USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 3 > Part 11
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Jonathan Chapin, Thomas Chapin, William Crawford, Lieut. Samuel Doolittle, James Dorchester, James Dorchester, Jr., Na- thaniel Dewey, Robert Dunlap, Daniel Fuller. Samuel Frost, Robert Farrell. Thomas Farrand, Andrew Farrand, Joseph Fleming, Humphrey Gardner. Elisha Hall, John Henderson, Rev. John Harvey, Thomas Hill, Thomas Jennings. John King, Jolm King, Jr .. John Kilburn, Benjamin Kilburn, Samuel Kil- burn, Daniel Kilburn, James Lamberton, Thomas Little, James Lamont, James MeElwain. Timothy MeElwain, Bernard Mac- nett, James MeClellan, James Maequiston, Ebenezer Mirick, John Moor, James Moor. Andrew Mackee, Isaac Magoon, Isaac Magoon, Jr., Thomas MeClanathan, Samuel Nevens, Robert Nevens, David Nevins, Benjamin Parsons. John Paterson, Wil- liam Paterson. Duncan Quinton. Andrew Rutherford. William Scott. John Scott. Samuel Shaw, William Shaw, William Sloan, Stuard Southgate, James Shearer, Patrick Smith, James Ste- phens, Robert Stanford, John Thomson. Robert Thomsou, Alex- ander Tackels, Jeremiah Olmstead, Elijah Vose. Joseph Wright. Joseph Wright, Jr.
The committee also recommended that "the aforesaid Setlers & Grantees Do erect & build a suitable House for Public Wor- ship, and setle a Minister within two years." The report of the committee was presented to the General Court June 21, 1733, and promptly accepted the same day and approved on the following day by the Governor, JJ. Beleher. The status of the settlers hay- ing been satisfactorily arranged. they immediately set about the establishment of a district government. The first legal meeting was held August 7. 1733, with William Pynchon of Springfield for moderator and Steward Southgate as clerk. The most im- portant committee chosen consisted of Lieut. Samuel Doolittle, Samuel Shaw. Joseph Wright, Jr., John King. and Timothy MeElwain, who were authorized to lay out necessary roads. lo- cate a lot of one hundred aeres for the first settled minister. also one for the use of the ministry and one for a school. Nearly all the ancient roads of the town were laid out at this time, being simple bridle paths at first, which changed into better highways as changed conditions demanded.
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Site of first ordination. June 5, 1434-1899
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
Settling the First Minister .- Having laid out the high ways, located the public lots and surveyed the lands of the first pro- prietors, the next important matter to be attended to was the settling of a minister, for the pioneers of Pahner were a deeply religious people. As Rev. John Harvey had preached acceptably for them during three years, it was arranged to give him a set- tlement at a salary of #80 per year. The ordination services were held June 5th, 1734, under the spreading branches of a great oak tree on Mr. Harvey's lot. now known as the farm of Charles Forsman. about one mile east of the Old Center. Mr. Harvey was ordained according to Presbyterian usages. The Rev. Mr. Thompson of Londonderry, N. H., preached the sermon and Rev. John Moorhead of Boston gave the charge. One other Presbyterian minister was present as well as Rev. Isaac Chauncey of lladley. a Congregational elergyman. Thus under the leafy branches of this oak was the first minister of the new settlement set apart for their spiritual welfare. For these simple people the service was doubtless as impressive and as lasting in its effects as though it had been performed in the dim light of cathedral aisles, aided by the solemn tones of the deep-voiced organ. This leafy temple. the great white oak. stood for nearly a century as the reminder of the eventful day. and doubtless might be four- ishing now if the owner had had any respect or sentiment for the historie past.
The First Meeting House .- Thelocation of the meeting house proved a knotty problem for the widely seattered parishioners. AAmong the several favored sites was the scene of the ordination ; the final decision was left to the drawing by lot. the Rev. Mr. Harvey officiating after solemn prayer, by which means the lo- eation was fixed at what has sinee been known as the Old Center. which proved a wise choice. The first meeting house was a plain structure indeed, measuring 30x36 feet, and one story high. It was without eeiling or plastering and furnished no means for warmth in the cold season. The only external ornament was the singular emblematieal design placed in the gable over the front entrance, peenliar, it is said, to the Scotch Presbyterians. This house was first occupied in November, 1735, and for more than
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three score years continued to be the Shiloh of Palmer, around which revolved the religious and political life of the town, and where the momentous matters of church and state were discussed and decided.
The French and Indian War, 1744-1749 .- Palmer was settled so late that she eseaped the terrors which desolated Brookfield and the Connecticut valley. But during the years 1744-1749, though outside the disturbed circle, she furnished her share of men to aid the menaced towns. Capt. Jabez Olinstead served in the expedition against Louisbourg in 1745. Timothy Brown was made a captive by the Indians May 5, 1746, and taken to Canada, while bearing important dispatches, and held there about fifteen months. Samnel Allen was mustered into service May 1, 1748. and posted at Fort Pelham. These Palmer men were posted at Fort Dummer in August. 1748, viz .: Obadiah Cooley, Andrew Cowee, John Blair, Peter Blackmer and James Paterson.
The Plantation Organized as a Town .- Closely following the recognition of their rights as a Plantation the inhabitants of the Elbows began to elamor for a town organization, but owing to the non-payment of a tax due the colonial government, they failed in their efforts. Finally in 1752, after seven petitions had been sent in and the tax had been paid. the Plantation was or- ganized into a district having all the privileges of a town, save that of sending a representative to the General Court. This act was signed January 30, 1752, by Lieutenant-Governor. also acting Governor, Spencer Phips. The petitioners had signified a desire to have the town called Kingstown, in honor of the first settler, but because a town had already been organized by the name of Kingstown, Lieutenant-Governor Phips inserted the name Palmer in honor of his friend, Thomas Palmer, Esq., who had recently died in Scotland, so the name of the town was purely an accidental one. For many years the official name of the Plantation had been "The Elbows," so named, no doubt, on account of the numerous bends in the Quabang river, which en- eireles a considerable portion of the town. The plantation had also been called Kingsfield, Kingstown and New Marlborough.
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By a careful estimate, based on the first census taken in 1765, Palmer had at the time of its organization about 360 inhabitants. including one negro, and he a slave owned by William Scott; about 75 families, 60 houses, mostly constructed of logs; the en- tire valuation of the town was about $3,000. It contained one small church. Quintin's and Thomson's taverns at the Old Center. King's tavern, where Cross's block now stands in Palmer village, and Shaw's tavern on the present L. E. Moore place near the old Bay Path. There was a saw and grist mill where Thorn- dike is located. a saw and grist mill at Pottagrattuek Pond, and a grist mill at the present location of Bondsville ; and there were two blacksmith shops. These mills and shops constituted the entire publie industries of the town. There were no stores, no post-office, and no schools. There were no carriages: the roads were poorly constructed cartways, and locomotion was either on horseback or in carts drawn by oxen. Everything was con- dueted in the most primitive and economical manner. The people were thrifty and industrious and made the most of their limited means: the women had brought the spinning wheel from the old country and were adepts in the manufacture of linen, which found a ready sale in the river towns after supplying household needs.
The Last French and Indian War, 1751-1763 .- Soon after its organization as a town. Pahner was called upon to furnish its proportion of men to meet the exigencies of another war be- tween the mother country and France. The citizens responded with alaerity, and out of its sparse population furnished no less than 76 men during the continuance of the war. as shown by the following list : Samuel Allen, Daniel Allen. Isaae Aplin, David Bratten. Stephen Blackmer, John Blackmer. Simeon Brooks. Francis Breckenridge. David Brewer, Jesse Beers. Wil- liam Carlyle. Abner Chapin, Stephen Crawfoot. Moses Cooley. Luke Chapin. Joel Camp, Jonathan Chapin, John Davis, Thomas Dunham. David English. Sanmel Frost. Timothy Farrell, Josiah Farrell. Isaac Farrell, William Fleming. Thomas Ferrand, Jr .. William Geary. John Hill. Thomas Hill, Thomas Henderson. Stephen Hatch. Benjamin Hutchinson. Nathaniel News. JJohn
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King. Jonathan King, Benjamin King, William King, David King, John Lamberton. Samuel Lemon, John Lemon. Robert MeMaster, Joshna MeMaster. James MeMighill, James MeNitt, Thomas MeClanathan, James Moor, John Moor, Jr., William Man. James Man, William Mitehell, John Millard, Isaac Magoon, Aaron Nelson. James Nelson. William Nelson, Samuel Paterson, Moses Paterson, Joseph Paterson. John Recky, Samuel Smith, Hugh Smith, John Sloan, David Shaw, William Shaw. Matthew Spencer. Moses Seott. Elnathan Samson, Hugh Tackels, Capt. John Thomson, James Taylor. Benjamin Thomson. Henry Web- ber. Sylvanus Walker, Jesse Warner.
Spirit of Sorodty-sir. Like other New England communi- ties the yeomanry of Palmer simply had a breathing period be- tween the close of the last French and Indian war and the open- ing of the Revolution. In view of the coming conflict it was fortunate that they had become somewhat disciplined in the ways of war that they might be fitted for the sterner conflict. The blood of the Covenanter and the Puritan flowed not amiss in the veins of Palmer's sons: it stirred them to action and made them alert at the sound of the very first note of warning. They were keenly cognizant of the oppressive measures adopted by the mother country to retard progress and keep her colonies in abjeet submission. As early as March 1, 1768, the town voted in full meeting:
"Whereas, the excessive use of foreign superfluities is one great canse of the present distressed state of this country. in general : and the happiness of the communities depends upon in- dustry, economy and good morals: and this Distriet taking into serious consideration the great decay of trade and scarcity of money. the heavy debt contracted in the last war, which still re- mains on the people: and the great difficulties to which by these measures they are reduced :- Therefore, voted unanimously, that this District will use their ntmost endeavors and enforce their endeavors by example in suppressing extravagance. Idleness and Vice, and promoting Industry, economy and good manners, and in order to prevent the unnecessary exportation of money of which the continent has of late been so much drained, it is
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therefore voted, that this District will by all prudent means en- deavor to discountenance the use of foreign superfluities, and encourage the manufactures of the whole continent in general, and of this Province in Particular."
Six years later at an adjourned town meeting held Septem- ber 26, 1774, it was voted that David Spear go to the general congress of delegates from the whole Province, to meet at Con- cord the second Tuesday in October next. "Voted that William Scott pay or deliver seventy four pounds of powder, one hun- dred and twenty six pounds of lead into the town stoek, in full discharge of the amount of said stoek in his hands.". "Voted, that there be provided four half-barrels of powder, four hundred of lead, and one hundred dozen of flints, for a town stoek, and the money to pay for the same be taken from the money on in- terest ; and that William Seott. Joshua Shaw and Phineas Mixer be a committee to purchase and pay for the same."
In accordance with the recommendation of the Provincial Congress which met at Cambridge in October, 1774. Palmer en- rolled and drilled a company of minute men. The news of the engagement at Lexington reached Palmer on the evening of the same day, and on the following morning a company of 44 men were equipped and started for the seene of danger, with Capt. David Spear at their head. From this time on till the elose of the war Palmer never proved tardy or laeking in zeal for the eanse of freedom.
Palmer Assumes Full Town Rights .- The Massachusetts House of Representatives on May 10. 1776, resolved that each town in the Colony ought in full meeting warned for that pur- pose, to instruet its representative relative to the attitude of the inhabitants, should Congress declare them independent of Great Britain. In compliance with the recommendation of the General Court. Palmer elected its first representative as a town, May 23, 1776, in the person of Capt. David Spear. The instructions given him first dwelt upon the oppressive measures of the mother country, and closed with the following patriotie senti- ments :
" We do Direet the Representative of this Town to lay these absolutely Necessary for the safety of the United Colonies, to
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be Independent from Great Britain & Declare themselves In- tirely a Separate State, as we ean see no alternative but Inevita- ble ruin, or Independence. But as there is a General Congress of the United Colonies. composed of Honorable, wise and good men, who sit at the Head of affairs, consulting measures which will be most for the Safety and Prosperity of the whole; & have the means of Intelligence and Information in their hands. we submit the whole affair to their wise Consideration & Determination .- And if they shall unite in a Separation from Great Britain, we do unanimously determine de declare we will support them with our Lives and Fortunes!
"We do Direct the Representative of this Town to lay these vote before the Honorable General Assembly of this Colony, to Enable them to communicate our Sentiments to the Honorable Continental Congress."
These instructions show of what stuff the men of Palmer were made, and they fully exemplified during the course of the war the sentiments therein expressed. From this time on Pal- mer was recognized as having full town rights. It is a notable fact that this Declaration of Independence by Palmer antedates by two weeks the immortal document of the Continental Con- gress, and breathes the same lofty spirit of patriotism and purity of devotion.
The Passing of Burgoyne's Men .- Palmer was so far re- moved from the scene of active war that its highways never celioed to the tread of marshaled foemen but onee, and then they passed as prisoners, not invaders. Burgoyne's hirelings, the Hes- sians, to the number of 2.431 men, besides camp followers, in- elnding Gen. Reidesel and his cultured wife to whom we are largely indebted for a graphie account of the journey from Al- bany to Boston. This motley array of prisoners in the care of a Yankee guard encamped for the night November 1, 1777, on the farm lately owned by Dea. Brainerd, while the General and wife no doubt found comfortable quarters at the then Walker tavern, which still remains. Gen. Burgoyne and his English prisoners, under the escort of Col. Elisha Porter, passed about the same time through the north part of the town, and are said to have
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Deacon Brainerd House. 1760 1900
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eneamped for a night on the present farm of Charles R. Shaw. One of the Hessian soldiers died at the Brainerd farm and was buried in the Palmer cemetery, where his grave is still pointed ont.
Census of Palmer. 1776-1777 .- There were 727 inhabitants in town in 1776. The following item we glean from the town records: "A return of the Number of Males from sixteen years old and upwards which breathed on the First Day of January in the Town of Palmer in the year 1777. No. of men belonging to the Training List 94, No. of men belonging to the Alarm List 35, No. of Deerepid Persons who are rendered incapable of service thereby 46, No. of men incapable of service by reason of old age and other infirmities 9. No. of Negroes 3. Total 187." Notwithstanding her limited means and sparse population, the town nobly responded to the call for men and means, and fur- nished 165 men during the war.
Revolutionary Soldiers .- The following list made up from all available sources is as perfect as can be given from present information. It is possible that a few names have been lost be- canse of the imperfect way in which some of the records were kept. While a limited number of the men enlisted for the war, a larger number enlisted several times each for shorter service as the special demand required : Joseph Abbott, Sergt. Zebadiah Abbott, John Adams, James Averill, Jun., Ephraim Avery, Joseph Bacon, Simeon Bacon, Moses Barker, Simeon Barrange, Aaron Bartlett, Thomas Bartlett. Jolm Bartlett, Woodbridge Belcher, Eleazur Bishop, Seth Bishop. Sergt. Stephen Blackmer, Thomas Blackmer, Jonathan BInnt. Henry Bliss, David Brattan, Francis Breckenridge, Benjamin Brooks. Sergt. Andrew Brown, John Brown. Lient. Jonathan Brown, Obadiah Brown, Robert Brown, William Brown, Col. David Brewer. John Bruster, Sergt. Samuel Buel, Robert Burns, John Carley. James Carlisle, John Carlisle, William Carlisle, Robert Carpenter, Shadrach Chapin, Elisha Cleveland, Nathaniel Coburn, Capt. Isaae Colton, Abner Cooley, Asher Cooley, Jonathan Cooley. Israel Conant, John Crawfoot, Joseph Crawfoot, Stephen Crawfoot. James Cun- mings, Solomon Cinmings, JJohn Cutler, John Denney, Daniel
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Dodge, John Douglas, Jesse Elwell, Corp. John English, Bar- nabas Evens, Isaac Ferrell, Lamuel Fisher, David Fleming. John Gardner. John Gibson, William Gibson, Pelatiah Goldsmith, Capt. Aaron Graves, Gideon Graves, Moses Graves, Simeon Graves, Amos Grey. John Hackett. Thomas Hamilton, Samuel Hancock, Sergt. John Harris, Sergt. Luke Hitehoek. Benjamin Hooker, Daniel Hopkins, William Hopkins, Samuel Hubbard, Lieut. Robert Hunter, Primar Jackall, Adonijah Jones, Ebenezer Jones, Lieut. David King. John King, Gideon King, James Lam- berton. John Lamberton. Moses Lammon. Franeis Lemon, Norris Lindsey, Inther Loomis, Sergt. Israel Loomis, Peter Lovejoy. David MeClintoch. Joseph MeClintoeh. William Mellanathan, Sergt. Samuel McClanathan. Thomas MeCla- nathan. Corp. John MeElwain. John A. MeElwain. Roger Me Elwain, Hugh McMaster, Isaae MeMaster, Capt, John MeMas- ter, Joshua MeMaster, Lieut. Robert MeMaster, John MeMichel. Capt. Joseph MeNall, William MeNall, Isaae Merritt. Capt. Phineas Mixer, Pelatiah Morgan. Gibson Morgan, John Moore. John Moore, Jonathan Moore, Judah Moore, James Murray. Aaron Nelson, Lieut. Daniel Parsons, Joshna Parsons, Lebbeus Paine, Thomas Riddle, William Roach, Elias Rogers, JJonas Rogers, Nathaniel Rogers, Daniel Royec, David Shaw. Corp. Erwin Shaw, James Shaw, John Shaw, Corp. Joseph Shaw, Lient. Joshua Shaw, William Shaw, John Shearer, Joseph Shearer. Reuben Shearer. William Shearer. Thomas Shearer, Corp. James Sherman, William Sloan, Abner Smith, James Smith, John Smith, John Allen Smith, Joseph Smith, Capt. David Spear, Lieut. David Spear, Adam Stephenson, Alexander Tackels, Henry Thomson, Rufns Thomson, Josiah Tinney. Moses Tinney. Jonathan Tyler, Elijah Walton, James Walker. Capt. Sylvanus Walker, Obadiah Ward, Urijah Ward, Peleg Watson, Joel Willey, Ezekiel Woodworth.
Post Bellum Days .- At the elose of the struggle for liberty the surviving patriots who had gone forth from Palmer to serve their country came back to their former homes to engage in the peaceful avocations of farming. for as yet little else had found encouragement in town. In 1787 when several adjoining eom-
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munities became disaffected and rose in rebellion under the leadedship of Capt. Shays, little sympathy was shown the cause in Palmer, yet Shays made this town the rendezvous for his insurgents on the 22d of January, and on the 23d came to take the command to lead them to Springfield 1,000 strong. But his plans were discovered by the alertness of Maj. Aaron Graves of Palmer, who informed the State officials, and Shays marched to his defeat before Springfield by a force ready to receive him, and the rebellion subsided.
The New Meeting House .- In the olden days the erection of a new place of worship was a matter of the utmost importance to a country town like Palmer, which supported but one church. The first meeting honse erected in 1735 had become unfitted for use, so after mueh planning and discussion a new structure was built near the site of the first house at a cost of about $3,000 and dedicated October 21, 1798: when the tower was added to the structure in 1807 a bell was presented to the town as a gift by Aaron Merriek. A circumstance connected with this bell is little known to the present generation. In 1809, when the meeting house was repainted, it chanced by some mishap that a por- tion of the bell was disfigured by paint, and in order to have it present a uniform appearance, it was entirely covered with a coat of paint, when it was found the bell would not give forth any desirable sound. The bell was taken down and the paint burned off ; some critical person present thinking the bell seemed to lack in weight. had the matter tested and found his suspicions correct. The matter being made public it was soon found that nearly all the bells in the surrounding towns also lacked in weight, which had been cast by a bell founder in Brookfield. The guilty party being apprised of the state of affairs, fled the State not to return, his frauds having been extensive.
Turnpikes .- The first turnpike in Massachusetts running through the towns of Warren and Palmer was the harbinger of modern progress in Palmer. This was the great stage route from Boston to Springfield and New York, and continned till the open- ing of the Western railroad in 1839. Another turnpike was opened in 1804, running from Stafford to Petersham; both these
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roads ran through the Old Center, and were the cause of many air castles being built by real estate owners living in that little hamlet, which, alas, were never to materialize. The stages eame and went each day, the farmers tilled their aeres and the town plodded on without further progress. In 1820 the population was 1.197. the valuation was but $9,092.77: real progress was delayed till the advent of the mills, to which coming the villages of Three Rivers. Thorndike and Bondsville owe their existence and the town a large share of its prosperity.
Industries .- The early industries existed for the needs of the town and were limited in their products. The first sawmill was erected at Pottaquattuck Pond in 1730, and a gristmill was put up by Steward Southgate near the other mill in 1737-8. The first gristmill was built at the lower part of the present Thorndike in 1736 by Robert Farrell and Thomas Harmon. In 1757 a sawmill was added to the same dam. James Shearer built a sawmill on Cellar Swamp brook as early as 1740. which was in operation till 1790; this was on the Josiah Gates farm. It is probable that Hugh Moor built a grist and sawmill on the Chicopee river, a mile below Three Rivers, about 1775; these mills were purchased in 1788 by Gideon Graves and operated by him till 1825. and soon went to deeay after that date. There was a sawmill on Dumplin brook as early as 1800. A wool card- ing and cloth mill was conducted by B. S. Cummings in the Shoreley district as early as 1790. There was a fulling mill at Pottaquattuck Pond in 1795. Capt. Patrick Watson had a tan- nery on the Ware river near Whipple's Station as early as 1766. William Mason began the same business in 1790 just beyond Blanchardville and conducted it there for many years. As a matter of course blacksmithing was an early and necessary in- dustry. beginning with John Aplin in 1733. In 1772 Capt. Timothy Brainerd added the making of axes and seythes to the trade of blacksmithing.
The Villages and Their Industries .- The Old Center was the only village in Palmer for a hundred years. The first settlers were Duncan Quinton. John Moores. James Lamberton and William Crawford. Their first dwellings were rude log cabins
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Frink Tavern.
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erected about 1725. Here in 1733 Quinton opened the first ordi- mary in town, and two years later the first humble church was built. In 1737 John Thompson came here and put up a second ordinary which soon became a popular resort.
Aplin Smith had come in 1733; additional houses came slowly ; the school house was not located there till 1764. William Tupper probably had the first store there about 1790. succeeded by Hamilton & Upham and a little later by Col. Hamilton, who had the only store till 1824, when T. R. Knight added another.
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