USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Hatfield > History of Hatfield, Massachusetts, in three parts: I. An account of the development of the social and industrial life of the town from its first settlement. II. The houses and homes of Hatfield, with personal reminiscences of the men and women who have lived there during the last one hundred years; brief historical accounts of the religious societies and of Smith Academy; statistical tables, etc. III. Genealogies of the families of the first settlers > Part 16
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"LAKE GEORGE, Sept. 11, 1755.
"My dear Spouse-Last Monday, the 8th instant, was the most awful day that my eyes ever beheld, and may I not say that ever was seen in New England, considering the transactions of it. Having intelligence of an army of French and Indians that were discovered by our Indian scouts, part of our army were sent to intercept their retreat, as it was supposed they were designed for Fort Lyman [ now Fort Edward], at the south end of the carrying-place; about one thousand whites under the command of my dear brother Ephraim, who led the van, and Lieut. Col. Whiting, who brought up the rear, and about one hundred and fifty Mohawks, under the command of King Hendrick, their principal speaker, were attacked by the French army, consisting of twelve hundred regulars, and about nine hundred Canadians and savages, about three miles from our encampment, and the main of our detachment it is said, put to a precipitate flight, but the certainty is not yet known; be sure those brave men who stood fighting for our dear country perished in the field of battle. The attack began about half an hour after ten in the morning, and continued till about four in the afternoon before the enemy began to retreat. The enemy was about an hour and a half driving our people before them, before they reached the camp, when to give them due credit, they fought like brave fellows on both sides for near four hours, disputing every inch of ground, in the whole of which time there seemed to be nothing but thunder and lightning, and perpetual pillars of smoke. Our cannon (which, under God, it appears to me) saved us, were heard down as low as Saratoga, notwithstanding the wind was in the north, and something considerable, and which, by the way, was a great disadvantage to our troops, as the smoke was drove in our faces. The wounded were brought in very fast, and it was with the utmost difficulty that their wounds could be dressed fast enough, even in the most superficial manner, having in about three hours forty men brought to be dressed. Dr. Pynchon, his mate, and William [son of Col. Williams, of Pittsfield], with myself, were all to do it; my mate being at Fort Lyman, attending to divers sick men there. The bullets flew like hail stones about our ears all the time of dressing, as we had not a place of safety prepared to dress the wounded in, but through God's goodness we received no hurt, any more than the bark of the trees and chips flying in our faces by accidental shots, which were something frequent.
"Our tent was shot through in divers places, which we thought best to leave and retire a few rods behind a shelter of a log house, which was so loose laid as to let the balls through very often. I have not time to give the list of the dead, which are many, by reason I have not time to attend the wounded as they ought to be. My necessary food and sleep are almost strangers to me since the fatal day; fatal indeed to my dear brother Ephraim, who was killed in the beginning of the action, by a ball through his head. Great numbers of brave men, and some the flower of our army died with him on the spot ; *
* The remainder of the French army were attacked by two hundred and fifty of the New Hampshire troops, after they left us, and put to a precipitate flight; as they were not apprized of these troops, they left their baggage and most of their provisions and some guns, and many dead bodies on the spot where the attack began in the morning, and when our troops came upon them, and they were sitting down to rest after their fatigue with us. The French General says he lost six hundred of his men, and the Aid-de-camp says more, and that they have lost one thousand. It is certain they were smartly paid, for they left their garments and weapons of war for miles together, like the Assyrians in their flight. If we had had five or six hundred fresh troops to have pursued; it is thought very few would have gone back to Crown Point to tell what had become of their brethren.
"It is now eleven of the clock, and I have had scarcely any sleep since the action, must therefore wish you goodnight. I subscribe myself, your affec- tionate Husband. THOS. WILLIAMS."
It is said that this was the first battle fought with regular troops in America, and the first time that bayonets were used
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in this country. They were employed by the French sol- diers. The English loss in both engagements was 216 killed and 96 wounded, a total of 312, besides a few missing, accord- ing to the return made by Dr. Perez Marsh, surgeon's mate in Colonel Williams's regiment. This regiment suffered the most, 46 being killed, 20 wounded, and several missing. The colonel's brother, Josiah, who was an ensign in his company, was severely wounded, so that he died of the effects of his wound eventually. Several officers of distinction were lost, also. A number of Hatfield men were members of this regi- ment, but their names are not known.
Before going to the front, Colonel Williams made his will at Albany July 22, 1755, appointing as executors his cousin, Col. Israel Williams of Hatfield, and Col. John Worthington of Springfield. This will, which is filed in the probate office in the courthouse in Northampton and begins, "I, Ephraim Williams of Hatfield," laid the foundation of Williams Col- lege. Some of its provisions were as follows :-
"It is my will and pleasure that all of the residue of my real estate not otherwise disposed of be sold by my Executors, or the survivor of them within five years after an established peace, (which a good God soon grant) according to their discretion, and that the same be put out at interest, on good security and that the interest money yearly arising therefrom, and the interest arising from my just debts due to me, and not otherwise disposed of, be improved by said Executors, and such as they shall appoint Trustees for the charity aforesaid after them, for the support and maintenance of a free school in the township west of Fort Massachusetts (commonly called the west townshipy forever, provided said township fall within the jurisdiction of the Province of the Massachusetts bay, and continue under that jurisdiction-and provided also the Governor of said Province, with the Assembly of said Province, shall, (when a suitable number of inhabitants are settled there) incorporate the same into a town by the name of Williamstown, and if the interest of such monies be more than sufficient for such a purpose, that which remains be improved as aforesaid for the support of a like school in the East township therein, in which said fort now stands; but in case the aforesaid Provisos are not complied with, viz .: if said west township fall not within said Massachusetts Province, or do not continue under that jurisdiction, or it shall be incorporated by any other name than that above mentioned, then my will is that such interest of said monies be applied to some other public beneficial and charitable purpose, by my Executors as above directed, respect- ing other parts of my estate, according to their discretion and good judg- ment.
EPHRAIM WILLIAMS."
In 1785 trustees of the school were appointed, in 1791 it was opened, and in 1793 it was incorporated as a college.
Before Williams College was actually begun, the people of the Connecticut valley were laying plans for an educational institution in their midst. It was to be called Queen's Col- lege and was to be located in Hatfield, Hadley, or North-
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ampton. One tradition affirms that the people of Hatfield went so far as to erect a building which they called Queen's College, but this is unlikely. A petition was sent to the General Court for a charter Jan. 20, 1762, and a bill was passed to be engrossed, but it was finally defeated. February 26, 1762, a charter was made out by Gov. Francis Barnard, but never signed, incorporating Israel Williams and eleven others into "a body politic by the name of the President and Fellows of Queen's College." For some reason the plans were pushed no further, probably because of the disastrous loss by fire at Harvard College and the political agitation that was arising over the oppressions of the British government. The hope of a college in the valley was not realized till the establishment of Amherst in 1821.
CHAPTER XIV.
A PERIOD OF STRIFE, 1765-1789. THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. THE ELY INSURRECTION. SHAYS'S REBELLION.
" Give me liberty or give me death."
Acts of Parliament directed against the American colonies .- The Whigs and Tories .- Attitude of Hatfield at the beginning of the struggle .- The spirit changed by the preaching of Dr. Joseph Lyman .- Overthrow of the Tories .- Town meetings of the year 1774 .- Mobs prevent the holding of the courts .- A mob in Hatfield .- Preparations for resistance to the king's author- ity .- Petition to the militia officers to retain their offices .- Taxes ordered paid to the provincial treasurer .- Delegates to the Provincial Congress .- Companies of minutemen organized .- The Tories compelled to declare in favor of the colonies .- Colonel Williams meets trouble .- He and his son arrested and imprisoned .- News from Concord and Lexington .- The Hatfield soldiers .- Incorporation of Whately and Williamsburg .- Hatfield votes for independ- ence .- Supplies furnished during the war .- The Hubbard tavern and others .- The faculty tax .- Liberation of the slaves .- Lieut. David Billings .- Hard times following the Revolution .- Conventions held at Hatfield .- The Ely insurrection .- Shays's rebellion.
No sooner was the war with the French over than the de- layed struggle between England and her American colonies began again. The origin of the difficulties with the mother country has already been pointed out in an earlier chapter. Encroachments on their rights by George III. and his ministers met with determined resistance. The British government was aiming not only at lessening the political liberties of America, but also at trade restrictions for its own benefit to the detriment of the prospering West India trade of the colonies. The New England ports especially felt the damage arising from the growing restrictions upon commerce with the French colonies and Boston became the center of discontent. The Sugar Act of 1764, the Stamp Act of 1765, and other acts of Parliament were denounced in fiery language as destructive of chartered
. rights. The comment of John Fiske on the result of the struggle should be noted in this connection :-
"It was not so much that the American people gained an increase in freedom by their separation from England, as that they kept the freedom they had always enjoyed, the freedom which was the inalienable birthright of Englishmen, but which George III. had foolishly sought to impair.
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"The American Revolution was therefore in no sense destructive. It was the most conservative revolution known to history, thoroughly English in conception from beginning to end. It had no likeness whatever to the ter- rible popular convulsion which soon after took place in France. The mis- chievous doctrines of Rousseau found few readers and fewer admirers among the Americans."
The country at first was by no means united in oppo- sition to the royal authority. Parties sprang up, called as they were in England, Whigs and Tories. In the be- ginning of the contest the whole western part of Massa- chusetts was dominated by the Tories. The economic reasons for revolt did not appeal as strongly to the interior agricultural centers as they did to the seaport towns. The large landed proprietors, naturally conservative, saw only danger ahead from the inflammatory and seditious talk. Most of the influential citizens had held royal commissions from the crown and their military oath bound them to loyal defense of the crown, for which they had fought in many campaigns against the French and Indians. The clergy were also for the most part on the side of the king and Parliament. It is not to be supposed that the Tories did not feel wronged by the action of the British govern- ment, but they differed from the Whigs in the method to employ to secure redress.
Col. Israel Williams and Col. Oliver Partridge were the leaders of the Tories in Hatfield, the former being the representative to the General Court and a judge of the county courts, and the latter town clerk and treasurer, and one or the other was always moderator in town meeting. They were followed by all the militia officers and the majority of the heavy taxpayers. Their attitude is well expressed by the reply sent in 1768 to the town of Boston in response to a letter asking for Hatfield's position in regard to a convention to be called to consider the rapidly approaching crisis, and especially the sending of British troops, which was felt at Boston to be a threat of stern measures of repression. The answer, which was long and full, was framed by Colonel Williams and was unanimously adopted by the town. It stated that the people of Hatfield doubted the damage threatened by the coming of the troops (they might be needed for defense of the colonies) ; that they considered the language of the last General Court unneces- sarily harsh toward the king; and that the proposed action
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would do harm rather than good. Especially noteworthy are the following quotations :-
"We are sensible that the colonies labor under many difficulties and we greatly fear what the consequences of the dispute with our mother country will prove. However, we are far from thinking the measures you are pursuing have any tendency to deliver the good people of this province, but on the contrary to immerse them in greater.
"If by any sudden excursions or insurrections of some inconsiderate people the king has been induced to think the troops a necessary check upon you, we hope you will by your loyalty and quiet behavior soon convince his majesty and the world they are no longer necessary for that purpose.
"Suffer us to observe that in our opinion the measures the town of Boston are pursuing and proposing unto us and the people of this province to unite in, are unconstitutional, illegal, and wholly unjustifiable, and what will give the enemies of our Constitution the greatest joy, subversive of government and destructive of the peace and good order which is the cement of society.
"Thus we have freely expressed our sentiments, having an equal right with others, though a lesser part of the community, and take this first opportunity to protest against the proposed Convention, and hereby declare our loyalty to the king, and fidelity to our country, and that it is our firm resolution to the utmost of our power to maintain and defend our rights in every prudent and reasonable way, as far as is consistent with our duty to God and the king."
DR. JOSEPH LYMAN AND MRS. LYMAN.
Before many years a change came over the attitude of the inhabitants, a change due principally to the presence and actions of one man. Rev. Timothy Woodbridge died in 1770 and Rev. Joseph Lyman of Lebanon, Conn., was
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called and settled as the head of the church in 1772. He was a young man of resolute will and indomitable courage, filled with zeal for the liberties of the colonies. In spite of the protests of his parents he plunged into the contest in which Otis and Adams were laboring. His mother wrote him to "walk softly," and not stir up the spirit of rebellion and to "lay aside all political disputes," fearing that he would be in danger on account of his rashness. But the entreaties fell on deaf ears. He is reported to have said of Colonel Williams, "There is a man here now he cannot rule."
In the pulpit he preached the doctrine of resistance to the tyranny of the king and his ministers with burning words and in town meeting he raised his voice in favor of the cause of liberty. Within two years he wrought a revolution in the sympathy of people of the town. The Whigs became the majority party.
The "Boston tea party" in December, 1773, and the high-handed actions of General Gage in Boston brought the crisis rapidly on. The Hatfield Whigs elected John Dickinson representative to the General Court in 1773 and the power of Colonel Williams was at an end. Mr. Lyman tried to have him dismissed from the church, but was unable to do so, though a council was called for the purpose in 1778. Many of the other ministers of the vicinity were still strongly Tory in sympathy.
Oliver Partridge continued in office as town clerk, but he did not attend the town meetings after the March meeting of 1774. He entered upon the books, "The following are the proceedings of the town at several meetings as returned to me by their moderators."
A meeting was held in the schoolhouse July 8, at which Elijah Morton was chosen moderator. A committee was appointed to confer with Mr. Lyman to appoint a day of fasting and prayer. The General Court had ordered that the 21st of July should be so set apart. The fast was held, but the Tories took no notice of it. At this meeting there was a discussion of "what might be proper for the town to do with regard to entering into a covenant to withdraw all commercial intercourse with Great Britain by a disuse of their manufactures till such time as the general interests
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of the colonies are settled or our charter rights restored." The committee appointed to confer about the matter with representatives from other towns was John Dickinson, Perez Graves, Elijah Morton, Elihu White, and John Hast- ings. It was voted to pay £1 7s. 5d. for the expenses of a Provincial Congress and the town treasurer was author- ized to pay the sum to Hon. Thomas Cushing of Boston. It was further voted that the absent town clerk be directed to record the transactions of the meeting on the town records.
August 25 another meeting of the patriots was held and delegates were appointed to a convention at Hadley the next day,-John Dickinson, Perez Graves, and Elijah Mor- ton. The chief subject for deliberation at this convention, the first held in Hampshire County, was the stopping of the proceedings of the courts. The convention was divided, some favoring attempts to stop the sessions by force if the officers tried to carry them on.
The Court of General Sessions was convened at Spring- field, August 30. It was interrupted by a mob of about a thousand people and the judges were called upon to explain their actions. Colonel Worthington and Colonel Williams were asked to renounce their allegiance to Governor Gage. They tried to placate the mob, which was in an ugly humor, and succeeded in dispersing it without any acts of violence, but they were unable to proceed with the session.
Colonel Williams was considered the Tory ring-leader and many of the Whigs, especially those from Berkshire County, were very bitter against him. Law and order men from both parties tried to prevent any outrages.
September 5 was a day of excitement in Hatfield. Mes- sengers were sent out before daybreak to neighboring towns with the news that "all the western world was comming down to mob Col. Williams and others." A hundred men from Deerfield responded to the call, one hundred and ten from Hadley, and seventy from Amherst. A mob of fifty men appeared in the afternoon. They were not allowed to go till a "Covenant to be signed by the people to prevent mobbing" was agreed upon, of which a copy was to be sent to each town. Colonel Williams does not appear to have been called upon by the mob, but Colonel
-
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Partridge came out and vindicated himself of some charges that were presented.
September 21 Hatfield appointed as delegates to a con- vention called to meet at Northampton John Dickinson, Elihu White, and John Hastings "to deliberate upon some measures proper to be taken by this county at this very critical day." It was "voted that the selectmen be directed forthwith to procure a sufficient stock of powder and lead for the use of the town." The first committee of corre- spondence was then appointed,-John Dickinson, Elijah Morton, Remembrance Bardwell, Phineas Frary, John Allis, David Waite, Perez Graves, Elihu White, and John Hastings.
The convention at Northampton, September 22 and 23, af- firmed allegiance to King George, but protested against the oppressions of Governor Gage. A Provincial Congress was called for to meet at Concord, anarchy and rioting were condemned, and holding of town meetings legal in every way was urged. The inhabitants of the towns were ad- vised to "acquaint themselves with the military art" and procure arms.
On account of the action of this and other county con- ventions held about the same time Governor Gage forbade the session of the General Court called to meet at Salem, October 5. The representatives met, however, and resolved themselves into a Provincial Congress. They then ad- journed to meet at Concord, October 11. The news of the action of the delegates was received by post from Salem and at a town meeting held October 6 John Dickinson was chosen a delegate to the Concord Congress.
The military organizations were disrupted by the strife between the opposing parties. Many of the officers in the Hampshire regiment, commanded by Col. Israel Williams, refused to continue in the service and training was neg- lected. A paper presented to Memorial Hall in Deerfield by Samuel D. Partridge shows the attitude of some of the Hatfield militia in regard to the situation.
"We the subscribers being Apprehensive that Military Exercises are Specially Requisite at this day
"And also Captn Allis, Lieut Partridge and Ensign Dickinson have Pub- lickly Declared they will not Act or Exercise any Authority as Military Officers under the late acts of Parliament or in the Support of the same
HISTORY OF HATFIELD.
185
yet we are desirous that they would at such Times as they think Proper Call us Together and Exercise us by themselves or such others as they shall judge likely to Teach and Instruct us in the Military Art.
"And we hereby Promise to Attend at such time and place as they Shall Direct and Submit ourselves to their Orders in Leading and Exercising of us as Witness our hand this fourth Day of Octr 1774
"Harry Dwight Israel Wms. Jnr. Thomas Meekins
Joseph Dickinson Abel Allis Gaius Crafts Elez. Warner Benjamin Blanchard
Jesse Billings David Trobridge
A. J. White
John Allis
Samuel Belding
Josiah ( Abels ?)
Silas Billings
Joshua L. Woodbridge
Tillotson Miller
William Partridge
Simon Church
John Partridge
John Seemer
Samll Partridge
Samuel Dickinson
Ebenezer Dwight
Elihu Trobridge Josiah Allis
Jona Wells
Elisha Smith"
The Provincial Congress took up the matter of military organization and granted authority to the militia officers who retained their commissions to reorganize the com- panies and divide the regiments. At a meeting held in Northampton, November 10, the first Hampshire regiment was organized and Seth Pomeroy of Northampton was chosen colonel and Ezra May of Goshen major. A paper was signed "renouncing and disdaining any authority they might have by virtue of any commission from Thomas Hutchin- son, Esq., late Governor." It was soon afterward directed by the Provincial Congress that a fourth of the organized militia should be drilled as "minute-men," ready to march at a moment's notice.
Only one more town meeting was held in that eventful year of 1774. At a meeting on the 5th of December the most revolutionary act was taken, transferring the pay- ment of the taxes to the new authority of the Provincial Congress. The point of taxation without representation had been pushed too far. The minutes are as follows :-
"In this meeting the question was put whether the Town would give directions to their constables, collectors or other persons who have any part of the province tax of the town in their hands or possessions that they immediately pay the same to Henry Gardiner, Esq. of Stowe who is appointed Receiver General by the provincial congress & also expressly engages to such constables, collectors or other persons as shall have town monies in their
-
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hands that they paying the same to Henry Gardiner Esq. & producing his receipt therefor shall ever operate as an effectual discharge to such persons for the same. And it passed in the Affirmative."
The Provincial Congress appointed Dec. 15, 1774, to be observed as a day of thanksgiving and on that day Dr. Lyman preached a vigorous, patriotic sermon on the issues of the day, which the town ordered printed with a vote of thanks to the author. A copy is in Deerfield Memorial Hall. It was printed by Edes and Gill in Boston in Queen Street in 1775. In it he fearlessly arraigned the acts of the British ministry and the obnoxious governor of the province.
January 9, 1775, John Dickinson and Perez Graves were chosen representatives from Hatfield to the Provincial Congress to meet at Cambridge, only one to attend at a time. A committee was appointed to receive donations for "the poor in Boston suffering in the common cause." A Committee of Inspection, "agreeable to the Continental and Provincial Congress," was appointed, consisting of John Dickinson, Elijah Morton, Elihu White, John Hast- ings, Jonathan Allis, Phineas Frary, Benjamin Wells, Silas Graves, and Seth Murray. This committee was later merged with the Committee of Correspondence and after 1776 a Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety was regularly elected each year at the time the other officers were chosen. At this January meeting it was-
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