USA > New Hampshire > Cheshire County > Chesterfield > History of Chesterfield, Cheshire county, N.H., from the incorporation of "township number one," by Massachusetts, in 1736, to the year 1881; together with family Histories and genealogies > Part 2
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In 1636, about sixteen years after the Pilgrims landed at Ply- mouth, a settlement was begun at Springfield, Mass. In 1654, a town was commenced at Northampton, and by the year 1670, Deer- field was established. At that time the Indians who inhabited the valley of the Connecticut, within the territory that belonged to Massachusetts, or was claimed by the latter, lived in separate vil- lages, at points most favorable for obtaining subsistence. They had previously sold to the whites the best part of their lands, only re- serving certain portions for planting purposes, and the right of hunting, fishing and fowling, and setting their wigwams on the lands that were common to all. There were several tribes of River Indians : the Agawams, who occupied the region above and below Springfield ; the Nonotucks, who had villages and forts on both. sides of the river ; the Pacomptocks, who lived in the valley of the Deerfield river ; and the Squakheags, who claimed the country to the north, both below and above the line which now separates Massachusetts from New Hampshire and Vermont. Chesterfield would thus lie in the territory claimed by the Squakheags.
The Indians of the Connecticut valley lived principally on ground-nuts, chestnuts, corn, pumpkins, fish, and the flesh of ani- mals. They cooked their fish just as they were taken from the water, and small animals were roasted whole, the entrails being considered an indispensable part of the roast. Chestnut trees were objects of especial regard and protection, on account of the nutri- tious food that they yielded. Pumpkins were cut into strips and dried in the sun. According to Roger Williams, tobacco was raised and used to a considerable extent. It is also said that the Indians knew how to make maple sugar.
Fires were frequently set in order to keep the country free from underbrush, and thereby facilitate the movements of the Indians. These fires were usually set in the autumn, after the leaves had fallen. In this way, not only the smaller trees and bushes were de- stroyed, but even the larger trees at length were killed; so that there was comparatively little timber in the region thus burned over, when first occupied by the white men, except on wet or marshy ground.
At first the white settlers and Indians in the Connecticut valley, lived together in peace ; but this state of affairs was not destined to
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be of long . duration, and this fair valley was for many years the scene of bloody encounters.
In the spring of 1673, a settlement was made at Northfield. Deerfield, still in a feeble condition, was the nearest settlement, and was at a distance of sixteen miles. In 1675, a war broke out. Brook- field was destroyed August 2d, and, September 2d, Northfield was attacked by the Indians. On the 6th of September the survivors were rescued by Major Treat, who came up from Hartford with upward of one hundred men. The settlement was then abandoned. Soon after, it was burned by the Indians, who quietly took posses- sion again of their old hunting-grounds. A few days after this event, Deerfield was also abandoned. October 5th, Springfield was burned, and, on the 19th of the same month, Hatfield was attacked, and several persons killed and captured.
In a little less than three months, 148 persons had been slain by the savages, 104 of this number having been soldiers.
The Squakheags went into winter quarters at a place called "Coasset," a little above the railway station at South Vernon, Vt. The savages having been so successful in their attempts to break up the settlements, seem to have felt secure against a surprise by the white men. A large party was gathered at the falls below the mouth of Miller's river, for the purpose of fishing. Capts. Turner and Holyoke, with about 160 men, fell upon the camp of this party about daybreak on the morning of May 19, 1676, and slaughtered a great number of the Indians. Just as the whites were retiring to their horses, which had been left behind, a report came that the fa- mous chief, Philip, was coming with a large force. Thereupon the whites fell into a panic, and were attacked, in turn, by the Indians, who slew Capt. Turner and 37 of his men. On the death of Philip, in the following August, there seems to have been a general dis- persal of the savages in this part of the Connecticut valley.
In 1685, Northfield was re-settled by a few families, and a fort and grist-mill were erected. In July, 1688, a party of strange In- dians from the north passed down through the town. A few days after, five peaceable Indians living near Springfield, were found murdered. The day after the murder, a party of strange Indians were again seen in Northfield. On the 16th of August, six persons were murdered by Indians in the same town.
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War between France and England having again broken out, the County Court issued an order June 25, 1690, for the abandon ment of Northfield. This war is known as "King William's War," and lasted till 1697. The Colonies of the two nations became in- volved, as usual, and suffered severely. The peace that followed this war was of short duration ; for, in 1702, England again declared war against France. The war that followed is known as "Queen Anne's War," and did not end till April 11, 1713. On the morn- ing of the 11th of March, 1704, a large force of French and Indians fell upon Deerfield, burned it to the ground, killed 47 of the inhab- itants, and then retreated, taking with them about 100 prisoners. Thus were the early settlers in America made to suffer on account of the petty intrigues and quarrels of the rulers of Europe !
Queen Anne's War having ended in 1713, a permanent settle- ment was effected at Northfield the next year. The territory of the town, at that period, included a portion of what is now Vernon, in Vermont ; a large part of what is now Hinsdale, and a part of Win- chester. In 1720, the north bound of the town was established as follows : Beginning at a point three-fourths of a mile west of the Connecticut, it ran easterly 1440 rods, passing through a point lying about one-fourth of a mile below Ash-swamp brook (now in Hins- dale).
In 1722, a war with the Indians broke out, known as "Father Ralle's War." August 13, 1723, two men were waylaid and killed by the Indians at Northfield. October 9th, the settlement was again visited by savages, who killed one person, wounded two, and cap- tured one.
In 1724, Fort Dummer was built. It stood a short distance north of the line that separates Vernon from Brattleboro', on the western bank of the Connecticut, and was made of logs (yellow pine, according to one account) locked together at the angles of the structure. It was nearly square, each side having a length of about 180 feet. A row of houses was built against the wall, inside, fac- ing on the parade ground. The fort was built by the Massachu- setts government, and was named in honor of Governor Dummer. In 1728, a trading post was established in it ; and from 1734 to '44, six Indian Commissioners were stationed there.
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From a journal kept by Capt. Kellogg, who commanded at Northfield, we learn that, Nov. 30, 1724, scouts went north-westerly a certain distance from Northfield, and then north-easterly to the "Great Falls" (now Bellows Falls) ; and that men were sent to the top of West River Mountain to watch for smoke arising from the camp-fires of the Indians. One scout is described as having gone "west from Northfield about twelve miles, then northward, crossing West river, and, steering east, came to the canoe-place, about 16 or 17 miles above Northfield." There is but little doubt that the "ca- noe-place" mentioned in Capt. Kellogg's diary, was the place called "Canoe Meadow," in the southwest part of Westmoreland. In 1725, there was some fighting with the savages, at various points ; but on the 15th of December, a peace was concluded with the Eastern In- dians, at Boston.
In 1733, the General Court of Massachusetts granted a town- ship to Josiah Willard and others, lying to the northward and east- ward of Northfield. It extended from the south end of "Merry's Meadow" up the Connecticut four and one-half miles and twenty rods ; thence easterly eight and one-half miles and twenty rods. The eastern bound ran southerly six and one-fourth miles and fifty- two rods. This township was called "Arlington," and embraced a portion of the territory now belonging to Hinsdale and Winchester. Pending the King's decision respecting the dividing line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the General Court of the for- mer Province granted upwards of thirty townships between the Merrimac and the Connecticut. The township that lay just north of Arlington, and east of the Connecticut, was called "No. 1," and was nearly identical with the present township of Chesterfield. The one north of No. I was called "No. 2," and is now Westmoreland. Walpole was "No. 3," and Charlestown "No. 4." These four townships were accepted by the General Court of Massachusetts, Nov. 30, 1736. Samuel Chamberlain, of Westford, Mass., was empowered, Dec. 13, 1737, to call the first meeting of the proprie- tors of No. I, for organization.
The same year that these towns were accepted, a settlement was permanently established at a place called "Upper Ashuelot," now Keene. It is not known that any settlement was attempted in No. I, under the Massachusetts charter. Shattuck's fort, so-called,
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was probably built about 1736 or '37. . It stood on the farm now owned and occupied by John Stearns of Hinsdale. Ebenezer Hins- dale also built a block-house not far from Ash-swamp brook (now in Hinsdale) "on the bluff back of the meadow, about 60 rods east of the river." It was probably erected in 1742. In 1740, the divid- ing line between Massachusetts and New Hampshire was finally determined by the royal government. By the change thus produced in the position of the line, a tract of land about four and one-half miles in width was cut from the northern part of Northfield. Town- ships No's 1, 2, 3 and 4, together with many others lying between the Merrimac and the Connecticut, were thus brought within the limits of New Hampshire. In 1740 and '41, extensive repairs were made to Fort Dummer. Two bastions were built at opposite angles, and a line of pickets twenty feet high, was set around the fort. Some swivel guns and a cannon are said to have been added to its armament.
It is said that Richard Ellis and his son Reuben, with others, settled in Westminster as early as 1739. As early as 1740, a settle- ment had been begun at Charlestown (No. 4) by three brothers of the name of Farnsworth, who went from Lunenburg, Mass. They were soon joined by others, and a fort, saw-mill and corn-mill were put up. In 1742 or '43, Nehemiah Howe, of Grafton, Mass., with others, located at "Great Meadows" (Putney). It is said that there is some evidence that, at the same date, Daniel Howe and others, from Rutland, Mass., made a settlement on the opposite side of the river, in No. 2, (Westmoreland). There are, perhaps, some reasons for believing that the first settlement at the "Great Meadows" was actually made on the east side of the river. But, be that as it may, it is certain that a settlement was made in the western part of West- moreland a number of years before an attempt was made to settle Chesterfield.
War between France and England again broke out in 1744, and again were the frontier towns destined to be the scene of murder and pillage, on account of the disputes of these two nations. July 5, 1745, the enemy appeared at Great Meadows and killed William Phipps. On the 10th of the same month, Dea. Josiah Fisher was killed at Upper Ashuelot, (Keene). October 11, a party of French
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and Indians attacked the fort at Great Meadows, and captured Ne- hemiah Howe and killed David Rugg, who was coming down the river in a canoe. Howe died in prison at Quebec. April 19. 1746, the French and Indians took three men prisoners at No. 4. On the 23d of the same month, the Indians assaulted Upper Ashuelot and killed John Bullard and Mrs. Daniel McKenney, and captured Na- than Blake. They also burned several buildings and killed a large number of cattle. May 2, Seth Putnam was shot at No. 4. On the 4th of the same month, Upper Ashuelot was again attacked. On the 6th, Dea. Timothy Brown and Robert Moffatt were cap- tured at Lower Ashuelot, (Swanzey). About the same time the Indians showed themselves at other points, killing and destroying. Although the towns that were suffering so much from the enemy, now came within the jurisdiction of New Hampshire, this Province did very little to protect them, and the settlers were obliged to look to Massachusetts for aid. Accordingly, Capt. Paine, with a com- . pany of men from Dudley, Mass., reinforced the settlement at No. 4, May 23, 1746. A skirmish soon took place between the whites and the savages, in which the latter were beaten off; but the former lost several men. Capt. Brown and his troops, from Framingham and Sudbury, Mass., soon after took the place of Capt. Paine and his men. June 24, a party of white men at work near Bridgman's Fort, in Vernon, were surprised, and several of them were killed, wounded, or captured. The same day, a scouting party was sur- prised near Fort Dummer ; but the men got away with the loss of a part of their arms. Col. Willard, with a team and guard of twenty men, who had come over from Fort Dummer to Hinsdale's mill, was ambushed near the latter ; but the Indians were repulsed. Au- gust 3, the fort at No. 4 was again attacked by the French and In- dians, who besieged it for two days, and did much damage. The 6th of the same month, the Indians killed Joseph Rawson and wounded Amasa Wright, at Winchester. On the 11th, they killed Benjamin Wright, at Northfield, as he was getting the cows, on horseback, in the evening. On the 20th, Fort Massachusetts, at East Hoosuck (Adams) was taken by an army of French and In- dians under the command of Gen. Rigaud de Vaudreuil. In Janu- ary, 1747, No. 4 was abandoned ; but, as soon as the snow was gone in the spring, it was re-occupied by Capt. Stevens and thirty
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rangers. The dog and cat, that had been left behind when the post was abandoned, were found to be in tolerably good condition. April 4, a large force of French and Indians under Debeline, fell upon the fort. Fire-arrows were shot at it, and a mantelet loaded with burning wood was pushed against it. But trenches had been dug by the defenders from within outward, under the wall or parapet of the fort, from which water was thrown upon the flames, and the fort thus saved. After a futile seige of three days, the enemy with- drew. Only two of the garrison were wounded, and none killed. A part of Debeline's force then moved down to Northfield, and, April 15, killed Nathaniel Dickinson and Asahel Burt, as they were driving the cows home from Panchaug Meadow. Winchester and the two Ashuelots, all of which had been deserted in the previous winter, were burned soon after.
During the summer, the Indians killed several persons at vari- ons points, and the whites made several scouting expeditions. Oc -. tober 19, John Smead was killed between Northfield and Sunder- land, Mass. ; and on the 22d of the same month, Jonathan Sartwell was captured not far from Hinsdale's fort, and Bridgman's fort was burned. March 15, 1748, a party of men cutting wood about sixty rods from the fort at No. 4, were attacked, and Charles Stevens was killed, Nathaniel Andros wounded, and Eleazer Priest captured. The 29th of the same month, a small party of men were attacked a little more than a mile below Fort Dummer, and three were killed and one taken. May 31, Capt. Melvin and a small party of scouts were surprised on the banks of West river, about 33 miles from Fort Dummer. Six men were killed outright, and one mortally wounded. The scene of this massacre is located, by Hall, in Lon- donderry, Vt. June 16, fourteen men were waylaid in Hinsdale, opposite the mouth of Broad brook. Three were killed and seven captured, one of whom was put to death by the Indians when they had camped for the night. On the 26th of the same month, Capt. Hobbs and a scouting party of 40 men from No. 4, had a desperate four hours' fight with a party of Indians, about 12 miles west of Fort Dummer. The Indians were led by a half-blood named Sack- ett, who was at length wounded, upon which the savages retired. Three white men were killed and four wounded. July 14, Serg't
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Thomas Taylor started from Northfield for Keene, by way of Hins- dale's fort and Fort Dummer, with 16 men. When near Connecti- cut river, they were attacked by a large force of French and Indians, who, after a sharp fight, killed two of Taylor's men, and captured eleven. Two of the captured whites had been wounded, and were, soon after their capture, killed by the Indians with clubs. It is said that the captors, with their prisoners, went up on the east side of the Connecticut to a place two or three miles above the mouth of West river, called "Catsbane," where they crossed the river, and then made their way back to Canada. This fight took place at a distance of less than one mile below Fort Dummer, half of whose garrison of 16 men, were sick. It seems quite probable that the ' place called "Catsbane," mentioned above, was Catsbane Island, which belongs to Chesterfield, and lies in the Connecticut a little way above the lower ferry. On the 23d of the same month, a small party of Indians waylaid Aaron Belding at Northfield, a little before sunrise, and shot and scalped him.
A treaty of peace between the hostile powers was signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, October 7, 1748, but, in this country, hostilities did not wholly cease for some time ; for, June 20, 1749, the Indians assaulted No. 4, and carried off Enos Stevens, son of Capt. Stevens. In 1750, '51 and '52, there was peace in the Connecticut valley. Movements were now made to get the townships that had been chartered by Massachusetts, but which had been severed from that Province by the final determination of the southern boundary of New Hampshire, re-chartered by the government of the latter Pro- vince. From the "Council Records" is extracted the following :
"At a Council holden at Portsmouth, according to his Excelency's Sum_ mons, Feb'y the 10th, 1752-
Present, His Excelency BENNING WENTWORTH, Esq., Governour.
HENRY SHERBURNE, ELLIS HUSKE, Esqs.
THEODORE ATKINSON, )
RICHARD WIBIRD, Esqs. SAM'L SMITH,
The Secretary by his Excelency's order laid before the Board three peti. tions from sundry persons praying for three separate Townships of his Maj'- tys lands lying on the east side of Connecticut river, beginning at the north side of a tract of land called Winchester and extending up the river to the northward so as to joyn to No. (4), so called, and east to the land called the Ashuelotts, as far as they (the Ashuelotts) go to the northward (viz.), That the
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first or most southerly township called No. (1) in the Plan exhibited may be allotted to the petition signed Elias Alexander, John Brooks and others: That the township adjoining northerly on No. (1), and marked No. (2) in the s'd plan, be granted on the petition of Elias Hubbard, Thos. Chamberlain and others, and that the township marked No. (3) on the said plan and adjoining No. (4) may be granted to the petition signed Benja. Bellows, Ebenezer Harris & others-all which petitions & Plans being perused by the Council, the Sec- retary by his Excelency's order put it to the Council whether they would con- sent to the granting the said respective tracts of land to the Petitioners, with such others as should be tho't proper to be entered as Associates-to which the Council did advise and consent."
In accordance with the above decision of the Council, a char- ter was granted incorporating "No. I" under the name of " Ches- terfield."
THE CHARTER.
PROVINCE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE. GEORGE THE SECOND
Seal
By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.
To all Persons to whom these Presents shall come, GREETING:
KNOW YE, That we of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, for the due encouragement of settling a New Plantation within our said Province, by and with the advice of our trusty and well-beloved Benning Wentworth, Esq., our Governour and Commander-in-Chief of our said Prov- ince of New Hampshire, in America, and of our Council of the said Prov- ince; have upon the conditions and reservations hereinafter made, given and granted, and by these Presents, for us, our heirs and successors, do give and grant in equal shares, unto our loving subjects, inhabitants of our said Prov- ince of New Hampshire, and his majesty's other governments, and to their heirs and assigns forever, whose names are entered on this grant, to be divid- ed to and amongst them into Seventy equal shares, all that tract or parcel of land
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situate, lying and being within our said Province of New Hampshire, con- taining by admeasurement twenty-three thousand and forty acres, which tract is to contain six miles square, and no more; out of which an allowance is to be made for highways and unimprovable lands by rocks, ponds, mountains and rivers, one thousand and forty acres free, according to a plan and survey thereof, made by our Governour's order, and hereunto annexed, butted and bounded as follows; viz: beginning and adjoining to a stake and stones near the bank of Connecticut river, which is the northwesterly corner bound of a place called Winchester, thence running south seventy-eight degrees east upon Winchester line aforesaid, till it meets with the western line of the lower Ashuelots, so called. then carrying all the breadth of land between the river of Connecticut aforesaid and the said Ashuelots, so far up northerly as will make the contents of six miles square, bounding on this extent by a stake and stones near the bank of the river, and thence running south, seventy-eight degrees east, till it meets with the Ashuelots aforesaid; And that the same be, and hereby is, incorporated into a township by the name of CHESTERFIELD, and that the inhabitants that do or shall hereafter inhabit said township, are hereby declared to be enfranchised with and entitled to all and every the priv- ileges and immunities that other towns within our Province by law exercise and enjoy; And further, that the said town as soon as there shall be fifty families resident and settled thereon, shall have the liberty of holding two Fairs, one of which shall be held on the -, and the other on the -, annu- nually, which Fairs are not to continue and be held longer than the respective days following the said respective days; and as soon as the said town shall consist of fifty families, a market shall be opened and kept one or more days in each week, as may be thought most advantageous to the inhabitants: Also, that the first meeting for the choice of town officers, agreeable to the laws of our said Province, shall be held on the first Wednesday of March next, which meeting shall be notified by Josiah Willard, Esq., who is hereby also appointed Moderator of the said first meeting, which he is to notify and govern agree- able to the laws and customs of our said Province; and that the annual meet- ing forever hereafter for the choice of such officers of said town, shall be on the first Wednesday of March, annually,-to have and to hold the said tract of land as above expressed, together with all privileges and appurte- nances, to them and their respective heirs and assigns forever, upon the fol- lowing conditions, viz. :
I. That every grantee, his heirs or assigns shall plant and cultivate five acres of land within the term of five years, for every fifty acres contained in his or their share or proportion of land in said township, and continue to im- prove and settle the same by additional cultivations, on penalty of forfeiture of his grant or share in the said township, and its reverting to his majesty, his heirs and successors, to be by him or them re-granted to such of his subjects as shall effectually settle and cultivate the same.
II. That all white and other pine trees within the said township, fit for Masting our Royal Navy, be carefully preserved for that use, and none to be
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cut or felled without his majesty's special license for so doing first had and obtained, upon the penalty of the forfeiture of the right of such grantee, his heirs and assigns, to us, our heirs and successors, as well as being subject to the penalty of any act or acts of Parliament that now are, or hereafter shall be, enacted.
III. That before any division of the land be made to and among the grantees, a tract of land as near the centre of the said township as the land will admit of, shall be reserved and marked out for town lots, one of which shall be allotted to each grantee of the contents of one acre: yielding and paying therefor to us, our heirs and successors for the space of ten years, to be computed from the date hereof, the rent of one ear of Indian Corn only, on the first day of January annually, if lawfully demanded, the first payment to be made on the first day of January after the date hereof.
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