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 6
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Besides these, "they have great meetings for foot-ball playing, early in summer, town against town, upon some shore free from stones, or some soft heathier plot, because of their naked feet, at which they have great stakings, but seldom quarrel."
A favorite game with the Squakheags was wrestling, in which they greatly prided themselves. This was largely practiced by them since the settling of the whites ; and in some instances friendly trials of strength and prowess took place between the reds and the whites. Capt. Joseph Stebbins was more than a match for his Indian rivals ; and so was one of the Strattons, as family legends tell. Quoits was a well known game with the natives, in which they exhibited great aptness. Their habit of striking with the club and spear, and the strength of their right arm enabled them to pitch the stone to an im- mense distance and with precision of aim.
FOOD OF THE INDIANS .- The natives of our valley lived mostly on ground-nuts, chestnuts, corn, pumpkins, the flesh of animals, and
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History of Northfield.
fish.' They had kettles made of soapstone, in which to boil vegeta- tables and meats, and they contrived a kind of spit, on which to roast large pieces of meat. Fish were cooked just as they were taken from the water ; birds were plucked, but not cleansed ; and small animals were roasted whole, the entrails being especially esteemed. They took particular pains to protect chestnut groves from their annual fires ; and there were several large tracts covered with fine bearing trees when the whites first came hither. The Chestnut mountains, and Chestnut plain, lying to the west of Hatfield, are mentioned in the earliest records. There were also chestnut mountains to the east- ward of Northfield. Corn was parched and beaten fine ; and some- times was made into balls with suet. Thus prepared it was called nokake, and was their chief dependence in war expeditions. The raw grain was also pounded into coarse meal, and made into samp. After the introduction of beans by the English, they were raised by the Indians to some extent, and were boiled with green corn for summer use. Pumpkins were cut in strips and dried in the sun, after the manner of our fore-mo- thers, who borrowed this art from the natives. Fish when freshly caught were usually broiled on the coals. Many were split and dried in the smoke and stored. They ate the flesh of most kinds of animals and birds. This was boiled or roasted, and eaten without salt. It is not known that they dried and stored meats. They were wonderfully expert in killing game with arrows, and in capturing both larger and smaller sorts by means of drive-ways, and in rude traps and yank-ups. The latter was nothing more than a stout white oak or hickory staddle, bent over and fastened to a notch cut in another tree. The animal, when caught in the snare at the end, by struggling would loosen the catch, and the staddle would spring upright, with the game dangling in the air. Esq. Seth Field's old mare once strayed into the woods and got into a trap of this kind set for deer. The 'squire was astounded when an Indian came running breathless to tell him that " his squaw-horse was caught in a yank-up !"
The Indians' time for planting corn, was when the leaves of the white oak were grown as big as a squirrel's paw. Whoever has watched the unfolding bud of this tree, has noticed, at a certain stage, the striking resemblance between the leaf and the paw of a red squirrel.
TOBACCO .-- According to Roger Williams, this plant was cultivated
1 " Their chief' and communest food (in the spring of the year) was ground-nuts ; they also eat nuts, and acorns, harty-chuaks, lily roots, ground beans, and several other weeds and roots that I know not."- Alrs. Reculandson.
17
AT & 'm
I spied fremme dirginlin Chaplains Nous France. Yra 1032 in Smale Library .
Engraved & Printed Ly JF fint.
INDIANS CATCHING GAME.
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The River Indians.
to a considerable extent by the natives. They called it Ottomauck. It was used for smoking, and one kind was steeped, and the decoction drank. It was regarded as a sacred weed, to be cultivated and used only by the braves. The men planted, tended, and cured this crop ; (every other crop was planted and gathered and stored by the squaws) and smoked it. Women were not allowed to smoke ; and it was considered odious for a boy to take the pipe, till he had made himself a name, and was entitled to sit in the council.
How early it became fashionable for Indian women to use tobacco, we are not informed. But in March, 1676, Mrs. Rowlandson writes : " I went to see King Philip; he bid me come in, and sit down ; and asked me if I would smoke it ? (a usual compliment now a days among saints and sinners) but this no way suited me. I remember with shame, how formerly, when I had taken two or three pipes, I was presently ready for another; such a bewitching thing it is.". 3
MAPLE SUGAR .- The Indians knew how to make sugar from the sap of the maple tree ; though it is believed they took no pains to preserve this species - as they did the chestnut - and consequently the only large trees which escaped their fires were in the wet ravines, A lot of these old maples stood on land owned by Moses Field, south and west of Roman T. Sugar was made here by the natives before the settlement of 1714, and in the intervals of peace down to the old French war. They cut boxes in the trunk from which to gather the sap; the marks of which were visible in some trees standing there in 1805.
RELIGION .- The Indians were firm believers in a good and an evil Spirit, both of whom had an important agency in controlling human life and destiny. It is not known that they had any form of worship, for the good Spirit ; but there was in every tribe a class of conjurers who practiced a sort of necromancy or mystic rites, with a view to propitiate the evil Spirit. In the ordinary affairs of life they seem to have felt competent to take care of themselves. But it was common before starting on any important expedition to hold powow, which, according to the minute description of the ceremonies given by Mrs. Rowlandson, had the double purpose of gaining the good will of the evil one, and arousing the courage of the warriors. Two medicine men had charge of the rites, which were of the nature of incantations, interspersed with wild harangue - the mystic to awe, and the eloquence to inspire. And when the auguries were all favor-
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History of Northfield.
able, they went forth with an assurance of success, which, of itself, was an important element of success.
Brush mountain, which in their language would be called Mish- om-assek -from its being the resort of a numerous colony of rattle- snakes - was held in superstitious veneration by the Squakheags. They believed that Hobamok, the evil Spirit, dwelt inside the mountain, and that the fissures in the rocks above Cold spring, where the snakes denned, were the holes through which he sent forth his hot breath and melted the snow, and made any one faint who dared to inhale the poisonous air. They had a tradition that he once in anger bellowed forth from this hiding-place and shook the earth ! Partly from dread of the evil Spirit, and partly from fear of the rattlesnakes, the Indians shunned the Gulf, and the adjacent mountain sides.
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3
CHAPTER II.
FIRST VISITS OF THE ENGLISH TO SQUAKHEAG - PURCHASE OF THE TERRITORY - DEEDS - WHAT BECAME OF THE INDIANS.
T the date when our narrative opens, the valley here was not in its primeval condition. The whole face of nature bore the marks of a long occupancy by the Savages. But it was devastation rather than improvement. The Indians were accustomed to burn over the meadows and upland woods annually, after the fall of the leaves in autumn, by which the intervals were kept clean, and any new growth of brush and trees was destroyed. One by one the old trees would succumb to the flames, so that the uplands and hills were comparatively bare. Both timber and accessible fire-wood were scarce when the whites first settled. The wet swamps alone were heavily wooded. Men on horseback found little difficulty in crossing the dry plains in any di- rection. The object of the annual burning evidently was to keep the country open for travel and hunting. And the swamps and ra- vines, which would be flooded by the fall rains at the time of the fires, afforded a covert for many kinds of game.
But game was at this date becoming scarce. Stimulated by the offers of Mr. Pynchon, who settled at Agawam in 1636, beaver, and otter, and the more valuable fur-bearing animals, had been effectually thinned out.' Wolves and wild cats were less plenty than a half century later, after the custom of annually burning the forests had ceased. Deer were frightened away by the same cause, and were abundant only in the summer and early fall. And PYNCHON'S Помк. except groundnuts, fish and corn, the food of the natives had become precarious. The salmon and shad, which were then superabundant,
" As appears from their account books, the Pynchons packed and sent to England, between 1652 and 1674, 15,880 beaver skins, weighing over 23000 lbs. worth 8 shillings sterling per pound. In the same time they exported 700 otter skins, 1000 muskrat, and large quantities of fox, coon, marten, fisher, mink and wild cat skins. They also collected 426 moose skins, which weighed on an average 20 lbs. each. Deer skins were largely used for clothing both by the natives and whites.
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History of Northfield.
were captured on their passage up the river in May and June, when they had high living : some were split and smoke-dried, and stored in their underground barns ; but the inherent laziness and pride of the Red man prevented any system of providence for the future. His squaw was sure to plant her patch of corn and pumpkins, and he trusted to prowess and luck for the rest.
INDIAN PATHS - which were narrow trails worn by the feet in marching single file - crossed the country in various directions. One connected Squakheag and Pacomptock ; and probably one extended south to Hadley. It is certain that there was a well worn trail from Squakheag to Paquayag (Athol), and thence to Wenimisset and Quaboag (Brookfield). It was by striking this trail, and following it up, that the four adventurers were led to the discovery of Masse- met's country. This trail left the Indian village on Beers's plain, followed up the stream north of Beers's mountain and over the north part of Crag, where is a slight depression, crossed Great swamp not far from the present line of the highway, and so went by a direct route to near the mouth of West or Cheney's brook.
FIRST VISIT OF THE ENGLISH, 1669 .- No record has been found of an exploration of the Connecticut valley north of Pasquam- scut falls earlier than 1669. In May of this year, a committee, ap- pointed by the General court, consisting of Capt. Daniel Gookin, Mr. Daniel Henchman, Capt. Thomas Prentice and Left. Richard Beers,' who had been impowered " to lay out a new plantation near Quinsigamond pond " (Worcester), proceeded to the north-westward to view the country. In a postscript to their report,? they say : " The Committee having in their journey discovered two other places be- yond this (Quinsigamond) to the westward, that will make two or three towns - the one place called Pamaquesicke, lying upon the head of Chekaby river, the other place called Suckquakege upon Connec- ticut River : we desire the Court will order that these places be re- served to make towns, the better to strengthen those inland parts, and ye laying out of particular grants prohibited in the said places." The court approved of the committee's return, and ordered " that the lands mentioned to be reserved for public use for two or three towns, be reserved for those ends."
! It is a coincidence worthy of record that this man, who was among the first to see this beautiful and fertile tract, should be one of the first white men - perhaps the very first - to be buried in its soil. And it is not unlikely that his grave is very near the spot whence he caught a first look of the site of the town.
= Mass. Records, vol. Iv, pt. 11, p. 436.
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5I
Squakbeag.
1670. - The next year, a party from Northampton, consisting as near as can be ascertained, of Joseph Parsons Sen., Mr. William Janes, George Alexander and Micah Mudge, " went upon discovery" of the place, examined the location with care, and ascertained that the native claimants were ready and anxious to sell the tract.
As the best lands in this region were becoming rapidly absorbed by grantees and settlers from the Bay, and as the people of Northampton and Hadley were already " straitened for room " (!), little time was lost in bargaining for the new country. Early in the spring of 1671, the persons above mentioned, with Caleb Pomeroy and perhaps others, went up and consummated the purchase. The deed conveyed to Joseph Parsons Sen. " for a valuable consideration, a tract of land lying on both sides of the Great River, which is thus bounded -The Northerly end at Coassock, the Southerly end on the east side of the Great River down to Quanatock, at southerly end on the west side of the Great River butting against Masapetot's land, and so running six miles into the woods on both sides of the River." This deed was signed by Massemet, Panoot, Pammook, Nenepownam his squaw, Wompely and Nessacoscom.
The tract here conveyed, covered the original ( and present ) town- plot of Northfield, and contained in all 10,560 acres. It appears that full payment was not made at this time, and a mortgage was given to the Indians as security for the balance, as is stated in the deed bearing date May 24, 1686, where it will also appear that an additional sum was paid to satisfy this original claim. This first deed was taken before any settlement was attempted.
The second purchase by the English was made after the plantation was begun. It comprised about 3,000 acres of land belonging to a Pacomptock sachem, lying wholly on the west side of the river. " This deed made the 9th 7th 1673 (Sept. 9, 1673), between Joseph Parsons Sen. and William Clarke both of Northampton in the county of Hampshire, of the one party, and Asogoa the daughter of Souanaett who was the true and proper owner of that parcel of land at Squak- heag on the west side of the River called by the Indians Nallaham- comgon or Natanas, and Mashepetot, and Kisquando, pampatekemo a squaw which is Mashepetot's daughter - these four Indians above named on the other party, Witnesseth, that for and in consideration of the sum of two hundred fathoms of wampumpek in hand paid by the above said Joseph Parsons and William Clarke, we the aforesaid Indians * *
have . granted and sold * * all that parcel of land lying at Squakheag, called by the Indians Nalla- hamcomgon, and is bounded with the Great River on the easterly side,
.
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History of Northfield.
on the westerly side a great ledge of hills six miles from the Great River, on the southerly to a brook called by the Indians Nallaham- comgo [Bennett's brook] and so straight into the woods, on the north to [ ] that land that was Massemett's land. * This deed was signed by the four Indians, and witnessed by Timothy Baker, Sarah Clarke : and the premises were assigned "by Wm. Clarke to the inhabitants of Squakheag," June 15, 1675.
These two tracts comprise the territory of the town during the First Settlement.
After the resettlement of Squakheag in 1685, some difficulty seems to have arisen between the proprietors and Massemet, about the pay- ment for the land bought of him in 1671. And to remove all cause of dissatisfaction and gain a clear title, a new deed was executed, cover- ing the same territory. As this new deed contains some curious and important facts, which have a peculiar historical value, it is here in- serted in full.
That whereas Mafsemet, Panoot, Pammook, Nenepownam his fquaw, Wom- pely and Nefacofcom, that whereas thefe fix Indians on the one party have made fale of a parcel of land at Northfield, and Jofeph Parfons Sen. on the other party, for a valuable confideration have fold to Jofeph Parfons agent for Northfield, a tract of land lying on both fides of the Great River, which is thus bounded - the Northerly end at Coafsock, the foutherly end on the eaft fide of the Great River down to Quanatock, at foutherly end on the weft fide of the Great River butting againft Mafapetot's land, and fo running fix miles into the woods on both fides of the Great River, - this tract of land above exprefsed they have fold, as doth appear both by a deed and a mortgage bearing date in the year 1671 ; and in confideration that fome of the Indians have faid that they have not had full fatisfaction for this tract of land ; and Therefore, KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that Micah Mudge Cornelius Merry and John Lyman, for the reft of the inhabitants of Northfield, have agreed with the In- dians for the further confirmation of this tract of land above exprefsed by giv- ing a new deed unto the afore mentioned buyors, upon confideration of twelve pounds already received, we the Indians under wrote do acquit and difcharge the aforefaid Micah Mudge Cornelius Merry and John Lyman and their heirs forever of the above faid fum of twelve pounds :- the names of thofe Indians who have received this pay are as followeth, Mequenichon, Mannufquis, Ma- femet, Quankquelup, Couwah, Pompmohock, Colecoph .- It is further agreed by the parties above faid that the Indians do further ratify fell and confirm alienate and formally pafs over unto Micah Mudge Cornelius Merry and John Lyman in behalf of the company, to them and their heirs, adminiftrators and executors, all these parcels of land as it is hereafter bounded, viz., The fouth- erly end butting upon a brook called Squenatock and fo running fix miles into the woods on each fide of the River, and fo running up to the new fort on the
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Squakheag.
fouth fide of a river which comes into the Great River called Cowas, all which is as here bounded, with all the privileges, benefits advantages commodities and appurtenances thereon and thereunto belonging, and at the time of the fale hereof that the aforementioned Indians were the proper owners of the premifes, and that this land is free from all former bargains, fales, right, title, inheritance or incumbrance whatsoever ; and that the above faid Micah Mudge Cornelius Merry and John Lyman as they were actors in behalf of themfelves and the com- pany ; and that they their heirs executors adminiftrators fhall HAVE AND HOLD pofsefs and enjoy peaceably and quietly without any moleftation from by through or under us or our heirs executors adminiftrators or afsigns or any other claim by any other perfon or perfons whatfoever : And further we engage to acknow- ledge this to be our act and deed before authority when called thereunto, and what further may be necessary to confirm this our act and deed of fale that we will readily and cheerfully do it ;- and for the confirmation hereof, the faid Mequenichon, Mannufquis, Mafemet, Quankquelup, Couwah, Pompmohock, Colecoph have hereunto fet our hands and feals the 24th day of May in the year 1686.
NEUQUE Вомонноть
his mark & feal.
Signed fealed and delivered in pre- fence of
MASEMET
KENEW
William Clarke Sen.
Caleb Pumery
CHONCHQUEGON
Ebenezer Miller Benoni Jons
WHENONKCA
Ebenezer Pumery
WOOWHENET
We that are witnefses faw the fame Indians mentioned in the Deed fet their marks hereunto, although their names are not alike fpelled by reafon that it was one of the Indians that did write fome of them ; but they did all own their names as they are in the Deed and fet to their feals. Memorandum, that there was formerly as they acknowledge and own before witnefs, a peaceable pofsefsion was given to the agent of Squakeheag, which was Jofeph Parfons Sen. by Mafemet and Pompmohock, which were the two Indians which gave the agent pofsefsion of this land above exprefsed - as witnefs William Janes and Micah Mudge, and Peter Jethro .- George Alexander faw Mafemet and Pompmohock give pofsefsion of the land above mentioned to Jofeph Parfons Sen."1
1687 .- The third and last purchase of land from the Indians was made the next year. The tract comprises the larger part of old Squakheag, besides a wide strip on both the east and west which was not included in the township. This was Nawelet's country, and contained not far from 65,000 acres. The deed is dated August 13,
1 Giving possession of land. "The Indian owners, in token of the premises gave me a handful of the earth in the presence of witnesses." Mass. Archives, cxxIx, 160.
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History of Northfield.
1687, running to William Clarke Sen. and John King Sen. agents for the proprietors of Northfield.
To all chriftian people to whom thefe prefents fhall come, KNOW YE, that Nawelet, Gongequa, Afpiambemett, Haddarawanfet, Meganichcha, wee the Indians mentioned, and for good confideration moving us hereunto, and in particular in confideration of the fum of forty five pounds in trade goods all ready in hand paid or fecured to fatiffaction, the faid Indians above exprefsed doe for themfelves their heirs executors * * give grant bargain and fell, and by thefe prefents firmly pafs over a certain parcel of land lying in the bounds of Northfield unto William Clarke Sen. and John King Sen. both of Northampton, being agents for the proprietors of Northfield, which is bounded as followeth : viz. foutherly againft a river called Cowas being on the eaft fide of the Great River and foe running directly over the Great River : the northerly fide running to a river on the weft fide of the Great River called Wanafcatok, lying twelve miles wide fix miles wide on each fide of the Great River ; with all the privileges benefits advantages commodities and apurtenances thereon and thereunto be- longing
Witneffes :
Jonathan Hunt Preferved Clap
Signed by NAWELET GONGEQUA ASPIAMBEMET HADDARAWANSETT
Wm. Clarke Jun. Peter Jethro1
MEGANICHCHA
Jofeph Atherton Ifaac Chauncey
Having thus disposed of their heritage, without reservation, the inquiry naturally arises, What became of the Indians ? Although it will anticipate somewhat the succession of events, an answer in out- line will be given.
It seems to have been understood by the natives, that the coming in of the whites would be a protection to them against their old ene- mies the Mohawks ; and though our Indians made no reservations of rights, they returned at their pleasure to their old quarters, and reset their wigwams. They were not much in the way of the first planters, and were entirely friendly, and brought in peltry for barter ; and it is the pretty authentic tradition that our people made a " good thing " of the traffic. A knife, or a kettle, or a gun, or a pint of rum - though forbidden by law to be sold to the natives - would command a most valuable consideration in furs and skins.
This first period of friendly intercourse was, however, very brief.
* Peter Jethro was an Indian of the Natick tribe, whose father lived on Nobscut hill in Framingham. He was pretty well educated and often acted as scribe in preparing and ex- ecuting deeds of Indian lands.
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Squakheag.
The Indians suddenly disappeared about the time of the Brookfield fight (Aug. 2, 1675). There are reasons for believing that they went to Paquayag, and perhaps to Wenimisset,' which was a common ren- dezvous of the savages at this time. King Philip, after he came into this neighborhood, made efforts to unite all these clans in his interest. And though he was not present at any encounter with the whites, it is evident that his influence was a stimulant. There were among our River Indians several survivors of the expedition against Uncas in 1657, and the later expedition against the Mohawks, who were capable of planning and executing the boldest raids ; and in whom enough of the old fire still slumbered, to make them ambitious of the glory of success.
There is little doubt that the party who attacked this town Sept. 2d, and fought Capt. Beers two days afterwards, were former resi- dents, who had left their women and children somewhere to the eastward .?
After the abandonment of Squakheag by the settlers, the Indians returned in a body, and made this their head-quarters for the re- mainder of the season.
On his route to the Mohawk country, late in the fall (1675), King Philip and his party passed through this town, and made a brief halt. Provisions were plenty - the result of their captures here and at Deerfield. He returned about the middle of February ; and was encamped on the bluff known as Philip's hill, and higher up the river on the site of Nawelet's upper village, till about the 10th of April.
Having made arrangements to plant the old corn-fields below the Great bend, for a future supply,3 Philip and his band departed for Mount Hope. Some of the young warriors of our tribe may have gone with him ; but they soon returned, as will appear in the sequel.
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