USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Greenfield > History of Greefield, shire town of Franklin county, Massachusetts, Vol. II > Part 28
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" Burlington, February 14, 1815. This day began to board with Mr. Barnard."
Captain Coleman was grandfather of Mrs. Mary P. Wells Smith.
A LOCAL NIMROD
Samuel Leonard years ago when Gill was a part of Green- field lived on the S. P. Stratton place. He was a very large strongly built man and had double teeth all around in both upper and lower jaw. It was said of him that when eighty- three years of age he could hold a tenpenny nail so firmly in his teeth that by bending it he was able to break it off. He was an expert hunter, and every year took a trip to St. Law- rence county, New York, for the purpose of hunting and trapping. He finally took up his permanent abode there and died at the age of 104 years.
He had a grandson, Moses Leonard, who inherited his tastes. He was born about 1805, and had when 74 years old, as he claimed, killed 300 wolves, 150 bears, and numberless deer,-sometimes 100 in a season.
The St. Lawrence Herald in telling the story, says, " There is enough of interest in the history of the man to fill a large volume."
LOG PLAIN
The portion of the town known as "Log Plain " was in early times covered with an immense growth of white pines. John McHard had built his log cabin on the brow of the steep hill just west of the Nathaniel Black house, a little nearer the highway than the present house. His son William used to tell of a hurricane which happened about the time of
1027
MISCELLANEOUS
the Revolutionary War which swept through these tall pines to the south of their house, twisting them off as though they were mere saplings. For years after the vicinity was frequented by most of the families of the town for the purpose of gather- ing the resinous knots of the fallen pines for kindling and torch wood. A half century later the uprooted stumps formed fences on both sides of the swamp road for a long distance.
A GOOD HAT
Prominent among the business enterprises named, as car- ried on a hundred years ago, that of hat making is often men- tioned. The little house on the stage road in which John Chambers lived and died was built by Pliny Severance for a hat shop. Here for many years he made fur hats. After a time silk hats made their appearance. One day his neighbor, a Mr. Smith, who lived on the corner opposite the old Log Plain schoolhouse, was importuned by a peddler to buy a silk hat. Smith looked at the hat and said, " Why these silk hats are good for nothing! My neighbor Severance down here makes a good hat ; a fur hat. Let me show you one." So into the house he goes and brings out his Sunday-go-to- meeting-hat, and says, " There is a hat which is worth looking at !" The peddler closely examined the hat and returning it said, "Yes ! a pretty good hat ! Yes ! a good hat !" and turning up the sweat lining and pointing to a brand, " There's my mark !"
PAPER MONEY
The several expeditions undertaken by the colonies against the French between 1690 and 1750 called for large expendi- tures of money, and the country suffered terribly from the issues of an irredeemable currency. "Old tenor " was that form issued in Massachusetts before 1737. " Middle tenor " was a form issued from 1737 to 1741 when a new act was passed, and the issue under the new act became known as
1028
MISCELLANEOUS
" new tenor." Each had a different value, and each de- preciated in different ratios. After the colonies had taken Louisbourg (June 17, 1745), the home government in acknowl- edgment of the services of Massachusetts in this affair, sent over 180,000 pounds sterling, which the colony used to pur- chase 1,980,000 pounds of their paper promises, greatly to the relief of the suffering people.
Again in 1775 the Continental Congress, in its great straits for money began to issue paper money. Before the close of the year 1779, it had put forth $242,000,000. In March, 1780, it was worth but forty dollars to one in silver. Con- gress then called it in and issued in its place at market value, "new tenor " notes bearing five per cent interest, at twenty " old tenor " to one of " new tenor." The old notes sank to one thousand to one.
The General Court of Massachusetts by act passed Septem- ber 29, 1780, fixed the following rates for the depreciation of the currency, for the liquidation of all debts and contracts. One dollar in gold or silver was worth, in paper currency-
1777
1778
I779
1780
January,
$1.05
$3.15
$7.42
$29.34
February,
1.07
3.50
8.68
33.22
March,
1.09
3.75
10.00
37.36
April,
1.12
4.00
II.04
40.00
May,
1.15
4.00
12.15
June,
1.20
4.00
13.42
July,
1.25
4.25
14.77
August,
1.50
4.50
16.30
September,
1.75
4.75
18.00
October,
2.75
5.00
20.30
November,
3.00
5.45
23.08
December,
3.10
6.34
25.93
February 27, 1781, the rate had become $75.00 in paper for $1.00 in silver. An act was passed by the government
1029
PAPER MONEY
May 5, 1780, for the consolidation of all the currency, and the issue of new bills of credit therefor. This was known as the " new emission " and by the act of June 5, 1781, $1.00 in silver was worth $1.87 in "new emission " bills. The value of this issue rapidly declined, and October 1, 1781, it took $4.00 of " new emission " to purchase $1.00 in silver.
" During the summer of 1780 'Continental' currency fell into contempt. As Washington said, 'it took a wagon load of money to buy a wagon load of provisions.' At the end of the year 1778 the paper dollar was worth sixteen cents in the northern states and twelve cents in the south. Early in 1780 its value had fallen to two cents, and before the end of the year it took ten paper dollars to make a cent.
" In October, Indian corn sold at wholesale in Boston for $150 per bushel, butter was $ 12 a pound, tea $90, sugar $10, beef $8, coffee $12, and a barrel of flour cost $1,575. Samuel Adams paid $2,000, for a hat and suit of clothes. The money soon ceased to circulate ; debts could not be collected, and there was a general prostration of credit. To say that a thing was 'not worth a Continental' became the strongest possible expression of contempt. A barber in Philadelphia papered his shop with bills ; and a dog was smeared with tar and led up and down the streets with this unhappy money sticking all over him-a sorry substitute for the golden- fleeced sheep of the Norse legend." *
We often find an entry on old account books of so much money in " Continental Bills "-" Hard money," so much.
March 4, 1634, the General Court enacted : "It is ordered that musket bullets of a full boar shall pass currently for a farthing apiece, provided that noe man be compelled to take above 12 pence at a tyme in them."
The Deerfield town treasurer charges himself May 9, 1781, " By cash the committee Received for the Rent of Town
* John Fiske's Am. Rev. Vol. II, p. 198.
1030
CHRISTOPHER C. BALDWIN'S DIARY
Land last April, Continental Bills, £3493-16." The Massa- chusetts pound was $3.331/3 which would make the sum of $ 11,649.22 for the rent of the town land one year.
As a practical illustration of the difficulties of the situation, the following is introduced :
" WEYMOUTH, Sept. 13, 1734.
" Put to vote whether Mr. Smith's salary should be stated according to the following articles and prices hereafter men- tioned, viz :- Wheat at 10 shillings per bushell, Rey att seven shillings per bushell, Pork att seven pence per pound, Beaf at five pence per Pound, and that ye prices of ye abovesaid articles are to be as they are bought and sold in this Precinct ; To wit : Grain in ye month of May; Pork and Beaf about ye middle of November, annually ; and ye abovesaid salary shall rise and fall ye time above mentioned annually ; and said vote passed in ye affirmative."
Mr. Smith's salary was £180 per year. By this sliding scale at one time he received, £134-4-2, and at another (1779) £9735.
Passages from the journal of Christopher Columbus Bald- win, born in Templeton (Baldwinsville) August 1, 1800. Mr. Baldwin was a member of the Worcester bar, and the very intimate friend of people who originated in Greenfield. He was, at the period mentioned in the quotations from his diary, librarian of the American Antiquarian Society of Wor- cester .*
" SEPTEMBER 15, 1833
" Henry Knox Newcomb arrived in town a few days ago from Key West, by way of New Orleans, and asked me to bear him company on a visit to his father, the Hon. Judge [Richard E.] Newcomb, at Greenfield. He accompanied the invitation in
* Diary of Christopher Columbus Baldwin, American Antiquarian Society, Worces- ter, Mass., 1901.
1031
JOURNEY TO GREENFIELD
the very civilist way possible by assuring me that he would defray all the expenses of the expedition. I thought best not to omit such an opportunity of seeing the Connecticut river ; so I closed with his obliging proposal. We left town on Sat- urday morning. Our carriage was what is called a carryall ; a vehicle very similar to a hack or private coach, only the fore end is open, and, like a hack, large enough for four per- sons. Our load consisted of myself, my friend Newcomb, his brother's wife and baby, and Miss Lucy Lincoln, the adopted daughter of the late Lieut. Gov. Lincoln, of Worces- ter, making five souls .in all, with plenty of baskets, band- boxes, budgets and such trumpery as ladies are wont to bother the gentlemen with.
"Our carriage was drawn by two horses, and as our appear- ance was somewhat imposing from our having much silver upon our tackling and carriage, and making us look like some well estated gentleman. I could not but remark to my friend that if the people who stared at us so particularly could look into our purses, we should be laughed at as two poor devils. He insisted, however, that if we looked serious nobody would ask us how much money we had got. The appearance of wealth always makes people look genteel, and exacts respect from strangers.
" At Templeton, my native place, we stopped our equipage and ordered dinner. I was asked many questions here by people whom I knew, and when they looked at my superfine broadcloth cloak and our carriage, God knows I felt cheap enough ; for I was well satisfied that they knew that I was not worth two coppers. I had to relate to them two amusing stories to keep them from asking questions as to the owner- ship of our carriage and horses. The keeper of the tavern was Calvin Townsley, a native of Jamaica in the state of Ver- mont, and reputed to be the best tavern keeper between Bos- ton and Albany. He gave us good cheer, and to make ap- pearances correspond, I was going to order a bottle of wine,
1032
THE RIVER TAVERN
but as my companions declined drinking, I concluded to post- pone that entertainment to another time.
" I must say a word concerning our baby. Our baby cried upon an average of four miles out of five during the whole journey. Nothing would quiet the little nuisance. Notwith- standing its mother administered all sorts of soporifics, the little rascal raised his shrill pipes to a pitch of perfect agony. It was not old enough to have a name, and for that reason I cannot put it upon record.
" After dinner we pushed on our journey and about eight o'clock in the evening reached a tavern * just on the south bank of Miller's river, in Montague, seven or eight miles this side of Greenfield, kept by a person by the name of Brooks, a na- tive of Petersham, and cousin to Aaron Brooks, an attorney of that place. Before making arrangements for the night, we alighted and examined the premises to see that our quality should not suffer by having slept in a vulgar house. New- comb was spokesman, and he catechised the landlady as to her beds, whether the sheets had been changed, what she could give us for supper ; and from the resolute manner of his examination, one would have supposed him an officer of the police in pursuit of stolen property. To do him justice, however, he did his errand like one who was accustomed to good entertainment. The only part I performed in this com- edy was to ask the landlady to let me see her cook our beef- steak which we had bespoken. This she complied with, not, however, without letting me understand that she thought me an indifferent cook.
" After we had taken our supper, I went to the bar for a glass of wine, and there saw a very imposing new book. How could such a book get there? I immediately opened it and found it a New Version of the New Testament with notes, illustrations, &c., &c. by 'Rodolphus Dickenson, a Presby-
* Old River tavern ; no longer in existence.
1033
NEW VERSION OF NEW TESTAMENT
ter of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States and late Rector of St. Paul's Church, Middleton, South Car- olina.' Royal 8vo. Boston, 1833. It was a fine specimen of American printing, and the notes and comments made a parade of great learning. I found that the author had orna- mented the book with his portrait, and had dedicated it to Dr. Alpheus Stone, ' Member of the Massachusetts Medical Society,' and the dedication, which was stuffed with the most outrageous flattery, was dated at 'Montague, Mass.,' one of the obscurest towns on the Connecticut river. I passed the whole evening in looking through this curious performance. It undoubtedly cost its author great labor, and never was the labor of any man more unprofitably directed. He had at- tempted to translate it into the proper language of the day. Some of the alterations from the common versions were truly comic. If my memory serves me, this expression, 'too much learning hath made thee mad,' was rendered nearly thus, 'the multiplicity of thy engagements hath demented thee.' A new testament with a portrait of the translator, and a dedication to an unknown physician. I never had so strong a disposition to steal a book as I had this; and I verily be- lieve that had there been another book in the house which could have served as a nest-egg of the family devotion or reading I should have certainly carried it off. The presump- tuous author of this version, I was told, was residing in Mon- tague and was in the rectorship of a small church situated about two miles from our tavern.
"Sunday, Sept. 16, 1833. We had an agreeable ride in the morning across the Connecticut into Greenfield. I must not forget to mention in this place an instance of my pride. How disinclined we are to recognize our poor connections when fortune has elevated us a peg or two above them, and we encounter them among strangers. The wife of the toll- gatherer at the bridge was my own cousin. She did not know me, although no examiner of faces could have seen us together
1034
THE DORRELLITES
without pronouncing us to be brother and sister. Her hus- band's name is Comfort Hunter, and one of the honestest fellows in the world. And I know not but what his wife is as worthy as he is. I should not have treated them with such neglect had I been alone. And I intend still to humble my- self for this act of haughtiness. Her maiden name was Abi- gail Bruce, born in Templeton, daughter of Josiah Bruce, and the elder sister of that famous Eli Bruce, who was so conspic- uous in the abduction of Captain William Morgan, in Sep- tember, 1826, and high sheriff for the county of Niagara, in the state of New York. We reached Greenfield, about nine o'clock in the morning. We found the Hon. Judge Newcomb sick of a fever. This was a sad disappoint- ment to us all, but I took it at heart most, because, he being Judge of Probate, could, if well, entertain me with family his- tories. He was so unwell that I was not permitted to ask after his own history. But I had the good luck to catechise him now and then as his wife went out of the room. His own name is Richard English Newcomb and was born at Lebanon, in Connecticut, in 1771, making him at this time sixty-two. His father, Hezekiah Newcomb, was born at Ips- wich, Mass., and settling first in Lebanon, afterwards, between 1785 and '90, removed to Bernardston, Mass., where he died. He was a Justice of the Peace there, and the most important judicial act of his life was to hear a complaint as Magistrate against a fanatic sect called Dorrellites,* for a breach of the Sabbath in raising a barn on the Lord's day. Hez-
ekiah Newcomb, Jr., son of our Justice, was one of the Dor- rellites, yet this did not prevent the worthy magistrate from imposing a heavy fine upon the Sabbath breakers. Horatio G. Newcomb, Esq., is another son of Mr. Justice Hezekiah, and is now an attorney in Greenfield. About 1819 or '20,
* See paper by F. M. Thompson, "The Dorrellites," Vol. II, page 82, Proceed- ings Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association.
--
1035
NEWTON FAMILY
he practiced law in Winchendon, Mass. He was there not above three years, and has since been at Greenfield.
"Although Sunday, yet it was a busy day with me. My friend Newcomb was compelled to be with his father all day. I had to shift for myself. I sought out the oldest burying- ground and soon discovered that I had found work enough. I went to transcribing epitaphs with all expedition.
" The graveyard was just back of the church in the village and one of the first monuments I came to was as follows :
REV. ROGER NEWTON, D. D. was ordained To the Gospel Ministry in This Town 18 Nov. 1761 & died 10th Dec. 1816, In the Soth year of his age, & 56th of his Ministry." A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband and doth him good and not evil all the days of her life.
His life was adorned with private and domestick virtues, and distinguished by publick and professional usefulness.
In Memory of MRS. ABIGAIL, the wife of Rev. Roger Newton, who died Oct. 21, 1805, aged 67 years.
" He came from Durham, Connecticut (which was his na- tive place) to Greenfield when it was almost a wilderness. I think he was the first settled minister of the town .* One of his sons, a bachelor, now lives in Greenfield.t
" In the same yard I found the following inscription :
Sacred to the Memory of MRS. PHEBE, wife of Richard E. New- comb, Esq., obt. Aug. 9, 1802 aet. 31 years.
This monument is erected As a Testimonial of Affection for an agree- able Companion, A Sincere Friend, A Tender Mother, A faithful wife & a good woman.
* He was the second minister of Greenfield.
t Isaac Newton, called " Sir Isaac."
1036
FISHING FALLS
" She was the mother of my friend Henry K. Newcomb.
" And here follows the epitaph of her successor, and the grandmother of the baby that cried so in our journey from Worcester :
MRS. MARY NEWCOMB. wife of R. E. Newcomb, Esq. and last surviving child of Gen. Joseph Warren, who fell on Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775; Died Feb. 9, 1826. Æt. 54.
" I must not omit to mention what I saw in Judge New- comb's parlor. It was a full length likeness of General War- ren by Copley, in the most perfect preservation, and also that of his lady by the same artist. I cannot describe the pleasure I had in looking at them. As a painting the likeness of the General was much the best. I could not get them for the library of the Antiquarian Society, though I projected several schemes to that end .*
" After dinner I was called upon by Isaac Newton, Esq., brother of the Hon. Rejoice Newton of Worcester, who car- ried me up to Montague Falls, an interesting and romantick place on the Connecticut river, about three miles northeast of Greenfield. On the way there we passed another graveyard which we went into. There was built in it a sort of safety tomb, which was to receive the bodies of the dead previous to their interment, to prevent them falling into the hands of doctors and the resurrectionists for dissection ; a very good precaution.
" Among the monuments, I found the following inscrip-
* Judge Newcomb in his will refers to the portraits " now in my front parlor " as the property of his son, Joseph Warren Newcomb. These portraits were afterwards in the possession of Dr. Buckminster Brown of Boston.
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1037
HIGH STREET CEMETERY
tions, which as they are the progenitors of Rejoice Newton I copied them. The following was his grandfather :
MR. JOHN NEWTON, died Sept. 28, 1802 æt. 76.
" This was his grandmother, whose maiden name was Mary Pickett :
In memory of MRS. MARY NEWTON, wife of Mr. John Newton, who died Nov. 18, 1786 in the 63rd year of her age.
MRS. HULDAH 2ond wife of Mr John Newton
died Sept. 14, 1802 Æt. LX.
" The following are the father and mother of Rejoice :
CAPT. ISAAC NEWTON died
MRS. HESTER
wife of
Sept. 23, 1826 Æt. 78.
Capt. Isaac Newton died Dec. 23, 1824 Æt. 75.
" His uncle :
MR. SAMUEL NEWTON died 13th Nov. 1827 Æt. 75.
" The grandfather, father and uncle were all born in Dur- ham, Conn. The oldest of them, Capt. Isaac, came to Green- field about 1769 or '70, and in a few years his father and mother followed. The Rev. Roger Newton was a cousin * of Capt. Isaac. The family has always been respectable from the beginning.
" I intended to have gone to the Episcopal Church today, never having been to one but once in my life. Rev. Mr. Strong lay sick with a fever, and I spent the day as religiously
* Uncle.
1038
GREENFIELD SOCIETY
as I could by transcribing and contemplating over the monu- ments of the dead.
"Spent the evening at the hotel where I stopped with H. G. Newcomb, Esq., and Mr. George T. Davis, a native of Sandwich, Mass., and son of Wendell Davis, of that place, and formerly sheriff of that county. He is a brother of Sam. Davis, Esq., the learned editor of 'Morton's N. E. Memo- rial' and the most famous Antiquary of Plymouth Colony. This Mr. G. T. Davis is a young man who has just entered upon the practice of law and has just established a weekly news- paper in this place called the ' Mercury.' The first number was issued last week. He came to this town from Taunton, where he had been engaged as an editor.
"Sept. 17 (Mon.) 1833. In the morning I ordered our carriage and invited several young ladies to ride up to the falls, where I went yesterday. We made a ride of 8 or 10 miles, which was quite pleasant.
" I was introduced to the Hon. Daniel Wells, now member of our State Senate, to James C. Alvord, Esq., his partner (attorneys), son of the Clerk of the Courts for Franklin County. Mr. Alvord officiated for a few months as the successor of John Hooker Ashmun in the Law School at Cambridge. He is a young man of good promise in his pro- fession. His sister married Joseph Warren Newcomb, father of the baby that worried me so much. This Mr. Newcomb is the youngest son of the Hon. Judge Newcomb, and studied his profession with Rejoice Newcomb, Esq., at Worcester, where he was admitted to practice, and first opened an office at Templeton in 1829. He remained there about two years when he removed to Amesbury, Mass., where he now resides as an attorney. He is a half brother of my friend H. K. Newton.
" In the afternoon I was invited to take a ride to Deer- field with a young attorney by the name of Woodward .* He
* William G. Woodard.
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1039
OLD INDIAN HOUSE
is a native of Hanover, N. H., and is a partner of Mr. Chap- man. On our way we met Rev. Henry Colman,* formerly minister at Salem, but now residing at Deerfield. His resi- dence is on the north bank of Deerfield river and about two-thirds of a mile from the Greenfield Court House. His estate is beautiful. He showed me a field of corn which he had planted this year containing twenty acres. He paid ten thousand dollars for his farm.
" How delightful the ride from Greenfield to Deerfield ! It has become a sort of classical ground, not because learned writers have lived here, but because it has been the place of some interesting fighting between the early settlers and the Indians. The natural scenery is beautiful, and this is greatly heightened by the recollection of the sufferings of the first Planters. I went to the house that was the residence of the Rev. John Williams, who was taken captive by the Indians in 1704. The house is very venerable, and is correctly rep- resented in 'Hoyt's Researches.' The same knocker is on the door that was on then. It consists of wrought iron, being nothing more than a staple and ring. The ring is about five inches across and of the bigness of one's middle finger ; it falls upon the head of a spike. The marks of the hatchets of the Indians are yet to be seen on the front door. A hole large enough to run the hand through was hacked, and to keep the wind out a board has been nailed upon the inside. I did not go into the inside of the house except into the en- try. I did not wish to disturb the family, especially at this time, as the late occupant, Col. Hoyt, brother of the author of the ' Researches,' had deceased only two weeks before. I had a great curiosity to examine the family papers and some interesting antiquities, that are collected and preserved in the Academy. But it was so late in the day that I could not search for papers nor catechise the inhabitants proposing to
* See article on Rev. Henry Colman, this work.
1040
JOURNEY TO NEW YORK
do this at a future day, when I should have more leisure and more precise information as to what would be desirable.
" I will mention here that Rev. Rodolphus Dickinson, author of the 'New Version of the New Testament,' was born in this town, as was also the Rev. Edward Hitchcock, Professor in Amherst College, who has distinguished himself by his ' Report on the Geology of Massachusetts.'
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