of this or other affair I am sincerely ready to do it. If anything is throgh inadvertancy overlooked & y' Excely not advised of it I refer y' Excely to Mr. Kellogg who is knowing to the whole business, wch wth my Humbe regads to yr Excellency & Lady is the pressent need- ful from yr most Humble Servt JOHN SCHUYLER
In conferences between the English and Indians a journal was always kept, in which was recorded in full all the speeches, propositions and replies of each party, both at their public meetings and private interviews. Nothing of the kind relating to this conference can be found. Our eminent his- torian, Gen. Hoyt, in his " Antiquarian Researches," speaks of a treaty with the Caghnawagas in 1735, but he did not know it was held in his native town, and even on the acres of an ancestor. If he had heard the traditions of the fact, he discredited them, and says the treaty was at Fort Dummer, and what is very singular, he was so certain of this, that dis- believing the statement of an Indian chief, whom he was quoting, that the conference was "at Deerfield," he garbled the quotation, to make him say that it was "at Fort Dum-
* It is to be hoped that Gov. Belcher here found relief for his needs as indicat- ed below. Some time before he had written Col. John Stoddard :- " I am told there is a Small Root, about as big as a Knitting Needle found at Deerfield, that gives good Ease in the Gravel. If you cou'd procure me some of it, I should take it kindly." [Samuel A. Green, M. D.]
521
THE PIPE OF PEACE.
mer." According to a tradition which Harriet N. Hitchcock had from Charles Hitchcock, her father, the Council Fire was built on the home lot of Landlord Jonathan Hoyt, the place where J. H. Stebbins now lives. Jonathan, when a lad of sixteen, had been carried off in 1704, from this very lot. He lived in captivity among the Caghnawagas, learned their language, and may have been interpreter on this occasion. The same tradition has preserved a single Indian word, which was repeated so often on the occasion as to be remem- bered -"Squawottuck," meaning " more rum." This word probably indicates a prominent part of the proceedings.
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