USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Westhampton > Memorial of the reunion of the natives of Westhampton, Mass., September 5, 1866 > Part 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9
22
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
look upon this pleasant edifice, and behold from the windows a landscape worthy of the most skilful painter, how difficult for the imagination to conceive the rough wilderness of olden time.
After the incorporation of the town, down to the end of the century, the growth of the town was rapid, and its good name was sounded abroad. During this time several new families moved into it. Among these were Dr. Hooker, Jared Hunt, Dea- con Samuel Edwards, Capt. Noah Cook, Mr. Chapman, Elijah Norton-Clapps, Rusts, Burts, Caleb Loud. These all became industrious and influential citizens of the town, and contributed largely to strengthen, confirm and continue the noble institu- tions established by their predecessors.
In the Revolutionary war our forefathers entered into the con- test against the mother country with great ardor ; none did better. than they, none contributed more liberally of their means and blood ; well may we be proud of their efforts, and it is a duty we owe to them to cherish a lively remembrance of their sacrifices.
The last French war was concluded in 1762; after that time the military spirit abated, and from the close of the French war down to 1773 there were no trainings, and the militia became disorganized all through the country. In 1773, Gov. Hutchinson commissioned some officers for the western part of the state, but the people would not train under them. Training bands in the colony began to form in 1774. The first training in Westhamp- ton was in the fall of 1774. The company, some thirty or forty strong, paraded in the door-yard of Dea. Martin Clark, clothed in their every-day working dress. Some of the men had guns, knapsacks, accoutrements ; others had guns only, and a few no guns at all. In the choice of officers, William Bartlett was elected captain, Noah Strong, lieutenant, and Jonathan Fisher, ensign. The company had a small drum and no fifer; but we should not forget this day of small things, we should remember that this was in reality a volunteer organization, met to boldly prepare for the trials of war. In 1774, the first company of minute men was formed in Northampton, embracing some from Long Division. Capt. Noah Cook of Westhampton was a mem- ber of this company, then living in Northampton, News of the battle of Lexington reached Northampton on the morning of the 21st, when the men were at work in the meadows. Immediately the bells rung, and the drums beat to arms through the streets. Cook was in the meadow harrowing in oats. At once he'left his work and oats, went home with all speed, and put on his equip- ments. Some others at work in the meadows did the same, and in a short time the whole company, armed and equipped, paraded before the meeting-house, when Rev. Mr. Hooker made a stirring prayer, and Colonel Seth Pomeroy encouraged them in the good cause. The same afternoon, on foot with three or four days'
23
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
rations, they started for Concord, where they arrived on the 24th. Another company of minute men was formed from Southampton, Norwich and Westhampton. Jonathan Wales, Ebenezer French, Jr., and Ebenezer Gee marched with this company to Concord soon after the battle of Lexington. They were stationed about Boston several months. In Sept. 1775 Gee, while stationed at Dorchester, enlisted and started with Arnold's expedition into Canada, and went as far as Dead River. In February, 1776, Noah Cook and Abiather French marched with the second expe- dition to Canada by way of Ticonderoga, arrived at Quebec in April, where they took the small pox, with no doctor or medicine, except butternut-bark pills.
At Dorchester, Ebenezer French enlisted and went on for the defence of New York. In Dec., 1776, a company was formed under Jonathan Wales, captain, and Noah Strong, lieutenant. This company marched to Peekskill, then to Morristown, N. J., where Washington had his headquarters. From Westhampton this company took Seth Burk, Jonathan Fisher, Levi Post, Timothy Phelps, Asa Thayer and Sylvester Judd. Jonathan Fisher died at Morristown, and was buried there. He was a fair looking, well built man, with gentlemanly manners. He was a zealous patriot, and did much to aid the enlisting of sol- diers. He was brave, courageous and a true soldier. In the call to reinforce Gen. Gates, in September, 1777, eight men went to his army from Westhampton. In 1780, every sixth man was called for from Westhampton to fill the continental army. The General Court issued the call June 5th, and the men started off on the 28th of the same month. In the fall of 1781, a company from the three Hamptons was mustered in Westhampton, and then marched to Saratoga, to prevent any invasion from Canada, while Washington went south, after Cornwallis.
And so throughout the whole contest, the people responded promptly to every call for men. And the same spirit seemed to animate all. There were no laggards or skulks in this town, and though the calls followed each other very frequently, in one instance less than a month intervened, yet I do not find that the draft had to be resorted to in order to procure the men. There are several votes in the town records about procuring blankets for the soldiers. Orders came from time to time to the towns to provide supplies for the army, that is, so many pounds of beef, so many blankets, shoes and stockings. . Committees were ap- pointed to visit every house : they decided whether the house should furnish one, two or more blankets, or so much beef, &c. The owner produced them forthwith, and took his pay in conti- nental paper. Or if the owner preferred, he could pay so much money, and save his bacon. The town was to provide each sol- dier with a fire-arm and bayonet, or instead of bayonet, a toma-
24
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
hawk or hatchet, a cartouch box, knapsack and blanket. I do not find any trace of a tory in the town, except one person ; and the record is that " the place soon became too hot for him and he left."
The Shays rebellion, which broke out with so much violence. in 1786, affected, to some extent, every town in the western part of the state. The people were all ready for ferment, their means had been spent in the late struggle with the mother country, many of them were deeply in debt, and had no ability to pay. And the soldiers, who had received their pay in government cer- tificates, were obliged to sell them at a ruinous discount, in order to procure the means of living. In October, 1782, twenty-seven towns in Hampshire County sent delegates to Hatfield, to con- sider the present burdens and grievances ; but in August, 1786, delegates from more than fifty towns in Hampshire County as- sembled at Hatfield, and proclaimed open defiance to the gov- ernment. This body excited a riotous spirit everywhere. Some of the towns were wholly carried away by the Regulators, as they called themselves ; and government nten were wholly re- moved from all posts of trust and honor ; and in others, a large majority of the people openly sympathised with, and supported the insurgents.
But I do not find that any one from Westhampton took a part in any of these proceedings. They all continued loyal. The mobbers found no substantial aid or sympathy in this town. Capt. Samuel Kirkland, of Norwich, was an active opponent of the mobbers and regulators. He exerted a great influence in his own and the adjoining towns. The Shays party was highly incensed at him, and they determined to shut him up. A.party of insurgents surrounded his house and captured him. It was determined to take him to Northampton for safe keeping. But it is said they did not dare take Mr. Kirkland through West- hampton, for fear of a rescue by its loyal people.
Many persons are disposed to treat the Shays rebellion as a light matter, but it was a very serious outbreak, and so great was the discontent and mutterings all over the Commonwealth, that nothing but good leadership was lacking to the success of the rebels.
And further : to the Convention which met at Boston, Janu- ary, 1788, to consider the new Constitution which had been formed for the union of the States, this town sent, as its dele- gate, Maj. Aaron Fisher. This body had a stormy session. The new Constitution was bitterly and violently opposed, and for a long time it was fearful it would be rejected. Many of the sinall towns were hostile to it, and all the Shays sympathisers read in it their destruction. And finally, by the strenuous exertions of Gov. Hancock, then in the zenith of his popularity, it was adop-
25
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
ted by a majority of only nineteen votes. As long as he lived, Maj. Fisher enjoyed the proud satisfaction of voting in the af- firmative. And now, when we consider that this instrument has borne us through so many struggles in triumph, we point with great exultation to the fact, that our delegate was one of the nineteen whose vote is to be immortal.
Coming down to the last attempt to destroy this same Consti- tution, the town has exhibited marked fidelity to the great char- ter of government, which it had aided in establishing, more than seventy years before. More than half of the men called for were furnished from our own townsmen, and whether on the march or in battle, they proved that the same loyal blood had descended from sire to son.
Our ancestors took early measures to provide education for their children. They often petitioned the town to allow the peo- ple of Long Division something for schooling. In 1776, the town "voted £9 for preaching, and schooling the children in the summer season." Some children were sent to North- ampton and Southampton for schooling. In the winter of 1781- 2, the people of the south part raised a fund by private contri- bution, and opened a school. This is said to be the first school in town. They employed Deacon Samuel Edwards to keep the school, in part of the house of Capt. Azariah Lyman. This was kept about three months. Ile taught reading, writing, arithme- tic and spelling. He was an excellent teacher, and was engaged for several winters. The first school house was built by private individuals in 1782, near Babcock's corner.
Mr. Hale took much interest in starting the schools, and urged the town to make suitable provision for the education of the youth. He encouraged young men to go on in their studies, he assisted them, and invited them to come to his house for in- struction, and it was through his advice that so many young men, in the early years of the town, fitted themselves to enter college. These students had very small means to aid them in their studies, and the kind assistance of their pastor saved their funds from exhaustion, and quickened their zeal. Rev. Justin Edwards pursued his preparatory studies with Mr. Hale, and en- tered the sophomore class, and yet his whole expenses were only $38.
Williams was the favorite college for the Westhampton boys. Justin Edwards several times walked to and from Williamstown. a distance of forty miles. But the early collegians used to ride to and from college on horseback. At the beginning of the term, a number from this and the adjoining towns would go up together, taking one person along with them on a spare horse. The latter would go to the college in one day, pass the night, and, on the following day, lead back the horses with empty sad-
26
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
dles, and at the end of the term, some one would hitch together as many horses as there were students, and lead them to Williams- town for the boys to ride home upon. Mr. Sylvester Judd made several such trips, to bring home his brother Hoplmi and others.
The first settlers of Westhampton were remarkable men ; not great in renown, or. illustrious in birth, or wonderful in deeds ; but they were true hearted, genuine men. They were plain far- mers, distinguished by homely virtues, strong common sense, and love of independence, earnest, zealous piety, and great for- wardness in all good works. Just look around for a moment, and see what they had to do.
When Abner Smith, in 1762, first came into town, this part of the township was a wilderness, covered with an unbroken for- est. In every direction were woods, underbrush and mountain elevations. No habitation was to be seen, no pioneer had put up his log abode, the woodman's axe was not heard, and the en- tire region was as silent as the grave, save when interrupted by the sighing of the wind, or the gambol of wild animals. Even as late as 1800, one standing upon the top of Tob, or Mineral Hill, or the hill near Norton's old tavern, which at this day open to the eye such beautiful prospects, and scenes of surpassing loveliness, looked down upon hardly a mark of civilization, save the curling smoke above the tall trees, rising from a few scat- tered habitations, And there were just the same wildness and boundless forests, stretching over the .northerly portion of the town. Old Mrs. Sibil Bridgman, wife of Elisha Bridgman, said she could see nothing but woods and forests from her husband's house, on Hanging Mountain, in 1786.
Besides, Long Division was the despised part of the old plan- tation laid out in 1654, on the west side of Connecticut river ; it had no meadows stretching far and wide, ocean-like ; it had no interval land, resting in the bosom of the mountains, and treas- uring up the riches of untold ages ; and it had no rivers to open a highway for enterprise and adventure. For a long time after the settlement of Northampton, meadow was the only land which had more than nominal value ; other land was not prized, nor had it any temptation to the pioneer.
Our forefathers were not rich in this world's goods ; they were men of small means, and they could bring with them into the woods but few of the instruments necessary to battle the forests.
But they were industrious and stout hearted, and willing to meet dangers and difficulties ; they were the real genuine work- ing men and women. They rose out of bed with the birds in the morning, and began their toil as soon as it was light enough to stir about, and they continued to toil as long as they could see ; and, in the winter season. long after darkness had covered the earth. There were no ten hour men in the days of our fa-
---
27
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
thers ; they toiled through fourteen, and sometimes sixteen hours, of the twenty-four. Think you these acres of woods would have been leveled to the ground, these miles of roads been made, and these farms fenced with such good stone walls, and brought. into such good cultivation, if our ancestors had lived according to the ten hour system, so called? If our fathers had begun to work in the morning at seven o'clock, and left off work at six in the afternoon, think you that to-day Westhampton would have been anything but old despised Long Division, covered over with underbrush and rocks, or that we should have had any call to celebrate its birthday ?
Their dress was strong but simple. Pantaloons were not known in this part of the state eighty years ago. The men, both old and young, wore checkered shirts and a sort of brown tow or woolen trousers, or short breeches, known at the time as kilts or skilts ; these only reached just below the knees, generally loose and open at the bottom, but sometimes fastened with a buckle. They had no braces or gallows, but were buttoned tight round the hips, in sailor fashion. Boots were rarely seen ; they wore shoes, and leggings over their legs in winter, but all the summer and fall work was done, at home and in the meadows, by them, bare legged and bare footed. The head was covered with a cap made of the skin of some wild animal, and if per- chance any of the men were able to wear a felt hat, it was kept for Sunday-go-to-meeting, and lasted a lifetime.
Their diet was very simple, but it was hearty, and contained the very marrow of life. Seventy years ago bread and milk were the common food of New England children for breakfast and supper, except on Saturdays and Sundays, when they made their supper and breakfast of hasty pudding and milk; but at times in the winter, when milk was scarce, a little water and apple molasses were put into a dish of cider and the whole warmed, then toasted bread was crumbed into it, and this mixture of bread and cider constituted the meal ; and down to the nineteenth century, the adults and children made their morning and even- ing meals of this same bread and milk or bread and cider. This was good eating. The Indian bread of our foremothers bore no resemblance to the tasteless stuff, which goes by that name to- day, and it was far more nutritious and wholesome than the sour, soggy bread streaked with saleratus, which is brought upon the table by our domestics. The dinner was the great meal then as now. The children then were allowed to come to the table. This consisted of corned beef and pork, boiled often with po- tatoes, turnips and cabbage, commonly called pot-luck ; to this was added once a week a boiled Indian pudding, and during the most laborious periods of the year, they made their suppers of this pot-luck, brought on to the table in the shape of cold vict-
28
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
uals. They had no butcher carts. Water or cider was the com- mon drink, save on Sundays, or festive occasions, and rarely on washing days, when a little bohea tea was steeped and resteeped, so long as it would color, or give any taste to the water. At a much later day, cider brandy or pupelo came into use.
But our grandmothers, and their loving danghters, too! I cannot pass them by in silence. They contributed too largely to the success of the young town, to be forgotton on this occas- ion. They should be placed in the foreground of our memories. They bore their full share of the toils and labors of pioneer life. They were the spinners, weavers, tailors, nurses and doctors of the town'; they were the dairy maids and cooks, as well as the friends, sweethearts and housewives of our fathers. They were really the helps meet for their husbands. They were always at work ; the morning began with the work, work, work, kept on all through the day, and late into the night, by the light of the pitch-pine faggot. They brought up the cows from the pasture and milked them, they fed the calves, nursed the sickly lambs, fed the pigs, raised the chickens and goslins, and took care of the garden. These, however, were the mere daily chores. They raked and spread hay, they pulled and spread flax; and in one of the neighboring towns. I saw a woman who would load and unload hay faster than any man could take it away. They made cheese and butter ; and I find, in Mr. S. Judd's manuscript, an instance where the mother and daughter did all the cooking, washing and mending for twelve laborers, and at the same time took care of the milk of thirty cows. Then, again, almost all the clothing was made from flax and wool raised in the family. And I need not stop here to speak of their skill in making rye and rye and Indian bread, when we are all of us beginning to aban- don our cream of tartar biscuits and saleratus bread, made out of the choicest brand of the Genesee or St. Louis flour, and trying to substitute in the place thereof the sweet nutritious rye and Indian bread of our grandmothers. True it is that these good old dames sometimes of a Monday, after a hard day's work at washing, would sit down and sip a little bohea tea, and that, now and then, several women of the neighborhood would get together and talk gossip ; but here no time was lost, for the knitting needle or the darning needle moved more rapidly than their tongnes. And this toil and struggle followed day after day, and continued from the beginning to the end of the year ; there were no holidays then ; picnics and barbecues had not then been heard of. Almost the only interruptions were the twenty- four hours of the Sabbath, which were kept most sacredly by them, and the occasional calls for extra meetings on week days, during the time when unusual attention was given to religion. And yet they grew up hearty, stalwart men and genuine women ;
.
29
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
lived to a ripe old age. Sickness rarely came into the house- hold, the doctor was seldom called in, they never bought any patent medicine, and it was not often that any illness afflicted them which a little "pennyrial" or thoroughwort tea, or a few doses of " pikery" did not cure.
A trip to the seaside for health, who ever heard of it ? A jour- ney to the White Mountains ! why they had simply to mount Tob, Cub or Turkey Hills, and they were fanned by a breeze as fine as any which sweeps across Mount Washington.
The dress of the women was as simple as that of the men. Most of their clothing consisted of wool, fax and cotton, made by their own hands. The materials were colored in the dye tub, which used to stand near the great kitchen fire place, or by the aid of butternut bark. Generally, they wore a black or striped petticoat, with a white linen gown which extended down a little below the waist, and a long checked apron in front. When at work out of doors sometimes they were barcheaded, but more com- monly they covered their head with a rush hat, or a paste-board bonnet bound with a cape to protect the neck. Perhaps some here to-day can remember the butternut colored petticoats worn by the school girls, and the flannel gowns of a bluish or purple color, worn by adult females. These were made up loose, adap- ted to the action of the body, and not fitted to sweep the streets, cut short so that the feet could move freely, and drawn up by a string in a few folds about the waist, so loose that the lungs could perform all their duties. So dressed, the boys had hard work to catch the girls in the race at tag. For winter, the hood was the bonnet, a vandike was worn over the shoulders, a flan- nel gown protected the chest, and thick woolen mittens covered the hands. This was the golden age of home-spun.
It is no wonder that before the energy of such men and wo- men, the forest disappeared, and soon the wilderness blossomed as the rose. It is no wonder, that during the ten years which followed the first blow of the first settler's axe, thirteen framed houses and as many barns had been erected.
And yet, in the midst of all this struggle with nature, how rapidly the children increased ; they became almost as numerous as the birds of the forest. The families of our forefathers were large. Four or five children were a small number ; seven and eight were the more common numbers ; often there were ten or twelve robust children in the family, and sometimes sixteen. The children were born healthy, they were fed upon plain, simple food, they grew up stout and healthy ; and the dwellings of the parents were filled and made vocal with the merry clatter of buxom girls and ruddy boys.
How unlike the present day is this. . Now we must travel many a mile before we can find a family of ten children ; four
30
WESTHAMPTON REUNION.
or five is the more common number, and often we see a family with only one or two children, and these often little puny, white livered things, without life or health, and so feeble and delicate as to take two or three persons to take care of one of them. In fact, in these times, many families are met with which are whol- ly destitute of children, while many of the families which do have them, cannot or are unwilling to take care of them, but the little ones, like lambs disowned by their dams, are brought up by hand or put out to nurse. And so rare is it now to see ten children cluster around one fireside, that such a sight is a great curiosity. I have traveled more than twelve miles to see a mother of sixteen children, and when I meet with one of ten, I feel like bowing and saluting her with deep reverence and hon- or. Let luxury, fashion and extravagance go on in this country, and we shall depend upon the foreigner to do not only the work, but also to make any additions to our census.
With them, marriages took place in the morning of life, when the heart was pure and the affections strong. . There were few, if any, old bachelors in those times, and there was a gill for every jack. The young man did not wait to make a fortune be- fore he took a wife, nor did the fair maid reject the offer of him, who came only with a stout heart and hands hardened by manly toil. And as for a setting out, little was needed by the fair maids except the feather bed, which was filled with real live geese feathers, plucked by their own hands. And I have been informed by one of the parties, that one young couple began their married life by moving into the back room of the groom's father, with only two chairs and a bed ; and they had their meals in this way, the wife got up early and took the cooking utensils of the old folks, prepared the breakfast, eat it, and washed the dishes, and carried them back into the other apartment in season for the breakfast by her parents ; and so on, for dinner and sup- per, she used the dishes of her parents, some half an hour before they wished to use the same.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.