USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Springfield > The first century of the history of Springfield; the official records from 1636 to 1736, with an historical review and biographical mention of the founders, Volume I > Part 14
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Willam Dummer
September 7, 1729
William Tailer .
.June 30, 1730
Jonathan Belcher
August 8, 1730
William Shirley August 17, 1731
Spencer Phips. September 11, 1749
William Shirley
August 7, 1753
Spencer Phips September 25, 1756
The Council.
April 4, 1757
Thomas Pownal August 3, 1757
Thomas Hutchinson .June 3, 1760
Sir Francis Bernard August 1, 1760
Thomas Hutchinson August 1, 1769
Thomas Hutchinson March, 1771
Thomas Gage. May 13, 1774
English Sovereigns During the Colonial Period.
James I 1603-1625
Charles I 1625-1649
The Commonwealth 1649-1653
Cromwell, as Lord Protector 1653-1660
Charles II 1660-1685
James II . 1685-1688
William (III) and Mary (II) 1688-1702 Anne 1702-1714
George I 1714-1727
George II. 1727-1760
George III 1760-1782
RECORDS OF THE TOWN OF SPRINGFIELD.
The official records of the Plantation, and later of the Town of Springfield were opened on page 9 of the original book, and were continued in regular order. The blank pages at the beginning were at a later time used for various entries without regard to chronological order. Under date of 28th of March, 1638, thre is this record: "There was a free choyce according to an order from mr Ludloe by the plantation of two Goodmen, Committys for the Generall court to be at Hartford the 4th of April, 1638. The partys chosen are Mr. George Moxon and Jelue Burr." This elec- tion took place when it was supposed that this plantation was to be under the jurisdiction of Connecticut.
Here follows the estimate of the value of Goodman Greg- ory's estate which the town purchased, and subsequently sold to Thomas Stebbins :-
3 acres broken up £3
II rod fencing at 2s 6d I
7 6
29 rod fencing at 14d ye house
I I4
0
3 00 0
9
OI
6
When John Cable was about to leave Springfield he sold his house and lands to the town. The agreement is as fol- lows :-
These P'sents doe witness the tenor of a bargaine betwixt John Cable on the one party and the Inhabitants of Spring- field on ye other party, touchinge the sale of ye sd John Cables Lott to the Inhabitants abovesd or theyr. Assigns in forme & manner followinge.
The sd Jolin Cable doth by these P'sents sell and pass over all his right in his lott house & grounds broken up or unbro-
154
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
ken up, alsoe all his right in future dividents. In concidera- tion wherof the sd Inhabitants doe agree & covenant to pay unto ye sd John Cable or his assigns the some of £40 at 3 severall payments, viz: ten pounds in hand already payd, and £20 more at ye 29th day of ye 7th month followinge, & fio more the first day of the 3d mo. 1642, wch 2 payments the sd Inhabitants do covenant & P'mise to pay in money if they can P'cure it, if not, then in such goods or comoditys as ye sd John Cable & ye sd Inhabitants can agree uppon: In case they differ in price about ye goods or comodities then two Indifferent men are to Judge between - -In wit- ness of the P'sents above sd the sd Inhabitants (- - ex- cepted) & ye s John Cable have set to theyr hands - - Memorandum: it is agreed that if the sd John Cable doe con- chuide to take corne for payment above sd, then he is to have it delivered at Windsor, as the ordinary price at that tyme shall be of-in the Plantation uppon the River.
Aprill 2d 1641.
JOHN CABLE.
January 27th 1642
It is agreed between the Inhabitants of Springfield on the one party and Thomas Cooper of Windsor on the other party viz: The Inhabitants of Springfield doe sell all the Land and housinge wch they bought of John Cable to the sayd Thomas Cooper his heyres and assigns for and in consideration of £25 to be paid as followeth: the first yeare after the date her- of the sd Thomas Cooper doth binde himselfe & executors to pay fio in Corne. and the second yeare £15 in corne or worke as the Inhabitants shall desyre, and the sd John Cable cloe at this P'sent asigne and set over to the sd Thomas Cooper the dwellinge house and fouer acres meddow, more or less appertayning to the house, and foure acres & about halfe of the wet marish before his house, and one acre and a halfe of the [three] corner meddowe fenced, and seven acres Just over agaynst it on the other side of the river, and in future dividents acording to a single lott of 4 akers to a
155
THE TOWN RECORDS.
house lott. In witness wherof the sd Thomas Cooper hath here set to his hand, the daye and yeare above sayd.
THOMAS COOPER. -to the assignment -in ye behalfe of the -inhabitants. WILLIAM PYNCHON HENRY SMITH.
The town sold the above property to Thomas Cooper. The agreement of sale according to the record bears date of "January 27th, 1642." According to present reckoning the year should be 1643. Both of these agreements as entered in the record, are in the handwriting of Henry Smith. The signatures as principals, Cable and Cooper, and of the wit- nesses, Pynchon and Smith, are autographs in the original.
The transcriber of the records has preserved the original page numbers which are here inclosed in brackets; for in- stance, [I-20] will be understood as volume I, page 20.
The abbreviations in the records which have been preserv- ed were in general use in all records for many years, but not in printed books of the same period. The letter "y" which stands for the is said to be a contraction of the Saxon char- acter for "th." Bearing this in mind the casual reader will easily understand that ye is the, yt that, ym them, ys this, yr their, wt what, or white. Which is often written "wych." Other contractions will be easily understood. Contractions, orthography, punctuation, and capitalization, have been lit- erally followed in this volume. It has been the purpose to preserve the custom in this regard which then prevailed and also the archaic character of the period. The completeness of all records in every particular, depended very largely upon the qualifications of the various recorders, and to them we are indebted for the facts which bear upon the first settle- ments of New England.
The opening of the original record of the plantation of Springfield begins with the following :-
150
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
[In the handwriting of Henry Smith.]
[1-9]
May the 14th, 1636.
Wee whose names are underwritten beinge by Gods p'vi- dence ingaged to make a Plantation and over agaynst Agaam upon Conecticot, do mutally agree to certayne articles and orders to be observed and kept by us and by our successors, except wee and every of us for ourselves and in our owne p'sons shall thinke meete uppon better reasons to alter our p'sent resolutions:
Ily. Wee intend by Gods grace as soone as wee can wth all convenient speed to p'cure some Godly and faithfull min- ister with whome we purpose to Joyne in Church Covenant to walke in all the ways of Christ.
2ly. We intend that our towne shall be composed of fourty familys, or if we thinke meete after to alter our pur- pose yet not to exceede the number of fifty familys, rich and poore.
3ly. That every inhabitant shall have a convenient ppor- tion for a house lott as we shall see meette for every ones quality and estate.
4ly. That every one that hath a house lot shall have a pportion of the Cowpasture to ye North of Endbrooke lying Northward from the towne: and also that every one shall have a share of the hasokey Marish over agaynst his lott if it bee to be had, and every one to have his pportionably share of al the wood land.
5ly. That every one shall have a share of the meddowe or planting ground over agaynst them as nigh as may be on Agaam side.
Gly. That the long meddowe called Masacksic lyinge in the way to Dorchester shall be distributed to every man as wee shall thinke meete except we shall find other conven- iency for some for theyer milch cattayls and by other cat- tayle also.
7ly. That the meddowe and pasture called Navas toward Patuckett on ye side of Agaam lyinge about foure miles above in the river shall be distributed to foure five or six at
I57
THE TOWN RECORDS.
most of them that are likely to improve it in tillage and pas- ture, thereby to ease the towne of the greate stocks that soe there may be the better conveniency for them that have lesser stocks as we shall see meete, and it is agreed that Matthew Mitchell shall have 50 acres layd out together at the farther end of this ground as above said in ye former order, and this was altered with consent before ye hands were set to it.
[I-9] 8ly. That all rates that shal arise upon the towne shall be layed upon lands accordinge to every ones pportion aker for aker of house lotts and aker for aker of meddowe both alike on this side and both alike on the other side and for farms that shall lye further off a less pportion as we shall after agree, except we shall see meete to remitt one halfe of the rate from land to other estate.
gly. That wheras Mr. William Pynchon, Jehu Burr and Henry Smith have constantly continued to p'secute this plan- tation when others fell off for feare of the difficultys, and con- tinued to p'secute the same at greate charges and at greate personall adventures: therefore it is mutually agreed that fourty acres of meddowe lyinge on the South of Endbrooke under a hill side shall belonge to the sd partyes free from all charges forever: that is to say twenty acres to Mr. William Pynchon and his heyrs & assigns for ever, and ten acres to Jehu Burr, and ten acres to Henry Smith and to theyr heyrs and assigns for ever: which sd 40 acres is not disposed to them as any alotments of towne lands, but they are to have theyr accomodations in all other places not wth standinge.
Ioly. That wheras a house was built to a comon charge which cost £6: and alsoe the Indians Demannd a greater some to buy theyr right in the sd lands and also 2 greate shallops which was requisite for the first plantinge: the valew of which engagements is to be borne by each inhabitant at theyr first entrance as they shall be rated by us, till the sd disbursements shall be satisfyed: or else in case the sd house and boats be not soe satisfyed for, then soe much meddowe
158
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
to be sett out about the sa house as may counter vaylr the sayd extraordinary charge.
Illy. It is agreed that no man except Mr. William Pynchon shall have above 10 acres for his house lott.
12ly. It is alsoe agreed that if any man fell any tymber out of his lot in any comon ground, if he let it ly above three months before he worke it out, it shall be lawfull for any other man to take it that hath p'sent use of it.
I3ly. It is agreed that Mr. William Pynchon shall have thirty .- Wheras there are two Cowe Pasturs the one lying towards Dorchester .[Windsor] and the other Northward from End brooke. It is agreed that both these pasturs shall not be fed at once, but that the towne shall be ordered by us 111 the disposinge of it for tyme and seasons till it be lotted out and fenced in severalls.
May 16th, 1636.
14. It is agreed that after this day we shall observe this rule about dividinge of plantinge ground and meddowe in all plantinge ground to regard chiefly persons who are most apt to use such ground: and in all meddowe and pasture to regard chiefly Cattell and estate, because estate is like to be imp'ved in cattell, and such ground is aptest for theyr use: and yet we agree that noe p'son that is master of a lott though he have noe cattyle shall have less than three acres of mowinge ground: and none that have cowes, steeres or yeare olds shall have under two akers apiece and all horses not less than fower akers and this order in dividing meddowe by cattyle to take place the last of May next: soe that all cattyle that then appeare and all estate that shall the truly appeare at 20s a cowe shall have this pportion in the medows on Agawam side, and in the long meddowe Masacksic, and in the other long meddowe called Nayas, and in the pasture at the North end of the towne called Endbrooke.
15. It is ordered that for the disposinge of the Hassaky marish and in the grantinge of home lotts these five men 1111- der named or theyr deputys are appointed to have full
159
THE TOWN RECORDS.
power, namely, Mr. Pynchon, Mr. Mitchell, Jehu Burr, Wil- liam Blake, Henry Smith.
[I-12] It is ordered that William Blake shall have six- teene polle in breadth so abuttinge at the end of it to the next high land and three acrs more in some other place.
Next the lott of William Blake Northward lys the lott of Thomas Woodford being twelve polles broade and all the marish before it to ye uplande.
Next the lott of Thomas Woodford lys the lott of Thomas Ufford beinge fourteene rod broade and all the marish be- fore it to ye upland.
Next the lot of Thomas Ufford lys the lott of Henry Smith beinge twenty rod in breadth and all the marish before it, and to run up in the upland on the other side to make up his up- land lott ten acres.
Next the lott of Henry Smith lys the lott of Jehu Burr beinge twenty rod in bredth, and all the marish in bredth abuttinge at the end of it, and as much upland ground on the other side as shall make up his lott ten acres.
Next ye lott of Jehu Burr lyes the lott of Mr. William Pynchon beinge thirty rod in bredth and all the marish at the east end of it, and an adition at the further end of as much marish as makes the wholel twenty fouer acres, and as much upland adjoyninge as makes the former house lott thirty acres in all together fifty fouer acres.
Next the lott of Mr. Pynchon lyes the lot of John Cable foureteene rod in bredth and fouer acres and halfe of marish at the end of his lott.
Next the lott of John Cable lys the lott of John Reader beinge twelve rod in bredth and fouer acres and a halfe in marish at the fore end of his home lott.
[I-13] The lotts of Mr. Matthew Mitchell Samuel But- terfield, Edmund Wood, Jonas Wood, are ordered to lye adjoinning to mill brooke, the wholl beinge to the number of twenty five acres, to begin three of them on the great river, and the fouerth on the other side of the small river.
It is ordered that for all highways that shall be have lib)-
160
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
erty and power to lay them out where they shall see meete though it be at ye ends of mens lotts giveinge them a alow- ance for soe much ground.
[In the handwriting of William Pynchon.]
We testifie to the ordr above said being al of the first ad- venturers & subscribers for this plantation.
William Pynchon
Math Mitchell The marke of Thomas
Henry Smith Ufford
The mark of Jehu Burr
John Cabel
William Blake Edmund Wood [I-14]
[In the handwriting of Henry Smith.]
The Disbursements of the 3ª £40 P contra as followeth:
ffor a frame of a house 35 foote longe and 15 foote wide wth a porch five foote out and 7 foote wide wth a shady over head wth stayrs into cellar & chamber making doors & lay- ing bords for fouer roomes wth duble chimnys, ye sides of ye cellar Planked.
s d To Good: Burr for the thatchinge of ye house 18-00-00 to John Allen he to undertak the getting of ye thatch and all other things belonging to it wth lathing & nayls only ye cariadge of thatch excepted
03-00-00
for ye sawinge of all ye boards & slit worke 4 locks wth nayls & hooks & hinges for ye doares to John Cable at II-00-00
for ye daubing of ye house & chimnys under- pinning ye frame making ye stack & oven 7 foote high wth laths & nayls, to Henry Smith at [I-15]
08-00-00
The 13th of January 1638.
A voluntary rate agreed upon the day above sd for ye rays-
TIIE TOWN RECORDS.
IỐT
ing of ffourty pounds toward ye building of a house for Mr Moxon
John Searle
01-00-00 Thomas Horton Thomas Mirack 01-00-00
John Leonard 02-00-00
ye 12s pd him for ye rent of his house for robrt John Cable to pay for J. w.
Robert Ashly
01-00-00
John woodcock
00-12-00
Richard everit
01-10-00
John Alline 01-00-00
Mr Pynchon will pay it John Burt 00-10-00
Henry Smith 05-00-00
Jehu Burr
07-00-00
william Pynchon 21-00-00
John Cable 01-12-00
41- 04-00
ffor Mr Moxons maintenance till next michaellmas.
Mr william Pynchon Jehu Burr Henry Smith John Cable
S 24-06-08
08-03-04
05-10-00
02-00-00
40-00-00
John Searle
01-00-00
Rich: Everit
01-00-00
John Alline
01-00-00
Tho: Horton
John woodcock
Robrt Ashly
John Leonard
Tho: Mirack
01-00-00 01-00-00 00-16-00 00-10-00 01-05-00
07-II-00
[I-16 Blank .- I-17]
Hen: Smith to pay
162
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
March 20th 1637
It is ordered that in consideration of certayne charges wch the P'sent inhabitants have been at for mr Moxons house and fencing his lott, such as shall for future time come to inhabite in ye place shall beare a share in the like charges in pportion with or selves.
It is ordered that a high way is to be reserved out of the marish ground of Thomas uffords lott.
It is agreed yt John Searle and Rich: Everitt shall meas- ure out twenty foure acres of mowing marish ground afore ye house of mr william Pynchon and soe much upland ground adjoyning as shall make his house lott with ye sd marish fifty and fouer acres according to an order in ye first devision of house lotts.
October 17th, 1636.
It is ordered wth ye consent of ye Plantation that from this day forward noe trees shall be cut downe or taken away by any man in ye compass of ground from ye mill river upward to John Readers lott wch parsell of ground is appoynted for house Lotts, and in case any man shall trespass contrary to ys order he shall be lyable to ye fine of five shillinges. [I-18 Blank-I-19]
September 3th, 1638.
There is granted to John Searle by ye consent of the rest of the inhabitants an house lott of 8 rod broade & in length from the brooke to the greate river wch lyes neere ye pyne swamps wth ye meddow before his lott of the same breadth yt his house lott is: Next to ye Lott of John Searle upwards lyes the lott of Thomas Horton 8 rod in breadth wth the med- dow over agaynst of ye same breadth & ye length of it as the former. Also on ye other side of Conecticot river over agaynst the sd lott is granted him a lot of meddowe of 8 rod broade and So rod in length reserving through yt & all other lotts there a cart way of two rod breadth when it may be seene convenient.
163
THE TOWN RECORDS.
November 23th, 1638.
There is granted unto mr Pynchon wth the consent of ye Plantation a lott of upland ground adjoyninge to ye mill of ten acres, and alsoe seven acres more in Lew of the marish ground yt is before every mans lott. it is alsoe agreed yt this lott is to lye in breadth from the mill river upwards in breadth twenty rod and in length upwards by ye mill river till the nombr of ye acres be up. and for ye layinge out of this Lott there is appoynted Jehu Burr and Henry Smith to doe it with as much conveniency as may be, only reservinge liberty to lay out high wayes wher they shall be thought fittinge.
It is alsoe ordered that a foote path and stiles be allowed through every mans lott and next ye greate river.
January 3th, 1638.
It is agreed by ye Plantation at a generall meeting that these six men undernamed shall set out the bounds of ye Plant- ation up ye river on both sides of ye river and to marke ye trees for ye clering of it. ye P'sons apoynted are mr w: Pynchon: Jehu Burr: Hen: Smith: John Cable: Richard Ev- erit: Tho: Mirack.
January 8th, 1638.
According to the order above sd these six men layd out ye bounds of ye Plantation up the river on ye other side of ye river & ye bounds are at a brooke above ye greate meddowe tych is about a qrtr of a mile above ye mouth of Chiccapee river.
[I-20]
May the ffirst 1645
It is agreed by ye Plantation yt Thomas Stebbins who is the P'sent owner of the lott wch was Henry Gregorys shall accordinge to ye order P contra, allowe for ye meetinge house 6 rods square, & what is remayninge of ye 40 rod in yt order mentioned on ye other side he is to allowe a rod in breadth for a way to ye trayninge place lately purchased of him & ffrancis Ball, & what ground is overpluss he hath liberty to appropriate it to his owne pper use.
164
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
The Brooks in ye longe meddow at ye lower end is ye bounds Southward & ye Brooke a little below on ye other side and the bounds yt is set for gathering candlewood into ye woods.
This order P contra for putting over cattell on ye other side is voted to be at ye 20th of October.
[I-21]
It is ordered that the three rod of ground yt lies betwixt John Woodcocks pale and Goodman Gregorys Lott shall be appropriated 2 rod of it to Goodman Grigory & one rod of it to Rich: Everit, reserving 40 rod for a pale for a meeting house wch is to be alowed out of Goodman Grigorys Lott.
ffebr 14th 1638.
It is ordered yt it shall be lawfull for any inhabitant to fell any Cannoe trees and make ym for his owne use or for ye use of any inhabitant yt grow on ye Common but not to sell or any ways pass away any Cannoe out of yt Plantation untill it be five years old, and in case any shall transgress this order after this day he shall be lyable to a fine of twenty shillings.
It is alsoe ordered yt shall be Lawfull for any man to put over horse Cowes or yong cattell on ye other side of ye river at the first of novembr, and to take ym away thence on the 14th of Aprill, and if any shall trespass ys order he shall be lyable to pay any damages yt shall appeare to be done by his cattayle.
January 24th 1638.
It is ordered and voted wth ye Joynt consent of ye Planta- tion yt no man yt is posessed of a lott by ye dispose of ye Plantation, shall after sell it to another, of ye Plantation, yt hath a lott already: neyther shall any man posess two mens Lotts, wth out ye consent of ye Plantation or such as shall be appoynted, till they have been inhabitants 5 years in ye Plant- ation: But If any desire to sell his Lotts, he may to a (strang- er,) p'vided ye sd Plantation shall not disalowe of ye sd Stranger. But in case they shall not alowe ye admission of ye sd stranger then ye Plantation shall bye thesdlotts asindif-
165
THE TOWN RECORDS.
ferent men shall apprise ym: But if ye Plantation shall delay ye sd purchase twenty days then ye sd seller shall have his Lib- erty to take his chapman, And ye Plantation shall be bound to take notice of such a purchase yt is ppounded to fower of the chiefe Inhabitants to geather: If ye sd 4 men shall hold theyr peace and not oppose it in ten days then It shall be es- teemed yt ye Plantation doth allowe of ye sd purchase.
2. It is ordered yt if any man in ye Planta: shall be at ye charge of fencing his neighbour yt hath alotments lye next him: he shall be forced to beare the one halfe of ye fence & to mainteine it: soe yt one man shall not damage his neighbour.
[I-22 Blank]
3. It is ordered yt all yt have a ditch by ye high waye be- fore theyre doores, shall keepe it well scowred for the ready passadge of ye water yt it may not be pent up to flowe the meddowe.
November 14th 1639.
1. It is mutually agreed on by ye Plantation yt the sealed peck wch mr Pynchon hath, shall be the ordinary peck to bye & sell by in ye Plantation, and who ever will may repayer to ye Constable & have his peck sealed paying hin 2d for his labor, with this seall H. S.
2. It is alsoe agreed yt the exercise of trayning shall be practised one day in every month, and if occasions doe sonie- tyms hinder, then ye like space of tyme shall be observed another tyme though it be 2 days after one another: And yt this tyme of trayning is referred to ye discretion of Henry Smith who is chosen by mutuall consent to be ye Seriant of ye Company, who shall have power to choose a Corporall for his asistant. and who soever shall be absent himselfe with out a lawfull excuse shall forfeit twelve pence, & yt all above 15 yeares of age shall be counted for soldiers and the tyme to begin the first Thursday in Decembr next.
3. It is also mutually agreed on yt no P'son in ye Planta- tion, shall trade give or lend to any Indian any quantity of powder, little or great, under ye penalty of 40s for any tyme yt any P'son shall be found a transgressor in this kind.
166
THIE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
4. It is alsoe agreed for ye ordering of Laborers wages yt carpenters shall have for 9 months 2s 6d P day & for 3 months from ye Ioth of November to ye roth of ffebr: 2s P day: mowers shall have 2s 6d P daye. Sawers 6s 6d P C they to fall & hewe & the owner to bring to ye. pitt; alsoe for hus- bandry or any ordinary labor to have 2s P day for 9 months. only from ye 24th Aprill till the 24th June they are left to theyr liberty as men can agree with them, and for the other 3 months, viz: from Novembr 10th till febr roth to have 18d P daye.
(lisanulled by generall vote.
[I-24 Blank I-25]
March 26th 1640.
It is ordered by ye Plantation that John Cable and Samuell Hubbard shall have power to measure and lay out all lotts in the Plantation both on this side and on the other side of ye river, and for theyr payns they are to have 2d an acre for home lotts, and Id an acre for greater lotts.
It is ordered that an high way shall be left and layed out in ye hassekey meddowe betwixt Richard Everits lott & yt ¡veh was Thomas woodford lott, the way to be 2 rod in breadth.
It is agreed yt John Leonard shall be the surveyer for the veare followinge to see ye high ways cleerd and kept in repayr of all stubs sawpitts or tymbr & if any man shall not amende on sufficient warninge what is amiss all things yt are Judged offensive betwixt this & michaelstide shall forfeite 12d for every such default; & If it remayn after yt tyme 6 dayes, he shall forfeite 2s.
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