USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Palmer > History of the town of Palmer, Massachusetts, early known as the Elbow tract : including records of the plantation, district and town 1716-1889 > Part 16
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From the opening of the war to and including the year 1760, the seasons proved remarkably fruitful in New England. The colonies were able to supply the wants of the army from their own re-
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sources. But a drought set in in the spring of 1761 and continued through '62, which cut short the crops, and made it necessary to send abroad for provisions to supply the ordinary wants of the people.
1761. An article in the warrant for a District meeting, Aug. 17, 1761, was " To agree upon some method of preventing Magoon, Blair and Brown getting their estates taken off from our town and annexed to others." "Voted, That William Scott, Jun. go to the General Court at the next session, and there use his best endeavors to prevent Magoon's lands being annexed to Ware River Parish, and James Brown and Blair's lands being annexed to Western." *
MEETING-HOUSE .- The meeting-house, built in 1735, when the Plantation was new and poor, had got much out of repair ; and withal was old-fashioned, in looks and arrangements. And "at a meeting of the freeholders & other inhabitants of Palmer, on Fri- day, Aug. 21, 1761, it was voted, that Samuel Shaw, John King, Ephraim Gates and John McMaster be a committee to repair & finish the meeting-house. Voted £20 to be disposed of by sª com- mittee in finishing the house. Voted to Ephraim Gates 20 shillings, for which he is to remove back and make narrower, the pulpit, minister's pew, and stairs, with the deacon's seat, and make the pulpit lower-all to be done without damage to the work, or without making it look worse than it does now." The following directions were given to the committee : " That they new shingle the roof of the house, clapboard new the outside, and make new window frames & sashes in a handsome size, and glaze the same with glass 8 x 6, renew the fore door and sill that is rotten. Also voted that they proceed to the inside, new lay such places in the floor as may need it, and make new seats in the body, and that they make seats in the gallery, with one row of small pews all round the backside of the gallery, in as convenient a manner as possible. And if they find there is room over the stairs, they make pews over the same. And that they proceed to seal [ceil] and case all the timbers on the
* Petition of Isaac and Alexander Magoon, sons and heirs to the whole of the Estate of Isaac Magoon, late of Ware River Parish in the county of Hampshire, setting forth that they own about 400 acres of land in the northerly part of Palmer, which lies 5 miles from Palmer meeting-house, and the road bad, and but 2 miles from Ware River meeting-house, and the road naturally good-praying that they may be annexed to Ware River Parish. Nov. 18, 1761, the General Court Ordered, that the estate described in the Petition be. annexed to the Parish of Ware River, and the Inhabitants or Possessors of sd Estate to do duty and receive privilege there. [Gen. Court. Rec. in loc.
Petition of William Blair and James Brown, both of Western, in the county of Worcester, reciting that parts of their Farms lie in Western and part in Palmer ; that they live 3 and 312 miles from Wes- tern meeting-house, and 5 and 6 miles from Palmer meeting-house, and are taxed in both places- praying that their estates may be wholly annexed to Western. Nov. 21, 1761. The General Court dismissed the petition.
·
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sides and overhead." At the same meeting it was "voted that Samuel Shaw, Robert Rogers, Thomas King, Ephraim Gates & John McMaster be a committee to set a value on the pew ground, and dispose of the same in the following manner, viz., That they value the ground or place where each pew shall stand at not more than three pounds nor less than 40 shillings-only the corner pew next to the minister's pew, if it prove large enough for the heads of three families to sit in, then to add ten shillings to the price of it. And that sª committee take the grand list or survey which was taken this summer, and there find the person who is highest in real & personal estate, and make him an offer of the highest pew [pew ground] ; and in case the pew will hold two families or the heads of two families, they shall place them together, if in their judgment they shall think best ; and so proceed to dispose of every pew [ground ] in the body of the meeting-house, paying a small regard to age ; and in case any person refuses to have a pew, or neglects to fulfill the conditions enjoined, then sª committee shall proceed to dispose of it to another. And that each family that has a pew [pew ground] shall pay on demand to the committee the sum set on said pew by sª committee. And the pew shall be wholly built by the proprietor or proprietors of sd pew [ground] who shall seal [ceil] up the backside and case the timbers against them. And if the proprietor of any pew have no part of a window against it, he may have liberty to make a window equal in size with the other windows in the house, and finish it outside & in handsomely & well, and also keep sª window in repair during the whole time he owns the pew, and so thereafter in case of a remove by death. Each pew ground shall be lotted out by the committee of uniform depth & width, and the pews shall be built agreeable thereto by the proprie- tors thereof ; and the pews shall be built in a handsome uniform manner, according to the direction of the committee; and those intitled to pews shall promptly finish them, without hindering the committee in their finishing the meeting-house ; and if any intitled to pews shall neglect to build the same, the committee shall proceed to finish the same at the cost of the owner, and if he refuse to pay the cost, he shall forfeit the pew to the town. In case any pew owner remove from town, he shall tender his pew to the selectmen for the time being ; and if they refuse to reimburse him the cost of the pew ground and pew, he may sell the same to whom he pleaseth ; if a pew owner be removed by death, the pew descends to his heirs."
Later in the year, the price of pew ground was reduced, the highest being placed at £1.10; and it was voted to close up the
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two end doors of the meeting-house and use the space for pew ground.
June 7, 1762. £50 was voted to be raised for repairing the meet- ing-house. Voted, that the committee shall sell the glass and old stuff to the best advantage, and lay out the money in finishing the meeting-house. Later, £9, 1, 6, 3, was granted for the same purpose.
March 23, 1763. "Voted to pay Dunkin Quinton 9 shillings, for which he has promised to open and shut the meeting-house doors from time to time, as need shall require, for the year ensuing, and also to sweep the sd house once every four weeks."
Seating the Meeting - House. It will be remembered that the Elders and Deacons had a special seat of honor in front of the pulpit. The several pew owners occupied each his pew, placed in order around next to the walls of the house. The space left in the middle of the house was divided into two equal parts by an aisle running from the front door to the pulpit. Long seats or benches were put in to fill this space on either side of the aisle, those on one side called the "men's seats," and those on the opposite side called the " women's seats." These seats ranked in " dignity " ac- cording to location, the highest being those nearest the pulpit. Men were assigned to seats by a committee of the District appointed for that purpose, and were seated according to "age and estate "- the highest taxpayers taking the front seat, and so down the scale. The young folks of both sexes were assigned seats in the gallery, girls and boys each by themselves, with a " bar " between. If any one was dissatisfied with his or her ranking or seat-mates, an appeal was taken to the town, in legal meeting, and the action of the Com- mittee approved or the appellant's wishes in the case granted.
The pew-owners at this date are not known. The non-pew- owners, who had seats assigned in the body of the house and gal- leries, were as follows. The list has value and interest, as showing how families were rated in taxable estate and social dignity in 1764 :
In ye First Seat in ye Body of ye House :
Capt. Samuel Shaw, David Shaw, Matthew Brown, Robert Bratten, James Smith, Benjamin Parsons, Joshua Whitney, James Lamont.
Their wives on ye seat opposite, on [ ye Women's side.
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
In ye Second Seat : Barnard McNitt, Ens. Noah Cooley, David Cooley, Jeremiah Bishop, Elisha Higgins, James Moor, Robert Hunter.
Their wives on ye opposite side.
On ye Third Seat :
Ephraim Gates, John Shearer, Archibald Thomas, William McMichell, David Fleming, James Smith, Jun., William Brown.
Their wives on ye opposite side.
On ye Fourth Seat :
Timothy Ferrell,. Thomas McClanathan, Hugh. Smith, George Wood,
Israel Johnson, Abner Loomis.
On ye Fifth Seat :
Thomas Farrand, Aaron Nelson, Aaron Elwell, George Abbott, Uriah Higgins, John Moor, Israel Whitney.
Their wives on ye opposite side.
Their wives on ye opposite side.
In ye Fore Seat of ye Front Gallery, Men's side :
Robert Hunter, Jun., Judah Moor, Gershom Whitney, Joseph McNall, Joshua McMaster, Robert McMaster, Zephon Blackmar.
Their wives in the Fore Seat in the Front Gallery, on the Women's side.
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PALMER A DISTRICT, 1752-1776.
In ye Fore Seat of ye Side Gallery, Men's side :
John King, Jun., Gideon Chapin, John Hill,
Henry Thomson,
Arthur McNall,
Robert McMaster, Jun.,
Simeon Graves,
Urijah Ward.
Their wives in the Fore Seat op- posite, on ye Woman's side.
In ye same Fore Seat:
Samuel McClanathan, William Fleming, David Bratten, Joshua Parsons, David King.
In ye Pew in the back of the Front Gallery :
John Quinton, James King, Thomas McClanathan, Jun., John Allin McElwain, John McMaster, Jun., Joel Bishop, Moses Lamont, Thomas Hill.
In ye back pew of the side gallery, Men's side :
Thomas Quinton, Joseph Chapen, Abner Chapin, James Smith, Moses King, Benjamin Thomson, William McMaster, Noah Cooley, Jun., Reuben Cooley, Jonathan Cooley, Hugh Moor, Alexander Moor, John Shearer, Jun., Archibald Thomas, Jun., Robert Mc- Michel, Andrew Brown, John Lamberton, William Smith.
In ye Fore Seat in ye Front Gallery, Women's side :
Jane Brown, Eleanor Parsons, Tabitha Parsons, Sarah Bracken- ridge.
In ye Fore Seat in ye Side Gallery, Women's side :
Widow Mary Shaw, Esther Brackenridge, Elizabeth Quinton, Anne Quinton, Sarah Shaw, Jane Hill, Abigail Graves, Esther Lamont.
In ye pew back side of ye Front Gallery, Women's side :
Jane Bratten, Mary McNitt, Lucy King, Elizabeth McMaster, Catharine McMaster, Mary Shaw, Margaret Cooley, Margaret Mc- Nitt.
In ye pew back of ye Side Gallery, Women's Side :
Letice Rogers, Mary Smith, Jane McClanathan, Margaret Shaw, Abigail Parsons, Margaret Parsons, Mary Cooley, Tabitha Cooley, Submit Cooley, Sarah Thomas, Margaret Smith, Catharine Nelson, Lydia Bratten, Elizabeth McClanathan, Rhoda Bishop, Jane Mc- Master, Jane Ferrell.
In presenting their report to the town, the committee add : " We may have omitted some young man or woman of the age of those above mentioned. We are therefore of the opinion that such
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
(if any there be) should sit in the second seat in the Front Gallery. And we are of the opinion as there are several other seats not taken up, it would be prudent for parents to direct their younger children to sit in them.
WM. SCOTT SETH SHAW ROBERT ROGERS Committee.
SAMUEL SHAW, Jun. THOMAS KING 1
Support of the Poor. The custom in the Plantation times, and the early years of the Palmer District, was, for individuals or the selectmen to provide for the wants of needy and sick persons, and present a bill to the inhabitants at their public meeting, which was commonly accepted and paid. The first grant in anticipation, was made March 22, 1763. " Granted 6 pounds 10 shillings for the use of the Poor of this District." And a like grant was made in suc- ceeding years.
Graves' Tavern. January 16, 1761, a petition was presented to the General Court by Capt. Aaron Graves of Palmer, setting forth that his father Daniel Graves of said town, deceased, at the Court of General Sessions of the Peace, holden at Springfield the last Tuesday of April last, obtained a License from the Justices of sd Court, to keep a Tavern in his then dwelling-house; that he has since deceased, leaving a suitable stock for such a house of entertainment-Praying that the Court of Sessions may be im- powered to grant the petitioner a License to keep a Tavern in said house.
Order thereon, That the petition be granted, and that the Justices of the Court of General Sessions for the County of Hampshire be, and they are hereby impowered to grant to the petitioner a License to keep a Tavern in the house mentioned, he procuring the approbation of the selectmen of said town of Palmer.
To the Selectmen of the District of Palmer.
Gentlemen: I understand by the constable I am rated in the District, which I am none uneasy at; but yet I am poor & under low circumstances, and must build me a House to secure me from the inclemency of the weather. My sons as they grow up, forsake me, which makes things go very hard ; & I would pray you to consider me, & abate all or some part of my Rates. And I shall endeavour to use the prudentest means possible not to be chargeable to the town, Nor any of my neighbours.
Palmer, March 21, 1763.
GEORGE BATES.
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PALMER A DISTRICT, 1752-1776.
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
The American Revolution began several years before war actually broke out. In morals, and in politics, causes are usually remote from effects. With the two potent factors in existence, viz, the asserted Rights and Power of the British Government, and the asserted Immunities and Power of the Colonies, both a revolution and a war, were political necessities, and both had been clearly fore- shadowed.
The mother country asserted it " To be essential to the unity, and of course to the prosperity of the empire, that the British Parliament should have the right of taxation over every part of the royal dominions." The American Colonies asserted that " Taxa- tion and representation were inseparable, and that they could not be safe, if their property might be taken from them without their consent." This claim of the right of taxation on the one side, and the denial of it on the other side, was the hinge on which the Rev- olution turned.
In accordance with the newly-adopted policy, the Parliament, in 1765, passed the famous Stamp Act, which ordained that all instru- ments of writing, such as deeds, bonds, notes, receipts, wills, etc., used among the Colonists, should be null and void, unless executed on Stamped Paper, for which a duty should be paid to the crown. This tax, while it was practically of small consequence to the farm- ers and mechanics, bore severely on men of business and officials. A ream of common blank bail bonds had usually been sold for £15 ; a ream of stamped bonds cost £100. A ream of stamped policies of insurance cost £190 ; a ream of common ones, without stamps, had cost £20.
The Stamp Act proved a failure, and was repealed. But the principle on which it was based was not yielded by Great Britain ; and Parliament proceeded to lay a duty upon various articles of im- port to the Colonies. This action was resisted both by words and deeds. Associations known as the "Sons of Liberty," were organ- ized in all the colonies. They comprised both males and females, who pledged themselves to forego all the luxuries of life rather than be indebted to the commerce of England. It was agreed that sheep should not be killed for food, but kept for their wool. The acre- age of flax sown was immensely increased ; and carding, spinning, weaving and dyeing, heretofore the business of the common classes, now became the fashionable employment of women of wealth ; and to be dressed in " home-spun," was alike the pride of both sexes, and was a passport to popular distinction.
The people of Boston, always first to move at this juncture, and
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
take the lead in resistance to arbitrary measures, assembled in town meeting, and resolved, that they would not import British manu- factures or other merchandise on which duties were imposed.
But the spirit of resistance to arbitrary acts of Parliament per- vaded all our towns. The first recorded expression of public senti- ment in Palmer is under date of March 1, 1768. An article in the warrant was " To see if this District will agree upon & come into some efficient measures to promote industry, economy and manu- factures." At a very full meeting the following votes passed :
" Whereas the excessive use of foreign superfluities is one great cause of the present distressed state of this country, in general ; and the happiness of the communities depends upon Industry, Economy and Good Morals : and this District taking into serious consideration the great decay of trade and scarcity of money, the heavy debt contracted in the last war, which still remains on the people ; and the great difficulties to which by these measures they are reduced :- Therefore, voted unanimously, that this Dis- trict will use their utmost endeavors and enforce their endeavors by example in suppressing extravagance, Idleness and Vice, & promoting In- dustry, economy and good manners. And in order to prevent the unnec- essary exportation of money of which the continent has of late been so much drained, it is therefore voted, that this District will by all prudent means endeavor to discountenance the use of foreign superfluities, and Incourage the manufactures of the whole continent in general, and of this Province in particular."
No further action of the District bearing upon public affairs appears on the records for six years. But the process of educating the public mind, and settling certain fundamental principles of action, and bringing men to the point where they would put their hands in their purses for money, and sign enlistment papers for service, was going on all the time : and the day of trial was at hand.
1774 .- At the annual District meeting March 22, the following officers were chosen, viz., moderator, Lieut. Wm. Scott; clerk, Robert Hunter; treasurer, Joshua Shaw ; selectmen, Lieut. Wm. Scott, David Spear, John McMaster, Robert Ferrell, Robert Brown ; assessors, Joshua McMaster, Aaron Graves, Joshua Shaw ; consta- bles, Thomas Hill, Patrick Watson ; wardens, Solomon Cummins, David Bratten ; surveyors of highways, Lieut. Wm. Scott, Urijah Ward, Aaron King, Henry Thompson ; tything-men, Robert Mc- Michel, Thomas Quinton ; deer reeves, Thomas McClanathan, John Shearer, Jun. ; fence viewers & prizers of damages, Judah Moore, John Quinton ; cullers of staves and shingles, John Smith, Aaron King ; sealer of leather, Robert Hunter.
The above list shows who were prominent in town affairs at this
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PALMER A DISTRICT, 1752-1776.
date, and, as will presently appear, indicates that the military sen- timent of the people was in the ascendency. Most of these names will be found in the annals of war service.
"At a meeting of the inhabitants of Palmer convened at the publick meeting-house Sept. 19, 1774, Robert Ferrell was chosen moderator. Voted, that Phineas Mixer, Hugh McMaster, Thomas King, James Smith, Jun., and Joshua Shaw, be a committee to look into the state of the town stock of powder and lead, etc., and make report next Monday ; and also to see what powder, lead and flints will be necessary to be provided for the inhabitants, and re- port the same.
Voted, that David Spear and Aaron Graves go to the county congress to set at Northampton next Thursday."
"Adjourned to Monday, 26th instant.
Sept. 26, met according to adjournment.
Voted, that David Spear go the general congress of delegates from the whole Province, to meet at Concord the second Tuesday in October next.
Voted, that Wm. Scott pay, or deliver seventy-four pounds of powder, one hundred and twenty-six pounds of lead into the town stock, in full discharge of the amount of said stock in his hands.
Voted, that there be provided four half-barrels of powder, four hundred of lead, and one hundred dozen of flints, for a town stock, and the money to pay for the same be taken from the money on interest ; and that Wm. Scott, Joshua Shaw and Phineas Mixer be a committee to purchase and pay for the same."
A meeting was called for October 10, " To see if the District will order and direct the constables who have the Province Tax for the last year collected and now in their hands, to pay or deliver the same into the hand of our District Treasurer, there to remain until the inhabitants shall otherwise order."
October 10. Voted, That Timothy McElwain and Urijah Ward, constables, shall pay the Province Tax to Joshua Shaw, the treas- urer of Palmer District ; and the District will indemnify them from all damage they may sustain by so doing."
At a publick meeting held Dec. 27, 1774, " Voted, to pay David Spear nine pounds for going to attend the Provincial Congress.
Voted, that Robert Ferrell, David Spear, Phineas Mixer, Joshua Shaw, Ebenezer Jones, Thomas King and James Smith be a Com- mitte of Inspection.
Voted, That Joshua McMaster, Ens. John King, Judah Moore, Aaron King and Patrick Watson be a committee to receive the donations for the poor of Boston."
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
1775. At a meeting of the inhabitants of Palmer held on Tues- day, Jan. 17, 1775, "Voted, that Capt. David Spear should attend the Provincial Congress to be held at Cambridge the first of Feb- ruary next ensuing."
The call for a meeting of the District to be held March 2 recites : " Whereas the selectmen have received the proceedings of the Pro- vincial Congress, accompanied with a Letter addressed to the inhab- itants of the Massachusetts Bay, earnestly desiring that moneys collected on the Province Rate might be paid into the hand of Henry Gardner, Esq.,-the freeholders will assemble and deliberate thereon, and act what is most prudent."
" The meeting being opened, Robert Ferrell was chosen moder- ator.
" Voted, that 20 pounds of our Province Rate now collected be paid to Henry Gardner, Esq.
"Voted, that the Committee chosen to lay in our town stock of ammunition take the remaining part of our Province Rate and lay it out for that purpose."
The following officers were elected at the annual meeting, March 21, viz .: moderator, Wm. Scott; clerk, Robert Hunter; treasurer,; Joshua Shaw; selectmen, Wm. Scott, David Spear, Robert Ferrell, Robert Brown, Joshua Shaw ; assessors, Thomas King, Joshua Shaw, Aaron Graves ; constables, Judah Moore, Solomon Cum- mings ; wardens, James Smith, 2d., Moses King ; tything men, Joshua Parsons, Samuel Buell; highway surveyors, Samuel McLan- athan, John King, Jona. Chapin, Ebenezer Jones ; deer reeves, John Shearer, Jun., William Sloan ; fence viewers, Francis Break- enridge, David Flemming, John Rogers ; cullers of staves and shin- gles, Dea. John Smith, Aaron King; sealer of leather, Robert Hunter ; hog reeves, Thomas Quinton, William Shearer.
Minute Men. The Provincial Congress which met at Cambridge in October, 1774, adopted a system of measures to put the Province of Massachusetts in a state of defense by enrolling able-bodied men into companies, well armed and officered, to be known as Minute Men. To meet the necessary expenses, they appointed a Commit- tee of Supplies, and elected Henry Gardner, Esq., of Stow as Treas- urer and Receiver General, and directed that all Province taxes that had been granted and all moneys in the hands of collectors in the several towns should be paid over to this new Treasurer, instead of being paid into the Royal Treasury.
Nothing appears upon the records of Palmer to show when a company of Minute Men was organized, nor how they were officered, nor the rules by which they were governed. That such a company
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PALMER A DISTRICT, 1752-1776.
was formed in the winter and was in active drill, is proved by the action of the District at a meeting held March 28: "Voted, that one shilling for half a day's training in a week, shall be paid out of the treasury, to each Minute Man, 26 in number, for each man, during the town's pleasure. Voted, that each Minute Man shall be entitled to 20 shillings per month during the time he shall be actually in the service of the publick, being regularly called and employed, and to be paid out of the town treasury, over and above what he may receive for his wages out of the Province treasury. Also voted, that in case any or all of the Minute Men are desirous to return their blanket into the town store, he may do so at the price set by the committee chosen for that purpose, and be paid out of the town treasury."
The above votes imply that a company of 26 men, properly armed and supplied with blankets, had been in training for a time, in accordance with town action, or, what is more probable, in accordance with the orders of the militia officers of the town. For, as will presently appear, the officers of the two military com- panies exercised almost unlimited authority in all matters relating to . the raising of men for the war. And such was the confidence re- posed in Capt. Aaron Graves and Capt. David Spear, respectively . commanding the two militia companies, that the District seldom demurred to their doings, or refused to pay the bills contracted by them.
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