USA > New Hampshire > To Monadnock; the records of a mountain in New Hampshire through three centuries > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL
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Wajufet Hill
Stoniton
Nipmek
Larealen
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Springfield
MAP OF
NGLAND,
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01092 4105
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ever Was here ent , and done by 's could be bad, which being in foie places defective, it made the other lefs cred : got duth ut Sufficiently few the Scienation of the Country, and conveniently well the difi ance of Places. The figures that are joyeed with the Names of Places areto diftingwith frich as have been affinired by the Indians from others
A Scale of forty Miles.
19 1-20 , 30
The White Hills
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Oover
Pafcatequa R. .42
Herimack
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40 Cafco Bay
Kenebegyn Rf 48
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By courtesy of Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests.
TO MONADNOCK
The Records of a Mountain in New Hampshire through Three Centuries 11
Gathered by Helen Cushing Nutting
Copyright by HELEN CUSHING NUTTING Ashburnham, Mass. 1925
STRATFORD PRESS, NEW YORK
1838633
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The selections from Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Greenleaf Whittier, Franklin B. Sanborn, Edna Dean Proctor, Oliver Wendell Holmes, all but one of the many selections from Henry David Thoreau, and one of the two selections from James Russell Lowell are used by permission of and by special arrange- ment with Houghton Mifflin Company. To their garner of Monadnock literature it has seemed fitting to call especial attention in this place. However, in general a different decorum has been adopted for the acknowledgment of indebtedness, with the idea that something perhaps was gained by linking the source of a selection with the selection itself. Scattered throughout the book, in general therefore, are the book's thanks.
Yet many whose names do not appear have helped this book forward. To Mr. Allen H. Bent, whose article in the June 1917 Appalachia tells briefly many of the sources of Monadnock history and literature, to a score of libraries, to many, many individuals, this book also gives thanks.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MONADNOCK RECORDS Page
Preliminary .
.
1
Records of the 17th century
(including one map)
5
Records of the 18th century to 1776
11
(including one map and two plans)
Post-revolutionary records to 1824
49
The Emerson-Thoreau-Channing period, 1834-1871
73
(including one lithograph, reproduced)
Records from 1872 to the end of the century .
191
Records of the 20th century
.
231
(including three photographs, reproduced)
INDEX OF AUTHORS (one artist's name included) .
·
261
INDEX OF THE GIFTS OF LAND
.
265
INDEX OF PLACES
.
.
266
SUBJECT INDEX .
.
·
. 270
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1
BEFORE HISTORY, MONADNOCK
Was there a time when these half-answering hills Lay at the frown of an ambitious sea, Grinding along with its cold worlds of ice, Till, all the furrowed surface deeply carved, The saline torment took its hand away And left a course of splinters in dry air To mock the baffled thinker of an orb Where somewhat thinks superior to himself. O what a day and night of days swept by, As slowly o'er the gray unmoving hills In endless march deployed the polar host! O what an hour when that sea-tossing mass Began to cut the coast lines, and map out The rays of a few continents, and drop Their bowlders in the path!
WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING, From The Wanderer (1871)
THE NAMING OF MONADNOCK
MONADNOCK, mountain in New Hampshire. From the Indian m'an meaning "surpassing," adn, "mountain," and ock, "place"-place of the surpassing (unexcelled) mountain.
United States Geological Survey Bulletin No. 258.
3
RECORDS OF THE 17TH CENTURY
GOV. WINTHROP LOOKS NORTHWEST, 1632 From Gov. Winthrop's Journal
[January 27, 1632.] The governor, and some company with him, went up by Charles River about eight miles above Water- town, and named the first brook on the north side of the river (being a fair stream and coming from a pond a mile from the river) Beaver Brook, because the beavers had shorn down divers great trees there, and made divers dams across the brook. Thence they went to a great rock, upon which stood a high stone cleft in sunder, that four men might go through, which they called Adam's Chair, because the youngest of their com- pany was Adam Winthrop. Thence they came to another brook, greater than the former, which they called Masters' Brook, because the eldest of their company was one John Mas- ters. Thence they came to another high pointed rock, having a fair ascent on the west side, which they called Mount Feake, from one Robert Feake, who had married the governor's daughter-in-law. On the west side of Mount Feake they went up a very high rock, from whence they might see all over Neip- nett, and a very high hill due west, about forty miles off, and to the northwest the high hills by Merrimack, above sixty miles off.
[The "very high hill due west, about forty miles off" was Wachusett. Modern geographers do not commonly place Mo- nadnock "by Merrimack." At the time, however, that Gov- ernor Winthrop made this entry in his journal, the course of the Merrimac had not been explored and the river was thought to flow in a generally easterly direction from the west. "The
7
TO MONADNOCK
high hills by Merrimack" therefore, seen but unnamed by Governor Winthrop, were in reality "Monadnock and the Peterborough Hills," to which Thoreau later so often turned his eyes from similar points of vantage near Concord.]
GOLD? 1634
From New England's Prospect, by William Wood, 1634.
For such commodities as lie underground, I cannot out of mine own experience or knowledge say much, having taken no great notice of such things; but it is certainly reported that there is iron stone; and the Indians inform us that they can lead us to the mountains of black lead, and have shown us lead ore, if our small judgment in such things do not deceive us; and though nobody dare confidently conclude, yet dare they not utterly deny but that the Spaniards' bliss may lie hid in the barren mountains.
8
MONADNOCK MAPPED, 1677
[On the inside covers of this book is reproduced an early map of New England. It is the "White Hills" map, published in 1677 by William Hubbard, minister of Ipswich, in his Nar- rative of the Troubles with the Indians in New England from the first planting thereof in the year 1607 to this present year 1677; but chiefly of the late troubles in the last two years, 1675 and 1676. A mingling of humility and pride, its title reads: "A map of New England, being the first that ever was here cut and done by the best pattern that could be had, which being in some places defective, it made the other[s] less exact : yet doth it sufficiently shew the situation of the country, and conveniently well the distance of places." "Wajuset Hill" and the "White Hills" are here both mapped and named. To the west and north of Wachusett lies an unnamed height of land separating the branches of the river Connecticut from those of Merrimac. Here is Monadnock. It is interesting to see how in this early map the new country is drawn as seen from the settlements to the east.]
9
RECORDS OF THE 18TH CENTURY TO 1776
MONADNOCK KNOWN BY NAME, 1704
"Mr. Caleb Lyman's Account of 8 Enemy Indians Killed by Himself and 5 Friend Indians," which follows, has been taken from Samuel Penhallow's History of the Wars of New Eng- land with the Eastern Indians, 1726, published in Collections of New Hampshire Historical Society, 1824; and from The Winthrop Papers, part V, in the Collections of the Massachu- setts Historical Society, 6th series, vol. III, 1889. This text also, with commentary, is to be found in Acts and Resolves, Public and Private, of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, vol. VIII, being vol. III of the Appendix, 1895. Penhallow in 1726 refers to Mr. Caleb Lyman as "now elder of a church in Boston."
Some time in the month of May, 1704, there came intelli- gence from Albany of a number of enemy Indians up Connecti- cut River, who had built a fort and planted corn at a place called Cowassuck [within the present township of Barnet, Vt.].
On the fifth of June following we set out (by order of authority) from Northampton and went nine days' journey into the wilderness (through much difficulty by reason of the enemy's hunting and scouting in the woods, as we perceived by their tracks and firing) and then came across some fresh tracks, which we followed till we came in sight of the abovesaid river. Supposing there might be a number of Indians at hand, we being not far from the place where the fort was said to be built, here we made a halt to consult what methods to take; and soon concluded to send out a spy, with green leaves for a cap and vest, to prevent his own discovery, and to find out the enemy. But before our spy was gone out of sight, we saw two Indians, at a considerable distance from us, in a canoe, and so immediately called him; and soon after we heard the firing of a gun up the river. Upon which we concluded to keep close
13
TO MONADNOCK
till sunset ; and then if we could make any further discovery of the enemy, to attack them, if possible, in the night.
And accordingly when the evening came on, we moved towards the river and soon perceived a smoke at about half a mile's distance, as we thought, where we afterwards found they had taken up their lodging. But so great was the diffi- culty that (though we used our utmost care and diligence in it) we were not able to make the approach till about two o'clock in the morning, when we came within twelve rods of the wig- wam where they lay. But here we met with a new difficulty which we feared would have ruined our design. For the ground was so covered over with dry sticks and brush, for the space of five rods, that we could not pass without making such a crackling as we thought would alarm the enemy and give them time to escape. But while we were contriving to compass our design, God in his good providence so ordered that a very small cloud arose, which gave a smart clap of thunder and a sudden shower of rain. And this opportunity we embraced to run through the thicket; and so came undiscovered within sight of the wigwam, and perceived by their noise that the enemy were awake. But, however, being unwilling to lose any time, we crept on our hands and knees till we were within three or four rods of them. Then we arose, and ran to the side of the wigwam, and fired in upon them ; and flinging down our guns, we surrounded them with our clubs and hatchets and knocked down several we met with. But after all our diligence, two of their number made their escape from us, one mortally wounded and the other not hurt, as we afterwards heard.
When we came to look over the slain we found seven dead upon the spot, six of whom we scalped and left the other un- scalped (our Indians saying they would give one to the country, since we had each of us one and so concluded we should be
14
MONADNOCK KNOWN BY NAME, 1704
rich enough) .* When the action was thus over, we took our scalps and plunder, such as guns, skins, etc., and the enemy's canoes, in which we came down the river about twelve miles by break of day, and then thought it prudence to dismiss and break the canoes, knowing there were some of the enemy be- twixt us and home.
And now, all our care being how to make a safe and com- fortable return, we first looked over our provision and found we had not more than enough for one small refreshment; and being above one hundred miles from any English settlement, we were very thoughtful how we should subsist by the way. For having tracked about thirty of the enemy a little before us, we could not hunt for our subsistence for fear of discovery ; and so were obliged to eat buds of trees, grass and strawberry leaves for the space of four or five days, till through the good- ness of God we arrived safely at Northampton on the 19th or 20th of the aforesaid June. [The route of this journey home is recorded in a letter which Major William Whiting wrote to Governor Winthrop of Connecticut June 20, the day after the party arrived again in Northampton. After landing on the east side of the river and destroying their canoes, he reports, the party "travelled away southeast, coming near to Manadnuck
*[Major Whiting, to whom Caleb Lyman reported on his re- turn, wrote to Governor Winthrop: "The Indians are much rejoiced at their success, and their expectations greatly height- ened with 100£ a scalp. Great prudence must be used in rewarding and encouraging of them; others are willing to go upon the like adventure." The Indians' expectation of one hundred pounds a scalp, however, was not realized, being founded apparently upon a misapprehension of the law. Thirty-one pounds was voted and paid by the Province of Massachusetts "for the encouragement of the petitioner [Caleb Lyman] and others to enterprise the like undertaking," to which amount Major Whiting added forty pounds. For this sum he was later reimbursed by the Province, but as a favor, not as a debt.]
15
TO MONADNOCK
Hill, took a circumference [and] came upon the great river again a little above Northfield."]
And some time after (upon our humble petition to the Great and General Court to consider the service we had done) we received thirty-one pounds reward. And I have only this to observe, that in consequence of this action, the enemy were gen- erally alarmed, and immediately forsook their fort and corn at Cowassuck, and never returned to this day, that we could hear of, to renew their settlement in that place.
16
A MUTINY NEAR MONADNOCK, 1707
Mass. Archives LI: 154-7; published in Groton during the Indian Wars by Samuel A. Green, M.D., 1883.
[Die solis February 16, 1706-7.] Col. Ephraim Hunt, the president, opened the court by declaring themselves by his ex- cellency's particular order to be a court martial for the trial of Lieutenant Seth Wayman for a false report, brought by said Wayman, of the discovery of the Indian enemy near Monad- nock on the 6th instant, and for their return home in a mu- tinous, disorderly manner without endeavors after a sufficient discovery.
Lieutenant Seth Wayman, examined about the sending out of his scouts on the 6th instant, saith that on the 6th instant, on our encamping on sun about an hour high, we sent out two scouts of four men each, one to march on the left wing, the other on the right; to march about a mile and a half right out upon discovery from the noise of our hatchets. [Those in the camp drummed with their hatchets on the trees to guide the outposts and prevent their becoming lost in the gathering dark- ness.]* He further saith that, after they had been upon the scout about an hour, he saw both scouts returning together, run- ning towards our camp as men affrightened, and called to me at a distance to put out our fires, for they had discovered a body of the enemy. Then Corporal Tarbol coming up to me, told me that he had discovered the enemy. . . The other part of our scout told me they had discovered the track of dogs, which they judged to be twenty or thirty.
*[Albert Annett, Granite Monthly, August, 1899.]
17
TO MONADNOCK
Corporal Tarbol, conduct of the scout [which] marched on the right wing, being examined concerning his discovery, saith that they took a circular march till they had steered out of the noise of our own camp. And then, thinking we had heard the noise of our own hatchets, we took another circle to the left, that we might be sure we were out of the noise of our hatchets. After a short time traveling, we heard a noise of hatchets upon the left wing, on the side of a hill which was near us, upon which we marched towards the place upon discovery; and presently I discovered a smoke and immediately marched towards it till the smoke covered me. Leaving the rest of the men behind, I then heard a great discourse of men which I took to be In- dians and French, and so it held a considerable way round the hill, at least half a mile as I judged; upon which we returned another way till we came to our own tracks. And then we met with the other scout, and upon our account to them of what we had discovered, they told us they had met with a track of twenty or thirty dogs, which they judged to be the enemy's dogs, upon which we returned together to the camp to make our report to our captain commander. And thereupon Lieuten- ant Wayman, our commander, called his officers together, but before he had liberty to speak, his men interrupted him. He bid them move off, scatter, and stand on their guard, upon which three-quarters of our men ran away homewards. The captain sent his sergeants and went himself to stop them, but could not do it. And so we were forced to march home ...
The examination of Samuel Scripture, conduct of the scout on the left wing, who saith that on the sixth of February, upon our encamping, I was sent upon discovery about sun an hour high at night, to march on the left wing. And having marched about a mile and a quarter, we met with a track which Jona- than Butterfield, who was with me, thought to have been a
18
A MUTINY NEAR MONADNOCK, 1707
bitch wolf and her whelps, but I thought to be Indian dogs, and followed their track about a quarter of a mile. And after a small stop we saw Tarbol's scout, who called us away and told us they believed there was a thousand Indians, upon which we hastened away. But Tarbol's scout ran so fast that I could not come up with them to understand what their discovery was till I came to the camp, where Tarbol relating what he had seen, all our men crowded to hear news. Lieutenant Wayman ordered his men to stand farther off and give room that he might discourse his officers, upon which many of them ran away and the captain sent Sergeant Parham to stop them. Lieutenant Wayman, seeing his men desert him, and Tarbol's men repre- senting the enemy as so very numerous, thought it advisable to draw off, and accordingly we made the best of our way home. . .
Lieutenant Seth Wayman, being examined of his proceedings upon his receiving advice of Tarbol's scout, saith that, upon receiving this account, he encouraged his men by telling them that they had a brave advantage of the enemy in that they had discovered them and were not themselves discovered, and there was a great prospect of doing spoil upon them, and determined that four squadrons of men, which we had stated, should fall upon four scouts of the enemy. My officers advised me not to go on, saying it would be presumption and an apparent hazard of men's lives to encounter so great a company, upon which Sergeant Tarbol threw down his cap and offered himself to go if but four men would go with him. But officers advising to the contrary, and many of my men withdrawing and running away disorderly, I found myself too weak to attack them, and accordingly made the best of my way home.
19
THE WESTERN FRONTIER, 1723-5
I FORT DUMMER
Court Records XII, 153-4, State House, Boston. See also A History of the Town of Northfield, Mass., by J. H. Temple and George Sheldon, 1875.
December 27, 1723. In the [Massachusetts] House of Rep- resentatives voted, that it will be of great service to all the western frontiers, both in this and the neighboring government of Connecticut, to build a block house above Northfield in the most convenient place on the land called the Equivalent Land, and to post in it 40 able men, English and western Indians, to be employed in scouting at a good distance up Connecticut River, West River, Otter Creek, and sometimes eastwardly above Great Manadnuck, for the discovery of the enemy com- ing towards any of the frontier towns. . .
In Council read and concurred. Consented to,
WILLIAM DUMMER.
20
THE WESTERN FRONTIER, 1723-5
II LIEUT. JABEZ FAIRBANKS' SCOUT
Mass. Archives XXXVIII: 53, State House, Boston.
Lancaster, February 5th, 1724. A journal of a scout of ten men sent out by Lieut. Jabez Fairbanks to Turkey Hills [Lunenburgh] and from thence to the Dimon Hills and to the head of Mullipurs river and to the head of Squanicook river and from thence to the head of Sowhegon river to the Watatick Hill and thence steered towards the Grand Wanad- nock Hill [Monadnock] and from thence to Wanominock [Monomonac] ponds and from thence to Wachusets Hills and to Oxsechoxets Hills [in Sterling, Mass.] and mostly to such places as the Indians are most likely to haunt in their coming to our towns.
III
MASSACHUSETTS APPEALS TO CONNECTICUT
Court Records XII, State House, Boston.
June 4, 1724. In the [Massachusetts] House of Represen- tatives voted, that Col. Chandler, Major Quincy, Capt. Ashley and Col. Tyng, with such as the honorable Board shall appoint, be a Committee to prepare the draught of a pressing letter to the Governor of Connecticut for some immediate assistance from them for supplying a suitable number of forces for the defence of the frontiers of this province in the County of Hampshire, and also to project and lay before the Court some further methods for the security and defence of the western frontiers.
In Council read and concurred, and that Col. Tailor, Col. Winthrop and Col. Turner be joined in the affair above.
21
TO MONADNOCK
IV
COL. PARTRIDGE, FROM THE COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE, TO LT .- GOV. WILLIAM DUMMER Mass. Archives LII: 10, State House, Boston.
Hatfield [Mass.], July 14, 1724.
We here have been much distressed with the lurking enemies that first set on a party of our men, killed a lusty young man, took two men captive and killed a yoke of oxen in a cart; then next betwixt Deerfield and Northfield they killed three young men; a third time they rifled several houses in the village of Deerfield; and since they wounded two men in the Deerfield meadows. And we are very confident the enemies are still about us waiting to shed blood, so that we, being in the midst of our harvest, are forced to go 30 or 40 men in a day with their arms and with a guard, to accompany and work together. Governor Saltonstall [of Connecticut] hath now sent up 75 men by Capt. Goodrich and 30 by Capt. Butler and now he hath sent hither 42 Indians for scouting. Capt. Goodrich and men the Governor is calling out in a few days. However, we are more quiet since these men came and it is hopeful the enemy will not be so bold as they were before these men came. . .
SAMUEL PARTRIDGE.
22
THE WESTERN FRONTIER, 1723-5
V GOV. SALTONSTALL OF CONNECTICUT TO SEC. WILLARD OF MASSACHUSETTS Mass. Archives LII: 23, State House, Boston.
New London, July 23, 1724.
It falls out unhappily that Lieutenant-Governor Dummer is out of town; for though what you sent me shows the wages or premium on scalps, yet I can't tell whether such a small number as our Pequods, who at the most will not be above 25 or 30, will be acceptable to him, or whether he will like that they should have English officers of their acquaintance, which they always expect.
They seemed much rather inclined to try for a scalp about Manadnuck and the back side of Dunstable and Groton. ..
VI
SEC. WILLARD TO GOV. SALTONSTALL Mass. Archives LII: 23a, State House, Boston.
July 27, 1724.
Sir: Your honor's letter of the 23rd current received this morning. I immediately communicated it to his honor, our Lieutenant-Governor, who directs me to acquaint you that it will be very acceptable to him to have the Pequods you mention retained in the service of this province, and that he has no objection to their being commanded by such English officers as they like, provided you approve of them; that he is content they be employed in scouting about Monadnuck and other parts between Connecticut and Merrimack Rivers until October next, and after that time, if they are willing, he will find service for them in the eastern parts. . .
The Lieutenant-Governor gives his service to you and prays you would excuse his writing, his hurry being very great.
23
TO MONADNOCK
VII
CAPT. KELLOGG, FROM NORTHFIELD, TO LIEUT-GOV. WILLIAM DUMMER
Mass. Archives LII: 55, State House, Boston.
Honored Sir: .. I have nothing of news to acquaint your honor with. We have had no late discoveries of an enemy, but are something thoughtful an army may be coming. 'Tis difficult keeping a scout out constantly by reason of guarding the people ; we are now busy in getting in the harvest. I have a scout out now ordered above 40 miles up the great river [Connecticut] and from thence to Great Manadnuck, to discover if possible if there be any army approaching. ..
JOSEPH KELLOGG.
Northfield, October 7, 1724.
VIII
A JOURNAL OF MY MARCH
By Captain Samuel Willard; Mass. Archives XXXVIII: 109-110, State House, Boston.
Thursday, July 15 [1725]. Mustered at Lancaster [Mass. ].
Friday, July 16. I marched from Lancaster to Rutland [Mass. (not far from Wachusett Mountain) ].
Saturday 17. It was foul weather in the forenoon.
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