USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Northfield > History of the town of Northfield, Massachusetts : for 150 years, with an account of the prior occupation of the territory by the Squakheags : and with family genealogies > Part 22
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This Journal, kept with soldier-like precision, reads like the most ordinary matter of fact affair, deserving no special attention and no commendation, except as evidence of a faithful discharge of duty. But the labors it recorded, and the daring and endurance of these handfuls of men, thus striking off into the wild forest in the winter, ford- ing bridgeless streams, and climbing mountains slippery with ice and blocked up with snow, watching for the curling smokes from the red man's camp-fire and listening for the report of his gun, were a most exciting romance, if they had not been a terrible reality. By , such vigilance, and fidelity, and wear of soul and body, was our vil- lage protected, and our valley kept clean of blood.
I Mau. Archives, XXXVIII, A. 70.
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The names of the men who performed this service are worthy of record in the Northfield annals, and are as follows :
Capt. Jos. Kellogg John King Jona. Warriner
Lt. John Pomeroy
Ebenezer Williams Jofeph Merchant
Sergt. Jofiah Siebbins
Samuel Bodurtha John Sergeant
Waitftill Strong . David King
Thomas Sargent
Corp. Japhet Chapin
Orlando Bridgman
Benj. Bodurtha
" James Stevenfon
Samuel Vining
James Porter
Benoni Wright Shem Chapin
Eleazar Mattoon
Benj. Brooks Jofeph Burt Edmund Grandee
Jofhua Wells
Abraham Elgar Hezekiah Elmer
Tames Corfe Stephen Belding Afahel Stebbins
Eldad Wright Jona. Belding
Benjamin Miller
David Smith
Hezekiah Stratton
Daniel Shattuck
Ebenezer Smith
Nathaniel Hawks Enoch Hall
1725. Some one, probably Capt. Benj. Wright, proposed at this date (Jan. 1725) to organize a large scout and go directly to Gray Lock's fort, and attempt to destroy him and his clan outright. But Col. Stoddard objected. Commissioners had been sent by Massachu- setts and New Hampshire to Gov. Vaudreuil to try diplomacy with the French authorities : and the Colonel was afraid that such an ex- pedition would prejudice their work. He writes, Feb. 3 :
"I retain my former opinion, if our people had gone to Gray Lock's fort (which lyeth upon a fmall river that empiieth itfelf into the Lake near the further end of it) and had made fpoil upon the Indians, thofe that efcaped would in their rage meditate revenge upon our commifioners, either in going to or returning from Canada. But an expedition thither in the fpring about the time of their planting corn, may not be attended with the like inconveni- ence : Altho' I think that ordinarily we are in lefs danger in the winter and more likely to be succeffful, yet it feems at prefent that a long march will be impracticable, becaufe that the feafon (of late) hath been fo moderate that fome of the rivers are open and fome are frozen, that travelling is rendered very difficult.
" Lieut. Pomeroy hatlı acquainted me that about 30 of Capt. Kellogg's beft folders offer to go out this winter or early in the fpring. There are likewife fome of Deerfield men to manifeft their defire to go out with a fmall party in the fpring, and to lie on fome rivers in which the Indians frequently pafs, as our people do in the roads. They fay there are 8 men at Deerfield, feveral of whom are men of eftale and have been prifoners with the Indians and know their manners. They propofe to add fome others from the lower towns, but would not have the number exceed 20.
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Father Ralle's War.
Parties fhould be raifed to go to the upper part of St. Francis river where thefe Indians plant their corn, or towards the head of Conn. river where they hunt, or to Ammonoofuck which is the common road from St. Francis to Ammerifcoggan, and fo to the Eaftern country, or to Gray Lock's fort, or poffibly to all of thefe."
Feb. 8, the governor writes in reply, agreeing to the proposal to send 20 men from Deerfield to waylay the Indians, and adds, "The Council have voted that they be allowed half a crown a day each man, (they to find themselves with provisions) during the time of their being out upon actual service, and the time necessary for fitting them- selves out, and that they be entitled to the same rewards for scalps and prisoners as the volunteers, viz. £100."
In carrying out this plan, Capt. Thomas Wells of Deerfield, with a party from Deerfield, Hatfield and Northampton, started in the latter part of March, to range the country to the northward. They were absent about a month. But the Journal of the scout has not been discovered. On their return, April 24, a canoe with 6 of the men was overset in the Connecticut, at the falls a little below the mouth of Miller's river, and Simeon Pomeroy, Thomas Alexander and Noah Allyn were drowned, and James Porter, Lt. Joseph Clesson and Samuel Hannum were saved.
Immediately on the return of this ranging party the Indians left their winter quarters, and came down to watch and worry the frontiers. Capt. Dwight reorganized his company at Fort Dummer, with how- ever, small changes in his men. Daniel Dwight of Northampton was his chaplain ; Robert Cooper and Benoni Wright were sergeants ; Samuel Burr, Jona. Janes, Daniel Severance of Northfield continued in service. Capt. Kellogg was ordered to retain his command at Northfield. There were added to his company, Sergt. Zechariah Field, Corp. Isaac Mattoon, John Brown, Ebenezer Petty, John Bement, Elias Alexander, William Holton, Azariah Wright, Joseph Alexander, Joseph Alexander Jr., Nathaniel Mattoon, Benoni Moore, Isaac Warner, Remembrance Wright, John Evens, Benj. Wright Jr., Daniel Wright, Ebenezer Webb, then or afterwards of North- field ; Thomas Hastings, surgeon, Josiah Scott, of Hatfield ; William Nelson, Eben'. Wells, William Markham, Joseph Dorchester, Archi- bald Talford, of Springfield ; George Bates, of Hadley ; Ezekiel Bascom, Joshua Lyman, Samuel Lancton, Nathan Lyman, of North- ampton ; Elijah Gillett, Jona. Pierce, Nathaniel Pierce, of Enfield ; Matthew Cobley, Thomas Austin, of Suffield ; Samuel Allen, John Beaman, Joseph Atherton, John Catlin, of Deerfield ; Joseph Perry,
-
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History of Northfield.
of Brookfield ; Isaac Sackett, of Westfield ; Simon Culver, of Ston- ington ; in all 67 men. The total amount for pay and subsistence of this company from May 19 to Nov. 16, was £1139 45. 5d. The Posts sent on his Majesty's service, in the course of the campaign were as follows : Isaac Mattoon and horse to Deerfield, 13 miles ; Daniel Wright and horse to Fort Dummer, 10 miles ; Enoch Hall and horse to Hatfield, 27 miles ; Ens. Zech. Field and horse, to do. ; Rem. Wright and horse, to do. ; Rem. Wright and horse to Fort Dummer, twice, and Hez. Stratton and horse, to do. once; Rem. Wright and horse, to Deerfield, Joseph Perry and horse, and Japhet Chapin and horse, to do.
Capt. John Lovewell's expeditions, this spring, and his battle with Paugus at Fryeburg May. 8, are among the most noted events of this war ; but their recital does not come within the province of this work.
Not satisfied with the results of Capt. Wells's expedition, Gov. Dummer made a proposition to Capt. Benj. Wright, to raise and command a party of rangers. Capt. Wright's answer is dated May 29. He says, " I am willing to go and do what I can, but the under- taking being so difficult, and the setting out so chargeable, that the men cant possibly go upon the encouragement offered ; but if there was suitable encouragement, the men would go. (But the unhappy loss of men in the last expedition by the mismanagement of the offi- cers has very much dispirited people young and old). It seems to me the most probable place to be attained, and the most serviceable when done, is Meseesquick, Gray Lock's fort.
The governor sent an encouraging letter in reply to this, and a warrant for the enlistment of 60 or 70 men.
The captain's anticipations of difficulties and delays were fully realized. The air was full of alarms. Reports constantly came in of war parties of Indians numbering 30 and 40, ready to start, or actually out on their evil designs. In most of the towns the militia were ordered out, or required to be in readiness for orders. By enlist- ments in the river towns, and the impressment of some able bodied men from the companies stationed at Northfield and Fort Dummer, Capt. Wright made up his number to 59, and at the end of two months was ready to start.
" A true Journal of our march from N-field to Mefixcouk bay under ye com- mand of Benj. Wright Captain, begun July 27, A.D. 1725.
July 27. It rained in ye forenoon : about 2 oclock in ye afternoon I fet out from N-field, being 59 of us, and we came yt night to Pomeroy's Ifland, 5 miles above N-field.
28. We fet off from Pomeroy's Ifland and came to Fort Dummer, and there
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Father Ralle's War.
we mended our canoes, and went yt night to Hawley's Ifland, 5 miles above Fort Dummer.
29. We departed from Hawley's Ifland, and came to a meadow 2 miles fhort of ye Great Falls.
30. We fet off from yt meadow and came to ye Great Falls, and carried our canoes acrofs, and from there we went 10 miles.
31 From there we fet off and came within 3 miles of Black river 17 miles. Aug. 1. We came to ye fecond Falls, 15 miles.
2. We fet off from here and came to ye upper end of White river Falls, 138 miles.
3. From ye upper end of White river Falls to Paddle Ifland, 13 miles.
4. Foul weather and we camped on Paddle [fland all day.
5. From Paddle Ifland we went 13 miles, & encamped.
6. From thence we came to y" third meadow at Cowafs 20 miles yt day .
7. From thence we came to Wells river mouth, 15 m.
8. We encamped here and hid our provifions and canoes, it being foul weather y& day.
9. Foul weather in ye forenoon. . In ye after part of ye day we marched from ye mouth of Wells river 5 miles.
10. This day we marched weft and by north 10 miles.
11. We marched to ye upper end of ye fecond Pond at ye head of Wells river upon a northweft courfe ten miles. About noon this day we came to ye firft Pond 5 miles, and y" we turned round north weft and travelled 5 miles further in very bad woods.
12. We marched from ye upper end of y" upper Pond 3 miles in very bad woods, and here encamped, by reafon of foul weather : here David Allen was taken fick.
13. We lay by to fee if Allen would be able to travel.
14. We marched from y" upper end of ye fecond Pond north and by weft to French river 9 miles ; we croffed the French river and travelled 1} m.
15. Here we encamped all day by reaton of foul weather. This day Clerk Hubbard being very lame was fent back and two men with him to ye fort at ye mouth of Wells river.
16. We marched from our camp 3 miles and came to a branch of ye French river, from thence we marched 6 miles and came to a beaver pond out of which runs another branch of ye faid river, from there we travelled 6 miles and came upon another branch, where we camped, our courfe being W. N. W. /
17. We marched from faid branch 13 miles and croffed a vaft mountain and there we camped yt night.
18. We marched from our camp a little, and came to a fourth branch of French river and we travelled down fu branchi 6 miles and then ftruck over ye mountain 6 miles further and there we camped. Our courfe W. N. W. 12 miles.
19. We marched from here W. N. W. to the top of a vaft high mountain which we called mount Difcovery, where we had a fair profpect of ye Lake :
2
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History of Northfield.
4 miles from whence we went down fd mountain 2 miles on a N. courfe, and then travelled 6 miles N. W. on a brook; here arofe a ftorm which caufed us to take up our lodging fomething before night.
20. We followed fu brook N. N. W. 9 miles, and then ye brook turned N. and we travelled over it 9 miles further and the brook increafed to a confider- able river.
zt. We marched 6 miles N. and then came to where ye river emptied itfelf into another large river coming out from ye eaft fomewhat northerly : we travelled down (ª river W. 7 miles, y" ye river turned S. and we marched down 7 miles further, and then we encamped at y" foot of yo Falls.
22. Here we lay ftill by reafon of rain.
23. Now I gave liberty to fome yt they might return home, by reafon of our provifions was almost fpent ; and there appeared 41 : the Capt., Lieut. and Enfign with 12 men marched over ye river at ye foot of ye Falls, and marched 6 miles S. S. W. and 3 miles W. and y" came to ye Lake and marched 6 miles down upon ye Lake and this N. W : and ye north. weft end of yº Lake or bay being at a great diftance, then we turned homeward without making any difcovery here of any enemy.
Aug. 25. We fet off from ye Lake to return home, and came to ye mouth of Wells river in 5 days and a half. Here we difcovered 3 Indians, who had juft waded over ye River juft below ye fort, which we took to be our own men by reafon yt ye two Indians which were with us and one man more fet away early in ye morning to hunt : but it proved upon examination yt they were enemies, but it was too late, for they were moved off.
Aug. 29. We fet off from ye fort at ye mouth of Wells river, and came into Northfield Sept. 2, at night. I have given y" Honor a true Journal of our march, and fubmit ye whole to y' Honor's cenfure, and am Your Honor's moft humble and ob' fervant to command. BENJ'N WRIGHT. 1 "
The burden of war which bore heaviest on Northfield this year, was the absence of so many of her best men in the service as rangers, or at Fort Dummer, or on Capt. Kellogg's scouts, which he kept out continually.
Aug. 27, Col. Partridge writes : " The English harvest is mostly in without disturbance. * * Four of our men going out for cattle between Deerfield and Northfield, discovered a party of the enemy who had killed a mare and a colt. Our men made a shot upon them and they upon our men, and wounded one of ours it's thought dan- gerously. It's certain they are near our borders and are about to fall upon our towns, and will do great damage by burning our barns, etc." He immediately receives orders " to dispatch a company of 40 or 50 men, horse or foot at y' discretion, to scout y' borders for a week or 10 days." It was afterwards ascertained that this marauding party
1 Mass. Archives, xxxVIII, A. 111.
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Father Ralle's War.
was a detachment from a band of 150 hostile Indians which left the Canadian border, under command of Gray Lock, about the 18th of August, for the purpose partly of watching Capt. Wright, and partly to do mischief to the towns, whose efficient defences were weakened by the absence of Wright's men.1
On the return of Capt. Wright, Col. Stoddard recommended that he and his men be retained in pay, and used in ranging the woods for the present. Sept. 13, Gov. Dummer sent Capt. Wright £300, which was about half of what was due on his pay-roll, with direc- tions to make a fair distribution of it among his officers and men. And he is ordered to prepare to start upon another scout, by such route as he thinks best -" Having a good opinion of your courage ; also have the rather chosen that you should go out again, that so you may be in the way to retrieve y' former error in letting those 3 In- dians escape."
Capt. Wright at once set about raising another company of rangers. Fifteen of Capt. Kellogg's men, and 10 of Capt. Dwight's men at Fort Dummer enlisted ; and he went to Northampton to secure a full quota. While he was there, Sept. 11, a scout of 6 men was sent out from Fort Dummer by Capt. Dwight, and when 6 or 8 miles west of North river, while eating lunch about 2 o'clock, they dis- covered some Indians on their track, within 8 rods of them. They jumped up and ran 7 or 8 rods, when the Indians made a shot upon them, and they turned and shot upon the Indians. Two of the lat- ter were seen to fall, when the soldiers scattered. Thomas Bodurtha of Springfield and John Pease of Enfield were killed ; Edward Baker of Suffield, John Farrar of Ashford, Nathaniel Chamberlain of Hat- field were taken ; Anthony Wiersbury only escaped and returned to the fort .- " The same day, near sunset, Capt. Thomas Wells being in his great pasture, heard crackling of sticks and saw the bushes move, within a few rods of him, and being apprehensive of an enemy near, he ran home and took sundry sturdy men who went to the place, where they found the tracks of 2 Indians, and followed them through two pieces of corn." These alarms drew Capt. Wright to Deerfield, and hindered the preparation of his expedition. He also found enlistments slow ; and had great difficulty in getting the re- quisite amount of suitable stores for his march. The people on the frontiers appear to have become discouraged and reckless. Col. Stoddard writes : " If Capt. Wright could go immediately with 50 men to Otter Creek he might intercept some of those parties ; but there are no public stores here, and they cannot be got ready season-
1 Mass, Archives, L11, 265.
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History of Northfield.
ably." In another letter he says : " The people in these towns can't be careful many days together : upon the receipt of y' Honor's last express, I protested to the officers against our careless way of living, and used all the arguments I was capable of to persuade them to order a watch that might be of some significancy in case of the ap- proach of the enemy, but to very little purpose. Most of the people live in secure places [garrisons] in the towns, and depend on being alarmed [by scouts] before they are in danger themselves."
Oct. 8 or 9, Capt. Wright started on his second scout. But some of his men went with great reluctancy ; they were poorly equipped for the approaching cold weather ; jealousies were springing up between the different captains, which infected the under officers and men ; and the belief was gaining ground that the war was sub- stantially over. So far as is known, nothing notable came of the ex- pedition.
The state of things in the valley may be inferred from a letter written by Col. Stoddard, Oct. 17.
" Capt. Dwight meets with great difficulty for want of ftores for his foldiers at Fort Dummer, and if they can't be fupplied fpeedily they will be ready to perifh in that cold place, where they can't get blankets to lodge in. They need fhirts alfo and other things, which he cannot allow every man to feek for him felf at 40 miles diftant. I have advifed him to fend a pack-horfe to Botton, and hope the Treafurer will be ordered to fupply what is wanting."
The death of Gov. Vaudreuil, Oct. 25, broke the mainspring of Indian hostilities. The Father Superior La Chasse and his Jesuits exerted all their powers to prevent a peace ; but the Indians became tired of the conflict ; they were losing in numbers, and being kept from hunting and trapping, were becoming poorer. The profit of the war went into the coffers of the French.
After much time spent in negociations, a treaty of peace with the eastern Indians was signed at Boston Dec. 15, 1725. It was rati- fied at Falmouth, Aug. 5, 1726. .
This did not necessarily bind the western Indians. Gray Lock refused to join in it. Sometime in 1726, he gathered a hostile party about Otter Creek, with a design to fall on our towns. But the keep- ing up of a military force at Fort Dummer, and the known energy of Capt. Kellogg, added to the moral depression resulting from the peace movement, kept him at home. In the fall (1726) instructions were sent to the commissioners at Albany, to endeavor to draw him over by presents and good will. Jan. 2, 1727, the commissioners sent a message to Gray Lock by his brother Malalamet, inviting him
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Father Ralle's War.
to come to Albany ; but the message missed him. They then suggest that a suitable belt be forwarded to them to send to him ; and that he be invited to Albany to receive it, as " he will hardly be persuaded to come into your country, for he has done so much mischief on your , frontiers, that he doubtless has a guilty conscience. (?) But we fear the French priests and their governor will if possible overset all available measures that may be set on foot to confirm a lasting peace." I
But peace was established, and proved to be lasting. The Con- necticut valley had rest for eighteen years.
Capt, Dwight held the command at Fort Dummer till near the close of 1726 ; when it was transferred to Capt. Kellogg, who con- tinued in service here till June 20, 1740.
To show the exhaustive nature of this war, it may be stated that not less than one-seventh of the effective men of Northfield were constantly in garrison or in the field, from the spring of 1723 till the spring of 1726.
1 Mass. Archives, LII, 340.
CHAPTER VII. Interval of Peace. 1726-1744.
COMPANIES DISBANDED - INDIANS COME TO TRADE - TRUCK-HOUSE - FIRST PROVINCE TAX - ORCHARDS - CAPT. KELLOGG AT FORT DUMMER - OPEN- ING THE MEADOWS - ESTATES IN 1729 - HOW CALLED TO MEETING - DIVISION OF COMMONS - CHOICE LOTS - WANTING LANDS - SEQUESTERED LANDS - SPECIAL GRANTS - SCHOOL - TOWN REPRESENTATIVE - FOUR NEW TOWNSHIPS ABOVE NORTHFIELD - BUILDING ABOVE THE ASHUELOT - MR. DOOLITTLE'S TROUBLES - THE NEW PROVINCE LINE - SHATTUCK'S FORT - SARTWELL'S - BRIDGMAN'S - HINSDELL'S - INDUSTRIES.
HE sudden transitions from peace to war, and from war to peace, are a marked feature of frontier life. The leaders on both sides forecast the future, and form plans, more or less definite, in anticipation of events. But the com- mon people, both whites and savages, go on in accustomed ways, till the strife actually opens ; and when the hatchet is buried, as readily resume former occupations, and reinstate all the relations of peace. If revenges are cherished, they are prudently concealed, and the opportunity patiently waited.
In the fall of 1726, the military company at Northfield was dis- missed, and in the winter Capt. Dwight's company at Fort Dummer was discharged ; and Capt. Kellogg was ordered to recruit a small company for garrison duty at the Fort.
1727. June 19, Col. Partridge writes : " I thought it mete to in- form y' Honor that considerable numbers of Indians from their hunt- ing come in at Deerfield and Northfield, and the English trade with them ; and it is said that some of our men go out and carry them strong liquor and make the Indians drunk and get their furs for a small matter, so that when they get out of their drink, and see that their furs are gone, they are mad, and care not what mischief they do : a ready way to bring on outrages and murders, if not the war again. I humbly am of opinion that it is needful either to prohibit trading with them, or to regulate their trading as y' Honor may judge mete. We have some disorderly men, in particular one Daniel Severance, that declares openly he will kill ye Indian that scalped his father. I have given him warning that if he should do such a thing in time of peace he must come upon trial for his life."
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Interval of Peace.
TRUCK-HOUSE .- In accordance with the suggestion made in the letter, above quoted, and on recommendation of Capt. Kellogg, who during his captivity in Canada had learned the manner in which the trade in peltry was conducted between the French and Indians, a trading post was established at Fort Dummer in 1728 ; and thence- forth for many years it served the double purpose of a garrison and truck-house. Capt. Kellogg was continued in command till 1740. He received £4 per month as captain and £100 per annum as truck master. His force varied from 9 to 20 men ; and from '34 to '44, six Indian commissioners were stationed here. Rev. Eben'. Hins- dell was chaplain at the post till 1743. Many Northfield men were connected with this garrison for a longer or shorter period. John Sergeant was second in command ; Orlando Bridgman third officer, and Joshua Lyman fourth officer. Samuel Burr, Daniel Severance, Elias Alexander, Joseph Alexander, John Alexander, Philip Alexan- der, Aaron Alexander, Benjamin Knight, John Mun, Seth Field, Samuel Root, Eben' Stratton, were in service at different times. The pay of a common soldier was 40 shillings per month.
PROVINCE TAX .- Previous to 1727, no Province tax had been assessed on Northfield, and the town had received no share of the Bills of Credit issued by order of the General Court. This year the town was required to pay such tax, and received as her share of the sixty thousand pounds Bills of Credit, issued in 1728, ninety-four pounds. This money, when delivered to the town trea- surer, was loaned in various sums, to individuals, for the term of 10 years, the borrower paying 6 per cent per annum interest, 2 per cent of which went to the town and 4 per cent to the Province treasury.
ORCHARDS .- Apple trees were planted during the Second Settle- ment, and were in full bearing in 1723. In 1728, Lieut. Eliezur Wright set out an apple orchard. Rev. Mr. Doolittle was planting an orchard in 1736.
OPENING THE MEADOWS .- A town meeting was called each year, about the 25th of September, to determine the time when the meadows and common fields should be opened for the pasturing of stock, and previous to which the corn crop must be gathered. Pau- chaug was sometimes opened as early as Sept. 25, though not usually till Oct. I. Great meadow was commonly opened about Oct. 10, · and Bennett's meadow near the same date.
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