History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Vol. II, Part 14

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 14

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Of the captives the following are known to have married and had families in Canada : John Carter, Mary Carter, Mary Harris, - French; Joan Kellogg, Thankful Stebbins, Eliza- beth Stevens, Eunice Williams. Fifty-eight were ultimately redeemed, and came back to their old homes. Their redemp- tion was largely effected by Ensign John Sheldon, who made four journeys to that end. The first was in December, 1704, by the way of Albany and Lake Champlain, on snow-shoes, with provision at back, with John Wells for a companion and Capt. Livingstone, of Albany, for a guide. A letter which he wrote at Quebec, April 1, 1705, to a daughter in captivity, is given above.

turned in August, by canoes, up Lake Champlain to Albany. Of his fourth expedition very little is known .*

After the sacking of the town, February 29th, the remain- ing inhabitants were ready to desert the place, but Col. Par- tridge impressed the men for soldiers, and ordered them to remain in Wells' fort. They received soldiers' pay until, July, 1705, arrangements were made that two-fifths of the time they could attend to their husbandry. Little could be done, for the enemy were lurking constantly in the woods watching for

* The number of captives redeemed and returned, as stated by Mr. Sheldon, probably included many others in addition to those taken on this occasion .- [EDITOR.]

607

HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.

prey. May 14, 1704, John Allen was killed at the Bars; his wife was captured and killed soon after. A short time after, Sergt. John Hawks was wounded. Thomas Russell, a soldier, was killed while on a seont. July 19th the enemy were pur- sued and fired upon by Ens. Sheldon, but all got off.

While the men were in garrison Rev. Benj. Choate was sent as chaplain, and he remained here until Mr. Williams re- turned ; and the General Court continued for years to give £40 a year toward the support of Mr. Williams. In 1707, " the people being in a broken condition, most of them having houses to build upon the former ruins," £30 was allowed to- ward the fortifications, to be applied for the benefit of the poor " and such as are returned from captivity."

During the continuation of this war, drafts were constantly being made upon the people for the military service. John Sheldon, Jr., was constable of the town, and among his papers are found orders from Col. Partridge which give a good idea of frontier life at that time. Some of these orders were : June 21, 1706, to "impress such and so many Deerfield men as are well acquainted with the woods up the river to pilate the seouts." July 11th, to " impress three men, with six pounds of pork apiece for their present scouting." July 20th, to " impress one good able horse, bridle, and saddle." August 27th, to "impress two squa lines for two Frenehmen going to Can- ada." September 25th, " pork and other provisions, also men and horses, so much as Capt. Stoddard shall require." Jan. 10, 1707, "two good buekskins," " shoes or moquisons." In all these things he was to "fayle not at your Utmost Per- rill.">

In one of these scouts up the river Martin Kellogg was captured, August, 1708, and taken a second time to Canada, having been taken 1704 and escaped in 1705. October 26th, Ebenezer Field was killed near Bloody Brook. April 11, 1709, Mehuman Hinsdale was carried to Canada, from whence he had returned in 1706. He now came back again by the way of France and England, in 1712. In May, 1709, Lieut. John Wells and John Burt were killed while on a scout on Lake Champlain. June 12th, Joseph Clesson and John Arms fell into an ambush near the town and were taken. John Arms came back on parole, in 1710, and two French prisoners were sent back in exchange. Clesson returned with Mr. Hinsdale. June 13th, Jonathan Williams and Matthew Clesson were fatally shot, and Isaac Mattoon and Thomas Taylor wounded. Items like these, better than any narrative, show the condi- tion of Deerfield people until the close of this war, in 1713, by the treaty of Utrecht.

FATHER RASLE'S WAR.

After a respite of nine years, during which the town had in a considerable degree revived from its low estate, war was de- clared between France and England in 1722. Our situation, however, was much improved, and we were a less isolated people. Northfield and Sunderland had been settled. In the winter of 1723-24 a stockaded fort was built on the Connecticut River, about thirty miles northward, called Fort Dummer. With all this added security, the town suffered great hard- ship and much loss. Our people took an active and prominent part in the war. In 1722, Capt. Samuel Barnard took the field, with Joseph Kellogg as lieutenant, and Joseph Clesson as sergeant. The names of 92 men are on his rolls for 1722 and 1723. During the time of their service no enemy was seen in this region. In the winter of 1723-24 the garrison was reduced to 10 men. These were constantly on duty, watching and warding. February 18th, 10 more men were added. April 6th, news came that Grey-Lock had left his fort and was tampering with the Skagkooks. These Indians were intimately acquainted with this part of the country and the situation of the inhabitants. Considerable alarm was felt, and the garrison increased. It was expected the establish- ment of Fort Dummer, from which ranging-parties scoured

the woods to the north and west, would give security to the settlements below. These expectations were not realized. June 27, 1724, Ebenezer Sheldon, Thomas Colton, and Jere- miah English were killed near Rocky Mountain, in Green- field. Soon after, Col. Stoddard writes, " several houses were rifled in Deerfield village." July 10th, Lieut. Timothy Childs and Samuel Allen were wounded by the lurking foe near Pine Hill. After this it was not considered safe for men to go on the meadows to work in less numbers than 30 or 40 together, and well armed.

In July, Capt. Goodrich, with 75 men, and Capt. Walter Butler, with 30 English and 42 Indians, came up from Con- necticut to the rescue. With this force the woods were soon clear of the enemy. The Indians were Mohegans and Pequots. The latter, the people thought, " could not compare" with the former in activity and woodcraft. The Mohegans were well pleased in turn, and promised to come up again. Maj. Ben Uneas was now sachem of this tribe, and cherished tbe friend- ship which his illustrious father had formed with the whites eighty years before.

Lieut. Kellogg became a captain in 1724, with headquarters at Northfield. When the Connecticut troops went home, his lieutenant, Timothy Childs, was stationed at Greenfield with part of his company, and with the garrison of Sunderland also under his charge.

The last week of March, 1725, Capt. Thomas Wells, with a party of 20 men, left here for a seout up the river toward the Canada frontiers. He was gone about a month, but no jour- nal of his march has been found. On the return, a canoe with 6 men was overset on the river at the "French King," and Simeon Pomroy, Thomas Alexander, and Noah Allen were drowned. "There are 8 men at Deerfield, several of whom are men of estate, and have been prisoner with the Indians, and know their ways," writes Col. Stoddard, February 3d, " who are ready to go out." They were doubtless of Wells' party. About September 9th, "Capt. . Wells, being in bis great pasture, heard a eraekling of sticks, and saw the bushes move within eight rods of him, and, being apprehensive of the enemy, he ran home and took sundry men to the place, where they found the tracks of two Indians, which they followed across two fields of eorn." These were supposed by Justice Wells to be " spying ont our circumstances." The garrison not being strong enough to send out a large seout, Capt. Benjamin Wright, of Northfield, the noted ranger, came down with his company to search the woods. None of the enemy were found.

August 25th, as Samuel Field, Samuel Childs, Joseph Sev- erance, Joshua Wells, and Thomas Bardwell were going up to Green River farms, they were fired upon from an ambus- cade while on the spot where the Greenfield depot stands; no one was hurt except Childs, who was slightly wounded. This was the last irruption of the enemy during the war. Peace was proclaimed Sept. 17, 1725.

The following Deerfield men are known to have served in this war :

Capt. Samuel Barnard, Capt. Timothy Childs, Capt. Thomas Wells, Sergt. Joseph Clesson, John Allen, Joseph Allen, Samuel Allen, Joseph Ather- ton, John Beaman, Daoiel Belding, John Brooks, Nathaniel Brooks, John Catlin, John Combs, James Corse, Samuel Dickinson, Aaron Denio, Edwin Fogg, Nathaniel Hawks, Michael Mitchel, Daniel Severance, Asahel Stebbins, George Swan, Joshna Wells.

With release from harassing military service, our hardy yeomanry returned to the tillage of their farms. To men accustomed to the hardships of seouting, bearing heavy bur- dens for weeks, and hundreds of miles through the forests, often in mid-winter and on snow-shoes, it was mere pastime to handle the axe, the hoe, the scythe, and sickle. Agricul- ture prospered under their willing and industrious hands, and plenty once more smiled in the land. The common land was laid out in several divisions, and settlers began to scatter.

608

HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

In 1727 a settlement was made of the lands now Greenfield Meadows, and the town voted to build a bridge at Cheapside. In 1736 the east part of Greenfield and Gill was lotted out to the proprietors. Eight acres were allowed to each cow-com- mon, but no one could locate more than ten commons in one body. Lots were cast for choice, and each man had one day in which to locate bis " pitch," to be laid out by a committee. The law of irregularity was strictly followed in this matter, and the selected lots left remnants of every possible variety of size and shape,-a success in this direction never before achieved. The " gerrymander" of later years was a feeble failure of an attempt at imitation.

Ang. 25, 1735, Gov. Belcher, with a committee of the coun- cil and house, met here several tribes of Indians, and held a conference for a week, arranging and reviewing treaties of peace. Col. Ontawsovgoe was spokesman for the Cagna- wagas. The Housatunics doubtless had one of the Kelloggs for interpreter. At the close of the conferences, on Sunday the 31st, John Sergeant was ordained as missionary to the Stockbridge Indians, under the patronage of the " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," Gov. Belcher being the chairman of the commissioners of the society in New England. Dr. Appleton, of Cambridge, preached the sermon, the charge being given by Stephen Williams, of Longmeadow.

In 1736, Ashfield was granted to Capt. Samuel Hunt and others. The line between " Huntstown" and Deerfield soon became a subject of controversy. May 25, 1737, Thomas Wells was chosen a committee to get a plat of the town, as granted in 1712, laid before the General Court and confirmed. This was done, but the question of the actual boundary was not settled for many years. In a memorial to the General Court, in 1742, the Ashfield agent says they are clearing lands on the easterly bounds to set the meeting-house, so as to be near the neighboring towns, and the people of Deerfield, by way of banter, tell us to clear away as fast as we can, and that they shall soon come and take possession, " whereby many are discouraged and drawing off." Ile also complains that the Deerfield people would not show them their west line when they came to lay out their grant, hoping we should " leave a gore which they could swallow up."

In 1738 a plan was agitated for building a new court-house at Northampton for the benefit of the northern towns of Old Hampshire. One-half of the cost was to be paid by the county, the rest by the eight towns most accommodated. Deerfield op- posed the measure, and it was given up.

OLD FRENCH WAR.

March 15, 1744, France declared war against England, and the colonies in America became once more the theatre of a bloody struggle. Deerfield had increased in size and impor- tance, and became the centre of military operations on the north and west frontiers, and was comparatively safe from hostile in- cursions. Besides Fort Dummer at the north were Forts IIins- dale, in Hinsdale; Pelham, at Rowe; Shirley, in Heath ; with the stockaded houses of Sheldon, in Bernardston, Morrissey's and South Fort, in Coleraine. These defenses, constantly con- nected by scouting-parties, formed a barrier difficult to pene- trate undiscovered. At first Fort Dummer was deserted. Being cut off from Massachusetts by the new line in 1741, Gov. Bel- cher could not well hold military possession of New Hampshire territory, and the latter State refused to furnish a garrison. A statement by Gov. Shirley was laid before the king and council, Sept. 6, 1744. At this meeting New llampshire was ordered to protect the settlements on Connecticut River, or hand the territory over to Massachusetts. Before this question was settled there was much alarm here, and active measures were taken to repel assault.

May 15, 1744, the town voted to build "mounts" at four houses,-Mr. Ashley's, Capt. Thomas Wells', Capt. Elijah

Williams', and one at the south end ; John Arms' was finally selected. Also one at Green River, and two at Wapping. Samuel Allen and the other inhabitants at the Bars were al- lowed a rebate of their proportion of the cost of these works if " they would build mounts and fortify themselves." This they did not do, but sought the defenses in the town for safety. In June of this year Indians were discovered lurking about the town, but no damage was done. November 23d the town petitions the General Court for a guard " to defend us from the enemy, who may reasonably be expected hefore spring, we being so near Crown Point." It also asked reimbursement for expenses in fortifying.

Feb. 5, 1745, the military committee were directed to inclose the houses where mounts had been built, with boards; and in March, not to " line the forts" until further orders. Green River was considered more exposed, and March 18th the com- mittee for building the mounts there were instructed " to line the fort on the east side, and so far on the north side of it as til the house will defend it, and so at each side of the south gate, and also at each side of the well." April 10th, " voted to give Mr. Ashley liberty to use what timber can be found among his wood that will answer the end for fortifying, &c., and pickiting his fort."

After a brave defense by Sergt. John Hawks, Fort Massa- chusetts fell into the hands of the enemy, Aug. 20, 1746. About fifty of the assailants at once came over the mountain and down the l'ocomptuck in search of scalps and plunder. On Sunday, the 24th, they arrived in this vicinity; and recon- noitred to lay an ambush. Seeing some new-mown hay in Stebbins' meadow, they rightly judged the haymakers would come to take care of it the next day, so placed themselves in the woods near by. As they were stealing down the hill, in- tending to get between their victims and their arms, surround and capture the whole party, they met Eleazer Hawks, who was out hunting with his gun. Supposing they were discov- ered and about to be attacked, they shot him, and the alarm was given. Quickly discovering their mistake, the Indians rushed out after the flying settlers. Simeon Amsden was the first victim. Adonijah Gillet and John Sadler made a stand under the river-bank near the mill. Gillet fell, and Sadler es- caped across the stream. Samnel Allen, bidding his three children fly for life, turned upon the pursuers, killed the fore- most, and checked the rest. It was but for a moment, how- ever, and the heroic father fell riddled with bullets and gashed with knives. Of his children, Caleb escaped, Samuel was taken, and Eunice was tomahawked and left for dead. She revived and lived to old age, but never fully recovered. Oliver Amsden was overtaken and seized. He made a gallant de- fense, but was cut to pieces. The guns being heard in town, the guard, under Capt. Hopkins, the Minute-Men, under Capt. Clesson and Lieut. Hoyt, hurried to the scene of blood. The enemy had fled up the river. Capt. Clesson followed their trail toward Charlemont, but could not overtake them.

Along the cordon of forts the irruptions of the enemy had been frequent, and the loss of the English very serious. Fre- quent "'larrums" reached the town, upon which our men marched to the threatened point. Lieut. Jona. Hoyt led a party to Shattuck's Fort, March 31, 1747. May, 1748, Sergt. John Hawks led a party over to Hosack. Capt. John Catlin had command at Fort Shirley ; Capt. Samuel Childs, at Fort Pelham; Lieut. Daniel Severance, at Coleraine; Elijah Wil- liams was captain of the snow-shoe men, and commissary on the death of Col. Stoddard. Sergt. John Hawks and Elisha Nims were wounded near Fort Massachusetts.

The following were some of the soldiers serving in this war : Edward Allen, John Allen, Zebediah Allis, Daniel Arms, Thomas Arnis, Ado- nijah Atherton, Shubel Atherton, Oliver Avery, Gideon Bardwell, John Barnard, Joseph Barnard, Samuel Bernard, Benj. Barrett, John Beaman, Samuel Belding, Josiah Burnham, Jona. Burt, Reuben Carry, Ceazer, Asa Childs, David Childs, Samuel Childs, Joseph Clesson, Mathew Clesson, Charles Coats, James Corse, Aaron Denio, Richard Ellis, David Field, Ezc-

MARTIN HAGER, father of the subject of this notice, was born in Malden, Mass., De- cember, 1778, and died Sept. 21, 1855. He was a member of the Legislature, and also selectman three years. He was married, in 1806, to Han- nah Fairbanks. She was born in Sudbury, Mass., Nov. 13, 1783, and died in October, 1848. They were blessed with a family of six children, of whom Charles Hager, the subject of this sketch, was the second.

He was born in Wendell, Franklin Co., Mass., Oct. 9, 1809. His educational ad- vantages were limited to an attendance of the com- mon school for ten or twelve weeks during the winter. When he reached his ma- jority he took charge of his father's farm until 1855, when they removed to South Deer- field. In 1857 he purchased

the Felton farm where he now resides. He has since added to it one hundred acres, and expended $12,000 in improvements. He has en- gaged in dairying, raising tobacco, corn, etc., and is a successful farmer. Mr. Ha- ger has been trustee of Smith Charities one year, and also selectman the same length of time.

He was married, June 6, 1838, to Myra H. Felton. She was born in New Salem, Mass., Oct. 15, 1811. They have a family of two daugh- ters and three sons. The eldest daughter died in 1866. The youngest daughter is married to L. L. Eaton, of Whately. The three sons, Dexter F., Otis, and Martin, are married, and live upon their father's farm.

Mr. and Mrs. Hager are members of the Unitarian Church of Deerfield.

Charles Hager

RESIDENCES OF CHARLES HAGER AND SONS, SOUTH DEERFIELD, MASS.

Mt. Sugar-Loaf.

RESIDENCE OF ZERI SMITH, DEERFIELD, MASS.

RESIDENCE OF H. C. HASKELL. GREAT RIVER, DEERFIELD, MASS.

Photo. by Popkins, Greenfield.

Jesi Smith

ZERI SMITH was born in the town of Deerfield, Franklin Co., Mass., June 17, 1814. His father was born in the same town, Ang. 11, 1786, and died March 13, 1835. His mother, Hannah Wright Smith, was born in Montague, Nov. 17, 1785, and died in Northampton, July 13, 1871, at the ad- vanced age of eighty-five years.

Mr. Smith's educational advantages were limited, being such only as were afforded by the district schools. He remained at home assisting his father until he was twenty years old, and was then em- ployed by the month in the manufacture of brooms, in which he continued three years. In 1837 he purchased the farm upon which he still resides, and commenced farming and also the manufacture of brooms. He continued in that business until 1843, when he abandoned the broom manufacture and engaged in lumbering, and furnished the lumber for the first aqueduct built in the city of Springfield for supplying the publie with water. In 1852 he commenced raising tobacco, and was among the first in the town to introduce its cultivation. In 1860 he commenced buying tobacco for New York parties, whom he still serves.

In his earlier business attempts he met with reverses, but by industry and perseverance he has in later years achieved the success he deserves. For the past three years he has been assessor of Deer- field, and has also been a member of the school board one term.

In politics he was formerly a Whig, but is now a Republican, and takes an active interest in all the questions of the day.

Although not a member of any church, he is charitable, public-spirited, a good citizen, and is respected by all who know him.

Ile was married, Jan. 13, 1841, to Lavinia Rice, who was born in Conway, Jan. 24, 1815. By this union he had three children, two of whom are living. Mrs. Smith died Nov. 29, 1858. He married his present wife, Clarissa A. Jeffords, June 21, 1860. She was born in Hinsdale, N. H., Sept. 10, 1825. His children are Henrietta L., born Sept. 11, 1843, and died Jan. 9, 1844; Edgar M., born Aug. 12, 1845; and Clarence E., born Jan. 5, 1851. The elder son is married, and lives on an adjoining farm. The younger resides with his father.

Josiah Gog

JOSIAH FOGG, son of Josiah and Hannah Fogg, was born in Raymond, N. H., March 25, 1811. His father was a house-carpenter, and lived to the advanced age of eighty- seven, and died in Deerfield, in 1866. His mother died in Exeter, N. H., in 1862. Mr. Fogg is the eldest of a family of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The brothers and sisters living at present are as follows : James P. Fogg, resident of Chicago, engaged in the seed business ; Lucy Jane, wife of A. H. Dunlap, Nashua, N. H .; Martha N. Fogg, living in Greenfield ; W. P. Fogg, editor and proprietor of the Cleveland Herald, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Fogg lived with his father until he was eighteen years of age, during which time he attended the common school, and for one year Phillips' Exeter Academy. He also worked with his father at the carpenter trade, which he completed under the Washburne Bros., of Boston, builders of the Masonic Temple in that city, in 1832, re- maining with them two years. In the fall of 1834 he went to Florida, where he built the first frame house in Jackson- ville, on the St. John's River, and resided there two years. Upon the breaking out of the Seminole war he was ap- pointed sutler in the army, and followed that business during the war, at the close of which, in 1839, he left Florida and went to Richmond, Va., where he engaged in the crockery business in connection with his brother, James P. At the end of a year he disposed of his interest to his brother, and removed to Charleston, S. C., where he established a similar business, and continued it prosperously for about eight years. Ou account of the failure of his

health, cansed by the climate, he sold out and moved to Deerfield, where for three years he lived upon a farm. Having meanwhile recovered his health, he went to Cleve- land, Ohio, and again engaged in the crockery business, in company with his brother, W. P. Fogg. Here he remained three years, when disposing of his interest to his brother, he returned to Deerfield and purchased the farm upon which he has since resided. He then commenced farming in earnest, and is now one of the most prominent farmers and stock-raisers in New England. . His barn, when built, was considered one of the finest in the State. In stock- raising he now makes a specialty of short-horns.

Although Mr. Fogg has been engaged in various kinds of business, he considers that his greatest success has been as an agriculturist, and that it requires fully as much talent and judgment to achieve success as a farmer as it does in any other business he has ever followed. In 1855 and 1856 he was president of the Franklin County Agricul- tural Society, and for thirty years he has been identified with the agricultural interests of this section.

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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 14

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