USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Colrain > The early settlers of Colrain, Mass., or, Some account of ye early settlement of "Boston township no. 2, alias Colrain, adjoyning on ye north sid of Deerfield" : an address delivered before H.S. Greenleaf Post, No. 20, G.A.R., at Colrain, May 30, 1885 > Part 6
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John McCrellis (older brother of Martha and Mary, mentioned above) settled on the Handy place and had a family of four children; dying May 3, 1759, aged 59. His oldest son, John Jr., married Hannah
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McConkey of Pelham. He fell overboard from a boat and was drowned while shad fishing in Connect- icut river in May, 1765, being only 25 years old, leaving three young children; of whom Mary, the youngest, married John Handy. Another son, Wil- liam, (or Deacon William as he was known,) lived at one time, I think, on lot No. I of the third division. He had numerous children, and his oldest daughter, Jane, became the wife of Dr. Samuel Ross.
Esther, daughter of John McCrellis senior, married Archibald Pennill, and afterward Andrew Lucas as I have mentioned on a previous page. Another daughter, Margaret, married Ebenezer Wells, of Greenfield. Of her children, John removed to Rowe; Daniel settled in Greenfield, and was father of Judge Daniel Wells, and grandfather of Colonel Geo. D. Wells; the gallant Commander of the 34th Massachu- setts Regiment, and who lost his life on one of the battle fields of the Rebellion. Samuel, who also settled in Greenfield on the homestead, and was father of Ralph Wells, and grandfather of Mrs. Conant of this town; who by a somewhat remarkable coinci- dence, now resides on the same farm where her great great grandfather, John Mc Crellis first settled.
Let me here add a word regarding Hannah Mc- Conkey, the wife of John McCrellis Jr. After his death she married in 1768, Archibald Thomas of Rowe, and had nine children. Of them, Elizabeth, the eldest was grandmother of the wife of Major S. H. Reed, afterward Sheriff of this County. Mrs. Thomas, for years practiced medicine in Rowe, . and was probably the first woman physician in that town. She died September 2 Ist, 1825, aged 83 years.
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William McCrellis, the progenitor of the other branch of the family in this town, was a nephew of John, senior. He came from the north of Ireland, and after arriving in this country stopped for some time at Noddles Island, near Boston. He probably came to Colrain in 1749, as under date of August 15, of that year he bought lots 48 and 49, the farm on which the Coombs Brothers now live. His first wife was Jane or Jannet McClure, who died March 13, 1763. His second wife was Jemima Mehany, by whom he had three children. Martha, who died unmarried; Elizabeth, who became the mother of William and Jonathan Coombs, also of Mrs. Flagg, Mrs. Hillman and Mrs. Dexter Wilson, now deceased; and William Jr. who had a family of ten children. William McCrellis died in this town November 3, 1781, aged 74.
Undoubtedly the first physician that ever practiced in this town was Dr. Hugh Bolton; who came here in 1741, buying lots 18 and 19 in first range, on one of which he settled. He was born and educated in England, where he studied medicine, and had built up a large practice. His decision to emigrate to America was somewhat suddenly taken, and the causes which induced his coming are quite interesting.
Dr. Bolton was a dissenter, and refused to pay tithes ; an officer went to take his property, he resist- ed, a fight ensued and the officer was severly punish- ed. In due time two constables were sent to arrest him; he saw them coming, and as they came in at one door, he, without waiting to even get his hat, went out at another. This was near evening. The officers, seeing him leave without a hat, did not
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pursue him, believing that he would surely return. But return he never did; he went to the nearest sea- port, where he found a vessel ready to sail, on which he took passage and in due time arrived safely in America. This was in the year 1730, or thereabout. He settled first in Londonderry, N. H. where he bought land of Hugh Morrison in 1733. He afterward lived in Peterboro, N. H. coming to Colrain, as I have said, in 1741. He married Eliza- beth Patterson :- her family afterward came to America, settled in Baltimore, and one of the daughters became the wife of Jerome Bonaparte. Mrs.
Bolton was drowned in Deerfield River, while attempting to cross on the ice, January 30th, 1755. Dr. Bolton died in this town June 8th, 1772, aged 85 years. Their children were Hugh Bolton Jr., Matthew, John and Nancy, also I think, one other son, Joseph, who died young. Hugh Jr. married Martha Morrison, as I have previously stated, and had six children. He enlisted in his Majesty's military service, and was killed in the French and Indian war. Matthew, the second son, who was also a physician, married Han- nah McClanathan of Pelham. She died December 28, 1761, and he married again but the name of his second wife I am unable to state. He had five children, all from the second marriage, three sons, only, living to the age of maturity. Of these Mathew Jr. married Electa Martindale of Greenfield, and set- tled in Heath; they had a family of, I think, nine chil- dren. Samuel, another son, married Jane, daughter of Colonel Hugh Mcclellan, and settled in Rowe; they had seven children, of whom Mrs. Mary Carley of Jacksonville, Vt. and Jane, the wife of Alcanda Preston of Halifax, Vt. are still living. Thomas, the
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youngest, son of Matthew Bolton, married Fanny Cuthbert (I think) and settled in this town. They had six children. Matthew Bolton practiced medi- cine here, in connection with his father, until the time of his death; he outlived his father, only about two years, dying June 5, 1774, aged 43 years.
John Bolton, youngest son of Dr. Hugh, was a re- markable man, and his staunch patriotism should en- title his memory to be greatly venerated by the in- habitants of this town, many of whom are descended from him. His wife was Martha, daughter of Deacon Thomas McGee; by whom he had ten children. Of these, Elizabeth married Abraham Pennill, set- tled in Warren, Herkimer county, New York, and was the mother of Rebecca, wife of Captain John Wilson of this town. Rachael married Robert Law- son McClellan, son of Rev. Daniel McClellan, whom I have mentioned, and was the mother of six chil- dren; of whom, Jane married Rev. Jonathan McGee, and Caroline married Baxter Bardwell of this town, and still resides here.
Nancy, fifth child of John Bolton, married Robert, son of Robert and Margaret (McClellan) Miller. They had ten children, only two of whom, George Washington Miller of Colrain, and Joseph Warren Miller of Greenfield, Mass. are now living ;* though her descendants of later generations are very numer-
*Hugh Bolton Miller of this family ; descendant and namesake of Dr. Hugh Bolton ; died in Colrain August 1, 1885. He was em- inently qualified to have been the historian of the town ; and among his papers will be found many valuable for historical. and geneological reference. I am indebted to him for the facts relating to the Bolton family, as well as other valuable information, all of which I desire at this time to gratefully acknowledge. C. H. M.
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ous in this town and vicinity. John Bolton was one of the most prominent military men of this town ; he was in the last French and Indian war, belonging to the famous company known as the "Rodgers Ran- gers," and was in the battle of Quebec under General Wolfe, though at the time he was but about nineteen years old. At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, he with others raised a company of artificers, of which he was Lieutenant; John Wood being Captain. This company was in 1777 stationed at West Point. Captain Wood soon after received his discharge, and the command devolved upon Bolton, who was one of the bravest officers, as well as the best practical me- chanic in this part of the colony. He was chief en- gineer in the construction department at West Point, and was instrumental in putting the heavy chain across the Hudson river at that place, to prevent the passage of British vessels up the river.
About 1779, his men became discouraged; they were badly clothed and fed, had received no pay for a long period, and were almost in a state of mutiny. Bolton was engaged with his whole soul in the cause of his country. He left the camp on a furlough, and came to Colrain, where he had a valuable property. He raised, by pledging his property, and otherwise, all the money he could; returned to West Point, and paid his men as far as it would go. He, with his company remained at that place till the close of the war; they being Massachusetts men were dis- charged, but not paid, and were compelled "to work their way home" as best they could; enduring more from hunger and exposure, than they had for the same length of time, during the whole period of the war.
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After a few years, Bolton gathered together the little fragments of his property, and emigrated to the state of New York, where he lived with some of his children. He was always inclined to look upon the bright side of things, until old age began to come. on, which, with poverty, caused him to become pensive and somewhat moody, some years before his death; which occurred at Warren, Herkimer County, N. Y. in the year 1807, at the age of sixty-seven years.
Did time permit, I would speak of Deacon Thomas Morris, who settled where Mr. Joel Cone now lives, residing there until his death in 1781. Of Deacon Alexander Harroun, and his son, and grandson David; all men of note in their time. They came from Hatfield to this town, settling on what is now the Roberts farm, in the fourth range, in 1741, where the family resided till about the commencement of the present century, when they removed to Corfu, or Holland purchase, as it was then called, in western New York state, where many descendants of the family now reside. It was David Harroun, grandson of Deacon Alexander, who was at Springfield in the battle with the "Shayites". He was in Captain William Stevens' company of artillery, and when by accident the swab of one of the guns was blown away by a premature discharge; he thrust in his long brawny arm, and with his hand enclosed in a thick home- made yarn mitten, he swabbed out the gun.
William Miller, from Stowe, Mass., bought of Hugh Morrison, in August 1746, one hundred acres of land, "near where the east and west branches of North River unite"; now owned by Mr. A. A. Smith. The high water having made it necessary for him to remove his family from his house in a boat, during
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three successive seasons; he decided to seek a new location; and in 1754, he removed to higher land, buying out the heirs of Hugh Henry as I have prev- iously stated. From him have descended the various families of Millers who have since been so prominent- ly connected with the affairs of the town.
\\ Hezekiah Smith, of Woodstock, Ct., bought of Josh- ua Wells, of Greenfield, what was known as the Wells tract, where his great great grandson Charles Smith, now lives; the deed being dated December 6th, 1764, and the consideration being 93 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence. He at once became prominent in town affairs, was delegate to the Provincial Congress and also to the Convention which framed the Constitution of this state; and represented the town in many other important matters. His wife was Eunice Morris, daughter of Deacon Thomas Morris, and sister of Jane, the wife of Deacon Hugh Riddle, of whom I have spoken. His sons, Oren, Nathaniel, Hezekiah, Rominor, David and Calvin, all grew to manhood, and well sustained the prominence to which they succeeded, in public affairs.
Deacon James Wilson, (weaver) and his wife Mar- garet McGee, (sister of Deacon Thomas McGee), came to this town, from Chester N. H. He bought land, which his descendant Mr. S. N. Wilson now owns, of Samuel and Benjamin Munn, June 29, 1752. This farm was situated in Deerfield pasture; now Shelburne. Being a Presbyterian, and otherwise strongly attached to the church in this town; he bought, about three years later, of William McCrellis, three fourths of an acre of land in Colrain, for a house lot; and so became a resident of the town. Two of his sons, who at the time were quite well grown youths,
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are said to have disappeared from the sugar camp during the latter part of the Indian war, and were supposed to have been captured; though what fate befell them, whether they were killed or carried into captivity; was never discovered, as I am aware. Of his remaining sons; Jonathan the oldest, succeeded to his father's estate in 1765; Robert settled where Mr. Isaac T. Fisk now lives; Samuel where Robert Cone now lives, both in Shelburne; and David, about this time settled on Christian Hill, on land of the second division. David Wilson was very active in town affairs 100 years ago, and he is well remembered by many of you, present here; for before me are many of his descendants. His memory I have been taught greatly to revere, as he was my great grandfather. Sarah, the only daughter of his family that grew to womanhood, became the wife of Colonel Hugh McClellan, and so my great grandmother; so that as a Wilson, I may be said to be "bred in and in."
As illustrating these matters, I will speak of but one other, and that Jane Henry, sister of Hugh and John Henry,-a brave, resolute, red haired woman, who came from the north of Ireland, with her husband Michael McClellan, about 1749. Her oldest daugh- ter, Jeanette, had married Joseph Thompson in the old country. and they probably came over in the same ship as did her parents. In 1768, Joseph Thompson settled on lot 56, in the second division, where his descendant, Milo Thompson, now lives. Ann, another daughter of Michael and Jane (Henry) Mcclellan, married John Stewart, of whom I have spoken, and and whose descendants are numerously represented here. Still another daughter, Margaret, married Robert, son of William Miller; from whom have de-
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scended nearly all the Millers. Bear in mind that by inter-marriage, these lines have crossed each other many, many times since; and when I add, that David Wilson, Jonathan McGee and Nathaniel, David and Calvin Smith, married five of the daughters of Jeanette and Joseph Thompson; you will, upon reflection, begin to get some idea of this "tangle" in the lineage.
And thus; Comrades of the Grand Army, and friends; grateful for your kind and patient attention, and fully conscious that my words have done but ill justice to the theme; thus must I close the story of our predecessors in this community. Grand, noble, and true men, were they. Not great perhaps, as the world judges at present; but great in courage, great in piety and faith, and great in all that is expressed by a noble manhood. In all these respects, they were giants in their time, and wrought as such. And during all time,-while the grass shall spring green from the low mounds beneath which they sleep; the story of their achievements shall be delightful to peruse. The work which your patriotic endeavor accomplished, was but the complement of what they had performed. With hands few and weak in comparison, they struggled heroically, to conquer an eternal independ- ence for this land of ours, and thus humbled the pride of the proudest nation the sun had, or has ever shined upon. Yours was the opportunity, to establish by your valor, the truth; that here, in this land which their devotion had founded,-liberty shall live eternal. Among your noble fraternity, -of the sons who were worthy of their sires; let the memory of their heroism never be forgotten. Cherish their names, their deeds, their virtues; nor doubt that in the far vista of the years,-the grateful generations shall inscribe like
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honor to your deeds; and that which they have suf- fered, and that which you have achieved, shall be, alike, held in everlasting remembrance.
ITTHE following list of names has been prepared from the State and town rec- ords as a proper list of all men serving from the town of Colrain in all wars pre- vious to the Spanish war, suitable to be placed on memorial tablets to be erected by the town of Colrain.
Samuel Cochran
James Pennell
Job Colman
Moses Pennell
Josiah Coolidge
Robert Pennell
Daniel · Donelson
Adam Patterson
Matthew . Donelson Moses Donelson
Ebenezer Eddy
Elijah Edwards
Elisha Fobes
Thomas Fox
William Fox Moses Ranger
Josiah Fuller
Miles Raly
John Fulton
Gawen Riddle
Moses Fulton
Robert Fulton
Samuel Rockwood
William Fulton Ichabod Goldin Henry Gould
Henry Rogers William Shearer Hezekiah Smith
James Harkness William Harkness
Daniel Harris
Valentine Harris
John Harroun David Harroun John Henderson Andrew Henry
Jabez Spicer
John Call .
Thomas McGee
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Lt. James Stewart
Alexander' Clark George Clark James Clark
John Mills
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It. John Stewart Robert Stewart
John Clark.
William Morris
Er
James Kanady
Josiah Stone
John Cochrane
Samuel Morrison
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Silas Kellogg Asaph Kentfield Joel Lakin
Stoddard Totman Thomas Totman John Wallace
Matthew Ellig
. Robert Pennell David Patterson William Patterson
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Robert Maple
James White
Alexander Harroun
Lemuel Mayo
Job Williams
Thomas McHarger
Nathan Williams
Capt. Hugh McclellanLt. James Wilson
William McCrellis
William Wilson Peter Wilson
Zachariah Harwood Benjamin Henry
Joseph Thompson John Wallis Silas White
David McGee
John Wood
John .Hulbert
Robert Wilson
Jonathan McGee
Artemus Woodward
Samuel Hunter
Thomas Wilson
Thomas McGee
James Young
Robert Miller
List of Men Serving in War of 1812 From Colrain, Mass.
Robert Barber
Moses Rice
Ina Call
Zorah Scott
Zenas Cary
Joseph Shearer
Artemas Churchill
Amasa Shippee
Thomas Bell, Jr.
James Mitchell
Lt. Samuel Coolidge
Reuben Shippee
Josiah Haynes Amos Stewart
Presberry Hillman Rufus Taggart
Obed Holden
Joseph . Thompson
David Morrison
Arad Towne
Sylvanus Patterson
Ignatius Perkins
Alden Willis John Wilson
List of Men Serving 'in the ICIVIL WAR
From Colrain, Mass.
Abner Caswell
George W. Adams Henry Grover
Samuel Ashton Levi Heffron
James D. Avery *Hugh Hamilton
Harley M. Barber
Marcus Haskins
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Ralph Bridges
John "Burdock JohnCaldwell Joseph Chidwell John Call, Jr. Ira Cannon
Carsi
Lemuel Maxam Andrew Neilsen John Neilser. ... John Newman Joseph ; Newman Abraham' Pennell
Daniel Clark Matthew Clark Seth Clark
John McDonald
Thomas Baker
John Mills
Thomas Ball
Walter Bell
James Mitchell, Jr.
John Moors
Samuel Boid
Lt. John Bolton
Daniel Bracy
Hugh Morrison David Morrison Samuel Morrison
James McCollock
Daniel McDougal
William McElwain
Edward Winslow Benjamin Wood
John Henry
James Stewart John Stewart Joseph Stewart Samuel Stewart John Strongman Alexander Thompson David Thompson
John Matthews
James Wilde
David Harroun
Elliot Harroun
John Harroun
Benjamin Harwood Jr. John Thompson Peter Harwood
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Men of. Colrain Serving in the REVOLUTIONARY WAR
1768-1780
William Anderson
Archibald Lawson
Samuel Anderson
Andrew Lucas
Thomas Anderson
James Lucas
Hugh. Bolton
John McCrellis
John Bolton
John McCrellis, Jr.
Joseph Bolton-
William McCrellis
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1. Joseph Stansbury Hugh Stewart
Nathaniel Carswell - Robert. Miller
Hugh Henry Joseph Henty Richard Howard David . Hunter Moses Johnson
Samuel, Stewart William Stewart IS Benjamin Stone
William Clark
Robert Morrison
John Kately Jeremiah Keef
Richard Thomas Joseph .Thompson, Jr.
Seth Denio:
Archibald Pennell
John Pennell
Dick Liberty
John Love
James Wallace
Daniel Lucas
Joshua Warfield
John Mannee
.: Absalom Webster
James Matthews
81 Luther White
John Farnsworth Robert Fulton Elliot Gray William Gray
Hugh Morrison
John Clark," Jr.
John Morrison
Robert Cochran
Abraham Peck
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Daniel Donelson John Ellis .
Thomas Morris
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John Patterson y Robert Patterson William Pierce Zebulon Pierce Ezra Phillips: Hugh Queen.
Anyone . seeing occasion for corrections or additions to this list is requested to communicate with the committee in charge. REV. S. H. WALKER, Ch. MRS. KATHERINE H. CRAM, Sec. MR. ROSS E. PURRINGTON.
Men of Colrain Who Served in COLONIAL WARS
1744-1759
John . Anderson ...
Robert. Riddle
Hezekiah Smith, Jr. David Smith Orin. Smith Nathaniel Smith Rominor Smith
John Workman
Isaac Johnson
David Morris James Mullet John W. Munday
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ERRATA.
Page 10, line 2, for Housatonuck. read Pontoosuc.
13, " II, for bare, read bear,
22, " 8, for Harrmoun, read Harroun.
.. 24, " 12, for pretentions, read pretentious.
25, lines 22 and 25, for Isreal, read Israel.
.6 38, line 29, In, - is superfluous. .
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39, " 19, for vigorus, read vigorous.
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40, " 31, for improvments, read improvements.
53, " 28, for this, read the.
55, 8, for denoument, read denouement.
66 64, II. for Gordon, read Gurdon.
67, lines 4 and 15, for Mathew, read Matthew.
Stanyard Baldwin Reuben M. Barnes Charles H. Bellows Francis" Bent Edwin W. Booth William H, Booth Uri Bradley William H, Bradley *George Bree Eli Brooks
Dwight A. Hostora - Francis J. Hosmer Henry A. Howard
Mathew, read Matthew. Rachael, read Rachel.
numerous other errors, of typography as well as k a charitable criticism.
John Smead
Tyler P. Thompson
Arthur A. Smith
Vicenlio D. Thompson
John Smith
George Thompson
Martin Smith
Simeon Town
Willlam Smith Francis A. Tuck
Asa L. Snow
James W. Wallace
David W. Snow
John Wallace
*Asa N. Sparks Joseph Wallace
Charles A. Stanton Charles Walker
Samuel Starkey Charles W. Ward
Charles S. Stetson Amasa A .. White
William H. Stone
Franklin Williams
James Stone ..
Edwin J. Wilson
*George F. Stratton Hoyt Sumner
William H. H. Wilson Alfred S. Wingate
*Edwin W. Sumner John Taylor
*Lewis L. Wood
William H. Wrighney
Amos Temple
Philetus York
James Tenney William B. Young
Hugh W. Thompson. * Died in Service. 2w2-4
Thomas Carroll James Casey *Luman Churchill George W. Cook Henry C. Cromack Joseph H. Currier John H. Curtis. # *Seth A. Curtis John S. Daniels Samuel W Daniels Thomas S. Daniels *Edwin Davenport James R. Davis Andrew Day'
Franklin ' C. Miller Benjamin F. Miller Benjamin F. Miner James Baldwin Miner Samuel A. Miner Perry Mitchell James Moran Loren B. Moore Silas B. Moore
George Murnay Allen Murdock Nicholas Newman George H. Nichols Walter' C. Nichols Capt. Alvah P. Nelson Levi G. Odione John R. Orcutt Ira S. Orf
Edward L. Dearborn Charles B. Denison, Charles E. Packer Alpheus B. Parker James H. Paine John Pearsons William C. Dewey Zenas S. Dunton James E. Eaton Thomas: Eaton Harlow M. Peterson Timothy Edson Charles H. Porter Samuel F. Edwards Edward S. Pratt . Abram Elmore
*Geo. Dudley Preston Sidney Esty (or Estea) Hosea F. Purrington
E. Emerson
Benjamin F. Roberts
Lt. Fredk. A. Farley Justin W. Rugy Joseph R. Farnsworth Albert Russell Edwin Augustus Field William, A Russell Marcus M. Fisk James Fowler Sandy Frances Patrick Furfey William H. Russell John H. Robertson John Silvia Charles : H. Shaw
Henry M. Howard
James F. Hoyle
Andrew Jackson George W. Jeffts David R. Jillson Lewis Jillson Samuel C. Jillson Andrew Johnson Fayette Jones
Alonzo Brown Alvin . Brown
Dwight H. Brown Thomas Brown, Jr.
*John Klately
Richard Kelliher
*Edward P. Browning Edwin R. King Allen L. Burrington John Lackey Hercules Butler
Charles H. Clark Francis E. Clark Joel L. Clark Otis W. Clark
John McAllister *Michael McCanaughy Hiram L. MoCloud I. dph Child's Levi E. Call Edwin Carl Thomas McGinley Thomas McGuion Hugh McLane Herbey Carl: William Carl Thomas Carle' Samuel McMana Henry Martin Foster T. Merriam James W. Carpenter William' M. Millard Joseph Carpenter James, H. Carrier *Robert Carroll
*Willard Lamb James . Langstroth
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