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 61
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No. 28. John Howard. Later owned by his son Thomas and by Benjamin Hastings, carpenter, in 1686. He sold it, Nov. 21st, 1694, to Godfrey Nims. The house burned the previous January on No. 27, as noted above, was rebuilt on this lot about 1695, and was burned Feb. 29th, 1704, and three children of Nims perished in it. The present house was probably built about 1710 and repaired by substituting the present hip roof for the old pitch roof, three-quarters of a cen- tury later. This lot has been occupied by John and Ebenez- er, sons of Godfrey ; Jeremiah, son of John ; Seth, son of Jer- emiah : Edwin, son of Seth, and Eunice, daughter of Edwin. Sold 1894 to Sylvanus Miller. The postoffice was kept here from about 1816 to the death of Dea. Seth Nims in 1831.
No. 29. Peter Woodward. He quit-claimed this lot to Nathaniel Frary, son of Samson, in 1719. This has been cut into three homesteads.
I. The south part, held by Samson Frary, 1685. There is testimony that Daniel Wells held it in 1698, which cannot be reconciled to the fact that it continued in the Frary family and that the heirs of Nathaniel Frary, son of Samson, sold it in 1752 to Joseph Barnard. David Arms held it in 1761 and sold in 1763 to Salah Barnard for £175. The north part of the present house was standing in 1698 and escaped the conflagration of Feb. 29th, 1704. The south part was built by Salah Barnard, and the whole occupied for a tavern before the Revolution. Erastus, son of Salah, followed in the same business in 1796-1815. The south half of it was sold by
619
FRARY HOUSE.
Salah Barnard's heirs to E. H. Williams in 1811, who sold soon after to Augustus Lyman, who sold to Seth Nims in 1816. The southwest front was used as a store and a small building was put up in front of this to be used in connection, about 1812. This was occupied by Cooley & Dickinson, Ly- man & Dickinson, Oliver Cooley & Son, Cooley & Nims, Ed- win Nims, and others. Pliny Arms moved the little addition to the rear, to serve as a kitchen. About 1839 there was a wagon shop in the rear of the house. Lyman sold the south part of the house to Eunice Arms in 1828; held by Pliny Arms, her son, until his death in 1859. Elisha Wells owned the north part of this house in 1828 and sold to John Forbes in 1834, who sells it back in 1835, and Wells sells it the same year to Consider Dickinson. In 1868 Richard Dickinson sells the whole to Samuel P. Billings, and he in 1876 to John Kelliher. C. Alice Baker, a descendant of Samson Frary, bought it of his heirs May 24th, 1890, and it has been thor- oughly restored. It is the oldest house in the town.
II. Samson Frary in 1685 ; in 1719 it was held by his son Nathaniel. In 1752 Col. William Williams owned it and kept a store in connection with his business as Commissary in the last French War. In 1757 Henry Bromfield sold the lot to Maj. Elijah Williams. Salah Barnard held it in 1789 and in 1800 his son Ebenezer sold it to Justin Ely. Hezekiah WV. Strong bought of Ely in 1804 and sold to John Bement for $2100 in 1805. In 1808 or 9 Bement sells to Oliver Cooley, innholder. Cooley adds 30 feet in width to his lot from the heirs of Amasa Smith on the north. Seth Nims buys out Cooley in 1816. The tavern was kept in 1818-19 by Augus- tus Lyman. Seth Nims followed-1820-27. Ebenezer H. Wil- liams bought the place in 1826. Williams leased the tavern to Col. Thomas Gilbert, 1828-30; to Edward Russell, 1831; Alvin Lawrence, 1833; Col. David Wright, 1834, and perhaps others, and sold it in 1835 to Oliver Davenport. Alvin Law- rence bought out Davenport in 1838 and his heirs sold to Justin and L. W. Lawrence in 1840. They sell in 1844 to D. N. Carpenter, who the same year sold to Alexander H. New- comb. David Hoyt buys of Newcomb in 1846 and sells in 1853 to the Pocumtuck Hotel Company. This company moved the old building to the rear and put up a new one on a larger scale. The landlords under this company were Wm.
620
IIOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
C. Perry, A. D. Phillips, Ball & Messenger, Hezekiah Brough- ton, A. D. Phillips and Chas. O. Phillips. The Hotel Com- pany sold in 1866 to Chas. O. Phillips and he in 1867 to Smith R. and Henry M. Phillips. The house was burned in 1877, with the old one, which had been occupied for a postoffice. In 1880 H. M. Phillips sold to a list of subscribers, who gave it to E. J. & G. F. Everett. They put up a fine large house, which in 1883 met the fate of the former.
The south room of the old tavern was occupied for a store in 1824, when the scribe recalls buying filberts there. The door was cut in halves and the boys could peek over the lower half before entering. Capt. Elijah Williams kept store and had a law office here in 1830. In a room in the rear of this was Perkins's marble shop, and under it a meat market, about the same time. Later Philo Munn occupied it as a shoe shop, and the library of the Deerfield Reading Associa- tion here for awhile found lodgment.
III. Samson Frary, 1685. This part contained four acres and was sold in 1685 to John Catlin. Here he and his son Jonathan were killed while defending his house in 1704, but it was taken and burned. His son John was captured. He came back and built a house here about 1715. He was a housewright and was always spoken of by tradition as " Mas- ter Catlin." Amasa Smith, hatter, bought out the rights of the several heirs of Catlin, 1775-90, and probably some of them earlier. In 1775 he had leave of the town to set up a hatter's shop in the street in front of this house. This shop was moved on to the north part of the lot, occupied by a jew- eler, and later became the hatter's shop of Seth Nims, and finally the rear part of Smith's house. Smith's heirs, in 1814, sold a strip 30 feet wide from the south side, and in 1820 sold the remainder to William Russell, for his son Thomas, who lived here until his death in June, 1826. Mr. Russell built a shop on the north side of this lot, where Moses Graves made coffins and another man cut gravestones. In 1831 Hiram McKee occupied this shop and advertised in the Deerfield newspaper as a "maker of chaises and waggons." Later William Barnard occupied it for a paint shop. About 1843 Philo Munn moved it to the place he now occupies, where it was destroyed by fire in 1870. Russell gave the place by will to his granddaughter, Mrs. Hannah P. (Russell) Long. .
621
POSTOFFICE AND STORE.
In 1854 she sold to the Pocumtuck Hotel Company. Arthur W. Hoyt bought the place in 185-, took down the old Catlin house and built the one now standing there. He sold out in 1864 to Virgil M. Howard, who in 1870 sells to Loren Hay- den, of whom it was bought in 1873 by Mrs. Elizabeth Cha- pin, who sold it in 1893 to Clarence A. Hoyt.
No. 30. Isaac Bullard. Quintin Stockwell was here in 1673. His house was doubtless one of those fortified in Phil- ip's War and here Mr. Mather, the minister, boarded. In 1685 Stockwell sold to John French ; his son, Thomas French, lived here in 1704, when his whole family were killed or cap- tured. He was a blacksmith and his shop stood in front of his house, on the street. His son Thomas followed him and in 1758 sold to Jonathan Arms, of the same trade. A strip was set off to Augustus Lyman from the south side of this lot, on which Arms had a store. In 1829 Lyman sold this strip to John G. Williams. The old store was moved to- ward Cheapside, set up on the old Trask road and made a dwelling house for Stephen B. Hale. "John G." put up a brick building here and kept a store for many years, some- times alone and sometimes with his brother, Charles Wil- liams. "Dr. Charles" was also postmaster. Store and post- office were continued here until the place was sold to Arthur W. Hoyt, who pulled down the building. It is now the north part of the Chapin lot. ` In 1840 the assignees of Pliny Arms sold Charles Williams the north part of No. 30. In 1848 Luther B. Lincoln buys him out. The next year Lincoln sells it to the trustees of the Orthodox Parsonage Fund, who took down the old French house and built the one now there, which is used as a parsonage.
No. 31. Robert Hinsdale. This was held in 1673 by Jo- seph Gillett, who was killed at Bloody Brook in 1675. In 1692 it was claimed by Peter Woodward, and Joseph Gillett, Jr., "was obliged to redeem it." In 1694 he sold to Samuel Carter, who also seems to have had some trouble about the title, for Dec. 23d, 1700, Timothy Dwight of Dedham sold it to Mahuman Hinsdale. Carter apparently held it, however, and it has since then been incorporated with the next lot north.
No. 32. Nathaniel Colbourne. Held by Joseph Gillett and his son Joseph, as in No. 31. Sold with the latter in 1694 to Samuel Carter. It is then described as "Sometime two town
622
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
lots, 16} by 72 rods, with a house on it." Carter's whole family was killed or captured in 1704, he only escaping. Dec. 8th, 1705, Carter sold to Samuel Allen, grandfather of the famous Col. Ethan Allen. Joseph, the father of Ethan, was born here in 1708. In 1711 Samuel Barnard bought of Allen. In 1723 he bought of Thomas French a strip on the southwest corner, ten rods long and one rod wide, running east and west on the south line. Samuel Barnard died in Salem in 1762, leav- ing by will, this lot, with a large amount of other land, to Joseph, oldest son of his brother Ebenezer, the whole being entailed on Samuel, son of Joseph, then 15 years old, and his heirs male forever. In 1768 Joseph built the house now standing. On the death of Joseph in 1785 his son Samuel- "Lawyer Sam"-succeeded him; but the entail could not hold under the Constitution of Massachusetts, and went no farther. "Lawyer Sam" sold the place in 1794 to Ebenezer H. Williams and removed the next year to Vermont. In 1807 the house was rented to Hosea Hildreth, then Preceptor of Deerfield Academy, and here, on the 28th of June, his son Richard, the historian, was born. In 1811 Williams sold the place to Rev. Samuel Willard for $3333. Dr. Willard died here in 1859. Here lived his son-in-law, Luther B. Lincoln, Principal of Deerfield Academy, and Samtiel Willard, Jr. It was sold by his heirs in 1885 to Annie C. Putnam and Made- line Y. Wynne. A juvenile library was established here through the influence of Dr. Willard in 1827. For some doz- en years before his death, "Dr. Charles" kept the postoffice on the southwest corner of this lot, in a small building which was moved to Bloody Brook in 1873.
No. 33. Henry Phillips. In 1685 John Parsons sells this to John Catlin. In 1694 it was held by Thomas Allison and by him sold to Rev. John Williams in 1711. Samuel Taylor bought it of Williams in 1714 and here kept tavern until his death, Mch. 5th, 1733-4. His son Samuel continued the busi- ness until his removal to Charlemont in 1754, when he sold it to Joseph Stebbins, cordwainer. The house was burned, Nov., 1799, and one Widow Cook perished in the flames. A schoolhouse was built on the southwest corner in 1788. The fire engine house stood on the same site in 1837. Philo Munn moved a building from No. 29 on to the same site for a shoe shop and variety store in 1843. This was burned in 1870, and he built the one he now occupies on the same spot.
623
THE LIBERTY POLE.
No. 34. Joshua Fisher. In 1671 the town of Dedham voted him leave to sell this lot to Nathaniel Sutlief. Sutlief was killed with Capt. Turner in 1676. James Brown held it in 1685, Samuel Hinsdale in 1690, David Hoyt before 1704, and Jonathan, son of David, in 1714. In 1731 the administrator of Joshua Fisher quit-claims to Mahuman Hinsdale. Hins- dale, it appears, had a habit of buying up all sorts of claims to rights in cow commons and houselots, and thereby first and last made the proprietors and individual owners a good deal of trouble. David Field owned this lot in 1754, and in 1785 made it over to Joseph Stebbins and Jonathan Hoyt. In 1807 Hoyt sells his half to Asa Stebbins, who had the other half and No. 33 from his father Joseph. Asa built the brick house now standing in 1799. Both lots thus united are now [1894] held by J. E. Lamb as one. Joseph Stebbins was cord- wainer, also tanner and currier, and did a large business here in both these trades.
No. 35. Samuel Hinsdale. The administrator of Hinsdale deeds this to the heirs of John Allen in 1866. This was prob- ably the residence of John Allen, and sold to him by Samuel Hinsdale before the death of both at Bloody Brook in 1675. John Stebbins held it in 1690. Here his family were capt- ured in 1704. David Field owned it 1754-85. He built and occupied a store standing flush with the street, part on this lot and part on No. 34. During the Revolution this was a favorite resort for the Sons of Liberty and a tall liberty pole was set up in front of it. Sunday, Aug. 7th, 1774, Col. Israel Williams of Hatfield, a rank Tory, was in Deerfield and at- tending meeting, where he doubtless heard from Parson Ash- ley a good Tory sermon. On his way to the house of the preacher he spied this liberty pole and declared " Such a Pole was a Profanation of the Ordinance." We do not learn that it was taken in Sundays in consequence of this judgment. In this store Col. Field was followed by his son Oliver. It was later occupied by Ebenezer Wells, silversmith, and David Bliss, trader. In 1794 E. Williams was here selling " Europe- an & Indian goods;" later Ebenezer Saxton and Lyman Frink, shoemakers, and " Aunt Orry " Russell, a tailoress ; it was also her residence for thirty or forty years. Her sister, Mrs. Fan- ny Merrill, occupied another part of the same building until her death in 1861. This store and dwelling was torn down
.
624
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
in 1880. The homelot was held in 1772-4 by Simeon Steb- bins and later by Oliver Field, who selis the store to Joseph Stebbins and the lot to William Hyslop in 1787. The latter sold in 1795 to William Hyslop Abercrombie, and he in 1797 to David Sheldon. The north part was held by his son Da- vid, and the south part by Joseph A. Ashley. The house was built by David Field, the chimney by John Locke. Mrs. Silvia Munn remembered it as being painted red.
No. 36. Samuel Hinsdale. Held in 1675 by Joshua Carter, who was killed at Bloody Brook; by his heirs in 1691, and by Samuel Porter in 1699. Martin Kellogg lived here in 1704, when all his family save his wife were killed or captured. In 1710 Kellogg sold to Joseph Severance, tailor. Severance was living here in 1756. In 1772 it was in the hands of Zadock Hawks, tanner and currier. A large business was carried on by Zadock and his sons Zur and Zenas. Zenas had the south part of the lot and built the house now standing there in 1805. He had a shoe shop back of his house. After Hawks gave up the shoe business the shop was occupied by Lyman Frink. Henry Russell and Philo Munn. It was finally moved to the south end, and placed on the Wapping road by Clark Hutch- ins, and fitted up for a dwelling. It is now owned by Geo. A. Arms.
The north half of No. 36 fell to Zur Hawks. His son Alvah did a heavy business making brooms. His broom shop was moved about 1837 to No. II, and soon after to No. 12, and is now owned by Martha G. Pratt and occupied for a postoffice and dwelling. The place was bought in 1839 by Seth Shel- don for his son William, and it is now held by his heirs. The house was an old one in 1825, when the front was thoroughly repaired and the rear rebuilt.
No. 37. Mrs. Bunker. Held by Peter Tuffts in 1684 and sold by him in 1687 to Simon Beaman. On this lot stood, in 1694, the first known schoolhouse. Widow Hannah Beaman, the school dame, sold the lot in 1722 to Thomas Bardwell. Through his son John and grandson Henry it came to the hands of Mrs. Catharine E. [Bardwell] Allen. It is now held in the Allen family. On the northwest corner a store was kept by Thomas Bardwell and his son John.
No. 38. Henry Phillips. In 1683 Henry White sells this to Wm. Clarke. Jonathan Wells, Jr., and William Belding
625
THE MINISTERIAL FUND.
own the place in 1710, when Wells sells out to Belding. In 1723-4 John Stebbins and his son John sell to Ensign Jona- than Wells. It is next found in the hands of the Clesson family, but no conveyance can be found. Capt. Joseph Cles- son and his sons, Lieut. Matthew and Joseph, lived on this lot in a house which stood on the site of the Unitarian par- sonage. This was torn down and what was intended for the rear part of a new one built near the north line in 1814. Ab- igail, the widow of Capt. Joseph, sold the lot in 1818 to Eliph- alet Dickinson, who gave it to his son William. In 1851 his heirs sold to Josiah Fogg. Fogg sold in 1853 to David Hoyt and in 1871 Hoyt's heirs sold to Alfred A. Upson. V. M. Howard bought of Upson in 1872 and built the present house that year. It is now owned by his heirs. The one built by the Clessons in 1814 is now a dwelling house at the east end of No. 43, on the Cheapside road. In 1861 Hoyt sold the southeast corner to Elbert Amidon, who built the house now standing. Amidon sold to Charles D. Gale in 1867, and Gale to the trustees of the Ministerial Fund and Sequestered Land, who still hold it as part of the fund for the benefit of the First Congregational Parish.
No. 39. John Baker. Wm. Pixley owner in 1675-84. Sol- omon Stoddard had it in 1710 and sold in 1713 to Joseph Ath- erton, Ebenezer Field, Edward Allen and Samuel Bardwell. In 1714 Bardwell bought out his partners. He probably built the house now standing in place of one burned on this site in 1771, where he kept tavern. His son Eldad succeeded him in this business, as did Eldad, Jr. The heirs of the latter sold to Joseph Stebbins in 1799. Joseph conveyed it to his son Dennis, whose assignees sold to Henry Stebbins and he to Louisa, Lucy and Mary Stebbins, who now hold it. Den- nis Stebbins was an extensive manufacturer of brooms. His shop was used as a schoolhouse in 1842 and soon after moved to lot No. I, where it was occupied as a dwelling. It was taken down by Elbert Amidon when he built in 1867.
No. 40. John Gay. Samuel Hinsdale was owner in 1675. His son, Mahuman Hinsdale, held it in 1713 and combined it soon after with the next two lots.
No. 41. Daniel Fisher. John Stebbins bought of Fisher about 1688. His sons, John and Benoni Stebbins, sell to Jo- seph Gillett in 1690. Timothy Nash held it after 1699 and
626
HOMESTEADS ON THE OLD STREET.
his son Moses sold it in 1709 to Mahuman Hinsdale. In 1723 the heirs of Fisher confirm to the heirs of John Stebbins the sale of 1688. The deed had probably been lost, or perhaps never given.
No. 42. Thomas Payne. Held in 1673 by Nathaniel Sut- lief and in 1675 by Samuel Hinsdale. In 1719 it was owned by Mahuman Hinsdale, since that time Nos. 40, 41 and 42 have been incorporated in one and have the same history. Col. Ebenezer, son of Mahuman Hinsdale, followed his father and held it to his death in 1763. He had a store here for many years and in 1756 tailoring was carried on here also. His heirs sold the place to Elihu Field in 1773. In 1785 Jo- seph Stebbins and Jonathan Hoyt had it of the Fields, and sold in 1788 to Rev. John Taylor. Andrew Bardwell bought of Taylor in 1809 and sold to Ebenezer H. Williams in 1816. The house, then an old one, was about that time remodeled to its present form. Williams sold to his sister, Lydia Wil- liams in 1834, and she in 1850 to Charles D. Gale. In 1852 Asa Stebbins bought it of Gale for his son, Francis W. The latter sells to Erastus Cowles, the present owner, in 1876.
No. 43. John Pynchon. He sold to Joshua Carter in 1669 twenty cow commons, with this homelot, at 20s a common, to be paid in pork at 56s a barrel. Carter was killed with Capt. Lothrop, probably before the title was perfected. Sam- tel Hinsdale had it in 1675. In 1714 it is called "Lieut. Wells's lot," but in 1718 Samuel Hinsdale, son of Samuel, sells it to Mahuman Hinsdale, his uncle. Samuel, son of Mahuman, succeeded his father in 1738, and in 1771 sold to Jonathan Ashley, Jr. April 20th, 1786, Joseph Stebbins bought of Ashley, who was then of Shelburne, and sold to William Dennison in 1801. Asa Stebbins bought it of the latter in 1804. In 1824 he built the present brick house for his son Asa. Edward W., his son, succeeded him and it is now owned by his widow, Lydia A. Stebbins.
The next house round the corner was built by Asa Steb- bins for his son Edward W., in 1849, and willed to Lydia A., wife of Edward. She sold in 1866 to Francis W. Stebbins, who now owns it. At an early date some of the Hinsdales had a tannery on the upper part of this lot. The house now standing near the east end, as before noticed, was moved from No. 38, where it was built by the Clessons in 1814. The
627
THE NORTH END HOUSE.
Boyden lot was originally part of No. 43. It was bought of Samuel Hinsdale in 1758 by Zadock Hawks, who may have begun his business of tanning here. Held in 1801 by Solo- mon Ashley, who made pottery and cut gravestones. It was owned in 1820 by Ambrose Boyden, shoemaker, and is still held by his heirs.
A house stood at the "north end " facing the street south- ward, which was occupied by the widow of Asa Childs, a not- ed doctor. This house was burned long ago, and the writer has found cart irons, chains, &c., in the old cellar hole.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE LAST FRENCH WAR.
The ink with which the treaty of Aix la Chappelle was signed was hardly dry before it became evident to close ob- servers, that the design of the French was to keep the peace only so long as their interests required. France never for a moment ceased encroaching on territory claimed by the Eng- lish, nor for a moment forgot her settled policy of aiding and abetting the border Indians in making forays on the English frontiers.
At Aix la Chapelle the question of the boundaries between France and England in this continent was left to be settled by a joint commission. This commission met at Paris in 1750. In a protracted conference England gained -- nothing. France gained what she needed -- time. For two years England was amused with arguments concerning the ownership of the in- significant island of St. Lucca, while France was steadily pushing her Indian traders and forts along Ontario and Erie, and down the Ohio, thus connecting her settlements on the St. Lawrence with those on the Mississippi, thus shutting up the English within the narrow limits of the Atlantic coast, and securing for France the whole vast continent stretching away to the Pacific.
Even while the commission was in session there had been friction and even bloodshed in Acadia, to which the attention of the English, so far as this continent was concerned, had been almost exclusively directed ; but at length they became aware of the far-sighted policy of the French, found the toils tightening around them, and saw the necessity of preparing for another struggle with the French and Indians. Fort Massachusetts had been rebuilt in 1747-8. The following bill shows that it was now being put into a better condition for defense.
1751, Province of Massachusetts to Ephraim Williams, Dr. June, to erecting a Watch Box 40 feet high & 28 foot square.
629
NOTE OF PREPARATION.
To Cash paid a Carpenter 10 days at 4S, 2 laborers 10 days at 2s,
£2
O 0
2
O
O
15 Jacks at 3s,
2
5
O
Cash paid freight of 3, 4 pounders with Carriages to them from Boston to New York,
2
O
O
To ditto from N. York to Albany,
I IO O
To ditto from Albany to the Landing place at Ban- deihidey,
9
0
To transporting them 36 miles to Fort Mass., 2
0
6
Lawful Money, £12 4 6
Boston, Jany 18 1752 E. E.
EPHRAIM WILLIAMS.
Accepted Jany 22, 1752.
[Williams is also allowed for :-- ]
Sundries for the Sick-I firkin Butter, 12 bbl. New England Rum, I peck oat meal 1/2 bbl. Rice, 12 bbl. Sugar, 10 lbs. Currants, 10 lbs. Rasins, also for cash paid Maj. Pomroy for mending the Soldiers guns posted at fort Mass.
Aug. 21st, Joseph Pynchon, Josiah Dwight, and John Ash- ley, a committee appointed by the General Court to visit the Mohawks, were in Deerfield buying "Calico," and "Garlick," for presents to the Indians ; making a bill at the store of Col. William Williams, of £4, 5 s, 31/2d.
The following bill is given in total ignorance of its subject matter, in the hope that it may prove a clue to matters of historic interest :-
1751, Province of Massachusetts to Ephraim Williams, Dr.
For provisions and other subsistance supplied the French Protest- ants after the provision was expended that the Commissary General supplied them with.
Dec. To Cash paid for provisions for them at Hatfield, £o 7 2
To ditto at Deerfield, I 15 0
To ditto at Charlemont, 0 10 6
To Billiting them at the fort and provisions till their return to Boston, 76 days for I man, 4 13 8
Lawful Money, £7 6 II
Boston, Jany 7, 1752.
Errors Excepted, EPH WILLIAMS, JR.
Allowed Jany 25, 1752.
The object of sending these "French Protestants" on a winter trip from Boston to Fort Massachusetts is left for con- jecture. Could it have anything to do with mounting or managing the new armament of the fort?
In 1753, Dinwiddie, Governor of Virginia, sent young George Washington over the Alleghanies to find out what the French were about on the Ohio. He was flatly told that the territory belonged to France, that it was occupied by or- ders from the king, and would be held against all comers.
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