History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 131

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700

USA > Massachusetts > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I > Part 131

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The engagement that followed was a battle of some magni- tude, not a mere skirmish. Capt. Appleton's company, from Hadley, held the left, Capt. Mosely the centre, and Capt. l'oole the right. The Indians were repulsed at every point. Arms and discipline proved too much for numbers. The Indians, in retreating, burned a few barns, and drove off a number of cattle. They were, however, encumbered with the dead which they carried from the field, and in crossing Mill River lost many of their guns. The whites killed were Thomas Meekins, Nathaniel Collins, Richard Stone, Samuel

Clarke, John Pocock, Thomas Warner, Abram Quiddington, William Olverton, and John Petts, mostly from Hadley.

In the spring of 1676, Capt. Mosely was again stationed at llatfield. Immediately following the attack of March H4th, upon Northampton, the Indians approached Hatfield, but the troops there, with others from Hadley, presented too strong a force, and the Indians retreated.

The great battle of Turner's Falls, May 19, 1676, was par- ticipated in by Hatfield men. In returning, the Indians ral- lied and harassed the wearied army. Turner himself fell near Green River, and the army arrived at Hatfield with a loss of 38 men, all but one killed on the return.

There is a story of wonderful endurance connected with this affair. Jonathan Wells, of Ilatfield, was wounded, es- caped, and lost his way; fell from his horse in the present town of Greenfield, and, after hair-breadth escapes from In- dians, obeyed a dream as to his right course, reached Hatfield, recovered, and lived to a good old age.

William Allis, son of Sergt. William Allis, was killed at "the Falls fight," as recorded in the town book. Samuel Gillit and John Church, Sr., are recorded as " lost in the Falls fight."

Rev. Hope Atherton, the Hatfield minister, who had been with the army in the Falls fight, also lost his way ; actually endeavored to deliver himself up to a company of Indians, but they, afraid of his sacred character as a minister, which they in some way understood, refused to touch him, and he finally reached home after many days' suffering.

The severe blow to the projects of King Philip given at Turner's Falls did not put an end to the dangers of war. May 30, 1676, only twelve days after that battle, 600 to 700 Indians again attacked Hatfield, and this time succeeded in effecting the destruction of many buildings. Their first work was to set on fire twelve buildings without the fortifications. Most of the men were at work in the meadows. The palisaded houses were attacked at every point. They were defended bravely by the few men that were not in the meadows, aided by the women. A part of the savages were busy killing or driving off cattle, and a company of 150 pushed out for the meadows to engage the planters. The flames of the burning buildings were seen at lladley, and twenty-five young men crossed the river to aid in defense. Boldly rushing upon the savage host just as the planters were likely to be overwhelmed, they killed five or six at the first discharge, then drove tbem back to the town, inflieting terrible slaughter, and losing five of their own number. The Indians were then driven out of the village. The records do not show that they had captured any prisoners, nor does it appear that any of the inhabitants of Hatfield were killed. Of the five that were killed, John Smith was from Hadley, two others were from Connecticut, and two from the garrison at Hadley.

The close of the King Philip's war, by the death of the great chief in the fall of 1676, put an end to the most serious dangers. Still the settlements were not even then safe. French policy was evidently at work instigating Indian attaeks. Sept. 19, 1677, a party of about 50 Indians fell upon Hatfield, shot three men outside of the fortifications, and, breaking through, inflicted terrible slaughter upon men, women, and children, captured and carried away a large number. The attack was at eleven o'clock in the morning, and while the principal part of the men were at work in the meadows. The killed were Isaac Graves, Sr., and John Graves, Sr., John Atchison, John Cooper, Elizabeth, the wife, and Stephen, son, of Philip Rus- sell, Hannah, the wife, and Bethia, daughter, of John Cole- man, Sarah, the wife of Samuel Kellogg, and their son, Jo- seph Kellogg, Mary, the wife of Samnel Belding, Elizabeth, a daughter of John Wells, and Thomas Meekins,-13 in all. The eaptives were two children of John Coleman, Goodwife Waite and three children, Mrs. Foote and two children, Mrs. Jennings and two children, Obadiah Dickinson and one child,

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

a child of Samuel Kellogg, a child of Win. Bartholomew, and a child of John Allis,-17 in all. Six or seven others were wounded and not carried off by the Indians. One of Mrs. Foote's children was killed by the Indians afterward, and one of Mrs. Jennings'. A child was born to Mrs. Waite in Canada. The prisoners, with others from Wachuset, were all taken, a sud and weary company, to Sorel, Canada. Efforts to rescue them were immediately made. Benjamin Waite and Stephen Jennings obtaining a commission from the Governor of Mas- sachusetts, proceeded by way of Albany, the Hudson River, and Lake Champlain to Chamblee, in Canada, arriving there late in December. The negotiation was long and tedious ; by the aid of the French authorities and the payment of £200 ransom, the captives that survived were finally gathered. The homeward route could not be taken till spring; the captives were at Albany May 22d. The almost triumphal procession home, the reuniting of families, the tearful memories of the dead mingling with the joy of the saved,-all this must be left for the imagination to paint.

With reference to the battle of Sept. 19, 1677, and the gen- eral subject of fortifications, Samuel D. Partridge, of Orange, N. J., a descendant of the early pioneer, and himself a careful student of early times, writes :

"The attack seems to have been a complete surprise, and the first thought of every one was probably to take refuge in the fort, and whatever fighting was done must have taken place around the palisades, and I have good reason for be- lieving that those were at the south end of the street. I learned from my grand- mother, who was born in 1732, that the place on which she and myself were born (the homestead now owned by John A. Billings) was within the fort. Between forty and fifty years ago, the late Sylvester .Indd, of Northampton, and I, made an examination, and were alde to trace the line of palisades from the lot now oc- cupied by Erastus Billings through that of David Billings and that of John A. Billings, and through several lots above his. I do not remember the precise point at which our examination ended, but an impression was made on my mind that the palisades extended well up toward ' Middle lane.' The line was so well de- fined that it was then easy to trace it through the lots mentioned, being, accord- ing to my recollections, some two or three hundred feet west of the street. This location of the stockade is supported by the fact that the women and children killed and the houses burned were in the northern part of the village and outside the Jort.

" In the attack of May 30, 1676, the fighting began near the river, opposite the north end of Hadley Street, and continued all the way up to the town."

The peace that followed was interrupted at last by the " Queen Anne's war" of 1702, which once more involved the colonies.

In this Hatfield seems to have escaped attack. The fury of the Indians and their savage leaders, the French, was poured upon the doomed town of Deerfield, Feb. 29, 1704. Before that fearful slaughter was fairly over with, men from Hatfield were rushing to the rescue, aroused by two fugitives fleeing breathless and exhausted to that town,-Capt. Stoddard and a son of Capt. John Sheldon. The Hatfield men, with some not captured at Deerfield, pursued and attacked the Indians, but were compelled to retire from the unequal contest, losing nine of their number,-Sergt. Boltwood, Samuel Allis, Robert Boltwood, Joseph Catlin, Samuel Foot, David Hoyt, Jr., Jona- than Ingram, Sergt. Benjamin Waite, and Nathaniel Warner.

This closed the share of Hatfield in the Indian wars. The French war of 1756-64 brought terror to the Connectient Val- ley, and revived the fears of Indian massacre, but no actual invasion of the towns occurred,-the scenes of 1704 were not repeated. This town furnished several soldiers for this " French war," as did the whole of the Connecticut Valley. Samuel Partridge, of Orange, N. J., has a muster-roll of seven com- panies in the regiment, commanded in this war by Col. Oliver Partridge, his ancestor. The residence of the soldiers is not given in the paper.

Miscellaneous Items of Indian Warfare .- After the Deer- field massacre, Feb. 29, 1704, the company that gathered from below to rescue the captives, and who engaged in what is called " the fight in the Deerfield Meadow," included 22 from Hatfield.

In 1690 palisades wore erceted for defense in Hatfield. The

space inclosed was 229 rods on one side and 246 on the other, besides the ends. The line could still be traced thirty or forty years ago. This indicates that the fort or palisaded inelosure of fifteen and twenty years before had been allowed to fall into decay, and was rebuilt.

In 1690, Major Pynchon estimated the number of soldiers in Hatfield at 80.

Richard Fellows, Jr., of Hatfield, was killed in the battle for the capture of the Indian fort that was half-way between Hatfield and Northampton, not far from the westerly bend of the Connecticut, in the summer of 1675. Samuel Gillet, John Church, and William Allis, Jr., of Hatfield, were killed in the battle on the return from the Turner's Falls fight. Samuel Belden, of Hatfield, who was in the Turner's Falls fight, lived for more than sixty years after that event. A daughter of Benjamin Waite, born in Canada during the captivity, and named Canada from that fact, became the wife of Joseph Smith, of IFadley. He was a son of John Smith, who was one of the 25 men that went over to the defense of Hatfield, and was killed near the village. Canada Waite was the grand- mother of the late Oliver Smith, whose name will ever remain in honorable remembrance in connection with the noble " char- ities" provided by his will.

Indian Slaughters .- The following records are found in the town-books of Hatfield, evidently written in the form of a diary at the time the events occurred. As original authority they are of great value, though they relate, in several instances, to matters beyond the limits of Hatfield, and may repeat an incident or two already mentioned.

An Account of the Desolation of Deerfield, the last Day of February, 1704 .- Four hundred of French and Indians (as is thought) assaulted the fort, took it, and killed and captured 162 of the inhabitants, and consumed most of their estates into flames.

Slain in the fort, John Catlin and his son Jonathan, John French, Samson Frary, Mercy Rood, Jonathan Kellogg, Philip Metown and his wife and child, Henry Nyms, Mary Mercy and Mehitable Nyms, Alice Hawks, John Hawks, Mary and William Brooks, Samuel Smood and wife and two children, Sergt. Benoni Stebbins, Deacon Sheklon's wife and her daughter Mercy, Samnel Hins- dell, Mary and Thomas Carter, Joseph Ingingson, Thomas Selden, Goody Smwood, Andrew Stevens, David Alexander, Mrs. Williams, Jernsha and John, her chil- dren, Sarah Field, Martin Smith, Sarah Price.

Slain in the fight in Deerfield Meadow: of Deerfield, David Hoyt, Jr., and Joseph Catlin ; of Hatfield, Sergt. Benjamin Waite, Samuel Allis, Samuel Foot ; of Iladley, Sergt. Boltwood, his son Robert, Jonathan Ingram, and Nathaniel Warner, Jr.

Women and children slain in the journey to Canada, 20 persons, viz., Lieut. Iloyt, Jacob Hickson, Goodwife Brooks, Goodwife Bellen, Goodwife Carter, Goodwife Nyms, Goodwife Frary, Goodwife French, Goodwife Warner, Widow Cuss, Goodwife Pnmry, Elizabeth Hawks, and six more children, and Frank, the negro. (The list only counts 19.) Died at Canada, in 1705, Zebedre Williams, Goodwife Jones, and Abigail Furbit.

May 10, 1704 .- John Allen and his wife slain by Indians at Deerfield.

May 12, 1704 .- Pascommunek Fort taken by the French and Indians, being about 72. They took and captured the whole garrison, being abont 37 persons. The English pursuing of them caused them to knock all the captives on the head, save five or six. These they carried to Canada with them. The others esenped, and about seven of those knocked on the head recovered, the rest died. Capt. John Taylor was killed in the fight, and Samuel Bartlett wounded.

July 29, 1704 .- Thomas Bettys slain by the Indians coming post from Boston, July the last, 1704 .- One Benton, and William Olmstead, soldiers, slain the Indians, and two of the enemy slain.

July, 1706 .- Judah Trumbull and Widow Gash (perhaps) slain by the Indians. July, 1707 .- Edward Bancroft slain at Westfield.

1704 .- Some time in July (19th), Thinnas Russell, at Deerfield, and one, Kind- ney, an Indian, at Hatfield Mill, shin by the Indians.

July 9, 1708 .- Samuel Persons, of Northampton, slain by the Indians, and his brother Joseph slain or captured; found killed and scalped.

July, 1708 .- A fort taken at Skipmuck, where were killed Aaron Persons, Wm. Hubbard's son, and three more, and one taken and two wounded.

Orl. 13, 1708,-Abijah Bartlett, of Brookfield, was killed, and John Green, Jo- soph Ginnings, and Benjamin Ginnings wounded, and a boy of John Wooleot's captured

Oct. 26, 1708,-Brother Ebenezer Field was slaiu by the enemy in going to Deerfield, near the Muddy Brook.

August, 1708 .- One Barber, of Windsor, was slain a hundred miles up the Great River, and Martin Kellogg, Jr., taken, and one of the enemy slain and another wounded.

May, 1709 .-- John Wells, of Deerfield, slain by the enemy near the Lake, and John Burt killed or taken or lost at the same time; and in that expedition about eight of the enemy slain.

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HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY.

April, 1709 .- Mehumane Hinsdale taken captive.

June 23, 1709 .- Joseph Clesson and John Arms taken captive.

June 24, 1709 .- Joseph Williams slain, and Matthew Clesson and Isaac Metune wounded,-said Clesson died four days after of his wound.

Ang. 8, 1709 .- John Clary and Robert Granger slain at Brookfieldl. July 22, 1710 .- Jolm Grovenor, Ebenezer Howard, John White, Benjamin and Stephen Ginnings, and Joseph Kellogg were slain at Brookfield.

Aug. 10, 1711 .- Samuel Strong captured and his son slain by the enemy at Northampton agoing into their south meadow gate in the morning.

Aug. 22, 1711 .- Benjamin Wright wounded.

July 29, 1712 .- Joseph Wright's son, of Springfield, taken captive.

July 30, 1712,-Samuel Andross killed upon the scout above Deerfield, and Jonathan Barrett and William Sandford taken captive.

In Angust, 1723, the enemy killed Thomas Holton and Theophilus Merriman at Northfield. Two days following, they killed Rev. Joseph Willard. and two Suns of Ens. Stevens, of Rutland, and carried captive two other of his sons.

Oct. 11, 1723 .- The enemy assailed Northfield, killed Ebenezer Sevorns, and wounded Enoch Hall and Her Stratton, and Samuel Dickinson was captured.

June 18, 1724 .- The enemy killed Benjamin Smith, and took Joseph Allis and Aaron Wells captives. Allis was killed the next day.

June 27, 1724 .- The enemy kille I Ebenezer Sheldon, Thomas Colton, and Jolin English, an Indian, above Deerfield.

July 10th, Samuel Allen and Timothy Childs wounded at Deerfield. August following, Nathaniel Edwards slain, and Abram Miller wounded at Northamp- ton. The next day Nathaniel Bancroft wounded at Westfield.

The enemy wounded Deacon Samuel Field, of Deerfield, Ang. 25, 1725, a ball passing through the right hypochondria, cutting off three plaits of the mesen- teria, which hung out of the wound in length almost two inches, which was cut off even with the body, the bullet passing between the lowest and the next rib, cutting, at its going forth, part of the lowest rib; his hand being close to his body when the ball came forth, it entered at the root of the ball of the thumb, cutting the bone of the forefinger, passed between the fore and the second finger, was cut out, and all of the wounds cured in less than fire weeks by Dr. Thomas Hast- ings.

Sept. 11, 1726 .- The enemy came upon Fort Dummer scouts and killed one John Pease, of Enfield, one Bedortha, of Springfield; took Nathaniel Chamber- lain and one Farragh and one Baker captives, and carried them to Canada; one Steel escaped.

July 5, 1745,-The enemy took one Phipps as he was hoeing corn at the place called the Great Meadow, above Fort Dummer, carried him abont half a mile, then killed him and mangled his body in a most inhuman manner.

On July 10, 1745, the enemy killed Deacon Fisher at Upper Ashuelot, within about sixty rods of the garrison.

Oct. II, 1745 .- About fourscore French and Indians assaulted the Fort at the Great Meadow, and took captive Nehemiah Stow and killed David Rugg coming down the river in a canoe.

April 19, 1746 .- The Indian enemy captivated Capt. Spafford, Stephen Farns- worth, and one Parker. They were taken between the fort at No. 4, ahove the Great Fall and the mill, in that township, and on Monday following Moses Har- vey was shot npon by the enemy in the road between Deerfield and Northfield, who fired upon the enemy and escaped.

April 23, 1746 .- The enemy assaulted the upper Ashuelot, killed one Bullard and an aged woman named Keny, and took one Blake captive and burned a number of buildings in that place.

On the 25th of April, 1746, one Holton, of Northfield, went over to Lunen- burgh, and on his return was killed by the enemy.

May 5, 1746 .- At the township called No. 4, one Putnam was slain by the In- dlian enemy, as he, with others, was going from the fort to a barn.

May 6, 1746 .- Deacon Timothy Brown and one Moffett, a soldier, were capti- vated at the lower Ashuelot.

May 9, 1746,-About fifty of the enemy assaulted Deacon Sheklon's fort at Fall Town and wounded John Burk.

May 10, 1746 .- The enemy fired npon Sergt. John Hawks and one Miles near the province fort at Hoosick, and wounded them buth. Ou the same day the enemy killed Matthew Clark, of Colerain, and wounded his wife and daughter.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

At a full meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Hat- field, Sept. 22, 1768, Oliver Partridge was chosen moderator ; the letter from the selectmen of Boston was read, and a com- mittee appointed to reply on behalf of the town of Hatfield, viz., Col. Williams, Col. Partridge, Capt. White, William Williams, and O. C. Dickinson.

Adjourned to the next day, and the committee reported a lengthy paper. They doubted the dangers inferred by the Boston people from the troops about to be sent from England ; they considered the language of the last General Court un- necessarily harsh toward the king, and the fears of the people about the coming troops needless :

" To suppose what you surmise they may be intended for is to mistrust the king's paternal care and goodness.

" 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 ene- mics of your Constitution the greatest joy subversive of government aud de- structive 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 anty to God and the king."

This paper was unanimously adopted by the town.

It is evident that at this time the friends of the king, the adherents of royal authority, were in full power in Hatfield, and controlled publie sentiment. But a comparison of the committees appointed and the town officers chosen at this period, as elsewhere given, shows that the royalists in Hatfield soon lost power, and were not entrusted with publie offices to any extent, until some years after the Revolution had been accomplished. Another class of men-Whigs, friends of the colonies, friends of independence-came to the front and moulded the popular will.

July 8, 1774,-At a legal meeting took into consideration what might be proper for the town to do with regard to their entering into a covenant to withdraw all commercial intercourse with Great Britain, by a disuse of their manufactures until such time as the general interests of the colonies are settled, and our charter rights restored, and appointed a committee to confer with other committees about that matter, viz. : Julin Dickinson, Elihu White, Perez Graves, John lastings, Elijah Morton. The expenses of the committee were also voted, and the pro- ceedings directed to be recorded in the town book. Elijah Morton was moderator of this meeting,

The names differ very much from the committees of six years before.

July 29th .- The matter was further considered, and it was voted that the com- mittee should write to the provincial committee, expressing the fact that the town is highly pleased with the appointment of said counnittee to sit in General Congress with the committees from other colonies, and are entirely willing to come into any measure that the General Congress shall agree and determine upon that may have a tendency to remove our grievances. Action upon the non-im- portation covenant was deferred until after the Congress should have met.

Ang. 24, 1774 .- John Dickinson, Elijah Morton, Perez Graves, were appointed delegates to a County Congress to mert at Hadley Ang. 26th, to determine what measures are most advisable for the towus to come into with regard to the late acts of Parliament superseding the charter of the province, and vacating some of the inalienable rights and privileges therein contained.

Sept. 21, 1774 .- Appointed John Dickinson, Elihu White, and John Hastings, to attend a County Congress at Northampton on the 26th instant. At the same meeting a committee of correspondence was appointed, viz. : JOHN DICKINSON, ELIJAH MORTON, REMEMBRANCE BARDWELL, PHINEHAS FRARY, JONATHAN ALLIS, DAVID WAIT, PEREZ GRAVES, ELINU WHITE, JOHN HASTINGS.

Voted that the selectmen he directed to procure forthwith a sufficient stock of powder, lead, and Hints, for the use of the town.

The royalist sentiment of 1768 was no longer popular.

Oct. 6, 1774 .- Appointed John Dickinson delegate to the Provincial Congress to meet at Concord on the second Tuesday of this month.

Dec. 5, 1774 .- Voted the constables should pay over the provincial tax to Ifenry Gardner, of Stow, the receiver-general appointed by the Provincial Con- gress,-and the town would discharge said constatdes upon their exhibiting a receipt from said Gardner. A like vote was passed with reference to any prov- ince moneys in the hands of under sheriff's.

This was decisive revolution,-transferring the taxes to the new provincial authority.

Jan. 9, 1775 .- Jolin Dickinson and Perez Graves were appointed delegates to the Provincial Congress called to meet at Cambridge Feb. Ist. David Wait, Eleazer Allis, Daniel White, Jr., Seth Murray, and James Porter, appointed a committee to receive and convey any donations to the poor of Boston who are now suffering in the common cause, Committee of Inspection directed to en- force the recommendations of the Provincial Congress,-JOHN DICKINSON, ELL- JAH MORTON, ELINU WHITE, JOHN HASTINGS, JONATHAN ALLIS, PHINEHAS FRARY, BENJAMIN WELLS, SILAS GRAVES, and SETH MURRAY.

Voted to the Minute-Men as compensation for time spent in learning the military art, Is. each for the three half-days already spent, and a like sum for three half-days more. Higher sums were voted the officers.

The thanks of the town were voted to Rev. Mr. Lyman for his sermon last Thanksgiving, and a copy desired that it might be printed. It is presumed it was a " sermon on the times."

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

John Hastings, Elijah Morton, and John Allis were named as a committee for the above purpose.

June 12, 1775 .- Elijah Morton, moderator; the committee of inspection reported with reference to their proceedings in the case of persons suspected of being inimical to the cause of the colonies ; and the town approved the following declaration as proper to be required to be signed by all such persons :

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History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. I, Part 131

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 700

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 700