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 20
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The first outbreak in Hampshire county occurred in the preceding April. Samuel Ely, of Somers, Ct., a deposed preacher, and lead- ing agitator, got together a so-called convention at Northampton, at the time when the Supreme Judicial Court and the Court of Common Pleas were holding sessions there. For an attempt to pre- vent the sitting of the Court of Common Pleas and for disturbing the peace generally, Ely was arrested, and pleading guilty to the in- dictment against him, was condemned to a term of imprisonment. He had won the confidence of a large number of adherents, some of them men of good standing in civil and military life; and, watching their opportunity, a band of his friends attacked the jail and re- leased him. Three persons, believed to be ringleaders in the rescue, were arrested and committed to jail in Northampton. These were Capt. Abel Dinsmore, Lieut. Paul King and Lieut. Perez Bard- well. And it was proclaimed that they would be held as hostages till the body of Ely was delivered to the sheriff. The three per- sons arrested were military men, who had seen large service in the war, and the spirit of their old comrades in arms was aroused, and about three hundred of their friends assembled at Hatfield, under Capt. Reuben Dickinson as leader. Sheriff Porter of Hadley
201
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
called out twelve hundred of the militia for the protection of the jail. After maturing his plans, having received a large reinforce- ment, all well armed, Capt. Dickinson sent three messengers to Northampton, June 15, proposing that the sheriff should send a committee to meet him at a place one mile from the jail, in two and a half hours from the delivery of the message. The sheriff declined acceding to the demand. The next morning Capt. Dick- inson sent the following pretty explicit note :-
"The demands of our body are as follows : That you bring the prisoners now in jail, viz., Capt. Dinsmore, Lieut. King and Lieut. Bardwell, forth- with: That you deliver up Deacon Wells' bonds, and any other that may be given in consequence of the recent disturbance. The above men to be de- livered on the parade, now in our possession ; the return to be made in half an hour."
It was a trying position for the sheriff. He had with him in front of the jail about 600 militia, well armed and resolute ; Capt. Dickinson had an equal number of well armed and determined men, ready to obey the command of their leader. The wisdom and prudence of General Porter averted a bloody conflict. He released the three hostages, on their parole of honor, they agreeing to de- liver the body of Ely to the sheriff, or in default thereof, their own bodies on the order of the General Court. In after years, General Porter was greatly blamed for his conduct in the matter, and no end of opprobrious adjectives was affixed to his name. But the General Court, at its session in November, emphatically endorsed his course, and granted a pardon to all concerned in the affair, ex- cept Ely.
The following regimental Return has reference to the troops called out on this occasion ; and of a similar call for a like purpose two years later :
PAY ROLL of the Field and Staff Officers of the First Regt. of the County of Hampshire, two tours, to Northampton, June 12 to 16, 1782, in support of the Government, and one to Springfield in Sept., 1784, by request of the High Sheriff of the County.
Col. Gideon Burt, Longmeadow, pay £9 2s. 8d.
Lt. Col. Reuben Munn, Monson, 5 0 8
Maj. Aaron Graves, Palmer, 4 5 1 Surgeon Thomas Anderson, 4 16 8 Sergt. Maj. Joseph Moffatt, 4 16 8
Qr. Mr. Israel Trask,
4 16 8 Surg. Mate Thomas Wallis, Adjt. Jonathan Burt,
4 5
4 16 8 8
202
HISTORY OF PALMER.
Conventions. A chief means relied on to influence public opinion and secure concert of action was the holding of conventions, com- posed of delegates chosen by the towns of a smaller circuit, or of the whole county. These Conventions met at Deerfield, Hatfield and Hadley, in the Connecticut valley, and at Worcester. Their spirit and object may be inferred from the wording of the "call " of one of them : " To take into consideration the deplorable situa- tion the people of this County and the Commonwealth are in, and the more deplorable situation they are soon like to be in, by reason of the very great scarcity of a circulating medium."
Palmer was represented in several of these larger Conventions. Dea. John McMaster was sent as a delegate to a county convention held at the house of Capt. Seth Murray in Hatfield, Oct. 20, 1783. This body was moderate and judicious in the expression of its views, recommending that the good people of the county strive to acquire by industry in their several callings the money necessary for the payment of their taxes, but expressing the opinion that it would be impossible for them to do so as quickly as the Government demanded.
In the warrant for a town meeting Aug. 3, 1784, was an article "to see what method the town thinks proper to be taken with respect to the several executions now against this town served and immediately to be served." "Voted that the town choose a man to go up to Colonel Porter (the sheriff) to see whether the execution that is in Maj. Dwight's hands be stayed for the present. Voted that Lieut. Wm. Scott be the man." "Voted that John Thomson, Robert Ferrell, Robert Hunter, John Allan McElwain and Tim- othy Ferrell be a committee, that in case the execution in the hands of the sheriff from the State Treasurer cannot be stayed, then and in that case the said committee give bonds to the consta- bles against whom the executions lie, to save them harmless from all losses, costs and damages they or either of them may sustain by reason of their not collecting the said taxes, they using all reason- able measures they can think necessary for collecting the same." "Voted £0, 8, 4 to Maj. Aaron Graves for his execution that he has paid for the suit that was commenced against him, supposing that the suit be stayed, and likewise interest on his money till paid."
Feb. 1, 1785. "Voted, that if Joseph Darling, now in custody, will give the selectmen of the town of Palmer his obligation that he will pay his taxes to them, the said selectmen shall release the said Darling from his present confinement."
Feb. 1, 1786. "Voted, that Landlord John Thomson, Maj. Aaron Graves, Francis Brackenridge, Dea. John McMaster and
203
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
Lieut. Joshua Shaw be a committee to deliberate on the mat- ter and to give our representative his Instructions as to having a Bank of Paper Money made in this State to discharge our State Debts.
"Voted, that there should be a Sinking Fund of Paper Money in this State, and that said Fund of money should sink one shilling on the pound. Voted, that if this Sinking Fund of money should not take place, that then all real and personal estate should be a legal tender to answer all executions."
Capt. David Spear was sent as a delegate to a Convention at Hatfield last year. Capt. Spear was also chosen delegate to a County Convention to be held at the house of Col. Seth Murray, in Hatfield, the second Tuesday of May, 1786.
Lieut. Thomas McClanathan was sent as a delegate to a Conven- tion holden at the house of Elisha Cook, in Hadley, the first Tues- day in November, 1786.
Dec. 25, 1786. Capt. Sylvanus Walker, Lieut. Thomas McClan- athan, Robert Hunter, Joshua Parsons and William Man were ap- pointed a committee to take into consideration the Report of a Committee, Norman Clark, chairman, issued by a Convention holden at Worcester December 7, instant." The committee's action is not recorded.
In the meantime active measures of resistance to the State authorities were in progress. Having exhausted the influence of conventions, the more daring of the malcontents resorted to the force of armed demonstrations. Among the prominent leaders were Capt. Francis Stone of North Brookfield, who really furnished the brains of the movement ; Col. Seth Murray of Hatfield ; Maj. Luke Day of West Springfield ; Capt. Daniel Shays of Pelham ; Capt. Eli Parsons of Berkshire. These men had all served with credit in the war of the Revolution, and had great influence over the common people. A body of the insurgents had prevented the holding of the Court of the Common Pleas at Great Barrington, in August. In September, the Supreme Judicial Court at Spring- field was virtually prevented from sitting. The December sessions of the Courts at Worcester were broken up by the presence of about 1,000 armed men under Capt. Shays.
It was plain, alike to the State Government, and the insurgent leaders, that the time for decisive action had come, and both made ready. The Governor ordered Maj. General Lincoln to raise 4,000 troops from the eastern counties, and hold them in readiness for emergency. They were destined for service in Worcester, and Lin- coln was given authority to act as occasion required. The loyal
204
HISTORY OF PALMER.
Hampshire militia men were ordered to report at Springfield to Gen. Shepard, for the protection of the Arsenal. This corps numbered about 1,100, and had several field pieces. Maj. Day, was posted at West Springfield, where he had gathered about 400 insurgents. Parsons was at Chicopee, and had with him about 400 men. Shays was at Pelham, and wherever his presence was most needed. He was the acknowledged leader of the cause, though Day was the abler man and better posted in military tactics, and was really am- bitious of the chief command.
Palmer was on the great road from Worcester to Springfield, and in ready communication with the Hampshire towns on the north, and the disaffected towns of Hardwick, Rutland and Petersham towards the east. It was a convenient point from which to watch the troops coming from the Bay ; and to make a descent on the Arsenal at Springfield-the rifling of which was a cherished object of the insurgents. About the middle of January, 1787, Capt. Shays appear upon the scene ; and promptly issued orders for his adherents in southern Hampshire to rendezvous at Palmer. He him- self joined them here on the 21st or 22d. On the 23d he was here in command of a force of not less than 1,000 men. At a council of war held that day, it was decided to join Day's forces then rest- ing at West Springfield, and Parsons' division of 400 men at Chic- opee, and then attack the Arsenal. The plan leaked out ; and Maj. Aaron Graves hurried to Worcester to inform Gen. Lincoln, who was there in camp. Shays marched to Wilbraham on the 24th ; and started for Springfield the next morning. At the same hour, Deputy Sheriff Asaph King started on horseback to notify Gen. Shepard, then in command at S. The snow was covered with a hard crust, and King rode much of the way across lots, the blood streaming from his horse's legs at every step. He got in a considerable time before the insurgents. Shays appeared in the afternoon, and marched steadily towards the Arsenal. Shepard fired his cannon to the right and the left, and over the heads of the advancing column. He then fired point-blank at the head of the column, when three of the insurgents, viz. Ezekiel Root and Ariel Webster of Gill, and Jabez Spicer of Leyden fell dead, and John Hunter of Shelburne fell mortally wounded. Shays and his men turned and fled in confusion, without firing a gun, or caring for their dead and dying comrades.
This proved the death-blow of the Rebellion.
Tradition says that some Palmer men were in active sympathy with the Shays party, and joined the ranks of the insurgents. But their names are not preserved, in any authentic record.
205
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
At the close of the year 1787, Palmer was in debt to the amount of £79.9.
TAX PAYERS, 1786.
The following list of tax payers of Palmer of this date is here presented, to show the changes in family names since the early set- tlement of the place. Many families have disappeared and new ones have come in. The list has also historical and genealogical value, as indicating the then residence of men who, at an earlier and later date, are found as tax payers in other towns.
Names.
No. Polls.
Names.
No. Polls.
Abbott, Samuel
1
Coy, Nehemiah
1
Adams, Andrew
2 Crouch, Aaron
1
wid. Ann
Cummings, Isaac
2
John
1
Jacob
1
Averill, James
1
66 Solomon
1
Bacon, Joseph
1
Darling, Elisha
1
Simeon
1
66 Enoch
1
66 Thomas
1
66 Ichabod
1
66
wid.
66 Joseph
1
Bachelor, John
1
Elwell, Harris
1
Nehemiah
1
Jesse
1
Baldwin, Rev. Moses
1
Evans, Barnabas Ferrell, Elisha
1
Beckworth, Jabez 66 Joseph
1
Isaac
1
Bettis, Andrew
1
Josiah
1
Bishop, Joel
1
Robert's heirs
1
Blackmar, Joseph
1
Simeon
1
Lemuel
2
Timothy
2
Stephen
1
Ferry, Judah
2
66 Thomas
1
Fisher, John
2
Blair, William
1
Fleming, David
2
Brackenridge, Francis
1
66 David, Jun. 1
George
2
William
2
James
1 Fosket, Joshua
1
Brainard, Timothy
Gardner, John
1
Bratten, David
1 Gates, Ephraim
1
Brown, Edward
1 Gibson, John
1
John
1
Graham, Jesse
1
Robert
2
Graves, Maj. Aaron
1
Chapin, Joseph
2
Daniel
2
Luke
1
Gideon
1
Cleaveland, David
1
66 Simeon
2
Elisha
1
Griggs, Lemuel
1
Hopestill
2 Hale, Samuel 1
Cooley, Jonathan
1 Hamilton, Asa
1
Zadock
1 James
3
1
1
206
HISTORY OF PALMER.
Names.
No. Polls.
Names.
No. Polls.
Hamilton, John Hannum, Foster
4
McMichel, Robert
1
1
Merrett, Isaac
2
Haven, James
1
John
1
Hill, John
2
William
1
Thomas
1
Mirick, Aaron
2
Hitchcock, Luke 66 Winchester
1
Moors, David
2
Hoar, John
1
Hugh
1
Homes, Daniel
1
Jonathan
1
Hopkins, Ebenezer
1
66 Joseph
1
Hunter, Robert
3
Nelson, Aaron
1
Hutchinson, Benjamin
1
Parsons, Joshua
2
King, Benjamin
1
Robenson, William
1
David
2
Roberts, David
1
" wid. Deborah
1
66 Nathaniel
1
66
James
1
Rogers, John
1
66
Jesse
1
66 Nathaniel
2
66 John
2
Robins,
1
Moses
1
Rotch, Edward 66 William
1
Lamb, Dr. Jabez
1
Samson, Samuel
1
Lamberton, John
1 Scott, Dr. Calvin
1
66
John, Jun.
1
William
2
66
Seth
1
William, Jun.
1
Lewis, Diah
1
Shaw, Capt. David
1
Longworth, William
1
James
1
Lumbert, David
1
John
1
Lyons, James
1
66 Lieut. Joshua
2
Mann, William
2
Joshua, Jun.
1
McClanathan, Josiah
1
Moses
1
1
Noah
1
66
Thomas
1
66 Samuel
1
William
1
66 Seth
1
McDowell, William
1
66 William
1
McElwain, John Allen
1
Shearer, John
4
66
Roger
1
John, Jun.
1
66 Timothy 1
Joseph
1
McMaster, Hugh
Isaac
1
Simpson, Thomas
1
John
2 Sloan, Robert
1
66 John, Jun.
1
Smith, Benjamin
1
Joshua
1
wid. Elenor
1
Robert
2 Hugh
1
66 William
1 James
2
66 Reuben
1
Thomas
2
Isaac
1
66 Gideon
1
Quinton, Thomas
1
Samuel
3
Mixter, Phineas
1
1 Sherman, Prince
1
Samuel
Rutherford, wid. Hannah
1
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
207
Names.
No. Polls.
Names.
No. Polls.
Smith, James, Sen.
1
Trask, Rufus
1
James, Jun.
1
Underwood,
1
66
John
2
Walker, Capt. Sylvanus
1
John A.
1
Sylvanus, Jun.
1
John, 2d
1
Ward, Urijah
3
66
Jonathan
1
Watson, Capt. Patrick
1
Joseph
1
Whitney, Ebenezer
1
Robert
2
John
1
66
William
1
Whitoms, Isaac
1
Spear, Capt. David
3
Willey, Israel
1
David, Jun.
1
Joel
1
John
1
Judah
1
Stacy, Isaac
1
Williams, James
2
Thomson, Henry
2
Withington, Joseph
1
John
2
Wire, James
1
66
Noah
1
Wood, George
1
66
Robert
1
66 Hiram
1
Tilden, William
1
wid.
NON-RESIDENTS.
Burr (Timothy) & Clark (Seth),
mills
Cwee, William, land,
70 acres
Dwight, Joseph's heirs, land,
80
Josiah's heirs, land,
200
Eddy, Caleb's heirs, land,
90
66
Joshua, land,
99
Emery, Jonathan, land,
160
Gordon, William, land,
70
66
Jones, Joseph, land,
20
Moors, John's heirs, land,
20
Shaw, Erwin, land,
23
Simpson, Jonathan, land,
180
Stone, James, land,
100
Waldo, Daniel, land,
100
Wells, Samuel, land,
333
66
MISCELLANY. - The Hanging of Shaw. In the fall of 1770, William Shaw, a son of one of our good families, and a man of ex- citable temper, was committed to Springfield jail for debt. While at work with shoemaker's tools, a hot dispute arose between him and a fellow-prisoner named Earl, and Shaw struck him a fatal blow with a hammer. He suffered death upon the gallows at Springfield Dec. 13, 1770, Parson Baldwin of his native town preaching the customory sermon.
Wagons first named. Sept. 4, 1780, the town "voted 2 pounds 14 shillings to Samuel Kilborn for the use of his waggin for to con-
208
HISTORY OF PALMER.
vey a sick man from Palmer to Brimfield." A pleasure wagon was owned by Wilson Foster, father of John Foster, about 1808, and was then considered quite a rarity. Two wheeled chairs and chaises came into use at an earlier date.
Collector of Town Taxes. The custom prevailed from early times for the constables to act as collectors of taxes, and they were held accountable for all rates committed to them by the assessors, unless the town by special vote abated a person's tax. It some- times happened that singular complications arose from enforced collections, like the following : "Mar. 5, 1765. Voted, that the sum of one pound, 3 shill. 7 pence 3 farthings, being the whole of the rates assessed on Thomas McClintock for the year 1763, be abated, on account of the constable's taking his grain by distress, and the same grain being consumed in the burning of John King, Jun's house."
Prudent men were averse to accept the office, but the law pro- vided that every qualified voter should take office when duly elected, or pay a stipulated fine. If a constable failed to collect all the tax bills he was hardly dealt with, sometimes by levying on his property, and sometimes by imprisonment.
March 18, 1788, William McDowell was chosen "collector for the whole town of Palmer, and he is to receive four pence on the pound for collecting, and his fees is to be assessed on the town this year." Samuel Shaw was his bondsman. The "minister's rate " was a tax distinct from ordinary town taxes, and James Shaw, con- stable, was to collect that, as formerly. At the March meeting in 1793 the office of constable and collector was put up at vendue and struck off to William McDowell, he being the lowest bidder, at six pence on the pound. The town grant was 88 pounds 4 shillings.
Oct. 6, 1787, Mr. Aaron Mirick was chosen delegate to the Con- vention to be held in Boston the second Wednesday in January next to revise the Federal Constitution.
Warning Out of Town. To insure permanency of settlement of men of good morals and good repute, who would add to the pro- ductive capacity of the inhabitants, the custom prevailed generally throughout the Province of "warning out of town " all transient persons, and all who did not purchase real estate, and all strangers not vouched for by some taxpayer. And when a stranger came into a place ostensibly to take up residence, the citizen into whose family or tenement he came was required to give notice to the selectmen of the name of the person or persons, the town from whence he came, his pecuniary circumstances, and the date of his arrival. The town authorities would then, at their discretion,
209
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
allow him to remain, or order him to be " warned and cautioned as the law directs." A person so warned was prevented from gaining a "settlement," and the town escaped liability for his support. Many men thus "warned " by the constable took up permanent abode and became honorable citizens, and heads of distinguished families. Palmer often availed itself of the right in question, as appears from the following records :
Hampshire ss.
PALMER, Jan. 7, 1790.
To William McDowell, Constable :
You are in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Directed to warn and give notice unto Susanna Rogers, Benjamin Trim, Sharp Graves, Dinah Woodard and George H. Storer- Transient persons who have lately come into this town for the pur- pose of abiding there. Not having obtained the town's consent therefor, that each of the above named persons with their children (if any they have) depart the limits of said town (with others under them if any they have) within fifteen days. And of this precept, with your doings thereon, you are to make Return into the office of the Town Clerk within twenty days next coming, that such further proceedings may be had in the premises as the law directs.
Given under our hands and seal at Palmer aforesaid, this eleventh day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety.
AARON GRAVES, DAVID KING, JOHN THOMSON, THOMAS MCCLANATHAN,
Selectmen of Palmer.
"Hampshire ss.
Palmer, January 25, 1790.
By virtue of the within Warrant, I have warned and given notice unto Susanna Rogers, Benjamin Trim and his family, and Sharp Graves, transient persons, immediately to depart the limits of said town of Palmer, within fifteen days, as the law directs.
WM MCDOWELL, Constable."
In the following April others were "warned," viz., Samuel Ab- bott, wife and children; David Roberts, David Roberts, Jun .; James Stricklen with his wife and family ; John Brown with his wife and family; John Sweeney and wife; Dennis Sweeney and wife ; Diah Lewis and his wife and family.
June 14, 1791. William Mendum and Phebe, his wife, received a like warning and notice.
Nov. 3, 1791. The following were warned and notified, viz., Matthew Clark, wife and family ; Henry Stevens, wife and family;
210
HISTORY OF PALMER.
James Ferry, wife and family; Jesse Thayer, with his children and family; Anna Kibbe.
More Cloth. The article in the warrant of May 20, 1751, was "To see if this Society will bie a more cleuth & grant mony for that purpose, and allsoe to bie tulles to dige graves and chuse a man for that end." "Voted 3 pounds 9 shillings & four pence, lawful money in order to purchase the materials in said article therein contained." March 16, 1790, the town "Voted that Shadrick Thomson be appointed to take care of the meeting-house, the Moore Cloth, and the tools Belonging to the town for Diging the Graves." A similar vote was passed in 1792.
Jury Box. Oct. 18, 1791. "Voted and Actsepted of the Jury Box as now Regulated by the Selectmen, and accordingly chose a Comitte to select one Qurter part of the Number of Tickets layd befor the Town in Order to be put into a seperate Box Lyeble to be Drawn to serve as Jurors at the Supr™ Judictial Court - Ac- cordingly Lieut. David King, Lieut. James Smith, Capt. David Spear was chose a Comittee for the aforesaid purpose. Sª Com- itte withdrew and after a short time returned and Reported and was Accepted by the town and accordingly the Box was Prepared, Locked and Delivered as the Law Directs."
Weights and Measures. Jan. 17, 1791. The town Voted that the selectmen be authorized to purchase weights and measures for a standard to try others by in Palmer : that for Dry measure they buy a half-bushel, a peck, a half-peck and a two-quart measure ; for Liquor measure of pewter, a quart, a pint, a half-pint and a gill ; for Weights, a scale beam, a 4-pound weight, and so down to one ounce, in brass weights. Granted the sum of £2, to pay for the same, to be assessed in the first town rate that is made.
Cowee and Cook's Lands Set Off. July 15, 1794, " On the Peti- tion of Capt. William Cowee and Elizur Cook of Western, Dated May 7, 1794, Voted and Granted the request in said Petition, that their Land lying in Palmer and joining their Land in Western, be set off from the Town of Palmer, and annexed to the Town of Western."
PLAN OF THE TOWN .- Nov. 3, 1794. At a legal town meeting it was voted, "That Mr. Aaron Merrick, Lieut. James Smith and Maj. Aaron Graves be a committee to make out an accurate Plan of the Town of Palmer, agreeable to a late Law of this Common- wealth." The committee employed Admatha Blodget as surveyor, who made the necessary measurements and drew an outline map of the town, indicating boundary lines, the course of the rivers, the
211
PALMER A TOWN, 1776-1812.
mill-seats, the mountains, the old Post Road and the county high- ways. The committee's charges were as follows : James Smith, $7.30; Maj. Graves, $4; Mr. Merrick, $2.75. Probably these charges included the sum paid to Mr. Blodgett. The original Plan is now in the State Archives at Boston.
Guide Posts. May 20, 1795, Col. Ebenezer Webber, Isaac War- rin and Clark McMaster were appointed a committee for the pur- pose of setting up Guide Posts on all the public roads, as the law directs. This was promptly done, at a cost of $14.54.
Singing School. Nov. 13, 1797. The town voted to raise the sum of $40 " for the purpose of hireing a singing master to teach a singing school." In 1800, $30 was granted "for the support of psalmody," and Solomon Shaw was appointed committee to spend the money.
Justice of the Peace. By a good majority, the town voted May 29, 1798, to nominate Lieut. James Smith to the Governor and Council to be commissioned as justice of the peace. He declined the business. In the following November, John A. Smith was nominated for the office.
The Parade. Nov. 1, 1798, a committee, consisting of Clark McMaster, William King and Urijah Ward, was appointed "to clear the ground and make a Parade near the meeting-house-free of cost to the town." This Parade was a lot of about 4 acres lying north of the Meeting-house.
BURYING GROUNDS .- There is no doubt that the earliest burials of the dead at the Elbows Plantation, were on the land near " King's Row," now the South Cemetery. The first action on record, in relation to a public burial place, is under date of March 17, 1734-5, when it was voted, "That Steward Southgate, Barn- ard McNitt and Isaac Magoon, Jun., be a committee to pitch upon and lay out a piece of Land for a Burying place."
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