USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Whately > History of the town of Whately, Mass., including a narrative of leading events from the first planting of Hatfield, 1661-1899 : with family genealogies > Part 4
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CHAPTER IV.
AN INTERIM OF PEACE, 1678-1700. .
Among the names of interest, as connected with these an- nals, added to the list of settlers since our last enumeration, were those of Robert Bardwell, who is first introduced to the valley in a military capacity, Thomas Crafts, a refugee from Deerfield, earlier from Roxbury, Eleazer Frary of Medfield, Benjamin Wait, William Scott, probably from Waterbury or Farmington, Ct., Samuel Marsh from Hartford, Samuel Gillet from Windsor, John Wells from Stratford, Ct., and Dr. Thomas Hastings from Watertown.
The wastes of war had been great. With the loss of life and buildings, the neglect of the fields and the derangement of trade, everything had been set back. Farm employments had been so difficult and dangerous that only the necessaries of life had been obtained-no more had been attempted-and the brush and wild grasses had made encroachments and the fences were fallen down. In many respects it was like beginning anew. But though sorely crippled the settlers seem not to have been disheartened. They set themselves in earnest to repair the waste, re-establish their homes and add to their comfort and conveniences. Apple and quince trees were more commonly planted, and now, for the first time, houses were built on the "Hill," west of Mill River.
A larger breadth of land was put in corn, wheat, flax, and barley for malting was more commonly raised. The destruction of their sheep had made a scarcity of wool, and these agricul- tural products and malt were needed to meet the increased
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demand for taxes and as a medium of exchange for some for- eign luxuries which now, for the first time, appear to have been introduced into this part of the valley.
War always loosens the restraints and vitiates the simpler tastes of home life. It engenders a heedless, arrogant spirit, destructive alike of habits of economy and regard for the rights and feelings of others, and brings into play the more selfish passions. Its maxim is that "Might makes right," and hence too often, even in wars of necessity and defence, it comes to be an acknowledged principle that the end sanctifies the means. With the return of peace there usually comes a period of extrav- agance and lawlessness.
The quartering upon our people of so many officers and soldiers from the older settlements, many of them of the wealth- ier classes, had introduced new social ideas and awakened a desire for dress and other accompaniments of rank. These mil- itary men were looked upon as their saviors, and, of course, demanded their gratitude and kind consideration. They gladly shared with them their homes and the best provisions their straitened circumstances permitted. A petition sent to the Gen- eral Court by the friends of Rev. Mr. Russell of Hadley, whose house was the headquarters of the army, gives us some insight into this matter. They say:
"The chief gentlemen improved in the affairs of the war were entertained there, which called for provisions answerable, and was of the best to be had ; that he had to draw divers bar- rels of ale and much wine, and fruit suitable to the company ; and had no more credit for such company by the week or meal than other men [had] for ordinary entertainment."
Perhaps all could not command for their guests such meats and drinks, but there is no doubt that all furnished "The best - to be had." Very naturally these officers, especially the lower grades, who were brought more directly in contact with the peo- ple, instilled some of their own feelings and social theories into the minds of the young men and maidens. Very naturally the latter wanted to appear well in the eyes of the former and adopted some notions not exactly consistent with their present impoverished condition. Very naturally they coveted the lux- uries and copied the fashions prevalent at Boston and Hartford. Very naturally linsey-woolsey had to give place to silks, and laces and ornaments came to be regarded as essential to fully set off natural charms, to the great grief of staid old fathers and mothers and the offence of the magistrates.
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The laws of the colony which regulated matters of dress and ornament, and family expenses, and restrained excesses, have been much criticised and often held up to ridicule, and sometime adduced in proof of Puritan intolerance and narrow- mindedness. These early fathers certainly differed greatly in opinion from us, but they differed as greatly in condition. Per- haps in their circumstances they were as wise and tolerant as their children.
To show the grounds and reasons for their sumptuary laws, as understood by themselves, the act "Against excesse in appar- rell," passed 14 October, 1651, is here copied in full:
Although severall declarations and orders have bin made by this Courte against excesse in apparrell, both of men and weomen, which have not taken that effect as were to be desired, but, on the contrary, wee cannot but to our greife take notice that intollerable excesse and bravery hath crept in uppon us, and especially amongst people of mean condition, to the dishon- nor of God, the scandall of our profession, the consumption of estates, and altogether unsuiteable to our povertie ; and although we acknowledge it to be a matter of much difficultie, in regard to the blindnes of mens minds and the stubbornes of their willes, to sett downe exact rules to confine all sorts of persons, yett wee cannot but account it our duty to commend unto all sortes of persons the sober and moderate use of those blessings which, beyond expectation, the Lord hath bin pleased to afford unto us in this wilderness, and also to declare our utter detestation and dislike that men or weomen of meane condition should take uppon them the garbe of gentlemen, by wearing gold or silver lace or buttons,, or points at their knees, or to walk in greate bootes, or women of the same rancke to weare silke or tiffany hoodes or scarfes, which though allowable to persons of greater estates, or more liberall education, yett wee cannot but judge it intollerable in persons of such like condition; itt is therefore ordered by this Courte, and the authority thereof, that no per- son within this jurisdiction, of any of their relations depending uppon them, whose visible estates, reall and personall, shall not exceede the true and indiferent valew of two hundred pounds, shall wear any gold or silver lace, or gold and silver buttons, or any bone lace above two shillings pr. yard, or silk hoods, or scarfes, uppon the penaltie of tenn shillings for every such offence, and every such delinquent to be presented by the graund jury.
And forasmuch as distinct and particular rules in this case suiteable to the estate or quallitie of each person, cannot easily be given, itt is further ordered by the authoritie aforesaid, that the selectmen of every toune, or the major part of them, are heereby enabled and required from time to time to have regard and take notice of apparrell in any of the inhabitants of their
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severall tounes respectively, and whosoever they shall judge to exceede their rancks and abillities in the costlines or ffashion of their apparrell in any respect, especially in the wearing of rib- bons or greate bootes (leather being so scarce a commoditie in this countrie), lace pointes, &c. silke hoodes or scarfes, the selectinen aforesaid shall have power to assesse such persons so offending in any of the particulars above mentioned, in the country rates, at two hundred pounds estates, according to that proportion that such men use to pay to whom such apparrell is suiteable and allowed,-provided this lawe shall not extend to the restraint of any magistrate or publicke officer of the jurisdic- tion, their wives and children, who are left to their discretion in wearing of apparrell, or any settled millitary officer or souldier in the time of millitary service, or any other whose education and imploiments have bin above the ordinary degree, or whose estates have bin considerable, though now decaied.
Under this law, at the March term of the court for Hamp- shire county, 1676, "The jury presented sixty-eight persons, viz., thirty-eight wives and maids and thirty young men, some for wearing silk and that in a flaunting manner, and others for long hair and other extravagancies." Joseph Barnard and his wife Sarah, and his sister Sarah, Thomas Crafts, Jonathan Wells and the wife of Thomas Wells, Jr., "Were fined ten shil- lings."
In September, 1682, the selectmen of the five River towns were all "presented" to the Court for "Not assessing, according to law," those of the inhabitants of their several towns that "wore silk" and "Were excessive in their apparel."
But the public sentiment had undergone a change. The young man could fight the Indians as well as his father, and personal courage was a passport to favor; and the young men and young women combined and declared their independence. They-the young women-put on all the silks, scarfs and gold rings they could induce their brothers and beaux to purchase for them and defied the law! Of course the law was a dead letter.
There is another law of the colony, not often referred to but important, as showing the temper of the times, which I will quote in this connection. 'It will help explain some of the cus- toms of the early settlers, to be described more fully hereafter. It is the order of the court of 14 May, 1656, "Requiring ye improvement of all hands in spinning :"
This Court, taking into serious consideration the present streights and necessities that lye uppon the countrie in respect of cloathing, which is not like to be so plentifully supplied from
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forraigne parts as in times past, and not knowing any better way and meanes conduceable to our subsistence than the im- prooveing of as many hands as may be in spining woole, cot- ton, flax, &c.
Itt is therefore ordered by this Court and the authoritie thereof, that all hands not necessarily imploide on other occa- sions, as weomen, girles and boyes, shall and hereby are en- joyned to spinn according to their skills and abillitie; and that the selectmen in every toune doe consider the condition and capacitie of every family, and accordingly to assesse them at one or more spinners; and because several families are necessa- rily emploied the greatest part of theire time in other busines, yet, if opportunities were attended, some time might be spared at large by some of them for this worke, the said selectmen shall therefore assesse such families at half or a quarter of a spinner, according to theire capacities.
Secondly, that every one thus assessed for a whole spiner doe, after this present yeare, 1656, spinn, for thirty weekes every yeare, three pounds pr. weeke of linin, cotton or woollen, and so proportionably for half or quarter spinners, under the penal- tie ot twelve pence for every pound short; and the selectmen shall take speciall care of the execution of this order, which may be easily effected, by deviding their several tounes into tenn, six, five, and to appoint one of the tenn, six or five to take an account of theire division, and to certifie the selectmen if any are defective in what they are assessed, who shall im- proove the aforesaid penalties imposed upon such as are negli- gent, for the encouragement of those that are diligent in their labour.
This "mind" of the court was in force not latterly as a law, but as a custom, for nearly one hundred and fifty years.
As a further illustration of the condition of families in those early times and the convenience of housekeeping, and the kind and value of stock and tools upon a good farm, the inventory of Lieut. William Allis, taken Sept. 18, 1678, is herewith ap- pended:
In purse and apparrell,
£9
I3 O
Arms and ammunition,
6
I
Beds and their furniture,
9 5 O
Napkins and other linen,
2
Brass and pewter pieces,
O 5 IO O Iron utensils, 2
Cart and plow irons, chains, stilliards, 7 5 O
Tables, pitchforks, cushions, sythe,
I 19 O
Barrels, tubs, trays,
3 9
6
Woolen and linen yarne,
o
18
6
Several sorts of grain, flax,
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2 horses,
7
O
3 cows, 2 steers, 2 calves, I heifer,
20 O
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Swine and sheep,
£ 10
8
Houses and home lot,
100
Land in South meadow,
114
Land in Great and Little meadow,
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Land in Plain and Swamp,
20
O
Land in Quinepiake,
28
13
0
£496 06 6
PASTURES .- Cows and sheep were pastured on the "Com- mons" lying to the west and northwest of the street. Young stock of all kinds was "marked" and turned out to run at large. As soon as the cattle became sufficiently numerous, i. e., about 1680, a cow-herd was employed. An agreement is recorded by which a man agreed to keep the town herd from early in May to Sept. 29, for twelve shillings a week, payable in grain. He was to start the herd in the morning by the time the sun was an hour high, take them to good feed, watch them and bring them in seasonably at night.
The date, Sept. 29. is named because this was the time when all crops on the intervals were required to be gathered, and after which the proprietors pastured the cows in their enclosed fields until the snow fell. The care taken that none should be deprived of religious ordinances, is evinced in the vote of the town requiring every owner of cows or sheep to take his turn in tending the herd on the Sabbath. Thus giving the cow-herd or shepherd an equal share in the rest and privileges of holy time. Hatfield had two hundred and seventy-three sheep in 1691.
By a law of the colony a dog that bit or killed sheep was to be hanged. Usually the guilty dog was taken to the woods, a leaning staddle was bent down, and a cord was fastened to the top and to the dog's neck ; the elastic sapling then sprung back, with the dog dangling in the air. Sometimes both cats and dogs were hanged at the short end of the well-swipe, as is relat- ed by Sylvester Judd in the History of Hadley.
BASHAN .-- About this time, probably in 1682, the meadows lying north of Great meadow were divided and allotted among the inhabitants. No doubt the planters and mowers, as they worked close up to Little Pond, had often looked wishfully over the ridge to the goodly and fruitful land beyond. No wonder, as they saw its noble oaks and walnuts and its fat pasturage, they named it Bashan.
Like the other meadows, this tract was first divided into
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two parts, now known as Old Farms and West Farms and each of the then fifty-eight proprietors received a lot in both parts. Three or four houses were built on Bashan near this date. The cellar holes of two of these houses and stones used for the chim- neys may now, or could till recently, be seen on land of R. H. Belden, Esq.
One of these houses was "fortified," as appears from the records of 1695, but owing to their great distance from the vil- lage and the difficulty of getting to and fro, especially during the spring freshets, and their exposure to Indian assaults, they were abandoned for a time, perhaps permanently, about the time of the breaking out of the war of 1703.
When David Graves built in the Straits, thirty years later, some of the timbers from one of these Bashan houses was trans- ferred and used in the frame of his dwelling house (the old Stockbridge Tavern). Possibly the Bashan settlement was not finally abandoned till about 1728.
The Major Daniel Dennison grant, lying north of the Great Pond in Hatfield and extending one rod into said pond, contain- ing 500 acres, was given by his will to his daughter, Elizabeth, who married John Rogers of Ipswich, Mass. The will was dated 5 Nov., 1688. After she was a widow she sold the whole tract to William Arms for £100 in current money. It was bounded east on Great river, north on Bradstreet's grant, west on Hatfield commons and south on the Great meadows.
This was bought by Mr. Arms as an agent for a company of seven, viz .: William Arms, Joseph Field, Robert Bardwell, Samuel Field, Daniel Warner, Stephen Jennings and Samuel Gunn.
THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF COMMONS .--- Up to 1683 only a small portion of the lands in Hatfield township had been dis- tributed among the inhabitants. All the River meadows north of Bashan, and all the uplands west of the "Hill" and the Straits road, were lying common and used for general pasturage. But now these upland Commons were divided and apportioned among the settlers.
OCT. 21, 1684 .- " The town hath agreed to divide the Com- mons in the town (except what is reserved for home lots, sheep · pastures, etc., ) to every inhabitant, according to his present val- uation of estates ; and the said Commons shall be laid out in four divisions, the first to begin upon the plain behind the Mill and end at the northerly line of the uppermost lot laid out in
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Mill River swamp; the second to begin at the north side of the uppermost lot in the Mill River swamp and end at the north side of the town bounds; the third division to begin at the northwest side of the highway that goeth towards Northampton and from the hill commonly called Sandy Hill and end at the rising up of the side of the hill called the Chestnut mountain ; the fourth division to begin where the third division endeth and to end at the outside of the town bounds."
As will appear from this vote, the whole territory lying westof the River meadows was marked off into two parallelo- grams, one embracing the land between the said River meadows and Chestnut plain road, and the other the tract west of this road. These main divisions were then cut by an east and west line running nearly parallel to though not coincident with the present south line of Whately. The whole of the second and fourth, and nine lots in the third division, also nine lots in the first division lay in Whately.
Each Hatfield inhabitant then holding real and ratable estate, sixty-nine in number, received a lot in each of the four divisions. The principle of distribution, i. e., the size of each man's lot was, "According to the present valuation of estates." This, of course, made great diversity in the size of the lots. The allotment thus made in 1684 was confirmed in 1716, and re- confirmed in 1735.
The eastern boundary of the second division of Commons was very irregular. For a short distance, it ran on the bank west of the wet swamp, afterwards called Hopewell; then on the west line of the Gov. Bradstreet farm; and from the north line of this farm to the north line of the town it extended to the Connecticut river.
After the division of the Commons according to the vote of the town of Hatfield, passed 21 Oct., 1684, confirmed in 1716, and reconfirmed in 1735, it was discovered that after settling the boundary line between the towns of Deerfield and Hatfield, that several of the most northerly lots did not run through to Chestnut Plain street, which was the western boundary of the second division of Commons, as they should. We find that the town of Hatfield passed the following preamble and vote relative thereto:
"Whereas, the lots in the second division of Commons in Hatfield were originally laid out running west and by north and east and by south, and the said division was to run to the north
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side of the town bounds, agreeable to the town of Hatfield records, in ye year 1684. And, whereas, the dividing line be- tween the towns of Hatfield and Deerfield is a line running east and west, as finally settled by the general court. And the com- mittee that was employed to stake out the several divisions of Commons in the year 1743, found several of the northernniost lots in this division were cut off and by running the course of the division met with the dividing line between the said towns, so as to make the said lots triangular. And the proprietors- owners of said lots-are cut off from their just proportion of land, as originally granted them. And it appearing to the pro- prietors that a line run north and south at the west end of the second division is 885 rods, 7 feet and 1 inch, which is 135 rods, 12 feet and 5 inches less than the width of said lots at ye east end. And that each proprietor hath a just claim to have his lot run through said division from east to west.
"Therefore, voted that said division be staked out anew and that each proprietor have his proportion, as to the width staked out to him both on the east end and on the westerly part, upon a north line from the northwest corner of the uppermost Mill swamp to Deerfield bounds (according to the true intent of the original grant, as near as may be), and that the several lots in the division be staked out so much narrower on the westerly part, as that the said triangular lots may run through to the highway, on the west side of Mill River swamp, and have their proportion on said west line with the other lots in said division,"
We also here give a copy of the record of a preamble and vote recorded in the Hatfield town records, in reference to the fourth division of Commons :
At a meeting of the proprietors according to adjournment upon Nov. 14, 1748. It was voted :
"Whereas, the committee that was employed in the year 1743 to stake out the second division of Commons in the six- mile grant, in Hatfield, have reported at this meeting that in staking out the fourth division they found there was wanting of land to complete the breadth of each proprietor's lot, as staked out in the year 1716, 124 rods, 3 feet and 6 inches, which les- sens each lot two feet upon ye rod (occasioned by the settlement of the line between this town and Deerfield). The committee have, therefore, lessened each lot in that proportion and set up stakes, marked with the two first letters of each original pro- prietors's name, accordingly."
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At a meeting of the proprietors of four divisions of Com- mons, in Hatfield, held by adjournment Dec. 5, 1748.
"Voted, that the committee chose the third of November last to search the records and enquire of those learned in the law, what method they shall proceed in affect to the second division, and be directed to perform said service as soon as may be, and make report to this meeting at the time it may be adjourned. Then voted, that this meeting be adjourned to Monday, the 12 inst., at one of the clock in the afternoon, then to meet at ye house of Mr. Elishia Allis, innholder in Hatfield."
At a meeting of the aforementioned proprietors held by adjournment Dec. 12, 1748, at the house of Elisha Allis :
"The committee, chosen Nov. 3, 1748, report agreeable to the direction of the proprietors. They have searched the rec- ords and obtained the advice of some gentlemen of ye law respecting the Commons, particularly the second division, which the gentlemen reduced to writing, and is as follows:
Northampton, Dec. 6, 1748 .- In the case of the Commons, Hatfield, referred to us. We are of the opinion that the Com- mons are legally brought, a propriety, that each proprietor must have his right in the second division, this from east to west. The vote in the margin that the course of the lots is to be east by south and west by north, notwithstanding, and to have their proportion at each end. Signed, Timº. Dwight, Phineas Ly- man, John Worthington."
From the foregoing votes of the inhabitants of Hatfield is our authority for the correction of the figures giving the width of the several lots in the second division of Commons, Mr. Tem- ple copying the first, or erroneous records, instead of the records of 1748. As will be seen, the difficulty was at the west end of the division (on Chestnut Plain street). The second division measured from the northwest corner of the Mill swamp lots 885 rods, 7 feet and I inch, while the east end measured 1021 rods and 3 feet, making a difference of more than 135 rods.
These lots in the second division were laid out in half miles and called the first, second, third and fourth half miles. The first half mile extended from Chestnut Plain street east to Alon- zo Crafts' corner, or Claverack road; the second half mile extended to the remains of an old drain about two rods west of C. R. R.R. station ; the third half mile extended to within about 16 rods of the west line of the Gov. Simon Bradstreet grant. The average widening of the lots, as you go from the west to the east, is 31.1915 rods to the half mile.
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We now give the following, copied from Hatfield records, dated Oct. 21, 1684. The first division of Commons began upon the plain behind the mill. The lots run west and by north and east and by south, abutting against a highway westerly ; part of them against the clay pits and stone pits; part against Mr. Williams' lot, against the land of John Wells, Benjamin Wait and Samuel Belding ; part against the hill; part against the pond, and part against the hill by the Great swamp, all east- erly, containing in all 69 lots as follows :
No. 1, Samuel Graves, 33 rods wide.
No. 2, Nathaniel Dickinson, Jr., 9 rods 12 feet.
No. 3, Thomas Mason, Jr., 8 rods -
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