History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 10

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II > Part 10

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June 13, 1667, another deed was signed by Ma-se-a-mot, alias Mil-ke-na-way, conveying all his rights save the liberty of fishing. On the 220 of July, 1667, an unreserved sale of all his land at Pocomptuck was made by A-him-un-quat, his brother Grin-mach-chue receiving from the pay "20 fadam, and ap- proved of the sale of the land." These three deeds were pro- eured by John Pynchon, and were made running to " Maj. Eleaser Lusher and Daniel Fisher, of Dedham, their Associates, und theire heires and assigns for ever." The consideration paid Col. Pynchon for these purchases was £96 10x.

On the 6th of August, 1672, Col. Pynchon obtained from Masshalisk, mother to Wuttawoluneksin, the deed of a large lot of land lying on the Connecticut, in payment of her son's debts to Pynchon, he being at this time dead. Pynchon does not appear to have ever laid claim to this land under this deed, and there is reason to think that it covered the same tract pre- viously sold by Wuttawoluneksin to Dedham. The price paid the Indians for the Pocomptuck lands seems trifling; if the deeds covered the whole grant, the price was about three pence per acre. The land was of no use to the Indians at that time ; they could not occupy it as a residence for fear of the Mohawks, and they reserved all that was of real value to them,-the right of hunting, fishing, and gathering nuts. Not a very high value was put upon this land by the new owners. They paid nearly one-tenth of the whole grant for locating and survey- ing it ; and soon after the purchase a laige tract, covering some of the choicest meadow-land, was offered for eight pence per acre. In view of all the facts, it appears that a fair price was paid the Pocomptucks for their lands.

Having taken these measures to secure its title, Dedham set about plans for a settlement on the grant. It is an interesting

keep in his own hand, whether he shall be living there or at Dedham." Whether on account of this tax, or for other reason, many cow-commons (or rights) at Pocomptuck were put upon the market about this time.

Gov. Leverett bought 312 acres, which he sold to Col. Pyn- chon, Oct. 31, 1667, for "6 pounds current money of New England, and for several barrels of tar in hand paid." Before the settlement more than 2000 acres had passed from the Ded- ham owners.

The 8000-acre grant was made to the " proprietors of Ded- ham," and their individual right in the grant was the same as that by which they held shares in the common land in Dedham. This latter was held in 523 shares, called " cow- commons," and the same rule applied to the newly-acquired territory.

May 23, 1670, the proprietors, who were now a body distinct from the town, met and agreed to draw lots for the location of their respective rights. Through transfers of ownership the whole number of owners at this time was but thirty-one, holding from three to sixty cow-commons each. At this meet- ing it was voted " that an Artist be procured on as Moderate terms as may be that [shall] lay out the lots at pa-comp-tuck to each proprietor, according to their lawful interest in each sort of land which is to be divided, and to draw and return to the town a true [plan] of what he do there." This work was put in charge of a committee " empowered to order the situa- tion of the town for the most convenieney as in their diseres- sion shall appeare best," "appointing the highways and lay- ing out, and a place for the Meeting-house, Church officers' lot or lots," and " to proportion each several sorts of land there according to the qualitie therof, that equitie might be

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HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

attended to each proprietor, according to their proportion in every sort of land divisable."

The committee attended to their duties in the summer of 1670, and reported, May 16, 1671, the result : " For the Sit- uation of the Town plat," they say, " it shall be on that traet of land begining att the southerly side of it att a little brook ealled Eagle Brook, and so to extend Northerly to the banke or falling ridge of land at Samson Frary's celer, and so to run from the banke or ridg of land fronting on the Meadow- Land westerlie to the Mountain easterlie." A "highway for the common street" was laid ont six rods wide through this tract from south to north. From each end and from the mid- dle of this street a three-rod highway was laid, west to the meadow and east to the mountain. " That as to more higher sort of Land, ealled Intervale or plow-land," they ordered " two divisions made of the same out of both, which all the proprietors shall receive their proportions." The first division covered the North Meadows cast of Pine Hill, and the South Meadows to Second Division Brook. The second division ex- tended across the river westerly from this point and south to Long Ilill. Highways two rods wide were laid out through these divisions, " so that every man may come to his land."

The committee found Samuel llinsdale, a squatter, on the traet, and recommend he be not disturbed, as he is oeeupying but " 3 or 4 aeres, and he abating as much in the 2d of bis division of plow-land." The lots were all to run east and west, and no more than twenty eow-commons to be laid in one lot. These lines, and the highways laid out by this com- mittee in 1670, are essentially those of to-day. In drawing lots for location, the first lot was always on the north end of each division, and the last at the south, varying so far on the town-plat that the lots on the east side of the street were num- bered from south to north. The amount of land assigned to each cow-common varied with the size of the division ; on the street it was 563 rods, giving the owners house-lots of from 1 acre 93 rods to 7 acres 10 1ods, the last being the amount for twenty cow-commons, The whole number of house-lots was thirty-nine, including the " church lot." Few, if any, of these lots are identical with those we now oceupy, and when they are named it is to be considered but an approximation.

The settlement had searcely commenced before Hatfield complained that the grant encroached on her territory, and an appeal was made to the General Court for redress. May 10, 1672, a hearing was had, and a committee of three ap- pointed "to regulate and settle this affair." This committee reported, September 20th, in favor of Hatfield, and directed the grant to be extended northerly. The report was accepted Oct. 9, 1672, and the present north line of the town was then estab- lished as the north line of the 8000-acre " Dedham Grant."

Thus far the affairs of the colony had been under the direet control of the mother-town, and all its officers appointed there. Finding serious inconvenience in this arrangement, Sammel Hinsdale was sent, with a statement of these facts, to Dedham. Upon a consideration of this communication, a committee, consisting of Samuel Hinsdale and Richard Miller, of Poeomptuck ; Peter Tilton and Samnel Smith, of Hadley ; and Lieut. William Allis, of Hatfield, were appointed to have a general oversight of their affairs. A code of rules for their guidance was prepared. One item was, " This Committee and the inhabitants there, with the advice of the elders of the two neighboring churches, shall have liberty to proeure an ortho- dox Minister to dispense the word of God amongst them," and for this purpose " to assess two shillings on each common right at Petumtuek."

This action of Dedham was not satisfactory to the adven- turers, and they resolved to make a bold stroke for ecclesias- tical and territorial elbow-room and power. Hinsdale was again sent down the Bay Path, this time to invoke a higher power. The success of his mission may be read in the following order passed by the General Court, May, 1673 :

" In ansr to the petition of the inhabitants of Paucomptucke, Samuel Hinsdale Samson Frary, &c., the Court judgeth it meete to allow the petiti mers the liberty of a township, and doe therefore grant them such an addition of land to the eight thousand acres formerly granted to Dedham, as that the whole to be to the con- tent of seven miles square, provided an able and orthodox minister within three years be settled among them, and that a farme of two hundred and fifty acres be layd out for the country's use."

A committee of six, Hinsdale being one, was named, who should have power " to order all their prudentiall affairs till they shall be in a capacity, by meete persons from among themselves, to manage their owne affairs." This committee was only to be advised with about settling a minister, leaving these sturdy independents free from interference by the churches at Hadley, Hatfield, or Northampton.

This " hberty of a township," in default of any subsequent action to that end, must be taken as the aet of incorporation for the town. The territory of Pocomptuck as laid out under this grant is almost identical with that now occupied by the towns of Deerfield, Greenfield, and Gill.

The growth of this little hamlet was steady; Samuel Hins- dale, the pioneer, breaking ground in 1668, and building a house in 1669. Sampson Frary, the second settler, followed the next year. In 1673 there were at least twenty families on the ground. Their houses, doubtless of logs, and covered with thateli, stood along the plateau where stands the " Old Street" to-day. This is about one mile long and half a mile wide, lying at the west foot of Poeomptuck Mountain. On three sides lay the meadows, spreading two miles north and south and about one mile to the west. Beyond this narrow circuit, the unbroken forest stretched away to Canada on the north, to the Iludson on the west, and to Laneaster on the east ; while on the south the nearest settlement was Hatfield, fourteen miles distant, through which was the only communication with the civilized world.

This hardy yeomanry, some of them born in England and well on in years, all seeking a permanent home for wife and children in the New World, appear to have lived here in quiet contentment. Peace and plenty smiled upon them. The rich alluvial meadow was easy of cultivation. The virgin soil yielded abundant harvests of wheat, peas, rye, Indian corn, beans, and flax. The men became skilled in wooderaft, and the forests afforded an abundance of game, while the waters teemed with fish. Highways were built, the common field inclosed with a substantial fence, to protect their erops from their floeks and herds, which roamed in the surrounding woods. A minister of their own choice was going out and in before them, and the young colony seemed firmly established on an enduring foundation of prosperity. The dark cloud looming in the distance was unobserved or unnoticed. The settlers had lived on the most friendly terms with the few Indians with whom they came in contact, and had no doubt of their fidelity. The news of the outbreak in far-off Ply- month brought no fears to them. None dreamed of the de- vastation and war which were so soon to descend upon their homes.

MINOR LOCALITIES.

That events to be described may be more easily understood, a brief notice of minor localities is necessary. The "Street" or "Old Street," about one mile long, was laid out in 1671. The plateau on which it is located is inclosed by meadows on three sides, with the Pocomptuek range on the east. Two miles to the north, beyond Pocomptuek River, lies " Cheap- side," the northern part, along the 8000-aere line, being now ealled " Green River." The " Green River" of this narrative is the present Greenfield. " Bloody Brook" (South Deerfield) lies three and a half miles from the street, extending two miles south to the Whately line. West to the Conway line lies " Mill River," and on the east is " Wequamps, " called by the white folks " Sugar-Loaf," which gives a name to the district east to the Connecticut River. Midway between the street and Bloody Brook is " Wapping," with " Turnip Yard" to the

505

HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

southeast of it, and " Mill" and " Bars" west ; and still west- ward "Stebbins' Meadow," "Still-Water," and " Hoosick, " reaching to Conway line. From the street, over the Pocomp- tuek west, lies " Wisdom," and over the Poeomptuck Moun- tains northeast is " Great River," and southeast " Pine Nook." North of the Street lies " North Meadows," and south of it "South Meadows."

To answer frequent inquiry as to the origin of these names, some information may be given. "Cheapside," because land lying beyond the Pocomptnek, and less easy of access, had a lower valuation. " Bloody Brook," from the massacre of Lothrop and the " Flower of Essex." " Mill Run," from the first occupied mill-site on the stream by which the district is traversed. "Sugar-Loaf," from the shape of Wequamps as seen from the south. " Wapping" (first Plum-tree Plain), supposed from a suburb of London. " Mill," from the loca- tion of the famous grist-mill of the Stebbins Brothers. " Bars," where the common field-fence crossed the road to Hatfield ; in this fence was a set of slip-bars, for the accom- modation of travelers. In the early days of our history cattle were fenced out instead of in. "Turnip Yard ;" the lands about Wequamps and east to the Connecticut were held in common for a sheep-range by the proprietors of Pocomptuek. A field was doubtless inclosed here, where the shepherd could cultivate turnips for fall feed to his charge. " Hoosick," probably a corruption of the Pocomptuck "Sunsiek." " Wis- dom ;" says tradition, from an early settler named Wise, whose character hardly kept up the reputation of his name. " Great River" lies three miles along the Connecticut River. " Pine Nook" was an Indian "Coassit," where the settlers made tar and turpentine for & market down the river.

" Pine lliV, " an eminence of 50 acres in the centre of North Meadows. " Petty's Plain," a terrace to the north of Pine Hill, across the Pocomptuck, at the south side of which comes down " Sheldon's Brook" to the river. " Hearthstone Brook" enters the river 100 rods below Cheapside bridge. "Sheldon's Rocks" project half-way across the Connecticut, 40 rods below the mouth of the Pocomptuck. "Fort Hill," east of the street, was the last stronghold of the Pocomptucks north of Hatfield.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF THE SETTLERS PREVIOUS TO PHILIP'S WAR.

John Allen, son of Samuel, of Windsor, an emigrant from England. He married, Dee. 8, 1669, Mary Hannum, of Northampton; was killed with Capt. Lothrop and the " Flower of Essex" at Bloody Brook, Sept. 18, 1675. His two sons, John and Samuel, settled at Enfield, Conn. Their de- scendants are numerous.

Francis Barnard, born in England 1617. An early settler of Hartford, Conn., whence he removed with those who founded Ifadley in 1659. He seems to have been a genuine frontiersman, and pushed on to Pocomptuck about 1672. He returned to Hadley when the settlement was broken up, where he died Feb. 3, 1698. He was the father of the Barnard family of the Connecticut Valley. John Barnard, son of Francis, a young unmarried man, was killed with Lothrop.

Philip Barsham was of Hatfield, 1672. He was killed with Lothrop, leaving a widow-Sarah-and children.

William Bartholomew, a carpenter from Roxbury, married, in 1663, Mary Johnson. He survived Philip's wur, and re- turned at the second settlement. In 1685 he sold to Daniel Belding the bome-Jot he had bought of Peter Woodward, the Dedham proprietor. It is now known as the James Stebbins place.

Joshua Carter, son of Joshua, of Dorchester and Windsor, born 1638. He was of Northampton, 1660; came here 1672; constable 1674. Hle married, Oct. 22, 1663, Mary Field ; was killed with Lothrop, leaving a widow and several children.

Moses Crafts, son of Grithin, of Roxbury, born 1641;

licensed to keep an ordinary here in 1674. He married, 1667, Rebecca Gardner. After the war he lived in Hatfield and Branford, Conn. In 1683 he settled at Wethersfield, Conn., where he was living in 1702.

Samuel Daniels, an original Dedham proprietor. Ile drew house-lot No. 26, which was owned by John Catlin in 1704, and is now called the Orlando Ware lot. Ilis ancestry is not identified, and nothing is known of his subsequent career.

Jobn Farrington, of Dedham, settled on lot No. 18. On the breaking up of the settlement he returned to Dedham, where he died in 1676. In 3693, Eleazer Farrington sold Isaac Sheldon " eighteen cow-commons and two sheep-commons." As this was the amount owned by John, Eleazer was doubt- less his son. C. A. Stebbins now owns the home-lot.

Zecheriah Field, son of Zecheriah, of England ; Dorchester, Hartford, and Hatfield; born 1645. He married, 1674, Sarah Webb, of Northampton. He died 1674. His descendants removed to Connectieut, and later to Northfield.

Frary Samson, son of John, of Medfield. He married Mary Daniels ; was of Hatfield, 1668. As he had a " celer" here, May, 1670, he probably raised crops here in 1669, and may be con- sidered the second settler. The house now standing on his old home-lot was built before 1698. He had bought eleven cow- and three sheep-commons of Dedham parties, and drew house-lot No. Il, which was not the lot on which the okl house stands. Frary was killed at the sacking of the town, Feb. 29, 1704.

. Joseph Gillett, son of Jonathan, of Dorchester and Windsor; born 1650. He married, 1664, Elizabeth Hawks. He settled on house-lot No. 32, which his heirs, in 1694, sold to Samuel Carter; now the Dr. Willard place. He fell with Lothrop, leaving seven children, who settled about Windsor and Sims- bury, and left property.

Samuel Herrenton (Harrington) settled in 1678. Ante- cedents unknown. In the attack on the town, Sept. 12, 1675, he was wounded in the neck. He married, 1677, Hannah, widow of Nathaniel Sutlietf, of Hatfield, 1679. Not traced later.

Hinsdale Roberts, probably born in England about 1617. A member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1645. He was one of the eight founders of the church at Dedham in 1638, and one of the founders of the church in Medfield in 1650. Ile removed to Hadley in 1672, and was here the next year with five stalwart sons and one married daughter. He married a second wife about 1672,-Elizabeth, widow of John Hawks, of Hadley,-who outlived him. He, with three of his sons, fell at Bloody Brook with Lothrop.

Samuel Hinsdale, the son of Robert, removed to Hadley as early as 1666. He early acquired a large interest in the 8000-acre grant, and owned, May 23, 1670, one-twelfth of the entire property. He was the first settler at Pocomptuck, hay- ing "made improvements" there before May 18, 1669, and built a house before May, 1670. He was one of the committee appointed by the General Court, in 1678, to regulate the affairs of the plantation, and was the leading man of the settlers. He married, in 1660, Mehitable Johnson ; their son Mehuman was the first white man born at Pocomptuck. He was killed at Bloody Brook, leaving six or seven children. From Mehu- man are descended most of the name in the Connecticut Valley. He drew three house-lots, but probably occupied No. 14, now the William Russell lot.

Barnabas Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1639. He had a farm in Hatfield, where he married, in 1666, Sarah Taylor. Ile probably located on house-lot No. 9, which was drawn by his brother Samuel, and owned by Barnabus, Jr., in 1686. This is the Ralph Williams Jot. He was killed with Lothrop, leaving two sons and three daughters.

Experience Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1646. He mar- ried, at Hatfield, 1672, Mary Hawks, and at once brought his bride here. He was a guide for Capt. Turner in his march to

596

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

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597

HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

the Falls fight, May 18, 1676, and was lost in that expedition, leaving a widow and two daughters.

John Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1649; was here 1673. Hle was killed at Bloody Brook, leaving a family, of which nothing has been discovered.

Ephraim Hinsdale, son of Robert, born 1650; was here 1673. Ile survived Philip's war, and retired to HIatfield, where he married Mehitable, daughter of John Plympton, in 1678, and where he died, in 1681.

John Plympton, sergeant, of Dedham, 1642; came here from Medfield, safely escaping the dangers of Philip's war. Ile had come back to rebuild his house, when he was taken captive, Sept. 19, 1677, by a party of Indians from Canada, and by them barbarously tortured and burned to death at the stake. He was called "Old Sergt. Plympton," and he was doubtless born in England. He married JJane Dummer, by whom he had thirteen children. His son John was a soldier under Capt. Mosely, in 1675.

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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. II, Part 10

Author: L.H. Everts & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts Number of Pages: 896

Author: L.H. Everts & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Philadelphia : Louis H. Everts
Number of Pages: 896