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 2
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THE BEAR TREE .- This venerable pine is standing in the front yard of Ridge's Food Factory, and to appearance is sound and
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
healthy. The tradition is, that in the time of the last Indian War, when men carried loaded firearms on all occasions, Deacon Thomas King, who lived on South Main street, started for meeting one Sabbath morning, armed as the law required, and on passing this spot spied a bear among the branches of this tree. Obeying a natural impulse, he fired and killed the dangerous beast. The law of self-preservation and the safety of his family and flocks required the deed, but the law of Sabbath observance was technically violated. The church took up the matter as a case of discipline, but in the end decided that it was a "work of necessity and mercy," and withheld censure.
It is an interesting fact that, in all deeds of this estate down to the present time, the Bear Tree is reserved from sale and transfer with the fee of the land.
The 79th Milestone is named in the town records, Nov. 3, 1794. It stood on the old Boston road, east of the house of Captain Converse.
CHAPTER II.
THE ELBOW TRACT-SETTLEMENT, 1716-1728.
WILDERNESS LAND-EARLIEST TOWNS IN OLD HAMPSHIRE-SPRINGFIELD, HADLEY, BROOKFIELD, BRIMFIELD-THE EQUIVALENT LANDS-FACE OF THE COUNTRY-HADLEY PATH-BAY PATH-INDIAN HISTORY-MENA- MESEEK-NAMES OF THE PLACE-DATE OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT- JOHN KING AND HIS MOTHER'S LETTER-THE SCOTCH, HOW AND WHY THEY EMIGRATED-REV. MR. ROYD'S MISSION-PETITION TO GOVERNOR SHUTE-THE FIRST COMERS TO THE ELBOWS, AND HOW THEY LIVED- LOG HOUSES -SCOTCH LINEN-COUNTRY PAY AND PRICES-DWIGHT'S PLAN OF 1723-JOSHUA LAMB AND COMPANY, THEIR CLAIM, AND HOW IT ENDED.
I N order to form a clear conception of the situation of things when our ancestors first made their pitch on the Elbow Tract, it is necessary to recall some historical facts of local and related in- terest. Although nearly a century had passed since the valley of the Connecticut was first visited by the English, yet actual settlements in this immediate region were few and scattered-confined to the river valley and a few isolated spots. The expressive term, " wilderness land," could still be appropriately applied to a considerable part of what is now Eastern Hampshire and Hampden, and Western Wor- cester counties. The Indian towns, once so numerous, were de- serted, and only their "remains" attested where the red men had their homes; but the stories of their barbarities and cruel orgies were the staple of fireside talk; the scars made by their arrows and hatchets were shown by surviving soldiers; the undefined dread of the lurking and revengeful savage "was in the air," and English homes were slow in taking their places.
Springfield was first settled in 1636, and took in the territory on the east side of the river, now covered by the town proper, Long- meadow, Wilbraham, Ludlow and Chicopee, but the inhabitants largely dwelt near the river.
Hadley was laid out and settled in 1659, and embraced the tract of land extending from the great falls above Springfield, twelve miles up the river and nine to the eastward, taking in, as was sup- posed, a part of Belchertown ; but settlements were confined to the river valley.
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
A grant of territory for a plantation at Brookfield was made in 1660, and some settlers came on that year. It contained a plat of six miles square-afterwards enlarged to eight miles square. But it had always been an isolated town,-the wayside inn of business and adventurous life, and the strategic point of offensive and defensive war.
A grant of eight miles square, embracing the towns of Brimfield, Monson, Wales and Holland, was made in 1701 to some of the principal inhabitants of Springfield, who came upon the ground September 22d of that year, and fixed upon a site for the town-plot, and returned. A few settlers came on soon afterwards and built houses-some to remain, others to return temporarily to Springfield. The plantation had, however, only got fairly under way, when John King made his pitch on the northerly side of the Quabaug.
These comprised the bona fide settlements on the east side of the Connecticut in our vicinity, at the period in question. Brookfield had once been destroyed by the Indians and deserted, and was just now attracting a rush of substantial inhabitants. Hadley and Springfield had been retarded in growth by the Indian wars, and the aggregate population of the four towns named probably did not exceed 2,000 in 1715.
THE EQUIVALENT LANDS .- An event which had an important bearing on the settlement of the Elbow Tract had but recently occurred, viz., the giving of a large tract of equivalent land by the Province of Massachusetts to the Province of Connecticut, to satisfy the latter's claim for encroachment on her proper bounds. The towns of Woodstock, Enfield and Suffield were originally settled by Massachusetts men, and by her permission, and that Province exer- cised jurisdiction-as she supposed rightfully-over the territory included therein. On running the north line of her Province as claimed under her charter, Connecticut found that the said line would take in the three towns named. Massachusetts refused to give them up. But after a long controversy, in 1713 an agreement was made between the two colonies, that the line should be run according to the charter. Massachusetts was to retain jurisdiction over the towns already settled by her, and was to grant as an equiv- alent as many acres of unimproved land to Connecticut. On running the line it was found to strike the Connecticut river at a point ninety rods north of the northeast bounds of Suffield, so that Massachusetts had encroached upon Connecticut soil to the amount of 107,793 acres. In 1715 two men from Connecticut and one from Massachu- setts laid out for Connecticut the 107,793 acres, viz., 51,850 acres
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THE ELBOW TRACT-SETTLEMENT, 1716-1728.
east of Hadley, afterwards included in the towns of Belchertown and Pelham ; 10,000 acres, afterwards included in Ware; and 43,943 acres at Coasset, in the neighborhood of Brattleboro', Vt., Massachusetts then exercising jurisdiction of the southern part of Vermont and New Hampshire.
This whole number of acres was advertised by the agents of Con- necticut in sixteen shares, and sold at auction in Hartford in April, 1716, to various parties for 683 pounds N. E. currency, or a trifle more than three halfpence per acre. The money went into the funds of Yale College.
The towns of Suffield, Enfield and Woodstock continued in Massa- chusetts till 1747, when they refused longer to pay the taxes levied by that state, and on their petition the General Assembly of Con- necticut agreed to take them under her jurisdiction, and they were so received in 1749. No records have been found to show that Connecticut offered any compensation to Massachusetts for this territory, notwithstanding the fact that she had received the full value of it in the exchange of lands in 1715.
Among the purchasers of these Equivalent Lands were Governor Belcher and John Read of Boston, Nathan Gould, deputy governor, and Peter Burr, one of the assistant judges of Connecticut. Gover- nor Belcher secured a large interest in the part known as Cold Spring, which, on its incorporation in 1761, was named Belchertown after him. John Read bought out Gould and Burr, and held what is known as "The Ten Thousand Acres," which is often referred to in our records, and which eventually became the western part of Ware.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY .- The forty years that had elapsed since King Philip's War, by which the Indian clans of Massachusetts had been dispossessed of their inheritance, and practically driven from their ancient dwelling places, had wrought important changes in the appearance of the country, chiefly in restoring it to its pri- meval condition, rather than bringing on evidences of civilization. The natives had the custom of burning over the lands annually, to destroy the underbrush and rank weeds and grass, and thus enable them the more readily to find game, and render travel from village to village and to their fishing places easier. These fires consumed the soft parts of fallen trees as well as the sprouts, and left only the large timber standing. Wet swamps were protected from the fires, as they were not set till after the fall rains, and consequently such swamps were densely wooded, and afforded a shelter for game of all kinds, and a hiding-place for the savages themselves in case
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
of need. They were also careful to protect their planting-fields, and the chestnut and white oak groves, for the sake of the nuts and acorns, valuable to them as a food supply.
Thus when the English first came to Massachusetts, they found the dry uplands free from underbrush and covered with only large trees, so that travel on horseback-the only method of land car- riage then in use-was feasible; the country wore an open park-like appearance, and the plains and meadows were ready for the plow and scythe. Wood, in his account written in 1634, says: "In many places divers acres are clear, so that one may ride a-hunting in most places of the land. There is no underwood, save in swamps and low grounds; for it being the custom of the Indians to burn the woods in November, when the grass is withered and leaves dried, it consumes all the underwood and rubbish." He further says that there is good fodder in the woodlands where the trees are thin; and in the spring the grass grows rapidly on the burnt lands.
The English settlers in many parts imitated the natives and burned over the outlands and commons, in order that their stock might find good pasturage. According to tradition, the Hadley men set fire to the hills of Pelham and Belchertown, where their cattle ranged; and the Brookfield settlers burnt over the lands in Ware, which thus obtained the name of "Brookfield pastures." This practice continued till Massachusetts passed a law in 1743 restraining such fires, on the ground that the burning of the woods greatly impoverishes the soil, prevents the increase of fire-wood and timber, and destroys fences.
At the period under consideration, the more secluded parts of the country had largely recovered from the effects of the annual bush-burnings. The hills and plains were assuming a more primi- tive aspect, and travel, except in the beaten paths and public high- ways, was difficult. From the scanty records extant, it is evident that the Elbow Tract was in the main well wooded. The early votes indicate that there was much old pine timber lying upon the ground, having fallen from age and the storms, and perhaps more remotely from the effects of the Indian fires; and that a pretty heavy growth of pine, sufficiently large for saw-logs, as well as young trees, was standing. There is also frequent mention of old oaks and chestnuts, fit for cutting into " bolts," to be cleft or split into clapboards and shingles. These bolts were from four to six feet long, and when worked up the clapboards were an inch thick on the back and ten to twelve inches wide. When laid as a single covering they were durable, but admitted the cold air somewhat
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THE ELBOW TRACT-SETTLEMENT, 1716-1728.
too freely. At one time the Massachusetts laws required that pine clapboards exposed for sale should be 4 feet 6 inches long, 5 inches broad, and § of an inch thick on the back, and be straight and well shaved. A law on the subject was enacted as late as 1783. It would appear, however, that the early settlers of Palmer built wholly of logs, with only the roof clapboarded or shingled; and after the saw mill was set up they made use mainly of sawed pine boards for covering their houses .* But the single boarding, un- matched, was at best a poor protection against cold winter storms. A few houses may have been boarded on the inside and ceiled, but they were the exception to the rule. And this accounts for the fact that the minister was allowed from 30 to 50 cords of wood as his yearly supply. Probably other families consumed as much.
It is, however, evident that the larger part of the hard woods, such as the various species of oak and walnut, which was of slow growth, and a very considerable part of the chestnuts and pines were comparatively small-" staddles " as they were called, and were esteemed for their prospective rather than their present value. And this rendered the clearing of lands a difficult and expensive process.
The impression which a stranger would be likely to receive on a first sight of the Elbow Tract, is probably accurately described by the General Court's committee, when they say in their report : "We find the greatest part of said land to be a Pine land, high hills and low valleys; the hills very poor and mean, the valleys pretty good." The meadows on the river banks were comparatively narrow, and the matted wild grasses and ferns and shrubs, left un- burnt for a series of years, were unsightly, and concealed the true character of the soil. And the contrast between them and the renovated plains and broader meadows of Brookfield and the Con- necticut valley was striking and repulsive.
At this date there were two established routes of travel through our territory, viz., the Hadley Path, which crossed it at the extreme north, and the Bay Path, which ran along the south bounds. The Hadley Path was marked out soon after 1660, or what is rendered probable by known circumstances, it followed an earlier Indian trail. It ran from Old Hadley to Quabaug, connecting the two settlements socially and commercially, and was the military road during King Philip's War, and continued the main line of travel between the
* It is a current tradition, that the first framed house in town was built by Seth Shaw about the year 1734. It stood in the Ware river valley, not far from Tackel's bridge. Mr. E. B. Gates took it down in 1836.
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
two points for near a century. It started from the plain on which West Brookfield village now stands, ran by the southwesterly corner of Wekabaug pond, thence in a northwesterly direction to near the northeast corner of Warren, thence directly over the top of Coy's hill, where was the famous Rich's tavern, crossed Ware river a short distance above the falls at Ware village, crossed Swift river not far from the bridge near the Samuel Lemmon place, thence passing near the centre of Belchertown, and so on the north side of the Hol- yoke range, crossing Fort river near the south end of Spruce hill, and so to Hadley street and Northampton. The Path for many years was only a " bridle-way" for men on horseback, and the streams were crossed at natural fordways. Perhaps the first attempt towards a bridge on this Path is indicated in the following order of Court in 1672 : "Ordered that John Smith of Hadley be directed to fell a tree across Swift river, for a foot-bridge, if any such be near at hand." Two years later the Court required the town of Hadley " to build at least a foot-bridge over Fort river on the way to Qua- baug." In 1676 a cart-bridge was built at the same place .*
The Bay Path was laid out in 1673, as appears from the following record : "At a county Court holden at Charlestown Dec. 23, 1673, John Stone, Sen., of Sudbury, John Woods of Marlborough, and Thomas Eams of Framingham, were appointed and impowered to lay out an highway for the use of the country leading from the house of John Livermore in Watertown, to a Horse Bridge (then being) near the house of Daniel Stone, Jun., and thence the nearest and best way to Marlborough, and thence to Quabaug." It ran from Watertown, through "Happy Hollow" in Sudbury (now Wayland), through the north part of Framingham to Marlborough centre, thence to Worcester and Brookfield, where it met the old Hadley Path, already described, and Mr. Pynchon's Path to Spring- field. Following this last named track, it crossed the river by Lewis' Milk Condensing Factory, thence running over the hill by the Patrick place, through Warren Old Centre to a point near the river, where it parted from Pynchon's track (which kept on the southerly side of the stream), crossed the river into Palmer below Powers Corner, and followed pretty nearly the old post road through the Depot Village, crossed the Quabaug again at the lower elbow, and so on to Springfield. The streams were crossed at natural ford- ways; a large tree was thrown across for foot travel, and later two trees laid side by side and covered with split timbers formed a horse-bridge for saddle and pack horses. Rude cart-bridges suc- ceeded in time.
* Judd's History of Hadley, p. 45.
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THE ELBOW TRACT-SETTLEMENT, 1716-1728.
This was the main line of travel for pleasure, adventure, and light traffic between Boston and Springfield [the transportation of heavy and bulky articles was made by the water route], and was an important factor in the movement of troops and commissary stores during the Indian wars. But it was not a finished road at the be- ginning of the 18th century, as is seen from the following petition : To his Excellency, Richard, Earl of Bellomont :
Wee the subscribers being very senceable of;the inconveniencys that may happen in as much as the stated Road to Conitticot especially Betwixt Wooster and Brookfield is very much incumbered with Trees ffallen and many Rocky Swamps and other impassable Obstructions to Travellers, Drovers and others, and hazzarding life or limb of both men and Horses and other Creatures to great Losses and Damages, Humbly propose that there bee a suteable allowance granted to repaire and amend sd Road, at least to the sum of - pounds, Out of the Publique Treasurie of this Province, which we humbly leave to consideration and Subscribe.
JOHN PYNCHON, SAML. PARTRIGG, JOHN CLARKE, ISAAC PHELPS, SAML. MARSH.
May 29, 1700.
The General Court voted the sum of £5, for mending the Road afore- said where it is needed, so that it be rendered passable : And the gentle- men Petitioners are appointed a committee to do the work.
Probably the road remained a hard one to travel after the £5 had been expended in repairs, and even up to the time when John King removed from Boston to the Elbows.
INDIAN OCCUPANCY .- In the earliest notices found in the Colony Records of the country hereabouts, there are references to at least three Indian trails which crossed the territory of Palmer-one in the eastern, one in the northern, and the other in the southern part. And this naturally leads us to inquire into the relation of the native red men to our soil.
No records have been found to show that any Indian clan laid claim to ownership of the land now included in the town of Palmer, or that any deed of transfer to the whites was executed. Indeed, the peculiar conformation of the ground shows its unfitness for a tribal dwelling-place, and its fitness for other purposes in the native economy. Inclosed within large streams, it was effectually isolated, while its broken and hilly character rendered it specially adapted for a breeding and hiding-place of game, and the numerous falls in the rivers pointed to it as of exceptional value as a fishing-place.
1
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
The Indians were wise in selecting spots for the different demands of their peculiar necessities. A site for a permanent village required a handy, never-failing spring of water, a stretch of plain land, easily worked, for planting-fields, and a commanding eminence for a de- fensive fort. For a spring encampment they chose a spot near the falls of a stream, where shad or salmon passed up to their spawning- grounds. The late summer and early autumn usually found them near their corn-fields, and, if given to roaming, for a winter home they chose a sheltered place, handy to oak and chestnut groves, and to swamps where deer and the larger game could be found.
Several important tribal dwelling-places are known to have existed in this neighborhood. Natural conditions indicate and historical records prove that considerable Indian villages were established at Chicopee and Springfield, and at Brimfield and Brookfield .* A large clan had a permanent wigwam-site in Ludlow. Single families had abiding places at detached points, within the circle of which these towns may be reckoned the circumference.
The old Trail from Woodstock, Ct., to the Great Falls at Holyoke crossed our territory. The "Old Connecticut Path" from Cam- bridge, the "Providence Path" from Mount Hope and the Narra- gansett country, and the "Nipmuck Path" from Norwich, met near Woodstock. A branch from here struck off to the northwest through Southbridge into Sturbridge, where it parted-one track going west past the lead mines to Springfield, the other keeping a northwesterly course, and crossing the Quinabaug river near Fiskdale, into Brimfield, through the Captain Abraham Charles farm, the Deacon Tarbell farm to the southerly slope of Indian hill, and passing just north of "Steerage Rock" to the Quabaug river, a short distance above the elbow, where it crossed into Palmer, and followed in the main the course of the Bay Path, crossing the river near Three Rivers village, and thence through Ludlow to the Great Falls. This continued to be a well-known Indian Path till after the close of Philip's War, and for much of the way was the white man's bridle-path, and later his cartway, till a settlement was begun on the Elbow Tract.
The trail through the eastern part of the Elbow Tract ran from the native village at Sherman's pond in Brimfield to the falls at Ware village, thus opening direct communication between the great planting-fields at the former place and the important salmon fishing- place at the latter. And both these trails centered at the Indian stronghold on Indian hill, known to early history as Quabaug Old Fort. This fort, situated in Brimfield, north of Sherman's pond
* For a detailed account of these last two villages, see "Temple's History of Brookfield."
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THE ELBOW TRACT-SETTLEMENT, 1716-1728.
and near the Warren line, is named in the contemporary records oftener than any of the neighboring native defences. But its exact location was unknown till the spot was discovered by the writer in 1885, while following the Indian trails. It was identified by de- scriptions of scouts and reports of spies sent out by the authorities at Boston, and by topographical measurements. Locally and his- torically, it is a place of great interest. Not less than four important native trails converged here, making it a central strategic point. It was a day's journey from Maanexit in Woodstock, and a like distance from Agawam, Chickuppe and the Great Falls, and less than half that distance from Quabaug. The products of the planting-grounds to the south could be stored here as provision against a time of need. Major John Pynchon, writing in 1675, says of the place : "Ashquoach lies somewhat southwest of our way to Brookfield, and about 23 miles from Springfield ; . the Indians have a great corn-field hard by on the southward side, and not far southward are more Indian corn-fields." The fort was set on the highest point of the hill, where is a rocky eminence, easily defended on all sides. The view in every direction was extensive, and a watchman could readily detect the approach of friend or foe. A spring of water- the essential adjunct of an Indian fort-comes out at the foot of the precipice. There is a good place for wigwams in the sheltered depressions on the southeasterly slope of the crown of the hill, and also lower down, on a kind of shelf extending easterly from the spring for thirty or forty rods. Both this shelf and the depressions above appear to have remained nearly bare of trees until a compara- tively recent period-a fact common to Indian wigwam sites.
The messengers and agents sent at different times by the English authorities to the Quabaugs, for one purpose or another, often men- tion their stop at Quabaug Old Fort, thus leaving us in no doubt as to what tribe the place belonged. It is especially memorable as the temporary refuge of King Philip, August 5, 1675, when on his flight from Pocasset, with a broken band of followers, in search of protec- tion and new allies.
The trail through the northern part of the Elbows was the con- tinuation of what is known as the " Nashaway Trail," leading from Lancaster to the Great Falls in the Connecticut river. It kept on the easterly side of Ware river, via the Menamesit villages to Potta- quattuck pond, where it crossed at the well-known fordway, and ran in nearly a west course, crossing Swift river some distance below Bondsville, and so by the north foot of Minechaug mountain in Ludlow to Chickuppe. This gave ready access to the noted fishing places at Ware village, the one at the outlet of Pottaquattuck pond,
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HISTORY OF PALMER.
the planting ground on the plain by Swift river, and reached with little deviation the great native rendezvous at Wallamanumps.
Of the tribes that occupied the lands bordering on the Quinebaug, Quabaug and Menamesick rivers before 1636 our knowledge is scanty. We know the names of their villages and their chieftains, but little of their numbers and public or private affairs. In his famous letter, dated Springfield, July 5, 1648, William Pynchon, speaking of some tribal outrages lately committed, says : "The first 3 that were murthered the last yere lived about 6 or 7 miles on this side Quabaug nerer us, [at Quabaug Old Fort] & the murtherers of them are known, as they affirm. And there are severall Smale Sachims of Quabaug; and in all nere places there are other smale Sachims ; no one Sachim doth rule all."
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