USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > Springfield, 1636-1886 : history of town and city, including an account of the quarter-millennial celebration at Springfield, Mass., May 25 and 26, 1886 > Part 24
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At a Lawfull town Meeting of the Inhabitance of the town of Springfield Janr the 20 : 1774 holden by Adjournment from the 17 of sd Jan' to Recive the Report of their Comittee -
Voted to Accept the Report of the Committee appointed to Draw up Instruc- tions for the Agents and that they prefer to the General Court the answer of the town to the several petitions praying for a Division thereof which is as fol- loweth -
We the Subscribers being appointed by the town of Springfeild a Committee to Draw up Instructions for the Agents to prefer to the General Court relating
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to several Petitions for the Division of the town beg leave to Report as follows, viz -
To Cor" Benja Day, Left Benja Leonard & Dea" Nathel Ely -
Gentlemen you being Chosen by the town as Agents to make answer in the General Court to several petitions now Depending there praying for a Devision of said town - we Do Desire you to Use your Influence with the Representatives of said town to prevent by all proper ways and means in their Power any General Devision thereof and that you make Use of Counsel to assist you therein as you shall think necessary and that you offer such Reasons against any General Divi- tion thereof as you shall think propper and Reasonable also that you prefer the following to the Great & General Court as an answer to the petitions now Depending therein praying for a Division of said town.
SPRINGFEILD, Jan' 20: 1774
JOHN HALE JONTH WHITE BENJA ELY JUSTIN ELY
Province of Massachusetts Bay
To his Excellency thomas Hutchinson Esq' Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty Province of Massachusetts Bay; the Honorable his Majesty Council and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled. at Boston on the 26 Day of January, 1774 -
May it Please your Excellency & Honours -the town of Springfeild have been Notified and cited to Shew Cause if Any they have why the Petitions of the first Parish and also the Petition of part of the 3d and 4 Parishes and also the Petition of a place called Stony Hill in said Springfeild now Depending in the General Court praying for a Division of Said town should not be Granted the town suppose no general Division thereof at Present either necessary or Eligable but that if any Particular part thereof are Dissatisfied with there connections with the Main Body it is but Reasonable they should Petition to be made a Dis- trict Corporation but as the Petitioners have Alledged a Number of Facts in their Petition which we think have a tendency to give your Excellency & Hon's a Mis- understanding of the State of this town we Must beg leave to make some few Remarks thereon. The Difficulties that have Arisen in the town have been too notorious to be wholly Concealed and we hartily wish we Could say that any Particular Parish had not been the Occasion thereof. A Particular Detail of facts might be made but we Choose a Veil of Oblivion should be drawn over them
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Excepting so far as may be necessary to set the Condnet of the Rest of the town in a faire Light.
A Number of Circumstances Concurred Last March to bring the town Gener- ally togather at their annual town meeting for the Choice of Town officers &e in which the Town Chose to make some alteration in their officers which was so Disagreeable to several Parsons in the first Parish that they endeavored in an Un- presented manner to Obstruct and hinder the Business of the Meeting by a suffi- cient Number appearing to Object to almost every Vote when it was indisputable to every Body present and this not onely in Matters of Importance but also in the Choice of the Most Inconsiderable officers whereby the List of the Voters was obliged to be called which Necessarily took up some Houres and this was Followed about three Days & a half with the Express and Avowed Design to git the town to send to the general Court for a Committee to Divide the same a Measure then and ever sence very Disagreeable to much the greatest part of sd town and this was continued untill the within a few Hours of Extent of time allowed by Law to Make Choice of Town officers whereby many considered themselves under a Necessity of Complying to have a Committee. The Petitioners are very much mistaken in their Representation of a Report made by a Committee of the town that an Application to the general Court for a Committee to Divide the same was the Only Expedient to Restore Peace and Prevent Discord and Con- fusion for we are Informed by a Number of said Committee that no such Report was made or agreed to by the Major part of them and we are Certain there is no such Article in their Report as Enterd on the town Record, but their Report was to Choose a Committee in the Neighboring towns &c.
The town had always avoided applying to the General Court because they would be Left at Liberty about excepting a report of any Committee about a Division of the town as they should think eligable or not-and the charge of Insincerity is utterly groundless and without Foundation and only mentioned as we Conceive with the Designe of Representing the town in an Unfavourable Light to your Excellency and Honours. The Petitioners alledge a Vote of the town that a Division thereof was necessary &c but it should be Remembered that there had been Application before that time by Stony Hill so called and Long Meadow to be made seperate towns or Districts and they had obtained the towns Consent thereto these people might vote in that manner from their own particular Circum- stances others from the Necessity they was then Under as before referred to. But when the Report was made the town Could not Consent to it, and the follow- ing with others not Mentioned might be their Reasons for Rejecting it (viz) no allowance was thereby made to the western town which was to be ereeted for any
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Moneys they had Expended for Public Buildings in the first Parish, no Care was thereby taken of Money Particularly as to the £200 Voted for a bridge across Chienepee River if not expended for that purposs - by said Report Connecticutt River was to be the Dividing Line - and yit no Dividing Line was to be fixed : Stony Hill were to receive their Share of the Town Stock and have no Part of the Poor ; the Jurisdiction of the Meadow Land, was to be left vague precarious and finetiating which might be the Occasion of Great Disputes and Contentions and perhaps prove the Utter Ruin of the western Town these with others probably were the Reasons of the Towns Rejecting the Report. We think there will be no future Occasion of Discord or Confusion in this town if but a few Individuals in it can content themselves with a reasonable proportion of the towns Privileges &c.
As to the Petitions of part of the third and fourth Parishes we would observe that the Petitioners are but a very inconsiderable part of two Large Parishes and the much greatest part of Each of those Parishes are very far from being in Sen- timent with them as to the Matter of their Petition - the Inhabitants of Stonny Hill have heretofore applied and received the Consent of this Town for being made a separate Town or District and we think there Local Circumstances are such that they can receive very little if any Benefit from their present Connec- tions with us Either as to town or Parishial Privileges - but as the greatest Part of them have within a few years moved into this town from the neighboring towns we cannot think it Reasonable they should have their Proportion of the Town Stock of Money without being Chargeable with Part of the support of the Poor of the town.
We therefore pray your Excellency and Honours that the prayer of the Peti- tioners may be dismissed.
The General Court promptly incorporated West Springfield and " Stonny Hill,' or Ludlow, as separate towns. It has been wondered why a township was thrust upon West Springfield. The above account explains it. The west-siders, by the aid of a few from the outlying districts, began a movement to transfer the " seat of government " to their side of the river. The Centre tried obstruction for a time, and then appealed to the Legislature, which lopped off two limbs of the ancient town, and peace was restored.
We are now confronted with a matter that subdued all local rival- ries, and filled the bosoms of the inhabitants and freeholders of this
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town and all American towns with deep and conflicting emotions. The first evidence of the spirit of independence in this town came to the surface in 1774. Colonel Worthington took his old seat as moderator of the town-meeting in March. He, with Moses Bliss, Jolin Hale, Ensign Phineas Chapin, Dea. Daniel Harris, were chosen selectmen. Worthington and John Bliss were in the General Court that year. Alarming letters from Boston were read in open town- meeting concerning public affairs and the aggressions of England. The citizens of Boston had a few days before passed its famous non- importation and non-consumption resolutions, and Massachusetts was thrown into a state of the wildest excitement. Springfield town-meeting, on the 12th of July, 1774, listened to the following resolves drawn up by a committee consisting of Dea. Nathaniel Brewer, Capt. George Pynchon, Dr. Charles Pynchon, Capt. Simon Colton, Moses Field, Jonathan Hale, Jr., Ensign Phineas Chapin, James Sykes, and Dea. Daniel Harris
This Town taking into Serious & Deliberate Consideration the present Dan- gerous Scituation of this Province came into the following Votes vizt (Ist) That by the Royal Charter of King William & Queen Mary; which we have Possessed for near a Century and which has from time to time been Recognized both by Kings & Parliament, we are Intitled to, and ought forever to Enjoy all the Liberties & Immunities of any of his Majesty's Subjects within any of his Dominions ; Some of the most essential of which are that they Shall not be Taxed, but with their own Consent, given in Person or by their Representatives, not Disseized of their property, or Condemned to any Penalties, but by Judge- ment of good & Lawfull men of the Vicinage.
2ly. That the Charters of the Collonies ought to be held Sacred and every Infraction upon them, carefully avoided, as tending to Interrupt that Harmony between the Collonies and the Parent State, which is so essential to the Hapiness of both.
3dly. That Thoh great Defference & Respect is due to the wisdom of the British Parliament yet we can't Consider Our Selves as Enjoying the Liberties and Immunities of Natural freeborn Subjects of the King, if we are lyable to be Taxed without Representation or to be disseived of our property ; or any way punished without the Judgement of our Peers. Nor do we apprehend that
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we have so much as a Virtual representation in a Legislature, which is not itself Subject to those Laws which it imposes upon us.
4thly. That the late Boston port act which inflicts a most Severe Punishment upon that Town (and in its operation upon almost the whole Continent) for destruction made of the Property of some British Merchants, by persons un- known; and that before any demand of Compensation was made, or any Citation Sent to the Town to answer for itself; is a Step that ought to alarm us and fill us with deep Concern.
5thly. That the proposed new System of Government, Virtually annihilating our most Essential Charter Rights, added to the Boston Port aet, gives is Such apprehensions of the designs of administration against our Liberties, as we have never before allowed ourselves to Entertain.
Gly. Impressed with Just Concern for our priviledges and at the Same time Governed by Sentiments of Loyalty to our Soveraign and with warm affection for our Mother Country, we ardently wish that all the Collony's and every Individual in them, may unite in Some prudent peaceable Constitutional meas- ures, for the Redress of our Grievances the Security of our Liberties, and the Restoration of union and mutual Confidence between Great Brittain and her Collonies.
Tly. That it is the unquestionable Right, so we esteem it the Indispensable duty of the several Collonies, in this day, to Correspond together, and act in Consert ; and we wait with Patience for the result of the approaching Continental Congress. Hoping that Influenced by Wisdom from above they will Recom- mend those measures which Shall be both inoffencive in their Nature & Salutary in their Tendency. And as it appears to us that a discontinuance of Trade & Commeree with Great Brittain might Serve the Interest of the Country in divers Respects ; So Should any well digested prudently regulated & practible plan for this end be proposed. we Shall readily acceed to it & afford our aid for the Relief of those, who may thereby be deprived of ye means of Substance, as well as Contribute to the Succonr of our Bretheren already Suffering in their Countries Cause.
Sly. In the meantime we think it our duty to Express our Utter abhorrenee of all Such Resolves & measures as are unnecessarily affrontive to the Brittish parliment, and carry an air of Insult upon that Respectable Body, as well as of all Tumults and riots among ourselves, Insults upon mens persons & Invations of their properties. We are Unanimously resolved to discontenance every thing of this kind & to yield & promote due obedience to his majesty's Government in this Province, To treat his majestys Representative, with all due Respect, To aid
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Inferior Magistrates in the Regular Constitutional Execution of the good Laws we are under and to Support as far as we are able their Just Influence in their Respective offices and we hope those Gentlemen Unbiased by personal Interest and greatfully remembering that the favour of the People first raised them to View and Recommended them to the Honnors they Sustain; will readily unite with us in all reasonable and Constitutional means of Redress. And tho we will injure no man in his person or property for diversity of opinion, Yet we Shall not think our Selves bound to Continue our favours to any Gentleman, who lost to the Sentiments of Gratitude & Humanity can cooly Sacrifice his Countrys liberties to his own private Emomment.
The meeting was a full one, and the resolves were passed by a large majority and at once forwarded to Boston.
On the 20th of September a county congress was recommended, and the following gentlemen were chosen delegates in that event : Dr. Charles Pynchon, Luke Bliss, and Jonathan Hale, Jr. The committee of correspondence was directed to suggest to the towns that the congress meet at Northampton. Steps were also taken to aid in the relief of the poor in Boston. The committee of corre- spondence was : Dr. Charles Pynchon, William Pynehon, Jr., James Sikes, Dea. Nathaniel Brewer, and John Hale. There was further evidence of revolutionary spirit on September 29, when Dr. Charles Pynchon of this town and John Bliss of Wilbraham were selected as representatives of the General Court appointed to meet at Salem October 5, and Capt. George Pynchon and Jonathan Hale, Jr., were chosen delegates to the Provincial Congress October 2.
It may be well asked what had become of the famous John Worth- ington ? Was he making the town-house vocal with his appeals for the American colonies, as was his brother in the law, Joseph Hawley, of Northampton? Did he lend his voice to the resolutions sent to Boston? Alas ! JJohn Worthington was at odds with the town and the commonwealth, and had resolved to step down and out. He be- lieved in royalty, and he knew no public interests but those for which he had taken his solemn oath. "Adamses, where are you going?"
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fiercely demanded the imperious colonel of John and Samuel Adams in Springfield, as they were on their way to the Continental Con- gress. "To Philadelphia, to declare these colonies free," was the reply. Worthington said, " Gentlemen, beware ! Look out for your heads ! " Worthington himseif went to Philadelphia soon after, to save his own head. Finding that he had jumped from the frying-pan into the fire, he was on the point of sailing for Halifax, but was dissuaded by Moses Bliss. This was, indeed, a great change from the time when Capt. Joseph Ferre, the survivor of the successive funerals of five wives, had exclaimed, ""John Worthington rules this town like a rod of iron." Worthington was eventually compelled to make a state- ment in town-meeting, which satisfied the people. We do not know how true it is, but the story has often been told beside Springfield firesides, that the whigs who dominated the town at this exciting time were so outraged at the refusal of John Worthington to join them, that they led him out in a field, formed a ring, and compelled him to kneel, and swear before God that he would renounce his tory views.
There was a John Worthington in every Massachusetts town, but the spirit of 1776, as we recognize it, did not stand on ceremony. There was rough work ahead, and personal dignity and private opinion were unceremoniously brushed aside. It is due to Colonel Worthing- ton to record that he advanced money for arming soldiers. He was not reimbursed for these expenditures until after the surrender of Yorktown.
Toryism had taken a deep hold of several Springfield families of note. There are in the St. John (N.B.) Cemetery many tombstones bearing old Springfield family names, - a curious testimony to the tenacity of the tory spirit. Among those who finally went back to England was Jonathan Bliss, brother of Luke Bliss. He afterward went to New Brunswick, and became attorney-general of the province, as well as chief-justice. His wife was Mary, daughter of John Worthington.
The names of three Pynchons appear on the committee of corre-
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spondence, and a fourth Pynchon was town treasurer. There was nothing tory about this. Jonathan Hale was a carpenter, and James Sikes, like all of the family of that name, was a part of the bone and sinew of the town.
The patriotism of the Springfield Pynchons during the Revolution is all the more worthy of note from the fact that in Connecticut and Eastern Massachusetts branches of the family were tory in sentiment. In fact, William Pynchon, of Salem, and Joseph Pynchon, of Guil- ford, Conn., were notorious tories, and were forced to leave the country in consequence. Joseph Pynchon might have been Governor of Con- necticut if his political views had not led to his self-banishment to Nova Scotia. His great-grandson is Dr. Thomas R. Pynchon, of Trinity College, Hartford.
Merchant Jonathan Dwight, at the first echo of war, made his plans to leave Springfield. He even closed his store. Hearing a rumor that a decree had gone forth from Boston for the seizure of his goods, he directed his slave Andrew to drive his cattle across the Connecti- cut line. But it was due to the influence of his wife that he modified his political sentiments and reopened his store.
In January, 1775, the several special town-meetings must have been intensely interesting. Capt. George and Dr. Charles Pynchon and Jonathan Hale, Jr., had just returned from the Provincial Con- gress, and their reports of the doings at that body gave the yeomen of the community the first definite glimpse of the great struggle. Means were taken to aid the poor at Boston. The town stock of ammunition was materially increased, and George Pynchon headed a committee which recommended that the provincial tax be paid into the town treasurer and held " safe during this time of General Dis- tress & Confusion." An association had been formed (1774) pledg- ing the members not to wear or use any clothing or product imported from Great Britain, - a self-imposed embargo that was a severe test of patriotism. The subsequent exclusion of tea from the table was accepted in good part by the community, although we do have it by
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tradition that some worthy dames of Springfield were not above steeping tea at the hour of midnight and drinking it in the seclusion of their closets.
At the spring town-meeting of the important year 1775 the fol- lowing town officers were elected : -
Modr. - Mr. James Sikes was Chosen Moderator.
Clerk & Treas". - Edward Pynchon Esqr was Chosen Clerk & Treasr.
Selectmen. - Deac" Daniel Harris, Ensn Phinehas Chapin, Mr James Sikes, Mr William Pynchon Junr and Deac" Aaron Colton were Chosen Selectmen.
Wardens. - Mr Daniel Lumbard, Mr Nathaniel Burt & Mr Eleasar Chapin were Chosen Wardens.
Assess's. - Mr Jona Burt Junr, Deac" Edward Chapin & Mr William Pynchon Junr were Chosen Assessors.
Constals. - Stephen Hitchcock, Moses Harris, William Stebbins Junr, Henry Colton & Stephen Wright were Chosen Constables.
Tythingmen. - Mr Timothy Bliss, Ebenezer Stebbins, George Colton 2d, & Jonathan Bement were Chosen Tythingmen.
Snryrs of Highways. - Andrew Colton, Josiah Hitchcock, Aaron Cooley, Hezekialı Hale, Silas Hale, Benoni Chapin, George Chapin & Eliakim Cooley were Chosen Surveyors of Highways.
Fence Viewers. - Jacob Cooley, Joseph Stebbins Jun', Festus Colton, Samnel Keep. Ens" Phins Chapin & William Chapin Jun' were Chosen Fence Viewers.
Survrs of Chingls & Clapbs. - Lt Abner Smith, Phinehas Chapin Jun' & David White were Chosen Surveyors of Shingles & Clapboards.
Hogg Rieves. - Matthew Keep, Edward Crandell, John Clark & Abijah Edson were Chosen Hogg Rieves.
Deer Rieves. - Nathaniel Alexander & Elijah Burt were Chosen Deer Rieves.
Sealers of Leather. - Samuel Gridley & Jonathan Stebbins were Chosen Sealers of Leather.
Comee to adjust acts with ye Treasr. - Mr Reuben Bliss, Mr. Luke Bliss and Mr Jonathan Dwight were Chosen a Committee to adjust accts with the Town Treas".
Bull Comee. - Mr John Warner, Mr Thomas Stebbins, Mr Josiah Cooley, Mr Samuel Keep, Mr Silas Hale, Deaen Edward Chapin, Mr Azariah Vanhorn & Mr John Horton, Were Chosen a Committee to Hire Bulls for the use of ve Town.
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SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886.
The Boston alarm of September, 1774, had set over forty thousand soldiers all through New England on the march for the day as promptly as might have been the case in our days of telegraph. But even more marvellous was the speed with which the news of the battle of Lexington the next year got to the Connecticut river. The British soldiers left Boston before daybreak on the 19th of April, 1775, and on the 20th Capt. Elihu Kent, within an hour's notice, was at the head of a Suffield company of fifty-nine men and a provision wagon, rush- ing for Springfield, where they took supper and pressed on at once.
Each Springfield soldier was given one-half pound of powder. There were also delivered to the companies here assembled one hull- dred and eighty flints.
A Longmeadow company, commanded by Lieut. David Burt, started east on the 21st. When the Suffield company reached Springfield, on the 20th, they found the Springfield minute-men, under Maj. Andrew Colton, a West Springfield company commanded by Capt. Enoch Chapin, and a second West Springfield company under Colton, with Gideon Burt first lieutenant, and probably the South- wick contingent. The Springfield taverns and the streets were in a perfect uproar, and during the 20th and 21st soldiers were con- stantly forwarded. The British troops had left Boston to the tune of " Yankee Doodle." In twenty-four hours it was the other army that was playing that tune. Springfield had been busy for months col- lecting arms and drilling men. In March the selectmen had given an order on Treasurer Edward Pynchon to pay moneys as follows : Horace White for 25 gun barrels, £35; to Martin Ely for 25 gun locks, £25 ; Reuben Bliss for stocking 25 guns, chest for same, etc., £7-19-6. The town had under its care also sundry of the poor of Boston sent into the back country. Widow Davis, for example, "one of the Dispersed of Boston," was given aid, and the treasurer paid " To Moses Bliss Esq. for a Horse & Chaise to transport of the Dispersed of Boston to Wilbraham, 48 4d." From the expense account are taken the following items : -
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SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1886.
To Arriel Collins for 43 Cartouch Boxes, 1- 1-6
To Tho' Bates for a Gunn & Bayonett, 2-10-0
To Luke Bliss for a Gunn & Bayonett, 2- 8-0
To Widow Silence Bliss for a Gunn, 2- 5-0)
6-0
To Capt" Tho. Stebbins for the use of a Gunn, To Timº Bliss for a Large Home spun Blankett,
15-0
To John Burt for a Blankett, 9-0
To Oliver Burt for a Gunn Dd Silvanus Hale, 2- 0-0
To John Warner Jun. for Excers'ing as a minute man,
9-2
To Seth Storer Coburn for a horse to assist the minute men when they marched from this Town to Head quarters near Boston in April 1775, 12-0
To George Colton Jun. for a Blankett & knappsech Deld Benoni Bar- rister, 13-6
Drums for the companies,
8 -- 0-0
-
Springfield minute-men marched under Maj. Andrew Colton. The following company, which left Springfield April 20, 1775, was in ser- vice as a distinct company but one week and three days : -
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