USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Bernardston > History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts, 1736-1900, with genealogies > Part 4
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1* SITE OF
A.S.M.
-DEA.SHELDONS FORT
Bk.
FIRST SITE OF CHURCH
SITE OF BURK FORT * C.R. Hills
A.L. Denison,
Geo. Lanphear
F.M. Frizzell .
· SCHOOL HOUSE NO./45
L. Ifale & Son
! Som H.& A.S. Atherton
M. Aldriel. . Non
7 1 ;. Barber
FALOONU SITO!
NORTHFIELD
GUILFORD
Denison . Place
Gould Place Talbot
W'est
3
Branch. M. L.Corbett . (Cutler Homestead ) ; Sam Connable Place
Fall
Newcomb
MERIDIAN
LEYDEN
DIST.
River
M. P.Slate . A.A. Lawrence ". L. Welcomei.
HUCK LEE
CHAPTER III.
FIRST SETTLEMENTS-LOCATION OF THE FORTS-METHODS DEVISED FOR ESCAPE FROM THE INDIANS-MR. NORTON'S DISMISSAL-INDIAN HOSTILITIES-BURK FORT AND ITS INHABITANTS-RECORDS OF MILITARY SERVICE-ANECDOTES-LETTER FROM JOHN BURK TO HIS WIFE-RESIDENTS IN 1760-REV. MR. WRIGHT'S CALL AND AC- CEPTANCE-INCORPORATION OF THE ' TOWN-POUND ORDERED- FIRST TOWN MEETING AND TOWN OFFICERS-PETITION FOR RELIEF FROM THE PROVINCE TAX-FIRST REPRESENTATIVE, MAJOR JOHN BURK-EXTRACTS FROM HIS DIARY-HIS COMMISSIONS.
Forts .- The years 1744 to 1748 will be remembered as marking the duration of King George's War against the French and Span- ish. Previous to this time there had been a few settlements made at Fall Town. The first four houses, or forts, as they were called, were located as follows : At what is now North Bernardston stood Samuel Connable's fort. The site of this is the late Madison Ryther Place, the ell of which was a part or whole of the fort built by Mr. Connable in 1739, and is still standing in a good state of preservation, as is also the large addition made many years prior to the Revolution. This was the second dwelling erected in town, Major Burk's fort being the first, as well as the largest, and the two Sheldon Forts, the third and fourth buildings being raised in 1740 or early in 1741.
On Burk Flat was the Burk Fort, on the site of the place built by Russell Bates, now owned and occupied by Mrs. Tenney, a widow, and nearly opposite Mr. Merick Slate's, the barn standing over the original well. Lt. Ebenezer Sheldon's Fort was in the east part of the town, between the Huckle Hill road and the Robert Cushman farm, or more accurately speaking, in the south-west corner of the Purple meadow, the location being now pretty nearly marked by a knoll a few rods east of the road leading to Huckle Hill. The Deacon Sheldon fort stood upon Huckle Hill near the Seorem Slate place, or more definitely, on a slight elevation a few rods east of
28
FORTS.
the road and opposite the house of John B. Field. The construc- tion of these forts was much the same as of others of the colonial period ; they were built of hewn logs, provided with port-holes and watch towers. The Burk Fort is described as being six rods square, built of timbers 10 to 12 feet in length, pointed at the top and placed perpendicularly in the earth, close together. At each corner an elevated watch tower was provided for the sentinels. The fort contained eight houses, some of these being little more than a "lean- to," the outer walls of the fort constituting the outer walls of the house. Every precaution possible was taken to guard against the peculiarities of the Indian warfare to which a frontier settlement, as Fall Town then was, must necessarily be exposed. One method of escape as devised by Samuel Cunnable in his fort was told by his grandson, Joseph Cunnable. In the north-east room of the house, in one corner of the floor, were certain short boards. Origin- ally these were left unnailed and were concealed by a bed, so that in case of a sudden Indian attack, these boards might be displaced at a moment's warning, a secret escape made into the cellar and thence by a private way. By this means the inmates hoped to be saved from a capture and merciless destruction by the Indian foe.
June 14, 1744, war having been declared between France and England, forts were built at "East Hoosuck" the location being now in North Adams near the line of Williamstown, named Fort Massachusetts ; on the high country in Rowe, Fort Pelham ; in Heath, Fort Shirly. There were built in Colrain, two block houses, in Fall Town, one, in Greenfield, one ; Fort Dummer was situated just in the northern limit of Vernon, Vt., No. 4, at Charlestown, N. H. These forts formed a part of a cordon or line of defence extending from Fort Dummer on Connecticut River in Vernon, to Dea. Sheldon's Fort on Huckle Hill, thence to Morrison's Fort in Colrain, across Hoosac Mountain to Fort Massachusetts.
During this war there are no records either of meetings or settle- ments by the proprietors, and this circumstance, together with for- mer oral testimony and the known hostility of the Indians through- out the colonics, confirms the conclusion that the settlers either returned to more thiekly populated districts, or betook themselves to the forts for better protection. "July 17, 1745, I have ordered
29
TROUBLES OF THE TIMES.
Corporal Alexander back to Fall Town by reason of his family is there. (Signed) Ephraim Williams." In the petition which the people in 1762 presented to the General Court for relief from the Province tax, they give us evidence of the hardships endured, that the war which began in 1744 was very disastrous, one house was burned, sundry cattle killed and all the people save two families left town. Because of the "troubles of the times" Mr. Norton was invited to " remove from the ministry in this town for the present." During one year of this war the Government stationed a Sergeant and eight men at both Burk's and Deacon Sheldon's Forts. Major Burk held the office of Sergeant and had the command of a fort and soldiers. During an attack by the Indians in 1747, (Lt. Gov. Cushman), or May 9, 1747, (Doolittle's narrative), he was wounded, there being but two men with him at the time. Their small force, however, did not prevent their repulsing the foe and mortally wounding two. During this struggle, the wives of Major Burk and Sergt. Caleb Chapin each loaded two guns until the barrels were so hot they could not bear their hands upon them. Thus in times of war, as well as peace, did these fearless women prove them- selves indeed helpmeets.
There seems to have been some sort of a company organized for the protection of the settlers very early, for upon the back of a notification for a proprietors' meeting, dated March 8, 1742-3, is the following in the same hand writing as the notification :
FORT SHELDON.
Capt. Wright. Ensign Hawks. Sergt. Burk. Corpr. Newcomb.
Clerk Chapin. Drummer Fuller. Soldier Landfier.
No date is appended to this note and it not improbably refers to the eight men stationed by the Government at the Fort during one of the years of the Indian warfare. The document is yellowed with age and the margin a little ragged, but the text is well pre- served and perfectly legible.
In 1746, the Deacon Sheldon fort was the scene of hostilities. One day Lt. Sheldon heard the report of guns and rightly concluded that Deacon Sheldon's fort was attacked by Indians. "There being but two or three nien with him, they mounted their horses and,
.
30
ATTACK ON DEA. SHELDON FORT.
with their muskets, their constant companions, rode hastily to the assistance of their brethren in danger. Having arrived near the place, he found the Indians so numerous that to fight them openly would be folly and ensure his own defeat. Here the quick, pene- trating mind of the warrior is seen in the stratagem he laid. Being within hearing of the Fort but concealed by the woods, he began to give his commands to his men in a loud voice, and to ride from one direction to another as though he had a large number of men with him, directing the other men that were with him to do the same. The stratagem succeeded admirably. The Indians, suppos- ing that they were attacked by a force superior to their own, soon began their retreat, and with their accustomed war-whoop and set- ting fire to one house, left the brave Lt. Sheldon and the people in the fort free from further molestation." It was supposed that the Indians, upon this occasion, were piloted by a young Indian lad whom Major Burk had found upon the banks of Fall River near his fort. He took him into his family, taught him to read and work, giving him the name of John Harmnon. But the Indian na- ture remained unchangeable, and upon reaching manhood the lad ran away from "Old Aquilise," as he called his would-be benefactor.
July 15, 1747, Eliakim, son of Lt. Sheldon, while at work in a field just without the walls of the fort, was fired upon by an Indian, receiving wounds from which he died the following night. His body was buried near by, on the east side of the present road lead- ing to Huckle Hill, and the older inhabitants recall a rough brown stone as formerly marking the site of the grave.
The surrender of Fort Massachusetts in Adams in 1746 is of local interest, inasmuch as some of our people were there present, as follows :
Chaplain John Norton, John Perry and his wife Rebecca, Moses Scott, his wife Miriam and their children Ebenezer and Moses. The three latter died in captivity in Canada. Constant ward and watch only brought about a comparative safety, and the hardy frontiersmen were impressed for many and perilous tasks. In 1747, James Couch received 7s. 6d. for three days scouting. David Rider or Ryther was sent upon scouting duty to Fort Bridgman, situated in Vernon, Vt. In 1749. Ebenezer Sheldon, Sgt., Ebenezer Shel-
31
WAR OF 1755. CALEB CHAPIN.
don, Jr., " Centinel," Remembrance, Abner and Elijah Sheldon and Ebenezer Severance were out in Col. Israel Williams' Company.
1755 marks the beginning of the French and Indian Wars which brought terror and desolation to so many homes in the Connecticut Valley. Fall Town suffered, as did many other places, although not to so great an extent. In so much danger were the inhabitants that they again removed to the forts for better protection, most of them going to the Burk fort. Those who lived there for the ensu- ing five years were : Major John Burk, Samuel Cunnable and James Couch (one family), Lt. John Severance, Zebulon Allen, David Rider, Sr., Caleb Chapin, John Foster, Dea. Aaron Field and Dea- con Sheldon, in all about fifty persons. The people who sought ref- uge there were indeed fortunate in not being molested.
Anecdotes .-- In connection with this war there are two well authen- ticated incidents worthy of perpetuation ; the first shows the self- sacrifice and forethought for others so often required, and the sec- ond, the courage so often displayed by the mothers of the race. In 1755 a regiment was raised in Western Massachusetts by Col. Ephraim Williams, the founder of Williams College. In one of the companies of that regiment were Sergt. Caleb Chapin and his sons, Joel and Hezekiah Chapin of Fall Town. The principal seat of the war, at this time, was in the vicinity of Lake George. Col. Williams' Regiment was ordered to make an attack on the French forces under Baron Dieskau. In passing through a ravine, the reg- iment was ambuscaded by French and Indians, defeated, and Col. Williams killed. In the flight which succeeded, Serg. Chapin and his sons kept together for some time, but being wounded, the strength of the former began to fail, and realizing that his sons remaining with him meant for them certain death, he sternly com- manded them to leave him to his fate, saying, "Go! Save yourselves. Your lives are more useful than mine. Go and take care of your Mother and her family. Go at once and God bless you all." By this most noble and heroic act of Sergt. Chapin's the lives of his sons were saved. They returned the next day to find him near where they had left him, dead and scalped, with the tomahawk buried in his head. The instrument of death was preserved and some years ago, presented to Lt. Gov. Cushman, who in turn, de-
32
PRESERVATION OF MRS. ALLEN AND FAMILY.
posited it at the rooms of the American Antiquarian Society at Worcester. Among the early settlers was Zebulon Allen, who, with his family resided in a log house near the Dalton Newcomb place, so called. One day, having loaded his gun, he went out to his corn-field, within, as he supposed, a safe distance from his house, leaving his wife and two or three small children. Having com- pleted her household tasks, Mrs. Allen began spinning flax. Like the good wife as described by Solomon, "She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff." Upon hearing a slight noise at an open window behind her, she turned, and to her horror, beheld two Indians dressed in warrior's costume and armed with guns and knives. Instantly recognizing the utter impossibility of either defence or flight, also the uselessness of attempting to alarm her husband, she, by a seemingly superhuman effort, returned to her work, apparently as calmly as before. To her unspeakable re- lief the unwelcome visitors soon glided away as noiselessly as they had approached. Thus by sagacity, heroism and self-control did Mrs. Allen preserve the lives of herself and little ones. A possible explanation of the unusual conduct of the Indians may be found in the fact that they, being cunning and wary themselves, and con- sequently looking for stratagem in others, may have imagined from Mrs. Allen's unlooked for and unusual demeanor, that they were menaced by some near and unseen danger and judged discretion to be the better part of valor. These two incidents forcibly illus- trate the many and great dangers through which the inhabitants of the town passed during the first twenty years of its settlement.
In such a state of siege was the entire region, and in so great danger from the marauding parties of French and Indians, that frequent petitions were sent to the Massachusetts Government for aid, and especially from the cordon of forts extending from No. 4 (Charlestown) on the north, down through Hinsdale and Northfield, thence to those lying to the westward. In 1756, Lt. Ebenezer Shel- don wrote that his "Was the only garrison in the place. The enemy were here several times last summer and repulsed. His son was killed. Have expended 300£ O. T. in rebuilding and picketing the fort, which was a place of security for himself and his neighbors. This your petitioner has done, being determined
33
SOLDIERS IN FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR OF 1755.
not to flee before the enemy, if he can possibly help it. But his cir- cumstances are such, that he is unable to bear so great a charge." He especially desired pecuniary assistance repairing his fort. Dur- ing this year Sgt. Ebenezer Sheldon, Jr., and seven men were sta- tioned at Sheldon's Fort. Sgt. Remembrance Sheldon and seven men were stationed at Burk's Fort. During 1757, Sgt. Remem- brance Sheldon and 16 men were stationed in Fall Town, Col. Israel Williams being in command. In 1758 the line of forts was under Capt. John Catlin, Sgt. Remembrance Sheldon and eleven men were at Burk's, and Sgt. Amasa Sheldon and eight men were at Sheldon's Fort. September 24, 1758, Capt. John Catlin of Deerfield died in the service at Burk's Fort. March 15, 1755, Commissary (Elijah? ) Williams charges the Province for "15 pounds of powder and thirty and one half pounds of lead and three.dozen flints deliv- ered to John Burk for Burk's Fort." Among other supplies given out that winter were nineteen gallons of rum to Lt. Burk for Shel- don's Fort.
Military Lists .- July 5, 1755, Major Williams wrote Col. Israel Williams that thirty scouts report making frequent discoveries of Indians at Fall Town, Colrain and Charlemont and were daily seen at Fort Massachusetts. In Col. Israel Williams' Company scouting to the westward until October 18, 1756, were
Ebenezer Sheldon, Jr., Sgt.
Wareham Smith.
Noah Smith, Centinel.
William Harper.
David Rider.
Amasa Sheldon.
John Severance.
Stephen Coats.
Nathaniel Day.
Charles Coats.
Waitstill Alger.
Elisha Sheldon.
Samuel Frizzell.
John Burk, Sgt.
· Samuel Fairchild. Zebulon Allen, Centinel.
Joel Chapin.
Ichabod Warner.
Gardner Kellogg.
David Allen.
Jonathan Moody. Aaron Field.
James Couch.
William White.
Muster Roll from October 19, 1756, to January 23, 1757, Aaron Field, John Severance, Elijah Sheldon, Ichabod Warner. They were engaged in scouting to the westward. A scouting party un- der command of Lt. Matthew Clesseon was out from March to April 25, 1756, among whom were Moses Scott, Sgt. and Amasa
34
SOLDIERS, 1755-1760.
Sheldon. May 31, 1764, the former made solemn oath that none had received any pay for the above scout. In 1756 John Burk was captain of a company at Fort Edward, mustered October 11. The same year Stephen Webster held a like position in the late intended expedition against Crown Point. This year Ezekiel Foster, Cor- poral, was out twenty days on the western frontier, likewise John Workman for twenty-three days. The latter was also out from June 27 to October, 1758. " Feb. 24, 1760, Ichabod Warner ae. 26, born in Lebanon, Ct., enlisted for the total reduction of Canada " (State Archives.) Capt. John Burk's enlistment roll, ending No- vember 30, 1758, was as follows from Fall Town :
John Foster, Sgt.
John Burk, Lt.
Caleb Chapin.
John Severance.
James Couch.
Aaron Field.
David Rider.
Simeon Hall.
John Foster, Jr.
Rufus Sargeant.
Joel Chapin. John Foster.
Zebulon Allen, Sgt.
Amasa Sheldon.
Joshua Wells.
Moses Scott.
Samuel Frizzell.
Wareham Smith.
Charles Coats.
Remembrance Sheldon.
Oliver Medcalf.
Ichabod Warner.
Michael Frizzell.
Elijah Sheldon.
Capt. Burk's company was one of 17 under command of Col. Jos. Frye. The regiment was composed of 1800 men.
Major Burk .- Major Burk also participated in the battle of Lake George, and the following letter to his wife gives an idea of the terrible experiences of Indian warfare.
" Lake Sacrament, now called Lake George, Sept. 11, 1755. Dear Wife :-
I wrote to you yesterday, but was not allowed to say any more than that I was well, and that we have had a battle &c. The particulars of the en- gagement, I now send you by Capt. Wyman. On the 7 inst., our Indians discovered the track of a large body of the enemy east of us. On the eighth, Col. Williams with a Detachment 1000 strong, marched in pursuit, or to make discovery. They marched in the road 3 miles south, and being discovered by the enemy, (as we are told by the French General who is taken by us) were waylaid by 1800 French and Indians. The French lay on one side of the road on rising ground; the Indians on the other side in a swamp. Part of the french were regular troops: these lay south. Their
35
LETTER FROM JOHN BURK.
scheme was to let our men march quite to the south end of the ambush, the regular troops to give the first fire, then all to fire and rush out; which if they had done they would have cut our men all to pieces. But the general says that a beady Indian who was very eager, fired as soon as they entered the ambush. Then the enemy pursued and fired briskly, and having the advantage of the ground, obliged the men to retreat, which the French General says they did very regularly. We at the camp heard the guns: were not suffered to go out, but to make ready to receive the enemy, lest they should rout us and take our baggage, for we knew they retreated by the guns, (viz. our men.) The enemy drove on very furiously, but while they were coming we placed our cannon, felled trees, and rolled logs to make a breastwork all around the camp, but it was a poor defence. The regulars marched along the road 6 deep till they got near our camp. then all fired upon us and we upon them with cannon and small arms. They made a very smart push, but we stood firm, and I believe there never was such firing before and had not our cannon broke their regulars and affrighted their Indians, they might, perhaps, destroyed more of us if not taken the camp. The battle began between 10 and II and continued till between 5 and 6 afternoon at which time we were so hot upon them that they began to draw off. Our men pursued some way; we were so fast upon them that they left their dead and wounded on the spot. The enemy all drew off to where they ambuscaded our men at first. While we were engaged the peo- ple at the other fort at the carrying place heard our great guns, and sent 200 New Hampshire and New York men to relieve us. These met the enemy stripping our dead, engaged them smartly, drove them off the ground. They fought 3 hours, took 2 prisoners and 2 scalps. We have taken about 25 prisoners in all. One is the general of all the French forces in North America. Another officer called aid-de-camp who was stunned by a cannon-ball and lay till night, came in and surrendered himself. The French General is wounded in the knee and thigh, and like to recover. Some of the captives are dead, others very badly wounded. One is Mr. Thomas French's sisters son, cousin to Lue. He says that Lue was killed in the engagement. We have had a very smart battle, but got the victory. The French general says we have broke his army all to pieces. We have been out and buried our dead, and got a great deal of plunder, guns, blank- ets, provisions &c. We have lost some famous men in battle a *list of which I send, belonging to our regiment, and also of the wounded and missing
* This list, if sent as above, must have been detached from the letter and long since lost.
36
PEACE.
as far as I am able. This is the best account I can get at present of the dead, wounded and missing. Let cousin Chapin know that her dear hus- band is certainly dead and buried. Joel and Hezekiah are well. I can sympathize with ,her for it is a great loss to me as we were friends and neighbors. Pray God to comfort her. Hope our friends and neighbors will not be disheartened at this news and so fail of coming to assist us. They that love their religion and liberty I hope will not fail to come to the help of the Lord against the mighty. Now is the time to exert ourselves.
P. S. I have wrote you in great haste, not so well as otherwise. I re- ceived a letter from you last night. Pray send as often as you can. The army is in high spirits. Hope we shall have Crown Point sooner or later. We have done a good job toward it.
Loving wife, since the scout is detained till to-morrow I add something more. Yesterday we buried on the road 136 dead corpses of ours; to-day 4 more. I believe about 15 or 20 were buried at the camp. Several of our Indians were killed. King Hendrick is killed. The day after battle every captain carried in an account of dead, wounded and missing. The whole of the dead and missing was 191 and about 224 wounded in our regiment. Since this account several are come in that were missing. Col. Titcom is killed. Capt. Regas is dead-killed. I mention those because some may know them. The account carried in was as followeth: Col. Williams' regiment 50. Col. Ruggle's regiment and others I must omit; I cannot find the account. The French general is a very great man, has been an old warrior in Flanders. He says his army consisted of some of the chief men in Canada, a great many of which are killed. The chief man that headed the army at Ohio against Braddock is killed here. This general had an exact account of all our proceedings, our numbers and chief officers and also a list of all his own troops and forces. Perhaps this may be of service to us. This is the best account I can send; it is not altogether perfect.
Your loving husband,
JOHN BURKE."
Peace .- Between the years 1755 and 1760 there are no existing records. About the latter date peace again reigned and the settlers resumed their wonted occupations, removing from the fort to their own homes so long deserted. In 1760 there were 25 families in town, located as follows: In district No. 1, Sgt. Joseph (?) Allen, Zebulon Allen, and Caleb Chapin ; No. 2, Remembrance Sheldon, Joshua Wells (on Seorim Cushman's place), Lt. Rider, Sgt. John
37
REV. JOB WRIGHT.
Foster, Lt. Howe (on G. Kingsley's place), Capt. Scott and Mr. Friz- zell; No. 3, Samuel Cunnable and James Couch ; No. 4, Maj. Burk, Dr. Ezekiel Foster, Benjamin Green, (a settler that year); No. 5, Job. Wright, Joel, Hezekiah, Selah and David Chapin, Dea. Eben- ezer Sheldon, Aaron Field, Lt. John Severance; No. 6, Capt. Amasa and Elijah Sheldon, Charles Coats and Moses Tute (spoken of else- where as " Old Tute.")
At one of the first meetings called after the inhabitants' return home the question of repairs came up. After so long a period of comparative disuse and neglect, bridges, roadways, &c., had una- voidably fallen to decay, hence committees were appointed to at- tend to all necessary repairs.
Rev. Job Wright .- Since the removal of Mr. Norton at the begin- ning of the Indian troubles, there had been no settled pastor, the pulpit being supplied as occasion presented. March 5, 1761, it was voted to extend a call to Rev. Job Wright of East Hampton and to offer him in addition to his regular salary of 66£ 13s. 8d. in money and 40 cords of firewood, the sum of 1336 6s. 8d. The suc- ceeding May the committee reported Mr. Wright's acceptance of the call and July 1, 1761, was chosen as the date of his ordination. One committee was appointed to provide entertainment for the ex- pected visitors and another to carry and lay "3000 of board " in the galleries of the meeting house that people might " set with more conveniency." Although but 23 years of age at the time of his settlement, Mr. Wright's'long pastorate proved his worthiness for his chosen profession. At its close, he remained in Bernardston, identifying himself closely with her interests, and in return recog- nized by her citizens as one of their most useful and honored resi dents.
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