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 19
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Voted That the town will procure clothing for 27 Continental men, agreeable to the Court's order."
Voted That no specie or article shall be held at a higher price for a month next to come than the price now is for the same."
July 30. The town chose Lieut. Joshua Shaw delegate to the convention to be held at Cambridge the first of September, for forming a new constitution for the State. And Capt. David Spear, Dea. John McMaster, Dea. Thomas King, Capt. Aaron Graves, Dr. Benjamin Trask, Landlord Thomson, Aaron Wilson, Solomon Cummings, Francis Breakenridge, Joshua McMaster and Daniel Graves were chosen a committee to give said delegate his Instruc- tions. He was paid for his services £93.
Capt. Joseph McNall raised a large company from Western, Brookfield and vicinity for service in R. I. under Lt. Col. Samuel Pierce, and was out from May 19, one month and 18 days. James Shaw and Thomas Hamilton went from Palmer.
PAY-ROLL of Capt. Joshua Shaw's Co., Col. Elisha Porter's Regt., service at New London July 19 to Aug. 27, 1779. The Palmer men were : Lieut, Jona. Brown, Lieut. David King, Sergt. John Harris, Sergt. Andrew Brown, Sergt. Zebadiah Abbott, Corp. Luke Hitch- cock, Corp. James Sherman, Henry Bliss, Thomas Blackmar, Daniel Hopkins, John Lamberton, Gideon Morgan, Joseph McClin- tock, Roger McElwain, Jona. Moore, John Spear, Joseph Smith, Peleg Watson,
Sept. 6. Robert Ferrell was chosen delegate to a convention to be held at Northampton the 8th inst., for the purpose of stating prices in this county.
Robt. Ferrell, Dea. John Smith, Capt. David Spear, Robert Hun- ter, Urijah Ward, Francis Breakenridge, and Dr. Benj. Trask were chosen a committee to state the prices of the necessaries of life for the Town of Palmer.
Oct. 4. Capt. David Spear was appointed delegate to the con- vention to be held at Concord November first, for the purpose of stating prices for the species (?) in this State.
Oct. 9. Orders were issued by the General Court, that men be raised to join the army at Claverack. The quota of Palmer was ten. The town voted to pay bounties of £300 to these ten men. The following were drafted, and paid fines of £50 each, viz., Seth Adams, Joseph Shaw, John Shearer, Jun., William Rosebrook
191
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
James King, Timothy Ferrell. The following served, and were paid £60 each, viz., David Shaw, Samuel Hendrick, William Roach, Elisha Cleaveland, Stephen Crawford.
Same date, the town voted "To pay £60 each to men who would serve six months at Providence, with interest till paid."
Voted, to pay £3 6s. 8d. to each man serving one month at New London (to the number of eleven) over and above the publick bounty granted by the State."
" Voted £40 for purchasing and transporting 100wt. of powder."
In a Return of men drafted from the Militia of Hampshire county to march to Horse Neck under Col. Samuel How, were Aaron Nelson and Joseph Crofoot of Palmer. [date not given]
" Widow King's Account for keeping and taking care of Hannah Rutherford at her House when sick, Sept. ye 10,1779.
For three weeks Keeping and tending her the old way 15 s. the new way £15 0 0
For going after the Doctor 100
For two pounds of sugar
0 8 0
For three pints of rum
2 5 0
£20 13 0
As has appeared from the foregoing Rolls and records, the war service in which our men were engaged this year, was of a some- what miscellaneous character. The American army held the North River and the forts above ; and many of the Massachusetts drafts were for men to make sure this advantageous position. Washing- ton's head-quarters was at Middlebrook, N. J .; but with a small army, poorly supplied with clothing and stores, and a depreciated currency, he could make no offensive operations. The British were operating at the South with their fleet and land forces ; and sent several ravaging expeditions into Connecticut and Rhode Island. New Haven was plundered ; East Haven, Fairfield, Nor- walk and Green's Farms were wantonly burnt. They also cap- tured the two important military posts at Stony Point, and Verplank's Point, on the lower Hudson. The re-capture of the former, July 15, by Gen. Wayne, was one of the most brilliant exploits of the War. But no important advantage was gained by either side.
1780 .- March 21, Capt. Sylvanus Walker, Dea. John McMaster, Timothy Ferrell, Patrick Watson and Phinehas Mixer, Sen., were chosen a Committee of Safety.
" It was put to vote whether the Britons now residing in Palmer should be exempted from the rates that are now assessed upon
192
HISTORY OF PALMER.
them ; and it passed in the negative; also it was put to vote whether they should be rated for the future ; and it passed in the affirmative." [Nothing appears upon the records to explain this vote. But it is believed that a number of the prisoners of war taken with Burgoyne, either strayed from the ranks when they were marching through this town on the way to Cambridge, and re- mained, or that some of them found their way hither at a later date. What were known as "Burgoyne's men" were found in most of our towns about this time, and many of them became per- manent settlers and useful citizens. ]
The New State Constitution. The Convention which met Sept. 1, '79, to prepare a Constitution or Frame of Government, com- pleted its labors Mar. 2, '80. And "at a meeting of the Inhab- itants of Palmer from twenty-one years old and upwards, legally convened on Wednesday, May 24, 1780, for the sole purpose of tak- ing under consideration the said form of Government proposed by the Convention of the Commonwealth of the Massachusetts Bay, John Smith was chosen moderator. The proposed constitution being read, the town made choice of a committee to consult, con- sider and report; and after reading the said constitution again, and after due consideration, proposed the following votes and amend- ments : viz.
In Chapter 2, Executive Powers, the latter clause of the 2d article, would propose the following amendment, viz. "Unless he shall declare himself to be of the Christian Protestant Re- formed religion."-The reason for this alteration is this, that it is our duty to keep the Executive Power free as possible from such principles of Religion as have heretofore been the Destruc- tion of many commonwealths. Again, we apprehend it no in- fringement on any man's conscience, because it does not oblige any person whatever to accept of the office but by his own free will and consent .- This article, with the amendment, was put to vote, there being 57 voters present, and it passed unanimously in the affirmative.
In Chapter 3, Judiciary Power, article first, would propose an amendment in the latter clause of the article, viz. "Provided, nevertheless, the Governor, with the consent of the Council shall remove them upon the address of both Houses of the Legislature." The reason for this is, because the Governor, as a single person, may be mistaken in his judgment, and more likely to be than both Houses of the Legislature. Therefore we are of opinion that the removal of persons from office lyeth safer in the hands of both Houses, than in one single person, however just his intention may
193
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
be .- The article, with the amendment, was put to vote, and it passed unanimously in the affirmative.
In Chapter 6, Form of Oath, &c., article first, it is the opinion of this town, that any person being chose Governor, senator, coun- cillor or representative, ought to declare himself to be of the Christian Protestant Reformed religion, and for the same reason as before given, as to the qualification of Governor. - This article passed in the affirmative unanimously.
In article 10, we strongly recommend the following addition, viz. "The General Court that shall be held in the year 1790, shall issue precepts to the several towns and plantations requiring them to choose delegates to meet in Convention some time in that year, which time and place of meeting shall be appointed by the said Court, in order to correct such deficiencies, and make such alterations in this Constitution, as from experience shall be found necessary ; the delegates to be chosen in the same manner and pro- portion as are the representatives to the lower branch of the Gen- eral Court." The reasons for this addition are : that we believe ten years will be sufficient to determine whether there is a necessity for any alteration or amendment in this constitution: and we think the General Court should order the convention and appoint time and place, rather than take the roundabout way of getting the sense of the people first, and then send out its precepts. If there shall be no need to alter or amend the Constitution by that time, we shall heart- ily rejoice, and be satisfied to pay the delegates on their return with- out doing any business-but that happiness we do not expect .- This article, as amended, passed unanimously in the affirmative.
It was then put to vote on the whole constitution, amended as above, and it passed in the affirmative, 56 for, and 1 against.
The town then ordered the following instructions to Mr. Joshua Shaw, delegate to the convention, viz. Sir : You are desired to use your utmost influence to get the foregoing amendments made in the Constitution. We do not wish to be singular in our senti- ments any further than is for the safety of the commonwealth. You will be careful not to endeavor to overthrow the present con- stitution at large, but only deliver the sense of the town on such articles as we have proposed. You are likewise desired to propose the addition of the following articles, viz. That for the ease, con- venience & benefit of the Inhabitants, all Licenses for Innholders & Retailers of spirituous liquors, may be given by selectmen in the several towns, where such license is to be recognized: Also that all deeds & conveyances of land be recorded in the several towns where the lands lie. The state of Connecticut has for a long
-
194
HISTORY OF PALMER.
time practised on this plan, and finds it by experience to be a great privilege.
JOHN SMITH, ROBERT FERREL,
JOHN QUINTON, SAMUEL SHAW,
Selectmen of Palmer.
May 24, 1780. At a meeting of freeholders and other inhabit- ants of Palmer, it was put to vote whether this town should send a representative to the General Court to be held at Boston this present year, and it passed in the negative. This applied to the spring session, which was the last one held under the old form of government. A new order of things began in September.
1780. June 5, an order was issued for a new levy of men for the army. And at a meeting of the town June 15, it was voted "that the six commissioned officers of militia be a committee to agree with the men now called for, as reasonable as possible in re- spect to their hire, which sum shall be allowed by the town."
The following men were engaged : Daniel Rogers, David Mc- Clintock, James Cummings, Luke Hitchcock, John Moore.
June 22, a draft was made on this town for 12 men from the militia, for 3 months service, to re-inforce the Continental army.
The town directed the commissioned officers of militia"to hire the 12 men called for ; authorizing the selectmen to borrow money to pay them, and pledged the town " to make good the money bor- rowed as it was when they borrowed it."
The men hired were : John Adams, James Averill, Jun., Joseph Bacon, Jesse Elwell, John Gardner, John Gibson, Moses Graves, James Lamberton, Norris Linsey, Peter Lovejoy, John Spear, John Duglass. They joined Capt. Joseph Browning's company in Col. Seth Murray's Regt., and were out July 4 to Oct. 10.
June 23. Orders were issued requiring the town to draft two men for 6 months service in the army. The two men sent under this order were :
Benjamin Brooks, marched July 6, discharged Dec. 16; travel allowed, 150 miles; time of service, 5 mos. 19 days ; wages, £11, 5, 6.
Benjamin Hooker, marched July 6, discharged Jan. 11 ; travel allowed, 150 miles ; time of service, 6 mos. 14 days ; wages, £12, 18, 0.
They were attached to Capt. Frothingham's Artillery company.
Aug. 8. The town Voted that £1130, 6, 15, be allowed to the selectmen for money paid and their obligation given to the soldiers raised, agreeable to the Resolves bearing date June 5th, 22d and 23d, 1780.
195
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
As will be seen, the number of men raised did not fill the calls. There was a deficiency of 5 under the first call, and more under a call of June 12. And at a meeting Sept. 14 the committee was directed to try further to procure the full quotas; " and if said committee cannot procure the said men, the town of Palmer will defend sª committee from any fines that ever may arise for not se- curing sª men."
Three more men were secured, viz., John Hackett, Abner Smith and James Walker. They enlisted for six months.
In justice it should be said that at this date the town had 8 men in the service who enlisted for the war-some of them enlisting during the last year. And they appear to have counted no more than the Three Years men, in the credits allowed by the State officials.
Election of State Officers. The new constitution having been agreed to by a large majority of the towns, Monday, Sept. 4th, was assigned for the election by the people of Governor, Lieut. Governor and Senators.
At the meeting in Palmer the votes were as follows :
For Governor-John Hancock had 21 votes.
James Bowdoin had 2 votes.
For Lt. Governor-James Bowdoin had 21 votes.
Dr. Samuel Holton had 3 votes.
For Senators-Joseph Hawley had 21 votes. Timothy Danielson had 16 votes. Dr. Samuel Mather had 18 votes.
Oct. 12. " Capt. David Spear was chosen representative for the Town of Palmer to attend the General Court this present term."
" Voted 555 dollars to Lieut. Joshua Shaw for his expenses, &c. attending the Convention at Boston in order to establish a consti- tution for this State."
Beef for the Army. Urijah Ward, John Quinton and James Smith were appointed, Oct. 12, to purchase cattle or beef for the army, as ordered by the General Court. They paid 4 pounds per hundred weight, and the town granted 7,300 pounds in remunera- tion for the same.
Dec. 2. The term of the First Three Years men being about to expire, the General Court ordered the raising of a new levy, to serve for three years, or during the war. The quota of Palmer was ten. At a town meeting held Dec. 26 it was voted "that Lieut. Wm. Scott, John Thomson, John Quinton, Thomas McClanathan and Samuel Shaw be authorized to inlist ten men for Three Years, or for the continuance of the war with Gt.
196
HISTORY OF PALMER.
Britain, for supplying or filling up the Continental army. Said committee is hereby directed to agree with each man so hired or inlisted, on as cheap terms as they can, and give each of said men a certificate for the hire or sum agreed upon on the treasurer of this town, who is hereby ordered to pay said certificate within the space of one month after the date thereof."
Notwithstanding the large bounty offered, the filling up of the quota was the work of several months. Men had grown tired of war. The glamour and fascination of adventure had passed, the early enthusiasm had subsided, and the stern reality of hardship and exposure had taken their place.
DESCRIPTIVE LIST of the Last Three Years Men enlisted by the Town of Palmer :
Com-
Name.
Date. Mar. 22, '81
Age. plexion. 46 dark
Stature.
Barnabas Evens
Robert Brown
Apr. 7, “
35
5 €
5 ft. 8 in. 8.“
John Douglas
11, "
21
light 66
6.“ 5 “ 5 "
3 4 4 1
10
Peter Lovejoy
May 14, “
39
fresh
5 " 10 “
Primus Jackall
July 5, “
24
black
5 ' 5 4 CO
1 "
Pelatiah McGoldsmith
Lebbeus Paine
31, " 20 Feb. 22, '82 -
-
The bounties paid to these men were as follows : To Jackall (who was a slave), £100 14 silver money ; to Goldsmith (also a slave*), £92 10 silver money ; to Paine, £92 silver money ; to each of the others, £90 hard money; making a total of £916 14 shillings in silver paid the ten men. In addition, each man received 18 Continental dollars for rations.
The following paper has historical value in this connection :
" March 20, 1781. I humbly desire you Gentlemen of Palmer, that you would be so good as to abate my Rates: For I think that I am very much wronged in paying my part for all these [ten] men that are raised for the War, when I have had one son in the war four years and now going on six years, and never received one penny of the Town-besides John and William have been out a great many times.
I think I have done more in the war than any of you, so I hope you will
* It appears that the owners of these slaves afterwards claimed compensation for their services. And the next year the town " voted £128 19 0 for to pay for the two Negroes that the town has sent into the Three Years service." In 1784 the case was before the court at Northampton. And a town meeting was called " To see what the town will do about the Negro man Primus, that Capt. Watson bought of Mr. Bardwell of Belchertown, to serve in the army: Also Peltiah Goldsmith, bought of Maj. Aaron Graves, for the same purpose." Dea. John Smith was appointed agent to act for the town. The result is not recorded.
Moses Tinney
12, “
16
Samuel Fisher
12, "
16
Pelatiah Morgan
66 24, “
16
5 4
Occupation. carpenter farmer
197
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
take it into consideration, I being poor, and have nothing to pay with. I think I am free from all rates, both by the laws of God and man, for I am now in my seventy-first year of age, and am not able to work as I have done.
Your humble petitioner
JAMES CARLYLE."
The terms of enlistment of the above-named John and William Carlyle have not been found, but their names should be added to our list of soldiers.
Beef. Dec. 4. The General Court issued orders for a new supply of beef for the army. The amount required of Palmer was 9331 lbs .: and Jan. 16,'82 the town appropriated 12,596 pounds 17 shillings to purchase the same. The sum above named was in the depreciated currency of that date. And the extent of this depreciation is indicated by the following vote at the ensuing March meeting : "Voted £1000 to be worked out on the highways the present year, at 20 dollars per day." The usual annual grant was £60.
1781 .- April 2. Vote for State officers.
For Governor, John Hancock, 20
Benjamin Lincoln, 5
Lieut. Governor, Thomas Cushing, 26
Representative, "Voted not to send this year."
Beef. "Voted that the town will purchase the monthly supply of beef for the army, that is called for by the General Court.
"Voted £78 in silver money for purchasing the six months supply of beef.
Clothing for the army. "Voted that the selectmen provide ye clothing for the soldiers, agreeable to the orders of the General Court." And £28 was appropriated to pay for the same.
Orders were issued to the town, requiring that seven men be en- listed for three months service in the army. And Aug. 2, the town voted to pay £4 per month to each man that shall enlist. The list has not been found.
POLLS, VALUATION, etc., of Palmer, 1781.
Number of Polls,
180
Number of Houses, 168
Number of Barns,
80
Number of Stores, etc.,
16
Number of Mills,
4
Number of Horses,
161
Number of Oxen,
176
Number of Steers,
338
Number of Cows,
350
198
HISTORY OF PALMER.
Number of Sheep, 1363
Number of Swine, 262
Number of barrels of cider made, 400
Acres of mowing & tillage land,
436
Acres of meadow,
850
Acres of Pasturage,
450
Acres of Woodland,
11,485
Oz. of Plate,
97
Coaches, value of £20.
Money at interest & on hand, £500.
1782 .- The surrender of Cornwallis and the British army, at Yorktown, Oct. 19th of last year, virtually closed the war ; though drafts and enlistments continued on a small scale.
In March, Palmer was ordered to furnish 3 men for the conti- nental army, and Urijah Ward was appointed a committee to hire the men. He did not succeed. And at a meeting June 11, it was " Voted that the Town of Palmer be classed into three classes by the assessors, to hire the three men now called for." Classing. The rule was for the assessors to group the taxpayers, equitably, into as many classes as there were men to be raised ; and each class was taxed to raise one man, and pay him the stipulated bounty. It was a just method ; and in practice was found to be very efficient. Quite commonly a class would secure one of their own number.
Vote for State officers, April 1, 1782.
For Governor, Benjamin Lincoln, 32 John Hancock, 5
For Lieut. Governor, Thomas Cushing, 19 Joseph Hawley, 13 May 6. Capt. David Spear was chosen representative for the town for the present year.
SUMMARY .- List of men belonging to Palmer, who enlisted For the War, and served to its close.
Name.
Sergt. Gideon Graves, Mar. 20, '77,
Enlisted. Company. Capt. Seward,
Regt. 3d Regt. Artillery. 66
John Bruster, Mar. 20, '77,
Jona. Blunt, Mar. 22, '77,
Jona. Carley,
Francis Lemmon,
John Crawfoot, Oct. '79, .
Sergt. Israel Loomis, Nov. 20, '79, Capt. Seward,
3d Regt. Artillery. 3d Mass. Inf.
James Carlisle,* Dec. 20, '79,
66 7th Mass. Inf.
* From his father's statement it appears that James Carlyle enlisted in the Eight Months' service ; was one of the first to sign with the Three Years Men in 1777; and enlisted "For the War," as above.
199
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
Under a Resolve of the Mass. Legislature of March 5, 1801, these men were entitled to draw $20, or 200 acres of land.
Jona. Carley, who settled in Greenfield, drew as above.
John Crawfoot, settled in Bennington, Vt., and drew as above. Gideon Graves, lived in Palmer, and drew as above.
AFTER THE WAR .- The disturbance of society, in its productive, manufacturing and commercial interests, caused by and incident to eight years of revolutionary war, was radical and far-reaching. The old order of things was broken up, and new elements of pur- pose and power were introduced, or forced themselves into posi- tion.
The expedients resorted to to meet emergencies had upset estab- lished codes of morals and codes of honor, and helped to make pop- ular the dangerous maxim that "the end justifies the means."
The expenses of the war, the depreciation of the paper issues of money, the heavy taxation, and the extent of town and individual debts, began, two or three years before the close of the war, to awaken a spirit of popular discontent in Massachusetts. Every- body was behindhand. Real estate was unsalable ; provisions and clothing were scarce and dear ; the hard money had gone for public uses, and paper bills had lost their credit. The soldiers came home poor, many of them sick, most of them with plans of life deranged, and with discouraging prospects for the future. The state levied taxes ; and the town levied taxes ; and real estate owners were called to bear the heaviest burden of this direct taxation. The farmer could not conceal his farm from the assessor, or the tax-gatherer, or the sheriff. And this pressure upon the agricultural industry accounts for the distress, and disorders, and opposition to state taxes, which showed itself in the central and western counties, and ripened into open resistance. Demagogues and adventurers-al- ways the product of " hard times "-took advantage of these un- settled and irritating conditions to stir up strife, and gain notoriety and influence. The culmination of affairs, in this region, was what is known in history as the "Shays Rebellion."
That the burdens were heavy, no one can doubt ; that the public grievances were real, and the individual and social embarrassments were oppressive ; that might asserted its right without due regard to equity ; and that self-protection often pointed to the shortest way to secure its ends, is undeniable. Everybody attempted to en- force the collection of debts ; and the strife was, who should get in his attachment first. The state sued the town ; the town sued the tax-payer; the tax-payer sued each his neighbor. Lawyers and
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
sheriffs were kept busy in drawing up and serving writs and sum- mons.
And a sentiment pervaded the community that existing laws were defective, and their administration unequal ; and that redress must come from new laws and a reformed administration. There was little agreement as to what precise changes were necessary, and what statutes would correct prevalent evils. But there was a wide- spread feeling that the innumerable executions against persons and property then in the hands of sheriffs, must be stayed until a plan of relief could be devised. The first step then was to prevent the sitting of the county courts. This was revolutionary. The second step was to call county conventions, to discuss grievances, and formulate demands, and create or fire a public sentiment which would influence the state government. This was legitimate.
In July, 1782, government attempted to meliorate evils, and con- ciliate the popular clamor, by passing the " Tender Act," which made neat cattle and other articles of personal property a legal tender.
It was intended to work in the interest of private debtors ; but it increased rather than cured the evil. By its ex post facto opera- tion, and suspension of existing law-suits, it complicated all ques- tions of debt and credit. It lived just long enough to prove its injustice to the creditor class, and its negative relief to the debtor.
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