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 II > Part 16
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206
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
Sent & Tho: Stebbins, were named & appointed, who with- drawing wth m' Glover. came to a more moderate sum & pro- posals: In the tyme of whose absence from the Meeting, The Town among y"selves Considered what to doe in order to a fair Issue & agremt, & first agreed & determined, that if m" Glover Insist upon Land, that they would part wth Chickuppi Land to him for the end aforesd. & past a vote accordingly, then mn' Glover wth the Three mentioned men as aforesd re- turned to the meeting, wth this accot, that he expected Land, wrupon the Town past an unanimous vote In the words fol- lowing. The Towne being really desirous of a Loving Issue of al matters about the house & Land wch belongs to the min- istry, wch was given the Revd m' Glover deceased, considering the Intangle mts on both Partys thereaboutes [III-146.] We doe Agree & propose to m' Glover That (upon his free surrender & yeilding up the same to the Town, according to the original statemt to & for the ministry) we wil give him the sd Mr Glover an hundred pounds to be paid him in Corn & Porke sometime this Winter, & the next Spring Come Twelve months, & wil also give him such Land as hereafter men- tioned, viz the seven acres more or Lesse of the Town medow agt the Street, & also the forty acres of Town Land in Chick- uppi feild: Concerning wch Land in Chickuppi feild some Question being stated whether ye Town can give it, wch most app'hend a needless Question, yet however in case it prove doubtful to him, or any hazzard be of his good Tittle to it, we wil make it Good to the sum of an hundred & fifty pounds in pay, wch we wil pay him in Leiu of it, in case the Town do not assure it to him, & w" he shal be disturbed in the enjoymt of sd Land: al wch was past by such an unanimous vote, as that no man disented, it being tryed by desiring any that dissented to Speake or to hold up their hands, & none appeared; upon wch M' Pelat: Glover who was Called, & to whom the vote (wch was writt) was distinctly read, & he delivered his accept- ance of it, only he thought, that the clause if he was disturbed in enjoymt of sd Land, the Town would pay him one hundred & fifty pound for it, was needless yet the vote was as aforesd;
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THE TOWN RECORDS.
after wch m' Glover declared again himself fully satisfyed & said since the Town had offered as they did, he did accept it in leiu of that given to his father, & would have writings drawn to Issue the busines with out delay, on the Morrow, & Should stay at home to attend it, to give the Town possession of that for the ministry, upon yr giving him possession of Chickuppi Land & the medow; Whereupon the Town ap- pointed Major Jnº Pynchon Deacon Burt & Leiut Hitch- cocke in their behalfe & in y' Namnes to attend sd Worke & to give him possession accordingly & sign firme Writings for Chickuppi Land & ye Medow, & take like from him for se- curing the Land to the ministry, & the Towne promise him Liberty to Live in the house this Winter if he please: & they did give account thereof at the following meeting.
Note on margin .- Att a following meeting the Select men were substituted in ye stead of the sd Three men.
Sept: 12: 1692: At a Town Meeting.
It was voted that Major John Pynchon Quarterm' George Colton & Deacon Burt should in behalfe of the Town renew o' Invitation to m' John Haynes for his Continuance & Set- tlement with us, or that any Two of them do it; & they do treat him further from tyme to tyme til the affaire be brought to a conclusion:
At this Meeting The Town did again discourse Mr. Pel: Glover on ye same account as they did discourse him at the former meeting & did desire him to give his serious answer that we may make an Issue of ye matter between us, & come to enjoy the ministry Land according to ye first stating of it, & that the Town may know what to give him by way of Com- pensation, & his answer was that he was not willing to say further without further hearing fro his Overseers, & added that he would give an answer wthin fourteen dayes:
It was further voted since the proposals were not acepted tych the Town made to m' Glover to bring the business to an Issue, that the ministry Land might Returne to its proper use & that m' Glover might have meet recompense) that the Select men prosecute the affaire of settling [III-[47.] the
208
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
Land that the Town or Church hath so unavoidably devoted for the service of the Church or its Ministry, and this at the next Court Come fortnight & so fro Corte til the Cause is ended.
Information being given to the Town concerning the suf- fering Condition of Peter Swinke, it was Comended to the discretion & charity of the Select men to doe for him as be- comes the Town to do for the own proper poor.
At a Town Meeting Sept: 16: 1692 called by the Select men to consider what to do to satisfy mir Glover, for the house & Land wch the Town first sequestered for ye Ministry & to p'vent going to the County Corte:
It was voted & concluded that m' Glover & the Town shal put the whole matter to Arbitration, to be determined by three men on both sides, chosen by both Partyes for yr own sides, what the Town shal allow m' Glover as a Meet Recom- pence for the Ministry Land, wch the Town do require to be set accordingly to the first appropriation & use : & sd m' Glov- er & the select men In the behalfe of the Town did severally bind themselves in the bond of 500 pounds to stand by the de- termination of those six men: & John Pynchon Esq Deacon Burt & Leint. Wright are made choice of, to declare in the behalfe of the Town before the Arbitrators what may be con- venient & necessary for their informations.
Novembr roth, 1692 at a Legal Town Meeting.
At this meeting the Town did by vote declare that they ac- cept & close wth Honoured Arbitrators Determination of the Case between the Town of Springfeild & m' Glover about the houseing & Land for the Ministry, & that they wil ad- dresse themselves to pay according to the sd Determination viz: the Three hundred & fifty pounds.
Further they did vote that the Worshipll Colonll Jnº Pyn- chon Jonathan Burt Sent & John Holyoke should express to sd Arbitrators thankes for & in behalfe of the Towne for their Love & Paines in giving us their sense & determination, & they also should in behalfe of the Town desire ye sd Arbitra- tors to give their Explanation with reference to that Terme
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THE TOWN RECORDS.
houseing or house, yt is whether or noe al the houseing is not intended, or whether any houseing is excepted.
It was further voted that the Select men should make a rate at once for ye paymt of the se Three hundred & fifty pounds.
There having been difficulty for the Constable Benjamin Stebbins to have gathered the Towns Proportion of the rate of £24,000 money, his tyme being expired, as he says, before the sd Proportion was delivered to him: Therefore that ye same may be gathered as soone as may be & paid to the Treas- urer for the Province, the Town have made choice of the said Benja: Stebbins, & Nathanll Blisse to be Collectors to gather in & pay to the Treasurer the Towns proportion as aforesd.
January 13: 1692. At a Legal Town Meeting called by the Select men to consider & conclude how to attend & Practi- cally to answer the determination of the honoured Arbitra- tors, respecting or giveing m' Pel: Glover a meet recom- pense for the ministry Land wch was Sequestred for the min- istry in this Town for ever (though after that unwarily given his Revd father) that so we might quietly enjoy the sd Minis- try Land again, ich compensation or recompence the said [III-148.] Arbitrators did determine to be Three hundred & fifty pounds & whereas sd Arbitrators did advise to make a recompence by Lands againe as much as we might & if we could, & m' Glover likeing also to take Land in way of recom- pence, Therefore at this meeting It was first voted that the Town would Let sd m' Glover have the Town Land at Chick- 11ppi & the medow on the North East side of the street, at the price of Two hundred & fifty pounds, but because in' Glover gainsayed that, & offered Two hundred & forty pounds, the Town yeilded to him therein: This was done wti Genll Con- sent, save three that dissented viz Joseph Stebbins & Jnº Mil- ler & Joseph Bedortha, who required their disent to be entered.
And it was further voted & agreed that an equal Asessmt should be made upon the Inhabitants of the town forthwth for the gathering the remaining part viz for one hundred & Ten pounds, wch Assessment being brought to m' Glovers
210
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
house by the several Inhabitants m' Glover being prsent. Consented that the Select men should measure the same out to him: the said sentence being first written & read to him:
It was further concluded that the Select men should deliver the foresaid Town Lands to m' Glover, he delivering or sur- rendering up the ministry Lands to the primitive state & use.
It was voted & concluded at this meeting that the Second Tuesday in March should be the day for the Attending or Genll Town meetings Annually for ye elections of Towns of- ficers according to the Act of ye Govrnor & Councel &c.
Symon Smith was chosen Gager & Packer for the year en- suing:
January 24: 1692. Here follow the Returne the Select- men made concerning their delivery of the Towns Lands to in' Glover, &c.
Whereas a Town meeting Jan: 13: 1692, wth Reference to ye Towns Concluding how to satisfy m' Pelatiah Glover the three hundred & fifty pounds, the town were awarded by the honoured Arbitrators to pay to sd M' Glover, upon their As- suming the ministry Lands & housing to their primitive state & use. At wych meeting m' Glover came to this conclusion wth the Towne, That m' Glover should have the delivery of the medow In the Town Plat & the Lands at Chickupi made to him by the Select men, & that those Lands should be consid- ered or accounted as Two hundred & forty pounds & that the Select men should make a rate of one hundred & Ten pounds for the complement of the sd awarded Sum:
In pursuance of sd vote & conclusion, Three of the Select men viz Samll Bliss Sen' & Capt Thomas Colton & Thomas Stebbins did go upon sd Lands, first they went upon the medow before the Street & then went upon Chickupi Lands & then in presence of Samuell Bedortha & Nathanll Dumble- ton, & did at once give m' Glover possesion by Twig of said Lands at Chickupi & of sd Medow at the price of Two hun- dred & forty pounds, delivering to m' Glover. It was upon condition of his Relinquishment & surrendry of the Ministry Land to the Towne for the ministry, & then the Select men
2II
THE TOWN RECORDS.
did desire m' Glover to make resignmt of the ministry Land to the Town, & m' Glover made this reply, That They must Re- sume the sd Lands:
And further ye Select men have made a Rate of one hun- dred & ten pounds to satisfy the remainder of the awarded sum. [III-149.]
At a General Town Meeting, March 17, 1692-3 for the Election of Town officers, being the first meeting for such Elections under the Governor his Excellency Sir William Phips, Knight.
The Worshipful John Pynchon Esq is chosen Moderator for al the meetings this yeer.
They did give in their votes for a County Treasurer, wch were sealed up in ye presence of the voters to be sent to ye Next Quarter Sessions.
Luke Hitchcocke & Samll Ely were chosen the comittee for the examining the accounts of the Select men that now cease their office.
Lt Jnº Hitchcocke Eliakim Cooley Joseph Stebbins Jona- than Ball and John Holyoke were chosen Selectmen to act according to Instructions p. 5th of ye booke.
John Holyoke is chosen Town Clerke
Henry Chapin is chosen Comissioner for Assessments.
Thomas Cooper & Samll Terrey are chosen constables.
Tho: Stebbins is chosen Measurer for Lands.
Benja. Stebbins Henry Rogers & Henry Burt are chosen surveiors for ye high wayes respectively.
Miles Morgan James Warriner Sent John Dorchester Nathl Burt Sen' & Edwd Foster are chosen Tithing men.
The fence veiwers are as follows: Ben: Leonard & Tho. Day Jun' for the part of the genll feild North of Agawam .- Charles Ferrey Sen' & Tho Mirricke Jun' for South side of Agawam .- Joseph Ashley & Nathanll Morgan for Chickuppi feild .- Nathanll Mun & Thomas Lamb for the Plaine .- John Harmon & Increase Sikes Sent for the homelots .- & Nath: Burt Jun' & Samll Keep for Long medow:
Luke Hitchcocke is chosen Sealer for Leather.
212
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
It is voted & concluded that the Select men do agree wth Samll Miller respecting the Town Lands in his hands, that the same may be free for in" Pel: Glover, that mr Glover may come to possession & ocupy the sd Lands wthout any Let or disturbance.
It was further voted & agreed to renew or Invitation of mr John Haines that he continue wth us in the worke of the ministry wth respect to his Administring of al the ordinances of the Gospel to us: & It was agreed that the Worshipll Major Jnº Pynchon Esq Quart'm' Colton & Deacon Burt should manage the whole Treatment, as they were appointed Sept. I, 1692: pa: 146.
At a Town Meeting: April 3: 1693
It was voted to give m' John Haines seventy pounds for the second yeer, & the produce of the house & Land for the Min- istry, & hereafter to adde to his Stipend according as God shal blesse us, & that the Three men formerly appointed to treate him, or any two of them do signify this vote of the Town to m' Jnº Haines.
Voted to give m' Pel: Glover a Deed of Assurance of ye Towns Lands set to him by way of Compensation for The Townes Lands reassurance, & ye Selectmen to do it. Fur- ther, it being declared to the Town by sd m' Glover, that are Several Rates of the Reverend his fathers stipend not fully paid: It was now voted, that the Select men for the make- ing of sd Rates should see to finish the collections of the ar- reares of sd Several Rates, & that they be now Impowered to make ont warrants for the Collecting of the unpaid part of sd Several Rates:
There being much difficulty to gain the Constable Ben: Stebbins to collect the Towns proportion of the £24,000 Country Rate. & it being Laid before [III-150.] the Ses- sions March 14, 1692-3 the Justices then considered & weighed the matter, & determined that ye sd Constable Benja: Stebbins do collect the sd Proportion. & that the Town should chuse a Collector to joyn with him & Assist him in sd Collec- tion, accordingly the Town made choice of Nathaneel Blisse to be said Collector.
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THE TOWN RECORDS.
It was further voted that John Dorchester & Luke Hitch- cocke should lay out the tract of Two miles Square to the Makers of Rosin according to the grant thereof:
It was further voted that the Select men do what is needful & requisite for the effectual management of the affaire of keeping out the Dry Heard towards Manchonis mountaines.
April 28: At a Town Meeting.
The Worshipful Major Pynchon Esq being chosen The Towns Representative for the General Corte, for this yeer, It was voted to Leave it with the Select Men to se he have a man to Accompany him to Boston according as there shal be necessity.
It was voted that Major Pynchon Esq Henry Chapin Samll Terrey & Jonathan Bal be a Comittee for or Town to treat with Northampton to Settle the bounds between Springfeild & North Hampton according to the first stateing there of & or Agreemt wth them, & that Rolland Thomas be added wthm if the meeting be at Springfeild; this worke being not to be prolonged much beyond michaelmas Terme.
It was voted that the Select men do send to the man that we hear would set up Iron workes in of Town & that they In- form him that ye Town is wiling to encourage him al that they can in that affaire, & to' give him any Liberty as to Im- provemt of Iron oare in their Comons as shalbe rational. & yt the Town should be glad if he would Come & give us a visite.
Sept: 4th: 1693. At a Town Meeting .
At this meeting there was a vote that the Town should have a meeting on the next munday at Two of the clocke in the afternoone to Consider & conclude what to doe for or prsent Ministers maintenance & to encourage him to Set- tlemt in the work of the ministry wth us.
Septbr II : 1693. At a Legal Town meeting appointed to consider what to do for the Setling of m' John Haines in this Town according to the vote at the preceding Town Meeting. It was first voted that his Salary (after the Expiration of his 2ª yeer) should be fourscore pounds per Annum. Nextly it
214
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
was voted to give m' John Haines after the Terme of Seven yeers one hundred pounds besides his yeerly Salary of Eighty pounds in Case he Settle among us & doe desire it. wch vote of the Town, ye Select men were ordered to acquaint m" John Haines with:
Se page 253.
[III-151.]
[In the handwriting of Elizur Holyoke.]
Here ffolloweth Severall Grants of Land, Made by this Towne Beginning wth ye Yeare, 1665.
There is granted to John Baker eight acres of medow over Agawam River 3 or 4 miles beyond Ensigne Coopers upon about the North branch of Stonny River in yt pcell of med- dow wch Rowland Thomas guesses to be neere 30 acres, at the South end of it John Bakers eight acres is to lye, wch 8 acres is granted him on consideration he doe settle in this Town & here continue five yeeres.
There is likewise grannted to Japhet Chapin Timothy Cooper David Ashley and James Taylor the rest of yt pcell of meddow there to be equally divided among ym foure. And there is further grannted unto them, foure, Twenty acres apeece of upland neere that meddow lying on this side of it, neere about a mile to ye Northward of their meddow wch is to be proportioned amongst ym equally alike for the goodness of the land.
Also James Taylor (in leit of form' grants made to him, & the land not found for him) hath grannted unto Thirty acres in a low peece of ground or bottom haveing a brooke run- ning thorow it about halfe a mile on this side Paucatuck to- wards Worrinoco, and in case ye land will hold out he is to have it made up fforty acres: Provided it be noe way prjudi- ciall to high wayes:
There is grannted to Lawrence Bliss Some Small nookes & Strappetts of Meddow & Swamp lying in the corners of his meddow laid out at Watchuett in case all beside his former grannt there exceed not Three acres:
There is grannted to Thomas Copley on the West side of
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THE TOWN RECORDS.
the great river house lott on this side of William Hunters: And Ten acres under the hill at ye reere of his home lott and some distance from the fence: Also Thirty acres at Ashka- nunksuck: These grannts are on condition he settle in ye Town ffive yeeres.
[III-152.]
There is grannted to Samuell Marshfeild Tenne acres of land under the hill at the lotts above ye comon fence wych ex- tends from ye great River to Agawam River: This land to lye by Thomas Copleys ten acres before mentioned.
Symon Bemon moveing yt his Six acre lot formerly grannt- ed him at Skipmuck & his former grannt of ffoureteene acres there may be laid together: his desire is grannted, & the meas- urer is to lay it out for his best conveniency & uppon his de- sire, there is further grannted him eight acres of land there adjoyning to ye former pcells & all to be laid together by ye measurer, provided it hinder not Rowland Thomas from com- ing to his land there.
Also there is grannted Symon Bemon five or six acres of meddow over Chickuppy River beyond Jeremy Hortons med- dow of the best meddow he can fynd neere it on this side Stony Brooke.
John Bliss hath liberty grannted him for mowing 8 or 10 acres on fresh water River where he mowed last yeere: And this till yt land be further considered of for disposing of it.
Nathaneell Burt hath grannted unto him the pond agt his two lotts in ye long meddow & Soe up to ye brow of the hill, if it be not already granted him, provided it be noe wrong to ye Indians in gathering or comeing to their pease.
John Keepe also hath soe much of the pond as is agaynst his Land grannted him & Soe up to ye brow of the hill upon like conditions.
George Colton hath likewise ye pond. agt his land grannted him upon like condition.
John Scott hath granted unto him the land at the West end of his Twenty acre lott (in Chicuppe playne,) the land be- tween his lott & ye former vizt from ye end of his lott to ye fence:
216
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
Abell Wright hath grannted unto him a house lott at Skip- muck of 8 or 10 acres provided it be in ye playne by James Warriners land.
Thomas Noble hath granted unto him a lott there of 8 or IO acres on ye top of ye hill agt Abell Wright. [III-153.]
Granted unto Charles Ferry in ye playne at Skeepmuck 30 acres of land where he desires it if soe much be there in yt playne; pvided he doe build & settle upon it within three yeeres from this day of January ye 5th 1665, or elce the Land to returne to the Towne againe: Se pa. 163.
There is grannted to Inhabitants of Skeepmuck a highway from ye Slow beyond the Swan pond to ye higher Wading place in chickuppe river
There is granted to Capt John Pynchon that those wood lotts wch he bought of Miles Morgan & Griffith Jones shall runne in length Eastward all the breath of them Soe far fur- ther as to be equall in length wth the River of his forner wood lotts w.ch lye on ye South of this grant.
George Colton hath grannted unto him that his wett med- dow below the Long Meddow shall run to the foote of the hill square with yt wich was Goodin: Harmans meddow there.
Richard Excell hath granted unto him yt what land he hath already at Block Brooke shalbe made up thirty acres there pt of this land is in Satisfaction for land he hath laid comon for the fence to run to Agawam River:
Obadiah Miller hath grannted unto him Twenty acres of land at Block Bridge next to Richard Excell: These grannts not to prjudice any high wayes.
Japhett Chapin hatlı grannted unto him a Strappet of meddow on ye Mill River about one acre upon a little brook yt runs into Goodman Warreners meddow.
ffrancis Pepper hath grannted unto him eight or tenne acres of land in ye playne about End brooke at the Eastward end of m' Holyokes land & the land yt was in' Smithes there, & thence to run Eastward towards the hill but not quite to ye hill that there may be sufficient walk & passage for cattel wth some scope for them under the hill.
217
THE TOWN RECORDS.
Samuell Marshfeild desiring ye West sd side of the great River & on the North side of the comon fence (yt runs from ye great River to Agawam river-may be carryed a little higher [III-154.] that soe his lott wch he bought of Goodm: Warrener may Lye next to the fence, his desire is granted, provided Charles fferry whose lott is next be content to lye next the high way & pvided also it may be noe detriment to ye high way to be carryed thus higher.
Robert Ashley hath grannted unto him as an addition to his ffoure acres more, Soe yt he is to have there in all eight acres for woodland. to run in length 80 rod as other wood lotts doe, only there is to be reserved there three rod broad the whole length of these lotts wch is to be left comon for a highway for passage into the woods, eyther there or lower as shalbe most convenient.
Benjamin Parsons hath ye pond agt his land in the Long meddow grannted him, pvided it wrong not the Indians nor hinder their takeing of their pease.
John Bliss hath grannted unto him ye pond agt his land in ye Long meaddow; prided it wrong not the Indians nor hin- der them taking their pease
Benjamin Parsons & Thomas Powell have grannted be- twixt them forty acres of Upland at Chickuppe River side below Sconunganuck:
John Horton hath 8 acres of land grannted unto him on ye back side his house lott at Skeepmuck. Resigned to ye Towne before R. Thomas & Jer. Horton.
John Dumbleton hath grannted to him thirty acres of up- land & swamp at Paucatuck towards Worronoco joyning to the north side of Thomas Millers land & the land yt Capt Pynchon bought of the said John Dumbleton.
Also there is grannted him tenne acres of land on the West side of ye great River under the hills without the comon fence by Samuel Marshfeilds & Thomas Copleyes land there.
Samuel Marshfeild hath grannted unto him an addition of six acres of land to the ten acres granted him at ye last meet- ing, wch is to lye under the hills at ye Reer of ye house lotts
218
THE FIRST CENTURY OF SPRINGFIELD.
without ye comon fence which) [III-155.] runs from ye great River to Agawam river, In all he is to have Sixteen acres there together, (by Thomas Copley) this grant is on condition yt he resigne up his Six acre lott wch he bought of William Warrener without the said comon fence into the Town: And he upon this grant did resigne up the said six acres to the Town to lye comon: And it is Ordered yt the Said six acres in breadth 12 rod shall lye Comon, Together tth the eight rod in breadth along by the said fence formerly appoynted for a high way there, wth Twenty rod together in breadth without the fence is to lye comon for a high way & for food of cattell. & is soe to run to thorow along by the fence side to cover the muxy meddow or further to be con- tinned all ye way Twenty rod broad:
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