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 59
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65
No. 2 .- Eleazer Lusher. He sold to John Pynchon, who in 1683 sold it to Lieut. Thomas Wells for £50. It was here that the murderous assault was made upon Widow Wells and her children in 1693. [See page 230.] In 1720 Lieut. Thomas Wells sells to Thomas Wells, cordwainer, for £50. In 1721 Wells sells to Moses Nash, and Nash to John Wells in 1726, who probably built a house on it. June 28, 1733, John Wells sold the place for £250 to Rev. Jonathan Ashley, who had been settled here as the minister the year before. Through his son Elihu, doctor and farmer, and his grandson, Thomas W., farmer, it has come to Jonathan Ashley, the present own- er. Parson Ashley's house was stockaded during the French and Indian wars. This house was removed to the rear of the barns, and replaced by a new one in 1869.
No. 3 .- "Farm lot," drawn by Timothy Dwight. This was the 150 acres he received for services in laying out the "8000 acre grant." Rev. John Russell of Hadley bought this farm and gave it to his son Samuel, who in 1707 sold it to Wm. Arms and Nathaniel Dickinson. Thirty-three acres meadow land were laid out in the Neck and Pogue's Hole as part of this farm. This was accounted and taxed as 11 cow com- mons and a corresponding home lot was claimed by the Rus- sells. Arms and Dickinson sold their title to John Sheldon, as below, but they had also bought out the claims of those holding under John Allyn, and no lot was actually laid out for No. 3.
No. 4 .- John Allen, Gent., [minister of Dedham.] He died in 1672 and it was held by his son, Daniel Allyn of Boston. The lot appears to have been bought by Rev. William Wil-
598
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
liams of Hatfield, who in 1691 sold it to Hannah, widow of Samuel Porter. In 1701 she sold to Wm. Arms, and he in Feb., 1702-3, a part of it to Ebenezer Brooks. The north part, probably through Timothy Dwight, whose farm drew No. 3, was claimed by Rev. John Russell of Hadley, whose son Sam- uel sold all his claims to Wm. Arms and Nathaniel Dickin- son in 1707. The house of Brooks was burned Feb. 29th, 1704, and he probably gave up the property, as, on the 22d of March, 1708, Wm. Arms and Nathaniel Dickinson, in whom the title was then vested, sold the whole to Ens. John Shel- don. For one hundred and seventy-seven years this lot has been handed down from father to son. From Ensign John to son John, who died in 1713, to his son John, who died in 1793, to his son John, who died in 1806, to his son Seth, who died in 1860, to his son George, the present scribe. The house was built before 1743. A school was kept here about 1790. Through the hands of four clergymen it came to the Shel- dons, who have all been farmers.
No. 5 .- John Hubbard. Held in 1700 by Thomas Wells; by Ebenezer Brooks, 1708-15, when he sells to John Beaman, Thomas Bardwell and Thomas French. The latter sells out to Beaman in 1725, and Beaman in 1732 sold the whole lot to Jonathan Hoyt for £286. About 1783 David Dickinson bought the lot and built the house now standing. In 1832 his daughter Charissa sold to Asa Stebbins, who gave it to his son Henry on his marriage, and it is now held by his heirs. The house is about 100 years old.
No. 6 .- Timothy Dwight. He sold to Nathaniel Sutlief, who was killed with Capt. Turner in 1676. The sale was confirmed by Dwight's heirs to Nathaniel Sutlief, Jr., in 1700. He sold it a year or two later to David Hoyt, who was here captured with all his family in 1704. Here his son Jonathan kept tavern for many years after his return from captivity, and it was on this lot that Gov. Belcher held a conference with the Caghnawaga and other tribes of Indians in 1735. [See ante, page 519.] Lieut. Hoyt and wife died in 1779-80. It was occupied by Simeon and Bridget Burt awhile, but the Hoyt heirs soon after, sold to David Dickinson, whose daugh- ter Charissa sold to Asa Stebbins in 1832. With No. 5 it went to Henry Stebbins, who built the house upon it for his son John H., in 1858. It was later bought by Stephen
599
WELLS. DICKINSON. BARNARD.
Day of Rowe. It is now (1894) owned by J. Amelia Steb- bins.
No. 7 .- Anthony Fisher's farm. This was sold soon after it was granted, to Gov. Leverett, who in 1667 sold it to John Pynchon. Thomas Wells bought it of Pynchon, May 7th, 1683; but the deed was not given until July 4th, 1692, and then to his heirs. Joseph Selden lived here, 1683-9. This farm of one hundred and fifty acres included thirty-three acres of meadow land, and an eleven cow common home lot was claimed with it. March 6th, 1688-9, Joseph Morton sold it to Thomas Wells and Samuel Barnard, and with it the house where he lived "in the great fort." The deeds given show conflicting claims; how they were settled does not appear. Thomas Wells probably bought out all claimants. Lieut. Thomas Wells succeeded his father. At his death in 1750 he left it by will to Capt. Thomas Dickinson, his nephew. It was held by his son Eliphalet, and grandson George Dick- inson. The latter in 1835 sold it to the trustees of Deerfield Academy, who sold it to Ephraim Hines in 1845. In 1847 Hines sold to Charles Jones. Elihu Brown bought of Jones the north half the same year and sold it in 1848 to Rev. John F. Moors. Moors built the house now standing there at that time, and in 1861 sold out to Rev. Daniel Hovey. A. W. Ball purchased the place of Hovey in 1865, and is its present owner.
No. 8 .- Henry Phillips. Francis Barnard was the next known owner, and his son Joseph Barnard, the Proprietors' Recorder and first Town Clerk, lived here as early as 1685. Joseph was shot by Indians at Indian Bridge in 1695. From different heirs of his estate the lot was bought in 1701-9 by Lieut. Thomas Wells. At his death in 1750 it passed by will to Capt. Thomas Dickinson, his nephew. Held by his son Eliphalet and grandson George. It was upon this lot that the Morus Multicaulis speculation struck hard in the winter of 1835. An excavation through three feet of frozen ground was made and a hot house built for the propagation of the tree. Considerable capital was invested in the undertaking by George Dickinson and his partner, John G. Williams. They were too late. The multicaulis fever had abated-the bubble burst. Their assets were represented by a hole in the ground and a good many square feet of glass. This lot had been in-
600
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
corporated with No. 7 and with that went to Deerfield Acad- emy, Hines and Jones. The latter settled on No. 8, where he is still living in the house built or extensively repaired by Capt. Thomas Dickinson about 1752. Capt. Dickinson had a store south of the house before the Revolution-certainly in 1770-5.
No. 9 .- Samuel Hinsdale drew this on the rights of Timo- thy Dwight, by some unknown arrangement. Hinsdale was killed with Lothrop at Bloody Brook in 1675. His heirs, in 1685, sold to the heirs of his brother, Experience Hinsdale, who was killed with Capt. Turner in 1676, and it was occupied by John Evans, who married the widow of Experience. In 1715 Daniel Belding bought out the Hinsdale heirs. In 1729 Belding gives it to his son Daniel. Daniel sold it March 5th, 1744, to Dr. Thomas Williams-our second male physician- who came to Deerfield about 1740. He was ancestor of the later generations of the Deerfield Williams family. From father to son this lot of four and a half acres came down through Solomon, Ralph and Solomon, who sold it in 1860 to Israel Billings, whose heirs now hold it. The house may have been built about 1740-50, and was originally gambrel roofed. The doctor's office was in the garret. Here, in a narrow closet, hung the human skeleton which his daughter Cynthia, when a young miss, went up and rattled in the dark at midnight, on a wager, walking backward both ways. This was considered-as indeed it was, in that age of ghosts and witches-a very bold thing to do. Until within a few years the house was painted a deep yellow.
No. 10 .- Peter Woodward. He sold to William Bartholo- mew, a carpenter, who occupied it at the breaking out of Philip's War. He did not return at the resettlement, and sold it in 1685 to Daniel Belding. Here, in 1696, Belding's family were overwhelmed by the disaster, narrated in ante, page 254. In 1729 Belding gave it to his son Samuel. Samuel's heirs sell to Joseph Stebbins in 1761. About 1772 Stebbins built the present mansion, and gave the lot to his son Joseph. He was succeeded by his son Baxter, who was a large manufacturer of brooms. It is now held by the heirs of his son James. The broom shop was moved to No. II.
No. 11 .- Samson Frary. This lot was not early built upon. It was sold by Nathan Frary, son of Samson, in 1719, to Ma-
·
601
OLD INDIAN HOUSE.
human Hinsdale. Daniel Belding held it in 1723, with No. 10. His son Samuel in 1744 held both lots, and his heirs in 1761 sold to Joseph Stebbins. From his son Baxter it passed to Asa and Henry Stebbins, who sold it in 1854 to Luther B. Lincoln. Lincoln sold in 1866 to Joshua G. Pratt. Chester Damon bought of Pratt in 1870, and sold in 1875 to Geo. A. Arms, the present owner. The dwelling upon the lot, built by Baxter Stebbins in 1830, was burned in 1888. Broom making and shoe making have been carried on here and sev- eral stores kept, by Philo Munn and others. The old " Ware store " was moved to this lot in 1879, and destroyed by fire in 1881. There is now a commodious hotel upon the lot- com- pleted in 1885-by Geo. A. Arms.
No. 12 .- John Pynchon. This lot was drawn on the six- teen cow commons which Pynchon bought of Joshua Fisher in 1665. John Hawks occupied it before Philip's War, and soon after he made a bargain with Pynchon to buy the lot. He settled on it in 1683 or 4, and lived here until after 1687, but as he did not fulfill the conditions of the bargain Pyn- chon sold it to John Sheldon soon after that date. Sheldon here built the dwelling which has gone into history as the famous "Old Indian House." The events which gave it this prominence were detailed in the chapter on Queen Anne's War. The exact date of purchase or building is not found. Sheldon soon added one and a half acres to the south side from No. 13. The south line then ran through the site of the brick meetinghouse. In 1698 he bargained with the town for about one-fourth of an acre out of the training field, that he might build his house within the stockade. A minute de- scription of this house was given on page 276. Here Ensign Sheldon kept a tavern before 1704, and perhaps after. In 1723-John, his oldest son, being dead-he gave the place to his second son, Ebenezer. By him the lot was sold in 1744 to Jonathan Hoyt, whose son David had married the daugh- ter of Ebenezer the year before. In 1762, and perhaps earlier, David was keeping tavern here, and during the earlier part of the Revolutionary war the Tories had their headquarters at his house. The Whigs had theirs at Sexton's tavern, at the opposite end of the common. Hoyt was also a " maker of wigs and foretops." Col. Elihu Hoyt, his son, succeeded him in 1813. Capt. Henry K., son of Elihu, was the next
602
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
owner. In 1848 he took down the "Old Indian House" and built the one now standing on its site, which is now held by Mrs. Laura [Bradford] Wells. Somewhere, well up to the line of the street, Justin Bull had a "shop"; his busi- ness is unknown. At the east end of the lot on the side of the hill next the Street, the town built a house for James Tute in 1744. West of this on the knoll stood a small build- ing used by Gen. Epaphras Hoyt, son of David, for a post- office, office of the Register of Deeds, before Franklin county was organized, and for the High Sheriff's office afterwards. This building was subsequently moved to lot No. 18. In 1824 the knoll where it stood was bought by subscription for the site of the new meetinghouse. It was graded down and the present brick meetinghouse put up that year. The tri- angular piece of level land on the northeast corner of the lot, the "Cocked Hat," was sold to Edward Hitchcock in 1839, and by him in 1840 to Nathaniel Hitchcock and Sophia Arms. In 1841 they sold the south part to Arthur W. Hoyt. In 1842 Hoyt sold out to the Town Street school district, which put up the structure now standing there. On the abolition of the district system it was bought by the town and sold in 1874 to Dexter Childs and others. By them it was named "Grange Hall," and the upper story was occupied by the Patrons of Husbandry while settling the laws of trade and the financial affairs of the country, to their own satisfaction. The lower floor is now occupied by Miss C. L. Ray for a variety store. The Deerfield Reading Association held weekly meetings here for thirty years, and until their library was given to the trustees of the Dickinson Academy. About 1838 Joshua G. Pratt moved on to the north part of the "Cocked Hat," a building put up by Alvah Hawks for a broom shop, built an ell, and fitted it up for a dwelling and shoe shop for his own use. The dwelling has since been occupied by the Pratt fam- ily. The shop has been occupied by Joshua G. Pratt and Lemuel H. Russell for shoemaking, Nathaniel Hitchcock for harness making, Samuel Willard for shoemaking and shoe store, J. G. Pratt for eating saloon, shoe store and grocer- ies. Henry Dickinson, tailor, also found lodgment in this building. About 1857 it came into the hands of Martha G. Pratt, its present owner. The shop was occupied by the late James C. Pratt for a grocery and shoe store, and now [1894]
603
PARSON WILLIAMS'S LOT.
for a postoffice and express office by the owner, she having been postmaster since 1870.
No. 13 .- John Stebbins. His son Benoni attempted a set- tlement here in 1677, but was captured by the Indians. He returned and built there at the Permanent Settlement the house which was so heroically defended Feb. 29th, 1704. In 1721 John Borland of London took it on execution against the widow of Benoni. Half of it was claimed and recovered by John, brother of Benoni, and in 1724 the whole came into the hands of " Thomas Wells, cordwainer." In 1737 Wells is called doctor and he practiced medicine until his death in 1744. So far as known he was the first of the profession in town. Ebenezer, his son, who succeeded, was followed by his sons, Ebenezer and Samuel-by Augustus, son of Samuel, and Samuel F., son of Augustus. It is now held by the heirs of Samuel F. The house may have been built about 1725-30. The first or second Ebenezer kept a store on the premises. This house was burned in 1891.
The committee appointed to lay out the town Street in 1670 were instructed to indicate a place for the "meetinghouse, minister's & church officers' lots." There is no record to that effect, but it may be presumed that the two lots which fall between Nos. 13 and 14 were reserved at that time, one for the minister and one for the church. The first was voted to Mr. John Williams in 1686, and a house for him was built here by the town. This house was burned and himself and family were captured, Feb. 29th, 1704. In 1707 the town built him another house. He was succeeded by his son, Maj. Eli- jah, and grandson, "Esq. John." The latter sold it in 1789 to Consider Dickinson, whose widow, Esther, at her death in 1875, left it with a large amount of other property to the town for a free Academy and Library. Buildings for these pur- poses were put up on the site of the old house, which was re- moved about a dozen rods westerly, where it now stands. The Training Field, in front of this lot and No. 13, was laid out twenty rods wide from the east line of the Street. A11- thorized encroachments have been made upon this from time to time. When "Esq. John " Williams sold the historic house lot of his grandfather, a store standing on its southeast cor- ner was reserved, with the land under it. This building, originally a cider mill, had been moved to this lot, fitted up
604
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
and occupied by Maj. Elijah, his father, for a store, from 1741, except two or three years, to his death in 1771. During the French and Indian wars this was the center of military op- erations for northern Hampshire. Here sub-Commissary Maj. Williams fitted out numerous scouting parties for the frontiers, and many companies have hence set their faces westward to join the armies on the lakes, destined for the con- quest of Canada, their powder horns, bullet pouches and knap- sacks well filled from its stock. The road to Albany ran down Hitchcock's Lane and across the river at Old Fort. The writer remembers the guideboard, nailed to the old corner store with its finger pointing down the lane, directing the traveler "To ALBANY." "John & Eunice Williams" suc- ceeded their father in trade until the marriage of Eunice, when "Williams & Upham" continued in trade here until 1785. John Williams was chosen Register of Deeds for north- ern Hampshire in 1787 and had his office in the old corner store. Here, as Justices of the Peace, both John and his father Elijah held their courts, and the amount of litigation which came before them would astonish the present peaceful community, as the dockets and files of cases now in Memorial Hall bear witness. Elijah Williams, better known to the older people as " Uncle Josh," succeeded " Esq. John " as Reg- ister, and bought the corner store about 1796. He also carried on his trade of saddler here. In 1800 "Uncle Josh " sold out to "Esq. John," who in 1802 was commissioned postmaster. In 1801 Orlando Ware, a new comer, bought the place. He also was postmaster for a short time and continued in trade here until 1831, when he was succeeded by his son Edwin. After the death of Edwin in 1870, the business was carried on by his daughter Fanny, until failing health compelled her to retire in 1874. This corner was the literary as well as the business center of this region. The "Social Library," estab- lished here before 1800, had a marked influence on the char- acter of the generation following. It was a large and valua- ble collection of books; the remnant, of about eight hundred volumes, was given to the library of the Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association in 1879, by those to whom the shares had descended. In 1875 Miss Ware sold out to Geo. A. Arms, and he, the same year, to George Sheldon, by whom the mer- cantile history of the old corner was wound up in 1876. Oct.,
605
THE COMMON.
1875, the P. V. M. Association bought this corner to secure a site for a Memorial Hall. This was accomplished Dec. 15th, 1877, by an equitable arrangement with the Trustees of Dick- inson Academy, under which the corner was restored to the original Parson Williams home lot, and the Association caine in possession of its present quarters. In 1878 the Trustees sold the building to George Sheldon, who sold to Geo. A. Arms, by whom it was removed to lot No. 11, where, in 1881, after being occupied as a dwelling and store, its history and being were ended in flames, after a service of one hundred and forty or fifty years.
Standing in the highway, at the southeast corner of Par- son Williams's lot, was a small house built-with the permis- sion of the town-by John Hawks, for himself and son John. This was burned in 1704, and of its nine occupants six were " smothered in a cellar " under it.
Within the palisades, or the "Great Fort," as it was called, were several small houses, some built by the town for the poor and others for themselves, which were occupied in time of unusual danger. In 1689, upon the alarm occasioned by the burning of Schenectady, the town voted to provide "hab- itations within the fortifications" for such as were not able to do it for themselves. John Sheldon, Benoni Stebbins and Edward Allen were chosen "to appoint where every person's house or cellar shall stand, with ye bigness ya shall be, yt is, such houses or cellars as are to be built by ye town." It no- where appears exactly what these " cellars" were. A tradi- tion tells of a "sort of a side hill house," where Benjamin Munn lived Feb. 29th, 1704, which was so covered with snow as to escape discovery. Three of these "old houses near- est ye old meetinghouse," were pulled down when the new meetinghouse was built, in 1729.
" Tradesmen's" shops were also scattered about within the lines of the stockade.
The third meetinghouse, built in 1695, and the fourth, in 1729, stood on our " common ;" the latter covering the site of the Soldiers' Monument, the one previous a few rods north- east of it. A brick schoolhouse was built a few rods south of the monument in 1813. It had two school rooms on the ground floor and a hall above. This hall was used for lyce- ums, lectures, &c., and for town meetings after the meeting-
606
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
house was taken down in 1824. It was partially burned and demolished in 1841.
The next lot south of Hitchcock Lane was, in 1686, seques- tered for the use of the ministry. In 1759 the town petitioned the Legislature for leave to sell the property to "tradesmen." The petitioners say "the soil of sd lot is poor and Baren & for want of manure is rendered of but little proffit to the ıninister * Have good opportunity to dispose of sd lot in such manner as would be greatly to their advantage & the sum of money would be more proffitable than that of the land is." Mr. Ashley adds his consent, provided the profits be secured to him during his ministry. Under a Legislative enabling act it was divided into nine parcels in 1760, beside the old graveyard at the west end, and all but one sold.
No. I. The southeast corner was sold to David Sexton, who built the present house and occupied it as a tavern. It was held in succession by David Sexton, Jr., 1800; Rufus Sexton, 1803 ; James Reed, 1813, who enlarged the building towards the west; Ebenezer H. Williams, 1825; Isabella H. Bryant, 1852; A. W. Hoyt, 1854; George F. Gale, M. D., 1854; R. N. Porter, M. D., 1856; Robert Childs, 1860. The house was the headquarters of the Whigs during the Revolution. The Reed extension was occupied by him as a tailor shop, and in 1829, by -- -- , a tailor. In 1831 the "Franklin Freeman," a week- ly anti-Masonic newspaper, edited by Gen. Epaphras Hoyt, was published there by Currier & Fogg. Later the postoffice was established there, under "Dr. Charles" Williams.
II. The northeast corner was reserved. It has never been sold and now lies open, in front of No. III, south of the train- ing field, or common.
III. Three-fourths of an acre was sold in 1760 to John Partridge Bull, gunsmith. Dr. William Stoddard Williams bought of him in 1794 and enlarged the present house. It is now owned by the heirs of his son Ephraim.
IV. Half an acre was sold in 1760 to Silas Hamilton, felt- maker. He sold it with shop, to John Sexton, cordwainer, in 1768. Sexton was followed by Isaac Parker, watchmaker and jeweler, about 1780. In 1804 Dr. Williams bought out Parker, and Nos. III and IV have since been one lot.
V. Sold in 1760 to Elizabeth Amsden, weaver. Her shop was burnt about 1768. It was owned by John Amsden in
607
THE ALBANY ROAD.
1773. After this it was owned by Justin Bull, blacksmith, and by John Williams, who in 1778 sold it to Justin Hitch- cock, hatter, for 115 bushels of wheat. From his son Henry, a saddler, it passed to his grandson, Nathaniel, its present owner. The house was built in 1779.
VI. Sold in 1760 to David Sexton. In 1791 he sold the lot, with house and shop, to his son David, shoemaker. David Hoyt bought of him in 1794 and sold to his son Epaphras in 1801. The latter sold to Charles Hitchcock in 1815. His son, Justin B., built a new house on the west half in 1858. The old house, still standing, built about 1760-70, was sold in 1889, with the east half, to Annie C. Putnam of Boston, who now occupies it as a studio.
VII. Three-fourths of an acre was also bought by David Sexton in 1760. His son, Ebenezer, shoemaker, sold it in 1802 to Wm. Russell, carpenter. Russell moved the building then standing on the place and it now forms the rear part of the house on No. 14. Later he built a shop here and em- ployed a Mr. Graves in making coffins for the market, the first ready-made article to be found in this region. This was frowned upon as a scandalous innovation and was not suc- cessful. Graves was followed in this shop by one Death, a wheelright. Russell sold in 1850 to Luther B. Lincoln, who built the present house and established here a school for boys. In 1853 it was bought by Mrs. Eleanor M. Whitman, who sold to Sarah A. Lawrence in 1870. It was bought of Mrs. Lawrence by Orange D. Hunter, in 1880. On this lot was the town pound, which was sold to Mr. Russell.
VIII. Three-fourths of an acre, sold in 1760 to Silas Ham- ilton, feltmaker. John Sexton, cordwainer, bought it of him in 1768, and sold it in 1801 to Isaac Parker. Dr. Williams bought it of the latter in 1804. It has since been held as above by the descendants of Dr. Williams.
IX. Sold in 1760 to John P. Bull. Sold by Bull to Dr. Williams in 1794, and now held as above. Probably neither of the two last lots was ever occupied by buildings. West of this is the graveyard, beyond which stood the ferry house, built in 1774.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.