USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Our county and its people : A history of Hampden County, Massachusetts. Volume 3 > Part 32
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Thirty years had passed in this manner, when the outbreak of King Philip's war in 1675 rendered the position of these isolated settlers one of great peril. A large part of Springfield was burned, and all the region northward was filled with desola- tion and with mourning for those slain by the treacherous savages. All through the winter which followed the inhabitants of the meadow remained in their homes, knowing that bands of hostile Indians were lurking in the neighborhood. They dared not even make the journey necessary to attend church in Spring- field-a deprivation so keenly felt that on the 26th of March, 1676, no hostilities having occurred for a considerable time, a party of eighteen men, women and children, accompanied by a small guard of armed men, set out to attend publie worship. As they reached Peeowsie brook a band of hostile Indians burst upon them, killed John Keep, his wife and infant child, wounded some others, and took a few members of the party away captives.
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Mr. Keep was one of the original settlers on the meadow, and was a leader in the community, being one of the selectmen of Springfield. Fortunately for the little settlement, it escaped further disaster of this nature, the war being carried on to the northward and in the eastern portions of the province.
With all of the advantages, it soon became apparent that the meadow was not adapted to permanent habitation, owing to the danger and annoyance accompanying the annual rise of the river. In seasons of high water the lands were frequently in- undated, and in the year 1695 a flood of unusual height drove the families from their homes, most of them seeking shelter in Springfield proper. In 1703 they petitioned for permission to remove from the meadow to the higher ground lying to the east, and this petition was granted, the town voting to give for this purpose " the land from Pecowsie brook to Enfield bounds, and from the hill eastward of Long meadow half a mile further east- ward into the woods." Upon the territory thus ceded the present main street of Longmeadow was laid out, land was assigned to the settlers, and preparations were made for the removal. This did not take place, however, until 1709, when all of the families moved to the new allotment, nearly at the same time.
Up to this time, and for a few years longer, the dwellers in Longmeadow had regarded themselves as merely an outpost of the town and parish of Springfield, and for another seventy years no movement looking toward an independent incorpora- tion was attempted; but for the purposes of public worship, then esteemed so important a duty, the distance of the village from the parent settlement was regarded as too great, and in 1713 a petition was presented to the general court at Boston for incorporation as a parish or precinct. This action was approved, and Longmeadow became the Third parish of Springfield, the preamble to the aet of incorporation reading thus: "Province of the Massachusetts Bay: At a session of the Great and Gen- eral Court or Assembly, held at Boston, February 10, 1713, it being represented that the petitioners, inhabitants of that part of the town of Springfield commonly called Longmeadow (although not fully up to the number of forty families) is of
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good and sufficient ability to maintain a minister, and sometimes cannot, with any convenience, attend the publie worship at the meeting-house that now is in said town, by reason of the great distance from it: Ordered that the prayer of the petition be granted; with the provision, however, that in due season the petitioners should provide themselves with 'a learned and ortho- dox minister, and agree to raise and pay the sum of £50, at least, annually. for his support."
The inhabitants of the new precinct were further required to "pay to the maintenance of the ministry in the other part of the town as formerly until they are provided with a learned orthodox minister", and the bounds of the Longmeadow parish were thus described: "To be bounded northerly by a line to be drawn from the month of Pecowsie brook, so ealled, where it falls into Connectieut river, to the province's land, parallel to the line of the southern bounds of the said town of Springfield, westerly by Connectieut river, southerly by the town of Enfield, and easterly by the province's land."
The erection of a suitable house of worship and the settle- ment of a minister became at onee the important work of the new parish, and the existing records show that steps were taken to at onee carry ont the conditions of the incorporation. On the 26th of April, 1714, it was voted in a precinct meeting: "To proceed in building of a meeting-house, and to accomplish it so far as to raise, shingle and clapboard the same by the first day of January next ensuing." It was also voted "that the meeting- house should be built thirty-eight feet square if the timber that is already gotten will allow it : or, if this timber be too scant, to make it something less." The committee appointed to "provide workmen and materials to carry on the work" consisted of Nathaniel Burt, Jr., Sammel Keep, Thomas Hale, Thomas Colton, Jr., and Samuel Stebbins.
At a meeting held on the 11th of October of that year- "Honored Col. Pynehon being chosen moderator for said meet- ing, and for all such meetings when present among ns"-it was voted that the committee "should proceed to provide for and to lay the floor, and do some part of the walling and to set up
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the doors and other necessaries of the meeting-house for our meeting in it." The building was not completed until near the elose of the year 1716, though earlier used as a place of worship. About this time an agreement was made "with Margaret Cooley to sweep the meeting-house for one year from this date, and to give her seventeen shillings if there be no work done in the meeting-house: for eighteen shillings if there be any consider- able." During 1744, after some sixteen years of disenssion, a bell was procured for the church. For several years, earlier in the history of the preeinet it appears that the worshipers had been summoned at the proper time by the beating of a drum.
The first pastorate of this church was in every way a notable one. The church interests were considered of the first importance in the community : it was for their furtherance that the preeinet had been created, and the pastor called to minister to the inhabit- ants must of necessity become a central figure among them. It was voted at a meeting held September 30, 1714, to eall a minis- ter, and the committee entrusted with this delicate duty were cautioned "in the first place to take advice of the Elders in order to procure one suitable for us. " The call was extended to Rev. Stephen Williams, a son of Rev. John Williams of Deer- field. by vote of the parish, March 7, 1715; but the fact that his ordination did not beenr until October 17 of the following year shows that important measures were then carried through with care and deliberation. The ordination was not only an impor- tant event in the community, but it brought together a most notable assemblage of reverend gentlemen from the region eom- prising the line of settlements in the Connectieut river valley of Massachusetts. The ordaining conneil consisted of Rev. Wil- liam Williams of Hatfield, who preached the ordaining sermon, Rev. JJohn Williams, father of the minister ordained. Rev. Solo- mon Stoddard of Northampton. Rev. Edward Taylor of West- field, and Rey. Daniel Brewer and Rev. John Woodbridge of Springfield-the latter being the first pastor of the parish on the west side of the river, in what is now West Springfield.
Rev. Mr. Williams preached his first sermon at Longmeadow as a candidate November 4, 1714. when but a few months over
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twenty-one years of age, but he had already passed through varied and in some cases thrilling experiences. During "Queen Anne's war", early in 1704, when eleven years of age, he was captured, with his father's entire family. at the taking of Deer- field by the Indians, and was taken to Canada, where he was held a prisoner for more than two years. Graduating from Harvard college in 1713. he taught school in Hadley for a year before entering the ministry. His pastorate was probably the longest on record, continuing unbroken until his death, June 10, 1782, in the ninetieth year of his age, and the sixty-sixth year of his ministry. During this time he was thrice appointed a chaplain in the colonial armies, serving with the same fidelity which marked his position among the members of his beloved parislı. The degree of Doctor of Divinity was bestowed upon him, most worthily, by Dartmouth college in 1773.
It is interesting to note, bearing in mind the limited mem- bership of the parish, the liberal provision made for their pastor. It was voted to allow him £200 as a settlement fund, $50 a year to be paid for four years, with an annual salary of £55 for five years, to be after that inereased at the rate of £5 a year "for ten years if his necessity calls for it, and then to pay him half his rate in grain at eurrent money priee." In many instances special sums were voted him on account of sickness in his family or other causes, such as the high price of provisions; while the pastor, on the other hand, appears to have given releases in cases where the parish found it difficult to meet the full measure of their obligations.
A touching experience in his life occurred in the early sum- mer of 1761, when his sister Eunice, four years his junior. visited him. She had been taken captive at Deerfield with the rest of the family, but remained in Canada when the others returned to Massachusetts. All efforts for her redemption failed and she became in habit and disposition an Indian, forgetting her native language, and marrying an Indian chief who adopted the name of Williams. When on this visit the party, consisting of the sister, her husband, a daughter and others, reached Long- meadow, they encamped in Indian style in the orchard near the
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parsonage, but were unable to carry on any conversation until an interpreter could be secured from Sunderland. Then for a few days the brother and sister communed; but nothing eould induce the woman to forsake her adopted people, or renounee the Roman Catholic religion which she had embraeed.
The pastorate of Mr. Williams covered nearly all of the revolutionary war period, and the stress to which the people vere subjected by the depreciation of the continental eurreney is shown by the fact that for the year 1780 it was voted to make his salary £4,500. As a part of this amount was paid in grain, the priees at which this was reckoned will throw mueh light upon the situation. Indian eorn was rated at $38 a bushel, wheat was $$4. pease the same, and barley $50.
A movement for elevating the preeinet to the dignity of an independent township was agitated as early as 1741, and a eom- mittee was appointed to consider and report on the desirability of the proposed change : but their report. adverse to the proposi- tion. was accepted by the preeinct, and the matter rested for thirty years. In 1772. however, the subjeet was again taken up, more earnestly, and petitions were presented to the town of Springfield and to the great and general court, looking to that end while the members of the parish several times expressed in their meetings the desire for a separate incorporation. On the 17th of January. 1774, Springfield voted its eonsent to the pro- posed separation, under certain conditions, the preeinet aeeepted the conditions, and a committee was appointed to present the request of the parish to the legislature : but the long and terrible war for independence of the colonies was at hand, and during its stress all thought of a separate town government for Long- meadow seems to have been held in abeyanee. On the 23d of August. 1781. another vote was taken to determine whether the parish still desired a separation, and was "passed in the affirma- tive." A little more than two years later. on the 13th of October, 1783. the great and general court passed the aet of ineorpora- tion. Longmeadow being thus the first town in the state, and perhaps in the country, incorporated after the formal aeknowl- edgment of the independence of the colonies. The bounds of
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the town were identical with those of the parish, except that on the east the town of Wilbraham had been incorporated, and formed the boundary in that direction. The name of "Long- meadow," which had been adopted for the settlement and for the precinct, was continued for the town, and has remained un- changed to the present time, although the subject of a different name has occasionally been agitated, and a change of name has twice been voted in town meeting. In 1812 the name of "Lisbon" was thus adopted, but the movement in its favor came to naught through another town in the state already bearing that name: in 1825 "South Springfield" received the popular vote, but the action was reconsidered two weeks later.
The first town meeting was held November 13, 1783, under a warrant issued by John Bliss of Wilbraham, justice of the peace. The moderator was Col. Gideon Burt, and the following principal officers were chosen : Town clerk, Jonathan Hale, Jr., ; treasurer, Nathaniel Ely; selectmen, David Burt, Moses Field and Jonathan Burt; assessors, Gideon Burt, Moses Field and Jonathan Burt, 2d. The principal officers of precinct and town, from 1714 to the present year, and representatives to the great and general court down to 1812, are as follows :
Committee of the Preeinet .- 1714, Col. John Pynchon, Capt. Thomas Colton, Joseph Cooley, Nathaniel Burt, George Colton; 1715, Col. John Pynchon, Capt. Thomas Colton, Nathaniel Burt, Jr., Samuel Keep. George Colton; 1716, Col. John Pyn- chon. Sergt. Joseph Cooley, Corp. Nathaniel Burt, Samuel Keep, Thomas Bliss, 2d; 1717, Col. John Pynchon, Thomas Colton, Nathaniel Bliss, Ephraim Colton, Jos. Cooley ; 1718-19, Ephraim Colton, Joseph Cooley, Thomas Bliss, 2d; 1720, Joseph Cooley, Samuel Keep, Sammel Stebbins; 1721, Ephraim Colton, Thomas Hale, Samnel Stebbins; 1722, Ephraim Colton, Ensign Keep, Samuel Stebbins; 1723, Thomas Bliss, 2d, Samuel Stebbins, Sam- uel Cooley ; 1724, Samuel Keep, Samnel Stebbins, Thomas Bliss, 3d; 1725, Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., Eliakim Cooley, Jonathan Ely ; 1726, Eliakim Ely, Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., Thomas Hale; 1727-8, Eliakim Cooley, Jonathan Nash, George Colton; 1729, Thomas Colton, Eliakim Cooley, Jonathan Ely; 1730, Nathaniel Bliss,
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Jr., William Stebbins. Samuel Cooley: 1731. Thomas Bliss, 2d, Thomas Bliss, 3d. Ebenezer Colton : 1732. Samuel Cooley, Thomas Bliss, 3d, Timothy Nash : 1733. Thomas Bliss, 2d, Nathaniel Bliss, Jr., Thomas Colton : 1734, Samuel Colton, Samuel Cooley, Timo- thy Nash: 1735, Ebenezer Bliss, 1st. John Colton, John Cooley; 1736, Ephraim Colton. Thomas Colton. Ensign Stebbins: 1737, Timothy Nash, Samuel Cooley, John Burt, 20: 1738, Thomas Field, Thomas Colton, Simon Colton : 1739, John Cooley. Thomas Bliss, David Burt, 20 : 1740. Jonathan Stebbins, Ephraim Colton. John Colton : 1741, Isaac Colton. Nathaniel Bliss, John Cooley : 1742. Henry Walcott. Nathan Burt. Jr .. John Colton; 1743, Sammel Cooley, Joshua Field, Isaac Colton : 1744, William Steb- bins, Ephraim Colton, Jr .. Samuel Keep, Jr .: 1745, Ephraim Colton. John Colton. Jonathan Stebbins: 1746. Nathaniel Burt. Jr .. Simon Colton. David Burt. 2d : 1747-9. Simon Colton, David Burt, 2d. Nathaniel Burt. Fr. : 1750. Simon Colton. David Burt. 2d, Nathaniel Ely : 1751. Nathaniel Burt, Simon Colton, Nathan- iel Ely: 1752-3. Nathaniel Ely. 2d. JJosiah Cooley, David Burt, 2d: 1754. JJosiah Cooley, Nathaniel Ely, 2d. Aaron Colton : 1755. Moses Field. Nathaniel Ely. Aaron Colton : 1756. George Colton. Simon Colton. David Burt ; 1757. Josiah Cooley. Jonathan Hale. David Burt: 1758. Moses Field, Matthew Keep, Josiah Cooley: 1759. Richard Woolworth. Eleazer Smith. Nathaniel Ely; 1760. Josiah Cooley, Jonathan Hale. Eleazer Smith: 1761, Nehemiah Stebbins. David Burt, Noah Hale: 1762. Ebenezer Bliss. 3d. Josiah Cooley, Abner Bliss: 1763. Aaron Colton. Jonathan Hale. Moses Field: 1764. Nehemiah Stebbins. Simon Colton. Eleazer Smith : 1765, Moses Field, Ebenezer Bliss. 2d. David Burt. 3d : 1766. Samuel Williams, Eleazer Smith. Nehemiah Stebbins: 1767. Simeon Colton, Nathaniel Ely, Moses Field: 1768, Nehe- miah Stebbins, Aaron Colton. David Burt. 3d: 1769. Ebenezer Bliss. 3d. David Burt, 3d. Nehemiah Stebbins: 1770-71. Samuel Williams, Ebenezer Bliss. 3d. Jonathan Hale, Jr. : 1172. Samuel Williams. Aaron Colton, Nathaniel Burt: 1773, Jonathan Hale. Jr .. Samuel Williams, David Burt. 3d : 1774. Richard Woolworth, Sammuel Colton. Aaron Colton : 1775, Jonathan Hale, Jr .. Ebene- zer Bliss. 3d. Aaron Bliss: 1776. Nathaniel Burt. Caleb Cooley,
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Elijalı Burt, Silas Hale, Stephen Keep: 1777, Samuel Colton, Nathaniel Burt, Richard Woolworth, Ephraim Brown, Jonathan Burt, 2d; 1778, Nathaniel Burt. David Burt, Elijah Burt; 1779, Samuel Williams, Henry Colton, Silas HIale, Nathaniel Ely, Ebenezer Colton ; 1780, Samuel Keep, Nathaniel Burt, Nathaniel Ely, Jr., Jonathan Burt, 2d, Josiah Cooley; 1781, Nathaniel Burt, Elijah Burt. Israel Colton, Josiah Colton, Jonathan Hale, Jr. ; 1782, Jonathan ITale, Jr., Josiah Cooley, Silas Hale, Azariah Woolworth, Abner Colton; 1783, Festus Colton, Josiah Cooley, Samuel Keep, Elijah Burt, Abner Hale.
Selectmen .- 1783-4, David Burt, Moses Field, Jonathan Burt : 1785-6, Moses Field, Jonathan Burt, Samuel Keep ; 1787-8, Moses Field, William Stebbins, Jonathan Hale. Jr .: 1789, Jona- than Burt, Jabez Colton, Jonathan Hale, Jr .: 1790, Jabez Col- ton, Jonathan Burt, Nathaniel Ely, Jr .: 1791-3, Hezekiah Hale, Jonathan Burt, Nathaniel Ely, 2d; 1794-6, Jonathan Burt, 2d, Hezekiah Hale, Gideon Burt. viee Jonathan Burt, deceased : 1797-9, Hezekiah Hale, Elijah Burt, Nathaniel Ely, Jr. ; 1800-01, Hezekiah Hale, Joseph W. Cooley, Gideon Burt; 1802-3, Heze- kiah Hale, Joseph W. Cooley, Nathaniel Ely ; 1804-6, Joseph W. Cooley, Calvin Burt, Ethan Ely; 1807-12, Alexander Field, Ethan Ely, Joseph W. Cooley; 1813-14, Alexander Field, Ethan Ely, Stephen Taylor : 1815, Ethan Ely, Alexander Field, Joseph W. Cooley: 1816, Ethan Ely, Alexander Field, Seth Taylor; 1817, Ethan Ely, Alexander Field, Joseph W. Cooley: 1818, Joseph W. Cooley, Ethan Ely, David Booth ; 1819, Joseph W. Cooley, Oliver Dwight. Ethan Ely; 1820, Ethan Ely, Oliver Dwight, Elijah Colton ; 1821, Oliver Dwight, Oliver Bliss, Elijalı Colton : 1822-3, Oliver Dwight, Oliver Bliss, Alexander Field ; 1824, Seth Taylor, Elijah Colton, Joseph W. Cooley: 1825, Seth Taylor, Elijah Colton, William White; 1826-9. Herman Newell. Burgess Salsbury, Joseph Ashley: 1830, Elijah Colton, Ethan Taylor, Stephen Ashley; 1831, Stephen Ashley, Burgess Sals- bury, Elijah Colton: 1832, Elijah Colton, Burgess Salsbury. William White; 1833-4, Burgess Salsbury, Gad O. Bliss, Oliver Dwight: 1835-6, Burgess Salsbury, Gad O. Bliss, Lorin Burt; 1837. Burgess Salsbury, Gad O. Bliss, Elijah Colton : 1838, Gad
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O. Bliss, Elijah Colton. Ethan Taylor; 1839, Oliver Dwight, Gad O. Bliss, Willis Phelps: 1840. Gad O. Bliss, Simeon Newell, Stephen Ashley: 1841. Gad O. Bliss. Simeon Newell. Willis Phelps : 1842, Simeon Newell, Willis Phelps, Joseph MeGregory ; 1843, Lorin Burt, Dimond Colton, Joseph MeGregory; 1844, Lorin Burt, Joseph MeGregory. Simeon Newell; 1845-6, Simeon Newell. Lorin Burt, Daniel Burbank; 1847-8, Alford Cooley, Warren Billings, Simcon Newell: 1849-50, Alford Cooley, War- ren Billings, Oliver Dwight : 1851, Alford Cooley, Elias Coomes, Randolph Stebbins; 1852-3. Alford Cooley, Stephen T. Colton, Randolph Stebbins; 1854, Randolph Stebbins, Stephen T. Colton, William Higley; 1855, Stephen T. Colton, Alfred Taylor, Sumner W. Gates: 1856-7, Stephen T. Colton. Alfred Taylor, Lueius C. Burt ; 1858-9, Stephen T. Colton, William Burt, Lucius C. Burt; 1860-62, Stephen T. Colton, David Lathrop, Abel H. Calkins: 1863-5, Stephen T. Colton, David Lathrop, Horace Hills; 1866. Stephen T. Colton. Charles S. Newell, Geo. W. Gould : 1867. Stephen T. Colton, Charles S. Newell, Randolph Stebbins: 1868, George W. Gould. Charles S. Newell, Abel H. Calkins; 1869-70, Charles S. Newell, George W. Gould, Ralph P. Markham: 1871-3. Charles S. Newell. John C. Porter. Edwin Endieott : 1874, Charles S. Newell. Edwin Endieott, Abel H. Calkins : 1875. Chas. S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Cal- kins: 1876, Charles S. Newell. Edward P. Tabor, Edwin Endi- eott ; 1877. Charles S. Newell. Edward P. Tabor. Abel II. Calkins; 1878-79, Charles S. Newell. Edward P. Tabor. David Lathrop ; 1880-82, Charles S. Newell, Edward P. Tabor, Abel H. Calkins; 1883. John C. Porter, John A. Mckinstry, Henry Hall; 1884-9, John A. Mckinstry. Henry Hall. John C. Porter: 1890-91, Henry Hall, John C. Porter. Frank B. Allen : 1892. Henry Hall, John C. Porter. Edward P. Tabor: 1893. Frank B. Allen, John C. Porter. George B. Robinson : 1894, Frank B. Allen. William C. Pease. Charles S. Newell : 1895, Frank B. Allen, Charles S. Newell. John A. MeKinstry: 1896. Charles S. Newell. John A. MeKinstry. Charles S. Gates: 1897-8. Charles S. Gates, Frank B. Allen. Thomas D. Watters: 1899-1900, Charles S. Newell, Charles A. Birnie, Walter Bliss: 1901. Edward S. Brewer, Thomas D. Watters, Harry G. Webster.
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Precinct Clerks .- 1716, Jonathan Ely; 1717, Samuel Steb- bins; 1718-51, Jonathan Ely; 1751-75, Jonathan Stebbins; 1775-83. Jonathan Hale, Jr.
Town Clerks .- 1783-91, Jonathan Hale, Jr .; 1791-3, Daniel Stebbins; 1793-1813, Jabez Colton ; 1813-20, Chester Woolworth ; 1820-51, William White; 1851-3, David Booth; 1853, Dimond Chandler; 1854-6, Henry J. Crooks; 1856, James L. Pratt; 1857-89, Oliver Wolcott; 1889-94, Fred W. Lathrop; 1894, William B. Medlicott ; 1895-1901, William F. Emerson.
Representatives .- 1784, Nathaniel Ely: 1785-6, Gideon Burt; 1787, Elihu Colton; 1788-9, William Stebbins; 1791-2, Jabez Colton : 1794-5, Gideon Burt; 1800, Hezekiah Hale; 1801,
Longmeadow Town Hall
Gideon Burt; 1802-3, Nathaniel Ely ; 1804, Hezekiah Hale; 1805- 12, Ethan Ely.
State Senators .- 1856, Gad O. Bliss; 1863, Thomas L. Chapman.
Members of State Constitutional Convention .- 1820, Calvin Burt; 1853, Gad O. Bliss.
The full list of town officers for the year 1901 is as follows: Town clerk, treasurer and agent of board of health, William F. Emerson; selectmen, assessors, overseers of poor and board of health, Edward S. Brewer, Thomas D. Watters, Harry G. Web- ster : auditor, William M. Willard; collector, Charles S. Allen ;
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constables. William F. Sullivan, James Ward: highway sur- veyor, Charles P. Ward ; water commissioners, Charles A. Birnie, Thomas D. Watters, Walter Bliss, William F. Emerson, clerk; cemetery commissioners. William F. Emerson, Charles S. Allen, Edward P. Tabor; park commissioners, William C. Pease, William S. Bacon, Gottlieb A. Baer: sinking fund com- missioners, William C. Pease. Charles S. Allen, Thomas F. Cordis: chief of fire department. Thomas D. Watters; school committee, Levere C. Fay, Mrs. Lucy J. Smith, William B. Medlicott : superintendent of schools. Mary L. Poland of Spring- field : principal of grammar school, Lucia B. Carver ; trustees of public library. Edward F. Hayes, Mrs. Charles S. Gates (libra- rian , Mrs. Lucy J. Smith.
There is abundant evidence that in the days of warfare and peril which tried the American colonies so severely, during mich of the first part of the eighteenth century, the inhabitants of Longmeadow bore their part in a brave and creditable manner. Unfortunately no separate records were kept for the parish, and the men from the southern precinct merely stood to the eredit of Springfield. It is possible, however, to name a trio of officers who served with distinction. Rev. Stephen Williams, the first pastor of the church, was three times commissioned as chaplain in the colonial armies, and there can be no doubt of the quality of the service which he rendered. The tombstone of Capt. Isaac Colton, who died in 1757. in his fifty-seventh year, bears record that he "had a military genins. commanded a company at Louis- burg in 1742: was respected and useful at home: was a man of prayer." Similar testimony is borne by the stone which marks the grave of Lient. Nathaniel Burt. "who was slain at the mem- orable battle near Lake George, September 8, 1755, when his colonel and other brave officers fell, yet a signal victory was obtained over the enemy." The record adds that he was "a deacon of this church, an exemplary christian, a man of public spirit, and a good soldier, well beloved at home and in the army. A concern for pure religion caused his going into the military servier. TTe died in his forty-fifth year." Other military titles borne by Longmeadow men during this period were doubtless won by faithful service in the field.
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