USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Amherst > The history of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts, pt 2 > Part 7
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46 1
THE OLD CANNON.
supremacy. Fortunately, in the interests of peace, the challenge was not accepted.
The old gun was brought forth to do duty on the night when the news was received in Amherst that the General Court had granted a charter to Amherst College. After firing several rounds, the friends of the college adjourned to the Amherst house, where they indulged in a general celebra- tion. The next day it was noticed that one of the celebrators had an eye in mourning, and on being questioned as to how he had received the injury replied that he had "run agin the charter." With the establish- ment of the college, a new factor entered into the struggle for the posses- sion of the gun ; the students espoused the cause of the faction at West street and also found the gun of great assistance in college celebrations. General Mattoon, then well advanced in years, became heartily sick of the controversy. After a particularly sharp contest between the East street and West street factions, the gun mysteriously disappeared, in the summer of 1831. An extended search was made for it at the time, and was renewed at intervals for many years thereafter, but without avail. Many stories were told in regard to its disappearance and its probable hiding- place. Some said that the young men at East street had carried it away and placed it beyond the reach of their West street antagonists ; others, that the latter had hidden it away and would produce it at some fitting time; others still, that the students were responsible for its disappearance .. It was said it had been placed in an old well, that it had been sunk in Fort river, that it had been buried in any one of a score of places. As time passed on, and the antagonism between the East and the West villages died away, the old gun and its stirring history passed into the realms of tradition. In 1893, Dr. D. B. N. Fish, who had made a study of the history of the gun, made a determined effort to discover its hiding-place. He communicated with most of the living members of the classes who were in Amherst College at the time of the gun's disappearance, and with many former residents of the town who might be supposed to know something in regard to it. He succeeded in collecting considerable information in regard to the gun, but was unable to discover where it was buried. In the spring of 1896, parties in Amherst were notified that a letter was in exist- ence which would reveal the resting-place of the old gun. Negotiations were entered into with the parties having this letter in their possession, with the result that it is here presented, with a few unimportant omissions, giving for the first time in print a complete and probably accurate account of the burial of the gun. The letter was written in 1858 by Robert Wilson, a member of the class of '32 at Amherst College, to his fellow classmate, Zebina C. Montague of Amherst.
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462
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
KEENE, MAY 30TH, IS5S.
DEAR BINA :
Your short and sweet epistle came yesterday and brought to mind your request conveyed in the former letter. I confess to a neglect in replying sooner, but time passed and I kept on delaying and so on, just as lazy, or busy men will do the world over. Well to begin at the beginning-Kaigar rode the gun on the evening of July 4th, 1830, and you "fellers" were full of your exploits con- cerning your prowess in Oct. of that year when one Bob Wilson first came to Amherst to dabble his confounded fingers in the mess also, and cause the faculty sleepless nights not a few. I "arriv" in season to take part in the scrimmage, we the Juniors had with the Sophs. who presumed to leave the chapel before our high mightiness etc. etc. When Old Prex called upon Hitchings to " desist" while handling John Burnham at the head of the stairs. During the last of June A. D. IS31, One Caleb Lyman proposed to renew the previous year's celebration and as it was considered rather unsafe for the Students to meddle that year, Cale and Bill Cutler obtained the Gun of Genl. Mattoon, and the students subscribed the money for powder etc. Several of us assisted in the firing before daylight. in dis- guise, and we made preparations to give the faculty " especial Hell" on the evening of the fourth but desisted at the earnest entreaty of some of the citizens on. account of a young lady who was sick. But Cale and Cutler had especial charge to keep the gun hot as long as the powder lasted, and if Kaigar saw fit to ride it again, to put in an extra charge, in order to make his seat as easy as possible. Well July 1831 passed pretty quietly upon the whole. In the early part of June 1832 the East Street boys, who had been somewhat disappointed the year previous in not obtaining the gun of the old Genl. began to plot about stealing it. and as some- thing of a feud had grown out of the matter, I waited on the Genl. and stated what had been whispered abroad. He was willing we should have it, but did not quite wish to disoblige his neighbors. I finally enquired if he would feel very angry at us, if we " stole the gun " before the east street boys got hands on it? The idea seemed to please him much, as the gun would then go where he desired it. and save him scatheless. It was then in the east end of his barn floor, and over it about two or three tons of straw and litter. On or near the 15th of June .- Cale Lyman,-Cutler -- myself and some of the boys, went to the barn, opened the East Doors from the inside, and drew the gun from under the straw, closed the doors and left everything apparently as it was before. We took it to a barn near the Mount Pleasant Institute, disjointed, and hid the several parts in a Hay Mow. About the ist of July the East Streeters visited the General's Barn one night and pitched off carefully all the straw to the last forkfull, and behold the Gun had vamosed! Genl. M. was well aware of all the proceedings, and was in perfect extasces at the fun of the thing.
There was quite a row among the horses while this was being done, and the ·servant girl came to the Genl. and complained about the noise, but he quieted her by saying there was nothing the matter etc. The secret of all that, is this. The Genl's Son (who lived at home then) sided with the East Streeters, and the Genl. with us ; We got the Gun when the Son was away from home. And the Son left home purposely on the night that the East Streeters went for it. so as not to be privy to the stealing, or hinder them from it. The Genl. notified Cale when his son was to be absent, and was privy to our whole movements. He also knew that it was arranged between his son and the East Streeters for them to get possession .of the gun. The next morning there was a general row in East Street, and no one
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BURYING THE CANNON.
so mad as Mattoon's Son. The Genl. was perfectly calm and reconciled to the fate of the poor Gun, as nobody could eat, or pocket it! Thayer's carriage hands sent to Belchertown, got a Gun and came up to the corner near Pitkin's Store on morning of the 4th with their Gun and about sixty men armed with bludgeons lest they might be attacked, fired twice and retreated as fast as they could run to East Street again. This was about 15 minutes before 12 on the morning of the 4th while a detach- ment of our men had gone for our Gun. It soon came upon the ground, and played merrily until daylight. An attempt was made by an East Streeter to spike it during the day, but it was soon got in good condition again and did good service in the even- ing. During the day of the 4th, IS32, threats were made by the East Streeters that they would take the Gun that night and "put it in where the College Boys should never see it again!" Between 10 and 12 of that night the hole in Gilbert's cellar where he used to keep the Ale Barrel under the floor, was dug deeper and the Gun consigned to mother earth, with about five feet of good clean gravel a-top of it; We then supposed it had found a quiet resting place until the next 4th should require celebrating etc, but-alas-the instability of all sublunary things! In less than two weeks from that time, one of the Academy Students heard Cutler say to some crony of his, " that he knew where the " thing " was pointing signifi- cantly with his finger downwards. This conversation was reported to a certain person whose name came near the last on the catalogue of the Seniors for IS32 and the conclusion arrived at, was, that there ought to be a resurrection of the " 76-er " before morning. Accordingly another member whose name began with A of that same class of Scape Goats, was called from his warm bed, and 76 was resurrected in about two hours. The fore wheels of one of Bissell's wagons were borrowed and the funeral procession consisting of the aforementioned two scape Goats and 76, started for East Street on the northern-most of those two roads, proceeded as far as Esq. Dickinson's then turned west on what is now the Main Street from Bina's to Dickinson's. Do you remember two large, old Willow Trees standing one on the south and the other on the north side of what is now the street between you and Dickinson's? The south one stood in the field, the north one then stood nearly in a line with the fence on the north side of the road .- The Gun finally was deposited about forty or fifty feet to the west of the northernmost Willow Tree, and about 10 feet south, I think a north and south line drawn about 45 feet west of where that Tree was, and an east and west one ten feet south of it (the tree) will at the intersection of the two lines nearly cover the Gun. It was not buried more than two and one-half feet deep as the ground was hard clay and daylight was fast approaching. When at Amherst, 5 years since I pointed out to Kellogg the Mer- chant; as near as possible the location. It might be easily found if desired either by trenching, or by probing the ground at regular distances with a sharp steel rod. I am surprised that it has not been uncovered already as the ground had been lowered somewhat from its former heighth when I saw it last. Genl. M. was privy to, and not averse to its being buried as it had been a source of annoyance to him for some years previously. I do not think he had an idea it would remain buried for a long period, but seemed pleased to have the annoyance removed for a time, and when talking the matter over, "chuckled" most heartily at the chagrin of his son and the " East Streeters " in losing it.
Truly your friend, B. WILSON.
P. S. Bill Adams and I did that job, and worked well too. I cut a pair of new Boots clean through the Soles in digging the holes.
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464
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
THE ABOLITION MOVEMENT.
Slaves were owned in Amherst as late as 1770. There was little active opposition to the. institution of slavery in this section until after 1830, although few persons were held in bondage in Western Massachu- setts after the beginning of the Nineteenth Century. As early as 1833, an anti-slavery society was organized among the students of Amherst College; it met with strong opposition from many of the students and from members of the faculty, who believed that it interfered with the use- fulness of the institution ; it was given up by command of the faculty, but was revived in 1836, with the faculty's consent and approbation. In 1838, the First parish dismissed an article contained in the warrant for a parish meeting, in relation to granting the use of the meeting-house for lectures on the subject of slavery. The " Amherst Anti-Slavery Society " was organized sometime in the later '30s. Its constitution is still in existence, the preamble reading as follows :
" The Census of the United States presents us with the fact that one-sixth part of this nation are held in bondage by their fellow citizens. We believe that Slavery in its laws and usages is a violation of the law of God and of the funda- mental principles of our national government. We believe that a public senti- ment may be created throughout the country which shall be so averse to Slavery as to effect its speedy Abolition, and thus restore the Slave to his rights, appease the anger of the Righteous and Supreme Judge of all men and prevent a general convulsion. And we believe that it is our duty to do all that we can lawfully in such an enterprise. We do therefore agree to form ourselves into a Society under the following Constitution."
The expressed object of the society was:
"To collect and diffuse information on the subject of Slavery, to convince our fellow citizens of its impolicy, injustice and criminality, and consequently the expediency, safety and duty of abolishing it ; to use all lawful, moral, and religious measures to effect its total and immediate abolition throughout the United States ; to improve the condition of people of color, remove the prejudice of public opinion against them and advance their intellectual, moral and religious improvement."
Any person might become a member of the society by signing the constitution. The signatures of 245 persons were attached to this docu- ment, the first in the list being that of Rev. W. W. Hunt. Among these names was that of Frederic D. Huntington, at that time a student in Amherst College, and those of many other students in the classes of '37, '38 and '39.
July 19, 1837, a meeting was held in the hall of the school-house at South Amherst for the purpose of forming an anti-slavery society. A constitution was adopted, the preamble reading as follows :
" Whereas the Most High God hath made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the Earth, and hath commanded them to love their neighbors.
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ABOLITION SOCIETIES.
as themselves, and whereas our national existence is based upon the principle that all mankind are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness ; and whereas Slavery is contrary to the principles of natural justice and of the Chris- tian Religion, and we believe it the duty and interest of the Masters immediately to emancipate the Slaves, and whereas we believe we owe it to the oppressed, to our fellow citizens who hold slaves, to our country, to posterity and to God to do all that is lawfully in our power to bring about the extinction of Slavery, we do hereby agree with a prayerful reliance on Divine aid to form ourselves into a society to be governed by the following Constitution."
The name adopted was the " Anti-Slavery Society of the South Parish in Amherst." Its object was "the entire abolition of slavery in the United States," which it was proposed to promote by circulating informa- tion in regard to slavery and by other suitable means. Any person might become a member by signing the constitution. There were 57 signatures to the document. Officers were elected as follows : President, Timothy Smith ; secretary and treasurer, Thomas Read; executive committee, Erastus S. Bridgman, Joseph Dana and Jacob Stetson, Jr. At a meeting of the society held Oct. 29, 1839, the following resolutions were adopted :
" That we believe the most efficient measures which we can use for bringing the public mind in this place to a correct view of Slavery will be the circulation of anti-slavery publications. That it is our duty as Abolitionists to exert our influ- ence to secure the election of representatives to Congress who will on all occa- sions raise their voices in the defence of the right of petition, and use their utmost endeavors for the abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia and also in the territories of the United States."
Feb. 17, 1840, the society voted to become auxiliary to the Hamp- shire County Abolition society. Feb. 19, 1840, the executive committee was instructed to select and purchase books for an anti-slavery library. The last entry in the society records bears date Jan. 11, 1842.
The "North Amherst Abolition Society," auxiliary to the Hampshire County Anti-Slavery society, was organized at North Amherst, Sept. 30, 1839. with 1 10 members. Its officers were : President, Ferdinand Robinson ; vice-president, Ephraim Roberts, Jr. ; corresponding secretary, Charles Rob- erts; recording secretary, Ransom Cowles ; treasurer, Samuel Robbins. How long these society organizations were continued, and whether they exerted any great influence upon public sentiment cannot be stated with certainty, but the anti-slavery agitation was carried on in Amherst as in other New England communities up to the time when the arguments of writing and oratory gave place to the more convincing, if not more logical arguments of musket and sabre. June 10, 1848, Rev. Joshua Leavitt delivered a lec- ture in Sweetser's hall on "Slavery, and the position that the people of the North sustain to that institution." During the presidential campaign
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466
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
of 1848, the "Free Soil" movement, though opposed by the Express on the ground that it weakened the Whig party, had many and warm friends in Amherst. Sept. 1, 1848, a meeting of the "Free Soil " advocates was held at the Amherst house to choose delegates to the state convention at Boston. At the same time and place a meeting of the "Liberty Men " was held. Many members of the college faculty, as well as pastors of the local churches, were ardent advocates of the abolition movement ..
AUTHORS AND SCIENTISTS.
Amherst has given birth to no great artist, musician, inventor or scien- tist. The few great names in her history are those of lawyers, physicians, ministers of the Gospel, educators, men of affairs. The literature of Amer- ica and of the world has been enriched by many contributions from Amherst writers, but few of these authors have attained great eminence in the literary world. The presidents of Amherst College have devoted much of their time and effort to literary work, from which the public has benefited greatly. President Humphrey had several volumes printed, of which the one having the largest circulation was that which described his "Tour in France, Great Britain and Belgium." President Hitchcock was a voluminous writer, his printed works comprising 24 bound volumes, 35 pamphlets, 94 papers in periodicals and So newspaper articles. His best known works were "Reminiscences of Amherst College," " Religion of Geology," " Elementary Geology" and "Phenomena of the Seasons." President Seelye revised and edited Hickok's "Mental Science" and " Moral Science," was author of "The Way, the Truth and the Life," "Citizenship" and other volumes. Many valuable text-books in science and literature have been written by professors at the college and have been adopted for use in educational institutions throughout the country. Professor W. S. Tyler wrote and published his very interesting and valu- able "History of Amherst College," while engaged in his duties as a member of the college faculty. Noah Webster was a resident of Amherst while engaged in the compilation of his famous dictionary, which has well been ranked with the Bible and with Shakespeare's works as one of the three most valuable publications in the English language.
The most noted writer of fiction that Amherst can claim by right of birth was undoubtedly Helen M. Fiske, better known to the world of literature as "H. H." The daughter of Prof. Nathan W. Fiske of Amherst College, she was born at Amherst, Oct. 18, 1831. She was edu- cated at Ipswich female seminary and at the private school of Rev. J. S. C. Abbott in New York City. At the age of 21 she was married to Edward B. Hunt, a captain in the United States army, by whom she had two children, one of whom died in infancy, the other while but a child.
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467
HELEN HUNT.
Eleven years after their marriage her husband was killed by the explosion of a sub-marine battery at Fortress Monroe. Helen Hunt began her literary career in 1866, as a contributor of short poems to the columns of the Nation and the Independent. In 1870, she printed at her own expense a volume of poems entitled " Verses by H. H." This won at once a gen- erous recognition in the literary world, and thereafter her writings were in great demand by publishers. She was the author of two volumes pub- lished by Roberts Bros. in their " No Name" series, in 1876 and 1877, " Mercy Philbrick's Choice " and "Hetty's Strange History ; " these added greatly to her reputation. It is generally believed, although she would never admit it, that she was the author of the " Saxe Holm " stories, printed in Scribner's Monthly in 1873 and 1878. In 1875, she removed to Colorado, where she was married the same year to William S. Jackson. In her Western home she first became impressed with the injustice which had been shown by the United States government in dealing with the Indian tribes. The result of these impressions is shown in "A Century of Dishonor," published in 1881. and in " Ramona," her latest and by many esteemed her greatest work which was published in 1884. She died in Colorado, Aug. 12, 1885. By common consent she is accorded a very high rank among the female authors of America.
Eugene Field, the well-known author, was born in St. Louis, Mo., but came to Amherst at an early age and remained here several years, attending at one time the Misses Howland's and Rev. R. B. Hubbard's schools. He ever retained an interest in the town in which he spent his boyhood days. Emily Dickinson, daughter of Hon. Edward Dickinson, was born in Amherst and was educated at Mt. Holyoke seminary. She did not write for publication. but after her death three volumes, two of letters and the other of poems from her pen, were edited by Mrs. Mabel Loomis Todd and published, commanding a large sale. They gave evidence of uncommon literary talent and were warmly welcomed by the public. Emeline Walker, grand-daughter of Peter Ingram, gained literary distinction under the name of " Lisle Lester."
Of the scientists who have made their home in Amherst perhaps the most noted was Edward Hitchcock. He was appointed state geologist of Massachusetts in 1830, and geologist of the First District of New York in 1836. He made the first geological survey of this section of the Connec- ticut Valley, beginning the work while pastor of a church in Conway. It was largely through his influence that the geological survey of the state was undertaken. In 1857, he was called on to complete the geological survey of Vermont. He was the discoverer of the famous " bird tracks " in the Connecticut Valley, and his collection of these fossil footprints, the finest in the world, is now on exhibition in the museum of Amherst Col-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMHERST, MASS.
lege. Charles U. Shepard, the noted mineralogist, was at one time a member of the Amherst College faculty, and the college was fortunate · enough to secure his very extensive and valuable collection of minerals for its cabinets. Edward Tuckerman became connected with the college in 1854, and in 1858 was appointed professor of botany, a position which he held until his death in 1886. Having made a special study of lichens he became known as the best American authority upon this subject and was elected a member of several of the most noted American and foreign scientific societies. A pioneer in the study of the flora of the White Mountains, his name is borne by one of the most famous ravines in that region.
TOPOGRAPHY AND LOCALITY NAMES.
The scope of this work does not admit of any extended consideration of the topography of the town. President Hitchcock, in his " Reminis- cences," has given in broad outline a map of the physical features of the landscape in and about Amherst. The town is situated on a broad plateau, sloping gradually on the west down to the Hadley meadows and with a sharper declination on the east to the lowlands at the foot of the Pelham hills. The division line with Granby and South Hadley to the south extends along the summit of the picturesque Holyoke mountain range. To the northwest the land slopes down to Sunderland meadows, and to the northeast rises to the " Flat hills " and the Leverett and Shutesbury divis- ion lines. Twin hills, christened by President Hitchcock "Castor " and " Pollux," are located in the south part of the town, while to the north are Mt. Pleasant and the companion' eminence from which arises the marble shafts of Wildwood cemetery. A little to the south and west of the center is the sightly highland of Mt. Doma. Near to the northwest boundary line is the "Great swamp" often referred to in old Hadley records, and near the railway at South Amherst the "Lawrence swamp." Nearly all the territory comprised in the township was formerly covered by a heavy forest growth, but little of which is now standing. Two rivers pass through the town, each having its source in Shutesbury. One, known as Mill river, takes a westerly course through the north part of the town and passing through North Hadley empties into the Connecticut river. The other, known as " Fort " or " Freshman " river, takes a southerly course through the town and empties into the Connecticut at Hockanum.
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