USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 1 > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
Between the years 1739 and 1745 there came to the east settlement Daniel. John and Moses Dickinson from Hadley and Nathan and Jonathan Dickinson from Hatfield. Daniel Dickinson married in 1779 Sybil, daughter of Josiah Dickinson ; their children were, Sophia, Henry, Char- lotte. Samuel, Sylvanus, Elihu, Lucy, Daniel and Edward. John Dickinson married in 1741 Esther, daughter of Nathaniel Dickinson of Sunderland, by whom he had three sons, Nathaniel, Israel and Waitstill. Moses Dickinson married Thankful. daughter of Chileab Smith, by whom he had Hannah, Moses, Lois, Aaron, Medad, Mercy, Elijah, Eli and Judah. Nathan Dickinson was three times married. By his first wife, Thankful
-
SQUIRE JOHN DICKINSON AND FAMILY
AME STOUGHTON.
JUDGE JOHN .
11
INSON .
SQUIRE JOHN
17
A . COL. ZEBI Splid Proto Eng c
SQUIRE CHESTER.
1
i
1
£
23
THE DICKINSON FAMILY.
Warner, he had Nathan, Ebenezer, Irene and Enos; by his second wife, Joanna Leonard, Azariah. Elihu, Shelah, Thankful, Lois, Asa, Levi, Joanna ; by his third wife, Judith Hosmer, Stephen and Judith. Jonathan Dickinson married in 1745 Dorothy, daughter of John Stoughton, of Windsor. Conn., by whom he had Lucy, Dorothy, Jonathan, Joel, Samuel, Stoughton and Daniel.
From 1745 to 1763 five more Dickinsons removed to the east settlement, Jonathan, Azariah, Nathaniel and Nehemiah from Shutesbury and David from Hadley. Jonathan married in 1724 Mary, daughter of Nathaniel Smith of Hatfield, and had children Simeon, Noah, Jonathan, Mary and Martha. Azariah married in 1747 Eunice, daughter of John Stoughton of Windsor, Conn .; their children were Eunice, Hannah, Azariah and Oliver. Nathaniel was twice married ; by his first wife, Thankful -, he had Mary, Nathaniel, Josiah, Elijah, Rachel, Rebecca and Salome; his second wife was Jemima Wales; by her he had no children. Nehemiah married in 1749 Amy, still another daughter of John Stoughton, and by her had Nehemiah, John and Simeon. The records contain no mention of descend- ants of David Dickinson. Bearing in mind the small number of the early settlers, the length of the foregoing list gives ample reason why the Dick- inson family should have gained great prominence in the community from the beginning.
There were two Smiths, Aaron and Nathaniel, among the east inhabi- tants in 1731 ; they were brothers, and sons of Ichabod Smith of Hadley, and grandsons of Philip, one of the original settlers of Hadley, whose death was ascribed by Cotton Mather to witchcraft. Aaron was married in 1724 to Mehitable, daughter of John Ingram, and had four children, a son who died young, Jemima, Philip and Aaron. Nathaniel Smith was the first physician in Amherst, where he died July 21, 1789, aged 84. He had three children, Nathaniel, Dorothy and Rebecca. There were three Smiths added to the settlement between 1731 and 1739, Stephen from Hatfield and Peletiah and Moses from Hadley. Stephen was son of Jonathan and grandson of Philip ; he removed from Amherst to Sunderland where he died in 1760; his children were Stephen, Joel, Titus and Mary. Peletiah was son of Samuel and grandson of Chileab. He married in 1721 Abigail, daughter of William Wait : their children were Elizabeth. Pelatiah, Abigail and Lucy. Moses was brother to Aaron and Nathaniel ; he married 111 1732 Hannah, daughter of Samuel Childs of Deerfield : their children Were Moses, Simeon. Hannah, Catharine, Azubah, Elizabeth. Amasa, Samuel, Noadiah and Oliver. Between 1739 and 1745 five Smiths were alded to the settlement. Jonathan and Daniel from Hatfield, and Peter, Phinehas and David from Hadley. Jonathan married in 1722 Hannah, daughter of Benoni Wright of Hatfield, and had children Jonathan, Martin,
24
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
David, Noah, Hannah, Abigail, Rebecca and Jerusha. Judd says " Daniel Smith was crazy;" there is no mention of him or his descendants in early records. Peter was the son of Chileab? and the grandson of Chileab' Smith, who was in Hadley in 1673 ; Peter married Amy Bissell of Windsor. Conn. and had children Chileab and Elisha. Phinehas soon removed to Granby and David returned to Hadley.
From 1745 to 1763 nine persons bearing the name of Smith were added to the population, Alexander, Edward, Peletiah, Jr., Simeon, Jonathan, Jr., David, Noah, Martin and Eleazar. Of these, Peletiah, Jr., was son of Pele- tiah, Simeon son of Moses, and Jonathan, Jr., Noah and Martin sons of Jona- than. Alexander and Edward were sons of Joseph?, and grandsons of Joseph Smith who came to Hadley from Hartford in 1680. David was son of Luke and grandson of Chileab. Eleazar was son of John3, grandson of John', and great-grandson of Philip, one of the original settlers of Hadley. Alexander married in 1743 Rebecca Warner of West- field ; their children were Nathaniel Alexander, Hannah, Joseph, Rebecca, Elias and Samuel. Edward married Hamutal, daughter of Benjamin Ellsworth of East Windsor, Conn .; they had children Benjamin, Timothy, Hewitt, Tryphena, Sarah, Roxana and Lucy. Peletiah, Jr. married in 1755 Rhoda Morgan ; their children were Reuben, Rhoda, Sarah, Mary, Aaron, Phinehas and Samuel. Simeon married in 1763 Rachel, daughter of Nathaniel Strong of Northampton; their children were Simeon, Asa, Electa, Rachel and Sylvanus. Jonathan, Jr. married in 1756 Rebecca, daughter of Dr. Nathaniel Smith ; they had one child, Jerusha. David resided in Amherst but a few years. Noah married in 1766 Mary, daughter of Edward Elmer ; their children were Hannah, Jonathan, Reuben, Noah, Andrew, Polly, Rebecca, Sarah and Abigail. Martin married in 1760 Lucy, daughter of Preserved Clapp; they had children Levi, Josiah, Solomon, Jonathan, Martin, Stephen, Wright and Phineas. Eleazar was twice married, first to Lydia Thomas of Lebanon, Conn., and second to Abigail, daughter of Thomas Hale of Longmeadow; his children, all but the last-named by his first wife, were : Lydia, Lucina, Eleazar, Ithamar, Sarah, Ethan, Achsah, Justin and Seth.
John Cowls and Jonathan Cowls were numbered among the east inhabi- tants in 1731. They came from Hatfield, were brothers and sons of Jonathan, grandsons of John? and great-grandsons of John' Cowls who removed from Farmington, Ct. to Hatfield about 1664. John Cowls married Mary -- , and had children Israel, Abia, John, Martha and Mary. Jonathan Cowls married in 1732 Sarah Gaylord ; their children were Sarah, Oliver, Jerusha. Jonathan, David, Josiah, Eleazar, Reuben. Enos and Simeon. Of the eight sons of Jonathan, five married and had large families of children.
--------
£
£
25
FOUNDERS OF FAMILIES.
Three of the east inhabitants bore the name of Ingram, John, Sr., John, Ir. and Ebenezer. John Ingram. Sr. was the son of John, who was free- · man in Hadley in 1683. He married in 1689 Mehitable, daughter of John Dickinson; their children were Elizabeth, John. Ebenezer, Hannah, Mehitable, Rebecca, Jonathan, Experience and Elisha. John Ingram, Jr. married in 1719 Lydia, daughter of Samuel Boltwood ; their children were Samuel, Sarah, Philip, John, Reuben and Ebenezer. Elisha, Samuel, Philip, John and Reuben remained in Amherst, married and reared large families.
Ebenezer Kellogg was one of the east inhabitants in 1731. He was son of Nathaniel, and grandson of Joseph who removed from Boston to Hadley as early as 1662. He was a captain and resided successively in Hadley, Amherst, New Salem and Stow. He married in 1716 Elizabeth, widow of Philip Panthorn, and had two children, Martin and Ebenezer. Nathaniel · Kellogg, father of Ebenezer, removed to the new settlement about 1739. He married in 1692 Sarah, daughter of Samuel Boltwood; their children were Nathaniel, Ebenezer, Ezekiel, Samuel, Sarah, Abigail, Mary, Ephraim and Experience. Ephraim, son of Nathaniel and brother of Ebenezer, was among the east inhabitants previous to 1745; he married, in 1741, Dorothy, daughter of Samuel Hawley; their children were Ephraim, Martin, Dorothy, Abigail, John, Sarah and Joseph. Daniel and Abraham Kellogg came to the settlement between the years 1745 and 1763; they were sons of Nathaniel" and grandsons of Nathaniel' Kellogg. Daniel was three times married, first in 1751 to Esther, daughter of John Smith of South Hadley, by whom he had four children, Daniel, Aaron, David and Jonathan ; second in 1758 to Thankful, widow of Joseph Hawley; third to Sarah, daughter of Josiah Powers of Northampton. Abraham was married in 1758 to Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Cowls ; their children were Sybil, Sarah, Samuel and Abraham.
Among the east inhabitants in 1731 was Samuel Boltwood. He was son of Samuel who was killed at Deerfield in the French and Indian war in 1704, and grandson of Robert Boltwood one of the first settlers in Hadley. He married in 1703 Hannah, daughter of Nathaniel Alexander. Their children were Hannah, Samuel, Sarah, Mary, Martha, Abigail and Jemima. Solomon Boltwood. brother of Samuel, came to the settlement before 1739. He married Mary, widow of John Pantry, Jr. of Hartford and daughter of John Norton of Farmington, Conn .; their children were Ruth, Sarah, William, Solomon, Ebenezer and Mary.
In the first list of east inhabitants appears the name of Samuel Hawley. He was son of Joseph Hawley of Northampton and grandson of Thomas Hawley of Roxbury. He settled in Hatfield whence he removed to the east settlement in Hadley. He married in 1708 Mehitable, daughter
1
26
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
of Samuel Belding ; their children were Lydia, Samuel, Joseph, Moses. John, Dorothy and Mary. His sons Samuel, Joseph and Moses, remained in the east settlement where they married and raised large families.
The name of Nathaniel Church is also found on the list of east inhabitants in 1731. He was probably the son of Samuel. Church of Hadley. He married in 1727 Rachel McCranney of Springfield by whom he had these children : Nathaniel, William Harrison, Rachel, Malachi. Jesse, Eber, Timothy, Samuel, Experience, Ruth, Mary, David, Jonathan and Benjamin. Samuel Church, brother of Nathaniel, came to the east settle- ment between 1739 and 1745. He married Margaret, daughter of Samuel Smith ; their children were Margaret, Sarah, Abigail, Thankful, Daniel, Eunice and Giles. Another brother, Joseph, came to the settlement between 1745 and 1763. He married in 1755 Abigail, daughter of Jona- than Smith ; their children were Samuel, Abigail, Joseph, and Sylvanus. . Richard Chauncey was one of the east inhabitants in 1731. He was a son of the Rev. Isaac Chauncey of Stratford, Conn., who in 1696 was ordained over the Hadley church. Richard married in 1729 Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Smith of Hatfield; their children were Oliver, Elizabeth, Eunice, Jerusha, Medad and Abigail. Charles Chauncey. brother to Richard, came to the new settlement before 1739. He married in 1740 Sarah Ingram, by whom he had children Catharine. Dorothy and Isaac. In 1746 he married Mary Gaylord, by whom he had Eunice and David. Josiah Chauncey, brother to Charles and Richard, came to the east settlement between 1745 and 1763. He occupied many important offices and removed about 1781 to New York state. His children were Elizabeth B., Mary, Sarah, Josiah, Isaac, Moses, and Samuel.
The list of east inhabitants in 1731 contains the name of John Nash. Jr. He was the-son of John and grandson of Timothy Nash who removed from Hartford to Hadley in 1663. John Nash was a deacon in the church and died about 1778. He married in 1716 Hannah Ingram ; their chil- dren were Jonathan, David, Hannah and John. His three sons continued to reside in the new settlement where they married and raised large families of children.
Among those added to the east inhabitants between 1731 and 1739 were Zechariah Field, Nathan Moody and John Morton.
Zechariah Field was the son of John of Hatfield and grandson of Zechariah who removed from Hartford to Northampton in 1659. Zecha- riah? was married in 1705 to Sarah, daughter of Dea. John Clark of Northampton ; their children were Ebenezer, Rebecca, Sarah, Mary and John.
Nathan Moody was the son of Samuel' and grandson of Samuel Moody. He married in 1735 Abigail Montague ; their children were
27
FOUNDERS OF FAMILIES.
John, Josiah and Abigail. Jonathan, brother to Nathan, came to the new settlement between 1739 and 1745. He married in 1730 Bridget Smith : their children were Huldah, Jonathan, Asahel, Lemuel, Eldad, Medad and Perez. 1
John Morton was son of Joseph of Hatfield and grandson of Richard Morton who removed from Hartford to Hatfield in 1670. John Morton married in 1730 Lydia, daughter, of Samuel Hawley; their children were Ruth, Rhoda, Thomas, Lydia, John and Joseph.
In the list of those added to the new settlement between 1739 and 1745 are found the following names : Moses and Aaron Warner, Nathaniel Coleman, Nehemiah Strong, Preserved Clapp, Westwood Cook, Jr., Joseph Eastman, Jr., Eleazar Mattoon and David Parsons.
Moses and Aaron Warner were brothers, sons of Jacob, grandsons of Jacob1 and great-grandsons or Andrew Warner, who removed from Hartford to Hadley in 1659, being among the first settlers. Moses Warner was married in 1738 to Mary Field ; their children were Mary and Moses. Aaron Warner was a blacksmith, probably the first in Amherst. His children were Maribee, Ruth, Aaron, Lucy, Noadiah, Hannah, David, Jonathan and Elisha. Jacob Warner, brother to Moses and Aaron, came to the settlement between 1745 and 1763. His children were Wareham, Jacob, Anna, Abigail, Esther, Reuben and Sarah.
Nathaniel Coleman was son of Nathaniel, grandson of John and great- grandson of Thomas Coleman who was one of the first settlers in Hadley. Nathaniel? Coleman married in 1739 Mercy Smith ; their children were. Seth, Thankful, Azubah and Enos.
Nehemiah Strong was son of Samuel Strong of Northampton. He was twice married, (1) to Hannah Edwards, by whom he had children Nehemiah, Mary and Simeon: (2) to Catherine Barrett of Sunderland.
Preserved Clapp was son of Preserved Clapp of Northampton. He married in 1730 Sarah, daughter of Christopher West of Guilford. Conn .; their children were Preserved, Sarah, Lucy, Irene, Miriam, Oliver, Mary, I amnothy and Williani.
Westwood Cook was son of Westwood and grandson of Capt. Aaron Cook. Hemarried in 1723 Joanna, daughter of Moses Cook ; their children were Jane, Moses, Mary, Joannah.
Joseph Eastman, Jr. was son of Joseph? and grandson of Joseph1 Esaman who removed in 1682 from Salisbury to Hadley. Joseph3 listen in married in 1746 Sarah Ingram ; their children were Sarah, Ruth, Haveph. Ebenezer, John, Mercy, Lydia, Mary, Hannah and Tilton.
Eleazer Mattoon was son of Philip Mattoon of Springfield and removed ', the new settlement from Northfield ; his children were Elizabeth, Whenezer and Sarah.
----
:28
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
Rev. David Parsons was son of Rev. David and was born in Malden. March 24, 1712 ; he was graduated from Harvard college in 1729. He married Eunice, daughter of Gideon Wells of Wethersfield, Conn. Their children were Eunice, David, Salome, Mary, Gideon and Leonard.
Among the names of those added to the east settlement between 1745 and 1763 are found the following : Thomas Hastings, Isaac Goodale, Elijah Baker, Simeon Pomeroy, Jonathan Edwards, James Merrick, Simeon Clark, Hezekiah Belding, John Billings and Gideon Henderson.
Thomas Hastings was son of Thomas' and grandson of Thomas' Hastings, who was born in Watertown in 1652 and afterwards removed to Hatfield. Thomas3 Hastings married Mary, daughter of Joseph Belden of Hatfield ; their children were Esther, Sarah, Thomas, Aaron, Waitstill, Samuel, Sybil, Moses, Mary, Elisha, Tabitha and Lucy.
Isaac Goodale (or Goodell) was born about 1730; he was twice married, (1) in 1753 to Huldah, daughter of Thomas Burt of Northampton. by whom he had childred Isaac, Mercy, Thomas, David and Eleanor ; (2) in 1805 to Prudence Billings.
Elijah Baker was son of John Baker of Northampton. He was twice married, (1) in 1757 to Rebecca, daughter of Jonathan Smith, by whom he had children Elijah, Hannah, Enos, Sarah and Martin ; by his second wife he had a daughter Martha.
Simeon Pomeroy was son of Samuel Pomeroy of Northampton and was born in 1725. He married in 1747 Abigail Smith ; their children were Abigail, Eunice, Lucy, Simeon, Mary, Jerusha, David, Mary, Dorcas, Samuel and Moses.
Jonathan Edwards was son of Nathaniel Edwards of Northampton and was born in 1722. He married in 1748 Rebecca. daughter of Samuel Smith of Sunderland : their children were Jonathan, Rebecca, Nathaniel, Lydia, Philip, Mary, Sarah, Hannah and Martha.
James Merrick was son of James of Monson and was born in 1729. He married in 1754 Esther Colton of Longmeadow; their children were Mary, Lucy, Sarah, James, Samuel, Esther, and Aaron.
Simeon Clark was son of Increase Clark of Northampton and was born in 1720. He married in 1749 Rebecca, daughter of Nathaniel Strong ; their children were Eunice, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Lois, Asahel, Justus, Mary and Jerusha.
Hezekiah Belding was son of Samuel, grandson of Stephen and great- grandson of Samuel Belding who removed from Wethersfield to Hatfield. Hezekiah Belding was four times married. (1) in 1752 to Mary, daughter .of Jonathan Dickinson; (2) to Abigail, daughter of John Nash of Hat- field; (3) in 1767 to Martha Field of Sunderland; (4) in 1795 to
29'
THE BURIAL GROUND.
Martha, daughter of Widow Smith of Hadley. His children were Mary, Elizabeth, Submit, Hepzibah, Abigail, John, Elihu and Martha.
John Billings was son of Richard2, grandson of Samuel and great- grandson of Richard' Billings who removed from Hartford to Hatfield in 1661. John Billings was twice married, (1) to Jerusha, daughter of John Waite of Hatfield, and (2) to Sarah, daughter of William Mat- thews. His children were Joel, Hannah, Lois, Ursula, John, Moses, Aaron, Jerusha, David, Martha, Sarah and Ame.
Gideon Henderson resided in Northampton and Sunderland before removing to the east settlement. He married in 1740 Sarah Baker; their children were Sarah, Gideon, Mehitable, Elizabeth, Mary, Timothy and Susanna.
These necessarily brief and incomplete biographical sketches of the carly settlers in the limits of the present township of Amherst contain the names of most of those who were prominent in the early history of the precinct, district and town, and many as well that have descended from generation to generation, and are borne by their lineal descendants to-day. They explain why it is that the names of Dickinson and Smith and Cowls and a score of others are found on nearly every page of the old precinct records, and occupy so prominent a place in assessors' lists and muster- rolls, and later on in town directories. Many of these nanies may be- some have been-traced back to the earliest settlements in Massachusetts, and further back, across the Atlantic, to their original homes in England ..
CHAPTER IV.
B:'RIAL GROUND FOR EAST INHABITANTS .- OCCUPATIONS .- WILD ANIMALS ..
HADLEY VOTES CONCERNING EAST INHABITANTS .- THIRD PRE- CINCT SET OFF.
The first minute in the town records of Hadley in relation to the east inhabitants is a rather gruesome one, relating as it does to the laying out of a burial ground for their use. It is found under date of Jan. 5, 1730, and reads as follows :
" Voted that the East Inhabitants have Liberty Granted them for a Burying That there In some Convenient place and made choice of John Ingram Samuel. Hokwood and John Nash Jun. to view and lay out about an acre of Land for said us. in a Convenient place and form and make return thereof at next March meeting."
-
.30
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST. MASS.
The committee was prompt to accomplish its work, as is found on the records under date of March 2, 1730 :
." The Comity in Jan. Meeting abovesaid made Return as follows: They have laid out the Burying place fifteen rod joyning on Nath1 Church's Lot west. and twelve rod East in the highway, being about an acre and twenty rod of ground : 15 rod in length 12 in Bredth."
The principal occupation of the early inhabitants of the east settle- ment at Hadley was farming ; they tilled the soil as their fathers and grandfathers had done before them. Much of the land in the first and second divisions was of excellent quality, rewarding their labors with abundant crops. The leading products were Indian corn, wheat, rye, barley and peas. The grain was ground at a mill located on what was known as the Mill river, which marked the northern boundary of the first division : the flour was bolted by hand. Much of the land was free from timber and only required plowing to fit it for planting the seed. The Indians had a custom of burning the grass and leaves in November of each year, to render hunting easier and to make the grass grow; this custom was gen- erally adopted by the whites. These burnings were continued in some places as late as 1750 .. but a law was passed in 1743 to restrict these fires. Good timber was far from abundant and at an early date restrictions were made upon cutting and using it. Horses, cattle, sheep and hogs were pastured in the woods ; cows were under a keeper, but young cattle roamed without restraint and were often allowed to remain in the woods until winter. Town rates, ministers' rates and private debts were mostly paid in grain, the price of which was fixed at a certain sum in money.
A few of the early settlers combined some other occupation with that of farming ; Nathaniel Smith, who was among the first of the east inhabi- tants, was a doctor, the first to practice his profession in the new settle- ment. Aaron Warner. also one of the first settlers, was a blacksmith and practiced his trade in 1741. Ebenezer Kellogg kept an inn from 1734 to 1737, and was also engaged in trade. Many of the farmers could turn their hands to carpentering or rough mason-work, and their wives and daughters spun flax and carded wool and wove the cloth that was fashioned into garments not always shapely but comfortable. "Candlewood " and tallow-dips provided light of an evening, but the latter were esteemed a luxury only to be indulged in on state occasions. Beef. pork and corn- meal were staple articles of diet, with shad and salmon in their season. The Connecticut river was formerly very prolific in shad, but the fish was little esteemed. Wildcats and bears were also numerous ; blackbirds and crows were such a nuisance to the farmers that bounties were offered for their destruction. Deer and turkeys were numerous and were hunted both by the Indians and the whites.
.، وأن امشالا
ـمية
-
..
٤
0
31
HADLEY VOTES.
In Amherst records under date of 1767 is found the name "Wolfpit :rook," showing that wolves were formerly caught in pits here, as in other faces. That they were numerous and caused havoc among sheep is proved by the bounties offered both by towns and by the state for their destruction. ! wo wolves were killed in Amherst in 1765 and the following application :or the state bounty is found in the archives at Boston :
"Mr. Treasurer-This is to certify, that there has been paid out of the Town : Amherst for one grown wolf killed on & near this District since the Ist Day of March last, and the head thereof brought unto one of our constables, vol the ears thereof cut off in the Presence of some of ourselves, as the Law Frects, and so certified unto us, in the whole the sum of two pounds, which sum we tesire you to allow to our District, by paying the same unto Simeon Strong, our District Treasurer. Dated in Amherst aforesaid, the Seventh Day of May Anno Dom. 1765.
JOHN BILLINGS SIMEON CLARK Selectmen MOSES DICKINSON)
In 1787 Amherst paid Isaac Hubbard {6 for killing a wolf. In 1805 two wolves ranged for some time from the northern part of Amherst and Hladley to the northern part of Montague, and killed many sheep. Men trom three or four towns turned out after a light snow and surrounded and Killed them.
A glance at the plan of Amherst in 1770 shows that the inhabitants Were about evenly divided between the east and west highways. There was no one living on the main highway crossing the second division, and but three on the highway that crossed the same division further south. l'here was an extensive settlement at the north end, and another at the south end near the Bay road. The centre of population was probably not 'ar from where the first meeting-house had been erected, on College hill.
The east inhabitants having been provided with a burying place, we find no further mention of them in Hadley town records until 1731, when under date of Jan. 3 the following appears :
"Voted That the East Inhabitants that are at the charge of hireing a min- "Ster their shall be abated their fifth part of the 120 pound Salary above mentioned to the Revd M' Chauncey."
And again under date of March 5, 1733 :
"Voted and Granted that when Ever there be occasion and opportunity to uttle a good orthodox minister among our East Inhabitants, that the then East Inhabitants of our Town shall have and it is hereby Granted unto them to have the fes property and disposition of the two Lots of Land in the Second and third division of out Lands known by the name of Town Land or Lots to Give, Grant or Dispose of as they shall think Best in order to the Settleing a good orthodox minister among them."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.