USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Pelham > History of Pelham, Mass. : from 1738 to 1898, including the early history of Prescott > Part 14
USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Prescott > History of Pelham, Mass. : from 1738 to 1898, including the early history of Prescott > Part 14
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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
I55
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
8thly Voted to alow those men that Bought Credit of Thomas Montgomery the Credit they Bought of him.
9thly Voted to alow John Barber Nine Months and a half in the Nine Months.
Iothly Voted to Chuse a Committee to Make up a Bill of the Ser- vice Done in the Late War sd Committee L' Sampson, Mathew Clark and John Rinken. EBENEZER GRAY, Moderator."
July 19, 1785, a warrant was issued calling a meeting on Thurs- day, August 4, 1785, containing one article :
" To see if the Town will Grant a sum of money in order to Settle the Everidge according as the Town Prised the Towers and any other article the Town Shall think Proper to act upon."
MEETING, AUG. 4, 1785.
" Voted to Raise the Sum of fifty Pounds twelve Shilings and Two Pence two farthings in order to Settle the Service Done in the Late War (viz) Service Done from Seventy five to Eaight.
SAMUEL HYDE, Moderator."
The people of Pelham were feeling the after results of a long and expensive war ; there was a scarcity of money and what there was in circulation was much depreciated ; debtors were pressing for pay- ment, and in common with many other towns and communities the clamor for a further issue for paper money took possession of the people of this town, and found expression in town meeting held Jan. 26, 1786. A full transcript of the warrant and the action there- on follows :
WARRANT FOR MEETING, JAN. 26, 1786.
HAMPSHIRE Ss
To Mr John Conkey, Constable for the Town of Pelham Greeting we Command you that you Warn and Give Notice to all the freeholders and other Inhabitants of Pelham Qualified to Vote as the Law Directs to Assemble on Monday the 30th Day of Jan'y Instant at one of the Clock in the Afternoon at the meeting house in sª Pelham to act on the following Articles (Viz) first to Chuse a Moderator-Secondly to See if it is the minds of the Town to have a bank of Paper money made and any other article the Town Shall find Necessary when Conviened.
Hereof fail not and make Due Return of the Warrant to one of us the Subscribers Sometime before sd meeting-Given under our hands and Seal this twenty Sixth Day of Jan'y one Thousand seven hundred and Eighty Six JOHN BRUCE, JAMES TAYLOR, MATHEW CLARK, TIMOTHY PACKARD,
Selectmen of Pelham.
I56
HISTORY OF PELHAM, MASS.
TOWN VOTES FOR PAPER MONEY.
"Att a Meeting of the freeholders and other Inhabitants of the Town of Pelham Legally Assembled on Monday ye 30th Day of Jan'y 1786 Then Meet and first was Chosen Hugh Johnston Moderator.
2 dly Voted to have a Bank of Paper money made.
3diy Voted to Chuse a Committee to Petition the General Court to make sd mony.
thly Voted that the Selectmen be sd Committee.
5 thly Voted that Thomas Johnston be added to sd Committee.
The people of Pelham had been through the hard struggle of the Revolution and had responded to all calls as promptly as it was pos- sible for them to do; they were patriotic, but they were not pos- sessed of abundant wealth and the long years of war had borne heavily upon them. The war had but recently ended when in 1784, they were humiliated as well as angered by a four or five months' experience with Stephen Burroughs, a wolf in sheep's clothing, who came among them as a supplyer when without a settled minister. The year 1786 had now opened-a year of much turmoil and excite- ment throughout the state and especially in this portion of the state. Capt. Daniel Shays was one of the town wardens and he began to gather the discontented grumblers together and drill them in the use of arms. They also began to organize themselves by conventions here and there, and formulating long lists of grievances for which they demanded redress, and to secure which, later in the year, bodies of armed men attempted to force the state to grant. It is quite prob- able that nearly all of the men in the town were in active sympathy with the insurgent movement although not a word concerning the rebellion of that year is found upon the records, except a word or two about " Public Grievances."
MEETING, MAY 19, 1786.
The only business of importance was the choice of " Thomas John- ston to represent the town in the General Court for the present year."
STEPHEN RHODES' RESIDENCE.
C. H. HANSON'S RESIDENCE.
157
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
From 1786 to 1797.
Petition of certain inhabitants of Belchertown in 1786 .- Convention at Bruce's Tavern, July 31, 1786 .- Mutterings about " Grievances " in Town .Meeting .- Delegates to Convention at Hatfield in August, 1786 .- Second Parish Organized, 1786 .- Choice of Delegates to Attend Constitutional Convention, 1787 .- First Jus- tice of the Peace Appointed, 1788 .- Families Warned to Leave Town in 1790-91 .- First General Appropriation for the Poor, 1790 .- Support of the Poor First Sold to Lowest Bidder 1794. -Laying Out Road to the Valley, 1795 .- Stipulation Concern- ing the Poor, 1797.
Certain citizens of the north part of Belchertown became desirous of becoming inhabitants of Pelham and a petition embodying their desires was presented to the voters of Pelham in town meeting assembled June 21, 1786, for action thereon.
" The Petition of a Number of Inhabitants of the Town of Belshertown Humbly Showeth that we Request you would put an Article in your Next Warrant for Town Meeting to See if your Town will vote to Recieve sd Petitioners together with all the Lands Described in said Petition, Viz :- So far south and east as Mr. Jacob Edsons South and East Line, and so far south and west as the south and west Range of Wm Jedediah Ayeres Land and we your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall Ever Pray. To the Select- men of Pelham, Francis Stratton, Jedediah Ayers, John Barrus, Thomas Thurston, John Whight, David Conet, John Stratton, John Woods, We the Subscribers Jointly and severally agrees and Covenants with the Town of Pelham, Provided they vote to Receive said Petitioners or Subscribers, that We Our Heirs Executors or Administrators will Never vote to Remove said Pelhain Meeting House from the place where it now stands, as witness our hands,
FRANCIS STRATON, JOHN BARRUS, THOMAS THURSTON, JOHN WOODS, JEDEDIAH AYERS JUN, JOHN WHITE."
The above petition was considered, and it was " Voted to Recieve to the town of Pelham a Number of Inhabitants of Belsherton with their Lands as is Sett forth in their Petition."
I2
158
HISTORY OF PELHAM, MASS.
On the south border of the town which was originally a straight line running due east and west there is now a break and a portion of the town is south of the original layout. This is believed to be the tract of land described in the above petition.
The proviso appended to the petition which bound the petitioners, their heirs and assigns, never to take any steps looking to the removal of the " Meeting-House " from its position at the center of the town was unquestionably made a part of their petition to prevent opposi- tion by some who believed the addition of a few families on the south border of the town might lead to a demand that the meeting- house be moved to a more central position.
AGITATION FOR THE REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES, 1786.
It was believed that the Legislature for the year 1786 would be called upon to redress certain grievances under which the people were suffering and the interest of the people in the action of the General Court about to be chosen is shown in the following articles of the same warrant :
" First, To see if the Town will approve of the Instructions the Commit- tee gave the Representative and Pass all votes Relative thereto.
3ªly To see if the Town are Desirous of having a Redress of Publick Grievances and vote anything Relative thereto or any other article the town shall think proper to Act upon when Assembled."
Action on the first article is given as per record : "Voted not to accept of the Instructions of the Committee to the Representative- also Voted to Dismiss said Committee .- Voted to chuse a Commit- tee to Instruct the Representative this Present Year-the Committee to. consist of five-that Mathew Clark, Joseph Hamilton, John Rinken, Hugh Johnston and Nathaniel Sampson is said Committee.
NATHANIEL SAMPSON, Moderator."
Article three of the above warrant, for " Redress of Publick Griev- ances " seems to have received no consideration by the meeting, not even a vote to " pass the article " or " nothing acted on 3d article," which was a common record when articles in a warrant were not considered. If there was action on it, as there might have been in the excited state of the people, the record was not spread upon the book.
CONVENTION AT LANDLORD BRUCE'S TAVERN.
The next meeting was on Friday, July 28, 1786, and the warrant contained but one article.
159
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
" Istly For the Town to Chuse a Delegate or Delegates to Meet in Con- vention on Monday the thirty-first Day of this Instant at ten o'clock in the forenoon at the house of Landlord Bruce's in Pelham and Pass any vote Relative thereto or any other article the Town shall think Proper to act upon when Assembled."
Action on above article : " Nehemiah Hinds was chosen Modera- tor. Caleb Keith and John Rinken were chosen as Delegates to represent the town in Convention at Landlord Bruce's on the 31st Instant.
2diy Voted that there shall be a Committee of ten to Instruct sd Delegates .- Said Committee is Joseph Hamilton, Thomas Johnston, Joseph Packard, Mathew Clark, Doct Hynds, John Peebles, Hugh Johnston, Ebenezer Gray, James Taylor and Captain John Thompson."
The meeting was continued by adjournment to Monday the 14th of August next at 5 o'clock P. M. Dr. Hynds being absent, Ebene- zer Gray was chosen Moderator-and it was "Voted to chuse a Delegate or Delegates to Attend Convention at Hatfield on Tuesday the 22ª of this Instant-Voted that Caleb Keith and Mathew Clark are said Delegates."
For what purpose the convention was called at Landlord Bruce's we find no record, but can assume that it was for the consideration of the "publick grievances " in some form or other ; that the duties of the delegates to the Pelham convention were considered of a weighty nature, and to have an important bearing for the good or ill of the town, is made evident by the fact that ten of the first citizens of the town were chosen to confer with them and give them final instruc- tions to guide their action in the convention assembled at the house of Landlord Bruce. There is no record of action in the convention.
The convention at Hatfield on the 22ª of August 1786, which Caleb Keith and Mathew Clark were to attend was in session for three days with delegates from fifty towns to consider the causes of the general uneasiness and dissatisfaction among the people : and the convention formulated a list of twenty-five grievances under which the people were suffering. Similar conventions gathered in many parts of the state during the summer and autumn of this year until the excited people were in open rebellion against the state government.
t
160
HISTORY OF PELHAM, MASS.
MEETING, OCT. 17, 1786.
" Voted that Lieutenant Packard and Captain Shays shall be dele- gates to meet in convention in Hadley on the first Tuesday of Novem- ber. Then voted to continue the meeting by adjournment to Mon- day, the 23d day of this instant at 12 o'clock, at the meeting-house in said town. Then met according to appointment-the same mod- erator continued -then voted to excuse Captain Shays and Lieuten- ant Packard from serving in convention. Voted that Caleb Keith and Samuel Hyde should serve in their room.
SAMUEL HYDE, Moderator."
This was the last time Capt. Daniel Shays was elected to serve the town by the people of Pelham.
MEETING, OCT. 3, 1786.
That portion of the town east of the west branch of Swift river having formed a separate parish to be known as the East parish, it became necessary to decide what grants should be assessed upon the town and what expenses should be borne by the two parishes. It was voted that the selectmen consult with the East parish committee and agree upon what grants should be assessed upon the town.
John Hamilton, Lamond Gray, Andrew Abercrombie, Joseph Packard and Nathaniel Sampson was chosen a committee to consult the neighboring towns in order to petition the General Court.
The exciting times caused by being in open rebellion against the state government, and its leader a citizen of the town, occupied the attention of the people so completely that they may not have had time for town meetings had the voters been at home, as they proba- bly were not during the last few months of this year (1786) and for a month or two of the year 1787, or until the collapse of the rebellion.
After the adjourned meeting of October 23 the town was not called together again until the warrant was posted for the regular annual town meeting March 29, 1787, and there was a continuance until the 24th of April without any business being transacted beyond the choice of Alexander Berry, moderator, followed by the choice of the usual officers for the year.
MEETING, APRIL 2, 1787.
The Shays Rebellion was substantially ended and the voters of Pelham were probably all at home except Capt. Daniel Shays and
16I
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
Henry McCulloch. The General Court had passed a law requiring all men elected to office to subscribe to an oath of allegiance before taking the oath of office, and the following transcript from the record of this meeting makes it clear that the best men of the town were actively engaged in the rebellion or in sympathy with it.
" The following persons have taken and Subscribed to the Oath of Allegiance as Directed by Law previous to the oath of office. John Rinkin, John Harkness, Andrew Abercrombie, Alexander Berry, Nathaniel Sampson, Ebenezer Gray, William Conkey jun, John Bruce."
Subscribing to the oath of allegiance was required of all officers for a few years, and then the law was not enforced, perhaps repealed.
After the east part of the town had become a parish by itself the call for town meetings warned the inhabitants to meet and assemble at the old or West parish meeting-house and the west branch of Swift river was the line between the two parishes. The highway surveyors were directed to recognize the river as the limit of their respective districts while repairing roads. Surveyors in the East parish came down to the river and those belonging in the old parish went no farther than the river. There were separate collectors chosen for the two parishes, to collect town taxes, John Barker hay- ing the collection of taxes for the West or old parish vendued to him in 1787 at 12d on the pound and Lieut. John Hamilton had the col- lectorship of the East parish the same year at 12d. on the pound.
The work of framing a constitution for the country which had been through a long and costly war for liberty had been accom- plished and conventions were called in the various states to submit it for adoption or rejection.
A meeting was called Nov. 26, 1787,
" To chuse a Delegate to Set in Convention at Boston to approve of the States Constitution."
Nathaniel Sampson was chosen Moderator, and then it was " voted to Continue this meeting by adjournment to the house of Landlord Bruce for a quarter of an hour."
Just where Bruce's tavern was located cannot now be determined, but it could not have been far from the old parish meeting-house ; had it not been near, the assembled voters could not have adjourned to Bruce's tavern from the meeting-house for a consultation and returned to the meeting-house again within fifteen minutes. The record says that they "Met according to appointment," and " Made
162
HISTORY OF PELHAM, MASS.
choice of Mr. Adam Clark to Represent the Town in the Conven- tion to Ratify or Reject the Constitution."
The next business on the record : " Voted to Chuse a Committee of five to Instruct sª Delegate .- Said Committee is Caleb Keith, John Conkey, Abiah Southworth, Doct Hynds and Joseph Packard.
NATHANIEL SAMPSON, Moderator."
MEETING, FEB. 25, 1788.
This warrant had but one article in it, but one of no less import- ance than "To see if the Town will Reccommend some Proper Per- son for a Justice of the Peace to the Governor and Counsel."
Action of the meeting : "Voted to Reccommend Deacon Ebene- zer Gray to the Governor and Counsel for a Justice of the Peace. Voted that the Selectmen make out a Petition to the Governor and Counsel that they would Grant a Commition to Deacon Ebenezer Gray for a Justice of the Peace. CALEB KEITH, Moderator."
Dea. Ebenezer Gray was a man of integrity, honest, faithful and much respected by the people, as is shown by his being chosen town treasurer for many years, and elected upon many important commit- tees where intelligence, honesty and good sound judgment were required.
MEETING, APRIL 7, 1788.
At this meeting the following record was made : " Voted to Remit Capt Shays Rats in Capt. John Conkey's Rate Bills," thus showing that the rebel captain neglected to pay his taxes before leaving town, and that he was not expected to return to town again.
MEETING, FEB. 6, 1789.
This meeting was called Feb. 6, 1789, to act upon an article as follows :
" First to see if the Town as they have not had an Equeal Chance with thair Breatheran by Reason of thair not having a Precept Seasonably to see if the Town will Petition the General Court for an Equel Chance with thair Breatheran for a New Choice for a Representative and to act on any other Article the Town shall think Proper when Convened."
The meeting was organized at one o'clock in the afternoon by the choice of Capt. John Conkey, moderator, and then it was " Voted to adjourn said meeting to Landlord Shurtlief's until five oclock of sd
163
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
day. Then met and it was voted that the Selectmen send a Letter to the General Court and Inform them of the Neglect of the Precept Respecting the Representative."
The location of Landlord Shurtlieff's tavern was doubtless near the meeting-house ; and the fact of the town not being represented in the General Court because the precept did not arrive in season to call a meeting as directed in the delayed document was a matter that demanded consideration before action was taken by vote. There was no heating apparatus in the meeting-house and consequently not a comfortable place for consultation on the afternoon of a February day in an old-fashioned winter, and for this good and sufficient reason we have a right to suppose the adjournment was made to Shurtlieff's tavern, where the voters could deliberate and decide upon their action in comfort before the blazing fire-place at the tavern. When the plan of action had been decided upon the voters reassem- bled at the meeting-house according to the terms of adjournment and directed the selectmen to write a letter of explanation to the General Court, and at the same time praying to be given authority to elect a representative so that the town might not be deprived of the right of representation accorded to other towns.
THE TOWN EXERCISED ON ACCOUNT OF THE POOR.
Since the settlement of the town the policy had been to exercise a close and rigid scrutiny upon those who desired to make a home in the town ; not only to see that they were desirable morally speaking but also for the purpose of making sure that they would make citi- zens not likely to become an expense to the town by reason of pov- erty. The thrifty Scotchmen had succeeded in keeping the poor and shiftless out of the town, warning out such as came in without first securing permission to enter, and by forcible removal if there was a disposition on the part of any new comer to disregard the notice to leave the town. In spite of all the care exercised by the leading citizens, sickness and distress would fall upon some, and assistance from the town was the only alternative.
MEETING, APRIL 12, 1790.
The first general appropriation for the poor was made at the 12th of April meeting, 1790, recorded as follows: "Voted to allow 6 Pounds for the Support of the Poor the present year."
164
HISTORY OF PELHAM, MASS.
The first board of overseers of the poor, or a committee whose duties were substantially those of overseers of the poor of modern times, was chosen at the same meeting by this recorded vote : " Voted to choose a committee of three to Inspect the poor for the Present year."
MEETING, MAY 4, 1790.
It was voted to give a bounty for killing crows :- " Voted one shilling in Town Security for each Crow that is killed in the town by the 15th of June Next by the Inhabitance of sd Town. Voted that any Person that shall kill a crow or crows shall carry the same to one of the Constables of sd town and he to give a certificate for the Number of Crows that is killed. MATHEW CLARK, Moderator."
In the warrant for meeting, June 4, 1790, was this article :
" To see if it is the mind of the Town to Petition the General Court set- ting forth the Badness of the Roads and our Inability to keep them in Repair Praying that they would grant the Town liberty to work out thair state Taxt on the County Road."
It was voted to petition the General Court as per article and Andrew Abercrombie and Abiah Southworth were chosen a commit- tee to assist the selectmen in the " Draught of a proper petition."
The meeting was called at 4 P. M. and the meeting was " adjourned to the house of Landlord Shurtlieff to meet again at half an hour after Eight oclock this Instant."
This adjournment to the Shurtlieff tavern was not because the meeting-house was cold but to give the selectmen, and assisting com- mittee, better opportunity to formulate a petition to the General Court. The voters met at 8-30 that evening at the meeting-house and it was " Voted that the Town Except the Draft of the Petition that the Committee Drew. ABIAH SOUTHWORTH, Moderator."
Copy of a warrant issued to Constable Benoni Shurtlieff, dated Jan. 31, 1791, by the selectmen :
" To Lieut Benoni Shurtlieff, Constable You are Directed to Warn and give notice unto Isaac Doge of Charlton in the County of Worcester, Laborer, Georg Eliot Middleborough in the County of Plymouth, Thomas Thompson Taylor, forrenor, James Tally, a Transent Person, Moses Buttler of Hardwick in the County of Worcester, Laborer and James Wat- kins of Hardwick in the County of Worcester, Laborer who has lattly come in this town for the Purpose of abiding etc. Thairfore that they Depart the
165
TOWN MEETING RECORDS.
Limits thairof with their Children and others under thair care within fifteen days -- Also the Widow Robeson of Connicticut State, a transent parson who has lately come into this town not having obtained Consent etc."
All of the persons named were ordered to depart the limits within 15 days and the warrant was signed by the selectmen.
The return of the constable is unique :
" HAMPSHIRE SS
February 19, 1791-By Vartue of this warrant I have warned all of the within Named Persons as this Warrant Directs Except Watkins family and thair not to be found in my presint and Eliot I left a Summons according to Law
BENONI SHURTLIEFF, Constable of Pelham."
As we contemplate this wholesale midwinter warning out to a con- siderable number of men, women and children, we can but be more impressed with the abounding contempt for shiftlessness and improv- idence displayed by these Scotch citizens of the town. Had they issued their mandate to " Depart the Limits" earlier in the season, or postponed it until spring, we should not have felt so much like charging them with exhibiting a heartlessness that is not pleasant to to entertain against such thoroughly good people as we believe these sturdy Presbyterians to have been.
The meeting Oct. 20, 1791, was for very important purposes, best expressed by quoting the warrant. The first article was to see about a mill being built on the west branch. The next article marks the proposed introduction of a practice not commendable, but it was one in common use in many towns for years,-now happily departed from and abandoned.
" To see if the town will set up at Vandue the Cost of William McFall and his wife for one year."
The unmistakable intention of the above article was to set up the cost of maintaining the unfortunate McFall and wife at vendue to the lowest bidder, but it does not say that. Possibly they thought it might be construed to mean the highest bidder, and caused a halt, for there is no record of action on this article. Action upon the mill privilege will be found in the chapter about mills, etc.
" May 10, 1791, the Preambleation of the Line Between Pelham and Amherst. Began at a Heap of stones at the Southwest corner of Pelham and ran North 2d 15m west and found seven old Marks and Boundarys, several of which we Marked with the Letter PA (viz) a Large Pine tree against Harkness improved Land also another Pine tree at the North end of a Pon hol against Col Mattoons Land,
I66
HISTORY OF PELHAM, MASS.
another Pine tree about eight Roads North of Pelham Road, another Pine tree against Capt Parkers Lot, also an oak tree about ten Rods South of the River, also a large white oak tree against Hodgdons Land all of which trees we marked P. A. and @ and Renewed the Northwest Corner of Pelham, which is a large Heap of Stones, by putting a Stake, said line is Run by Justice Dwight, Surveyor.
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