ii«t,^iX-^-^''''W5ff^ -^ ^^ .-..! .^^ -J .; :t ^ h'i i'^i UMASS/AMHERST #1 aiEDbbDmasiflss :rvi;^ Tfi ■IIIM I 11I I I' IIH Iil | f"KllS8'g ^'«- lil •*- . I *(' J J863' DATE DUE 1 UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY #" OWasS. t??-? a \ip) i i Km. V\\STO/Vj^ -OF- THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY IN MASSACHUSETTS, <-^=>WITH =^_> |(llii«trafiou^ and |fit0gniplikiil §Iietclie^ e_^^OF^=^_) SOME OF ITS PRC^MINENT MEN AND PIONEERS / i f NENT v. > VOL. I. PHI LADELPHl A: 1879. Sa:^ ii)= 1^ 1 i I "?3X i) PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA. ^15 V.I w >-> PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. The History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, which has been in course of preparation during the past twelve months, is at length completed, and placed in the hands of the people. The compilation of a work covering such a large extent of territory, and treating of events trans- piring through the lapse of two hundred and forty-three years, as can be readily understood, is a labor of extraordinary magnitude, involving a heavy outlay, and requiring a vast amount of research, the exercise of impartial judgment, and the most critical discrimination. The subjects treated cover a wide range, — from the adventurous life of the pioneer of 1636, through every branch of human experience, industry, and knowledge, to the wonderful physical and intellectual development of the present day. Materials for the work have been abundant. Several of the towns in the Valley possess excellent published histories, while the preserved files of newspapers and the various records constitute a mine of wealth which can scarcely be exhausted. The entire region abounds in rich treasures of local history, and such works as the excellent " History of Western Massachusetts," by Dr. Josiah Gilbert Holland, the numberless volumes in public and private libraries, colonial records, family genealogies, and biogra- phies of eminent men and women, are accessible at every turn. The people of the Connecticut Valley are pre-eminently intelligent and widely alive to all which pertains to the history of their indomitable ancestors, and always ready to assist in the production of meri- torious works which may, in any manner, shed additional light upon the past. The aim of the publisher of the present work hasbeen to make it as full and reliable a compendium of the history of this beautiful and iiiieresting region as a lavish expenditure of money, time, and talent could produce; and it is believed tliat no similar ■syork has ever been published in this country which could compare with it, either in magnitude, variety and interest of subjects treated, or in the number and beauty of its illustrations, which amount to not far from five hundred, all excellent specimens of the engraver's art. - - • The plan of illustrating local histeries is one- which the people themselves have inaugurated, and which has so enhanced the appearance of each successive -volume, and; so increased the general interest therein, that it has been permanently and successfully adopted by the publishers. The testimony of a most respectable majority of the citizens, wherever such publications, have been introduced, and especially among those most prominent and best capable of judging, is ample proof that portraits of those who have been or are citizens of a county at the date of publication; who by their enterprise, integrity, and public spirit have materially aided its growth and prosperity, and whose lives have been worthy ex- amples, may very properly appear upon the pages of such local history. Ex-Governor Seymour, of New York, remarked of the history of his own county, that the portraits therein of its deceased and living citizens greatly enhanced its value in his estimation. Dr. Holmes, 32072 PUBLISHER'S PREFACE. State Librarian of New York, considers the illustrated portion, including personal sketches of prominent citizens, a feature which will become more interesting with the lapse of time, and one which gives additional value to the work. The illustrations of each town, like its written history, are distinct and complete in themselves, and are selected as fair representatives of its worthy citizens, indepeudently of any comparison with those of any other city or town. The highest ideal is not always reached, but the endeavor has been to haudle this department with due regard to the rules of propriety and consistency, the tastes and desires of the people of the Valley, and the true interests of the publisher and the community. This explanation is rendered necessary by the fact that there have been those who criticised without thoroughly understanding the system adopted, and without giving the subject due consideration. Every effort has been put forth to render this work as complete in all departments as possible, and to bring it fully up to the expectations of those who have so liberally indorsed it, with the confident belief that they will appreciate the lalwr and patient research necessary in the production of a work wiiicii contains, among other items, a hundred thousand ])roper names, and at least one thousand biographies and per- sonal sketches. Perfection is impossible, but the work is placed in tiie hands of its patrons witii tlie hopeful assurance that its immense array of interesting facts will be invaluable to the student and his- torian, to the professional man and the mechanic, and to the farmer in the midst of his family. The writers engaged upon the work have been almost invariably treated with the greatest courtesy, and have had every facility extended which the necessity of the case required, by county and town offi- cials ; by the clergy of all denominations, members of the bar, the medical profession, the press, the faculties of the various colleges, the principals of academies, seminaries, and schools, and by manufacturers and business men generally ; to all of whom they acknowledge their sincere obligations. They would also gratefully remember the farming community, whose members have added in no small degree to the interest and value of the work. To the following, among many hundreds of citizens, the publisher would acknowledge himself under special obligations: Judge Henry Morris, "William Kice, D.D., and lady, Hon. William L. Smith, David P. Smith, M.D., C. C. Chaffee, M.D., Wm. G. Breck, M.D., P. Le B. Stickney, M.D., Gen. Horace Lee, Major Ingersoli, Paymaster United States Armory; Capt. J. K. Xeweli, Brewer Brothers, druggists, A. P. Stone, all of Springfield ; Hon. E. H. Sawyer, Easthampton ; J. R. Trumbull, Rev. Dr. Gordon Hall, O. O. Roberts, M.D., Hamilton J. Cate, ^I.D., and Sheriff Longley, of Northampton^ Ex-Gov. Wm. B. Washburn, Jas. S. Grinnell, Jona. W. D. Osgood, M.D., A. C. Deane, M.D., Hon. David Aiken, Judge C. C. Conant, and Rev. J. F. Moors, of Greenfield; Dr. Roswell Field, of Gill; Hon. George Sheldon, of Deerfield; Dr. C. ]NL Duncan, of Shelburne; Dr. Parley Barton, of Grange; Jas. H. Waterman, M.D., and Henry Holland, of Westfield ; Dr. H. S. Lucas, of Chester; and Dr. J. W. Rockwell, of Southwick. Philadelphia, Pa., July, 1879. ERRATA. On page G5, where mention is made of a small fort erected in Blandford about 1744, it is spoken of as being in the caistefn part of Hampden County ; it should read western. On page 855, Rev. A. D. Mayo is mentioned as settling in Springfield in 1874 ; it should be 1872. Since the work went to press, Charles McClallan, whose purtruit and biography ajipear between pages 980-81, has deceased, his death occurring on the 22d of June, 1879. CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY IN MASSACHUSETTS AND OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTI- CUT VALLEY IN MASSACHU- SETTS. CHAPTKR I.- II.- III. IV.- V.- VI.- PAGE -Introduction 9 -Civil Divisiuiis 11 -Topograph y 14 Geological Untlinus 16 Indiiin Occupancy IS Early Explorei-s, Eaily Patents uf New Englaiul, Tlie Charter of the Culony of Massachusetts Bay 22 VII. — The New England People, Origin of the Engliyli Puritans, The Pilgrim Fathers 25 VIII. — The Kemoval to the Connecticut Valley 29 IX.— The Founding of the Mi.ther Towns, tlie Planting of .Spring- field in 1C:JG, "William Pynchon and his Books, the Planting of WVsIfiehl in 1G4)J. Northampton in 1654 31 X.— The Pefpiut W'nr 3G XI. — The Separation of Springfield from the JuiiBdictiou of Con- necticut 39 XII. — The Import Duty imposed by Con- necticut upon Spriiigtield in 1645, Resi.sted by Massachusetts. 42 XIII.— Witchcraft 44 XIV.— The Regicide;, 50 XV.— King Philip's War 53 XVI.— The Frfnch-aiid-Indian "Ware 61 XVII.— The W-.iv of the Revolution 66 XVIII.— The Shays Rebellion 75 XIX.— The War of 1812-15, The Washing- ton Benevolent Society 80 X-X. — Internal Improvements jCi XXI. — Internal Navigation, Improve- ment of the Connecticut River.. HG XXII.— Railways 97 XXIII. — Population, Industi-y and Wealth, Educational 106 XXIV. — Valley and County Agricultural Associations Ill XXV.— The Bar <>f the Connecticut Valley. 114 XXVI.— The Hampden County Bar 121 XXVII.— The Bar of Franklin County 127 XXVIII. — HonKeopathy in Western Mjissa- chusetts 134 XXIX. — Military. History of Organiza- tions which sei-ved during the Rebellion 1861-65. The Tenth Regiment 136 XXX. — Eighteenth, Twentieth, and Twenty-Firet Regiments 145 XXXI.— Twenty-Seventh Regiment 146 XXXII.— Thirty-Fii-st, Thirty-Fourth, Thirty -Seventh, and Forty-Sixth Regiments 151 CHAPTER PAGE XXXIII.— Fifty Second Regiment 154 XXXIV.— Fifty-Seventh and Sixty-First Regiments, Artillei-y and Cav- alry 161 HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. ClIAI'TKU PAGE I. — Civil Organization 163 II.— The Courts, County Conuni&sionere, and County Buildings 163 III.— Representative Districts, Civil Lists 16S IV.— Societies 170 TOWNS OF HAMPSHIRE t'OCXTY. Northampton 172 Andiei-st 235 Easthanipton 263 Westhanipt^in 287 Southampton 301 Hadley 317 South Hadley :J47 Ware 359 Hatfield 385 Williamsburg 404 Plainfield 42G Cummington 439 Worthington 454 Middlefield 465 Gv»8hen 479 Chesterfield 4'J2 Huntington 54(6 Belchertown 521 Greenwich 534 Giunhy 542 Pelham 54S Prescott 558 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. PAUE G. W. Swazey, M.H facing i;i4 Gen. Luke Lyman " 146 Dr. C. B. Smith " 152 Joseph K. Taylor " 153 E. C. Clark " 154 Mark H. Spaulding " 155 Rev. Jomiihan Edwards 201 Rev. John Hov.ker 2(.i2 Rev. Solomon Williams 203 Rev. Samuel P. Williams 2()3 Rev. Mark Tucker, D.D 207 Rev. Ichabod Spencer, D.D 207 Rev. John P. Cleaveland, D.D 207 Rev. Zachary Eddy, D.D 207 L. B.Williams 229 Luther Boihuaii 230 Daniel W. Btind 231 Austin W. Thompson, A.M., M.D 231 PAGE 0. O. Roberts, M.D 232 Josephus Crafts 2.32 Henry A.Longley between 2;J2, 233 H. K. Parsons " 232, 2:J3 Ansel Wright 23.^ George F. Wright 233 Gen. .lohn Lord* His 2^34 J. Howi,* Demond :i*J.5 Sanmel r Carter facing 250 Hon. Edward Dickinson, LL.D 201 W*njt*lill Dickinson 262 Ezra Ingram facing 202 Simeon Clark between 262, 2(>;^ Hon. E. H. Sawyer 2tt3 Samuel Williston 284 Horatio G. Knight 286 Edwin R. Bosworth., 286 William N. Clapp between 286, 2H7 Joseph W. AVinslow, 31. D facing 287 Ansel Clapp " 300 Jesse Lyman " 301 Franklin Btjiiney, M.D 346 Eleazar Porter, between 340, 347 Lorenzo N. Granger " 346, .347 Hon. Joseph Smith " 346,347 Sylvester Smith facing 347 Joseph Carew 358 Martin AV. Burnett I etween 358, 359 Capt. Broughton Alvord " 358,359 Deacon Moses Slontagiie " 35S, 359 Hiram .Smith, deceased 359 Hiram Smith 359 Hon. ("has. A. Stevens 376 Epaphras Clark 384 Kingsley Underwood 385 Joseph Smith facing 402 Cynis Miller " 420 Daniel Collins, M.D '* 421 Hon. Hiram Nash " 422 Elnathan Graves " 42:1 Thomas Meekins " 424 Benjamin S. Johnson " 425 Horace Ctde " 4-56 Hon. E. H. Brewster " 457 Milliam D. Blush " 478 Harvey Root " 479 Garry Munson " .V20 Jabin B. Williams " 521 Deacon Lyman Sabin '* 532 Henry Graves, Jr between 532, 5:i3 Joseph R. Gould " 532, 533 John H. Morgan facing 540 S. P. Bailey between 540, 541 LynusTourtellott 541 Cluules S. Record 541 Addison Gridley facing 546 Deacon Samuel Smith 548 Capt. Wm. B. Clark 548 [Note. — For additional biographical matter, see chapters on the legal and medical pmfessions, and also the town iiistories.] N CONTENTS. ILXjTJSTI?.^TIOnsrS. PAGE P.\GE HATFIELD. View i)f Coniiectkut Valley from 51t. Noiio- tuck (Frontispiece) facing 1 Town-Hall 267 PiGE itle. Portrait of Hon. E. H. Sawyer (steel). .facing 283 ResidenceofWm.H. Dickinson ..facing 386 Map of the Connecticut Valley in Massachu- 9 Williston Seminary... between 284, 285 Portrait of Sam'l Williston (steel) " 284,285 Smith Academy 394 setts facing Portrait of Joseph Smith 40? Portrait of William Pynchon (steel) " 31 Horatio G. Knight (steel).. .facing 285 Residence of Joseph S. Wells..., 402 Fac-siniile of Toinhstone of Mary Pynchon... 32 Edwin R. Bosworth (steel) .. " 286 " pag:e from William Pynchon's " William N. Clapp between 280 287 WILLIAMSBURG. 35 41 J.W.Wiuslow, M.D .facing 287 Portrait of Cyrus Miller ..facing " page from Pynchon's Record... 420 134 . WESTHAMPTON. " Dr. Daniel Collins ■■ 4"'l " Hon. Hiram Nash 422 NOETHAMPTOX. Portrait of Ansel Clapp .facing 3U0 " Elnathan Graves . " 423 Portrait of 0. 0. Hoberts, M.D.. (steel) ...facing 135 . " 301 .. " 4->+ 146 " " Gcii, Luke Lyman *' E C Clark '' 154 155 HADLEY. Hadley in 1603 319 CUMMINGTOX. Shackles of the Old Jail at Xorthampton 1G7 Poi-trait of Franklin Bonney, M.D. (steel). Residence of L. J. Orcutt ..facing 440 Central Part of Northampton in IS^i!)... facing 172 340 '■ " 1870... " 172 Portrait of Eleazar Porter bet\Y 3en .340 ,347 WORTHIXGTOK. Memorial Hall and Public Library 1S4 " Lorenzo N. Granger.. " 340, 347 Portrait of Hon. E. H. Brewster •facing 456 219 " Hon. Joseph Smith... " 346 347 " Horace Cole 4,i7 Portrait uf L. B. Williams (steel) facing 229 '• Sylvester Smith .facing 347 " Luther Budinan (steel) *' 230 MIDDLEFIELD. D. \\ . Bond (steel) between 230 231 A. W. Thompson (steel) " 230 231 Portrait of Wm. D. Blush .facing 478 " -Toscplius Crafts (steel) facing 232 Mt. Hulyoke Seminary (steel) .facing 351 " Harvey Root .. " 479 H. .K. Longley between 232 233 Lyman Williston Hall (steel) .. " 351 H. K. Pai-sons " 232 233 Carew Paper Co., Hadley Falls it 355 HUNTINGTON. 233 „ 355 Portrait of Garry Munson ..facing 521 Geo. F. Wright ■' 233 234 .. " 355 356 " Gen. J. L. Otis (steel) " Hampshire Paper Co. Mills " J. Howe Demond (steel) " 235 Portrait of Joseph Carew (steel) ..facing 358 BELCHEETOWX. AMHERST. Martiu W. Burnett between 358, 359 " Capt. Broughton Alvord " 358,359 Portrait of Jusepli K. Gould " Deacon Lvniaii Sabin ..lacing 527 53-' Portrait of Samuel C. Carter facing 250 " Dea. Moses Blontague " 358, 359 ,1 531 The Amhei^t College Buildings and Grounds " Hiram Smith, deceased .facing 359 (double page) between 250 Residence and Portrait of Oreu Williams, 251 u GKEEXWICII. facing 251 WARE. Portrait of John H. Morgan .facing 540 Massachusetts Agricultural College 254 S. P. Bailey bet^ ■een 540 , rAl Residence of E. Hobjirt facing 254 Portrait L>f Hon. Chas. A. Stevens (steel). facing 375 Residence of Estos Slumiwiiy .540 541 *' W S Clark " 255 ENFIELD. " and Portrait of Lynus Tourtolli)!!, faciuL- Portrait of Hon. Edward Dickinson, LL.D. 541 542 (steel) tacing 261 Residence of Heni-y Fobes ..facing 376 262 262 " J. .J. Howe L.F. Shearer .. " 370 377 GRANBY. " Simeon Clark between 2G2 203 " David Blodgett " Lyman D. Potter " E.P.Smith 1, 377 Portrait of Dr. C. B. Smith .facing V'-> (, 38'' " .lusepli K Tavlor l.">3 EASTHAMPTllN. ,( 383 .. Residence of Hon. E. H. Sawyer facing Mrs. Emily G.Willistou... " 204 265 .. " 384 385 " WiUiani B Clark . " .547 " Kingsley Underwood " Samuel Smith 547 ONNE^CTICTST \N MASSKCHUSETTS. WmCiNG THE COUNTiES OF/MANKUM. J(AMFSHIEK &^ffAMPDm V r p, ENGRAVED EXPRESSLV FOR THIS WORK ., \ y~^ n\ \ j'Adamertlli' /\ HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY IN MASSACHUSETTS. BY NATHANIEL BARTLETT 8YLVESTER. CHAPTER I. INTKODUCTION. I. SCOPE OF THE WORK. Around the valley of the Connecticut* River, where, in its course from the mountains to the sea, the stream crosses the State of Massachusetts,! clusters an untold wealth of historic memories. The long history of this valley — long for the New World — begins, strictly speaking, with the story of the building, by John Cable and his companion John Woodcock, in the sum- mer of 1635, of a solitary hut on the old Indian muck-cos- quH-faj, meadow, or corn-planting ground, called Ag-a-wam, which lay along the southern bank of the Ag-a-wam River, a half-mile above its mouth, on the west side of the Quo?i-eh-ti- cui, nearly opposite what is now the city of Springfield. Or, in a wider sense, it may be said, the history of the Connecti- cut Valley, in Massachusetts, begins with the planting of Springfield itself, near Us-quaiok, on the east bank of the Quon-eh-ti-ciit 'River, "over against" the Indian meadows yl^- a-wam and (^ua-na, by William Pynchon and his little band of pioneer settlers, in the early spring of the year 1636, and begins anew, as it were, with the planting of each new settle- ment in the valley. It begins anew with the story of the earl}' founding of the plantation of Northampton, in the year 16.53, on the old Indian hunting-ground and meadows called Non-o-tuck ;X with the planting of Hadley in the year 1661, on the site of the Indian hunting-ground called Nol-wo-togg ;^ with the organization of the above-named pioneer towns of Springfield, Northampton, and Hadley, and certain contigu- ous territory, comprising half the State, as early as the year 1663, into the old county of Hampshire ; with the first occupa- tion of the Indian beaver-hunting country, called Wo-ro- noak, now Westfield, by the Connecticut fur-traders in 1640,|| and its permanent settlement by Springfield people in 1669 ; with the planting of Hatfield in 1670, of the laying out of Beerfleld on the old Indian hunting-ground Pa-comp-tuck in 1672,f and of the reservation by commissioners for a town of Northfield at the Indian Squnk-heag in 1669 ;** and so the his- tory stretches on through all the intervening years, until the * From the Indian Qiioti-eh-ti-cut, "Tho Long River." — TnirnhuWs Hist. Conn. QuimiUuk, "lung tidal river;" Qituiniluk-id, country on either side of "long tidal river." — Col. Conn. Ilint. Societt/, Vol. II., p. 8. ■f From the Indian M'-m-tcha-smg, " countrj' this side of the mountuk nalVs Top. Description of North Am. Mass-utlcliureit, "near the great I — Col. Conn. Hist. Socitli/, Vol. II., p. 20. t MiBS. Col. Rec., Vol. III., p. :iW. 8 Mass. Col. Roc, Vol. IV,, Part II., p. 13. II See Mass. Col. Bee., Vol. I., p. 32:i. Tl Mass. Col. Ecc, Vol. IV., Part II., p. 55S. ** Mass. a>l. Rec, Vol. I., Part II., p. 436. story is told of the final division of the old, historic county of Hampshire into four counties, and of the planting of all the seventy and one towns of the three counties of which this work treats, — the last of which, the town of Hampden, in Hampden County, was organized in the year 1878, just two hundred and forty-two years after the planting of Springfield in 1636. In pursuing the history of this valley through the changing scenes and the varying fortunes of its almost two centuries and a half of existence as the home of the white man and the abode of Christian civilization, we shall first see in our mind's eye the opening clearing upon the site of the city of Springfield, in the dawn of its birth-year, 1636, with the early traces of what was long its only street — now Main Street — laid out along the "town brook," and facing the long, narrow "home lots" of the settlers, which lots extended from the street to the river, while at the rude wharf is moored Governor Winthrop's little shallop of thirty tons burden, called the "Blessing of the Bay, "ft which of a truth might well be called the " May- flower" of Springfield, in which the first inhabitants, when they started with their wives and little ones on the old Indian trail, since known as the " Bay Path," for their far-off wilder- | ness home, sent round by water their scanty store of house- \ hold goods. We shall see at the infant settlements of Springfield, Northampton, Hadley, Westfield, Hatfield, Deerfield, and Northfield, as they successively spring up in the depths of the virgin wilderness, the first half-dozen log huts in the centres of little clearings, hewn out of the before unbroken forests, bordered on either side by a hundred miles of pathless woods. We shall see at these rude pioneer homes the father, with his gun by his side, planting his corn among the black- ened logs or in the little Indian meadow on the river's banks. We shall see the mother, surrounded by her infant children, plying her daily toil within the single room of the humble log dwelling, and often casting anxious glances into the shadowy woods, which her imagination peoples with hordes of wild beasts and wilder men, and with troops of witches, goblins, and other uncanny things. We shall see in the daily struggles for the daily bread, in the hardships and dangers, in the som- bre religious life of those early pioneer homes, the origin and the growth of those homely and sturdy virtues upon which the prosperity of great States has since been so securely founded. We shall follow the varying fortunes of these pioneers of the wilderness and their descendiints, — the people of the Con- necticut Valley, — through the weary years of the witchcraft delusion, into the clearer light of more auspicious times. We shall witness their suft'erings, their fortitude, their bravery, ft Built at Mystick and launched July 4 1631, being the second bark built in the colony. — Yoniu/$ Citron, of Mues., p. 1S5. 10 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. their triumphs, in the Pequot and King Philip wars, and through the long and bloody French and Indian wars. "We shall dwell with pride upon the noble part they took in the war for Independence, and bring the story to its close in re- counting the wonderful development of the last fifty years, — a progress which has made the valley to-day almost a continuous city, stretching along both banks of its beautiful river across the entire State from north to south, inhabited by almost two hundred thousand people, counting their aggregate wealth by tens of millions, enriching all lands with the material prod- ucts of their countless workshops, and enlightening the world by the precious fruits of their intellectual labors. And all this long stor)', from the date of the weak and weary j'cars of the first feeble settlements in the valley, early in the seven- teenth century, to the present era of its prosperity and power in the closing j'ears of the nineteenth, — a period of more than two hundred and forty years, — is but the story of the struggles and the triumphs, the ceaseless endeavor and fruitful achiev- ments, of a branch of that people which must be classed among the most remarkable the world ever produced, — the people of New England. But this is not all. For a hundred j-ears this valley and the mountain towns adjoining have been sending forth their full share of that mighty stream of New England emigrants over the Berkshire hills, across the valley of the Hudson, and over the Allegbanies into the ever-retreating West, carrying with them the daring enterprise, the nimble, inventive skill, the cheerful endurance, the love of liberty under law and order, the high, religious life, chastened b_y the traditions of suffering and sacrifice in early pioneer homes, the vivid appre- ciation of beauty and refinement everywhere characteristic of the New England people, until every State in the nation, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, bears upon all its institutions the unmistakable impress of its high New England parentage. Thus has this valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts for a hundred years been lavishly giving of her best citi- zens to people the fertile fields of the teeming West, yet the cup of her prosperity is still full to the brim and running over. II. THE NEW ENGLAND SPIRIT. The carh- settlers who came across the ocean to subdue New England, of whom the first settlers of the Connecticut Valley formed a part, were weak in numbers and mostly poor in worldly goods, but they were rich in faith and strong in spirit ; and the result has been that from the handful of feeble pil- grims a mighty nation has arisen, still deeply imbued with their rich faith and strong spirit, which nation now gives sustenance, liberty, and law to the world. The avowed object of the Pilgrim and Puritan fathers in coming hither was "to advance their church, to build them- selves in holiness, to convert the Indian, and to promote free- dom." That this was their object and aim there is abundant evi- dence. The company in its first general letter to Endicott and his council, under date of 17th April, 1629, says : "And for the propagating of the Gospel is the thing we do profess above all to be our aim in settling this Plantation. We have been careful to make plentiful provision of godly minis- ters, by whose faithful preaching, godly conversation, and exemplary life we trust not only those of our own nation will he built up in the knowledge of God, but also the Indians may in God's appointed time be reduced to the obedience of the gospel of Christ."* Again, in the preamble to the Articles of Confederation be- tween the United Colonies, adopted UHh Ma_y, 1643, there is this language: "Whereas we all came into these parts with * Young'8 Chron. of Maaa., p. 141. one and the same end, namely, to advance the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the gospel in purity with peace." Having thus come to the solitudes of the New World with this high end and aim in view, and having themselves passed through the fiery ordeal of religious persecution at home, in their treatment of those of diflerent faith, who early sought homes among them, the charge of inconsistency has often been laid at their door. It has often been urged, and with much plausibility, that they who fled from religious intolerance in the Old World should have themselves practised religious toleration in the New. But those who use this argument forget the spirit of the age as well as the circumstances under which they lived, and the high ideal of the New England fathers. The .spirit of the age was distinguished by its intense reli- gious fervor. The world to come, now of such dim and shadowy aspect to the bodily senses of modern men, although perhaps no less real to their eye of faith, was to the Puritan fathers, in the dim light of the imperious and awful theologic dogmas which guided their daily walk, a tangible, if not visi- ble, reality. To their haunting visions of immortal joy or woe saddening their lives, must be added the contest with the grim wilderness, the hard, unrelenting circumstances of pio- neer life. Each age has its own methods of battling for the right and asserting justice. Each age has its own ideas, too, of what is right and just, but conscience — the desire to do right and justly — has been active in all ages, perhaps more active in the age of the Puritans than now. It should be remembered, also, that while religious intoler- ance is wrong when it is not necessarj' for the public safety, it becomes a virtue when needful in self-defence and where tolerance would be public ruin. The early New England people, in order to protect their re- ligious freedom, were obliged to exclude with a strong hand those in whose presence they could not live with security. They had fled from the powerful English hierarchy to the wild solitudes of America. Should they sutler it to follow them ? Divisions in their councils, in their weak and defenceless con- dition, would be fatal to their peace, if not to their very exist- ence. Should they sutler divisions to occur? In tho.se days, too, religious toleration held no place among the Christian virtues. To difter from the established religion was rank heresy, and heresy was punished in most Christian countries as a heinous crime. It was the high ideal of the New England fathers to engraft upon the new State a new form of Christian worship, subject to the same restrictions as the old. But thej' sought more. Their aim was nothing less than the complete sanctification of the State. To make a pure and perfect State, founded in every respect upon the sublime teachings of Holy Writ in worship and morals, was what they attempted. To further this end, they rightly judged that to fashion and mould a State the individual members thereof must first be fashioned and moulded, and so they began at the foundation, and kept the strictest watch over every individual in the colony whether high or low. Every one's conduct was at all times and on all occasions the subject of stricture and discipline, and every infraction of law or duty promptly and severely punished. In religious matters especially, no such thing as freedom of individual opinion existed. Heresy in every form must be nipped in the bud as a thing dangerous to both the State and the souls of men. No inipure thing like witchcraft must be suftered to live for a moment. All who participated in the government in any form must be members of the visible church, and must square their every action by the Mosaic law of the Bible. There must bo one common faith, one common church, one commonwealth. These facts, so often overlooked in consider- ing their case, while they by no means justify their errors and excesses, explain their conduct. That they were zealots and HISTOllY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 11 committed excesses in the line of discipline and punishment is not to be wondered at when we consider their views of things. Judged from their standpoint they were in the right, or at least excusable. In the broader light of modern times they were outrageously in the wrong. Yet no unprejudiced one has ever for a moment doubted the unflinching honesty of purpose, the deep sense of responsibility, and the high moral aims of the New England fathers. Out of their very faults, or rather out of those heroic virtues, which they often carried into grievous faults, have developed the grandest results in modern history. The best things of the nation germinated in New England. Local self-government guided by the spirit of law and order, appealing to the conscious dignity and innate self-respect of human nature, and which is the very foundation of our repub- lican form of government, from which so many blessings flow, had its birth-place in the town-meetings, — the first feeble or- ganizations of the early New England towns at Plymouth Kock, at Massachusetts Bay, and in the Valley of the Connec- ticut. And this is the more remarkable when we consider that it took place in the opening years of the seventeenth cen- tury, while the lordly Stuarts were on the English throne, haughty and unrelenting in the enforcement of the royal pre- rogative, and the Bourbon kings had yet in store almost two centuries of despotic sway in now republican France. And in the New England Confederacy of 1043, for which they had no warrant in their charters, "but which in its incep- tion was a bold assumption of power on the part of the young colonies, we see the prototype and germ of our great republic. And further still, the high culture, the refined and elegant life of the nation first took root in the rugged soil of New Eng- land. The wonder is that so fair and fragile a flower as cul- ture should ever have flourished amid such rocky solitudes as the wild New England shores of two centuries and a half ago. The very next thought of the Puritan fathers of New Eng- gland, after making provision for the support of the gospel and organizing their government, was to establish institutions of learning. As early as the 28th day of October, 1636, the general court provided for a college,* which two years after, on the 13th March, 1638-39, was named in honor of its first considerable benefactor, the Rev. John Harvard. f "After God," says an old chronicler, "had carried us safe to New England, and we had builded our houses, provided necessaries for our livelihood, reared convenient places for God's worship, and settled civil government, one of the next things we longed for and looked after was to advance learning, and perpetuate it to posterity ; dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches when our present ministers shall lie in the dust. And as we were thinking and consulting how to effect this great work, it pleased God to stir up the heart of one Mr. Harvard, a godly gentleman and a lover of learning then living amongst us, to give the one-half of his estate, it being in all about £1700, towards the erecting of a college, and all his library. "J But the pulpit of New England has after all been its high- est educator. In every village and hamlet, in the centre of every hill town in the land, stood a humble church edifice, in which ofliciated a man of liberal education, and it may be said, almost without exception, of gentle manners and of much culture and refinement. Possessed of almost imperious power, the New England minister moulded the hearts, the minds, the manners of the people into his own image. And the religious spirit, which was the controlling spirit of the New England people, is itself the most refining of all in- fluences. Eeligion in its various forms, notwithstanding tlie * Mass. Col. Eec, Yol. I., p. 18.-!. t Mass, Col. Eec, Vul. I., p. 2.33. X New Eoglaad's First Fruifcj, p. 12. enormities committed in its name, is the crucial fire that re- lieves human life of its dross, and sends forth the pure gold of human conduct to enlighten, to vivifj', and to bless the world. "With such surroundings the New England people moulded their own destiny. Under such influences they made them- selves the Etrurians of the West. The settlement of the Connecticut Valley followed close upon the settlement of the Bay. The settlers of the valley, as it were, on their way from their English homes tarried four or five years at the Bay to take a breathing spell before they encountered the dangers of the great wilderness in their final homes on the great river of New England. It will readily be seen, that while the history of the valley is in many respects the history of a distinct and separate com- munity, yet so bound up are its people in their relations to the people at the Bay and in the mother country, that no intelli- gible history of the valley can be given without some account at least of what and who the settlers were in their English homes, and without some account of what the settlers did at Plymouth and the Bay. CHAPTER IL CIVIL DIVISIONS-COUNTIES— TOWNS. I. EXTENT OF TEURITORIES INCLUDED IN THIS WORK. The Connecticut Valley in the State of Massachusetts, of which this volume treats, extends along both sides of the Con- necticut River, across the whole width of the State from north to south, and comprises the three counties of Ham[)shire, Franklin, and Hampden, named in the order of their erection. This territory is bounded on the north by the States of Ver- mont and New Hampshire, on the east by the county of Wor- cester, on the south by the State of Connecticut, and on the west by the county of Berkshire. It has an average length from north to south across the State of iibout forty-nine miles, and an average width from east to west between Worcester and Berkshire Counties of forty miles. It is centrally distant on an air-line from Boston about eighty miles, and about one hundred miles by the usual travelled route. This territory is situated between latitude 42° and 42° 45' north, and between longitude 3° 52' and 4° 5' east from Wash- ington, and longitude 72° 8' and 73° 4' west from Greenwich. According to the last census, taken in the year 1875, the population of Hampshire County was 44,821 ; of Franklin County, 33,696 ; and of Hampden County, 94,304 ; the whole territory included in this history containing a population of 172,821. II. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY. The county of Hampshire was erected and organized by the Colonial General Court, at a session of the same held at Boston, on the 7th day of May, in the year of our Lord 1662, by the following act, which is copied from the records of the court in the original orthography, and is as follows, to wit : " At a General Court of Election, held at Boston, 7th day, 3d mouth,? a.b. 166 2 . "Forasmuch as the inhabitantsof this jurisdiction are much increased, so that now they are planted farre into the country upon Connecticut Biver, who by § May. According to the Julian method of computing time, or what is famil- iarly known as Old Style, the civil year began on the 25th day of March, and March was called the first month and Februai-y the twelfth. To reconcile this method with the historical year, which began January 1, as now, in all dates before March 25, both years were given : thus January 2, 1062-63, meant January 2, 1662, of the civil year, and January 2, 1663, of the historical year. Of couree on all dates between March 25 and Dweniber 31, both inclusive, the date of the year ran the same in both ciises. Tliia method was used in England and her colonies until the Old Style was changed to the New by act of Parliament in 1752. 12 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. reason of their remoteness cannot conveniently be annexed to any of the coun- tyes already settled, and that publicke afTaires may with more facility be trans- acted according to the lawes heere established, it is ordered by this Court & au- thority thereof, that henceforth Springfeild, Noi-thanipton, and Hadley shall be and are hereby constituted as a county, the bounds or Ijmitta on the south to be the south Ijne of the patent; the extent of other bounds to be full thirty miles distant from any or either of the foresajd townes, & what townes or vil- lages soever shall heerafter be erected within the foresajd precincts to be & belong to the siyd county ; and further that the sajd county shall called Hamp- shire, & shall have and enjoy the libertjes & priviledges of any other county; & that Springfeild shall be the shire towne theer, & the Courts to be kept one time at Springfeild & another time at Northampton ; the like order to be ob- served for their shire meetings, that is to say one yeere at one towne and the next yeare at the other from time to time. And it is further ordered that all the inhabitants of that shier shall pay their publicke rates to the countrey in fatt catle, or young catio such as are iitt to be putt off that so no unnecessary damage be put on the country ; & in case they make payment in corne then to be made at such prises as the lawe doe commonly passe amongst themselves, any other former or annuall orders referring to the prises of come notwithsttmding."* Hampshire County an Original Couniy of the State. — It will be seen from the foregoing record that when Hampshire County was erected and organized in the year 1662 it was not set off from or carved out of an older county of the colony hut it was erected entirely out of virgin territory, never before placed under county organization. Hamp.shire County there- fore became one of the original or mother counties of the State. That such is the fact will be readily seen by reference to the first division of the colony or the eastern part of it into coun- ties in the year 1643. The following is a copy of the minutes of the General Court, from which it will be seen that in the first division of the State into counties, although the valley of the Connecticut had been settled for .seven years, and Spring- field had already been recognized as a town by the General Court, it was not included in either county then erected, and that its territory formed no part of any county until nineteen years afterward, when it was united with Northampton and Hadley to form Hampshire County. " At a General Court of Election held at Boston, 10th day of the 3d month, A.D. 1643. " The whole plantation within this jurisdiction is divided into four sJieires, to wit:t " Essex. Mipplesex. Salem, Charlstowne, Linn, Cambridge, Enon, Watert^iiwn, Ipswich, Sudberry, Kowley, Concord, NewbeiTy, Wooborne, Glocester, Meadford, Cochichawick. Linn Village. (Andover.) " SiTFFOLK. Norfolk. Boston, Salsberry, Koxbury, Hampton, Dorchester, Haverill, Dedham, Excetter, Braintree, Dover, Waymoth, Strawben-y Banck." Hingham, (Portsmouth.) Nantaskot. La7-ge Extent of Old Hampshire County. — It will be seen that when first erected, Hampshire County, although containing within its limits but three towns, Springfield, Northampton, and Hadley, yet in extent of territory it covered all the western half of that part of the State then belonging to the colony of Massachusetts Bay. It included the western tier of towns of what is now Worcester County, and the whole of what are now the counties of Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, and Berkshire. First Division of the County— Towns in Worcester County set o/r.— The first division of the territory of Old Hampshire County was made by the Provincial General Court in the year a.d. 1730, and the fourth year of the reign of George II. Below is given the first section of the act, which shows the * Mass. G>1. Bee, Vol. IV., Part II., p. 52. t See Mass. Col. Kec., Vol. II., p. 38. territory affected by it. The act took effect on the 10th day of July, 1631. *'v4n aci for erecting, graiiling, and maJcing a cmmly in Vie inland parts of this promnce, to be called the counttf of Worcester, and for establishing courts of justice within the Sonne. " Sec. 1. Be it enacted by his Excellency the Governor, Council, and Repre- sentatives, in general court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the towns and places hereinafter named and exjjressed, that is to say, Worcester, Lancaster, Rutland, and Lunenburgh, all in the county of Middlesex; Mendon, Woodstock, Oxford, Sutton, including Hilssanamisco, Uxbridge, and the land lately granted to several petitioners of Medfield, all in the county of Suffolk, Brookfield in the county of Hampshire, and the south town laid out for the Nar- ragansett soldiei-s, and all other lands lying within the said townsliips, with the inhabitants thereon, shall from and after the tenth day of July, which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundr-ed and thirty-one, be and remain one entire and distinct county by the name of Worcester, of which Worcester to be the county or shire town, and the said county to have, use, and enjoy all such powers, privileges, and immunities as by law other counties within this province have and do enjoy."J Berh.'ihire County Set Off. — The second division of Old Hampshire County was made by the provincial General Court in the year a.d. 1761, and the first year of the reign of George III. The first section of the act given below shows what terri- torial changes were made by it. The act took effect on the 30th day of June, 1761. "^n Act for dividing the county of Hampshire, and for erecting and estffhlishing a nejv cotmty in the icesiei-ly part of the county of Hampshire, to be called the cotuity of BerJ:shire, and for establishing courts of justice within the same. *' Whereas, The great extent of the county of Hampshire makes it convenient and necessary that there should be a new county erected and established in the westerly part thereof: " Sec. 1. Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council, and House of Rep- resentatives, that the towns and plantjitions hereinafter mentioned, that is to say, Sheffield, Stockbridge, Egremont, New Marlborough, Poontoosack, New Framinghara, West Hoosack, Number One, Number Three, and Number Four, and all other lands included in the following limits, viz. : beginning at the west- ern line of Gi-anvill where it touches the Connecticut line, to run northerly as far as said west line of Granvill runs, thence easterly to the southwest corner of Blandford, and to run by the west line of the same town tti the northeast corner thereof, from thence northerly in a direct line to the s<:)utheast corner of Num- ber Four, and so running by the easterly line of said Number Four to the uortli- east corner thereof, and thence in a direct course to the soutlieast corner of Charlemont, and so northerly in the corner of tlie west lino of the same town till it comes to the north bound of the province, and northerly on the line between this province and the province of New Hampshire, southerly on the Connecticut line, and on the west by the utmost limits of this province, shall from and after the thirtieth day of June, one thousand seven hundred and sixty one, be and remain one entire and distinct county by the name of Berkshire, of which Shef- field tor the present to be the county or shire town ; and the said county to have, use, and enjoy all such powei-s, privileges, and immunities as by law other coun- ties in this province have and do enjoy."g Present Extent of Hampshire Couniy. — After Berkshire County was set off no changes were made in Hampshire County until the years 1811 and 1812, when it was again divided for the third and fourth time, and Franklin and Hampden set off in those years respectively. Up to the year 1811, when Franklin County was set off, Hampshire had in- creased its number of towns in the territory still remaining to it to sixty-three. Of these, Franklin County took off twenty-four in 1811, and Hampden took eighteen towns in 1812, leaving twenty-one towns in Hampshire County remain- ing after the fourth and last division. To these two have since been added, and Hampshire now contains twenty-three towns, and is bounded as follows, to wit : north by Frank- lin County, east by Worcester County, south by Hampden County, and west by Berkshire. The several towns now belonging to Hampshire County arc, with the dates of their incorporation, respectively as follows, to wit : Amherst, incorporated Feb. 13, 1759. Belohertown, " June 30, 1761. Chesterfield, " June 11, 1762. CuMMiNGTON, " • June 23, 1779. Easthampton, " June 17, 1785. X See Ancient Cliarters and Colony and Provincial Laws of Mass. Bay, p. 484. I Ibid., p. 038. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 13 Enfield, incorporated Goshen, " Granby, " Greenwich, " Hadlet, " Hatfield, " Huntington, " MiDDLEFIELD, " Northampton, organized Pblham, incorporated Plainfield, " Prescott, " South Hadley, " Southampton, " Ware, " Westhampton, " Williamsburgh, " Worthinqton, " Peb. 16, 181G. May 14, 1784. June 11, 1768. April 20, 1754. May 20, 1661. May 31, 1670. June 29, 1773. March 11, 1783. Oct. 18, 16.54. Jan. 15, 1742. March 16, 1785. Jan. 28, 1822. April 12, 1753. Jan. 5, 1753. Nov. 25, 1761. Sept. 29, 1778. April 24, 1771. June 30, 1761. III. franklin county. The county of Pranklin was set off from Hampshire by an act of the General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, passed on the 24th day of June, a.d. 1811, the first sec- tion of which, indicating the territorial changes involved in the division, is given below, and is as follows, to wit : "An Act to fUride the county of Hampshire and coiistUttte the northerly part thereof into a county by the name of the comity of Franklin, " Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court aasenibled, and by the authority of the same: " That the county of Hampshire shall be divided by a line beginning on the westerly line of the county of Worcester, at the west corner of the town of Peter- sham, in said county of Worcester ; thence southerly, following the cast line of the town of New Salem, to the southeast corner of said New Salem ; thence westerly on the southerly lines of the towns of New Salem and Shutesbury to the southwesterly corner of the town of Shutesbury ; thence northerly on the line of Shutesbury to the southerly line of the town of Levorett ; thence westerly on the southerly lines of the towns of Leverett and Sunderland, to Connecticut Kiver; then beginning on the west bank of said river at the southeasterly cor^ ner of the town of Whatelj' ; then westerly and northerly upon the line of said Whately to the southerly line of the town of Conway ; thence westerly and north- erly upon the line of said Conway to the southeasterly corner of the town of Ashficid ; thence westerly and northerly upon the line of the said Ashfield to the southeasterly corner of the town of Hawloy ; thence westerly upon the line of said Hawley t^3 the easterly line of the county of Berkshire. " And the bounds of the county, by this Act created, on the east shall be the line heretofore estnblished between the counties of Hampshire and Worcester, and on the west by the line between the counties of Hampshire and Berkshire, and on the north by the north line of the Commonwealth. " Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That all and every part and parcel of the late county of Hampshire included within the lines before described shall be and the same is hereby formed and created into an entire and distinct county by the name of Franklin, of which Greenfield shall be the shire or county town. And the inhabitants of the said county of Franklin shall hold, possess, use, exercise, and enjoy all tlie powers, rights, and immunities which by the constitution and laws of this Commonwealth the inhabitants of any county within the same do hold, possess, use, exercise, enjoy, and are entitled to."* Franklin County is bounded north by the States of Vermont and New Hampshire, on the east by the county of Worcester, on the south by the county of Hampshire, and on the west by the county of Berkshire. When first erected Pranklin County contained but twenty-four towns. Two towns have since been added, and the county of Pranklin now contains twenty-six towns as named below, with the respective dates of their incor- poration. Ashfield, incorporated June 21, 1765. Bernardstown, Buckland, Charlemont, coleraine, Conway, Dberfield, Erving, Gill, March 6, 1762. April 14, 1779. June 21, 1765. June .30, 1761. June 16, 1767. May 24, 1682. April 17, 18.38. Sept. 28, 1793. * Laws of Massachusetts. Greenfield, incorporated June 9, 1753. Hawley, Heath, Leverett, Ley'den, Monroe, Montague, New Salem, Northfield, Orange, ROWB, Shelburne, Shutesbury, Sunderland, Warwick, Wendell, Whately^, Feb. 7, 1792. Feb. 14, 1785. May, 1774. Feb. 22, 1809. Feb. 21, 1822. Dec. 22, 1753. June 15, 1753. Feb. 22, 1713. Feb. 24, 1810. Feb. 9, 1785. June 21, 1768. June 30, 1761. Nov. 12, 1714c^ Feb. 17, 1763. May 8, 1781. April 24, 1771. IV. HAMPDEN COUNTY. A few months after the county of Franklin was set off from Hampshire County the last-named county was again divided for the fourth and last time, and the county of Hampden erected on its southern border. Hampden County was erected and organized on the 20th day of February, a.d. 1812, by an act passed by the General Court, the first section of which is given below, .showing the territorial changes made therein : "An Act for dividing the cotmty of Hampshire, and erecting and forming tJie southerly/ part thereof into a separate county, by the name of Hampden. "Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in general court assembled, and by authority of the same. That the county of Hampshire be and is hereby divided ; and the following towns, in the southerly part thereof, be and hereby are erected and formed int4.> a county by the name of Hampden, that is to say, Springfield, Longmeadow, Wilbraham, Monson, Holland, Brim- field, South Brimfield, Palmer, Ludlow, West Springfield, Westfield, Montgom- ery, Russell, Blandford, Granville, Southwick, Tolland, and Chester, of which Springfield shall be the shire town; and that all that part of said county of Hampshire included within the boundaries of the towns before mentioned shall be deemed and taken to compose the said county of Hampden. And the inhab- itants of the said county of Hampden shall have, use, exercise, and enjoy all such powers, rights, privileges, and immiinities as by the constitution and laws of this Commonwealth other counties within the same have, use, exercise, and enjoy." Hampden County is bounded north by the county of Hamp- shire, east by the county of Worcester, south by the State of Connecticut, and west by the county of Berkshire. At the date of its organization Hampden County contained but eighteen towns. Four towns have since been erected, and it now contains twenty-two towns as named below, with the dates of incorporation respectively : Agawam, incorporated May 17, 1855. Blanford, " April 10, 1741. Brimfield, " July 14, 1731. CHE.STER, " Oct. 31, 1765. Chicopee, " April 29, 1848. Granville, " Jan. 25, 1754. Hampden, " March 28, 1878. - Holland, " July 5, 1785. Holyoke,f " March 14, 18.50. Longmeadow, " Oct. 17, 1783. Ludlow, " Feb. 28, 1774. Monson, " April 25, 1760. Montgomery, " Nov. 28, 1780. Palmer, " Jan. 30, 1752. Russell, " Feb. 25, 1792. Southwick, " Nov. 17, 1770. Spriiigfield,X organized May 14, 1636. Tolland, incorporated June 14, 1810. Wales, " Sept. 18, 1762. Westfield, " May 16, 1069. We.st Springfield, incorporated Feb. 23, 1774. Wilbraham, " Jan. 15, 1763. t City. tCity. 14 HISTOKY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. V. OTHER COUNTIES OF THE STATE. For convenient reference in connection with the above, a list of the remaining counties of the State, as now divided, is given below, with the date of the organization of each : Barnstable, organized June 2, 1685. Bristol, " June 2, 1685. Dukes,* " Nov. 1, 1683. Essex, " May 10, 1643. Middlesex, " May 10, 1643. Nantucket, " June 20, 1695. Norfolk,! " March 26, 1793. Plymouth, " June 2, 1685. Suffolk, " May 10, 1043. CHAPTER IIL TOPOGKAPHY. I. MOUNTAINS. The distinguishing topographical characteristics of the re- markably interesting region of wliich this work treats are a wide valley stretching entirely across the State from north to south, through the centre of which winds a broad and beauti- ful stream which has been aptly called the "Nile of New England," the valley terminating ou eitlier side at the foot of mountain ranges, while a tliird mountain range uplifts its rug- ged and deeply-serrated clifls along the central parts of tlie valley. Such are the main features, the grand outlines of the valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts. As seen from the top of one of its central peaks or from the towering hills on either side, or even from the arsenal tower at Springfield, no fairer scene anywhere greets the human vision than this valley, — rock-ribbed on either hand and centrally mountain-crowned. The valley of the Connecticut River in New England seems to be a deep downward fold of the ranges of the great Appa- lachian mountain system of the Atlantic slope of tlie conti- nent. This mountain system extends the whole length of the Atlantic slope of the continent from Nova Scotia on the north to Florida on the south. Through New England and Eastern New York the separate ranges of this great mountain system seem to all trend nearly due north and south obliquely to the general direction of the whole system. Thus we have in Eastern New York and ex- treme Western Massachusetts the Taconic range bordering the valley of the Hudson and blending its peaks with the Green Mountains on the east. In New England are the Green Moun- tain range, continued by the Berkshire hills bordering the Con- necticut Valley on the west, and the White Mountain range, extending far southward through the States of New Hamp- shire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, toward Long Island Sound, bordering the valley of the Connecticut River ou the east. The Connecticut Valley, however, differs from its sister val- ley of the Hudson in its greater width, although resembling it in length and in its general direction north and south. Tlie average width of the Connecticut Valley through the State of Massachusetts is about twenty miles. Towards tiie south it widens into broad plains, but grows narrow towards tlie north. It terminates abruptly on either hand in some- what precipitous mountain sides, while through its centre rises * Dukes County was organized by the Duke of York as one of tlio counties of the province of New York, but was finally allotted to Massachusetts. + The original county of Norfolk, organized May 10, 1643, contiiiued some of the northern towns of what is now Essex County ami a part of what is now tho State of New Uarapshirc afljoining. It is known as Old Norfolk to historians. another mountain range singular in its formation and greatly diversifj-ing the scenery of the charming valley. This other range is the Mount Holyoke, Mount Tom, Mount Toby, and Sugar-Loaf ranges of Red Sandstone and Trapean rocks. This last-named range extends northerly from the south line of the State along the west side of the river, about equidistant between Springfield and Westfield, into the high precipitous sides of Mount Tom, crosses the Connecticut below Northamp- ton, bends easterly, and ends in the rugged, jagged peaks of Mount Holyoke. Farther to the north this central range ap- pears again in the knobs of two Sugar-Loaf Mountains and the conical summit of Mount Toby, and extends into the high, pre- cipitous ridges near Greenfield. MOUNTAIN BORDERS OF THE VALLEY. The two ranges of highlands which border the valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts are in reality vast swells of laud stretching across the State, each witli a width of forty or fifty miles, and of an average elevation of a thousand feet above tide-water. These broad swells of highlands form a base from which rise many mountains, sometimes in chains, and at others in isolated groups of peaks rising to an altitude several thousand feet higher than their base, and which fill up both the eastern and western towns of the three valley counties with the wild and rugged grandeur of their mountain masses. Tliese two mountain belts, however, difl'er somewhat in their structure and form of outline. THE WESTERN BELT. The western belt, bearing the general name of the Green Mountains, is made up of two mountain chains, more or less continuous, between which the valley of the Housatonic runs through the central and southern part, while between the northern part runs the valley of the Hoosac. The western range of this belt is the Taconic range. The eastern range of this belt, extending between the Housatonic Valley and the valley of the Connecticut, which is properly the extension of the Green Mountain range into Massachusetts, and which is commonly called the " Berkshire Hills," is an extremely rugged elevation, averaging in height from one thousand to fifteen hundred feet. This range is deeply furrowed by the transverse valleys of the Agawam or Westfield River on the south, and the Deerfield River on the north. Stretching over these rugged hills lie the western hill towns of Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Counties. Between Westfield and Pittsfield the Boston and Albany Railroad bed attains an ele- vation of fourteen hundred and seventy-five feet in crossing this range. On the northern border of the State, the Hoosac Tunnel road-bed runs under this range at a depth of eighteen hundred feet below the surface of the mountain. EASTERN BELT. The broad belt of highland bordering the Connecticut Val- ley in Massachusetts on the east seems to have no continuous mountain range, like the great western belt, but is a broad, undulating swell of highlands, rising on an average about a thousand feet. Over this belt stretch the eastern mountain or hill towns of the river counties. Of the central range, in the valley. Mount Tom is twelve hundred and fourteen and Mount Holyoke eleven hundred and twenty feet above the level of the sea. Of the western belt. Mount Graylock, in the northwestern part of the State, in Berkshire County, rises to the height of three thousand five hundred and five feet above tide. Of the eastern belt Wa-tat-ick is eighteen hundred, and Wa- chu-sett over two thousand feet above tide- water. Tlie two great belts run near to each other in the northern part of the State, until above Greenfield their masses almost interlock, while to the south they separate into a broad valley. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 15 II. WATERS. The principal running waters of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts are the Connecticut Kiver, the Agawam or Westtield River, the Chicopee Kiver, Miller's River, the Mill River of Springtiekl, the Mill River of Northampton, the Green River, the Beerlield River, and numerous smaller streams. The Connecticut River, the great river of New England, — the old Indian Quo7i-eh-ti-cut, meaning in their tongue the "long tidal river,"* — rises on one of the high ridges of the great Appalachian mountain chain, which serves as the division line — the water-shed — between the United States and Canada, at the extreme northern limit of the State of New Hampsliire, and running southerly down the mountain slope, between the States of Vermont and New Hampshire, enters the State of Massachusetts in the charming valley above described, and winding through it tlien crosses the State of Connecticut and empties into Long Island Sound. Its length is four hundred miles. Through its whole course it separates two broad belts of highland, while a series of terraces breaks the level of its bed. In the first quarter of its course down the mountain slope, between its source and the mouth of the Pa-sam-sic River, opposite the White Mountains, its descent is twelve hundred feet. At this point its bed is four hundred feet above tlie sea. In eighty miles farther to Bel- low's Falls, Vermont, it descends one hundred feet. From thence to Deerfield it sinlss one hundred and sixty feet ; from Deerfield to Springfield it falls one hundred feet more, leaving its bed at Springfield but forty feet above the level of the sea. Its average width between Mount Tom and the north line of the State is about eight hundred feet. Its average breadth between Mount Tom and the Connecti- cut line is not far from twelve hundred feet, and witli a deptli of water below Holyolce sufficient to float vessels of considera- ble tonnage. At Holyolie costly and extensive hydraulic works have been constructed, producing, it is claimed, the greatest artificial water-power in the world. Its channel is remarka- bly clear of islands in its "course through the State, and presents a broad and majestic appearance, sweeping in mag- nificent curves between its lofty banks, greatly resembling in this respect the lower Mississippi. In certain localities, as at Holyoke, its waters flow directly over the red sandstone of the valley, but for the greater part of the distance through the county the bed of the river is com- posed of alluvial deposits, — sand, gravel, and bowlders. In seasons of annual floods it overspreads its banks, and covers the lowest bottom lands sometimes for miles. This annual overflow produces the same result as in the case of the Nile in Egypt, acting as a thorough fertilizer by reason of the rich silt which it holds in solution. In some places the meadow lands are protected from floods by dykes or levees, similar in construction to those of the lower Mississippi, though gener- ally of smaller dimensions. The Agawam, or Westfield River, as it is often called, rises in the eastern part of Berkshire County, among the Green Mountains, and flows in a southeastern course a distance of about fifty miles, to the Connecticut. Its eastern and largest branch unites with the middle and western branches in the town of Huntingdon. The two last-named branches enter the town of Chester from the northwest, and flow diagonally through it to the junction in Huntingdon. From thence the main stream flows through or between the towns of Mont- gomery, Russell, Westfleld, West Springfield, and Agawam, and unites with the Connecticut by several mouths nearly opposite the city of Springfield. The Little River, which heads in Blandford, Granville, and Tolland, unites with it a short distance below the village of Westfield. Its other principal * Trumbuirs History of Connecticut. affluents are Mill Brook, in Westfield, and Great Brook, which heads in Southwicli, and discharges into the main stream near the east line of Westfield. The Agawam is a rapid stream, and affords with its numer- ous branches an abundant supply of water-power, which is extensively utilized in numerous localities. It has a number of islands in its channel. The CnicoPEEf River is formed by the union of three con- siderable streams, the Swift, Ware, and Qnnhoin/ Rivers, in the western part of the town of Palmyra. The curious nieander- ings of these streams in the vicinity of their junction gave rise in early times to a local name — " The Elbows" — which is still to some extent in use.f Swift River rises for the most part in Petersham, Worcester County, and New Salem and Shutesbury, in Franklin County, and flows in a direction a little west of south through the east- ern part of Hampshire County to its junction with Ware River on the town line of Palmer. Ware Kiver takes its rise in the northern-central portions of Worcester County, and flows in a direction nearly southwest to its junction with the Quaboag River. The Quaboag River is formed by the union of numerous branches in the southwest part of Worcester County, and flows in a general direction a little south of west to the village of Three Rivers, where it unites with Ware River. It forms the southern and eastern boundary of the town of Palmer for a distance of about eight miles. From Three Rivers to its union with the Connecticut the stream bears the name of Chickopee River. It forms the boundary between the towns of Ludlow, Wilbraham, and Springfield, and for a short distance between the last-named town and Chicopee. It pursues a tortuous course through the latter town, and there are several import- ant islands in its channel. Its principal affluents below Three Rivers are Broad Brook in Ludlow, Twelve-Mile Brook in Wilbraham, and Higher and Field Brooks in C/i>co]>ee. The Quaboag River receives the waters of a considerable stream (Elbow Brook) in Brimfield, and the Chicopee Brook unites with it from Monson. The Chicopee River and its numerous branches aflbrds extensive power, which is emplo3'ed in nu- merous places in driving machinery. The best water-power on the stream is in the town of Chicopee, where two thriving villages have grown up in recent years. The QuiNNEBAUO River drains a small region in the ex- treme eastern end of the county, and the Scti/ific Brook, which discharges into the Connecticut in East Windsor, Conn., drains the southern portion of Wilbraham and the eastern part of Longmeadow. In the western part of the county, Farmington River drains the greater part of the towns of Tolland and Granville. Mill River, of Springfield, rises in the central parts of the old town of Wilbraham, and flowing west through Spring- field, discharges into the Connecticut in the southern suburbs of the city. It furnishes considerable power, which is utilized for various purposes in the city. The two branches unite in what is called Water Shops Pond.| Longmeadow and Pe- cowsic Brooks, in the town of Longmeadow, flow into the Connecticut, the former in the southwest part of the town, and the latter a little north of the Springfield line. Three-Mile Brook and Still and Philo Brooks are in Agawam. The Deerfield River takes its rise among the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont, entering Massachusetts in the extreme northwest corner of Franklin County, between the towns of Monroe and Rowe. After skirting for a while the easterly line of Berkshire County, where it touches the east t Michel Saiattis, an Iiiiliau of the AJiroudacks, says CTie-cau-jiee means the place of many springs. X The land in this vicinity was long known as the "Elbow Tract." g Tliis pond, which extends for nearly three miles, is produced by the dam erected by the United States Government to furnish power for what arc known as the " Water Shops," which are a portion of the armory works. 16 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. end of the Hoosac Tunnel, it bends easterly, and running centrally throughout Franklin County, reaches the Connecti- cut Eiver in the north end of the town of Deerfield. Along its course are many important water-powers, and its deep valley, winding among the mountains, leaves the Troy and Greenfield Eailroad by easy grades from the Connecticut Valley to the mouth of the Hoosac Tunnel, through which the road-bed runs under the mountain for the distance of four and a half miles, and nearly two thousand feet beneath its summit, being one of the modern wonders of the world. The Mill River of Northampton rises, one branch of it, in Goshen, Hampshire County ; another in Southern Franklin County, and runs southeasterly through Williamsburgh and Northampton to the Connecticut. This stream is famous for recent disasters by flood, occasioned by the breaking away of reservoirs situated among the hills near its source, an account of which is given in succeeding chapters. MiLLEK's River is one of the larger streams which run into the Connecticut from the east. It rises in the northeastern part of "Worcester County, enters Franklin in the town of Orange, runs westerly between Wendell and Erving, and then westerly and northerly between Erving and Montague to the Connecticut. Green River rises near the Vermont line, and runs south- erly between Leyden and Colerain and through Greenfield and a part of Deerfield to the Deerfield River. Other Streams. — There are are many ponds and numer- ous other streams of more or less importance watering the territory of the three counties of which this history treats, all of which are described in the histories of the several towns.* Paucatock Brook rises in the northwestern part of Holyoke, and draining Wright's and Ashley's Ponds in the same town, flows south through West Springfield, and unites with the Agawam River in the southwest part of that town. A branch of the Monhan River takes its rise on the eastern flank of Mount Tom, runs several miles south, to near the centre of Holyoke in the western part, and then, making a detour, leaves the town near its northwest corner, and flowing along the base of the mountain, unites with another branch and flows into the Connecticut at the base of the mountain on the north. CHAPTER IV. GEOLOGICAL OUTLINES. I. ERAS — AGES — PERIODS. The rocky groundwork of the Connecticut Valley in Mas- sachusetts, while it does not present as many fossils as some regions, yet so rich and varied is its structure that it possesses many curious features of surpassing interest to the geological student.-)- But it is not within the province or scope of this * The following account of the fisheries in the valley is from the diiiry of the late Sewell White, of ^Yest Springfield : " THE SALMON AND SHAD FISHERY IN THE CONNECTICUT RIVER FIFTT YEARS AGO. " Not a salmon has been caught in the Connecticut Biver for a good many years, and the shad-fishery has gradually declined ever since the canal dam was built at South Hadley. " They collected in great schotds at the foot of the rapids, and would not ven- ture to go up the river until the water was settled so that they could see their way through the rumble-jumble of the Imiling watei-s. " Two thousand shad were once taken at one haul at the foot of tlie falls, at the place called Old Sluggard, and in one case twenty-five shad were tjiken at one dip by a scoop net. It is saiil that the shad took fright and went down over Willimanset in such a school as to cause the river to rise two inches." f Acknowledgments are due to Prof. \\'ni. N. Rice, of Wesleyan Univei-sity, Middletown, Conn., for valuable suggestions uiMni the geology of the Connecticut Yalley. work to enter minutely into the details of this interesting sub- ject, and no more will be attempted here than to give its general outlines so far as the subject relates to the economic interests and historical associations of the valley. And this outline will relate principally to the departments of Historical and Physiographic geology, leaving to the inter- ested student the inviting fields of Lithological and Dynamical geology, of which the region is so rich in specimens and natu- ral illustrations, to be studied in the field itself here spread out before him in superabundant richness or in the special works . devoted to the science. Geology has been defined as the science of the structure of the earth. It aims to show not only what the rocky structure of the earth is, but it also treats of the origin of its structure. It is therefore an historical science, and unfolds to us to some extent the mysteries of the world's creation. The earth itself, like the plant or animal it sustains on its surface, is a thing of growth, of development from the original chaos when " it was without form and void" into its present wonderfully compli- cated and varied structure. The different periods of this growth and development are more or less distinctly marked upon the earth's rocky structure by the various fossil forms of vegetable and animal life found therein. These fossil forms of organic nature seem to rise successively from the lowest forms of dawning life found in the oldest rocks up through all the wondrous scale of being to the present age of man, the crowning life of all. So every rock marks a period in the earth's growth, every group of rocks an age, and still larger groups, called geologic systems, mark great eras of geologic time. The extremely interesting geologic features of the Connecti- cut Valley and its surroundings can be best explained bj' refer- ring to the geologic eras and ages of the world based upon the progress of life and living things, as shown by successive rocky formations. The subdivisions of geologic time are eras, ages, and periods. The eras are five in number, marked in all by seven ages and each by various periods. I. — ARCH.EAN Era, including Azoic and Eozoic {The Dawn of Life). 1. The Laurentian Age — Upper and Lower. II.— Pal.eozoic Era (Old Life). 2. The Silurian or Age of Mollusks. 3. The Devonian or Age of Fishes. 4. The Carboniferous or Age of Coal Plants. III. — Mesozoic Era (Middle Life). 5. The Reptilian Age. IV.— Cenozoic Era (Plant Life). 6. The Age of Mammals (Tertiary). V. — PsYCHOZOic Era (Era of Mind). 7. The Age of Man ((Quaternary). The geological formations found in the Connecticut Valley and its bordering mountain ranges present rocks which mark only a few periods of the ages indicated by the above table, but those represented present many features of peculiar interest to the scientific inquirer. IL ARCH.BAN ROCKS. It seems to be the favorite theory of the New England geol- ogists of the Hitchcock and Dana schools that all the older rocks of the region have been metamorphosed., that is to say, these rocks were originally sedimentary sandstones, lime- stones, and clays deposited in the ocean's bed, like the Silu- rian beds of central New York, and that by the action of heat and the presence of superincumbent strata they wore changed into granite, gneiss, schists, slates, and other hard crystalline rocks. That during the change the most of the fossil remains of the primeval animals and plants they contained in their original structure were obliterated. Indeed, Mr. Dana claims HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 17 that evRii the oldest Lavirentian rocks of Northern New York and Canada are all metamorphic in their nature. Yet, while this theory would seem to be the true one in regard to most of the New England strata, it is open to grave doubts as to the Laurentian. Rather does it seem that the old or Lower Laurentian rocks, and perhaps the Upper Laurentian, not- withstanding the high authority of Mr. Dana is to the con- trary, are not metamorphic in their nature, but are original rocks, in which the materials which constitute their structure have stood through countless ages in changeless relation to each other since they first crystallized, as it were in each other's arras, in the slowly-cooling crust of the intensely-heated pri- meval earth. Yet, whether these crystalline beds in Massachusetts are metamorphic, or are the result of successive upheavals of original rocks, in tracing out the developments of the conti- nent from its Archaean beginnings in the old Laurentian, such has been the disturbance and upheaval of strata in the region bordering the valley of the Connecticut, that it has been so far a matter of extreme difficulty to correlate their various groui)S with those of known ago in the State of New Y'ork, west of the Hudson River, which have given to geologi- cal science its American nomenclature. It would seem, however, that the Azoic and Eozoic rocks were pretty well represented in various beds of granite, gneiss, syenite, mica schist, and other crystalline rocks found in the region. But all these formations belong to an age, it would seem, far younger than the Laurentian. The Eozoic rocks are divided by geologists into three great series, constituting the lowest accessible portion of the earth's crust. These three scries of old crystalline rocks are the old or Lower Laurentian, the Upper Laurentian, sometimes called the Labradorian, and the Huronian. To some one, if not all, of these three divisions of the ancient rocks geologists now refer the gneissic rocks of the Hoosac Mountain range, the gneiss flanking on both sides the sandstones of the Connecticut Valle}', and the mica schists associated with the granite about Amherst and Loverett. Gneiss. — In the mountain towns of the eastern portions of the three counties of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden, which border the beds of sand rock on the east, the prevailing and almost the only rock found is Gneiss, sometimes wrongly called granite. Gneiss, like granite, is composed of the three minerals, — feldspar, quartz, and mica ; but the crystals of these minerals in granite are confusedly mixed together, while in gneiss they are arranged in a stratified form or in layers. This rock here is mostly light gray in color. An example of this gneiss is seen in what is commonly called the " Mon- son Granite," much used for building purposes. West of the sandstone region of the valley the crystalline rocks underlying the western mountain towns of the coun- ties of Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden are much more diversified than those east of the valley. While on the east the prevailing rock is gneiss, on the west there are belts of talcose schist, mica schist, calciferous mica schist and granite, as well as gneiss. Calciferous Mica Schlst. — A wide belt of this rock un- derlies most of the western mountain towns of Franklin and Hampshire and the northern towns of Hampden County, the belt terminating in a point in Granville. Above Northamp- ton this belt borders on the sandstones of the valley. In this belt " numerous thin beds of dark siliceous lime- stones," says Prof. C. H. Hitchcock, of Dartmouth, "are in- terstratified with the schists. These increase at the expense of the other beds in passing north, and in Canada they pre- dominate, containing characteristic fossils of the Upper Si- lurian system, especially, those belonging to the Niagara limestone of New York.\. . . In Bernardstown there is a thick bed of limestone containing numerous fragments of the 3 stems of enormous crinoids. Similar ones occur in the upper Helderberg group of New York, belonging to the Devonian system." Soapstone is also found in Blandford, Chester, Rome, Granville, and other towns. Talcose Schist. — West of the above-named belt of cal- ciferous mica schist, a narrow belt of talcose schist stretches across the extreme western ends of the three valley counties and borders the easterly line of the gneiss belt of the Hoosac Tunnel range in eastern Berkshire County. In this there are bands of magnesian rocks, — either dolomite, serpentine, or soap- stone. In Middleford, Hampshire Co., in the line of this belt, is found the most important soapstone quarry in the country. In Chester there has lately been discovered and worked the rare mineral called emery. This bed of emery was discovered by Dr. H. L. Lucas, of Chester, in the j'car 1856, and has since been profitably worked. Granite. — There are several beds of granite, of small ex- tent, lying within the limits of the three counties, the most important of which is the formation extending from the corners of Ashfield and Goshen, southerly through parts of Go.shen, Williamstown, Chesterfield, Northampton, West- bampton, Easthampton, and Southampton, and so on, bor- dering the sandstone on the west to the Connecticut line, between Granville and Southwick. In this granite bed, and between it and the mica schist, lead ore has been found in con- siderable quantities in several of the towns above named. In Northampton lead was known to exist as early as 1767, and bullets were cast of it during the Revolution. Trap or Basalt. — In the midst of the sandstone beds of the valley a remarkable formation, possessing but little eco- nomic value, but of great interest to the student of geology, exists in a singular upheaval of the rock belonging to the Archiean age, known as trap, basalt, or greenstone. This formation consists of the Mt>unts Tom and Holyoke range. In some wonderful convulsion of nature the beds of valley sandstones, although supposed to have been of the remarkable thickness of many thousand feet, were suddenly rent asunder, and up through the fissures came in molten form these im- mense masses of trap rocks, which, cooling as they rose, har- dened into abrupt mountain ranges. This trap range ex- tends from the northern part of Massachusetts down through the valley of the Connecticut River in somewhat lengthy mountain ranges, or in isolated groups of hills to New Haven, where it ends in East and West Rock. This rock is intensely hard, and much dreaded by railroad men in making exca- vations. Besides the minerals mentioned in the foregoing pages as occurring in and among the crystalline rocks, are several others, including ores of iron, oxide of manganese, etc., a description of which will be found in the histories of the towns in which they occur. PAL.i:OZ0IC ROCKS. To the Palaeozoic era, the era of old life, the rocks of which rest in their natural position upon and next above the old crystalline rocks, belong the stratified deposited rocks of the Silurian, or age of mollusks, the Devonian, or age of fishes, and the Carboniferous, or age of coal plants. The rocks of this era are scarcely represented within the boundaries of the three river counties. Small isolated patches exist here and there. MESOZOIC ROCKS. In the valley of the Connecticut the Mesozoic era, — the era of middle life, — distinguished by the age of reptiles, finds its fit- ting representative in the vast beds of what is commonly called red sandstone, and known to science as Trlnssic sandshme and conqlomcrate. This rock is above all others the distinguish- ing feature of the groundwork of the Connecticut Valley. It is in great part of a dark-red color, and lies in stratified beds. 18 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. The upper beds seem to consist of fine sand hardened into rock, and often present the appearance of slates and shales. The lower beds consist mainly of coarse sand and gravel, often mixed with bowlders, some of which are known to measure four feet in diameter. This diflTerence in the structure of this rock has led some geologists to suppose that it consisted of two formations, — the Permian of the upper coal measures, belonging to the Palseozoic era, and the Triassic period of the Mesozoic era. But the better opinion now seems to be that it all belongs to the Triassic period. On the Connecticut State line the bed of sand rook is nearly twenty miles in width. As it extends up the river it covers a space from four to eight miles in width until it narrows to about one mile on the north line of the State. This bed is com- puted to be of an average thickness of from three thousand to fourteen thousand feet. The strata of this rock, throughout its whole extent in the valley, have a dip or indication varying from fifty to thirty degrees, — always in an easterly direction, — the dip being the greatest on the western side throughout the valley. This dip of the sand rock strata does not seem to have been affected in the least by the trap irruption through its centre part. It is probable that this red sand rock once filled the valley nearly to a level with the summit of Mount Tom, more than a thousand feet of it having been ground up and carried away by glacial action and the war of the elements. The question arises. How was this immense bed of sand rock formed ? The obvious answer to this question is, the valley far back in the geologic ages was an estuary, or arm of the sea. Its bottom and shores were formed by the gneiss rocks on the east, and the mica schist on the west, while the two met together somewhere in the centre of its bottom, perhaps where the trap afterwards came up through. Into this com- paratively quiet estuary the streams from the hills and moun- tains around washed the sand and gravel formed by the wearing away of the rocks by the action of the elements. The sand and gravel so washed into this estuary settled to the bottom, and in the course of long ages it became gradually hardened into rock and filled up the valley. After the valley was filled with the sand rock to such great depths, the whole continent must have arisen from the water into something like its present position. After the glacial denudation this valley must have again sunk below the sea-level, and have been again filled up with the beds of sand, clay, and gravel that are now found in it. Again rising from the waters, it became fit for the habitation of man. FOOT-MARKS. But the most interesting things about this bed of sand rock are the fossil foot-prints to be found between its strata. The ancient foot-marks occur in some thirty places in the valley of the Connecticut between the upper strata. They must have been made by the animals and birds of the period walking in the soft mud of the shallow bottom of the estuary while the tide was out and the water low. During low tide the mud dried rapidl}' in the then warmer than tropical atmosphere. On the coming in of the waters these tracks were at once filled with another layer of sand, and the impression made permanent as the rock itself. These foot-prints being mostly those of birds, their existence has given rise to a new branch of natural history called Ich- notoffi/, or the "science of tracks." The "bird tracks'' are the most interesting of all these fos- sil foot-prints. The largest bird that frequented the muddy shores of the primeval estuary of this valley had a foot eigh- teen inches long, and must have been five times the size of the ostrich of to-day. The smallest bird was like the snipe. Many strange animals now unknown to man left on these rocks their foot-prints. Among these were an order of reptilian birds or horpetoids. The largest foot-mark was made by a gigantic frog, called Otozoum Moodii. Its track is twenty inches long. To President Edward Hitchcock, late of Amherst, is due the first scientific description of these interesting remains. Dr. Hitchcock made the first geologic survey of the State of Mas- sachusetts, and from 1832 — the date of his first report — to 1865 he published numerous works upon the subject, all of which are of high scientific authority. In speaking of these strange foot-prints on the red sandstone rocks of the valley of the Connecticut, President Hitchcock eloquently says, " Now I have seen in scientific vision an ap- terous bird some twelve or fifteen feet high — nay, large flocks of them — walking over the muddy surface, followed by many others of an analogous character, but of .smaller size. Next comes a biped animal — a bird, perhaps — with a foot and heel nearly two feet long. Then a ho.st of lesser bipeds formed on the same general type, and among them several quadrupeds with disproportioned feet, yet many of them stilted high, while others are crawling along the surface with spreading limbs. Next succeeds the huge Polemarch, leading along a tribe of lesser followers, with heels of great length and armed with spurs. But the greatest wonder of all comes in the shape of a biped batrachian with feet twenty inches long. We have heard of the Lahyrinthodon of Europe — a frog as large as an ox — but his feet were onh' six or eight inches long, a mere pigmy com- pared with the Otozoum of New England. Behind him there trips along, on unequal feet, a group of small lizards and Salamandridce, with trifid or quadrifid feet. Beyond, half seen amidst the darkness, there move along animals so strange that they can hardly be brought within the types of existing organization. Strange, indeed, is this menagerie of remote sandstone days ; and the privilege of gazing upon it and bring- ing into view one lost form after another has been an ample recompense for my efforts though they should be rewarded by no other fruit."* CENOZOIC ERA. '' The Cenozoic era, or era of recent times, is represented in the Connecticut Valley by the Tertiary age, or age of mammals, and the Quaternary age, or age of Man. The geologic formations of this age are composed of two dis- tinct subdivisions, the Glacial or Drift, and the Recent or Ter- race formations, which overlie all the others in depths varying from a few inches to one hundred and fifty feet or more. The bottom layers lying directly upon the rock formations are com- posed largely of coarse bowlders graduating into pebbles and sand, while the Terraces are mostly or wholly of finer sands or clay and marls, the last two sometimes beautifully arranged in thin layers, and often curiously convoluted and complex in their arrangements, as may be seen at the brick-works in the southern suburbs of the city of Springfield. The lower de- posits are of Diluvian or Drift origin, while those on and near the surface are of Fluvial or Lacustrine formation. The Ter- race formation is finely exhibited to the west and southwest of Holyoke, and on the east side of the river below Springfield. ^ CHAPTER V. INDIAN OCCUPANCY. r THE INDIAN TITLE TO THE SOIL. The New "World was the natural home of the Indian. He was the sole proprietor of its soil. His title was the clearest of all titles, the right derived from undisputed, immemorial possession. His tenure was that of absolute property in the soil, covered by no shadow of incumbrance. The white man was first an invader and trespasser, and then a purchaser. No white man's title to the soil to-day is worth a straw in the eyes of absolute law, unless it can be traced back to some In- dian deed. It may be true that Sir Edmund Andros once * QuotMl in Holl.ind's Hist. Wcf t Maps., 'Vol, I., p. 348. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY". 19 said that an Indian deed was worth no more than the "scratch of a bear's paw," but no sound jurist will consider Sir Ed- mund's dictum worth anything in the ease. On the 16th of February, 1629, Governor Cradock wrote in behalf of the Company as follows : " The earnest desire of our whole compan}' is that you have a diligent and watchful eye over our own people, that they live unblamable and without reproof, and demean themselves justly and courteously to- wards the Indians." When William Pynchon, the father of the settlements in the Connecticut Valley, — the founder of Eoxbury and Spring- field, — in the year 1636, first led his little band of pioneers along the old " Bay Path" through a hundred miles of howl- ing woods to the garden-banks of the great river at Ag-a-wam, he found the fertile meadows of the stream owned by a few feeble, broken bands of Indians, each governed by its own petty sachem or sagamore. From each of these petty tribes the early settlers of the valley took exceeding care to obtain deeds of the lands by them owned and occupied. Thus, from "Cut-to-was, the right owner ot Ag-a-wam and Qua-na," his mother Kew-e-nask, the Tam-a-sham or wife of We-na-wis, and Ni-ar-com, the wife of Co-a, the English bought the ancient site of Springfield, by deed bearing date the 15th day of July, in the year 16.30, — ^a facsimile of the record of which maj* be found farther on in this volume, in the history of Springfield. From C'hick-toal-log, alias Waw- hil-low, Hen-es-scha-lant, Nas-si-co-ha, Re-unks, Pa-quah-a- hat, As-sel-la-quo7n-pas, and A-wo-nunsk, wife of Wal-lut-ha, all Indians and right owners of Non-o-iuck, they took a deed of Northampton, bearing date 24tli September, 1653.* From C'hick-wal-lopp, Uin-pan-cha-la, and Wa.mp-shaw, sa- chems of Nol-wo-togg , they took a deedf of Iladley, bearing date 25th December, 1658. And again, on the 8th day of Au- gust, 1662, We-qua-gon, his wife A-wo-nunsk, and Squomp, their son, also deeded land in Hadley. From Um-pan-cha-la, alias \Voms-eo)7i, sachem of Nol-wo- togg, they took a deedj of Hatfield, dated July 10, 1660. From Al-quot, the Indian sachem of Wo-rc^ioak, they took a deed^ of Westfield, bearing date June 30, 1669. From We-qua-u-gan and Wa-wa-paw they took the title of lands for the " use and behoof" of the town of Springfield, by deed || bearing date in the year 1674, being parts of the present towns of West Springfield and Agawam, and Nee-sa-hea-gan, alias Squani-scat, and Ke-pa-quontp, alias Squi-ma-mop, also deeded part of West Springfield by deed^l dated 20th June, 1666. From Mas-se-rnet, Pa-noot, Pani-mook, Ne-ne-pow-nian, his squaw, Woiti-pe-ly, and Nes-sa-cas-coni, Indians of Squak-lieag, in the year 1671, they took a deed of ten thousand five hun- dred and sixty acres in Northfield ; and again, on the 9th September, 1673, they took a deed from Nnl-lah-am-com-gon or Na-ia-nas, Mas-hep-e-tot, and Kis-quan-do Pam-pat-c-ke-mo, " a squaw, which is Mas-hep-e-tot' s daughter," of another part of Northfield. For an account of the Pa-comp-tuck Indian deeds of Dcerfield see history of that town in this work. II. TWO FAMILIES OF NATIONS. When the Europeans first landed on this continent the Indians who inhabited the Atlantic slope of the Alleghany range, the basin of the great lakes, and the valley of the St. Lawrence were divided into two great families of nations. These two families were soon known and distinguished by the * Recorded in office of Eegister of Deeds at Springfield, Book A, B, p. 13. f Recorded in Boole of Deeds A, p. 11. X Recorded in Book of Deeds, Book .\, p. 6. g Recorded In Book of Deeds A B, p. 50. [I Recorded in Book of Deeds A B, p.lse 19. % Recordeil in Book of Deeds A B, page 21. whites as the Iroquois and Algonquin families, so named by the French. These two families differed radically, both in language and lineage, in the manner of building their wigwams, as well as in many of their manners and customs. III. THE IROQUOIS. The Iroquois proper, the best types and leading people of this family, were the Five Nations of Central New York, called by themselves the Ho-de-no-sau-nee. To the south of the Five Nations, in the valley of the Susquehanna, were the Andastes, and to the westward of them, along the southern shore of Lake Erie, were the Eries. To the northward of Lake Erie lay the Neutral Nation, and near them the Tobacco Nation, while the Hurons, another tribe of the Iroquois, dwelt along the eastern shore of the lake that still bears their name. There was also a branch of the Iroquois family in the Caro- linas, — the Tuscaroras, — who came north and united with the Five Nations in 1715, after which the confederacy was known as the Six Nations.** On every side these few kindred bands of Iroquois were sur- rounded by the much more numerous tribes of the greater Algonquin famih'. Among all the aboriginal inhabitants of the New World there were none so politic and intelligent, none so fierce and brave, none with so many germs of heroic virtues mingled with their savage vices, as the true Iroquois, the people of the Five Nations of Central New York. They were a terror to all the surrounding tribes, whether of their own or of Algonquin speech and lineage. In 1650 they overran the country of the Hurons; in 1651 they destroyed the Neutral Nation; in 1652 they exterminated the Eries ; in 1663 they ravaged the coun- try of the Pa-comp-tucks and Squak-heags, in the valley of the Connecticut; in 1C72 they conquered the ^nrfasfes and reduced them to the most abject submission, calling them the women of their tribe in derision. They followed the war-path, and their war-cry was heard westward to the Mississippi, southward to the great gulf, and eastward to the Massachusetts Bay. The New England na- tions mostly, as well as the river tribes along the Hudson, whose warriors trembled at the name of Mohawk, all paid them tribute. The Montagnais, on the far-off Saguenay, whom the French called the paupers of the wilderness, would start from their midnight sleep and run terror-stricken from their wigwams into the forest when hut dreaming of the dreadful Iroquois. They were truly in their day the conquerors of the New World, and were justly styled "The Eomans of the West." "My pen," wrote the Jesuit Father Ragueneau, in the year 1650, in his Relations des Hurons — " My pen has no ink black enough to paint the fury of the Iroquois." The Iroquois dwelt in palisaded villages upon the fertile banks of the lakes and streams which watered their country. The houses of all the Iroquois families were built long and narrow. Thej' were not more than twelve or fifteen feet in width, but often exceeded one hundred and fifty feet in length. Within they built their fires at intervals along the centre of the earth-floor, the smoke passing out through openings in the top, which likewise served to let in the light. In every house were many fires and many families, — every family having its own fire within the space allotted to it. From this custom of having many fires and many families strung through a long and narrow house comes the significa- tion of the Indian name the league of the Five Nations called themselves by. This Indian name was Ho-de-yio-sa^i-nee, "The people of the Long House." They likened their con- federacy of five nations or tribes, stretched along a narrow valley for more than two hundred miles through Central Now ** See Oolden's History of the Five Nations. 20 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. York, to one of their long wigwams containing many families. The Mo/iau-ks guarded the eastern door of this typical long house, while the Senecas kept watch at the western door. Between these doors of their country dwelt the Oneidas, the Onondagas, and the Cayugas, each nation around its own family fire, while the great central council-fire was always kept brightly burning in the land of the Onondagas. The nation of the Irofjuois to whom the Indians of the Con- necticut Valley paid unwilling tribute was the Mohawk. In the Algonquin speech of the Connecticut Kivcr Indians the Mohawks were called Mau-qua-wugs or Ma-quag, that is to say, " man-eaters."* The Mohawk country proper^ called by themselves Ga-ne- a-ga-o-no-ga, all lay on and beyond the westerly bank of the Hudson, but by right of conquest they claimed all the terri- tory lying between the Hudson and the sources of the easterly branches of the Connecticut. By virtue of this claim all the Indians in the valley of the Connecticut paid annual tribute to the Mo/iawks. Ever}' year two old Mohawk cliiefs would leave their castles on the Mohawk Kiver, in their elm-bark canoes, and crossing the Hudson, ascend the Has-sicke (Iloosac) to its head, and carrying them over the mountain range, re-embark in the head- waters of the Ag-a-wam (Westfield River) and the Deerfield River, come down to the villages of the Wo-ro-noaks, the Ag-a-wams, the Non-o-tucks, the Pa-comp-tucks, the Squak- heags, in the valley, and to the Nip-mucks at the head of the Chicopee, and gather the wampum in which tribute was paid. As will be seen further on in these pages, when all these river tribes joined King Philip in his attempt to exterminate the whites in New England the Mohawks sided with the Eng- lish, and did material service against Philip. | IV. THE ALGONQUIN FAMILY. Surrounding the few tribes of the Iroquois on every hand dwelt the much more numerous tribes of the Algonquin family, to which belonged all the New England tribes, as well as the New York Indians who dwelt east of the Hudson. Northward of the Iroquois were the Nipissings, La Petite Nation, and La Nation de I'Isle, and other tribes in the valley of the Ottowa River. Along the valley of the St. Lawrence dwelt the Algonquins proper, the Abenaquis, the Montagnais, and other roving bands below the mouth of the Saguenay. The Algonquins and Montagnais, and the other wild rovers of the country of the Saguenay, who subsisted mostly by the chase, were often during the long Canadian winters, when game grew scarce, driven by hunger to subsist for many weeks together upon the buds and bark, and sometimes upon the young wood, of forest-trees. Hence their hereditary enemies, the more favored Mohawks, called them in mockery of tlieir condition Ad-i-ron-daks, that is to say tree-caters. This name, thus borne in derision, was given by Prof. Emmons to the principal mountain chain of Northern New York, and has since been applied to its whole wilderness region, now so famous as a summer resort. J The New England tribes of the Algonquin fiimily dwelt mostly along the sea-coast, and on the banks of larger streams. In Maine the Et-et-che-mins dwelt farthest east at the mouth of the St. Croix River. The Abenaquis, with their kindred tribe the Taratines, had their hunting-grounds in the valley of the Penobscot, and as far west as the river Saco and the Piscata- qua. In the southeast corner of New Hampshire, and over the Massachu.setts border, dwelt the Pcnnacook or Pawtueket tribe. The Massachusetts nation had their home along the bay of that name and the contiguous islands. It was a tradi- * Brief History by Increase Mather, p. 38. t Coim. fill. Iter., Vol. II,, p. 4(il, etc.. J See lli.^tolu■al Ski'tilicmif N,.itliiMn New Yoik, l.y N. B. Sjivestor, pp. nn, 40. tion of this tribe that they formerly dwelt farther to the south- west, near the Blue Mountains, and hence their name Ma^s- ad-chu-sit, " near the great mountains. "J The Wampanongs or Pokanokcts dwelt along the easterly shore of Narragansett Bay, in Southeastern Rhode Island, and in the contiguous part of Massachusetts adjoining these, being near neighbors of the Plymouth Pilgrims. The Nansets along Cape Cod were a family of the Wampanoags, and paid them tribute. Next in line were the Narragatisetts, and their sister tribe the Nyantics, along the westerly shore of Narra- gansett Bay, in Western Rhode Island. Between the Narra- gansetts and the river Thames in Southeastern Connecticut, then called the Pequot River, dwelt the Pequot nation ; and between the Pequots and the east bank of the Connecticut River was the home of Uncus and his Mahicans. On the west side of the Connecticut the territory of the Mo- hawks was supposed to begin ; and in Western Massachusetts, and in what is now the State of Vermont, no Indian tribes had permanent homes. This large territory was a beaver- hunting country of the Iroquois. Before the great distemper visited these New England In- dian nations, just prior to the landing of the Plymouth Pil- grims, their numbers must have been from thirty to forty thousand souls. Of these Connecticut and Rhode I.sland probablj' contained one-half. V. THE INDIANS OF THE VALLEY. The valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts was occu- pied by several tribes, or remnants of tribes, all of which seemed to owe some sort of fealty to the Nipmueks or Nipnets of Central Massachusetts, if not to the more powerful Pequots, Wampanoags, and Narragansetts. Ag-a-wams. — In the vicinity of what is now the city of Springfield dwelt the Ag-a-wam Indians. They claimed all the territory lying on both sides of the Connecticut, between the Enfield Falls below and the South Hadley Falls above. The principal village of the Ag-a-wams was situated on the Pecowsic Brook, which heads in the eastern part of Longmeadow and discharges into the Connecticut nearly on the town line be- tween Springfield and Longmeadow ; another on the bank of the Ag-a-wani River, and probably others in various parts of the county. On a peculiarly-shaped blufl', about a mile and a half south of the centre of Springfield and some fifty rods southeasterly of the east end of the new bridge crossing to Agawam and on what is called " Long Hill," the}' had a strong palisaded work overlooking the valley and virtually impregnable to Indian attack. It was protected on all sides excepting a mirrow neck, fiftj' yards in width, which connected It with the mainland by steep banks descending to two deep ravines on the north and south, and to the bottom-lands bordering the Connecticut on the west. Water was convenient immediately under the wall of the fortress on the south, and the whole area, occupying from one to two acres, was admirably adapted for defense against anything except artillery. The meadows or corn-planting grounds of the Ag-a-wams, called by them muck-cos-quit-taj, were quite extensive. On the leaf of the book containing the record of the first Indian deed of what is now Springfield and vicinity is a memorandum in the following words, supposed to have been made by John Holj'oke, in the year 1679, which contains an accurate descrip- tion, doubtless, of the situation of the various corn-planting meadows of the Ag-a-wams : "Memorandum: Agaam or Agawam. It is that meadow on the South of Agawam Riv"' whcer y= English did first build a house, w''' now we comonly cal y'= house meadow, that piece of ground is it w'^''y' Indians do call Agawam, & y'y'= English g See CollectioDB of C^nn. llis. Soe., Vol. II., p. 8. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 21 kept y' residence who first came to settle and plant at Spring- field now so called : & at }■' place it was (as is supposed) that this purchase was made of the Indians. Quana is the middle medow adjoyning to Agaw" or house meadow. Masacksick is y' y' English call the Longmeadow below Springfield, on y" East of Quinecticat Eiver; Usquaiok is the Mil River w* the land adjoyning ; Nayasset is the lands of Three corner meadow & of the Plaine.^' From the date of the first settlement, in the year 1G36, the Afl-a-wum Indians lived on terms of peace and amity with their white neighbors until the year 1675, when they joined King Philip in his war of extermination. On the evening of the 4th day of October, 1675, they admitted into their fort three hundred hostile Indians, who assisted them on the morrow in the burning of Springfield. Upon the arrival of Maj. Treat with his men from Connecticut, and Maj. Pynchon with the Springfield troops from Hadley, on the afternoon of the burn- ing, l(V-9!/o-7(7n, the chief sachem of the,4(/-o-ttO»).< and ring- leader in the aft'air, with all his people suddenly left their vil- lage, fort, and corn-planting ground, never to return. Wo-RO-NOAKS. — Ten or twelve miles up the Agawam River, in a direction nearly west from Springfield, on the site of what is now Westfield, dwelt the tribe of Indians called the Wo-ro-noaks, who were a part of the Aff-a-tcam/s. The Wo-ro-noaks were famous for the nnnibcr of beaver- skins and other furs caught by them on the near mountains to the west of them, along both branches of the Agawam, now Westfield River, and in the marshes at their head-waters. So famous was their village for its furs that Governor Hop- kins, of Hartford, as early as the year 1640, obtained a grant of land there, and that year or the next built trading-houses there. This grant was made to him by the Connecticut peo- ple, who suppo.sed it to be within their jurisdiction. But the earliest surveys showed it to be within the boundaries of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the Connecticut settlement was abandoned. NoN-o-TUCKS. — Above the point in the Connecticut River where it breaks through between Mounts Tom and Holyoke its valley widens and the river takes an extremely tortuous course, winding around two or three peninsulas which are almost islands, on one of which is situated the village of Had- ley. Between Northampton and Mount Tom is another of these bends in the river, which is called the Oxbow, in the middle of which lies an island. Tlie name Nocn-tuk, No-ah-tuk, or, as it is now written, Non- o-tuck, means "in the middle of the river," in allusion to such peninsulas and islands. The Non-o-iucks claimed all the country on both sides of the river, from the head of the South Hadley Falls to the south side of Mount We-quomps, now Sugar-Loaf Mountain. They had several villages and forts on both sides of the river, and numerous corn-planting fields of from twelve to sixteen acres each. Their principal fort was on a higli bank near the mouth of Half- Way Brook, between Northampton and Hadlc}'. This fort was occupied until the night of the 24th August, when Um-pan-cha-la, chief sachem of the No7i-o-tucks, left the land with all his tribe for some far-off Western home, no one knows whither. Another fort, containing about an acre inclosed, was occupied by another Non-o-tuck sachem, called Quoii-quont. It stood on the east side of the river, in Hadley, on a ridge between East and West School Meadow. Pa-comp-tucks. — In the fertile valley of Deerfield River, and on its adjoining hills, dwelt the Pa-cotftp-fucks, the most numerous, best known, warlike, and powerful tribe in the valley. They claimed all the country lying on the east side of the river, from Mount We-guomps to the north side of the meadow called Nal-la-ham-com-gon, now Bennett's Meadow, in Northfield, and indefinitely westward. Their principal fort was on what is now known as Fort Hill, which is about one-half mile northeast of the Deerfield meeting-hou.'e. Their corn-planting fields were in the valley of the Deerfield River. Here they raised such quantities of corn that in the spring of the year 1638 they furnished fifty canoe-loads for the.starving people of Connecticut, impoverished by the Pequot war of the year before. In the year 1656, Uncas, with his Mahicans, made war upon the Pa-comp-tucks, but was defeated and driven back. The next year the Pa-comp-tucks invaded the country of Uncas and did his people considerable damage. In the year 1663 the Mohawks made war upon the Pa-cotnp- tucks, and invaded their country. They attacked the fort on Fort Hill, and carried it after a severe contest, driving the Pa- comp-tucks before them with great slaughter. From this severe blow the Pa-comp-tucks never recovered. In the year 1669 the Pa-comp-tucks, Non-o-tucks, and Squak-heags united with the Massachusetts Indians and the Narragansetts in an expedition into the Mohawk country. Chic-ka-taw-but, the chief sachem of the Massachusetts tribe, was in command. The band num- bered some seven hundred warriors. They penetrated the Mo- hawk country and laid siege to the nearest castle, called Te-hon- de-lo-ga, at the mouth of the Schoharie kill, afterwards the site of Fort Hunter. But failing in the attempt, the allied tribes retreated towards their own country. The Mohawks followed, and making a detour formed an ambuscade, into which the Eastern Indians fell and suflered fearful loss. After King Philip's war the Pa-comp-tucks went west, and settling on the east bank of the Hudson, at the mouth of the Hoosac River, became known as the Scliaghticoke Indians. A part of the Wampanoags and Narraganscits fled with them.* Squak-heags. — On the northerly border of the State, at what is now Northfield, dwelt the fourth tribe of river Indians. Their country reached on both sides of the Connecticut north- erly beyond the bounds of the State. The Squak-heags were allied by consanguinit}' to the Pennacooks of the New Hamp- shire sea-coast. They had numerous corn-planting fields, and also villages and forts. The famous fishing-ground which they called Pas-quams-cut, now Turner's Falls, was in the country of the Squak-heags. When the Mohawks, in the year 1663, invaded the Pa-comp-tucks they also overran the whole territory of the Squak-heags, captured all their forts, destroyed their villages, and drove them from their homes. From this blow as a tribe they never recovered.! In King Philip's war Squakheag was an important post to the hostile Indians. At its close the Squak-heags went east and north into Canada. FoRT.s. — The Indians of the valley built their forts on high blutfs near springs of water, and usually on or not far from the bank of some river. The forts were circular in form, in- closing about one acre of ground, and constructed of palisades set close together in the ground, and some twelve or fifteen feet in height. Within they built rows of wigwams along both sides of well-defined streets. Wigwams. — The Indians of the Algonquin family of na- tions built their wigwams small and circular, and for one or two families only, unlike the Iroquois nations, who built theirs long and narrow, each for the use of many families. The Al- gonquin-shaped wigwam of the valley tribes was made of poles set up around a circle, from ten to twelve feet across. The poles met together at the top, thus forming a conical frame-work, which was covered with bark mats or skins ; in the centre was their fireplace, the smoke escaping through a hole in the top. In these wigwams men, women, children, and dogs crowded promiscuously together in distressing viola- tion of all our rules of modern housekeeping. Corn-Plantino Fields. — The meadows of the Connecti- cut Valley were famous in Indian annals for their corn-fields. Every autumn, after the fall of the leaf, came the Indian sum- mer, in which they set fire to the woods and fields, and thus * See pap^T liy John Fitcli, in New York His. Mag., June, 187C. f History of NortliflelJ, by Temple :ind Sheldon. 22 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. burned over the whole country, both upland and meadow, once a year. This burning destroyed all the underbrush, and mostly all the timber on the uplands save that growing in swales and on wet lauds. When the whites came they found much of the State of Massachusetts as bare of timber as the Western prairies. Their corn-tields on the meadows usually contained from fifteen to twenty acres of ground. One tool for planting was all they had. This was a hoe, made of the shoulder-blade of a deer or moose, or a clam-shell fastened into a wooden handle. For manure they covered over a fish in each hill of corn at planting-time. Their planting-time was about the 10th of May, or as soon as the butternut-leaves were as large as squirrels' ears. Some idea may be formed of the large extent of their planting-tields, when it is stated that the Pa-comp-tucks alone planted in the valley of the Deerfield River in the spring of 1676, the second year of Philip's war, about three hundred acres. Perhaps this was an exaggerated story, and that one hundred acres would have been nearer the truth. But Philip was killed in the summer following, and the Pa- comp-tucks abandoned their unharvested corn-tield for the new home on the east bank of the Hudson, at the mouth of the Hoosac. They took what is now the " Tunnel Route" for the west. The women did all the corn-planting and raising, but the men alone planted and took care of the tobacco. It was too sacred a plant for women to handle or smoke, and no young brave was allowed to use it until he had made himself a name in the chase or on the war-path. Food. — The Indians had fish and game, nuts, roots, berries, acorns, corn, squashes, a kind of bean now called seiva-bean, and a species of sunflower whose tuberous root was like the artichoke. Fish were taken with lines or nets made of the sinews of the deer or of the fibres of the dog-bane. Their fish-hooks were made of the bones of fishes and birds. They caught the moose, the dear, and the bear in the win- ter season by shooting with bows and arrows, by snaring or in pitfalls. In the summer they took a variety of birds. They cooked their fish and flesh by roasting before the fire on the point of a long stick, or by boiling in stone or wooden vessels. They made water to boil, not by hanging over the fire, but by the immersion in it of heated stones. Their corn boiled alone they called homing/; when mixed with beans it was succotitsh. They made a cake of meal, pounded fine by a stone-pestle in a wooden mortar, which they called iiookhik, corrupted by the English into " no cake."* Social Condition. — Their government was entirely patri- archal. Each Indian was in his solitary cabin the head of his family. His wife was treated as a slave, and did all the drudg- ery. The only law that bound the Indian was the custom of his tribe. Subject to that only, he was as free as the air he breathed, following the bent of his own wild will. Over tribes were principal chiefs called sachems, and inferior ones called sagamores. The succession was always in the female line. Their war-chiefs were not necessarily sachems in time of peace. They won their distinction only by prowess on the war-path. The language of the Indian, in the terms of modern com- parative philology, was neither the monosyllabic, like the Chinese, nor inflecling, like that of the civilized Caucasian stock, but was agjjbitinaiing, like many of the northwestern Asiatic tribes, and those of southeastern Europe. They express ideas by stringing words together in one compound vocable. The Algonquin languages were not euphonious, like the Iro- quois dialects, but were harsh, and full of consonants. Con- trast the Iroquois names, 2^a-wa-sen-ta, Si-a-wat-ha, or 0-no- * What wo now call jolinny-cake, in the early days was known as joumeij- cake, frum the facility with which it was carried while traveling. It is saiii that it was changed to jolinnij-cakQ in honor of Governor Jonathan Trumhull, of Con- necticut, the friend of Washington, who always iulclres.sed him faniili.irly as " Brother Jonathan." Hence tliat title of the typical Yankee to this day. a-la-go-na, with the Algonquin names, Sqiiak-heag, Qua-boag, or Wampan~oag. Religion. — The Indian had but the crudest possible ideas, if any at all, of an abstract religion. He had no priests, no altars, no sacrifice. His medicine men were mere conjurers. Yet he was superstitious to the last degree, and spiritualized everything in nature. The mysterious realm about him he did not attempt to unravel, but bowed submissively before it with what crude ideas he had of religion and worship. The flight or cry of a bird, the humming of a bee, the crawling of an insect, the turning of a leaf, the whisper of a breeze, were to him mystic signals of good or evil import, by which he was guided in the most important relations of life. In dreams the Indian placed the most implicit confidence. They seemed to him to be revelations from the spirit-world, guiding him to the places where his game lurked and to the haunts of his enemies. He invoked their aid on all occasions. They taught him how to cure the sick, and revealed to him his guardian spirit, as well as all the secrets of his good or evil destiny. Although the Indian has been for three centuries in more or less contact with the civilized life of the white man, he is still the untamed child of nature. " He will not," says Park- man, " learn the arts of civilization, and he and his forest must perish together. The stern, unchanging features of his mind excite our admiration from their very immutability ; and we look with deep interest on the fate of this irreclaima- ble son of the wilderness, the child who will not be weaned from the breast of his rugged mother, "f CHAPTER VL EAHLY" EXPLORERS— EARLY PATENTS OP NEW ENGLAND-THE CHARTER OF THE COLONY OP MASSACHUSETTS BAY. EARLY EXPLORERS. As the early settlers of the Connecticut Valley were them- selves among the comparatively early voyagers to the New World, and in coming here suffered the dangers of the deep incident to early navigation, it will be necessary, in order properly to understand their history, briefly to consider the voyagers who preceded them, as well as the results of their explorations and attempts at settlement. If the glory of the discovery of the New World by Euro- peans belongs forever to Columbus, under Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, on the 12th day of October, 1492, it is no less certain that the honor of the first exploration of the con- tinent of North America belongs to John Cabot and his son, Sebastian Cabot, under Honry VII. of England. If neither can justly claim that glory or this honor, but both must give way to the Scandinavian mariners, — the Northmen of the tenth century, — then it was upon the virgin soil of New Eng- land that the first white men landed, and within her borders that the first white settlement was attempted on the wild American shore. Of this visit of the Danes to America in the tenth century there is considerable evidence, amounting almost to a demon- stration of the theory; but there are still some missing links in the chain of testimony, which, until supplied, will forever place the matter, with the burial-place of Moses, the coming of the Etruscans to Italy, the building of the pj'ramids, and the story of the Western mound-builders, among the unsolved problems of history. THE NORTHMEN. The historical evidence upon the coming of the Danes to America as early as the tenth century consists principally in t Conspiracy of Pontiac, Vol. I., p. 44. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 23 extracts from the compositions of some eighteen writers, chiefly Icelandic, which hav* heen puhlished by the Eoyal Society of Northern Antiquaries at Copenhagen. If the accounts of these writers are not romance, but are veritable history, then about the j'ear 98fi one Biorne sailed from Iceland for Greenland in search of his father, who had preceded him thither. He was overtaken by fogs and lost his way. When the weather cleared, and he recovered his lost reckoning, to his surprise he discovered that, while he was sailing in the wrong direction, on his larboard-side lay a low woodland shore. Continuing the same course for nine days, he reached Greenland in a direction directly opposite to that with which the voyage had heen begun. It is evident, from the direction Biorne was sailing after having recovered his reckoning, that he saw on his larboard- side the "low and wooded land" of the eastern shore of North America. If the account of this voyage is trustworthy, Biorne was the discoverer of the New World. For fourteen years the discovery of Biorne w-as talked about bj' the Danish navigators, when, in the year 1000, Lief Ericson, with a single ship and a crew of thirty men, went in search of the newly-found land. Lief found it and, landing, gave it the name of Helhilaml, signitying in Icelandic the land of slate. Ee-embarking and sailing southerly along the coast, he came to a country "well wooded and level," which he called Marldand, in allusion to its wood. Sailing in a southwesterly direction out of sight of land for two days more, he came to an island, along whose northern shore he passed westwardly, and reaching the mainland went on shore and built huts, in which he passed the winter. One of his men, a German, while wandering in the woods found an abundance of wild grapes, such as wine was made of in his own country, and from this circumstance Lief called the country Vinland. Jt is supposed that the name Helluland was applied by Lief to the rocky shore of Labrador, long since famous for its beds of dark Laurentian rock, mistaken by him for slate. Mark- land may have been Nova Scotia, and it is highly probable that Vinland was the southeastern shore of 3Iassachusetts and Rhode Island. In the year 1003 Thorwald, and in the year 100.5 Thorfinn, are said to have visited Yinland, and such visits are said to have been continued until the middle of the four- teenth century. But whether the Northmen were or were not the first Euro- pean explorers of the New World, it is certain that in the year 1497, but five years after Columbus made his first voyage, the Cabots — father and sons — discovered and explored the coast of North America in the region of New England, thus laying the foundation of the British claim to such vast American pos- sessions. John Cabot was a merchant of Venice, who settled at Bris- tol, invited by the peaceful commercial policy of Henry VII. On the 5th day of March, 1496, Henry granted to John Cabot and his three sons, Lewis, Sancius, and Sebastian, — the last of whom, Sebastian, was born in England, at Bristol, in 1477, — his royal letters-patent authorizing them to "sail to all parts, countries, and seas of the East and of the West, and of the North, under our banners and ensigns, with five ships of what burden or quantity soever they may be, to seek out, discover, and find whatsoever isles, countries, regions, or provinces of the heathen and infidels, whatsoever they may be, and in what part of the world soever they may be, which before this time have been unknown to all Christians." The Cabots, by these letters-patent, were to occupy, subdue, possess, and govern such regions as they might discover for their own behoof, but in the name of England, the king to have one-fifth part of the profits of the enterprise. This was the first patent for discovery issued by the British crown. In May, 1497, Cabot, with his son Sebastian, set out on his voyage. His fleet consisted of two, or perhaps five ships, with three hundred men on board. The expedition touched at Iceland, and from thence sailed boldly into the unknown, mysterious west in search of gold and emjiire. They were the first in the search for the still undiscovered northwest passage to the " harbor of Cathay," on the eastern shore of Asia, all unconscious of the mighty continent which lay between them and the object of their desire. Unexpectedly soon they reached the shores of Newfoundland or Labrador. Cabot first sailed northwardly along the coast in search of the northwestern passage as far as the sixty-seventh degree of north latitude. Although in July, the cold became intense, and he reversed his course, and sailed south as far as the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude. Failing in his object he returned, taking to the king as trophies three American Indians. The Cabots probably saw nothing but the bays and headlands along the shores, but upon their discovery rests England's claim to her North American possessions. The next year the king renewed his patent to John Cabot. But John Cabot presently died, and whether his son Sebastian made a second voyage to America is one of history's unsolved problems. In the year 1500 the Portugese admiral. Gasper Cortereal, made a voyage to America, sailed along the coast some six or seven hundred miles, and returned with a number of Indian captives, giving glowing accounts of the country. John Verazzano, a Florentine, sailing in the service of France, in the year 1524 made a voyage to America, which was followed by results as important to France as Cabot's voyage was to England. Verazzano, during this voyage, lay at anchor for fifteen days in what is now the harbor of New- port, and entered the Hudson Kiver more than eighty years before the visit of the explorer whose name it bears. About the same time, in the year 1.524 or 1-525, Stephen Gomez was fitted out at the joint expense of the Emperor Charles V. and some merchants of Coruna and sent on a voyage in quest of the northwest passage. He first touched at Newfound- land, and then passing Cape Cod, sailed through Long Island Sound, and also entered the Hud.son, which he named the Rio de San Antonio. In the year 1655, Jacques Cartier, the emi- nent mariner of St. Malo, in Brittany, on the 10th of August of that year, it being the festival of St. Lawrence, discovered the bay and river of that name, and laid the foundation of the French claim to Canada. These discoveries opened a large field for industry and tempt- ing sources of profit to European adventurers. As early as the year 150.3, only three years behind Cortereal, fishing-vessels began to arrive at Newfoundland and along the coast from Brittany and Normandy, and by the year 1517, only twenty years after the voyage of the Cabots, no less than fifty ships, French, Spanish, and Portuguese, were engaged in these fish- eries. Henry VIII. paid little attention to American discovery. It was not until the year 1548, during the reign of Edward VI., that Parliament took the matter in hand, and passed laws protecting English fishermen on the American coast. But it was not until during the last half of the reign of Elizabeth that a permanent settlement of the American con- tinent was undertaken by Englishmen. Sir Humphrey Gil- bert was the half-brother of Sir Walter P>aleigh, and his fellow-soldier in the Protestant armies of France. He had been a member of Parliament, was well versed in geographical and commercial knowledge, and the well-known author of a " Discourse to prove a Passage by the Northwest to Cathaia and the East Indies." With Kaleigh, he cordially embraced the scheme of the colonization of North America. Mexico, the West Indies, and Peru were pouring immense wealth into Spain. How could London and Bristol behold unmoved the strange pros- peritv of Cadiz? The queen gave Sir Humphrey Gilbert a patent, conveying privileges on him similar to those granted by Henry VII. to John Cabot. He and his heirs were to he 24 HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. proprietors of such countries, paying homage therefor to the crown of England, togetlier with one-fifth part of all precious metals found. Sir Humphrey was given admiralty jurisdic- tion over neighboring seas as well as full power to govern on the land. After malting his first attempt, which proved ahortive, Gilbert finally set sail the second time, on the 11th of June, 1583, with two hundred and sixty men in five ships. He reached the coast of North America, on the fifty-flr.st parallel, north latitude, July 30, and on the 3d of August entered the harbor of St. John, in Newfoundland. On the 5th of August he landed, and, pitching his tent on shore, called around him the commanders of the thirty-six fishing- vessels of difterent nations he had found there, and, with imposing ceremonies, toolv possession of the territory in the name of the British crown. His commission was read and interpreted, a turf and a twig were formally delivered to him in tolven of investiture and of allegiance to the crown, and proclamation made of his authority to govern the country for two hundred leagues on every side. He set up a pillar with the royal arms aiBxed thereto graven on lead, and made'grants of land in severalty for erecting stands for curing fish. But this attempt of Sir Humphrey Gilbert at settlement, the first made by Englishmen on American soil, heads also the long list of frustrated settlements whose sad details are more interesting to the historian than those of many a suc- cessful one. His search for gold was unavailing. His com- pany was unused to hardships, and many sickened and died. One disaster followed another, and, utterly discouraged, Gil- bert sailed for England. He took passage himself on the least seaworthy vessel, thus choosing the place of danger ; and on the 9th of September his little ship, in a violent storm, went to the bottom, and every soul on board perished. The last words he was heard to utter by those who survived on other ships were, " We are as near heaven by sea as by land." After Gilbert's death his patent wa.9 renewed to Sir Walter Raleigh, who, in 1584 and the following year, made his attempt to colonize Virginia, so named in honor of England's virgin queen. EARLIEST ENGLISH SETTLEMENT IN MASSACHUSETTS. It was in the year 1602, nineteen years after the failure of Sir Humjihrey Gilbert, that Bartholomew Gosnold, a mariner -of the West of England, under the command and with the consent of Sir Walter Raleigh, at the cost among others of Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, in a small ship called the "Concord," set sail for "the north part of Vir- ginia" with a view to the establishment of a colony. Gosnold sailed from Falmouth on the 26th of March, and had with him a company of thirty-two persons, eight of whom were seamen, and twenty men to become planters. On the 14th of May he saw land in Massachusetts Bay, and soon after taking a large quantity of fish near a headland, he named it Cape Cod. Gosnold, Brereton, and three o'hers went on shore, being first Englishmen who are known to have set foot on the soil of Massachusetts. Sailing southerly and westerly to the south of Nantucket, Go.snold, after landing at No-man' s-lnnd, to which he gave the mime Martha's Vinf>/ard, since transferred to the larger island, reached an island now called by the In- dian name of Cut-iii-hunk, where he laid the foundation for a settlement. In three weeks after landing he had dug a cellar, prepared timber, and built a house fortified with palisades after the Indian fashion. A dispute arose between the planters and the sailors as to their provisions, and a party going out in search of shell-fish was attacked by hostile savages. Becom- ing discouraged, at the end of a month from landing on the island Gosnold abandoned his settlement and returned to Eng- land. But his enterprise, althougli a present failure, was fruit- ful in its con.sequences. Out of it slowly developed the final settlement of New England. Such glowing accounts were given by his men of the fruitfulncss of the soil and the saiu- brity of the climate that other expeditions soon followed. The land was "overgrown," said they, " with wood and rub- bish, viz. : oaks, ashes, beech, walnut, witch-hazel, sassafrage, and cedars, with divers others of unknown name. The rub- bi.sh is wild pease, young sassafrage, cherry-trees, vines, eglan- tine, gooseberry-bushes, hawthorn, honeysuckles, with others of like quality. The herbs and roots are strawberries, rasps, ground-nuts, alexander, surrin, tansy, etc., without count." In the year 1603, Richard Hakluyt, the learned cosmo- grapher, took an active interest in schemes for the further ex- ploration of North Virginia, as New England was then called, which resulted in the voyage of Martin Pring of that year, and in 1005 Lord Southampton fitted out and sent George Way mouth. In the mean time, between the years 1603 and 1606, the French, through the Sieur de Monts, came near taking posses- sion of North Virginia. De 3Ionts, with Pontgrave and De Poutrincourt for his lieutenants, and Samuel de Champlain for his pilot, in 1604 set sail for the principality of Acadie, of which he had a patent. Thinking the climate of that region too severe, the next season he embarked for the shores of Mas- sachusetts, and was upon the coast nearly at the same time with Wayniouth ; but the Indians were ho.stile, and he did not stay. The next year his companions renewed the voyage, and De Poutrincourt sent a party on shore at Cape Cod to plant a cross in the name of the king of France. The Indians at- tacked his men, killed two and wounded others. His situation becoming dangerous he returned to Port Royal, leaving North Virginia to become New England, and not New France. In pursuing this rapid sketch of the early navigators, we now come to many names more prominently identified with the early settlement of the country, conspicuous among which are Sir Fernando Gorges and Capt. John Smith, the one the founder of Virginia, and the other, in a certain sense, the father of Puritan New England. In the year 1604, Sir Fernando Gorges was made governor of Plymouth. W^aymouth, on his return from America in the year 1605, brought with him several Indian captives. Three of these he gave to Gorges. "This accident," writes Gorges, " was the means, under God, of putting on foot and giving life to all our plantations." Gorges took the natives into his house and kept them three j'ears. He taught them to speak in the English tongue, and listened with delight to their accounts of the "stately islands and safe harbors" of their native land, "what great rivers ran up into the land, what men of note were seated on them, what power they were of, how allied, what enemies they had, and the like."* Sir J(jhn Popham, another name conspicuous in earl}' New England history, was then lord chief-justice of the King's Bench, and Gorges, who had befriended him in former times, obtained his powerful influence at court for authority to renew operations in America. This movement of Gorges and Pop- thS^~|__ham, in the west of England, was seconded by "certain noble- men, knights, gentlemen, and merchants" of London, who were desirous of renewing the attempt made by Raleigh in Virginia. The result of this joint application was the incorporation of two companies, called in the patent the " First and Second Colony." Both companies were placed under the common supervision of a body called "The Council of Virginia," to be appointed by the crown, and each company was to be governed on the spot by a council appointed in like manner. The First or London Comjiaii;/ had assigned to it South A'^irginia, being the territory extending from the thirty-fourth to the forty-first degree of north latitude, with a breadth of fifty miles inland. The Second or Plymouth Conijiany, under the management of " sundry kniglits, gentlemen, and other adventurers, of the cities of Bristol and Exeter, and of the * Mxis. Hist. Coll., XXVI., .in, h\. HISTORY OF THE CONxNECTICUT VALLEY. 25 town of Plymouth, and of other places," was authorized to plant in North Virginia, between the thirty-eighth and forty- fifth parallels. As their territory overlapped in part, neither company was to settle within one hundred miles of land pre- viously occupied by the other. All the rights of British sub- jects were granted to the colonists and their descendants. Under this last-named patent various abortive attempts at settlement were made by both companies — notably that of -Xrorges, of the Plymouth Company, to plant a colony at the mouth of the Kennebeck, in Maine, in the year 1007. But it was not until the year 1614 that a new impetus was given to the settlement of America. In that year Capt. John Smith sailed from London for the American coast, in com- mand of two ships, fitted out by some private adventurers. The history of John Smith, the founder of Virginia, under the London Company, reads more like some mythical ro- mance of prehistoric times than the sober account of events occurring in the seventeenth century, and in the very days of William Pynchon, the father of Springfield. The fa.sein- ating story belongs rather to the Old Dominion than to New England. -Suffice it to say that Smith visited the coast of North Vir- ginia in the year l(il4, drew a map of it " from point to point, isle to isle, harbor to harbor, with the soundings, sands, rocks, andJandmarks," and he was the first to call it by the name of New Eiiglatid. After his failure on the Kennebeck, in 1007, Gorges, in the interest of the Plymouth Company, sent out Richard Vines to New England in 1016-17, and Thomas Dermer in the early summer of 1020, who landed at Plymouth a few months before the Pilgrim Fathers came, and carried back to England the news of the terrible plague among the Indians, that had so m/arly depopulated the country. II. GRK.VT PATENT OF NEW KNGLAND. At length, on the 3d day of November, 1620, King James granted to the Plymouth Company a separate charter of their part of the patent under the control of the " Council of Vir- ginia," and formed them into a separate corporate body, styled in the patent " The Council established in Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering, and governing of New England in America." Of the forty patentees named in this patent thirteen were peers, some of the highest rank, and most of the others were men of distinguished consequence. The following extracts from this patent will be interesting to New England readers : " We, therefure, of our special grace, mere motion, and certain knowledge, by the advice of the lonls and others of om- privy council, have, for us, our heil-s, and successors, granted, ordained, and established that all that circuit, con- tinent, precincts, and limits in America lying and being in breadth from forty degrees of northerly latitude from the equinoctial line to forty-eiglit degrees of the said northerly latitude, and in length by all the breiulth fiforesaid, through- out tlie main land, from sea to sea, with all the seii^, rivers, islandti, creeks, inlets, ports, and havens within the degrees, precincts, and limits of the said latitude and longitude, shall be tlie limits, and bounds, and precincts of the said second colony." "And to the end that the said territiries m.ay forever hereafter be more par- ticularly and ceitainly known and distinguished, our will and pleasure is tluit the same shall from henceforth be noniinated, termed, and called by the name of New England in America; and by that name of New England in America, the said circuit, precinct, limit, continent, islands, and places in .\menca aforesaid, we do, by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, name, call, erect, found, and establish, and by that name to have continuance forever." As it is a matter of interest to the people of the present day to know who were the " principal knights and gentlemen and other persons of quality" who were the real projectors and founders of the New England colonies resident in England, some of whom came over to this side and many of whom were represented in the infant settlements by their near relatives and friends, we give below a list of the first patentees and proprietors with their titles as recited in the patent : "Our right tnisty and right well-beloved cousin and counselor, Lodowick, Duke of Lenox, lord Stewart of our household ; George, Lord Marquis Bnckin- ham, our high admiral of England; James, Marquis Hamilton ; William, Earl of Pembroke, lord chamberlain of our household ; Thonia.s, Earl of Arundel ; and our right trusty and light well-beloved cousin, William, Earl of Bath; and our right tnusty and right well-beloved cousin and counsehu-, Henry, Earl of South- ampton ; and our right trusty and well-beloved cousins, William, Earl of Salsbury, and Robert, Earl of Warwick ; and our right trusty and right well-beloved John, Viscount Iloddington; and our right tru.sty and well-lieloved counselor, Ed- waid. Lord Zouch, lord warden of our cinque ports ; and our trusty and well-be- loved E'lmond, Lord ShefHeld; Edward, Lord Gorges; and our well-beloved Sir Edward Seymoiir, Knight and Baronet ; Sir Robert Mansel; Sir Edward Zouch, our knight nuii-shal ; Sir Dtidley Biggs, Sir Thomas Roe, Sir Fcrdinando Gor- ges, Sir Francis Popham, Sir John Brooks, Sir Thonu^ Gates, Sir Richard Haw- kins, Sir Richard Edgecomb, Sir Allen Apsley, Sir Warwick Hoale, Sir Richard Catchmay, Sir John Bourgchin, Sir Nathaniel Ricli, Sir Edward Giles, Sir Giles Monipesson, Sir Thonia.s Worth, Ivniglits; and our well-beloveti Blatthew Sut- clitf, Dean of Exeter; Robert Heath, Esq., Recorder of our city of London; Henry Bourgchin, John Drake, Ealeigl) Gilbert, Geoi'ge Cliudley, Thomas Hamon, and John Argall, Esquires to be . . . the first modern and present council, es- taldislied at Plymoutli in the county of Devon, for the planting, ruling, ordering, and governing of New England in ^Vmerica." It will be seen that at the very date this patent of New Eng- land was granted a little ship — the " Ma^yflower" — was on the ocean with its precious freight, — the Pilgrim Fathers, — who were destined to be its first permanent settlers. III. THE CHARTER OF THE COLONY OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY. Following closelj' upon the patent of New England, and being the immediate title of settlers of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, came the colony charter. The charter of the colony of Massachusetts was granted by King Charles I., in the third year of his reign, on the 4th day of March, 1628. The charter made and constituted the persons below-named, among whom was William Pynchon, the founder of Springfield, "one body corporate and politick in fact and name, b}' the name of the Governor and Company of the Massachu.ietfs Bay in New England," viz. : Sir Henry Roswell, Sir John Younge, Sir Richard Saltonstall, Thomas Southcott, John Humfrey, John Endicott, Simon Whctcome, Isaac Johnson, Samuel Aldersey, John Ven, Matthew Cradock, George Harwood, Increase Nowell, Richard Puey, Richard Billingham, Na- thaniel Wright, Samuel Vassall, Theophilus Eaton, Thomas Goii'e, Thomas Adams, John Browne, Samuel Browne, Thomas Hutchins, William Vassall, William Pinchion, and George Foxcrofte. This charter was brought over to New England in the year 1030, by John Winthrop, and the colony founded. CHAPTER VIL the: NEW^ ENGLAND PEOPLE-OHIGIN OF THE ENGLISH PUEITANS — THE PILGRIM FATHERS OF NEW" ENGLAND — THE PURITAN FATHERS OF NEW ENGLAND. I. THE NEW ENGLAND PEOPLE. TuE early settlers of the Valley of the Connecticut in Ma.ssachusetts were almost without exception English Puri- tans. Of a truth almost all the inhabitants of the valley, up to the beginning of the present century, were descendants of English Puritans. "Civilized New England," saj's John Gorham Palfrey, " is the child of English Puritanism." The English emigration to New England began with the Pilgrim Fathers in the year 1620. It was not until 1630, ten years later, that they came in any considerable numbers. Ten years later still, in 1040, the English emigration to New England almost ceased. During the twenty years of this active move- ment about twenty thousand English people in all came to New England. These twenty thousand people thenceforth, for over a century and a half, multiplied on their own soil in remarkable seclusion from other communities who were their 26 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. neighbors in the New World. " Till the time of the Boston Port Bill, eighty-four years ago," says Palfrey, writing in 1858, " Massachusetts and Virginia, the two principal English colonies, had with each other scarcely more relations of ac- quaintance, business, mutual influence, or common action, than either of them had with Jamaica or Quebec."* Thus isolated and almost free from foreign influences, this remark- able people preserved its identity quite unimpaired. During all this long period of one hundred and fifty years it was making of itself a homogeneous race, and as such was forming a distinct character and working out its own problems in re- ligion and government. It is true that some small settlements were composed of other elements, and there were from time to time .small accessions to its numbers from abroad. Thus, in 1651, Cromwell, after the battles of Dunbar and Worcester, exiled some four or five hundred of his Scotch prisoners to Massachusetts Bay, few traces of whom are left. In the year 168.5, after Louis XIV. had revoked the Edict of Nantes, about one hundred and fifty families of French Huguenots came to Massachusetts, and in 1719 about one hundred and twenty families of Scotch-Irish came over and settled in Lon- donderry, N. H., and elsewhere in New England. But the.se few strangers had no perceptible influence upon the sturdy New England character. In the solitudes of the old primeval wilderness this remarkable people worked out its own high destiny in suftcring and in faith. The reader must bear in mind, however, the distinction that is made in New England history between the Pilgrim Fathers, of Plymouth, and the Puritan Fathers, of Massachusetts Bay. Although both arc of English Puritan stock, yet they difler in this : the Pilgrim Fathers, who landed at Plymouth Kock in 1620, separated from the Church of England several years before they fled to Holland, from whence they came to America, while the Puri- tan Fathers, who mostly landed at the Massachusetts Bay, about the year IG.SO, did not separate from the English Church until after their arrival here. In fact, their first religious services after their arrival were in strict accordance with the Book of Common Prayer, save in such matters of non-con- formance as had led to their coming here. With the Pilgrim Fathers no ministers came. Their religious services were conducted by laymen for several years after their arrival. The ministers who came with the Puritan Fathers were without exception all regularly-ordained clergymen of the Church of England. It is true the most of them had been silenced in the mother-country for non-conformity, yet their full connection with the church had not been lawfully severed. II. ORIOIN OF THE PURITANS. Christianity, it is probable, was first planted in Britain in the beginning of the second century by the early Christian fathers, if it was not even earlier by Saint Paul himself, as some say. It is known to have existed there in the fourth century, and that British bishops during that period attended the general councils of the church on more than one occasion. The Saxons ■invaded Enghuid about the middle of the fifth century, and not only drove out the ancient British peo]ile, but nearly ex- terminated the early British church. From this early Christian church of Britain, the Protestant Church of England claims descent. The sway of the See of Borne over the Church of England began with the missionary efforts of St. Austin or Augustin in the year 596, when he was sent by Pope Gregory I. to convert the Anglo-Saxons. St. Augustin was made the first archbishop of Canterbury, but the few remaining British bishops refused to come under his rule. It is claimed by the Church of England that the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century was but a revival of the ancient church of Britain freed from the sway of Rome. * Preface to Vol. I., Historj- of New England, p. viii. Of a truth the Church of England, even from the days of the Saxon Heptarchy, all through the long centuries of Roman rule, was always more or less Protestant in spirit. At the time of the Reformation the Church of England protested against the rule of the Church of Rome. The Puritans pro- tested against the sway of the Church of England in turn, and thus became, as they have aptly been called, the " Protes- tants of Protestants." Almost from the conversion of the Saxons in England by St. Augustin, Saxon versions of the Bible were in use among the people, from which they obtained Scriptural knowledge, and in the Anglo-Saxon ritual of the Mass both the gospel and the epistle were read by the clergy from the steps of the altar, not in the Latin but in the Anglo-Saxon tongue.f In the year 1076 even William the Conqueror came near to a quarrel with the Holy See, by forbidding his bishops to obey its citations to Rome, and ordering spiritual causes to be tried in the county courts. J In the reign of Henry I., which began in the year a.d. 1100, the larger portion of the English clergy- had wives, with Henry's ap]iroval, in doubtful submission to the injvmctions of the Holy See, and even in the fifteenth cen- tury there were married priests in England. § In the year 1301 the barons of Edward I., in the dispute about the Scottish crown with the See of Rome, denied the latter's sujiremacy in unmistakable terms, and Edward's Stat- ute of MoHmahi was passed to protect the people against the heavy pecuniary exactions of the monks and priests. And so we find from the earliest times up to the days of Wyclift'e in the fourteenth century a succession of acts showing that no inconsiderable part of the English people were ex- tremely jealous of what they called continental interference in their religious and civil affairs. JOHN WTCLIFFE. The father of English Puritanism was John Wycliffe. He was born in Yorkshire, near Richmond, about the year 1324, and died peacefully at the age of sixty years, in December, in the year 1384. Wycliffe first came into notice while he was still an obscure young student at Oxford, when in the year 1351, King Ed- ward's famous Siafufe of Prorisoex asserted for the English church, in certain matters, independence of the See of Rome. A tract published by Wyclift'e on this occasion, in which he warmly espoused the English cause, not only brought him into notice, but made him famous. Ten years of study and controver.sy only served to widen his departure from the Or- thodox, or Roman standard. His departure from the Orthodox faith was radical. His views, boldly published in England in the middle of the fourteenth century, differ in no important particular from those held upon the same subjects by the Pil- grim and Puritan fiithers of New England, three hundred years later, in the beginning of the seventeenth, nor of their descendants now living, nearly three hundred years later still, at the close of the nineteenth, century. W.yclifte asserted the entire sufficiency of the Bible as a rule of faith. He denied the supremacy of the Pope. He denied the dogma of the real presence in the eucharist, the validity of absolution and indulgences, as well as the merit of penance and monastic vows. He opposed ecclesiastical forms and ceremonies, and the observance of festival days. He protested against auricular coni'essi(m, prayers to saints, the use of set forms of prayer, and denounced the canonical dis- tinction between priests and bishops. || His numerous writings, many of them in the English tongue, were extensively circulated and read with eagerness f Sice Pnlfroy's Histoiy of Now England, Vol. I., p. 100. J mVtficution whereof ensueth : " Whereas, upon some reason and grounds, tliere arc to remove from this or commonwealth and body of the Mattachusetts in America dj-^'" of o*" lovi-ing friends, nt^ighh", freemen and membere of Newe Towne, Dorchester, Watert^iwn, and other places, whoe are resolved to transplant themselves and their estates unto the Ryver of Connecticott, there to reside and inhabite, and to that end dyv" are there already, and dyv" others shortly to goe, wee, in this present Court assembled, on the behalfe of o' said menib", and John Wintlirop, Jun', Esqr, Uovnr, appoyntetl by certaine noble personages and men of iiuallitie inter- ested in tlie said ryvr, wch are yet in England, on their behalfe, liave luul a serious consideration tliere(on), and thinke it mcete that where there are a people to sitt down and cohabite, there will followe, upon occasion, some cause of difference, as also dyvere misdemeanoui-s, wch will require a speedy redresso ; and in regard of the distance of place, this State and government cannot take notice of the same as to apply timely remedy, or to dispence etpiall justice to them and their affaires, as may be desired; and in regard the said noble per- Bonsiges and men of qualitie have something ingaged themselves and their estates in the planting of the said ryver, and by vertue of a pattent, doe require jurisdictiuTi of the said place and people, and' neither the jnindes of the saiil personages (they being writ wixXa)) are as yet knowen, nor any manner of gov'm't is yet agreed on, and there being a necessitie, as aforesaid, tliat some present gov'm't may be observed, wee therefore thinke meete and soe order, that Roger Ludlow, Esqr, William Pinchou, Esqr, John Steele, William Swaine, Henry Smytbe, William Plielpes, William Westwood, and Andrewe Ward, or the greater parte of them, shall liave full power and authoritee to hear and detemiinc in a judicial way, by witnesses upon oathe examine, w'''in the said plantation, all those differences w^'' may arise betweene pai-tie and partie, as also, upon misde- meanor, to inflicte corporall punishm" or imprisonment, to fine and levy the same if occasion soe require, t^:) make and decree such orders, for the present, that may be for the peaceful and quiett ordering the affaires of the said planta- tion, both in trading, planting, building, lotts, militarie dissipline, defensive warr (if need soe require), as shall best conduce to the publique good of the same, and that the said Roger Ludlow, Wm. Pinchon, John Steele, Wm. Swaine, Henry Sniythe, Wm. Phelpes, Wm. Westwuod, Andrew Wai-d, or the greater parte of them, shall have power, under the greaf pr** of their hands, att a ilay or dayes by them appoynted, upon convenient notice, to convent the said inhabitants of the said townes to any convenient place that thcye shall thinke meete, in a legal and open manner, by way of Court, to proceed in executing the power and authoritee aforesaide, and in case of present nessesitie, two of them joyneing togeather, to inflict corporall punishment upon any offender if they see good and warrantable groundes soe to doe ; provided, alwayes, that this conmiission shall not extende any longer time than one whole yeare from the date thereof, and in the meane time it shall be laA\'full for this Court to recall the said presents if they see cause, and if soe I>o there may be a mutual and settled gov'm't con- descended unto by and with the good likeing and consent of the saide noble personages, or their agent, the inhabitiints, and this comonwealthe ; pi'ovided, also, that this may not be any predjudice to the intei-stof those noble personages in the s* rj'ver and confines thereof within their severall lymitts." The reader will see that this instrument constituted a new General Court similar to that at Boston, and the sequel shows that the colony of Connecticut was organized under it, and General Court hold by virtue of its provisions the first year, and that Mr. Pynchon, of Agawam, now Springfield, attended its sittings. CHAPTER IX. THE FOUNDING OP THE MOTHEB TOWNS— THE PLANTING OF SPRINGFIELD IN 1636-WILLIAM; PYNCHON AND HIS BOOKS— THE PLANTING OF WESTFIELD IN 1640— NORTHAMPTON IN 1654. I. THE PLANTING OF SPINOFIELD. Springfield, the garden town of the old Buy Stiite, is at once the mother .'settlement and the queen city of the Valley of the Connecticut in Ma.ssachusetts. Its name wa.s bestowed upon it by William Pynchon, its illustrious founder, in honor of his country-seat of that name, near Chelmsford, in E.ssex County, England. As the reader has seen in the preceding chapter, Springfield was settled in the year 163(3, in connection with the movement to the valley of the Connecticut Kiver of that year, which resulted in the founding of the State of Con- necticut. In this chapter it will only be attempted to give some ac- count of the first planting of the mother towns in the valley, leaving the main incidents of the settlement and development to the several town histories, which will be found farther on in these pages. THE JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. As has also been seen in the last chapter, the inhabitants of the infant towns at the Bay, who had, for want of more room, determined to remove to the valley of the Connecticut, expe- rienced considerable difficulty in obtaining the consent of the General Court. At length, on the 6th day of May, 163.5, that ' consent was reluctantly given to the people of several towns, and among others to Roxhury, in the following w'ords, viz. : "The inhabitants of Kocksbury hath liberty granted them to remove themselves to any place they shall think meet, not to prejudice another plantation, provided they continue still under this government." To carry out his undertaking, and to provide some shelter for the families of the new wilderness home, in the summer of 1G35, Mr. Pynchon sent on two men to build a home at Ag-a- u'am, the Indian name of the new settlement. These two men were named John Cable and John Woodcock. They built a small house on the Agawam meadow, on the west side of the Connecticut Kiver, and south side of the Agawam Kiver, about one-half mile above its mouth. This meadow has since borne the name of the " House Meadow." It now lies in the town of Agawam, and is beautifully situated in what was once a bend of the stream, afterward cut off by a change in its bed. Its surface was mostly some ten feet higher than the adjoining meadows, which were subject to overflow. The Indians, however, told them that it was likewise subject to overflow in extreme high water, and therefore, as a place of settlement, it was abandoned. The house, however, probably stood there for a year or more. It was not until the spring of the next year, 1636, that everything was in readiness for the departure of the emigrants. But before we follow them to their new homes, along the old Indian trail leading w-est from Boston, afterwards known to the people of Springfield as the " Bay Path," and since cele- brated in story and song, let us first take a survey of the situation in the early spring of that year, and attempt to form some notion of the magnitude and danger of their undertak- ing. Prom ocean to ocean, from sea to sea, from the frozen Northland to the flowing Gulf-Land, the whole vast continent was one unbroken solitude, covered with limitless forests filled with savage beasts, and still more savage men, and within it 32 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. all were only a few feeble white settlements at vast distances from each other. On the north Champlain was nursing his little colony of Quebec. On the west there was a small fur- trading Dutch colony at Fort Orange, now Albany, and another at Manhattan, now New York. Farther to the south, in small numbers, were the English on the James, and the Spaniards in Florida ; but it was two years before the wedes landed on the banks of the Delaware. But neitlier of these settlements, if it would, could atlbrd them any aid or sympathy. But this was not the worst of it. As they jour- neyed tlirough the State from east to west, the B!ly Path on which they trod was flanked on their left with no less than four powerful Indian nations, — the Wniiijmnonffs, the Karrn- f/nnsetis, the Pequuts, and the Mohicans, either of which could send a thousand warriors into the field. Along their route lay the villages of the Nijimucks, and in the valley of the river which was to be their future home dwelt four or five tribes more. Would the time ever come when all these tribes throughout New England should rise and rend them? Alas! too soon. The very ne.\t year after their arrival in the valley the ter- rible struggle with the Pequuts occurred. In this war the inhabitants of Springfield took no active part, yet towards it they contributed their full share of the expenses.* Of the journey of William Pynchon and his little band of settlers in the earlj' spring of 1636 over the old Indian trail wliich led from the Bay to Agawam on the Connecticut, and often called in the early records the " Bay Path," we have no authentic account. It must be left to the imagination, there- fore, to picture the incidents of the journey. Of their leave-takings and tearful farewells from old and long-tried friends ; their daily march through the almost path- less forest for weeks together ; their arrival at their now home in the old wilderness, welcomed only by its savage occupants ; of their first ravishing view of the fertile meadows of the beau- tiful river, the largest in New England, there is no recorded word. Their household goods were sent around by water, as will be seen by an extract from a letter written by Governor Win- throp to his son John at the time,t in the "Blessing of the Bay:" " Son, — Blesserl be tlie Lord wJio hath preserved and prospered you hitherto. "I received your lettel-s by tlie 'Blessing,' wliich arrived here the 1-ttb of tliis present, and is to return to you with Mr. Pynchon's goods so soon as she can bo laden. ********** "I think tlie bark goeth away in the morning. Therefore I here end with Balntiitions to all oui- friends witli you. "This 2fith of the 2 Mo. (.\|iril), 1036. " To my venj lovhuj miij Mr. Winthrop, Jtnt,, Gov. of the new PUmUition iqion Con- neclicuV Upon their arrival at the site chosen by Pynchon, finding the "House Meadow" unsuitable for their settlement, they pitched upon the spot which lies over against Agawam, on the east bank of the Connecticut, now the site of the city of Spring- field. Not far from the present line of the Boston and Albany Kail- road a small stream of pure water ran down from the hills across the marshy ground, and striking the higher level of the sandy plain which borders the river's bank, separated into two parts, one running south and the other north, each emptying into the river a mile or more from the point of separation. The part of this stream which turned toward the south they called the Town Brook. It ran along the easterly side of what is now Main Street, and emptied into Mill River just above the point where that stream enters the Connecticut. Along this stream of pure water running southerly they laid out their first street, now known as Main Street, and be- * See Trnnibnirs Hist, of Conn. t Winthrnp's Hist, of N. E., Vol. I., p. .■i89. tween this street and the river extended the home lots of the settlers, of different widths. On these home lots bordering the Main Street the settlers built their first rude log cabins opposite the town brook, and began their life in the wilderness. To each settler a portion of the " Hasseky Marish," which lay between the town brook and the hill to the eastward, was allotted, as well as parts of the meadow land and corn-plant- ing ground lying on the opposite side of the river in Agnwum and Qiirnin. Tlie further interesting incidents of their history, with copies of the compact they entered into for the government of their plantation, and the Indian deed which they took, will be found farther on in these pages, in the history of the town and city of Springfield, to which the reader is referred. II. WILLIAM PYNCHON. William Pynchon, the founder of Springfield and the pioneer settler of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, was no com- mon man. He was possessed of a considerable estate in England, and on its inception became interested in the colony of Massachusetts Baj'. He was one of the assistants named in the charter, and came over with Winthrop when that instrument was brought from England to the Massachusetts Bay in the year 1630. He was one of the founders of Roxbury, near Boston, and remained there until his removal to the Connecticut Valley. His wife died soon after his arrival, leaving an only son and daughter, John and JIary, who accompanied him to the Connecticut River. John Pynchon remained at Springfield, and became dis- tinguished in history in aftcr-j'ears as the " Worshipful John Pynchon." John Pynchon, on the 30th day of October, 1645, married Amy, daughter of George Wyllys.J Mary' Py'nchon, on the 20th day of November, 1640, was married to Elizur Holyoke, another name distinguislicd in the early annals of Springfield. A simple, upright slab of the Old Red Sandstone which underlies the valley of her home in the cemetery at Springfield tells the story of her death and good qualities in touching language, a copy of which is herewith HekeLyeh The BodyofMari THEWITE OFEDZyRHoLVoKL WHo Died oc-tobek xi.tbS7 Shtt y l^jtiKttrc (i)ft5 ulv-'iltsKt ilbod. Mary Holyoke, dan. of M'm Pynchon the leader of the Colonists who settled Springfield a'as born in England and died as recorded here. The'reniains of the Pynchon Family luere removed from the old burying ground at the foot of Elm Street Mar. 1S49 and are de- posited around this stone. In the year 1638, two years after the planting of Springfield, William Pynchon became involved in difliculties with the Connecticut people at Hartford, under whose jurisdiction he had till then remained, on account of which, and also on account of the fact then discovered that Agawam, now Springfield, lay X Hartford records give this date incorrectly as the 0th of Noveudjer, 1046, See Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, Vol. VI., p. 376. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 33 within the boundaries of the Massachusetts jurisdiction, he seceded from Connecticut, and became subject to the authori- ties at the Bay. The controversy which arose on account of the separation is set forth somewhat at length in a succeeding chapter. In the mean time we must follow the fortunes of Wm. Pynchon until he leave the colony. In the year 1637, being the autumn after the first arrival of the colonists at Agawam, came the Rev. George Moxon, the first minister at Springfield. Mr. Moxon was educated at Sidney College, Cambridge, England, where he took the de- gree of A.B. in 1623. He came to Massachusetts in the year 1637, and first settled at Dorchester. He was made a freeman Sept. 7, 1637, and that very autumn followed his old friend to Agawam, on the Connecticut River. The following records, transcribed from the early town books of Springfield, throw some light upon Mr. Moxon 's coming, and the early establishment of religious services at the infant colony at Agawam : I. March 20, 1637. — It is ordered that in consideration of certayn charges which tile present inhaliitants liave been at for Mr. Moxon's house and fencing his lott, sucli as sliall for future tynie come to inhaliite in ye place shall bear a share in the like charges in proportion with ourselves. II. January 16, 1C38. — It is ordered that the three rod of grownd yt lyes betwixt John Woodcock's parcell and Goodman Gregory's lott, shall be appropriated, two rod of it tj Goodman Gregory and one i-od of it to Kich'd Everett, reserving 40 rods for a place for a meeting-house, which is to be allowed out of Goodman Gregory's lott. III. The 13th of January, 1638. — A voluntary vote agreed upon the day above said for ye raising of fourty pounds toward ye building of a house for Mr. Moxon. .John Searle 00 01 00 00 Thomas llortou Thomas Mirack 00 01 00 m John Leonard 00 12 00 (X) Rjbert Ashley : 00 01 00 00 John Woodcock 00 00 12 00 Richard Everitt 00 01 10 00 John Alline 00 01 00 01) John Burt 00 (HI 111 0(1 Henry Smith 00 O.'i 00 00 Jehu Burr 00 07 00 00 Mr. William Pynchon 00 21 00 00 John Cable 00 01 12 00 00 41 04 m IV. 13th January, 1638. — For Mr. Moxon's maintenance till next Michaelmas. £. 8. d. Mr. William Pynchon 24 06 0.S J.huc liuiT 08 03 fH Ili'nrv Smith 05 10 m John'Cable 02 0(J 00 40 00 00 John Searle 01 00 IKl Rich. Everett 01 (Kl (HI John Alline 01 00 00 Thos. Horton 01 00 00 John Woodcock 01 00 00 Robt. Ashley 00 16 00 .John Leonard 00 10 INI Thos. Mirach 01 05 iki 07 11 00 In 1653, Mr. Moxon returned to England with Mr. Pynchon, and died there Sept. 15, 1687. MR. PYNC'HON'S BOOKS. In the year 1650, Mr. P3'nchon published a book in Eng- land upon a controverted religious topic, which shortly after caused his removal from the colony. The title of this book was, " The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption, Justification, etc., Cleering it from some common errors, and proving, — " Part I. — 1. Tliat Christ did not suffer for ue those unutterable torments of God's wrath, that commonly are called Sell-torments, to redeem our soules from them. 2. That Christ did not bear our sins by God's imputation, and therefore he did not bear the curse of the Law for them. "Part II.— 3. That Christ bath redeemed us from the curse of the Law (not by suffering the said cui-se for us, but) by a satisfactory price of atonement, viz., by praying or performing unto bis Father that invaluable precious thing of which his Mediatoriall sacriflce of atonement was the master-piece. 4. A sinner's right- eousness or justification is explained, and cleered fi-om some common erroi^. 5 "By William Pynchon, Qcntlonian, in New England. "The MetliatLir saith thus t(.» his father in Psal. 40: 8-10: 'Ideligiit to dn thy will, my God: Ye;x, tliy Law is within my heart;' viz., I delight to do tliy will or Law as a Blediator. " ' I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart ; I have declared thy faith- fulness and thy salvation;' namely; I have not hid thy righteousness or thy way of making sinners righteous, but liave declared it hy the performance of ray Me- diatoriall sacrifice of atonement, as the procuring came of thy atonement, to the Great Congregation for their everlasting righteousness. "London: Printed by T. M., for George Whittington and James Muxon, and are to be sold at the blue Anchor in CoruhiU, neer the Royal Exchange, 1050. 158 pages." The doctrines upon the Atonement advocated by Mr. Pynchon in this book were repugnant to the gloomy dog- mas of the New Enghmd theologians of the time, and were considered to be heretical and dangerous. The matter was promptly brought before the General Court at Boston, and action taken thereon, of which the following is a record : "October 19, 1650. " This Court havinge had the sighte of a booke lately printed under the name of "William Pinchon, in New England, gent., and judginge it meete, iloe there- fore order, first, that a protest be drawno fully and clearly to satisfy all men that this Court is so farre from approvinge the same as that they doe utterly dislike it and detest it as erroneous and dangerous. " 2adJy, That it be suffyciently answered by one of the reverend elders. "3dly, That the said William Pinchon be summoned before the next Generall Court, to answer for the same. " 4thly, That the said booke now broughte over be burnt by the executioner (or such other as shall be appoynted thereto, provided that the party app<.)ynted bo willinge), and that in the market-place in Boston on the morrow immediately after the Lecture. Per Curkt. " The declaration and protestation of the Generall Court of the Massachusetta in New England, " The Generall Court, now sittinge at Boston, in New England, this sixteenth of October, 1650. There was broughte tteste our innocency as being neither partyes nor privy to the writings, composeing, and printinge, nor divulginge thereof; but that, on the contrary, we detest and abhorre many of the opinions and assertions therein as false, eronyons, and hereticall ; yea and whatsoever is contayned in the said booke, which are contrary to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, and the generall received doctrine of the orthodox churches extant since the time of the last and best refomiation, and for proffe and evi- dence of our sincere and playne moaninge therein, we doe hereby coudemne the said booke to be burned rn the market-place, at Boston, by the common ex- ecutioner, and doe purpose with all convenient speede to convent the said William Pinchon before authority, to find out whether the said William Pinchon will owne the said booke as his or not; which if he doth, we purpose (God willinge) to precede with him accordinge to his demerits, unless he retract the same, and give full satisfaction lx»the here and by some secoude writinge, to be printed and dispersed in England ; all of which we thought needfuU, for the reasons alx>ve aleaged, to make knowne by this sliorte protestiition and declaration. Also we further propose, witli what convenient speede we may, to appoint some fitt per- son to make a particular answer to all materiall and controversyall passages in the said booke, and to publish the same in print, that so the eiTors and falsyties therein may be fully discovered, the tnjth cleared, and the minds of those that love and seeke after truth confirmed therein. Per CarUi. *' It is agreed upon by the whole Court that Mr. Norton, one of the reverend elders of Ipswich, should be iutreated to answer Mr. Pinchou's booke with all convenient speede. " It's ordered, that the foregoing declaration concerninge the booke subscribed by the name of William Pinchon in New England, gent., should be signed by the secretary and sent into England to be printed there. Per Curia. "It is ordered that Mr. William Pinchon shall be summoned to appeare before the next Generall Court of Election, on the firet day of theire sittinge, to give his answer for the booke printtul and published under the name of William Pinchon, in New England, gent., entitled 'The Meritorious price of o' Redemp- tion, Justification,' etc., and not to depart without leave from the Court. Per Curia."* In accordance with this order, the Rev. Mr. Norton was employed b}' the court to confer with Mr. Pynchon upon the subject, and prepare an answer to his book. At a General Court held in Boston, on the 7th of May, 1651, * Mass. Col. Records, Vol. III., page 216. 34 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. Mr. Pynchon presented the following recantation, a copy of which we give from the records: " AccoKDiNO to the court's advise I have conferred with the Bevs. Mr. Cotton, Mr. Norrice, and Mr. Norton, ahout some points of the greatest consequence in my hook, and I hope I have so explained my meaning to them as to take oft' the worst construction ; and it hath pleased God to let me see that I have not spoken in my book so fully of the price and merit of Christ's sufferings as I should have done, for in my book I call them but trials of his obedience, yet intending thereby to amplify and exalt the mediatorial obedience of Christ, as the only meritorious price of man's redemption ; but now at pres- ent I am much inclined to think that his sufferings were ap- pointed by God for a further end, namelj', as the due punish- ment of our sins by way of satisfaction to divine justice for man's redemption.* "Your humble servant, in all dutiful respect, "William Pynchon." On the 23d of October, IGOO, Roger Williams, writing to John Winthrop, Jr., among other things speaks of this book as follows : " He tells me of a booke lately come over, in Mr. Pynchon's name, wherein is some derogation to the blood of Christ. The booke was therefore burnt in the market-place at Boston, and Mr. Pynchon to be cited to the court. " If it is in hand, I may hope to see it. However, the Most High and only Wise will by this case discover what liberty conscience hath in this land."f Mr. Pynchon gave bail for his further aiipearance at court, and the matter was further continued until the next meeting. In the mean time, before tlie day of hearing came on, Mr. Pynchon had left his adopted country, a voluntary exile, never to return. In the year 1653, and after Mr. Pynchon's arrival in Eng- land, Mr. Norton's answer was published in London. It was entitled "A Discu.s.sioN of that Great Point in Divinity, THE SUFPEUINGS OF ChRIST," etC. Mr. Pynchon published a rejoinder to this hook, of which the following is the title in full : "THE MERITORIOUS PRICE OF MAN'S REIIEMPTION ; "or, " CHRIST'S SATISFACTION DISCUSSED AND EXPLAINED. " 1. By SHEWING how the siiffeiiugs and the saciifice of Chiist did satisfie God's Justice, iiatitie his Wmth, and procure his Reconciliation for Man's Re- demj)tioi) from Satan's Head plot. " 2. By \indicating the suffeiings and the saciifice of Christ from that most dangerous, Sciiptureless Tenents, that is lield foith hy Mr. Noiton, of New Eng- land, in his Book of Chiist's sufteiing, attiiming that he suffered the Essential Tornionta of Hell, and the second death, from God's immediate vindictive wrath. "3. By showing that the Righteousness of God (so called in Rom. 3 : 21, 22, 26; in Roiu. 10: 3; in Cor. 5; 21; and in Phil. 3; 9) is to he undei-stood of Gi>d the Father's perfoi niance of his covenant with Christ ; namely, that upon CIn ist's perfornumce of liis Covenant (hy coinliating with Satan, and at last hy making his death a saciitice) he would he reconciled to helieving sinners, and not impute their sins to them. And therefore : 1. This Righteousness of God must needs he the formal cause of a sinner's justification. And 2. It must needs he a distinct soit of Righteousness from the Righteousness of Chiist, contrary to Mr. Noi ton's Tenent. This is evidenced in Chap. 14, and elsewhere. "6. By explaining God's Declaiation of the Conihato between the Devil and the seed of the Woman in Gen. 3: 1.5, from whence (as from the foundation J>i inciple) this present reply doth explain all the after-prophecies of Christ's Suf- ferings. " 7. By cleai ing several other Scriptures of the greatest note in these C^jiitro- versies from Mr. Norton's eomipt Expositions, and hy exixmnding them in their right sense; Both according to the Context, and according to sundry eminent Oithodox Wiiters.l "by WILLIAM PYNCHON, ESQ., LATE OF NEW ENGLAND. 1655." Mr. Pynchon followed up the discussion in a book printed at London in 1662, called " The Covenant of Nature made with Adam Described, etc., and cleared from sundry great mis- * Mass. Col. Rec, Vol. III., p. 229. t Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th Series, Vol. VI., p. 285. J The author is indehted to the kindness of the Lihraiian of Harvard I'ln- veibity for the privilege of exanuiiing this rare volume. takes." In this last-named volume, the address to the reader is dated "From my Study, Wraysbury, Feb. 10, 1661." Mr. Pynchon died at Wraysbury on the Thames, in Buck- inghamshire, some time during the month of October, 1662, aged seventy-two 3'ears. OTHER BOOKS OF MR. PYNCHON. Mr. Pynchon published other works than those above re- ferred to, among which is one entitled "the TIME WHEN THE FIRST SABBATH WAS ORDAINED. "1. Negntirehj. Not in the times of Adam's innocency, as many say it wa^. " 2. Ajjlrnutiirdij. It was ordained after the time of Adam's fall and re-crea- tion. *********** " And herein it follows: " 1st. That as the Sahhath was ordained to he a tj'pica! sign, so it must he abol- ished as Boon as Christ had perfoi med his said propitiatory saciifice. "2d. As it was ordained to he the sanctified time for the exercise of the said hlessed ordinance, so the next day of the week into which it was changed must continue without iutei mission until the end of the world. " By William Pynchon, Esq., London. Printed by R. I., and are to he sold hy T. N., at the three Lyons in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. 1U54." In this work Mr. Pinchon's argument sounds strange enough to our modern ears, and to give the reader some idea of the methods of the speculative theology of that daj-, a statement of some of his propositions is given, and a single quotation from the last-named work is indulged in. Mr. Pynchon argues that Adam and Eve fell from Para- dise on the first day of their creation, which was the sixth of the creation as mentioned in Genesis. That God made Adam out of the dust of the earth, and commanded the beasts of the field as well as the angels in heaven to become man's ministering servants. The beasts were brought before Adam, and, as no helper was found among them meet for him. Eve was formed, and the pair was placed in Paradise ; that a part of the angels obeyed and min- istered unto Adam and Eve, but that a large number of the angels, seeing that Adam was but formed of dust, disobeyed and refused to serve them. Upon this, the disobedient angels were cast out of heaven, and, uniting together, became Satan's head. Hearing the covenant between God and Adam as to the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life, the fallen angels resolved to accomjilish the fall of man also. So, in the first few hours of man's innocency, Satan's head appeared in the serpent as an angel of light and tempted the woman Eve. We now quote at this point of the argument what Mr. Pynchon says : " Now, God, being a cunning and complete Workman, would not be outbidden by Satan's brags, and therefore he gave Satan leave to do his worst (as he did afterwards give him leave to do his worst to Christ) ; for he know that if his workmanship .should fail upon the trial, he could tell how to mend it, and how to make it better able to endure the trial for the time to come." On page 35 is a fac-simile of one of the pages of Mr. Pyn- chon's Book of Records, kept at Springfield while acting as a magistrate in his infant settlement. It is interesting, not only as showing Mr. Pynchon's handwriting, hut as being the first page of the records of his court. The first action recorded was between Cable and Woodcock ahout the building of the historic house on the "House Meadow," or Agawam, in the summer of 1635. In the second action recorded it will be seen that Mr. Pynchon was not only judge of the court, but the plaintiff' in the suit in which Henry Smith, his son-in- law, was foreman of the jury. III. THE PLANTING OF WESTFIELD. Although Northampton was the first permanent settlement made after Springfield in the Connecticut Valley in Massa- chusetts, yet the first attempt at settlement was made, and the first buildings outside of Springfield were put up, at Wo-ro-noak, now Westfield. HISTORY OP THE CONNp]CTICUT VALLEY. 35 This settlement at Woronoak was l)egnn by Connecticut people as early as the year 1040, they supposing that the place lay within their jurisdiction. In that year Governor Hopkins erected a trading-house at what is now Westfield, and had considerable interest in the plantation.* About this time Agawam, now Springfield, was leaving the jurisdiction of Connecticut for that of Massa- chusetts. In the dispute wliieh then arose regarding the boundary line, Wo-)-o-nnnk was claimed by both jurisdictions. The matter was taken to the General Courts of the respective colonies ; and at a General Court, held in Boston on the 4th of March, 1641, the following letter concerning Wo-ro-noak was ad- dressed by the General Court at Boston to the General Court at Hartford, which will throw some light on the subject: " From the Generall Court nt Bostiin, 2il of the 4th month, IMl. " Sr, — It is grievous to us to niepte w*!" any ocration that niiglit cause difference to arise betweene y people and us, standing in so near relation of friendsliip, neighborhood, and Cliristianity, especially ; there- fore o' study is (when any such arise) to laho' the renioveing of them ujion the first appearance. Now so it is, that wee have l>een certified that yo** have given leave to some of you", to set up a trading-house at Waronoch, which is known to bee w""in u' patents lying as much or more to the north thiin Springfield. Wee heare also, that you have granted to Mr. Robt. Saltonatjlll a great (juanfity of land, not far beneath Siiringfield, wh*''' wee conceive also to belong to us. Wee desire yo" to consider of it, as that which we apprehend to bee an ijijury to us, and do us such right in redresse hearof aa yo" would e.vpect fro us in a like ca.se. M'ee suppose wee shall not need to use other a^irr^ ff-h'-ty^ -nW^ ^^""Z -jju 7*--^ 7-f^^ S'^'r*^^ J^-r^y <,rf^Y ^ -^^•«<-r^^.J"(W^ in case the petitioners should settle themselves, and a min- ister within three j'ears, "the order for Wo-ro-noak hence- forth to lye to Springfield should be void," otherwise the land should belong to Springfield until a plantation should be settled there. This scheme seems to have entirely failed, only one man having acquired title by his residence of five years there. At length, on the 7th of February, 1664, at a town-meeting held at Springfield, Capt. Pynchon, Elizur Holyoke, and Messrs. Ely, Colton, and Cooley, were appointed a standing committee, " To have the sole power to order matters concerning Wo-ro- noak, both for admitting of inhabitants to grant lands, or for any other business that may concern tliat place, and conduce to its becoming a town of itself." Under this arrangement a permanent settlement was made at Wo-ro-noak. Inl6G9 it was incorporated as a town, by the name of Wcstfield.J "_?i:t fiia-A^' ■^u/ vVf *^-o "^-y C«^~c/ "•^'-y^c?' >i^€j- 22,-^ -^L-f^ fO-^ ^'^'^ ~' -^^-"^-^ ^^^'^^ 777^ r v- * ^-^>^ ^yvif — c*^r»^ *7_- — /^^ —f ~^ IV. THE PLANTING OF NORTHAMPTON. Northampton sits at the foot of the towering central mountain chain of the Connecticut Val- ley in Massachusetts, filled with the lingering charm of more than two centuries of cultivated and refined life. " Art's storied dwelling, learn- ing's green retreat." /' yr^^ f ^.^-tr^^^t:^ ^ Argu""; wee know to whome weewright. Wee have thought ')fW.^ //|- ■ / gj^ ^VJ'to -^.f^-.M^ s-j^^ TS-A^*^ :& rd^^ Uleete upon these occations to intimate further unto yo" that wee intend (by Goil's help) to know the certainty of o' limitts, to the end that wee may neither intrench ui>on the right of any of or neighlwrs, nor suffer o^selves and or posterity to bee deprived of what rightly be- longeth unto us, wheh wee hope will bee wUiout offense to any ; and upon this wee may have some ground of proceeding in o' further treaty wtb yo" aluult such things as may concerne the welfare of us all. Tlu'se tilings wee leave t expect .yo' answear. In the mean time wee rest."f The matter was finally referred to the Commissioners of the nited Colonies, and on the 27th day of October, 1648, an order entered b_y the Commissioners awarding Wo-ro-noak to the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, and the Connecticut people seem to have abandoned their settlements, and Wo-ro-noak became a part of the town of Springfield. In 1662 another movement was made to settle Westfield by certain gentlemen who appear to have belonged in Windsor and Dorchester. They petitioned the General Court for, and received, a tract of land six miles square, conditioned that * See Trumbull's Hist, of Conn., Vol. I., p. 147. t Mass. Cil. Rec, Vol. I., p. 323. Her Indian name Non- o-tuck, or Nan-o-iuk as oftener written in old records, and sometimes Nol-wo-togg, is of local significance descriptive of a feature of her near landscape. In the In- dian tongue Noen-tuk, or No-a,k-tuk, means "in the middle of theriver," in allusion to the island situate between North- ampton village and Mount Tom, surrounded by an old channel of the stream, and to the penin- sula upon which Hadley is built. § After Springfield had become firmly established at the mouth of the Agawam, the first movement of her people in search of " fresh fields and pastures new" was not westward, hilt north- ward, and up the " Great River," as it was then called. The first record which we find looking towards a settlement at Non-o-tuck is the following : PAGE FROM WM. PYNCHON's COURT RECORD. you'' coiisitleiiitii'ii, and mIuiU " Att a General Court of Election, held at Boston tlie 18th of the 3d mo., Anno 1653. Mr. Samuel Cole, of Boston, having lunge since disbursed fifty poun^ls in the cunimon stocke, as appeared by good testimony tij the cuuit, on his own re- quest hath 400 acors of land graunted him at Nonotucke, to be layd out by Cap- tayne Willard." In the mean time a petition had been filed in the General Court, by certain inhabitants of Springfield, asking the privi- X Holland's Hist, of Western Ma.ss., Vol. I., p. C5. I Col. of Conn. Hist. Society, Vul. II., p. 11. 36 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. lege of making a settlement at Non-o-tuck, on the Connectieut, which was in the following words : " Your highly honored, the General Court of the Massachusetts. The humble petition of John Pj'nehou, Eleazur Holliock, antl Samuel Chapin, Inhabitants of Springtield, sheweth, We hartyly desire the continuance of your peace. And in exercise of your stibirch in these parts, In order where unto we humbly tender o' desire of that liberty may be granted to erect a plantation, Aliout fifteen miles Above us, on this river of Connecticut, if it be the will of the Lord, the place being, as we tliiuk, very conmiodious, — »i New England."* Only two of the English were killed, but tlie number of the wounded was more than a quarter of the force. f Mason, encumbered by his wounded, had no little difficulty in making his way out of the Indian country. His vessels were to meet him at the mouth of the Pequot Kiver. While slowly pursuing his way he was attacked by another party of Peqiwts, numbering more than three hundred, who approached from another neighboring fort, tearing their hair, stamping on the ground, and clamoring for vengeance. The Nnrrn- gansettH drove the Pequofs away. At ten o'clock in the morning Mason ascended an eminence with his exhausted party, when his eyes were gladdened by the sight of his vessels coming to anchor in the harbor. At evening they all went to rest on board their ve.ssels. What was left of the Pcqnois collected in the western fort, and debated the question whether they should fall upon the Narragansetts and the English or seek safety by flight. After a stormy council, they resolved on the latter course, and, set- ting fire to their wigwams, started off on their journey to join the Mohawks on the Hudson. On their way they put to death some Englishmen, and a part}' of them, some three or four hundred strong, were pursued by Capt. Mason with forty Connecticut men, who had been joined by one hundred and twenty men from Massachusetts under Capt. Stoughton. The Indians were overtaken a little west of what is now New Haven, encamped in the centre of a swamp. But few of them escaped. Stragglers of the tribe from time to time were put to death in large numbers by the Mohicans and the Nnrrngansetis, among whom the survivors of the Pequot na- tions were divided by the English and held as slaves. Sas-sa-cus, the last of the Pequots, fled beyond the Hudson, and was killed by the Mohawks. His nation was extinct. After the destruction of the Pequots, troubles arose between XJncas, of the Mohicans, and Mi-an-to-no-mo, of the Narra- gansetts, which finally resulted in the triumph of Uncas, and the death of Mi-an-to-no-mo at his hands ; but, so far as the white settlers of the Connecticut Valley and the rest of New England were concerned, from that hour of slaughter in the Pequot fort, on the banks of the Mystic, there was peace for forty years, until King Philip, at the head of another genera- tion of Indian warriors, waged the second war of extermina- tion between the white man and the Indian, which deluged the land with blood. At the conclusion of the Pequot war, the General Court of the Massachusetts colony adopted the following resolutions, to wit : I. PEQUOT WAR. " The Court did intreat the magistrates to treat with the elders about a day of thanksgiving upon the return of the soldiers, and tiie soldiers to he feiisted by their towns." Gen, Court at New Town, Aug. 1, 1637. II. " The 12th of the 8tb mo. was ordered to bee kept a day of publike thanks- giving to God for his great m'ies in subdewing the PecoUs, bringing the soldiers in safety, the suceesse of the conference, and good news from Geiniany." Geu. Court, Sept. 2r., 1037. CHAPTER XL THE SEPAKATION OF SPRINGFIELD FEOM THE JUEISDICTION OF CONNECTICUT. The reader has seen in chapter VIII., of this volume, that the removal of William Pynehon and his company from Rox- bury, near Boston, to Agawam, now Springfield, on the Con- * Palfrey's Hist, of New Eng., Vol. I., page 407. t Mason's Pequot War, p. 141. necticut River, was not a di.stinct and separate movement, made for the planting of Springfield only, but formed a part and parcel of a larger undertaking entered into by several towns at the Bay, which resulted in the foundation of the State of Connecticut. It has also been seen that, before the departure of the emi- grants to the Connecticut Valley, the General Court of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, at Boston, granted them a commission, which in effect organized a separate government, in which commission William Pynehon and Henry Smyth, his son-in-law, were, with Roger Ludlow, John Steele, Wil- liam Swaine, William Phelps, William Westwood, and An- drew Ward, named as assistants. Soon after the colonists of the Connecticut Valley had arrived at Hartford, Windsor, Wethersfield, and Springfield, in the spring of 1036, the General Court authorized in their commission met at New Town, now Hartford. The following heading to the first meeting, copied from the Connecticut records, shows the time of said meeting, and which of the above-named assistants were then present : " A Corte Holden at Newtowne,J 26 April, 1636. Present, Roger Ludlow, Esq., Mr. Steele, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Westwood, Mr. Ward." It will be seen that at this court, first held at Connecticut, neither Mr. Smith nor Mr. Pynehon was present. They were doubtless so busily engaged in their removal from Rox- bury, and in providing places of shelter for their families at Agawam, that it was inconvenient for them to attend. General Courts were afterward held at Dorchester, now Windsor, on the 7th of June ; at Watertown, now Wethers- field, on the 1st of September ; and again at Newtowne, now Hartford, on the 1st of October. At neither of which the Agawam assistants were present. y The first General Court of Connecticut at which an}- one from Springfield appeared was held in November following, of which we give a copy of the records, J so far as it shows those who were present. " A Corte held at New Towne 1st Novemb', 1636. Prese: Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Pynehon, Mr. Swaine, Mr. Steele, Mr. Phelps, Mr. Westwood, Mr. Ward." It appears by the " Connecticut Colonial Records," above referred to, that Mr. Pynehon had furnished to the Connecticut people considerable quantities of Indian corn, upon contract with the General Court, and that out of this trade in corn, and other matters arising between Mr. Pynehon and the Con- necticut people, a difficulty arose, which resulte'd in the sud- den withdrawal of Mr. Pynehon and his company of settlers at Agawam, now Springfield, from the jurisdiction of Con- necticut into and under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. At a General Court held at Hartford on the 5th day o; April, 1638, among others, Mr. Pynehon, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Moxon of Agawam were all present. At this General Court the following resolution in reference to the ditficulty with Mr. Pynehon about the corn was adopted :|{ " mtereiiit, There \V{is some complaint made against Mr. William Pynehon, of Agawam, for that aa was conceived and upon proof appeared, he wa£ not so care- ful to promote the pul ilic good in the tragic of corn as he was bound to do. It is ordered the said Mr, Pynehon shall, with all convenient speede, pay as a fine for his so failing, 40 bushels of Indian corn for the publick, and the said corn to be delivered to the treasurer to be disposed of as shall be thought meete." This was the last appearance of any of the Springfield people at the Connecticut General Court. It will be seen by the following documents, that shortly after this the inhabi- t Changed to Hartford, Feb. 21, 1030-37, in honor of the residence of Rev. Mr. Stone, in England. The emigrants to the river first named these towns after the places they had left at the Bay, and Dorchester was changed to Windsor and Wateitown to Wethei-sfield respectively. g Col. Kec. of C<:)nn., Vol. I., p. 5. II Ibid., p. 19. "61 IWS ^^ nt,'^ 40 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. tants of Agawam set up a provisional government for them- selves. It must also be considered that the Agawam people had satisfied themselves in the mean time that Agawam did in reality lie to the north of the Connecticut line, and was actually within the bounds of the territory under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts. Mr. Pynchon was, however, a magistrate of Connecticut, and not of Massachusetts ; and in the absence of any authority from the General Court at Boston, the inhabitants of the little hamlet of Agawam in the February following adopted a form of government of their own in the following compact, which is unparalleled in the history of this country, saving the compact entered into by the Pilgrim Fathers, on the " Maj'- flower," before landing at Plymouth Rock. By this compact they made Mr. Pynchon their magistrate. His authority was derived from the people themselves, — now, but not then, recog- nized as the highest of all authority. Their compact was as follows, to wit : " February the Uth, 1638-9.— We the luliabitaiitj of Agaam, upper Quiunetticut, takinge iuto consideration the manifould inconveniences that may fall uppon us for want of some fit magistracy amonge us ; Being now by Godes providence fallen into the line of the Massachusetts jurisdiction; & it being farr oflf to re- payer thither in such cases of justice as may often fall out amonge us, doe there- fore thinke it meet« by a generall consent & vote to ordaine (till we receive further directions from the Generall Court* in the Massachussetts Bay) Mr. "Wil- liiun Pynchon to execute the office of a magistrate in this our plantation of Agaam, viz. : " To give oathes to constables or military officers, to direct warrantes, both process, executions, & attachmentes, to heare and examine misdemeanours, to de- pose witnesses, & uppon proofe of misdemeanour to inflict corporal punishment, as whipping, stockinge, byndinge to the peace or good behaviour, & in some cases to require sureties, & if the offense require to commit t*) prison, and in de- fault of a common prison to commit delinquents ti.> the charge of some fit person or pereons till justice be satisfyed ; also in the Trj-all of actions for debt or trespasse, to give oathes, direct juries, depose witnesses, take verdicts & keepe Records of verdictes, judgments, executions, & whatever else may tend to the keepings peace and the manifestation of our fidellity to the Bay Jurisdiction & the restraininge of any that shall violate Godes lawes; or lastely whatsoever else Diay fall within the power of an assistiiut in the Slassachusett. " It is also agreed uppon by a mutual consent, that in case any action of debt or trespasse, he to bo tryed seeinge a jury of 12 fit persons cannot be had at present amonge us, that six pereons shall be esteemed & held a sufficient Jury to try any action under the some of Ten pounde till we shall see to y» contrary*, & by com- mon consent shall alter the number of JuFors, or shall be otherwise directed from the generall court in the Maiisachusetts." Thus, in the depth of winter, they boldly seceded from the jurisdiction of Connecticut, and, going back to first principles, adopted a constitution of their own, until the}^ could find safety under the sheltering wing of the General Court at the Massa- chusetts Bay. Out of this abrupt separation of Mr. Pynchon and his Agawam colony there grew up between the Connecticut people and the people of Agawam and the Massachusetts Bay a bitter controversy, which lasted for several years, and interfered even with the union formed by the colonies, known as the United Colonies. Thus, we find, in a letter of the Rev. Thomas Hooker, of Hartford, to Governor Winthrop, written in 1638, in speaking of the proposition of the aforesaid union of the colonies, he says : " The negotiation was interrupted in consequence of the claim preferred by Massachusetts to the jurisdiction of Aga- wam (Springfield), which had been hitherto conceded to belong to Connecticut." Governor Winthrop, in his reply to this letter of Mr. Hooker, undur date Aug, 28, 1038, complained of three things ; the third matter complained of related to the controversy about Agawam. "3d. That they [the people of Connecticut] still exercise jurisdiction at Agawam, though one of their commis- sioners disclaim to intermeddle in our line, and thereupon we challenged our right, and it was agreed so ; and I had wrote to desire them to forbear untill that Mr. Pynchon had small encouragement to be under them ; that if his relation were true, I could not sec the justice of their proceeding against him," To this letter of Governor Winthrop, of August, 1638, Mr. Hooker replied in the autumn of that year. This reply is so interesting that we copy it entire, so far as it has reference to the third complaint of Mr. Winthrop, above stated. "The third thing touching the business of Agaam comes last into considera- tion, in wliich I shall crave leave to open myself freely and fully, that the rule of righteous proceeding may appear in undeniable plainness where it is. The sum of that cause is to be attended in two things : partly in the jurisdiction we have exercised, paitl}' in the jurisdiction which at this time you so suddenly, so unexpectedly, take to yourselves. " For a fair and full answer you may be pleased to understand : 1. That I have advised with the commissioners, and their expressions to me were these ; that they were so far from consenting that you should take away the jurisdiction iu Agaam from them to yourselves that to their best remembrance there was no such thing mentioned ; nor were there one syllable sounding that way in all the agitation of the business. Wlien the commissioners of other towns, and amongst them one from Agaam, came to establish the jurisdiction which they now exor- cised, in reason it could not be their commission, nor the intention of tlie towns, to de-stroy their own jurisdiction, for that was to cross the scope of the treaty, and overthrow the combination for the establishment whereof they were now sent. "The act of jurisdiction which hath been exercised since your letter, it was this: there was an inhabitiint in Agaam apprehended in some misdemeanor; the town sent the delinquent to the court to desire justice, which they answerably did; and why they might not do it, nay, how they could avoid it, according to rule, it is beyond all my skill to conceive. For at the time of our election* the committees from the town of Agajim came in with other towns, and chose their magistrates, installed them into their government, took oath of them for the execution of justice according to Giod, and engaged themselves to submit to their government and the execution of justice by their means, and dispensed by the authority which they put upon them by choice. "Now when these men demand justice from magistrates so chosen and en- gaged, how, in a faithfulness and according to their oath, they could deny it with- out sin, the covenant continuing firm on both parts, and renounced at this time by neither, it is beyond my compass to comprehend, and, under favor, I do think beyond the skill of any man by sound reason to evince. " The magistrates who are lawfully called, and stand bound by oath to execute justice unto a people, to deny the execution of justice when it is demanded by such, is a grievous sin. But the magistrates were thus called, thus by oath bound, and justice was in this manner demanded. Therefore had they then refused it they had grievously sinned. Yea, taking it for granted that it is in each inhabi- tant's liberty in Agawam to choose his jurisdiction (which is to me beyond ques- tion), if I was there as an inhabitant, I should judge myself bound in conscience to sulmiit t- posed to have been propounded to them by the authority of this Court. It is hereby declared, — " 1st. That the said passages in the said commission {as they are expressed in the petition) are mis-recited, so as the true scope and intention is thereby altered; as Ist, Whereas the words in the commission are, they are resolved to transplant themselves; in the recital it is, to plant themselves. 2nd, In the com- mission it is said that those noble personages have interest in the ryver, and by vertue of their patent ilo require juris'liction ; iu the recitali it is, that wee con- fesse it belougetli to their jurisdiction. 3d, In the coumiissiou it is provided this * Mass. Hist. Society Col., 5 series, Vol. I., p. 296. may not bee any prejudice to the interest of those noble, &c.; in the recitall it is, that nothing should bee done or intended to the prejutlice of the lords or their intendments. "2nd. That the said commission was not granted upon any intent either to dismise the persons from us, or to determine any thing alxmt the limits of juris- dictions, the interest of the lands, and o' owne limits being as then unknowne ; therefore it was granted ouely for one yearo ; and it may rather appeare, by o>" granting such a commission, and then accepting of it, as also that clause, viz.: Till some other course were taken, by mutuall consent, &c., that wee intended to reserve an interest then upon the rj'ver, and that themselves also intended to stand to the condition of the first licence of departure given to the most of them, w^*' was, that tliey should remaine still of o"" body. "3d. For those arguni" w=i> they draw from those articles certified in the petition, wee answer, that they were pi-opounded and drawen out onely by some of the magistrats of ea<-h party w^iout any order or alowance of this Court; and therefore (whatsoever those magistrats might intend thereby) the intent of the Court cannot be gathered from any thing therein; hut iu those ai-tides wo*> were agitated and brouglit to some issue in o' Genfall Court at Cimibridge, in the 4th m". 16.18, when their commission- ers were present, Springfield, t h e n called Agawam, was claymed by the Court (though by occasion of some piivate epeach, &c.) to belong to us; and it was then agrod by the Court, and yeilded unto by ^ their commissioners, that so (^ "^ ~ ^ir^^^^ J'^^^^'CZ nimrh of the ryver of Conecte- '-^ '^'^^ {^/» ' '^"*'*^^''""'f'*''^'l^''^'n the line ^mniissioner8 for Con- necticut concerning an imposition layd on goods iias.singe ity the River's moutli to tlie sea, which all the plantiitions on Connecticut River pay, cliieliy t<> niant^iyue the fort for security and conveniency, onely Mr. Pincham, at .Sprinktield, who have in their proportion the same benefit, refuse. The Commissioners thought it of weighty concernment to the plantations above, that the mouth of the River be secured ; but Mr. Pincham being jibsent, and noe instructions given from the General Courte in the Mattachusetts, the issue and determination was respited till the Commissioners' next meetings."* At a meeting of the General Court at Boston, held on the 4th day of November next after, the resolution of the Com- missioners of the Colonies was presented, and action taken thereon. The resolutions adopted by the General Court at this meeting were presented in the argument of the matter before the Commissioners of the United Colonies, which was held in Boston the succeeding summer, an account of which follows. In the month of July, 1647, a special session of the Com- missioners of the United Colonies was held at Boston, and the matter of the Connecticut import duties again considered. In the mean time, however, the fort had been destroyed by fire. Upon the argument written briefs were delivered by both the contending colonies. That of Massachusetts consisted of the resolves of her Gen- eral Court adopted at the November session, as above stated, which were in words as follows : "Novemhei' ith, 1G46. — The Committee having considered ye controversy be- tween the jurisdiction of Hai*tford upon Cfumecticutt & the inhabitants of Springlield, on ye same river, touching either the purchase of ye fort, Ac, at the river's mouth, or the juiyment of such customes as is or shall be imposed upon them towards the maintainance of the same, doe declare their judgments as fol- loweth : " 1st. They conceave y' ye jurisdiction of Hartford upon Connecticutt had not a legall power to force any inhabitant of another jurisdiction to purchase any fort or other lanils out of their jurisdiction without their consent. " 2d. They conceave y' it were injurious to require custome to ye maintainance of such a fort which is not usefull to such of whom it is demanded. "3d. They think it very unequall for them to impose a custome upon their frienils and confederates, who have not more benefitt of the liver, by e.\portiug and importing of goods, Ac, than straingers of another nation, who (though they live within Haitford jurisdiction) ])ay none. "4th. The pounding and standing upon an imposition & custome, to be paid to ye river's month by such as were or are within our jurisdiction, hindered our confederation above tenn yeares since, and then never any paid Ui this day, & now tji impose it on Jiny of our confederation will putt us to new thoughts. " oth. Itt seems to us very hard y* any of our jurisdiction should lie forced to such a bondage as will either constrain them to depart their habitations or weaken much their estates, especially when as they, with the fii"st, tooke possession of the river, and were at great charge of builtting, etc., which, if they had fore- seene, would not then have been planted. " Gth. If Hartford jurisdiction shall make use of their power over any of ours, we conceave we have the same power to imitate them in ye like kinde, which wee deesier may be forborne on both sides. The whole Couile approves of this retourne. By both." Upon the presentatiim of these resolutions of her General Court the Massachusetts Commissioners rested their case. On the part of Connecticut, Mr. Hopkins, "some respite being given him to consider of the same," delivered the fol- lowing answer in writing: ",\ SHORTE Answer to tlierea.son jiropounded by generall Corte of the Matta- chusetts for Springfield not jiaying of the imposition at Seabrook forte presented the Comniissionei-s of the United Colonies, 27 .Tuly, 1647. " The first argument seemed (at leilst to us) to laboure of a greate mistake in reference to the case in hand (to omit all other just exceptions that might bo m.ade against that affirmation) and doth not touch the present question, which is, whether such an imposition be lawfuU and regular, liottomed uptm a founy them towards it to this very day. »■ Plymouth Col. Rec. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 43 " The tliiid is but a presumption, & if it had any uloare fuinuhition, yet the com- parison is not eqnail. "The fourth, ever since the first readiuge of it, hath bcene a reall trouble to our thouglits, laboringe of so apparant mistakes, botli in the one part of it & in the other, which makes ua heartily wish that we may be all conscientious care- full that our publick records may carry such evidence of the truth that those who desire to take advantages may not have any just occasions given them ; for whereas it is said the combination was hindred above 10 years by the means propounded, if a due consideration be had of it, it will appeare it was not above five years from the mentioned agitation for combination & the conclusion of this present confederation, the one beinge in June, 1638, the other agreed upon in May, 1G43 ; and whereas it is affirmed that the px'opounding and standing upon an imposition of customes at the River's mouth hindered the combination soe many yeares, it shall (if need) be made appeare by the oath of thost^ who were em- ployed in tliat service, that they were soe far from stiffly standing upon such an imposition that they did not soe much as propounde it, as it is there expressed, nor could they in reason doe it, the townes havinge no interest in nor relation to the forte at that time. " The fifth carrieth not that strength of reason with it as to coinpell our under- standing to fall in therewith, for what inthralement sucli an imposition is or can be to the inhabitants there, as to cause them to forsake their habitations upon that grounde, our thoughts reach not, especially consideringe if that jurisdiction grow exorbitant in their taxes, tliere is a remedy provided in tliis combination to rectify any such deviations; but if weakningo of estates be a sufficient plea to free men from payinge of taxes, we know not who will pay, for all such payments doe weaken men's estates. " What is meant by taking of possession of the River (which was possest by the other townes a considerable time before the foundation of that plantation was layd) & the greate charges in buildings we understand not, for we are wholly ignorant what expences they have beene at in that kinde, But for their owne particular private advantages ; nor can we yeild a ready beleefe to what is aftirmed, that if they had foreseen the or present imposition would have been required tliey would not then have planted, fur the thing carryeth that evidence of equity with it that Mr, Pincbon, while he looked upon himselfc as a member of that jurisdiction, acknowledged the same & yielded upon a motion made by himselfe to Mr. Fenuicke (as wo have it from his testimony deserving credit) that the trade of beaver upon the River, which is the greatest thing now stuck at, ought in reason to contribute to the chardg of the forto; besides the incourage- ment given by Mr. Pinchon under his owne hand, by othere U) the gentlemen interested in Seabrooke forte, which might well draw out from them an addition to the former expense, there seems to deserve some weight of consideration in the present case. "To tlie sixth we willingly assent, & in parallel cases shall readily submit." The argument being coneluded on the part of the colonies, the Commissioners gave their decision thereon in writing, of which the foUowing is a copy, to wit : "Which Argumknts & answers being read & a further debate betwixt the Commissioners of the Massachusetts & Connecticut had, & Mr. Pincheon, then in Boston, being sent for and desired to add what further reiisons he could against the imiwsitious in question, he wliully referring to what the Generall Corte had done, it appeared to the Commissioners for the other two ColUmies, upon their most serious consideration, that it wiis of weighty concernment to all the plantations upon the River of Connecticut that the mouth of the River & the passages of goods through it to and fro (though at some charilg) bo preserved, and seemed to them that though the forte at Seabrooke bo not of force against an enemy of any considerable strength, yet an English plantation being now settled there it may more easily be preserved, & may in a comfortable measure secure the passage aforesaid for the convenience of all the plantations upon that River, of which benefite Springfield doth share with the rest. That though nothinge be as yet demanded from the Dutch house within Hartford limit*!, yet this imposition, with other difference, are like to be considered in a fitt scjison. That whatever conference hath formerly passed about the custome or imposition at Seabrooke, there never was any settled or demanded of any of the plantations upon that River have paid it, hath upon the same grounds beene demanded and expected of it from Springfield. That it is no impeachment of any liberty granted by patent to the Mattachusetts that Springfield, seated upon the River of Connecticut, doe beare a moderate & equall parte of charges, whither of scouring any parte of that River, or River's mouth (if there should be occasion) or in making or mainetayning such a forte as is in question to secure the pas- sage to and fro. That the imposition in question is but the payment of 2il p. bushell for come and about jd pt for beaver passing out through yc moutli of that River, and therefore seemeth a moderate charge in reference to the custome propounded & no matter of just grievance or discouragement to the plantations themselves, then settled, " The premises being weighed & considered with all due tenderness Connecticut or the Agent or agents a true note or accompt of all corne & beaver they or any of them ship, or carry out tlirough the mouth of that River to the sea, to pay or desposet into their bands after the rate of 2d per bushell for corne & 20s per hogshead for beaver soe exported, "That the mentioned imposition be neether at any time hereafter raised nor increased upon any of the inhabitants of Springfield without just & necessary cause, to be firet approved & allowed by the other Colonies, nor continued longer than the forte in question is maintayned & the passage as at present thereby secured. "That at the next meetinge of the Commissioners any Deputy from the Mat- tachusett Colony, or from Springfield plantation, shall have liberty further to propound or object as they see cause agsiinst the present imposition, which, ac- cording to tlie nature & proper weiglit of the matter alleadged, shall be duly heard & considered, without any disadvantage from the conclusion now made in the premises." But this did not end the matter. On the 7th of Septem- ber, 1648, the commissioners of the United Colonies met at Plymouth, and the dispute between the two colonies of Con- necticut and Massachusetts in reference to import duties levied upon goods passing out of the mouth of Connecticut Kiver was again renewed with considerable bitterness on both sides. In addition to the reasons urged in the argument before the commissioners, the following year further reasons were urged on both sides, for a statement of which the reader is referred to the records of the commissioners. After the conclusion of the arguments, the commissioners decided that they found not sufficient cause to reverse what was done the last year; but, as there were some questions in the matter still unsettled, among others, that of jurisdiction over Springfield, they desired that, if there were cause, the matter should be brought and presented to the commissioners for further consideration the next year, and "that in the mean time the colonies would agree upon some equal and satis- fying way of running the Massachusetts line." On the 3d of May, 1(349, the action at the last meeting of the commissioners held at Plymouth, in September, 1048, con- firming the action of the commissioners of the United Colonies at their meeting held in July, 1G47, was presented to the court, and caused great indignation. Retaliatory measures were at once resolved upon, the nature of which can best be shown by quoting the records of the General Court, expressed in the quaint but forcible language of the times : "Jl/a?/3, 1649. "The answer of the Court concerning Springfield wee think itmeete that our commission", at their next meeting, be mindful! to press what arguments and reasons they cann for the revertion of the last order of the commissioners con- cerning Springfield, and, amongst other, these in speciall: " 1st. That the commissioners of Connecticutt produced no pattentt, or exem- plification thereof, or any order of their own Courte for their custome they re- quire of Springfield. *' 2nd. They had no evidence of any forte at all in being at the river's mouth, as we are informed. **3d. By a clause in the commissioners' order, July, 1647, when they first de- termined against Springfield, page 111, they provided that the said imposition should be continewed no longer than the forte in question was maintained, and the passage thereby secured as at that present; yett after the said forte was de- molished by fire, and no security of the passage provided, the commissioners confirmed their former order at the last meeting. " Whereas, the coramissionei-s for the United Colonies have thouglit it but just & equal! that Springfield, a member of this jurisdiction, should pay custome or contribution to the erecting and muintanency of Seabrooke forte, being of no force against an enemy of any considerable strength (before it was burnt) in the commissioners' owne judgment, exprest in their owne order, page 109, which determination against Springfield they have also continewed by an order at their last meeting at Plimmouth (though tlie said forte was then demolished by fire, and the passage not secured), contrary to a clawse in their order, provided on Springfield's bchalfe, page 111; and forasmuch as this jurisdiction hath ex- pended many thousand pounds in erecting and maintaining several forts which others (us well as oui'selves) have received the benefit of, and have at present one principall forte or castle of good force against an enemy of considerable strength, well gaiTisoned, and otherwise furnished with sufficient ammunition, besides severall other fortes and batteries, whereby vessels and goods of all sorts are secured, "It is therefore ordered by this courte and the authority thereof, that all goods belonging, or any way appertaining to, any inhabitant of the jurisdic- tion of Plymouth, Connectioott, or New Haven, that shall be imported within the castle or exported from any parte of the Bay, shall pay such custome as here- after is expressed, viz. : all skinns of beaver, otter, mouse, or beare, two pence per skinn ; and all other goods packt up in hogsheads or otherwise, tenn shil- lings pr tunne ; meale and corne of all sorts, two pence per bushell ; biskett, sixe pence pr hundred; & it is further ordered, that all such akinns and other goods as shall be imported or exported as aforesaid shall be dewly entered with the Auditor Generall, and the custome thereof paid or deposited, before any parte of the said goods be either sould, shipt, landed, or otherwise disposed of, under the penalty of forfeiting the said goods not so entered, or the dew value thereof. "And if any inhabitant of this jurisdiction, or strainger, shall buy any of the forementioned goods belonging or any ways appertaining to any of the inhabi- tants of Plymouth, Connecticott, or New Haven, aforesaiil, imiwrted to any other 44 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. parte of our jurisdittion, or shall sell or deliver to any such inhabitant any other goodes in any parte of the Bay, without tiie Bay, without the Castle, he shall enter the said goods with the auditor generall, and pay or deposite the same, after the same manner .and proportion, and under the same penalty, as is provided for goods, 4c., brought within the castle. This order tu take place the first day of the next niontli. " .\nd tlie auditor generall is hereby appointed and authorized to take care for the execution of this order in all the particulars thereof, either by himself or by his deputy or deputies."* In July, 1649, another special meeting of the commission- ers of the United Colonies was convened at Boston, and the controversies between Massachusetts 'and Connecticut were again brought to its notice. In behalf of Massachusetts it was represented that she had agreed with Mr. Fenwick, who represented Connecticut, to run the boundary-line between the two colonies at their joint expense. That the line had been run accordingly, but at the sole charge of Massachusetts. And as Mr. Fenwick had " failed to send in any to join," and as Connecticut was dissatisfied and desired the work to be done anew, it ought to be at her own cost. The nature of the past relations of Springfield, both to Mas- sachusetts and Connecticut, was now at some length discussed. On the part of Massachusetts, it was denied, 1st. That there was "any fort at all in being, worthy the name of a fort." 2d. It was denied that "any instance could be given of any government in the world that had compelled the people of any other jurisdiction to contribute to the erecting of a fort or place of strength by which they might rule over them and order them at pleasure, as well as be a protection to them." Massachusett.s also produced the vote passed two months be- fore, quoted above, imposing retaliatory duties, not only upon Connecticut, but also upon Plymouth and New Haven. As the quarrel was now becoming general, the commis- sioners of the other colonies forwarded a remonstrance to Massachusetts against her action, and with proper dignity re- solved that they "desired to be spared in any case all further agitations concerning Springfield." This prompt and decisive action on the part of Mass.achu- setts, the more powerful colony, and which seems to have been just, under the circumstances, at once decided the contest. The manner of its termination is best shown by quoting from the Ma.s.saehusetts General Court. " JIf.ii/ 3.1, 1(550. " Is ANSWER to the petition of the inhabitants of Boston for repealing the order that requires custome of the other colonies. " This Court, having beene credibly informed th.it the jurisdiction at Queneccti- cott will for tlie present suspend the takinge of any custcime of us, & that at tlieire next Generall Court, they intend to repeale the order whereby they im- poseri it. doth therefore hereby order that there shall be no more custome re- qiiired of the other confederate colonies until WO shall certainly know that Cou- necticott doe take cust*.inie of uap. curUtm,^^ CHAPTER XIIL WITCHCRAFT. I. THE BELIEF IN IT TNIVEKSAL IN FORMER TIME.S. The tragic events growing out of the witchcraft delusion of the seventeenth century in New England cast sombre shadows over tlie brightest page of her history, the era of her early struggles through the wilderness to the promised land of her prosperity and power. But those tragic scenes were after all the outgrowth of the prevailing errors and super- stitions of tlic times, heightened by the rigorous circumstances under which they lived, rather than the result of any inherent viciousness in the character of the New England people. The belief in witchcraft was one of the lingering supersti- tions of the Middle Ages. It was by no means peculiar * Mass. Col. Eec, Vol. III., p. 151. to New England. All Christendom was at the time still thoroughly imbued with the most implicit belief in witches, and in the power of Satan to possess individiutl men and women, and use them as his instruments in tormenting and destroying the souls and bodies of their fellows. All Chris- tendom, too, at the time, with rare exceptions, was ferreting out witches by due form of law, convicting them at courts presided over by the most eminent judges of the daj-, and burning their bodies eventually at the stake. What wonder then that the stern and sombre theologians of New England should be zealous in doing what no one, unprejudiced, disputes they honestly believed was God's service, in ridding the world of those whom they deemed to be Satan's chosen children? These considerations are not urged by way of excuse or justification, for to excuse or justify such doings would be to uphold grievous wrongs, but they are urged by way of ex- planation. They do not justify, but they do explain, many things which have so often been charged as being inconsistent with the religious professions of the Puritan Fathers. Dut_v, duty toward God and man, was the one solemn incentive which moved the stern hearts and strong minds of the prim- itive people of New England, and do it they must, though to do it was to walk, with stained hands and blistering feet through blood and fire. Books on sorcery, magic, witchcraft, and kindred subjects, were brought to this country b_y the early settlers, and taken with them to their loneh', secluded homes, in the dreary soli- tudes of the New World. These books, doubtless, were most attentively studied, and their contents colored and enlarged upon by imaginations expanded into marvelous powers by the unseen terrors of the limitless wilderness, — the boundless extenfof woods and waters and mountain chains, stretching off in infinite expan.se on every hand, peopled, they knew, with savage beasts and still more savage men, and, for aught they knew, with countless ghosts, hobgoblins, nymphs, and fairies. So the early settlers around Boston about 1G30, and the early settlers of the Quin-)iec-ti-cutt Valley, who came with William Pynchon to Ag-a-wam, now Springfield, in the spring of 1636, and the early settlers of Indian Non-o-tuck, now Northampton, in 16-54, and of Indian Nol-wo-togg, now Had- ley, in 1661, had hardly got within the rude walls of their log cabins before the trouble of witchcraft began to haunt their firesides, like dim spectres of evil. Yet so much prominence has been given to the so-called Salem witchcraft, which occurred as late as the year 1692, that the numerous cases which happened both before and since, in all parts of the country, have been quite overlooked by the general, and almost entirely pa.ssed over by the local, histo- rians of New England. " It can hardly be supposed," says Samuel G. Drake, in his "Annals of Witchcraft in New Eng- land" published as No. VIII. of "Woodward's Historical Series," at Boston, in 1869, "that they purposely omit those Details with a Belief that they will be forgotten, and the Re- proach they occasion with them. This would be a short- sighted Decision indeed. But the Affair at Salem has not been omitted. That has been a Peg on which to hang Re- proaches against New England, early and late ; as though it were the Corner-stone of all the Troubles of the kind which ever happened in the land." EDWARD .SEYMOUR'S PROPHECY IN 1637. Dr. Cotton Mather, in his book called "The Wonders of the Invisible World," printed in Boston, in 1692, thus begins his first discourse, entitled "Enchantments Encountered." " It was as long ago as the year 1637, that a faithful min- ister of the Church of England, whose name was Mr. Edward Seymour, did, in a sermon afterwards printed, thus express himself: ' At New England now the sun of comfort begins to appear, and the glorious day-star to show itself; Sed Venient HISTOKY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 45 Annis Swculce Seeis, there will come times in after-ages when the clouds will overshadow and darken the sky there. Many now promise to themselves nothing hut successive happiness there, which, for a time, through God's mercy, tliey may en- joy, and I pray God they may a long time ; but in this world there is no happiness perpetual.' An observation, or I had almost said an inspiration," continues Mather, "very dis- mally now verity'd upon us." WITCHCRAFT DEFINED. Kdvvard Phillips, a nephew of John Milton, was one of the earliest English lexicographers. The third edition of his work, "The New World of Words," was printed in 1671. Ill tluit he defines witchcraft to be "A certain evil Art whereby with the A.ssistance of the Devil, or evil Spirits, some Wonders may be wrought which exceed the common Apprehension of Men. It cometh from the Dutch Word Wiirlielen, — that is, to divine or guess ; it is called in Latin Veneficiam ; in Greek, Pharmaceia, — i.e., the Art of making Poisons." Dr. Ogilvie, in his "Imperial Dictionary," published in Glasgow in 1856-59, thus defines it : "Witchcraft: the practice of witches ; sorcery; enchant- ments ; intercourse with the devil ; a supernatural power persons were formerly supposed to obtain possession of which by entering into compact with the devil. Indeed, it was fully believed that they gave themselves up to him body and soul, while he engaged that they should want for nothing and be able to assume whatever shape the}' jileased, to visit and tor- ment their enemies, and accomplish their infernal purposes. As soon as the bargain was concluded, the devil was said to deliver to the witch an imp or familiar spirit, to be ready at call, and to do whatever it was directed. By the aid of this imp and the devil together, the witch, who was almost always an old woman, was enabled to transport herself through the air on a broomstick or a spit, and to transform herself into various shapes, particularly those of cats and hares; to inflict diseases on whomsoever she pleased, and to punish her enemies in a variety of ways. The belief in witchcraft is very ancient. It was universally believed in Europe till the sixteenth cen- tury, and even maintained its ground with tolerable firmness till the middle of the seventeenth century. Vast numbers of reputed witches were condemned to be burned every year, so that in England alone it is computed that no fewer than thirty thousand of them sutlered at the stake." The bargain between the witch and the devil was said to have been this : " The witch as a slave binds herself by vow to believe in the devil, and to give him either body or soul, or both, under his handwriting or some part of his blood. The devil promiseth to be ready at his vassal's command, to appear in the likeness of any creature, to consult and to aid him for the procuring of pleasure, honor, wealth, or prefer- ment ; to go for him, to carry him any whither, and to do any command."* LAWS against witchcraft. In the year 1636 the colony of Plymouth included in their summary of ofl^enses " lyable to Death" a statement in these words : " Solemn Compaction, or conversing with the Divell by way of Witchcraft, Conjuration, or the like." In 1C41 the colony of Massachusetts Bay adopted their " Body of Liberties," in which they incorporated these words, drawn from the Bible : " If any Man or Woman be a Witch, that is, hath or consulteth with a familiar Spirit, they shall be put to death." In 1642 Connecticut also included witchcraft in her penal code as a crime subject to the death penalty. In 1047 the General Court of Rhode Island, iu the Acts of * See Drake's Hist. Witchcraft Delusion in N. E., 'VoL I., p. 18. May of that year, included this : " Witchcraft is forbidden by this present Assembly to be used in this Colonic ; and the penalty imposed by the Authoritie that we are subject to is Felonie of Death." II. trials for witchcraft. In the year 1648, on the 15th of June, the first execution for witchcraft iu the colony of Massachusetts took place at Boston. f The victim was Margaret Jones, wife of Thomas Jones, of Charlestown. She was a nurse and physician, — an employment common enough in those days among the mothers of the early settlements, — and literally went about doing good. But she was suspected of witchcraft, and " was found to have such a malignant touch as many persons were taken with deafness or vomiting, or other violent pains or sickness." Her accusers also .said that "her medicines, though harmless in themselves, yet had extraordinary violent etfects." It was further said that to those who refused her medicines "she would tell that they would never be healed, and accordingly their diseases and hurts continued with relapse against the ordinary course, and beyond the apprehension of all physi- cians and surgeons." It was proved in court against her that, as she lay in prison, " a little child was seen to run from her into another room, and, being followed by an officer, it was vanished." Other testimony, equally ridiculous, need not be recited. The poor forsaken woman was deserted by all those to whom she had shown nothing but kindness, and she per- ished miserably on the gallows, a victim to the infatuation of the hour. "WITCHCRAFT IN SPRINGFIELD. Among the earliest trials for witchcraft which took place in the colony were those of Hugh Parsons and Mary, his wife, of Springfield. Hugh Par.sons was one of the first settlers of Springfield. He probably went there in Mr. Pynchon's company in tlie year 1636, or very soon after. He was a labor- ing man, and a sawyer and brick-maker by occupation. On the 27th of October, 1645, he married a young woman, named Mary Lewis. The first child of this marriage of which there is any record was born the 4th of October, 1649. It was named Samuel, and lived but one year. On the 26th of October, 1650, their son Joshua was born. It was soon after the birth of this child that the charge of witchcraft was made against the father. The mother's sickness, joined with the exciting inci- dents of the blight upon her family, rendered her hopelessly insane. It was alleged her unhappy condition was brought about by witchcraft. In her ravings she accused both her husband and herself of witchcraft. Her second child, bereft of a mother's care, died on the 1st of March, 1651. She first ac- cused her husband of being the cause of its death, brought about by his league with the devil, and at last accused herself of murdering it under the same satanic influence. Early in the year 1651, Hugh Parsons was apprehended, and a long and tedious examination of his case was had before Mr. William Pynchon, sitting as magistrate in Springfield. At the close of the examination he was sent to Boston for trial. At Boston a bill of indictment was found against him, as follows, to wit : "The grand jury for this commonwealth present Hugh Parsons, of Springfield, not having the fear of God before his eyes, in or about March last, and divers times before and since at Springfield aforesaid (as they conceived), had familiar and wicked converse with the Devil, and did use divers devilish practices and witchcraft, to the hurt of divers persons, as by several witnesses and circumstances doth appear, and do leave him to the court for his further trial for life." His trial came on. Witnesses were produced in court, and t Drake's Annals of Witchcraft in New England, p. 58. 46 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. the testimony taken before Mr. Pynchon, at Springfield, was read to the jury. The verdict of the trial-jury was in writing, as follows : "The jury of Life and Deatli finds against Hugh Parsons, by the testimony of such as appeared in court, so much as gives him grounds not to clear him ; but considered with the testi- monies of divers that are at Springfield, whose testimonys were only sent in writing, as also the confession of Mary Parsons, and the impeachment of some of the bewitched persons of the said Hugh Parsons, and the impeachment of the bewitched persons, or other of them, and the testimonies that are in writ- ing, but appeared not in person, — authentic testimonies, ac- cording to law, — then the jury finds the said Hugh Parsons guilty of the sin of witchcraft. " Edward Hutchin.son, Foreman. " With the consent of the rest of the jury." In the mean time the poor demented wife had confessed herself a witch, and that she had killed the child herself, whose death it had been alleged was caused by the practice of witchcraft in the husband. Mary Parsons was imprisoned upon the double charge of witchcraft and murder. Her case was presented to the grand jury, and two indictments found. She was tried, and found guilty of murder only. Her case was reviewed by the General Court, and on the 7th of May, 1651, the following opinion was recorded : "Mary Parsons, of Springfield, having two Bills of Indict- ment framed against her, the one for having familiarity with the Devil, as a witch, to which she pleaded not guilty, and not sufficient evidence appearing to prove the same, she was ac- quitted of witchcraft. The second indictment was for willfully and most wickedly murdering her own child, to which she pleaded guilty ; consent the fact, and according to her deserts condemned to die." This proceeding against the miserable wife changed the as- pect of the hu.sband's case. His case was reviewed by the General Court on the 27th of May, 1651, and the following conclusion is recorded : " The magistrate, not consenting to the verdict of the jury in the Parsons case, the cause coming legally to the General Court for issue, the court, on peru.sal of the evidence brought in against him for witchcraft, do judge that he is not legally guilty of witchcraft, so not to die by our law." So ended the first trial for witchcraft in Springfield. The wife was doubtless hanged, and Parsons never returned to the valley of the Connecticut to live. Capt. Edward Johnson, in his "Wonder- Working Provi- dence," published in 1654, says of Springfield, " There hath of late been moer than one or two in this town greatly suspected of witchcraft, yet they have used much diligence both for the finding them out and for the Lord's assisting them against their witchery ; yet have they, as is supposed, bewitched not a few persons, among whom two of the Keverend Elder's chil- dren." The Reverend Elder referred to was Mr. George Moxon, the first minister settled at Springfield, who went to England with Mr. Pynchon the year after. To show the reader the flim.sy and nonsensical nature of the evidence in such cases a part of the tcstimonj- adduced in this case is given below, that relating to the death of the child being omitted. The whole testimony is printed at length in the Ap- pendix to Drake's "Annals of Witchcraft in New England." HUGH parsons' EXAMINATION. '^ All these testimonies now taken upon oath Before me. " William Pynchon. " Hugh Parsons — You are attached upon supposition of Witchcraft. " Feb. 25, 16.50, George Lankton saith on oath that his wife made a pudding in a bag, and because my wife had the child, I took it and put it out of the bag at dinner this day fortnight (which was the 11th of Feb.), and as it slipt out of the bag it fell into two pieces lengthwise, and in appearance it was cut straight along as smooth as if it had been cut with a knife. It was cut straight along almost the whole length ; it lacked but very little. Hannah, the wife of George Lankton, doth upon oath concur with her husband in the said testimony. "Feb. 23, 1650-51, George Lankton and Hannah, his wife, jointly testify upon oath that they had another pudding in the former bag that was cut lengthwise, and as it was slipt out of the bag it fell into three parts, one piece being cut all along on the one side, and two pieces all along on the other side. Then they sent for some neighbors to see it. " Roger Pritchard testified upon oath that he saw the said pudding, and it seemed to him to be cut all the three pieces as evident and as plain to him as that which George Lankton cut with his knife. " These testimonies were all taken upon oath before me. "William Pynchon. " George Lankton and Hannah, his wife, do jointly testify upon oath that on Friday last, being the 21 February, they had a pudding in the same bag, and that as soon as it was slipped out of the bag it was cut lengthwise like the former pudding and like another on the 23 Feb., as smooth as any knife could cut it, namel}', one slice all along, wanting but very little from end to end. " Also Hannah, the wife of George Lancton, saith upon oath that a neighbor came in and she showed it to him, and that neighbor took a piece of it and threw it into the tire ; and she saith that about an hour after, perhaps a little moer, she heard one mutter at the door ; then she asked Goody Sewell, who was then at her house (and near the door), who it was ; she said it was Hugh Parsons, and that he asked whether Goodman Lank- ton were at home or no. I said no, and so he went away, but left not his errand. " Deposed in court by Hannah. " Hugh Parsons being asked what his answer was, he spake to other things and not to the question. Being asked the 2d time what his errand was, he spake again of other matters and not the question. Being asked the 3d time what his errand was, and charged to make a direct answer, then he said it was to get some hay of him. Being asked again whether he had propounded his errand since to Goodman Lankton, he said he never saw him since. ' ' Then one or two that weer present testified that they saw him meet Goodman Lankton next day below. " Symon Bemon and Rice Bodorthe say upon oath, that the next day but one they saw Hugh Parsons meet Goodman Lankton accompanied with Thomas Sewell in the street, and they saw him speak to Goodman Lankton. "George Lankton saith on oath that he never to this day asked him for any. " When Hugh Parsons saw himself taken tardy in this put of, then he said that he did not ask him because John Lum- bard bad told him that Goodman Lankton had sold more liay to Goodman Herman than he could spare. But after inquiry, John Lombard saith upon oath, March 17, 1650-51, that the Wednesday before that Hugh Parsons came to Goodman Lankton's House for hay ; that he had spoken to buy some hay of Goodman Lankton, namely, as he passed by, whcer he and Hugh Parsons were at work together, and had a denial. And then he told Hugh Parsons that Goodman Lankton could spare him no hay, for he had already sold more to Goodman Herman than he could spare, and said he should now want himself "John Lunibard also saith on oath, that the Friday after when the said Pudding was so strangely cut he told Hugh Parsons that Lankton had no hay to sell. " Hugli Parsons not being able to reply any further, it is evident that his coming to the door of Goodman Lankton HISTOllY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 47 presently after the burning of tlie iniclcling, which was the next day after John Lunibard had told him that he had no ha}- to spare, that his errand to get hay was no true cause of his coming thither, but rather that the Spirit that bewitched the pudding brought him thither. " Mary Parsons being present at the 2d examination saith, one reason why I have suspected my husband to be a witch is because all that he sells to any bod_y doth not prosper. I am sorry, said she, for that poor man Tho. Millar, for two days after my husband and he had bargained for a piece of ground Thomas Millar had that mischance of that cut in his leg. " Thomas Millar being present saith upon oath, that ho being in company with several other workman about timber trees in the woods, as we weer at dinner and merry together Hugh Parsons sat on a bough somewhat higher than the rest. Then one of the company started this question : I wonder why he sits there? Thomas Miller saith he answered, To see what we have, and then I began to speak of the cutting of the pud- ding in town. '' Thomas Cooper being present with the said workmen saith, that he was much troubled in his mind because Thomas Mil- lar spake so plainly to Hugh Parsons least some evil event should follow. " And both Tho. Cooper and Thomas Millar .say upon oath, that Hugh Parsons was as merry and as pleasant before this speech about the pudding as any in the company, but after this he was wholy silent and spake not a word in reply about the pudding, but sat dumb. And Thomas Millar saith, that about half-a-quarter of an hour after, at his first setting to work, his leg was cut. "April 3, 1651, Thomas Burnham saith upon oath, that he said to Hugh Parsons, a little before his apprehension, ' beer is strange doings in town, about cutting of puddings and whetting of saws in the night time.' Hugh Parsons heard these things much agitated among divers then present, and was wholly silent, but at last he said, ' I never heard these things before this night.' Thomas Burnham saith he said to him that is strange that you .should not hear of these things, and I, being but a stranger in town, do hear of it in all places, wherever I come. At this Hugh Parsons held down his head and was wholly silent, but he took occasion to speak of other by matters, as pleasantly as anybody else, but to the matter of the pudding he would say nothing ; and yet, saith Thomas Burnham, I spake to him of it several times, and of the whet- ting of saws, on purpose to see what Hugh Parsons would say to it, but still he continued silent, and would not speak any- thing about these things. Then Goodman Mann being present, said, I would that those who whet saws in the night time and on Lord's days were found out. Then saith Thomas Burn- ham, I said you sawyers you had need to look to it. Hugh Parsons being a sawyer, never returned any answer, but still continued silent. This matter about tho pudding and whet- ting of saws was often tossed up and down between several persons, and many said they never heard the like. And Hugh Parsons was often spoken to in particular and asked if he ever heard the like, but still he continued wholy silent. " Joane, the wife of "William "VVarrence, and Abigail, the wife of Goodman Mann, being present when the said speeches were used, do acknowledge that they remember all things that have been related by Thomas Burnham, and that Hugh Par- sons was wholly silent, and do testify the same upon oath, the day and j'ear above said. "SECOND COUNT. " Blanche Bodortbe saith on oath, Feb. 27, and March 1st, and March 18th, 1649, that about two years since, Hugh Par- sons being at our house, we had some speeches about a bargain with my husband about some bricks, and then Blanch Bo- dortbe saith that she spake something about the said bricks that did much displease Hugh Parsons ; thereupon he said unto me. Gammer, you needed not have said anything. I spake not to you, but I .shall remember you when j'ou little think on it. . . . Blanch Bodortbe doth testify upon oath, that soon after this threatening speech, as she was going to bed, and had put off her waistcoat made of red shag cotten, and as she was going to hang it up on a pin, she held it up between her hands, and then she saw a light, as it had been the light of a candle, crossing the back of her waistcoat on the inside, three times, one after another, at which she was amazed ; and therefore she saith that after she had laid it down she took it up again, to try if the firelight might not be the cause of it, but she saith that the firelight being all one, as it was before, she could not perceive any such light by it, and besides, she saith it could not be the firelight, because there was a double Indian mat compassing the bed and the place where she was, so that it could not be the firelight, for this double mat was betwixt her and the fire; and she saith, moreover, that because this light was so strange to her, she took her waistcoat several other nights to try if the firelight would not give such a light as she saw first, and held it up the ^ame way that she did at first, but she saith she could not perceive any such light afterward. " 2dly. About a month after this she saith that when she was iu child-bed, and as well as most women used to be and better than she used to be, yet at the week's end, being desirous to sleep, she lay still that she might sleep, and she did sleep. And yet about an hour or more after she awaked and felt a soreness about her heart, and this soreness increased more and more in three places, namely, under her left breast and on her left shoulder and in her neck : and in these three places the pain was so tedious that it was like the pricking of knives, so that I durst not lie down but was fain to be shored up with a bag of cotton-wool and with other things, and this extremity continued from Friday in the forenoon till Monday about noon, and then the extremity of the pain began to abate, and by Tuesday it was pretty well gone ; and suddenly after mj- thoughts were that this evil might come upon me from the said threatening speech of Hugh Parsons. " 3dly. Blanch Bodorthe saith, upon oath, that mj' child, being about two years old, as he was standing near to his father, did hastily run to him, and strived to get up upon his knees, and cryed, 'I am afraid of the dog!' and yet theer was no dog theer. His father asked him wheer the dog was : he said it was gone under the bed. His father asked him whose dog it was. He said it was Lumbard's dog : his father said that Lumbard had no dog ; then he said again it was Parsons' dog: but the child's meaning was at first that it was Parsons' dog. I know it by this, because when Parsons did after use to come to our house, he did often call him Lum- bard. And ever and anon he is much aft'righted with this dog, and doth often speak of it, and yet Parsons hath no dog, neither was there any dog in the house; but the earnestness of the child, both then and since, doth make me conceive it might be some evil thing from Hugh Parsons. " Hugh Parsons having heard all these testimonies, alleged stood still at his 2d examination, as at the first, and made no answer. " MR. MOXON's children. " Your wife saith that she suspects you may be the cause of all the evil that is befallen to Mr. Moxon's children, because, when she hath spoken to you about the bargain of bricks that you undertook to make for Mr. Moxon's chimnies, and that she thought Mr. Moxon would expect the performance of the said bargain, thereupon you said if Mr. Moxon do force me to make bricks according to bargain I will be even with him, or he shall get nothing by it ; for she saith that these two speeches are very usual with you when you are displeased with anybody. " Answering, Hugh Parsons saith, I said mit that I would be 48 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. even with him ; but this I said, if he would hold me to my bargain I could puzzle him in the bargain. " John Mathews being present, saith, upon oath, that when he went with Hugh Parsons to fetch some of his fannell bricks, he said to Hugh Parsons : ' Do not you make more bricks for Mr. Moxon's chimnies he will stay with us now, and then I believe he will have up his chimnies.' Hugh Par- sons said, 'No; that I know of;' then said I, 'Mr. Moxon will hold you to your bargain about the said bricks ;' then said he, 'If he do I will be even with him.' And when Hugh Parsons made my chimnies he did often use the same speech ; and when he is displeased with anybody it his usual speech. "At this testimony of John Mathews, Hugh Parsons was silent and made no reply. "Mr. Moxon being present, saith, the same week that I spake to Hugh Parsons about the bricks, and to his wife about another business, my daughter Martha was taken ill with her fltts. I confess, also, that when I spake to him of the said bargain, that Hugh said I could not, in strictness, hold him to the bargain. But this last answer doth not take oil' the ill purpo.se of his former threatening. "4th. Sarah, the wife of Alexander Edwards, testifies upon oath, Feb. 27th, 1650, that about two years ago, more or less, Hugh Parsons, being then at the Longmeadow, came to her house to buy some milk ; she said, ' I will give you a half- penny worth, but I cannot let you have any more at this time.' This was at that time when my cow gave three quarts at a meal ; but the next meal after she gave not above a quart, and it was as yellow as saflron, and yet the cow ailed nothing that I could discerne. The next meal it altered to another strange, odd color, and so it did every meal ; for a week together it still altered to some odd color or other, and also it grew less and less; and yet all the while the cow was as well as at any time before, as far as I could discerne ; and about a week after she began to mend her milk again, without any means used. Upon this I had thoughts that Hugh Par- sons might be the cause of it. "Alexander Edwards swore that George Coulton saw the milk in strange colors. "Hugh Parsons saith that he did not lie one night at ye Long Meddow that Somer, but only in the Spring of the Yeere, eather in March or in the beginning of Aprill, when he set up fencing there, and that he never had Milk of her but that one Tyme ; and at that Tyme of the Yeere he thinks her Cow could not give three Quarts at a Meale. " But now at his 2nd Examination, May the 18th, 16.50, he seeing Alexander Edwards about to testify ye contrary, he confesseth that he lay a night there in plantinge T3'me, about the end of May. " I remember ye Alexander Edwards came to me to tell me of this accident, and said that he was perswaded the Cow was bewitched by Hugh Parsons ; but I did not believe him at that tyme. I rather conceived that the Cow was falling into some dangerous sickness ; for such a sudden abatement I tould him was a sign of some dangerous sicknesse at hand ; but, see- inge no sicknesse followed, I tould Hugh Parsons that such a sudden change could not come from a Naturall Cause. " 5thly. Anthony Dorchester saieth upon oath, Feby. 25, 1650, the 1st Day of the 1st Month and the 18th Day, that about September was twelve Monthes, four had equall shares in a Cow ; each had a Quarter, and ye Otfall was to be divided also ; and Hugh Parsons desired to have the roote of the Tongue ; but he had it not, it fell to my share ; and a cer- taine time after I had salted it, I tooke the said Roote and another peace of Meete, and put it into the Kettle as it was boylinge over the Fire at Hugh Parsons' House, where I lived at that present ; and there was no body there but his wife, and I and my wife, who was sick of a consumption, sittinge on her bed and not able to gett of without lielp ; neather were any of my children able to take such a Thinge out of a boyling kettle. This being the Sabbath Day, Hugh Parsons and his wife went to Church before me ; then I made myself ready and went presently after them, and came Home before them, and took up my Meate before they came Home, but the Roote of the Tovinge, which Hugh Parsons formerly desyred, was gonn ; his wife come Home presently after me (but he came not with her). Then I told her, and she won- dered how it could be gonn ; and she went to ye Tubb where it was salted to see if it might nott be forgotten, and it was not there. Then said I to her, I am sure I put it into the boyling Kettle, and .she confessed that she saw me pick it and wash it, and being present did much wonder ye strange going of it away, and said that she feared her Husband might convey it away. She tould me that her Husband went along with her till we came to (ioodraan Merricke's, and was very pleasing to her, more than usually he had bin a great while before ; but there he laid the Child downe and went no further with her ; and she saw him no more till ye Meeting was almost donn(all this Mary Parsons, being present, dothe acknowledg). Presently after this he came home ; then I spake of it to him, and all that be said was that he thought I did not put it in ; but I tould him that I was sure I put it into the boyling Kettle. And I have ever since believed that no Hand of Man did take it away, but that it was taken away by Witchcraft. " Ans. Hugh Parsons confesseth that he de.syred the Roote of ye Toung, but withall saith he is ignorant as ye Child unborn which way it went. Some by-Standard objected it might be taken away by his wife as well as by him. But that is not so likely, because Hugh Parsons went not with her to ye Meeting, but laid down her Child and went from her, and she saw him no more till Meeting was almost donn. "ylns. Hugh Parsons saith that he doth not remember that he went away any whither, unlesse he might go into Good- win Merricke's Howse to take a pipe of Tobacco ; and though his wife saw him no more till the Meeting was almost donn, yet he saith he might be standing without the Dore, though she saw him not. And at his 2nd examination he asked how it did appeare that he came not to the Meeting till it was almost donn. " Abigail Mun, being present, doth testifie upon Oath that she knew by the Talk aboutt the strange going away of this Roote of the Toung what Sabbath was meant, and she saith that she saw him come that Sabbath to 3'e meeting when ye Sermon was well onward. "Jonathan Taylor deposed in open Courte, saith that he heard the said Parsons say (notwithstanding the Roote of the Toung was desired by Anthony Dorchester for his wife, being sicke), yett he said I will have it. "6thly. Griffin Jones saith upon Oath, Feby. 25, 1650, March 1 and 18 Day, that when he lived at his House neere Hugh Parsons' House about 2 yrs. agoe, on a Lord's Day I went Home to Dinner; I took up my Dinner and laid it on a little Table made on ye Cradle Head. I sought for a Knife and could not find any. I cleered the Table where I dined to see if any were there ; and I searched every where about j'e House, and I could find none. I went to an ould Basket where I had Things to mend Shoes withall, and there was a rusty Knife, and with that I was faine to eate my Dinner. After 1 had dined, I tooke away ye Victuals that were left and laid it up ; and then I laid the rusty Knife on the corner of the Table to cutt a pip of Tobacco withall. " But before I cut my Tobacco I first went out of Dore to serve a Pigg that was a very little of the Dore, and no man could come in but I must see them ; and as soon as I come in to cutt my Tobacco with the said rusty knife, there lay three Knivea together on ye Table, which made me blush, wondering how they come there seeing no Body was in ye House but my self; and I was going to cut ye Tobacco, Hugh Parsons come in, and said, where is the Man? Are you ready to go to ye Meet- HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 49 inge? I said by and by, as soon as I have taken a pipe of Tobacco. So he staid and took some with me. 'Mrts. Hugh Parsons saith he is ignorant of any such Thing, and in the sight of God can cleare his Conscience. " It was tould him that such a strange Thinge fallinge oute just at his comeing in did minister just occasion of Suspition of Witchcraft ; he replyed that one Witness was not sufficient. " Tthl}'. Mary Parsons, his wife, saith that one Reason why she doth suspect you to be a Witch is because you cannot abide that any thing should be spoken again.st Witches. She saith that you tould her that you were at a Neighbor's House a little before Lecture, when they were speaking of Carrington and his Wife, that were now apprehended for Witches; she saith that when you came Homo and spake these speeches to her she said to you, I hope that God will find out all such wicked Persons and purge New England of all Witches ere it be long. To this she saith you gave her a naughty looke, but never a word ; but presently after, on a leight Occasion, you took up a Block, and made as if you would throw it at her head, but yet, in ye end, you did not, but threw it downe on ye hearth of ye chimney. This expression of ye anger was because she wished the Ruin of all Witches. " Mary Ashley testifies this substance uppon Oath. '^ Attn. Hugh Parsons saith he dare not remember that ever he tooke up a Block to throw at her, but uppon further De- bate he said at last that he tooke up a Block but remembered not the Occasion ; at his 2nd Answer he saith that he took up no Block on that Occa.sion. " RepVie : it might well be on that Occasion, for not long since she saith that you said to her, if ever any Trouble doe come unto you, it will be by her Meanes, and that she would be the Meanes to hang 3'ou. "Ans. Hugh Parsons saith that he might say so, because in his Anger he is impatient, and doth speak what he should not. At his 2nd Examination, he said he might say so, because she is the worst Enemy that I have, considering the Relation that is betwecne us ; and if any Body be.speake Evill of me she will speake as ill and as much as any Body else. " Mary Parsons replied, I have often intreated him to con- fe.sse whether he were a Witch or no. I tould him that if he would acknowledge it I would bcgg the Prayers of God's Peo- ple on my knees for him ; and that we are not our owne, we are bought with a Price, and that God would redeeme from the power of Sathan, &c. " Hugh Parsons was asked if his Wife had spoken An3-thing to him at any Tyme to confess W^itchcraft. " ,4n.s. Not anything to me about Witchcraft, that I remember. " Mary Parsons saith, did I not speake of it to you uppon the death of my Child ? did I not tell you then that I had jeal- ousies that you had bewitched your own Child to Death ? " To this he was silent, and made no answer. " Then she desyred Anthony Dorchester, that lived then in their House, whether he could not remember that she had charged her husband with the bewitching of his child. "Anthony Dorchester said that he did not remember that ever she spoke directly to him of bewitching his Child, but that she had jealousies that he had bewitched his child to death. " Mary Parsons said that when her last Child was ill she tould him that she suspected he had bewitched that, as he had done his other child, and said, I have spoken of it to him, and to other Polkes, together above forty Tymes. " It was alledged that he might well be suspected to have be witched his former Child to Death, because he expressed no Kind of Sorrow at the Death of it. " Ans. Hugh Parsons saith that he w-as loath to express any Sorrow before his wife, because of the weak condition that she was in at that Tyme. MARY B.VNDALL. The foregoing trial of Hugh Parsons and Mary, his wife, for witchcraft, seems to have been the first one had for that of- fense in the valley, and the case of Mary Randall seems to have been the last one entertained in the Hampshire County courts. On the 29th day of September, 1691, Mary Randall was brought before the court at Springfield upon the«charge of witchcraft. The complaint against her was entertained by the court, but for some reason or other, — it may have been for want of sufficient evidence to convict her, — the case was put over for a year. William Randall, her father, became surety for her good behavior, but no trial or other proceedings were ever had. In her case the following record was made : " Mary Randall being presented to this court for Witchcraft, the several evidences were produced and read in court. The court, upon the serious thoughts of her examination and al- leged evidence against her, did declare that there was vehe- ment suspicion of her having familiarity with the Devil ; did therefore order her committed to prison in Springfield, until security be given in the sum often pounds for her good behavior until the next court at Springfield, this time come twelve months. " William Randall, her father, did become surety in the sum of twenty pounds for his said daughter, for her good behavior as aforesaid." III. WITCHCRAFT IN NORTHAMPTON. Mrs. Mary Parsons. — Among the most important trials for witchcraft which took place in the colony of Massachusetts Bay was that of Mrs. Mary Parsons, wife of Joseph Par- sons, a man of wealth and high standing residing at North- ampton. In the month of July, in the year 1674, Mrs. Mary Bartlett, wife of Samuel Bartlett, of Northampton, sickened and died. Such " chirurgeons" as the young settlement then afforded were at a loss as to the nature of her malady, and a ready solution of the difficulty was arrived at by attributing it to witchcraft. Of course some one must be fixed upon for the witch. To the surprise of everybody, in this instance a person of no less standing and accomplishments than Mary Parsons was fixed upon as the guilty person. Soon after the death of Mrs. Bartlett, her husband, Samuel Bartlett, began to procure evidence, in the shape of depositions made by divers persons against Mrs. Parsons, for the purpose of substantiating his ac- cusations against her before the next court, to be held at Spring- field on the 29th day of September following. Mrs. Parsons, aware of what was going on, did not wait to be served with process, but voluntarily appeared in person be- fore the court to answer her accusers. In her plea she denied her guilt, and in a speech to the court " she did assert her own innocency, often mentioning how clear she was of such a crime, and that the righteous God knew her innocency, and .she left her cause in his hand." But, notwithstanding her most solemn protestations of innocence, the court at Springfield proceeded to entertain the case, and, as the record shows, "ap- pointed a jury of soberdized, chaste women to make diligent search U]ion the body of Mary Parsons, whether any marks of witchcraft appear, who gave in their account to the court on oath of what they found." This report, with the depositions, was sent to the governor and magistrates, at Boston, and Mrs. Parsons was ordered to appear before them ; and she was also bound over in the sum of fifty pounds, with her husband as surety, for her further appearance at the Hampshire County court. On the 2d day of March, 1C75, her case was presented to the grand jury of the court, and an indictment found against her. Upon the finding of the bill of indictment against her, she was sent to prison to await her trial. Her trial came on on the 13th dav of May following. In 50 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. the indictment she was charn;cd with witchcraft, " in that she had, nut having the fear of God before her eyes, entered into familiarity with the Devil, and committed sundry acts of witchcraft on the person or persons of one or more." To this charge she entered the plea of "not guilty," and after the matter was submitted to the trial-jury they brought in a ver- dict of acquittal.. Thus ended the trial of Mary Parsons, of Northan>jiton. An attempt was made afterward to fasten the guilt upon her son, John Parsons, but the court deemed the evidence against him insulBcient, and the case was aban- doned. Again, in 1679, the "powers of darkness" were visible in Northampton. On the 7th of March of that year one John Stebbins died in an " unusual manner." An inquest was held upon his body, with Dr. Thomas Hast- ings, of Hatfield, among the twelve jurymen. The "jury found several hundred small spots on the body, as if made with small shot. These spots were scraped, and holes found under them into the body." It was suspected that this was caused by witchcraft. It is a tradition in Hadley that a short time before John Stebbins died he was at work in a saw-mill, when the logs and boards became bewitched, and cut up strange and divers capers. The county court received the evidence in the case and trans- mitted it to Governor Bradstreet, but no further notice was taken of it.* IV. "WITCHCRAFT IN IIADLEY. In 1683 the noted case of Mary "Webster, the wife of Wil- liam Webster, occurred in Hadley. She was charged before the court at Northampton, consisting of Col. John Pynchon, of Springfield, Peter Tilton and Philip Smith, of Hadley, William Clarke and Aaron Cooke, of Northampton. She was sent to jail at Boston in April, and on the '2'2d of May was taken before the Governor and assistants and indicted by the grand jury. Her trial began in Boston on the 4th of Sep- tember following, and resulted in her acquittal. This case created a great deal of excitement at the time in the Connec- ticut Valley, and was considered one of the most noted cases of the kind occurring in Hampshire County. In 1685 Mary Webster was again accused of .sorcery, and of committing murder by the practice of the art. But the charge was not substantiated, and the poor harassed iild woman lived some years afterward, dying in 1696. CHAPTER XIV. THE EEGICIDES.t After the restoration of Charles II. to the throne of Eng- and, in the year 1060, the valley of the Connecticut in New England became the e.xile home of three of the judges who signed the death-warrant of the unfortunate Charles I. in the -year 1649, namely, Edward Whalley, William Gotfe, and John Di.\well, since famous in American history as the Kegi- cides. The story of the Regicides imparts to the history of the Connecticut Valley an interest quite as melancholy as it is instructive. Of the one hundred and thirty judges com- missioned by the House of Commons to conduct the trial of the king, " seventy-four sat, sixty-seven were present at the last session and were unanimous in passing the definitive sentence upon the king, and fifty-nine signed the warrant for his execution, 1649." * Drake'rt Annals of Witchcraft, p. 140. t This chapter was prepared by Horace Mack. At the time of the Restoration, in 1660, when Charles II. became king, twenty-four of the judges had died ; but the vengeance of the crow'n followed the survivors with unflag- ging pertinacity. Nine were executed and sixteen escaped from the kingdom. Three of these came to New England, — Maj.-Gen. Edward Whalley, Maj.-Gen. William Gofle, and John Dixwell. The familj- of Whalley was prominent in the reign of Henry VI. Gen. Whalley's father, Richard, was a grandson of Rich- ard Whalley, Esq., of Kirkton, in the county of Nottingham, who died in 1583, aged eighty-four. His mother was Frances, a daughter of Sir Henry Cromwell, knight, and was aunt to Oliver Cromwell, the Protector. • Gen. Whalley married the sister of Sir George Middleton, knight, an enemy of Charles I., and had several children, of whom one became the wife of Gen. Gofl'e. Although "brought up to merchandise," he was a man of great strength of mind, and took a prominent part in the stirring events of the twenty years anterior to the conviction of Charles. He was noted as a civilian, as a military commander, and as a member of Par- liament, and was among the foremost of those who opposed the king. Geii. Guff'c was a son of Rev. Stephen Gofie, ji Puritan di- vine, rector of Stanmore, in Sussex. He abandoned the busi- ness of merchandising while yet a young man, entered the Parliament army, and won successively the positions of colo- nel of foot and general. He, like Whalley, became an active agent in the proceedings against the king, and "S^as subse- quently a member of Parliament under Cromwell. It is re- corded that he " by degrees fell off from the anti-monarchical principles of the chief part of the army, and was the man, with Col. William White, who brought musqueteers and turned out the Anabaptistical members that were left behind of the Little, or ' Barebones,' Parliament out of the house, "J April, 1653. It was the opinion of some historians that Whalley and Gofte had "escaped to the Continent, and were a,t Lucerne, in Switzerland, in 1664," and by others that they " wandered about for years and died in a foreign clime, but when or where unknown." The newly-settled provinces in the wilds of the Western continent promised them a safer asylum, and so, an- ticipating by a short period the restoration of the monarchy with its quick-following penal decrees toward the surviving judges, they came to New England. Governor Hutchinson, who wrote in 1764, and who had po.s- session of Goffe's diary and other papers, § gives the following account : " In the ship which arrived at Boston from London the 27th of July, 1660, there came passengers Col. Whalley and Col. Goti'e, two of the late king's judges. Col. Gott'e brought tes- timonials from Mr. John Row and 3Ir. Seth Wood, two min- isters of a church in Westminster. Col. Whalley had been a member of Mr. Thomas Goodwin's church. Gofte kept a jour- nal or diary from the day he left Westminster, May 4, until the year 1667, which, together with several other papers belonging to him, I have in my possession. Almost the whole is in char- acters or short hand, not difficult to decipher. The story of these persons has never yet been published to the world. They did not attempt to conceal their persons or characters when they arrived at Boston, but immediately went to the Gover- nor, Mr. Endicott, who received them very courteously. They were visited by the principal persons of the town ; and, among X Fasti Oxoniensis, p. 79, as quoted by President Stiles. g Mr. Judd says (page 215), " Governor Hutchinson was in possession of Goffe's diary and liis papei-s and letters, which had lung been in the library of the Matlicrs in IJuston. Ilutcliinsun was a Tory, and liis house wss rifled liy a mob in 17(1'), iind the journal of Gofle and utlier papei-s rekitiiii,' to the jud^e.s are sup- pufied to have been destroyed. From them he had publislied in 1704 a siiort account of Wlialley and Gofl'e in his tirst volume of the 'History of Massachn. Betts.' " HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 51 others, they take notice of Col. Crown's coming to see them. He was a noted Royalist. Although they did not disguise themselves, yet they chose to reside at Cambridge, a village about four miles distant from the town, where they went the first day they arrived. They went publicly to meetings on the Lord's day, and to occasional lectures, fasts, and thanksgiv- ings, and were admitted to the sacrament, and attended private meetings for devotion, visited many of the principal towns, and were frequently at Bo.ston ; and once, when insulted there, the person who insulted them was bound to his good behavior. They appeared grave, serious, and devout, and the rank they had sustained commanded respect. Whalley had been one of Cromwell's lieutenant-generals, and Goffe a major-general. The reports, by way of Barbadoes, were that all the judges would be pardoned but seven. "When it appeared that they were not excepted, some of the principal persons in the gov- ernment were alarmed ; pity and compassion prevailed with others. They had assurances from some that belonged to the General Court that they would stand by them, but were ad- vised by others to think of removing. The 22d of February, 1661, the Governor summoned a court of assistants to consult about securing them, but the court did not agree to it. Find- ing it unsafe, to remain any longer, they left Cambridge the 26th following, and arrived at New Haven the 7th of March, 1661. One Capt. Breedan, who had seen them in Boston, gave information thereof upon his arrival in England. A few days after their removal, a hue and cry, as they term it in their diary, was brought by way of Barbadoes, and thereupon a warrant to secure them issued the 8th of March from the Gov- ernor and assistants, which was sent to Springfield and other towns in the western part of the colony, but they were beyond the reach of it." They tarried at New Haven for some days, where tliey met with kind treatment, but, learning of the king's proclamation, decamped on the 27th of March, and, employing an adroit strategy, appeared openly at New Milford, making themselves known, and then returned secretly to New Haven, where they lay concealed at the house of Mr. Davenport, the minister, until April 30. About this time news came of the execution of ten of the judges, with another mandate from the king, dated March 5, 1660-61, which stimulated the court to more vigorous search for the fugitives. Thomas Kirk and Thomas Kellond, who were zealous Royalists, were commissioned to search "through the colonies as far as Manhados," — Man- hattan, now New York. Informed of this procedure, the judges began a series of hegiras, which, with the accompanying incidents, would form one of the most interesting and romantic chapters of Ameri- can history. These can only be briefly summarized in this narrative. They soon removed from Mr. Davenport's to the house of William Jones, remained there until May 11, spent the next two days in a mill, and on the 13th joined Mr. Jones and two others — Sperry and Burrell — in the woods, and were conducted to a place known as " Hatchet Harbor," where they remained two nights, by which time their friends had prepared "a cave or hole in the side of a hill" for their recep- tion. Here they remained from May 16 to June 11, during which time tlie country was being scoured to " Manha- dos" by the merchant-minions, Kellond and Kirk, who oflfered large rewards to insure their capture. Mr. Daven- port was suspected of having given them aid and comfort, and was liable to arrest, whereupon they oftered to surrender, that their friends might not suft'er, and actuallj' made known their whereabouts to Deputy-Governor Leet, who took no advan- tage of the information. They were the next day advised not to surrender. Thej', however, appeared publicly at New Haven, thus relieving Mr. Davenport "from the charge of still con- cealing them," and again retired on the 24th of June to their caveat "Providence Hill," as they termed the place.* On * Accorfiing to President Stiles, thie cave was not "in the 6t*ie of a hill," but October 19 the hunt for them had nearly ceased, and permitted a change to better quarters, which they secured "at the house of one Tompkins, near Milford meeting-house, where they re- mained two years, without so much as going into the orchard. After that they took a little more liberty, and made them- selves known to several persons in whom they could confide." In 1664, the commissioners from Charles II. having landed at Boston, they again sought the privacy of their cave, and lived there eight or ten days. Soon after this the cave and the bed were discovered by Indian hunters and became un- tenable, whereupon, on the 13th of October, in the saitie year, they set out foV the new frontier-town of Hadley, which would seem almost to have been "planted" purposely for their reception, begun as it was only the year previous to their ar- rival at Boston. They were doubtless on the road four nights, arriving on or about the 17th at the house of the minister, Mr. Ru.ssell, who had engaged to receive them. Rev. Ezra Stiles, then president of Yale College, writing in 1794,f gave the following hypothetical account of this journey of the fugi- tives : "On the 13th of October, 1664, they left Milford and pro- ceeded on their excursion. I shall su|ipose that the first night they came over to New Haven to their friend Jones, — though of this there is no tradition, as there is of their making a lodgment at Pilgrims' Harbor, so called from them, being twenty miles from New Haven, at a place since called Meri- don, half-way between New Haven and Hartford. Here they might rest and lodge one day, and the next night proceed to Hartford, and the night following to Springfield, and the succeeding night reach Hadley. But of this I tind no tradi- tion, saving only that on their route to Hadley they made one station at Pilgrims' Harbor." Once at the minister's home, they remained in almost abso- lute seclusion for fifteen or sixteen years, or until they died, though not wholly at Mr. Russell's. Little concerning their life in Hadley can be known, outside of what has been gleaned from the diary and papers of Gen. Goffe. Governor Hutch- inson gives the following, some of which seems to be tradi- tional : " The last account of Gotfe is from a letter dated Ehenezer, the name they gave their several places of abode, April 2, 1679. Whalley had been dead some time before. The tradi- tion at Hadley is, that two persons unknown were buried in the minister's cellar. The minister was no suiFerer by his boarders. They received more or less remittances every year, for many years together, from their wives in England. Those few persons who knew where they were made them frequent presents. Richard Saltonstall, Esq., who was in the secret, when he left the country and went to England, in 1672, made them a present of fifty pounds at his departure ; and the}' take notice of donations from several other friends. They were in constant terror, though they had reason to hope, after some years, that the inquiry for them was over. They read with pleasure the news of their being killed, with other judges, in Switzerland. Their diary, for six or seven years, contains every little occurrence in the town, church, and particular families in the neighborhood. They had, indeed, for five years of their lives, been among the principal actors in the great affairs of the nation. They had very constant and exact in- telligence of everything which parsed in England, and were unwilling to give .up all hopes of deliverance. Their greatest expectations were from the fulfillment of the prophecies. They had no doubt that the execution of the judges was the slaying of the witnesses. They were much disappointed when the year 1666 had passed without any remarkable event, but flattered themselves that the Christian era might be erroneous. Their , among the rocks on the top of " West Eock," about two miles and a half uorth- ■\vest of New Haven. t A History of Three of the Judges of King Charles I., by Ezra Stiles, late President of Yale College. 52 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. lives were miserable and constant burthens. They complain of being banished from all human society. A letter from GofJ'e's wife, who was Whalley's daughter, I think worth preserving. After the second year GofFe writes by the name of Walter Goldsmith, and she of Frances Goldsmith, and the correspondence is carried on as between a mother and son. There is too much religion in their letters for the taste of the present day ; but the distresses of two persons under these pe- culiar circumstances, who appear to have lived very happily together, are verj- strongly described. " Whilst they were at Hadley, Feb. 10, 1664-65, John Dix- well, another of the judges, came to them ; but from whence, or in what part of America he first landed, is not known. He continued some years at Hadley, and then removed to New Haven. He married at New Haven and had several chil- dren. After his death his son came to Boston, and lived in good repute ; was a ruling elder of one of the churches there, and died in 1725. Colonel Dixwell was buried in New Haven." In the house of Mr. Russell there already existed, or he had caused to be prepared, a secret chamber or hiding-place, to which his unfortunate guests could betake themselves at short notice. The main or south part of the house — a double one, about twcntj' b}' forty-four feet in size — " had two large rooms below, with an old-fashioned chimney and a front entry and stairs between them." Above were corresponding chambers, separated in part by the chimney, which had on the north side a passage-way, or dark closet, used as a communication be- tween the rooms. A door from each room opened into this closet, in the floor of which was a loose board, nicely adjusted, that might be taken up, permitting entrance to a similar space between the lower rooms, but with no opening into either. The judges occupied the upper apartment, on the east side, and it is related that they "once were concealed in this dark place behind the chimney when searchers went through the passage above." President Stiles, who visited Hadley, May 21, 1792, says: "The Kev. Mr. Hopkins carried me to Mr. Eussel's house, still standing. It is a double hou.se, two stories and a kitchen. Although repaired, with additions, yet the chamber of the judges remains obviously in its original state, unmutilated, as when these exiled worthies inhabited it. Adjoining to it, be- hind or at the north end of the large chimney, was a closet, in the floor of which I saw still remaining the trap-door through which they let themselves down into an under closet, and so thence descended into the cellar for conceal- ment, in case of search or surprise." He adds, "They must have been known to the family and domestics, and must have been frequently exposed to accidental discoveries, with all their care and circumspection to live in stillness. That the whole should have been etfectually concealed in the breasts of the knowing ones is a case of secrecy truly astonishing." Chester Gaylord, born in 1782, in the Russell hou.se, which his father then owned, told Sylvester Judd, in 1858, that when a boy he had frequently entered the "dark hole" behind the chimney and replaced the board above him; and that "if there was once a passage into the kitchen cellar, it had been closed. ' ' * One or both of the judges, for a longer or shorter period, stayed at the hou.se of Peter Tillton ; and a tradition in the Smith family, narrated by Rev. Samuel Hoj)kins, in 1703, claims that they were "a part of the time" at the house of Lieut. Samuel Smith. Much speculation has been indulged concerning the times and places of the death and burial of these self-immured .exiles. The veil that so effectually concealed them, living, was not lifted when they died ; and circumstance, embarrassed * The visit of PrCf^ident Stiles must have been during the " boyhood" of Mr. Gaylord. by conflicting traditions, yields but an imperfect clue for the historian. Mr. Hopkins submitted the several traditions to President Stiles, — one claiming that after Whalley's death Goft'e went to Hartford, thence to New Haven, where he was suspected and disappeared ; another, that Whalley died at Tillton 's and was buried behind his barn, and that Golfe then went to " the Narragansett," and there being set upon went southward, as far as Pennsylvania and Virginia ; another, that both died in Hadley ; and still another, that the one that died in town was buried in Mr. Tillton's garden or in his cellar. Mr. Hopkins adds, "It seems to have been a matter of conjecture among the inhabitants, — in Tillton's cellar, in his garden, or behind his barn, as they imagined most probable. Of his being buried under a fence, between two lots, I do not find anj-- thing;f nor of his being afterward removed." President Stiles appears to have formed the belief that Whalley and Gofle both died at Hadley, — the former at Mr. Russell's, and the latter at Mr. Tillton's. This conclusion was strengthened when, in 1795, — one year after he wrote the history of the judges, and three years subsequent to his visit to Hadley, — at the rebuilding of the main part of the old house of Mr. Russell, the bones of a man of large size were found four feet below the surface and near the middle part of the front wall. In August, 1674, Gen. GofFe wrote to his wife concerning her father, "He is scarce capable of any rational discourse, his understanding, memory, and speech do so much fail him, and he seems not to take much notice of anything that is either said or done, but patiently bears all things and never complains of anything. The common question is to know how he doth, and his answer for the most part is. Very well, I praise God. He has not been able of a long time to dress, undress, or feed himself, without help ; it is a great mercy to him that he has a friend who takes pleasure in being helpful to him." As Governor Hutchinson says Whalley had been dead some time when the last known letter of Goffe was written, April 2, 1679, it is probable that he was not alive when Capts. Loth- rop and Beers came to Hadley in August, 1675, during the war of King Philip. The bones found, it is more than prob- able, were those of Gen. Whalley. Mr. Judd intimates that Mr. Russell began to entertain the officers of the Indian war in 1675. Such being the case, it is reasonable to suppose that Gen. Gofle — after the death of his companion, to whom he took "pleasure in being helpful" — t This miasine tradition was secured by President Stiles himself ; he says: "On my return from Hadley, passing through Wetherstiehl, on the 2oth of May, I visited Mrs. Porter, a sensible and judicious woman, aged 77. She was a datighter of Mr. Elienezer Marsh, and born at Iladley, 1715, next door to Mr. Tillton's, one of the temporary and interchanged residences of the judges. This house Wius in her day occupied by Deacon .Tt>sei)!i Eastman. She had the general story of the judges, but said she knew nothing with certiiinty concerning them, hut only that it was said they sometimes lived at Mr. llusseU's, and sometimes where Deacon Ea.stman lived, — that one was buried in Mr. Russell's cellar and another in Mr. Tillton's lot. As she said she had notliing certain, I pressed her for fabu- lous anecdotes. She said she was ashamed t*i tell young people's whims and notions. But in the conree of conversation she said that when she was a girl it was the constant belief among the neighboi-s that an old man, for some reason or other, had been buried in the fence between Deacon Eastman's and her father's. She said the women and girls from their house and Deacon Eastman's used to meet at the dividing fence, and while chatting and talking together for amusement, one and another at times would say, with a sort of skittish fe.ar and laughing, * "Who knows but we are now standing on the old man's grave?' She and other girls used to I»e skittish and fearful, even in wjvlking the street, when they came against the pla<;e of that supposed grave ; though it was never known whereabouts in that line of fence it lay. She supiwsed the whole was only young folks' foolish notions; for some were much concerned lest the old man's ghost should appear at or about that grave. But this lady was very reluctant at narrating these circumstances and stories, to which she gave no heed herself. " In repeatedly visiting Hadley lor many years past, and in cnnvel-sation with pel-sons l«irn .and brought up in Hadley, but settled elsewhere, I have often per- ceived a concurrent tr.adition that Iwith died there, and were buried somewhere in Hadley unknown, though generally agreed that one was buried at Russell's." HISTOKY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 53 went to the house of Mr. Tillton, and there eked out his days in solitude. The time o( liis death is matter of conjecture, — possihly as early as 1680. In concluding his hi.story, President Stiles says: "The en- lightened, upright, and intrepid judges of Charles I. will hereafter go down to posterity, with increasing renown, among the Jephthahs, the Baraks, the Gideons and the Washingtons, and others raised up by Providence for great and momentous occasions ; whose memories, with those of all the other suc- cessful and unsuccessful, but intrepid and patriotic defenders of real liberty, will be selected in history, and contemplated with equal, impartial, and merited justice ; and whose names, and achievements, and sufferings will be transmitted with honor, renown, and glory, through all the ages of liberty and of man." It is certainly to the credit of New England that so early in her history there existed such manifest love of liberty and scorn of oppression, that no son of hers who had knowledge concerning the refugees accepted royal gold for their be- trayal. The story which connects the name of Gen. Goft'e with an alleged defense of Hadley is given place in the history of that town. Mr. Israel P. "Warren, in his book entitled "The Three Judges," in substance says, that after the death of Whalley the danger of the discovery of the retreat at Hadley was en- hanced by the coming to America of Edward Randolph, with a sort of roving commission, as a spy upon the colonies ; and that in consequence Gen. Goft'e may have changed his place of abode, as he had done before under similar circumstances. In support of such a change, Mr. Warren quotes from the letters of Gen. Goffe and Mr. Tillton. The former, in a letter to Dr. Increase Mather, of Boston, dated " Ebenezer, Sept. 8, 1676," says, "I was greatly be- houlding to Mr. Noell for his assistance in my remove to this town. I pray, if he be yet in Boston, remember my atfection- ate respects to him." This would seem certainly not to mean the removal to Had- ley twelve years previous ; and the expression "wiy remove" indicates that he was alone, Whalley having died. In the same letter, he writes, " I have received the letters from Eng- land that you inclosed to Mr. Whiting." And again, Oct. 23, 1678, " I should take it as a great kindnesse to receive a word from you, if you please to inclose it to Mr. Whiting, onely with this short direction (these for Mr. T. D.). I hope it would come safely." Mr. Warren remarks, "This Mr. Whiting was doubtle.ss Mr. Samuel Whiting, one of the ministers of Hartford at that time. ' T. D.' were the initials used by himself in his letters to Dr. Mather, and were evidently well known to Mr. Whiting. The inference seems almost unavoidable that the latter gentleman was made the medium of transmitting Gott'e's letters, in consequence of living near and being intimately acqiuiinted with him. "Still more conclusive is a letter to Gofl'e from Mr. Peter Tillton, of Hadley, dated July 30, 1679. ' Yours, which I cannot but mention, dated M""" 18, '78, I receaved, crying howe Wellcome and refreshing to my poors unworthye selfe (which as an honeycombe, to use your owne similitude, full of pretious sweetenes), I would you did but knowe, being a semblance or representation of what sometimes, though un- worth}-e, I had a ftuller ft'ruition of. I have here sent you by S. P. tenn pounds, haveing not before a safe hand to convey it, it being a token of the love and remembrance of severall friends who have jou uppon their hearts.' Then, after men- tioning certain news lately received from England, he says, ' which I presume Mr. Russell hath given you a full account of, as understanding he hath written to Hartford, that I neede not tawtologize in that matter,' — i.e., repeat it." CHAPTER XV. KING PHILIP'S ■WAB. I. ITS CAUSES. The Indian war of 1675 and 1676, known to historians as' King Philip's War, was the culmination, and to the Indians the final catastrophe, of the long struggle between the white and the red races for the mastery of the soil of New England. Its ravages filled New England with mourning over new- made graves. It found the beautiful valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts, from Springfield to Northfield, prosperous and thriving, but left it a desolate, blackened, blood-stained, and almost desolate waste. In the autumn before its close Springfield was in ashes, and its terrified people were about deserting it forever. The inhab- itants of Northfield and Deerfleld had fled from their ruined homes, and the people of Westfield, Northampton, Hadley, and Hatfield were debating whether it were not too dangerous to stay longer in their isolated position in the very heart of the enemy's land, for their old Indian neighbors of the valley, with whom they had lived so long in peace, — the Ag-a-viams, the Wo-ro-noaks, the Non-o-tucks, the Pa-comp-tucks, and the Squak-heags, — had all joined King Philip. But at its close the Indian fled and the white man stayed. Prom the first settlement of New England by the whites it was evident that sooner or later there must come a war of races. On the part of the whites every efi'ort was made to conciliate the savage and win him into the paths of civilization and peace. On the first landing of the Pilgrims and Puritans, a fearful distemper was almost exterminating the natives. The white men and women visited them in their wigwams, at the risk of contagion, and afforded them every relief in their power. A few years later missionaries devoted their lives to the object of converting the Indians to Christianity, and with infinite labor learned their language and translated the whole Bible into their difficult tongue. Everywhere their right to the soil was respected, and no part of it was occupied, that had not been already deserted by them, without fairly purchasing the same and taking deeds therefor. But all of these eflbrts proved una- vailing. Over the mind of the Indian the influences of a humane civilization bore little sway. Under all circumstances his temper was sullen, jealous, passionate, intensely vindictive, and ferociously cruel. It was impossible that the Indian of New England should ever become a good neighbor. " The white man or the Indian must cease from the land." The reader should bear in mind, however, that for the first fifty v'ears after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers, in the year 1620, there was but little actual warfare between the whites and the Indians of New England. This long immunity from the horrors of Indian warfare was doubtless occasioned in part by the uniform fair treatment of the savages by the Fathers of Now England, and also in part by the decisive measures taken by the earl\'- settlers in the total destruction of the once-power- -■ ful Pequot nation in the year 1637. II. UN-CAS AND MI-AN-TO-NO-MO. Although the destruction of the Pequots relieved the whites of New England from further Indian ravages for a period of forty years, and until another generation of men came on the stage of active life, yet it tended to intensify the hatred which had long existed between the neighboring tribes of Mohicans and Narragansetts. The Pequots, the reader will remember, dwelt on the eastern '' border of Connecticut, between the Rhode Island line and the river Thames, then called the Pequot River. To the east of the Pequots were the Narragansctts, and to the west of them, between the Thames and the Connecticut, dwelt the Mohicans, 54 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. At the close of the Prquot war the eaptives were divided by the whites between Un-c.as, of the Mo/ik-ans, and Mi-iin-io- no-mo, of the Narragnnsetts. These two tribes were hereditary enemies, althougli both were the allies of the English, and both aided the whites in the war against the Peqnots. The deserted hunting-grounds of the Peqiiofs soon became a bone of contention between the val tribes, and in the year 1643 war broke out between them. Previous to the commencement of hostilities the emissaries of Miantonomo had made several attempts ujmn the life of tin- eas, and Uncas had made complaints to the whites of such treatment. Miantonomo had also made an ineffectual attempt, about the ■J-ear 1042, to unite the New England tribes^in a war of exter- mination against the whites. Failing in this scheme, and incensed at Uncas for not joining him in it, he determined to make war upon the Mohicans. In the month of July, in the year 164.3, Miantonomo, without giving Uncas any previous notice of his intentions or making any formal declaration of war, set out at the head of some seven hundred warriors to invade the Mohican country. Uncas, learning of his approach, hastily gathered an equal number, and marched out to bar his progress. The two hostile bands met upon the old Pequot hunting- ground, and, halting in sight of each other, with a level plain between them, the two rival chieftains advanced to the front and held a parley. The wildest romance of the old wilderness warfare presents no more striking scene than this meeting of Uncas and Mian- tonomo. Uncas proposed that they, the two chieftains, should there and then decide the contest b}' single combat, and that the people of the one vanquished should become the subjects of the victorious sachem. To this proposal of Uncas, Miantonomo made haughty an- swer : " My warriors have come to fight, and they shall fight. " Upon receiving this defiant answer, Uncas fell prostrate upon the ground. It was the signal for his men to rush over his body upon the Narraganseits. The Mohicans were victo- rious. Miantonomo was overtaken in the flight, and made a prisoner by Uncas. Haughty and defiant still, he would ask no quarter; but Uncas for the time being saved his life, and delivered him to the English, at Hartford, for safe-keepins;. The ease of Miantonomo was brought by Uncas before the commissioners of the United Colonies, and they ordered that he should suffer death, and that Uncas should be his executioner. Miantonomo was taken to the field of the fight, and, in the presence of two Englishmen, a warrior of Uncas sunk a hatchet into his brain. The spot where he is said to have Tallen, in the town of Norwich, Conn., is marked by a block of granite, simply inscribed with his name, Miantonomo. Thus died the second prominent Indian conspirator against the whites, — the prototype, after Sas-sa-cus, the Pcqiiof, of Philip and Pontiac, of Tecumseh, Black Hawk, and Osceola. The part which the English took in this quarrel between Uncas and Miantonomo, still rankling in the minds of -the Narraganseits, doubtless led to their union with the Pokano- kets, nearly forty years later, in Philip's war. The killing of the Narragansctt sachem in cold blood, while a prisoner of war, was without doubt justifiable in the minds of the New England fathers as a means of self-defense, for had his life been spared the dreadful scenes of Philip's war would, it is probable, have been enacted long before they were, while the colonists were too feeble to withstand the savages. Yet it must be confessed that the side of the Indian has never been written. III. MAS-SA-SOIT AND HIS TWO .SONS, WAM-SUT-TA AND MKT-A- CO-SIET. The powcrl'\il tribe of the Wnmpanoags, or Po-l;a-no-kefs, dwelt at the head of Narragansett Bay and along its eastern shore, and consequently were the near neighbors of the Pil- grim Fathers of Plymouth. Mas-sn-snH, the chief sachem of the Pokanokets, was always the warm friend and steadfast ally of the Engli.sh. Massasoit had two sons, who were the hereditary heirs of his sachemship, named Wa>n-sut-ta and Mci-a-co-met. Early in the summer of 1060, Mas-sa-solt died at an advanced age, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Wam- suf-fa. In the month of .June, 1600, Wam-sui-ta visited the General Court at Plymouth, and among other requests was desirous of an English name. It was easy for the court to grant this last request, and so they "ordered that for the fu- ture he should be called by the name of Alexander Pokanoket." Desiring the same in behalf of his brother, the court at the same time ordered that Met-a-co-met should from thenceforth be called Philip. But the reign of Alexander over the Pokanokets was short. It was reported at Plymouth in the summer of 1662 that he was plotting with the JVarraga»srffs, and a message was sent to him to come to town and explain his conduct. Failing to come, an armed party was sent for him. He made satisfactory explanations, and set out on his return. At the end of two or three days he changed his mind, and turned back toward Boston. He reached Maj. Winslow's house at Marshfield, and there was taken sick of a fever. He was carefullj' taken home by water, soon died there, and his brother, Philip, be- came chief sachem of the Pokanokets. IV. PHILIP OF POKANOKET. In the month of August, 1602, at the beginning of Philip's sachemship, he was summoned to attend the General Court at Plymouth. Apprehensions were felt as to the temper he was in, and he was called to answer such questions as should be proposed to him, and to deliberate upon such matters as might tend to the promotion of peace and good-will. At this interview " it was concluded by the court and him mutually, that the ancient covenant betwixt his predecessors and them should be continued," and Philip, with five of his sagamores, signed an instrument acknowledging himself to be a subject of the king of England, and to faithfully keep and preserve in- violate the agreements made by his father, Massasoit, and his brother, Alexander. At the end of five years of peace, in June, 1667, it was ru- mored at Plymouth that Philip was making overtures to the Dutch or French for a combined movement against the Eng- lish ; but Philip so explained the matter that the apprehen- sions of the English were allayed. Again, in 1671, Philip began to excite suspicions of mis- behavior. His arms were ordered to be given up, and the court appointed eight persons to act with the magistrates as a "Council of War."* Advice was also asked of the colonies of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Philip in the mean time continued contumacious, and made complaint to divers gen- tlemen of Massachusetts. The latter colony offered its assist- ance in the quarrel between Philip and the Plymouth court. This resulted in another compact with Philip, and three more years of peace ensued. In the year 1674 new troubles began. Satc-.ta-maii, a faith- ful Indian, informed the Governor of Plymouth " that the said Philip was undoubtedly endeavoring to raise new troubles, and was endeavoring to engage all the sachems round about in a war."! This resulted in the murder of Sau-sa-man in .lone, 1675. His murderers were caught, tried by the court, con- victed, and executed. A short time before the court met at which this trial took place, "Philip," says an old chronicler, "began to keep his men in arms about him, and to gather strangers unto him, and * Plym, Co!. Roc, Vol. V., p. 63, etc. t Records, etc., in Hazard, II., 532; quoted in Palfrey's Hist, of New England, Vol. III., p. 150. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY". 55 to marcli about in arms toward the upper end of the neck on which he lived and near to the English houses." Mount Hope, the home of Philip, which he inherited from his father Massasoit through his elder brother Wamsutta, alias Alexander, was on that beautiful peninsula, about twelve miles long, which extends southerly from the north- eastern shore of Narragansett Bay, and now belongs to the town of Bristol, R. I. Down through this peninsula runs a range of hills, on one of which, called Mount Hope, was Philip's home. The Bejiinnimj of the War. — The English settlement nearest to Mount Hope was Swanzey, in the Plymouth colony. As early as the 14th of June, 1675, news came to Swanzey that Philip was continually in arms ; that many strange Indians were flocking to his fort ; that they had sent their wives to the Narragansett country; and that they "were giving fre- quent alarums by drums and guns in the night, and invaded the passage toward Pl3'mouth ; and that their young In- dians were earnest for war." At length, on Sunday, the 20th day of June, the first blow of the war came. On that day. a party of Philip's Indians approached Swanzey, burned two hou.ses, and then withdrew. On the 23d the Indians again appeared at Swanzey, and robbed a dozen houses. During the next three days several Englishmen were killed and their bodies brutally mangled. Decisive measures were at once taken by the colonists. Troops from Plymouth under Maj. Bradford and Maj. Cud- worth, and from Boston under Capt. Henchman, a troop of horse from Boston under Capt. Prentice, and a hundred vol- unteers under Capt. Mosely, all reached the scene of action on the 28th. The troops were attacked on the evening of their arrival, one man killed, and others wounded. The next morning the Indians approached the English camp, were driven back by Capt. Mosely, and five or six of them killed. But Philip, in the mean time, found his position untenable, and, leaving it in the night, went over in canoes to the east shore of the ba_v. The English, under Maj. Savage, who had arrived from Boston to assume the chief command, now crossed over and occupied Mount Hope. While this was going on, Philip's Indians marched toward Plymouth, and, falling upon the settlements at Dartmouth, Taunton, and Mid- dleborough, burned the houses and killed three inhabitants. But our account of this war must hereafter be confined principally to the bloody scenes enacted during its contin- uance in the valley of the Connecticut. And in this chapter but little more than a summary of the main incidents of the struggle will be attempted, leaving the details to the histories of the different towns in which such incidents occurred. V. THE CAMPAIGN OF 1675 IN THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. The Rising of the Nipmucks. — Up to the middle of July, 1675, the war had been confined to the eastern country bounded on Narragansett Bay, but now a new danger menaced the English, — that of the union of all the tribes in a common war of extermination. With the view of preventing this, on the 15th of July the commissioners of the colonies of Massachu- setts and Connecticut, attended by a strong military force, went into the country of the Narraganseiis, and concluded with them a treaty of alliance, by the terms of which that powerful tribe agreed to aid the English against Philip. But at this time the Nipmucks, who occupied the central ^region of Massachusetts, in what is now the county of Worces- ter, commenced hostilities against the English by attacking the town of Mendon, on the I4th day of July, and the Indians in the valley of the Connecticut began to show decided symp- toms of uniting their fortunes with Philip. Then the war suddenly assumed a new and more formidable aspect, and the English prepared for the work. Lt Qaaboag, now Brookfield, some fifteen or sixteen families had settled. At this place, by the middle of July, a large num- ber of Nipmucks had assembled. On the 28th, Capt. Edward Hutchinson arrived at Quaboag, with the object of making with the Nipmucks a treaty similar to the one just made with the Narragansetts. Arrangements were made for a conference, and Hutchinson, on the 2d da}' of August, repaired to the spot agreed upon, but the Indians failed to appear. Hutchinson proceeded seven miles farther in search of the Indians, but fell into an ambuscade, and was driven back with severe loss. In the mean time, on the day before this fight, Philip arrived at Quaboag. The little force under Hutchinson made their way back to the settlement, and, joining the inhabitants, hastily fortified a large house. On the 3d and 4th days of August the Indians invested the fort, and made repeated attempts to destroy it by fire. An hour after nightfall of the 4th, Maj. Simon Willard galloped into town at the head of forty-seven horsemen, and relieved the little garrison. In this affair the Indians lost about eighty men. The day after the siege was raised, Philip, with forty of his warriors, met the Nipmuck chiefs in a swamp some ten miles from Brookfield, and made them presents for their bravery in the late encounter with the English. Brookfield was deserted, and Maj. Willard went to Hadley with his troops, where he remained three weeks. The seat of war was now transferred to the valley of the Connecticut, and the Indians of the valley were animated and encouraged by the presence of Philip himself. First Signs of War among the River Indians. — In the spring of 1675 the inhabitants of the Connecticut Valley noticed that the Indians who lived among them exhibited many signs of discontent, if not of open hostility. Among other things the Indians neglected to plant the usual breadth of corn, and began to remove their eflfects to within the shelter of their forts. Some friendly Non-o-tuck squaws also told families at Northampton of the impending trouble. After the attair at Brookfield was over, the exposed state of the towns in the Connecticut Valley excited the special solici- tude of the General Court, and large forces were immediately sent in that direction from the seaboard towns, which, now that Philip had left them and gone into the Nipmuck country, were enjoying a season of peace. Hadle}-, being protected on three sides by water, was desig- nated as the principal military fort, and the place of deposit for supplies. The Massachusetts troops sent to the valley were under the command of Capt. Beers, of Watertown, Capt. Lothrop, of Ips- wich, and Capt. Mosely, of Boston. The Connecticut troops sent from Hartford were commanded by Maj. Treat, of Mil- ford, who had with him at Hadley a band of Mohican Indians. The highest officer in command of these forces after Willard went eastward was Maj. John Pynchon, of Springfield. When the news reached Springfield of the attack on Qua- boag, Maj. Pynchon immediately sent Lieut. Thomas Cooper, with a Springfield company and thirty men from Hartford, to the relief of that settlement. But this force arrived at Qua- boag after the Indians had been driven away by Maj. Wil- lard and the troops from the Bay under Capts. Lothrop and Beers. • After the return of the troops from Quaboag, the people of the valley awaited further developments with great anxiety. Precautions were taken to guard against surprise, and detach- ments of troops from Hadley were stationed at Northampton, Hatfield, Deerfield, and Northfield. In the latter part of August, Maj. Pynchon wrote to Capt. John AUyn, of Hartford, as follows : " Springfield, Aug. 22, 1675. " Capt. John Allyn, S^ — In ye uiglit a Post was sent me from Hadley that o' forces are returned ; Capt. Wats thither and the Bay forces to Quatiaug. Nothing done, but about 50 wigwams they found empty vi^^ they have burnt. " They write from Hadley they expect nothing but ye enemy to insult and fall upon ye remote Townes ; that they are in great feares ; a guard of 20 left at 56 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. Squakeok is too weak ; some of y^ soldiers left at Pacomnick Capt. Wats speaks of calling of, well trollies y^ gtly ; suspect u' Indians y* went out to be fearefuU or false or both ; say y* ye sheepe at Squakeake are driven away since y soldiers were ttiere ; suspect y« enemy to be between Hadley and Squakeok, at Paquayag, about lit mile from y" G" River. I am sending to Capt. Wats to stay wt"" his ftn'ces there : I would gladly you would allow it, and give further order about it ; as yt they may make discovery for ye enemy at ye place forenamed. The Indian you formerly writt off coming in to Uncas, it must be seriously considered whether none that are murderers of y English be among them, and such must be delivered up. I pray God direct you and us <& be our salvation. " Comunecate advice and councell as you may judge needfuU. They much de- sire y« presence of some principall man at Hadley to direct, sis need reg's & to ex- pedite affaii-s. " Yotii-s in ye L'd Jesus, " John Pynchon. " Momonto thinks ye Indian enymy may be in a swamp called Momattanick, about .3 mile off Paquayag, between Hadley and Squakeake ; it is a pitty, but they should be disrested ; and yo' Indians will be ye most likely to doe some- thing. I pray give further orders about Capt Wats, & if Major Tallcot might be w*** y", I hope it w'"* turne to good. [Diiected] "These Fur Mr. John Allyn, Hartford. " Haat, Post Hast." On the 25th of August the first engagement occurred in the valley. At Hatfield was a little stockaded fort garrisoned by some friendly Indians. These Indians were suspected of being unfaithful, and Capts. Beers and Lothrop were sent to disarm them. The Indians had left the fort the night before the arrival of the English. The English pursued, and overtook them in a swamp near the foot of Sugar-Loaf Mountain. In the battle which then occurred ten of the whites and twenty- si.\ of the Indians were killed. An attack was made on Deerfield on the 1st day of Septem- ber; several houses and barns were burned, and two men killed. On the 1st day of September also occurred, it is said, the attack on Hadley, during which it is a tradition that the Regicide, Col. Goffe, mysteriously appeared amid the confu- .sion occasioned by the outcries of the furious savages, and, throwing himself at the head of the frightened populace, re- stored order and expelled the foe. The authenticity of this story is questioned by Mr. Sheldon, the historian of Deerfield. The details of this aft'air will be found by the reader in the history of the town of Hadley, farther on in this volume. On the 2d of September, at Northfield, a small party ven- tured out of the fort, and on their return were intercepted by the savages and nine of their number killed. On the 4th of September, Capt. Beers, with thirtj'-six men, was sent up from Hadley with wagons, to bring off the re- mainder of the garrison at Northfield, with its stores. When within three miles of the fort the English fell into an am- bu.scade, and fought bravely till their ammunition was ex- hausted. Capt. Beers, with twenty of his men, was slain, as well as twenty-six of the eiiem}'. Two days after, Maj. Treat went up the river with one hun- dred men, to repeat the attempt to bring off the Northfield garrison. Although attacked by the Indians, he fought his way through, succeeded in bringing away the people from Northfield, and that settlement was abandoned to the enemy. After Northfield was abandoned, Deerfield became the fron- tier-town in that direction. It was deemed to be so insecure, that about the 9th of September its inhabitants left it and sought shelter in the towns below. The Deerfield people left behind them a large quantity of wheat, which it was thought desirable to secure. Capt. Lothrop, with a company of ninety men, was sent with eighteen wagons and their teamsters to bring this wheat away. The wheat was thrashed, the wagons loaded, and Capt. Lothrop, on his return on the 18th of Sep- tember, fell into the ambuscade of Bloodi/ Bronk. Lothrop was soon shot dead. His company, known as "The Flower of Essex," — having been "all culled out of the towns of that county," — were all slain save seven or eight at the utmost. " The day," says Hubbard, " was the saddest that ever befell New England." The details of this tight will be found farther on, in the history of Deerfield. A few days after the afi'air at Blocxly Brook, Deerfield was abandoned by its little garrison, under Capt. Mosely. And now that Northfield and Deerfield were both deserted by their white inhabitants, the Squak-heags and Pa-comp-tucks recov- ered for a time the possession of their ancient hunting- grounds. This was an important acquisition to the Indians. The most famous fishing-ground on the river, the Pas-quam- scut, — now Turner's Falls, — was again theirs, as well as the ex- tensive corn-planting meadows on the Deerfield River. This region now became the headquarters of the savages, and in its secure fastnesses King Philip lurked. THE BURNING OF SPRINGFIELD. The next blow fell upon Springfield. On the morning of the 5th of October following, Springfield was attacked by the Indians, and, save two or three buildings, laid in ashes. The most of the inhabitants, however, having received timely warning, had assembled at the fortified house of Mr. John Pynchon, and saved their lives. Only Ensign Thomas Cooper and two or three others were killed. For the details of the sacking of Springfield the reader is referred to the history of Springfield, farther on in these pages. On the first page of Vol. III. of the Town Records of Springfield is pasted a sheet of paper on which is written the following pathetic memorandum of this event: "Oh the 6th day of October, in the year 1675, a day to be kept i[i memory by posterity, when the Barbarus heathen made an attack on this poore towne, killed two men ami a woman and wounded severall, one of which dyed. Soon after Burned down 29 dwelling-lionses and Barns, much Corne and Hay ; but God did wonderfully preserve us, or we had been a prey to there teeth. God in his good providence so ordered it, an Indian gave intelligence of the enemies' designs to fall on this Towne, whereby we escaped with our lives, for which we should give God the glory. ".rONATHAN BUKT being an eye-witness of the same." The day before Springfield was destroyed Maj. Pynchon, with the Springfield troops, had marched to Hadley, leaving his home defenseless. The inhabitants of Springfield con- trived to send a messenger to Hadley, and Maj. Pynchon hastened back with his troops for the relief of his be- leaguered home, arriving about three o'clock in the after- noon. Maj. Treat, with his Connecticut troops, had reached the opposite side of the river, in West Springfield, in the fore- noon of that day, but the Indians, being in overwhelming numbers, succeeded in preventing him from crossing the stream. The Indians, therefore, were not driven away from Springfield until the timely arrival of Maj. Pynchon with the Springfield troops. SITUATION OF THE VALLEY IN THE AUTUMN OF 1675. In the autumn of 1675 the situation of the valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts was critical in the extreme. At the north Deerfield and Northfield were both held by the enemy. At the south Springfield, with all its stores of corn and hay, was in ashes. In the centre were the three small towns of Hadley, Northampton, and Hatfield, garrisoned by small bodies of troops. Ten miles west of Springfield was Westfield, also defended by a body of troops. In the mean time Maj. Pynchon had resigned his command of the forces on the Connecticut River, and Capt. Appleton had been appointed in his place. THE EFFICIENT AID OF CONNECTICUT. It should not be forgotten that in this emergency Connecti- cut, with generous hand, did everything in her power to assist her struggling neighbors farther up the river. Her eificient troojis, under Maj. Treat, Maj. Talcot, and others, were almost constantly in the field, and her Council met almost daily at Hartford for many months to devise means to carry on the war. CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE SITUATION OF THE VALLEY IN THE FALL OF 1675. The following letters are of such historical interest, and .so well explain how matters stood in the valley at the time, that HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 57 we copy them here entire. The first is frcnn Rev. John Russell, of Hiidlc}', to Governor Leverett, and was written after re- ceiving a letter from Maj. Pynchon, at Springfield, dated the 5th October, acquainting him of the disaster there, and requesting him to inform the governor. The letter of Maj. Pynchon, dated the 5th October, will be found in the history of Springfield, farther on in this volume. FROM REV. JOHN RUSSKLL TO GOV. LEVERETT. "Right Winpfi^ — Tlie light nf another day hath tiirnd o'' yesterday foare int* certainties and hitter Ijiinentati )ns for y" lalamitios and distresses of o' bretliereri and friends at Spnagrfield, whose habitations are now become an heapc. Such increase of judgm" shows ye greatnesse of ye wrath y' is kindled against us and y greatiiesse of y provocations y' have caused it. We have nothinge to say hut that till' Lord is rigliteoiis utid we have rebelled, greatly rebelleil, against him. "The iiiclnsed from tlie IIotio^i Major will givi' you such account of it as is w'h us to make. We luive little more to adde, only that the houses standing are alH)Ut thirteeiie. Two ineu and one woman slain, viz., Leift. Cooper, who was going toward the foit to treate w"' the Indians y' the day before ptended great froindship, bring w"* tliree or four more gott about a quarter of a mile out of Town, was shott so ius lie fell off his horee ; but got up again and rode to the end of y" Town, when he was shott again and dyed. The other was one Miller, of Spiingfield, There ajijieared not (according to tlieir estimate) above 100 In- dians, of whom tlieir own were the cheife. Their old Sarbeni Wequogan (in whom as much confidence was putt as in any of their Indians) was ringleader in worde and deede. Another of their prineipall men cryed out to them, and told tUeni he wius lUie y' burnt Quabaug, and now would make them like to it. "Tliey were gone ere Major Pynchon came in with his forces, w"*" wjis atwut two or three of ye clocke. They signifyerl their scnce of his approch by their hoops or watchwords, & were p^scntly gone. Major Treate wjls gote down some hours sooner on y^ west side of the River; whose coming being perceived, iivo men went out of Town, and, alth»> pursued by twenty Indians, carried over a Iwat w^'' Wius filled w*** men; but the Indians, Htandingon River's banke, shott at tliem, & shott one through the necke (who is not likely to recover); they dui-st not ativenture to passe ye River, till Major Pynchon wjis come in & the Indians gone. " It was but the day before, viz., on ye i"" of October, y' ye ganison Bouldiei"s, alx)ut 4.') in number, left them ; to their nintuall sorrow, as looking they should quickly after be in hazard of y' mine v."^ is now come upon them. "Our Army had p'^i)ared all things in readinesse to goe forth on Munday at night (wC" was y occasion of calling forth tliese from Springfield) against a con- siderable party discovered about five or six miles from Ha apply it, we may not faile thereof. Perhaps the empowring of some man or men as the Hon"''* Major or Capt. Applettm, or both, to direct & order us in o' fortifications, might not be unusefull. We are in the Lord's hands, and then we would be in keeping his way & doing his will wt^out any amazem*. Yet the Lord's now delivering his own as well as o^^ houses into y" enomie's hand is more amazing & threatening to us. His will is done. To his grace I commend you. And rest, Yo' WorP* humbly in all service. "Jno. Russell. " 0'' wounded men are greatly distressed for want of Medicines. Those by sea not yet come at us; those expected by Capt. Waite left at Roxbury." FROM MAJ. PYNCHON TO GOV. LEVERETT. The second letter is from Maj. Pynchon himself to the Gov- ernor, and was written before he knew that his resignation had been accepted. The messenger was then on his way to inform him of that fact. " Springfield, Oct. 8, 1675. " Honored Sr., — I desyred Mr. Russell to give you an aco' of ye stroake upon Pore distressed Springfield, w^h I hope will excuse my late doeing of it. On y" 4"> of Oct. o"" Soldiers w«'' were at Springfield I had called all off, leaving none to secure y« Towne by ye commissioner's order was so strict. " That Night Post was sent to us that 500 Indians were about Springfield, in- tending to destroy it, so y' ye o'*" of Oct., w»»> about 200 of o' Soldiers, I marched downe to Springfield, when we found all in flames, about 30 dwelling houses burnt down, & 24 or 25 Barnes, my Corne-mill, saw-mill, and other Buildings. " Generally men's Hay & Corne is Burnt, & many men whose houses stand had their goods burnt in other house w'^'' they had caryd y™ too. " Leift. Cooper & two more slayne & 4 pers<_tns wounded, 2 of w"'' are doubtfull their Recovery. 8 " The Ld hath made to drinko deepe of the cup of sorrow. I desire we may consider y" opperation of his hand, A what he speakes yet. That ye Town did not utterly i)ei ish is cause of g'' ThankfuUness. As soon as o"^ forces appeared ye Indians all drew oft, so y' we saw none of y™. Sent out Scouts y*' night & y» next day, but discovered ujne, neither can we satisfie o'selves wh way they are goii, their Tracts being many ways. Some* we think they are goa downe ye River. O'' hist discovery was of a considerable Tract upward. O"" Indeavoi-s here are to secure ye houses and Corne y' is left; for this sad providence hath ob- structed o' going out w'b ye Anny, & wi can be done, I am at a g" loss. O'' peo- ple are under g" disco urageni*^, Talke of Leaving y« place. We need yo' orders & directi'm about it. If it be deserted, how wofully doe we yield to & Inccmrage o' insolent enymy, and how doth it make way for y giving up all ye Townes above. If it be held, it must be by strength and many soldiei-s, & how to have Provision, — I meane Bread, — for want of a mill, is difficult. Ye Soldiers here al- ready ccmiplaiiu- on y' aco', although we have tlesh eneough ; & this very strait — I meane no mill — will drive many of o' Inhabitants away, especially those y* have noe Corne, & many of them noe houses, v/°^ fills & throngs up every Koome of those y' have, together w'li ye soldiers now (wh yet wc cannot be w'^'out) in- creasing o"" nund)ei-s, so y*, indeed, It is very uncomtorUiblc Living here; & for my owno particular, it were far better for me to goe away f"" here. I have n* t anything left. I mean noe Corne, neither Indian nor English, and noe means to keej) one beiist here, nor can I have Reliefe in this Towne, because so many aio destitute. But I resolve to attend what Cod calls me to, &. to stick to it as long as I can, and though I have met g*^' loss of my Comfeits yet to doc what I can for defending ye Place. I hope God will make \ip in himselfe what is wanting in ye creature to mee & to us all. This day a Post is sent up from Harlford to call off Major Treate w^i" a part of his Soldiers, from Intelligence they have of a paity of Indian lying at Wethei-sfield, on Kiust side of ye river, so y* matters of action here doe Linger exceedingly, w^^ makes me wonder what ye L"* intends w'i> his i)eople, strange Providences diverting us in all o' hopefull designs, & ye Ld. giving opportunity to ye enymy to doe us mischiefe, & then hiding of y", And answering all o"" Prayere by Terrible things in righteousness. "S'', I am nut capable of holding any command, being more and more unfit & almost confounded in my understanding ; the Ld. direct yo" to Pitch on a ineeter person tlian ever I was; according txi Liberty from ye Councill I shall devolve all uiton Cap*. Appleton, unless Major Treate retnrne againe, till yo shall give yo' orders as shall be most meete to yo'selves. "To speake my tlioughts, all these Townes ought to be Garrisoned, as I have formerly hinted, and had I bin left Ui my selfe I should I think have y' we*" Posi- bly might have prevented this danuige. But ye express orders to doe as I did, was by ye wise disposeing hand of God, who knew it best for us, & therein we must acquiess. And truly to goe out after y" Indians in ye swamps and thickets is to hassard all o' men, unless we knew where they keepe, we*" is altogether un- known to us, it God hides from us for ends best knowtie to himselfe. I have many tynies thought yi y« winter were yo tyme to fall on y"", but there are such ditticnltys y' 1 shall leave it, yet suggest it to consideration. I will not further Trouble yo at present, but earnestly crave yo' Prayers for ye Ld's undertaking for us and sanctifting all iiis stroaks to us. " I remain, yo' unworthy ser^-'t, "John Pynchon. "We are in g''* hassard if we doe but st' out for wood to be shot downe by some sculking Indians. M"^. Glover had all his Bookes Burnt; not so much as a Bible saved; a g" loss, for he had some choice bookes and many." The nest letter is from the Council, at Boston, to Captain Appleton, at Hadley, informing him of the resignation of Major Pynchon, and his appointment in the major's place as commander of the forces of the valley. COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS TO CAPT. SAMUEL APPLETON. Caft. Appleton, — The Council have seriously considered the earnest desire of Major Pynchon, and the great affliction upon him & his family, anil have at last consented to his request to dismiss him from the chief command of the army in these parts, and have tliought meet upon mature thought to commit the chief command unto yourself, being persuaded that God hath endowed you with a spirit & ability to manage that affair; and for the better enabling you to your employ we have sent the Council's order enclosed to Major Pynchon to be given to you, and we refer yon to the instructions given him for your directions, ordering you fiom time to time to give ns advice of all occurrences, and if ytm need any further orders and instiurtions they shall be given you Jis the matter shall require. " So committing you to the Lord, desiring his presence with you and blessing upon you, we remain "Your friends & Servants. ' Boston, 4th October, 1G75. " Capt. Samuel Appleton, " Comniander'in-Chief al tlie headquarters at U-idley.'^ CAPT. APPLETON TO GOV. LEVERETT. "Oct. 12, l(i75. "RiuiiT WoKsniPFULL, — Yours by Lieut. Upham I received, as also that of Oct. 9^\ from you, together with the order from the Commissi on ere, concerning the number and order of management of the forces in these parts. In reference whereto, I humbly present two things to your consideration : First, as to the or- dering the chief command to one of such an inferior capacity ; the vei^ thoughts of it were and are to be such matter of trouble and humiliation, as that I know not how to induce my spirit to any compliances therewith, lest it should jirove a mattj^i-of detrinnuit and nut help to the public, from which nothing should have moved me but the consideration of the present exigencies, together with the 58 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. remembrance of the duty I owe to you and the common concerns; unto which the Hun. Major havinjj; iiddL-d his sni'ruwfnl comphiitits, fur whifh there \v:is such abunm you for it). We also find that the.se three towns* being but small, and having sustained much lr)ss in their crop by reason of the war, and had much expense of what hath been gathered here, ix)th by the siddiers and by those coming to them from the places that are already deserted,! are like to find the weight of sustaining the army too hard for them ; and tlierefore we apprehend it will be advisable and uecessiiry to send to Con- necticut to afford some help as may be needed from some of their plantations. " Capt. Musely makes present of bis humble service to your woi-sbip, whereto the scribe also desires to subjoin the tender of his own. "These for the Woi-shipful John Leverett, Esq., Governor of the Miissachu- setts, at Boston." Agjiin, on the 17th, the anxious Captain Appleton writes to the Governor. [The most of these letters have been copied from former publications in which the spelling had been modernized.] CAPT. APPLETON TO GOV. LEVERETT. " Hadlev, Oct. 17, H;75. " Right Worshipful, — I thought it convenient & necessary to give you a present account of our state and iwsture, that so you might thereby be the better capacitated both to send orders to us and to know how to act towards others, as tlie case doth require. "On Tuesday, Oct. 12th, we left Springfield, and came that night ti Hadley. On the 13th & 14th we used all diligence to make discovery of the enemy by scouts, but by reason of the distance from here to Squakheage, and the tim- orousuess of the scouts, it turned to little account ; thereupt)n I found it very dif- ficult to know what to do. Major Treat was gone from us, and when like to return we know not; our ordere were to leave no more in garrison, but keep all for a field army, which was to expose the towns to manifest hazard. To sit still & do nothing is t*i tire ourselves, and spoil our soldiers, and to ruin the country by the insupix)rtable burden and charge. All things laid together, I thought it best to go foith after the enemy with our present forces. This once resolved, I sent foith warrants on the 14th instant, early in the morning, to Capt. Mosely and Cajit. (;is be is caHed) Seely, at Hatfield & Northampton, to repair forthwith tu the headcpuirter, that we might be rejuly for service. Capt. Mosely was accordingly with us with his whole company very speedily. Capt. Seely,t after a considerable time, came without his company ; excused their absence by his want of commission. This commission he produced, and, upon debate about it, seemed satisfied, expressing that his purpose was to attend any orders that should be given. I wrote another warrant and gave into his hand to appear with his company — which are alxtut oO men — the next morning, but in the night he sent a messenger to me with a note, about intelligence from Major Treat to stay till further orders, etc. I presently posted away letters to the Council at Hartford, declaring to them how the work was obstructed by absence of Major Treat (whose company, indeed, I much desired, he approving himself while with us a worthy gentleman, and a discreet and encouniging commander) and by ab- sence (indeed) of Capt. Seely and those few that were with him. " The copy of my letter to the Council and of my warrant to Capt. Seely, and his returns to me, I send you here, all of them enclosed. This morning, Oct. 16th, I received a letter sent first to Major Pynchon, and from Springfield hither, from the Omncil at Hartford, dated Oct. 12th, which I also send the copy of, whereby you will perceive that they seem to make some excuse, and stick at the want of forces here from Plymouth, wherein I not so fitted to return tliem an answer as perhaps I might be, for want of underetanding the specialties of agreement be- tween the Hon'd Commissioners of the United Colonies; only thus much seems evident, that they ail agreed their number should be 500, the which is nuule up by our Colony and Connecticut, though there be none from Plymouth, so that we see the reality of the thing is done, though we know not the rea^^on of Plymouth not bearing a share iu it. By a letter from Major Pyncluui we under- stand that the ammunition is come up to Springfield, which I am presently send- ing for. This likewise informs of an old Indian squaw, taken at Springfield, who tells that the Indians who burnt that tuwn lodged about si.x miles off the town ; some men went forth, found 24 fires and some plunder. She saith there came of the enemy 270. That the enemy iu all are 600. The place where they keep is at Coassit (as is supi>osed), about oO miles above Hadley. "After the sendiug my letter to Hartford, I drew forth our own men, all but Capt. Sill's (who are near sixty), inteiuUng to march up to Sqbakeage; we had not marched alwve a mile or two ere we received intelligence by post, that the enemy was by his tracks discovered to be in great numbere on the west side of the river. We presently changed our coui-se, and ha-sted over the river. It was sunset ere we got out of Hatfield. W'e marched some miles, and in the dark saw a gun fired, and heard its report; and our scouts saw and heard this gun. Some also said they heard a noise of Indians. My purpose was now to march to Deer— - field, but upon what we discovered, our officei's, especially Capt. Mosely, was very apprehensive of danger to the towns here, if we should march up. This being often pressed, and I alone for proceeding, none of Connecticut men with us, nor any left in the towns of Hadley & Hatfield, and night threatening rain and tempest, I yielded against my own inclinations to return to our quarters, which we did in the night. " This muruiiig, we understand by scouts, that there is certainly a great num- ber of the enemy at Deerfield, and some of them much nearer. This evening, we have received a letter from the General Court at Hartford, whereby I perceive * Hatlley, Hatfiudd, and Nurtliami.ton. + Dcfiti.-ld and Nortbfield. J Capt. Seoly was stationed at Nurtbiitii|iloii with a company of Cunneoticiit troops. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 59 it is very uncei-fciin when wc uro like to have their forces again. In very truth, I am in straits on every side. To leave the tjwns without any lieljt is to leave them to their apparent ruin. *' To supply with any, except now in the absence of Connecticut, is hardly rec- oncilable with the order of the Cjlnmissioners. This evening, late, I am assaulted with vehenient and affectionate request from Northampton (who have already with them about oO of Capt. Seely's men) that I would aftbrd them a little more help, they fearing to be assaulted presently. "And at the same time while these are speaking, Capt. Mosely informs, the enemy is this evening discovered within a mile of Hatfield; and that he verily expects to be assaulted there to-morrow, which I am so sensible of, that I account it my duty presently to repair thither, now at ten or eleven of the cluck in the night, some of the forces having already passed the River. " Nor are we without apprehensions of Hatfield and Hadley's danger at the same time, where, with respect to the wounded men and the town, I strive with fliyself to leave al->out twenty men, or but few more, though the Indians were yesterday discovered within 5 or 6 miles ; and we are necessitated to send so many of them for ]iosts (on which account si.x are at this present) and other oc- casions, as makes them less than their little selves, I desire in all to approve myself to the Lord, and faithfully to his people's interests, so as I persuade my- self would most reach and take your lieart.s, were you present. I crave your candid acceptance of what comes from a heart devoted to your service ; and your speedy, reasonable return to what I have written ; which waiting for, I leave the whole matter with the wise ordering, and remain " Your Worship's most humble servant, "Samuel Appleton. "Hoping for the return of our post from .vou, and that our going forth last night might produce something of consequence, we delayed the sending away this letterone day. But Providence hath delayed onr expectation and dejiire in l>oth. " Our post is not come in, and we have wearied ourselves with a tedious uigbt and morning's march, without making any discovery of the eueniy. "Thus the Lord ordei-s all things wisely, holily, well ; may we but see, and close with the goodness of bis will, and wait for the working of all things to- gether, it shall be peace, in the latter end, to all that love God, that are perfect ones; for which praying and waiting, I am " Your servant, as above, "S. A. "Oct. 17th, afternoon. " These for the Worahipfnl John Leverett, Esq., Governor of the Massachu- setts in Bjston. H;ist — Hast — Post hast." Maj. Appleton's fears, so earnestly e.\pressed in his last letter above copied, were soon realized. An attack was made on Hatfield on the 19th of October by seven or eight hundred Indian.*, but they were repulsed. It was a desperate and spirited fight. The garrison was under Capts. Mosely and Poole. Maj. Appleton, with the Hadley forces, was soon on the ground, and after a short engagement the enemy fled. A detailed account of this atfair will be found iii the history of Hatfield, farther on in this volume. The attack on Hatfield was the last engagement of impor- tance which occurred in the valley during the year 1675. After that afl'air the Indians seemed to disperse and go into their winter quarters. The Nashaways returned, and with the Quabonffs settled down for the winter at Wenimisset.* The River Indians took up their winter-quarters at a point above Northfield, over the Vermont border. MOVEMENT.S OF PHILIP IN THE WINTER OF 1675-76. In tile month of November, 1675, King Philip, with his warriors, left the Connecticut Valley, and went over to the banks of the Hudson River, with the intention of passing the winter there. With him was a numerous band of the Pa- comji-tucks. It must have been at the mouth of the Fish Creek, opposite Lake Saratoga, the scene of the Burgoj-ne surrender a hundred years later, in what is now Saratoga County, that Philip had his temporary abode during this winter. Governor Andross writes : " New Youk, Jan. 6, 1676. "This is to acquaint you that late last night I had intelli- gence that Philip and four or five hundred North Indians, fighting men, were come within forty or fiftj' miles of Albany northerly, where they talk of continuing this winter. That Philip is sick, and one Sahamaschahaf the commander-in- chief." Says the Rev. J. F. Moors, in his historical address at Turner's Falls on the 31st of May, 1876 : * Temple and Sheldon's Northfield, p. 83. f Hiin-cmn-a-cha was a Nou-o-itick sachem. " The winter of 1675-76 was a dark and sad one, both for natives and colonists. The advantage in the war, so far, had been on the side of the Indians. They had killed many of the settlers and broken up their settlements. But they could but feel that they were the weaker party, and that sooner or later they would be obliged to yield. They had drawn their foes, as yet unaccustomed to Indian warfare, into fatal ambuscades ; they had fired at them with fatal eft'ect from behind trees ; they had lurked for them in leafy thickets. They had never met the English in open field, but in secret, as beasts of prey. Skillful marksmen, in part provided with firearms, conversant with all the paths of the forest, patient with fatigue, mad with a passion for rapine and vengeance, with only the mercy of savages, they were a foe to be especially feared and dreaded. "To the feeble and scattered colonists the prospect was dark indeed. Their isolated position increased their danger and their sense of loneliness. The husband and father, going out to his labor in the field, must have felt that his own life was ex- posed every moment to the bullet of a dark and treacherous foe. The mother, left alone in the hou.se with her children, must have passed the Ikjui-s in mortal fear of an enemy that spared neither sex nor age. That winter occurred the ' Swamp- Fight,' as it has been called." THE NARRAGANSETT SWAMP-FIGHT. The white inhabitants of New England now began to con- sider that with them it had become a matter of life and death. It was evident to their minds that should the powerful Nnr- rayansetts unite with the other tribes in the war, the days of civilized New England would soon come to a tragic end. To prevent such a union of the tribes, no less a project was deemed necessary than to break at once and forever the power of the Narrngansefts. The Narragansetts had already broken their treaty made but a few months before, and were already making hostile demonstrations. The commissioners of the United Colonies met at Boston on the 2d of November. They accordingly made a formal declaration of war against the Nai-ragansettn, ordered one thousand men to be raised from the several colonies, appointed Governor Winslow, of Plymouth, commander-in-chief, agree- ing that the second in command should be appointed by the General Court or Council of Connecticut when the forces should be in that colony. The Commissioners further ordered that the Connecticut soldiers should rendezvous at Norwich, Stonington, and New London, and those of Massachusetts and Plymouth at Rehoboth, Providence, and Warwick, by the 10th of December. They also recommended to the several colonies to appoint the 2d of December following a day of humiliation and prayer for the success of the enterprise in which they were about to engage. We again quote from Mr. Moors : "The Narragansetts were the most powerful of the New England tribes. The colonists regarded them as their most dangerous enemies, and a thousand men, levied in the colo- nies, invaded their territory, came stealthily upon their clu.ster of wigwams, which were speedily set on fire, and not only were the savage warriors slain, but their old men, their wives and little ones, perished by hundreds in the flames. Much blame has been attached to the English for this act of cruelty, equaling almost in barbarity the conduct of the savages them- selves. It was a terrible thing to do, but we have learned, even in our day, that war in its very nature is full of cruel- ties, and we certainly can have a feeling of charity, if not of full forgiveness, for our fathers, who had reason to know that there was no safety for them or their families except as this savage element was rooted out of the land. It liad become a war of extermination on both sides." The "Swamp-Fight" occurred on the 19th of December. Winter had then already set in with great severity, travel was almost impossible, and both whites and Indians remained in 60 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. close quarters till the last of Januar_v, 167fi, when a sudden thaw took oft" the snow. IV. THE CAMPAIGN Of 1676 IN THE VALLEY. After the destruction of their fort, the Nary-agaiisetts deter- mined to unite their fortunes with Philip against the English. So, when the January thaw had cleared the ground, a large part of this tribe set out, under the lead of their sachem Ca- nonchet, for the Nipmuc.k headquarters at Quaboag, now Brookiield. They reached Brookfield about the middle of February, and remained there about two weeks. But the English troojis were also in motion, and the mounted men under Maj. Thomas Savage, and the Connecticut troops under Maj. Treat, reached Brookiield about the 2d of JIarch. THE GATHERING OF THE TRIHES AT SQUAK-HKAG IN THE SPRING OF 167G. Upon learning of the near approach of the English the Indians left Quaboag and went northward. This band com- prised the Narragansetts, the Nipniucks, and the Grafton In- dians, a " miscellaneous crowd," numbering in all about two thousand souls. The English pursued, but the Indians by a feigned attack drew them otl" on a wrong trail, so that the whole body of the Indians was safely across Miller's Eiver before the English came to the fording-place, on the 6th of March. The stream was swollen by the spring floods, and the English dare not cro.ss in pursuit. The Indians reached Squak-heag on the 7th of March, and found Philip and his allies already there. In February, Philip had been attacked by the Mu/iawks, and driven back to the valley of the Con- necticut. This gathering of the tribes at Northfield in the early spring of 1076 was one of the most notable events of the war. King Philip, chief sachem of the Pulninokcis, was there with all the allied tribes. The Indians as well as the whites were conscious that the coming struggle was one of life or death. With Philip were his kinsman, Quinnapin, and Canonchei, the son of Miantonomo, the hereditary sachem of the powerful Narragnnsetis. With Philip were San-cum- a-cha, a sachem of Non-o-tuck, who was the leader of the Pa-comp-tucks and Agnwam.s, and Maiitamp, chief of the Nlpmucks. With Philip also were large numbers of strag- glers from the broken tribes, making in all, with the Sqiiak- lii'.iigs, a mi.xed nmltitude two thousand live hundred strong. On the 27th of April a captured Indian told Samuel Marsh- field that the Indians "had three forts this side Wassquack- heag; that the number of Indians at Deerfield and on the river was three thousand, of whom one thousand were men."* Early in May the Indians separated into four parties. One remained at Sqiiuk-heag fur jilanting and fishing; one went to the Pa-comp-tuck meadows to plant corn ; one to Pnijuat/ag, now Athol, for the same purpose ; and a large crowd gathered at Pas-quam-scut, now Turner's Falls, to fish. It was against those at Pas-quam-scut that evil was impending. The Indians at Pa-cump-tuck began their corn-planting, as was their usual custom, on the 10th of May, and planted — it was estimated at the time difl'erently — from one hundred to three hundred acres. Early in the spring of 1676 an order or request was made by the Court at Boston for the outlying towns in the valley all to remove to Springfield and Hadlcy. This movement was so stoutly opposed by Westfield and Northampton that on the 1st of April the order was rescinded and the plantations allowed to remain. f THE FALLS FIQHT. By far the most important action of the war in the year 1676 which occurred in the valley took place at Pas-quam- * Temple ami Sheldon's Nm thtiolj, p. 90. t Sec llolland's Hist, of Western Muss., Vol. II., pp. 112-1111. sruf Falls, the great Indian fishing-ground, on the morning of the 19th of May, O. S., corresponding to our 31st. In the opening of spring a large English force, consisting of four Massachusetts companies and four from Connecticut, were stationed in the towns of Northampton, Hadley, and Hatfield. From time to time small parties of Indians attacked their outposts, but gained no considerable advantage. Hear- ing of the large gathering of Indians at the F'alls, an expedi- tion was planned against them. We again quote from the Rev. Mr. Moors' historical address. "It was resolved to make a night-attack upon the Indian camp at the Falls. A force of one hundred and sixty mounted men, under command of Capt. Turner, was dispatched from Hatfield for this purpose. Making their way by a night- march of twenty miles, they pa.ssed the ruins of Deerfield, forded the Deerfield Eiver near the north end of Pine Hill, passed over Petty's Plain, and crossed the Green Eiver near Nash's Mill. In crossing the Deerfield, the guide, by mistake, took them to the west of the customary fording-place. The mistake saved them frmn an attack. Some Indians encamped near Cheapside heard the crossing of the troops, and started to intercept them at the ford ; but finding no one there, they hastily inferred it was some moose they had heard, and retired to their own quarters. " Then, turning to the east. Turner's party made their way through the forest, following an Indian trail, upon the north edge of the swamp, till they reached the level ground north- west of Factory village. Dismounting here, and leaving their horses in charge of a small guard, they hastened noiselessly down into the 'Hollow,' foi'ded Fall Eiver just above the upper bridge, and .scaled the abru])t bank on the opposite side, and there reached the summit north of Mr. Stoughton's house, and drew up in line on the gentle slope south of Mr. Stough- ton's house. The Indian camp was now just before them. " The day was just dawning. All was still and peaceful as a Christian Sabbath-day. The only sound to be heard was the morning song of the birds and the monotonous roar of the waters of the 'Great Eiver,' as they dashed tumultuously over the rocks. The dusky warrior slept in unguarded, un- suspecting security. If he dreamed of war, it was of some distant scene where he carried death and destruction to some settlement of the hated foe. He did not dream how near the danger was to him. The silent signal was given, and the eager soldiers moved silently nearer their sleeping enemy, and, at the word of command, poured a volley of musketry into those unprotected cabins. The Indians, roused from profound sleep, sprung upon their feet in terror, simie crying out ^JMa/inivks! Mohawkx !' believing, in their sudden fright, that their furious enemy was upon them. They made but a feeble and useless resistance. Many were killed on the spot by shot and sword, others rushed madly into the river, and were swept away by its resistless torrent. Keport says that one hundred and forty persons passed over, the cataract that morning, and that all but one were drowned. *********** "The firing soon aroused the other camps across the river and at Smead's Island. A party soon cro.ssed above the Falls to assist their companions in their need. Twenty of Turner's men were sent to attack them, while the main body started for the spot where their horses had been left. This little band proved not to be strong enough, and were forced to retire and with difficulty joined their comrades ; and altogether, having recovered and mounted their horses, they started on their return to Hatfield. But by this time the Indians at Smead's Island had crossed to the west shore and assailed the left and the rear of the Engli.sh. " It seems to have been no part of Turner's plan to attack the other camps. The English had learned and adopted the Indian mode of warfare, — by sudden and unexpected night- attacks, nnd to retire as soon as there is danger that the HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEV. 61 assailpcl prtrty maybe reinforced. Up to the time of the order to return and commence their homeward march, it, in the ambiguous language of war, might have been styled a ' glo- rious victory.' But from that moment the fortunes of war seem to have changed. " The assault upon their flank and rear by an unseen foe, firing from behind the covert of the trees, caused a sudden panic, heightened by a baseless rumor, which spread among the men, that King Philip had arrived with a thousand war- riors. Order and disci])line were lost; the force was broken up into little detached parties, each one intent only on self- preservation. The victory of the early morning, so complete, and attended with so little loss, became a stampede for per- sonal safety, — a procedure most fatal -to themselves and most favorable to their savage pursuers, who a.ssailed each wander- ing squad and gained an easy victory over them. One party, getting lost in the woods and swamps, were taken prisoners, and the tradition is that they were put to death by burning." The lo.ss of the Indians was variously estimated. It may have been as high as two hundred, men, women, and children. In the disastrous retreat of the English forces from the scene of the morning's encounter the whole loss was about thirty men. Among the slain was C'apt. Turner, who was killed in the Greenfield Meadows. Capt. Holyoke, the second in com- mand, also died before the winter. Although but twenty-eight years old, the exertions of the day broke down his strength. The beautiful falls on the Connecticut long since lost their old Indian name, and now bear the name of the lamented com- mander of the fight, Capt. Turner. An account of Capt. Turner will be found in. the history of Greenfield, farther on in this work. After the Falls fight, the Indians, on the 30th of May, at- tacked Hatfield with a force of two hundred and fifty warriors, killed five men, burned many houses, and drove away a large number of horses and cattle. Again, on the 12th of June, the .same party attacked Hadley, and were repulsed. This ended the main incidents of the war in the valley. Upon the death of King Philip, on the 12th of August following, the savages left their homes in the valley never to return, except from time to time in a few roving, pre- datory bands. EXAMINATION OK ME-NOWN-IETTS. In the month of August, 1070, an Indian named Mf:-nown- retts was examined at Hartford, whose testimony we append as a matter of interest to the reader : " Me-notni-ietis^ Exitminnthtiy Au(iitnt, 1G70. " Where have you been these 12 months? He answered, ' He was halfe ,1 Hfo heiuj and halfe a Naragoncett ; he came last year to Nortaltoij, and hath spent most of his time in hunting.' ** Being askt wlieth' he ha4 been in any engagements against the English ? he said, ' Yes ; he was in that fight that was above Northampton, where he saw 7 English slayn in one place ; and othere were slayn, but how many he knows not.' " How many Indians were killed in the fight? He answered, 'Not one.' "Wliere went you next? He says, 'They went to Pacomptock and assaulted that, alwnt GO of them, and slue one Englishman.' Wliere had you the next en- gagement w'li the English? He say"', ' He was at N. Hampton when it was as- saulted last spring, wh"" they lost an Indian and 4 wounded ; one was mortally wounded. In ye Fall fight were slayn 4<.> Nortrottog Qtiapmtti, 10 Narogancets, and [ ]. He was at Uadley fight and shot in ye leg.' Whoe were those that kild the man between Midleton & Wethersfield ? ' Muiich, Co-lias, To- si>-^iniy CaircohoGije, We-wa-wo-as.^ " Who killed G. Elmore at PoduiiJc f ' He was one of them himselfe ; there was 9 in company ; 3 did the business, which were IVmwoiif^ Johmiot, and Mmhhiott.^ " He also sayth Cohas and anothers Naragancet shot Wm. Hill. . "Who kild Henry Denslow? ^ Wegutifh S., Weawosse, H[i>lu' the Indians o' enemies at WaJi- hofmU, and said he had kild 7 English of ye seaside. " He sayth that the Noni-oUach, Springfield Indians, and others are gon to a place about Hudson's River called Paguai/ag, and were encouraged to come there by a great man of those parts, whoe hath allso encouraged them to engage against the English, and that they should not be weary of it. " He did not see the man nor doth not know who it was. He was askt where the.v luwl ye ammunition to carry on the w.ar; he said the Poivgniitg Indians bought it of ye Dutch and sold it y"'. " Ho was askt how many of the North Indians hail gon that Wiiy ? He 8a,vth, ' About 'JO men of them and Siicgmnice is wtl" them ; he was very sick, and as like to die as live.' " Cohas, Wewa^antoch .Spr., Mamnaumpaquack Spr., were in company wtb him; in tlio woods weere TuiixM and 3 squas and 4 children ; they had 2 horses, and pease and corn ; they took from G. Coal's farme. " He sayth y Indians hid a gi'eat many gunns about Pacoitipiirh ; y" place ho described to Tota. He sayth he took au Englishman at the Longmeadow about Springfield captive, and carryed him away, but ho got away afterwju-ds he thinks. W* Indians be at i/"H8e(i(ih-na- waga is situate on the south bank of the St. Lawrence River, opposite the village of Lachine, at the head of the Saut St. Louis, nine miles above Montreal. In the little mission church in Canghnawaga, it is believed, ^till hangs the bell taken from Deerfield by the French and Indians on the 29th day of February, 1704. This bell has been called the bell of St. Regis. It has been celebrated in song by Mrs. Sigourney, in her poem with that title : " The red men came in their pride aud wrath, Deep vengeance fired their eye; And the I>lniid of the white was in their path, And the flame from liis roof rose high. "Then down from the hurning ehurch they tore The hell of trumpet sound, And on with their captive train they lK)re That wonderful thing toward their native shore, The rude Canadian bound." But says Dr. Hough: "That the Deerfield bell could not have been taken directly to St. Regis is evident from the fact that fifty-six years elapsed between its capture and the found- ing of St. Regis."* In fact, St. Regis was settled by emigrants from Caughna- waga in 1760, the main part remaining behind and doubtless retaining the bell brought from Deerfield, as the mission of the Saut St. Louis continued with no interruption. "While on a visit to Caughnawaga, in October, 1852, Dr. Hough found a small bell that once had an inscription, but was then effaced. 'He also found a direct tradititni in con- nection with the bell, and in the hands of the priest a manu- script in French, of which he gives the following translation, which is inserted here for what it is worth : " LEGEND OF THE BELL OF SAUT ST. LOITIS (cAUGHNAWAGA), NEAR MONTREAL. "Father Nicolas, having assemhleil a considerable number of Indians, who had been converted to the Catholic faith, had established them in the village which now bears the name of the Saut St. Louis, upon the River St. Lawrence. The situation of the village is one of the most magnificent which the banks of that noble river present*!, and is among the most picturesque which the country contains. " The church stands upon a point of land wliich jnt-* int^) the river, and its bell sends its echoes over the watere with a clearness which fomis a striking contrast with tlie iron bells which were formerly so common in Canarla, while tlie tin- covered spire of the church, glittering in the sunlight, with the dense, gloomy rt)rests which surround it, gives a character of romance to this little church and the legend of its celebrated bell. "Father Nicolas, having, with the aid of the Indians, erected a church and a belfi*y, in one of his sermons explained to his humble auditoi-s that a bell was as necessary to a belfry as a priest to a church, and exhorted them to lay aside a portion of the furs which they collected in hunting, until enough was accu- mulated to purchase a bell, which could only be procured by sending to France, The Indians exhibited an inconceivable ardor in performing this religious duty, and the packet of furs was promptly made out and forwarded to Havre, where an ecclesiastical personage was delegated to make the purchase. The bell was accordingly ordered, and in due time forwarded on bojird the ' Grande Monanpie,' which was on the point of sailing for Quebec. It so liappened that, after her departure, one of the wars which the French and English then so often waged sprung up, and in consequence the 'Grande Monarque' never attained her des- tined port, but was taken by a New England privateer, brought into the port of Salem, where she waa condemned as a lawful prize, and sold for the benefit of her captoi-s. "The bell was purchased by the village of Deerfield, ujKtn the Connecticut River, for a churcli then aliont being cret.ti'd by the congregation of the cele- brated Rev. John Williams. * Hongh's History of St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, N. T.; page 115. " When Father Nicolas received news of the misfortune, he asBomblod his In- dians, related ti> them the miserable condition of the bell retained in purgatory in thr hands of heretics, and concluded by saying that it would be a most praise- worthy enterprise to go and recover it. " This appeal had in it as it were a kind of inspiration, and fell upon its hearers with all the force of the eloquence of Peter the Hermit in preaching the Cm- sad es. "The Indians deplored together the misfortune of their bell, which had not hitherto received the rite of baptism. They had not the sligbtcst idea of a bell, but it was enough for them that Father Nicoliis, who i)reached and said mass for them in their church, said that it had some indispensable use in the service of the diurch. " Their eagerness for the chase was in a moment suspended, and they assem- bled together in groups, and, seated on the banks of the river, conversed on the unliappy captivity of their bell, and each brought forward his plan, which he deemed most likely to succeed in effecting its recovery. Some of their number, who ha'l heard a bell, said it could be heard beyond the murmur of the rapid, and that its voice wjis more harmonious than that of the sweetest songster of the grove heard in the ipiii't stillness of evening, when all nature was liushed in repose. "All were melancholy and inspired with a holy enthusiasm ; many fjutted, and others performed severe penances to obtain the deliverance of the bell, or the palliation of its sufferings. "At length the day of its deliverance approached. The Marquis de Vaudrenil, Governor of Canadii, resolved to send an expedition against tin; British colonies of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The conmiand of this expedition was given to Major Hertel dc Rouville, and one of the friends of the Jesuit college at Quebec was sent to procure the services of Father Nicolas to accompany the expedition. " The Indians were immediately assembled in the church. The messenger was presented to the congregation, and Father Nicolas, in a solemn discourse, pointed to him as worthy of their veneration, from his being the bearer of glail tidings, win I was alxmt departing for his return to Quebec to join the war. At the end of the discoui-ae the whole audience raised with one voice the ci*y of war, and de- manded to be led to the place where their bell waa detained by the heretics. "The savages immediately began to paint themselves in the most hideous colors, and were animated with a wild enthusiasm \a> join the expedition. " It was in the depth of winter wlien they departed to join the army of M. de Rouville, at Fort Chambly. Father Nicolas marched at thi'ir head with a large banner surmounted by a cross, and, as they departed from their village, their wives and little ones, in imitation of women of the crusades, who animated the warriors of Godfrey of Bouillon, they sang a sacred hymn which their ven- erated priest had selected for the occasion. They arrived at Chambly, after a march of great hardship, at the moment the French soldiers were preparing to start on their march up Lake Chamidain. " The Indians followed in their rear with that pei-severance peculiar to their character. In this order the Indians remained, following in silence until they reached Lake Champlain, where all the army had been ordered to rendezvous. This lake was then frozen and less covered by snow than the shores, and was ta.ken as a more convenient route for the army. With their thoughts wrapped up in the single contemplation of the unhappy captivity of their bell, the In- diana remained taciturn during this pensive march, exhibiting no symptoms of fatigue or of fear ; no regret for their families or homes ; and they regarded with equal indifference on the one hand the interminable line of forest, sometimes black from dense evergreens and in others white with loads of snow, and on the other the black lines of rocks and deserts of snow and ice, which bordered their path. The French stddiei-s, who suff"ered dreadfully from fatigue and cold, regarded with admiration tlie agility and cheertulness witli which the Indians seemed to glide over the yielding suri'ace of tlie snow on their snow-shoes. The great endurance of the proselytes of Father Nicolas formed a striking contrast with the excitability and impatience of the Fiench soldiers. "When they arrived at the point where now stands the city of Burlington, the order was given for a general halt to make more efficient arrangements for penetrating tlirough the forests to Massachusetts. In leaving this point, Dp Rouville gave to Father Nicolas the command of his Indian warriors and took the lead of his own himself, with compass in hand, to make the most direct course for Deerfield. Nothing wliich the troops had thus far suflered could compare with what they now lafcdured on this march through a wild country, in the midst of deep snow, and with no supplies beyond what they could carry. " The French soldiers became impatient, and wasted their breath in cui-ses and complaints at the hardships they suffered; but the Indians, animated by a zeal which snst^iined them above the sense of hardships, remained steadfast in the midst of fatigue which increased with the severity of their sufferiugs. "Their custom of travelling in the forest had qualified them for these hard- ships, which elicited the curees and execrations of tlieir not less brave but more irritalde companions. Some time before the expedition arrived at its destination the priest, Nicolas, fell sick from over-exertion. His feet were worn by the labor of travelling, and his face torn by the branches which he neglected to watch in his eagerness to follow the troops. " He felt that he was engaged in a holy expedition, and recalling to mind the martyrdom of the saints and the persecutions which they endured, he looked forward to the glory reser^-ed for his reward for the sufferings which he might encounter in recovering the bell. "On the eveiung of February 20th, 1704, the expedition arrived within two miles of Deerfield without being discovered. "De Rouville here ordered his men to rest and refresh themselves a short time, and he here issued his ordei-s for attacking the town. "The surface of th^ snow was frozen an 1 cracked under their feet, but De 64 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEV. Kouville, with a remarkable sagacity, adopted a stratagem to deceive the iuhab- itantg and the garrison. " He gave ordere tliat in advancing to the assanlt the troops should make fre- quent paut^es and then rush forward with rajpidity, tlius iniit;iting tlie noirie made in the forest hy the iiTeguhir blowing of the wind among branches laden with ice. " Tile alarm was at length given, and a severe combat ensued, wliich resulted in the capture of the town and the slaughter or dispereion of the iuhal>itjints and the garrison. "This occurred in the night, and at da.vbreak the Indians, who had been ex- hausted by the lalHjrs of the night, presented themselves before Fatlier Nicolas in a btidy aud begged to be led to the bell, that they might by their homage prove their veneration for it. Their priot was greatly allected liy this earnest request, and De Rouville and others of the French laughed immoderately at it; but the priest wished not to discourage them in their wishes, and he obtjiined of the French chief permission to send one of his soldiers tj ring it in the hearing of the Indians. ■'The sound of the bell in the stillness of the cold morning, au'l in the midst of the calmness of the forest, echoed clear and far, and fell upon the irai-s of the simple IndiaTis like the voice of an oracle. They trcmldeil, aud were filled with fear aud wonder. " The hell was taken from the belfry, and attached to a pole in such a ntauuer that four men could carry it, aud in this way it was borne off with tlieir plunder in tiinmph, tlie Indians glorying in the deliverance of this miraculous wonder. " But they shortly perceived it was too heavy a burden for the rugged route they pursued aud the yielding nature of the suows over wIulIi they traveletl. Aceorihngly, upon arriving at the point on the lake where they had left it, they buried their cherished treasure, witli numy benedictions of Father Nicohis, until the period should arrive when they could transport it with more convenience. " As soon as the ice had disappeareil, and the bland air of spring had returned, giving foliage to the trees and the fragrance and beauty of flowers to the forest, Father Nicolas again assembled at the church his Indian conveits to select a certain nunilier of the tribe, wdio, with the assistance of a yoke of oxen, should go ami bring in the dearly-prized bell. " During the interval all the women and children of the Indian village, having been informed of the wonderful qualities of the bell, awaited its arrival with eagerness and impatience, and regarded its advent as one of those events wdiich but rarely mark the progress of ages. As the time apiiroached when the curious object should arrive, the.v were assembled on the bank of the river, and dis- coursing ui)on the subject, when far off in the stillness of the twilight ttiere was heard from the depths of the forest a sound which, from being feeble aud scarcely audible, became every moment lotnler. Every one listened, when presently the cry arose '/( w the hell ! iiiit Uie heU IT and in a moment after the oxen were seen emerging from the wood surrounded by a group of Imlians, aud bearing the precious bui-den on a pole between them. They had hung ui)on the beiUu and around the bell clusters of wild-flowera and leaves, and the oxen were adorned with garlands of flower.s. Thus marching in ti'iuraph. Father Nictpliia entered his village more proud of his success and received with more heartfelt joy than a Roman general returning in triumph from the conquest of nations. " From this triumphal march in the miiist of the quiet of the evening, which was broken only by the murmur of the rapid softened by the distance, arose the shouts of rejoicing a& the cortege entered the village and the idol bell was de- posited in the church. Every one gratified his eager curiosity by examining the strange musical metal, and the crusade had been crowned with unqvuililicd success. *' In due time it was raised to its place in the belfry, and has ever since, at the accustomed hours, sent its clear tones over the broad bosom of the St. Lawrence t«i announce the hour of prayer and lapse of time; anil although its tones are shrill and feeble beside its modern companion, they possess a music and call up an association which will long give an interest to the church of the Saut St. Louis, at the Indian village of Gtiujh'mc-wa-ga" Further Depredations. — After the sacking of Deerfield, in the month of Fehruary, the Indians hung around the devoted settlement during all the spring months, killing several per- sons. In July, 1708, Samuel Chapin, of Springfield, was shot by the Indians, and severely wounded. During the same year Samuel and Joseph Parsons, of Northampton, sons of Captain John Parsons, were killed in the woods. On the 26th of July that year, seven or eight In- dians attacked the house of Lieut. Wright, and killed " old Mr. Wright" and two soldiers named Aaron Parsons and Barijah Hubbard. They also knocked two children on the head, one of whom died, and took Henry Wright's wife captive. Expeditions of 1709 and 1711. — In the year 1709 an under- taking on a large scale, for the capture of Canada, was planned by England. A squadron of ships from England was to be sent to Boston with five regiments of regular troops, numbering in all three thousand men. Massachu.setts and Rhode Island were to raise twelve hundred men, and Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey fifteen hundred men. This last-mentioned body of troops was to proceed up the Hudson to attack Montreal. The former, under Col. Vetch, were to join the fleet against it at Quebec. The expedition against Montreal was intrusted to the com- mand of Maj.-Gen. Nicholson. Like that under Gen. Fitz- John Winthrop, of nineteen years before, it took the route of the valley of the Hudson. On his way up the Hudson, Gen. - Nicholson built Port Ingoldsby at Stillwater, Port Saratoga at the mouth of the Batteukill, Port Nicholson at what is now Port Edward, and Port Anne on Wood Creek. Like that under Pitz-John Winthrop, it returned with nothing accom- plished. In this e-xpcdition the troops suffered greatly from sickness, — notably at Port Anne, on Wood Creek, near Lake Champlain, where many of them died. The English fleet sailed for Portugal instead of New England, and of course the expedition by sea against Quebec was abandoned. In 1710 an expedition was dispatched again.st Port Royal. This met with better success. On the 29th of September the garrison capitulated. In the j'ear 1711 another attempt was made by England to conquer Canada. Again an expedition by land went u]i the valley of the Hudson as far as Fort Anne, on Wood Creek. This time the fleet sailed from England, but before reaching Quebec encountered a storm, and a thousand men perished. Hearing of the disaster by sea, the land-forces again retired from the valley of the Upper Hudson. While these move- ments were going on the Indians still lurked in the Connecti- cut Valley, killing persons at Northampton and other places. At length, on the 31st day of March, 1713, the peace of Utrecht was concluded between England and Prance, and Prench-and-Indian hostilities soon ceased in the colonies. VI. WAR WITH EA.STERX INDIANS — 1722-26. Fdllirv Sebn/itian Rrrsle. — In the year 1722, while France and England were still at peace, war broke out between the people of Massachusetts and New Hampshire and the Aben-a- quis, an important Indian tribe dwelling to the east and north of the Merrimack River, who were the allies of the French. The French had before this established a mission among the Aben-a-qiiis at Norridgewock, on the upper waters of the Kennebeck River, which was at the beginning of the war in charge of the Jesuit Father Sebastian Rasle. Father Rasle had been in charge of this mission on the Kennebeck since the year 1695, and as Norridgewock was the principal station from whence war-parties were sent against the English^ this has sometimes been called Father Raslc's War. Oratj-Lock, of Wo-ro-noak. — But the real leader of the In- dians in this war was a sachem called Gray-Lock. Before King Philip's war Gray- Lock, — so called from the color of his hair, — had lived on the Agawam or Westfield River. After the death of King Philip, Gray-Lock fled to the Mohawk country. In the year 1723 he lived at his fort on Missisquoi Bay, at the northerly end of Lake Champlain. Here Gray- Lock had collected a band of trusty warriors, doubtless from among his own people, who had fled from the valley of the Agawam, who.se squaws planted their corn on the meadows near his fort. Prom this secure retreat Gray-Lock made numerous hostile excursions against his old neighbors, the English settlers of the Connecticut Valley, — an account of which will appear in the history of the towns, farther on, — the most noted of which were his raids on Northfleld on the 13th of August, 1723, and on the 18th of June, 1724. Early in the year 1724, Fort Deummer was built at what is now Brattleboro', Vt., by Capt. Kellogg, and when completed garrisoned by Capt. Timothy Dwight and fifty-five men.* The forts at Northfield and Deerfield were garrisoned, *For a nnisler-rol! of Oapt. Dwight's company, see Temple ami Sheldon's History of Northfleld, p. 201. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 65 and the inhabitants were kept in continual alarm. In the summer of 1724 an expedition was fitted out by the English against the Aben-a-quis, consisting of two hundred and eight men under command of Capts. Moulton, Harmon, Bourne, and Bane; Ascending the Kennebeck River, the English readied Ntirridgewock on the 23d of August, and, taking the village by surprise, killed a large number of its inhabitants, among whom was Father Kasle. After prowling around the English settlements all summer, Gray-Lock returned to his fort at Missisquoi in the autumn. Early in 1725, Capt. Benj. "Wright raised a company of men, and marched from Northlield to attack Gray-Lock in his stronghold on Lake Champlain, but, failing to reach his des- tination, early abandoned the enterprise, and returned with- out accomplishing his object.* Among the most notable events of the war was Capt. John Lovewell's expedition to the Indian country in the spring of 1725, and his battle with Paugus on the 8th of May at Frye- burg. A treaty of peace was signed with the Eastern Indians at Boston, Dee. 15, 1725, which was ratified at Falmouth on the 5th of August, 1726.t The highest mountain in Massa- chusetts still bears the name of Gray-Lock, the last of the Wo-ro-noaks. VII. FEENCH-AND-INDIAN WAR OF 1744-48. n the 20th of March, 1744, war again broke out between England and France. At this time Loui.sburg, on Cape Breton, was the strong- hold of the Frencli in the east, and Governor Shirley planned an expedition, sent out by the province of Massachusetts, for its capture. The expedition was commanded by Sir William Pepperell, and he was joined by a British fleet under com- mand of Sir Peter Warren, commodore. On the 16th of June Louisbiirg surrendered to the combined forces of Pepperell and Warren. Its capture " filled Europe with astonishment and America with joy." In this alfair the Massachusetts troops won high honor. Fort MnfssachusieUit. — Upon the breaking out of this war the Massacliusetts General Court resolved upon the erection of a line of forts to protect her northwestern frontier. Ac- cordingly, in the year 1744, a fort was built at Hoosac, now Adams, and named Fort Massachusetts ; one in the present town of Heath, called Fort Shirley ; and another in the town of Rowe, which was named Fort Pelham. There was also a small fort erected at Blandford, in the eastern part of what is now Hampden County. At this time. Col. John Stoddard, of Northampton, of the Hampshire County regiment, was chief in command of the provincial forces in Western Massachusetts, while Capt. Eph- raim Williams had the immediate supervision of the western forts, with his headquarters at Fort Massachusetts. No attacks of importance took place in Western Massacliu- setts until the month of August, in the year 1746. On the 26th of that month. Fort Massachusetts was invested by a French-and-Indian force numbering from eight to nine hun- dred, under command of the Marquis deVaudreuil. There were but twenty-two men at the time in the fort, under com- mand of Sergt. John Hawks. For t%venty-eight hours the brave little garrison held out against the enemy, in hopes of succor. But no help came, and Sergt. Hawks surrendered. On the 24th, fifty of Vaudreuil's Indians left the main body and paid another hostile visit to the scene of their old depre- dations in Dcerfield. During this raid, Samuel Allen, Adon- ijah Gillet, and Oliver Amsden were killed, and a boy, Samuel Allen, Jr., taken prisoner. * Capt. Wright's journal is given entire in Temple and Sheldon's Histoi-y of Northfield, p. 2ln. fJ't)!- II full account t)f tliis war, sec Temple and Sheldon's History of Nortli- field, pp. 188 to 21.0. In May, 1748, Noah Pixley, of Southampton, was killed by the Indians. At this time Col. Stoddard died, while in attendance at the General Court at Boston, and Col. Israel Williams, of Hatfield, succeeded to the command in Western Massachusetts. On the 2d day of August a body of two hun- dred Indians made an attack upon Fort Massachusetts. At the time the fort was garrisoned by one hundred men, under Capt. (afterward Col.) Epliraini Williams. After a spirited assault of some two hours' duration, the Indians abandoned the attempt upon the fort, and retreated, carrying with tliem their dead and wounded. The treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, signed on the 7th of Octo- ber, 1748, put an end to the war. VIII. LAST FRENCH-AND-INDIAN WAR — 1753-63. We now come to the stirring events of the last French-and- Indian war. During the continuance of its active movements in the field, from 1755 to 1759, great armies marched through the old northern war-paths of the wilderness, dyeing its streams with blood and filling its wild meadows with thousands of nameless new-made graves. At its close the sceptre of the French kings over the valley of the St. Lawrence dropped from their hands forever. The Hampshire County Regiment, under Col. Epliraini Wil- hams, at Lake George in 1755. — In the summer of 1755 a regiment was raised in Hampshire County to accompany the expedition of that year against Crown Point commanded by Col. (afterward Sir) William Johnson. The command of this Hampshire County regiment was given by Governor Shirley to Col. Ephraini Williams, the hero of Fort Massa- chusetts. In the latter part of August the English forces unjer Col. Johnson had reached the foot of Lake George, and were encamped there awaiting the construction of boats to transport them to Crown Point, when, on the 8th day of Sep- tember, they were unexpectedly attacked by the French. Baron Dieskau, in command of the French forces, had ad- vanced the evening before, with a large force of French regu- lars,- Canadians, and Indians, to within two miles of Fort Edward, on the Hudson, — then called Fort Lyman, — with the intention of attacking that place. But his Indians were afraid of the cannon of the fort, and he turned toward Lake George to attack Col. Johnson's forces in the rear. Col. Johnson, hearing of the movement of the French on Fort Edward, early on the morning of the 8th sent Col. Williams, at the head of a thousand men and two hundred Mohawks, led bj' their chief, King Hendrick, to the relief of its garrison, not knowing that Dieskau had changed his course. Dieskau, hearing of the approach of Col. Williams, formed his men into an ambuscade at the distance of three and a half miles from the English camp. Williams, at the head of his men, led by the Mohawks, marched unsuspectingly into the jaws of death. Upon entering the ambuscade the English received a terrible fire. Col. Williams was soon killed, and King Hendrick mortally wounded. Upon the death of their commander the English fled in confusion to the camp on Lake George. The French followed, and fiercely attacked the English camp. After a four hours' fight the French were repulsed with great loss, leaving their com- mander, the Baron Dieskau, wounded and a prisoner in the liands of the English. Tlie loss in both engagements was, on the English side, two hundred and sixteen killed and ninety-six wounded. The Hampshire County regiment suffered most severely of all. Forty-six were killed and twenty-four wounded. Besides Col. Williams, the oiEcers of this regiment killed were Maj. Noah Ashley; Capts. Moses Porter, Jonathan Ingersol, and Elisha Hawley ; Lieuts. Daniel Pomeroy, Simon Cobb, and Nathaniel Burt; and Ensigns John Stratton and Reuben Wait. 66 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. The news of this victory was received with great joy by all the colonies, but it brought sorrow into many a home in the valley of the Connecticut in Massachusetts. One-fourth of the slain were from Hampshire County. The death of Col. Williams was especially lamented. A monument now marks the spot where he fell on the field of that "bloody morning scout," but his most enduring monument is the college he founded, which bears his name, and is situated near the site of his beloved Fort Massachusetts. The war moved sullenly on for four years more, until Que- bec fell into the hands of the victorious Wolfe. But to follow its long train of events would not be within the scope of this work. As late as the month of March, 1758, the Indians from time to time committed depredations in the valley of the Connecticut, but at lengtli peace came to the inhabitants of the war-worn English colonies. The war was virtually ended in 1759, but the peace of Paris was not concluded until the 7th day of February, 1763. For one hundred and twenty years the people of the Connecti- cut Valley had sown in terror for the Indian to reap in blood. CHAPTER XVI L THE W^AR OF THE REVOLUTION — THE HAMP- SHIRE COUNTY MINUTE-MEN OP APRIL, 1775- COL. PORTER'S REGIMENT. TiiK war of the Revolution was tlie final result, the sure outcome, of the principles of liberty and equality held by the Pilgrim and Puritan Fathers from the beginning. Its seed germinated in the little Separatist congregation which met, in l(i07, at Scrooby Manor, in Lincolnshire, England. The tender plant was carried with weary feet to Holland, brought to America in the " Mayflower," and planted amid sacrifice and suffering in the rugged soil of New England. Our republic is the bright consummate flower. From the beginning the New England people were restive under royal rule. Both the Massachusetts and Plymouth colonies, a hundred years before the Revolutionary war broke out, in their Fundamentals and Bills of Rights set forth in the clearest terms the principle of no taxation with- out representation. This principle has always been one of the great bulwarks of English libert}', and its violation led to the English Revolu- tion of 1688. Hardly were the long and bloody Indian wars over, hardly had the people of the colonies begun to settle down in safety in their no longer imperiled homes and to profit by the arts of peace, before a new danger menaced them. The blessings of peace had been bought at the ex- pense of an enormous waste of treasure, and at the close of the war the mother-country found herself burdened with a debt which she could scarcely hope to pay. In her distress, she determined to tax the colonies, and in order to do this Parliament assumed to exercise the most arbitrary power over them. From the year 1764 — the very next year after the peace of Paris — to the year 1775, the British Parliament, in many of- fensive and arbitrary ways, directed its eftorts to the end of depriving the provinces of their liberties, and of forcing them to contribute to the revenues of the British crown. The men who at this time managed the jjolitical affairs of England seemed to lack both the wi.sdom and the moderation whijh could alone secure to her the benefit of her triumphs. They were ignorant of the geography of the country, as well as of the character of its residents. They were neither fa- miliar with the history of the country, nor did they compre- hend the opinions which prevailed there. On the other hand, the people of the colonies demanded, not as a favor, but as a right, equality with their fellow-subjects. As a consequence such offensive and arbitrary measures as tliose before mentioned met with a most spirited and determined resistance. As early as April 5, 1764, what is known as the "Sugar Act" was passed by Parliament. This act laid a duty upon many articles that were imported into the colonies; among others, upon all sugars so imported. This was considered by the northern colonies as a sacrifice of their interests to the superior interest in Parliament of the West Indies. But this was followed by a still more obnoxious measure. On the 22d day of March, 1765, the Stamp Act, having before received the assent of both houses of Parliament, received the royal signature. This measure laid the foundation of the American Revolution. To detail the events which followed is hardly within the scope of this work. " The events," says Dr. Holland, " which followed the arbi- trar3' measures of Governor Bernard, the arrival of military force, the misrepresentation of the colonists abroad, the re- fusal to hear their petitions, the popular combinations against importing British goods, the struggle between patriotism and governmental policy in the British Parliament, the ever- memorable and ever-glorious protests against oppression by the General Assembh' of the colony, the collisions of the sol- diery with the people of Boston, the firm and persistent oppo- sition to the usurpations of chartered rights, the traitorous con- duct of the Governor in his capacity as the tool of the British ministry, the destruction of the tea in the harbor of Boston, the holding of county meetings and conventions, the insti- tution of committees of safety and correspondence, — all these events, in which civil liberty and national glory were taking root, prepared the way for the first demonstration, which sealed in blood, on the soil of Massachusetts, the doom of British rule in the American colonies."* In this great struggle the county of Hampshire was in no degree behind her sister counties in the eastern part of the State in manifesting her determination to defend the rights of the colonies to the last extremity. The records of nearly every town in the county tell of meetings held and of measures de- vised to assist and co-operate with their brethren of the east and of the other provinces. In the histories of the towns which follow, the reader will find copies of many of these records. The resolutions adopted by Northampton and Springfield only are given here, as well representing the general tenor of them all. NORTHAMPTON TOWN RECORDS. I. "Dec. 2G, 1774. — The inhabitants met in pui"suanee t() atIi officei-s and privates, sliall have full conipensatitui for all losses by them suBtiiined in Cloaths aiiwn Voted that they and each of them whall receive from the Inhab- itants of the Town of Northam]tton the sum of fifteen pounds, which sum shall be paid ta them several times, viz.: namely, five pounils before they shall march to join the said Army, and five pounds more shall be paid to them or to their Order in the month of April, 1778, and the other five pounds in the month of April, 177!).* And whereas, it was represented to the Town tliat some of the in- habitants have liereti.>fore failed of doing their proportion in promoting the publick cause, " The T(»wn voted that a large Committee should be appointed to examine and consider what pei>ions in ttic Town have been so delinquent, and that the said Committee make out a list of such pei-sons, with the sums affixed to their re- spective names which they judge it will be necessary for them to advance, in order t^) their iloing their full proportion with the other inhabitants of this town, and that those who are found delinquent as aforesaid, shall bo required to pay the sum so affixed to their names, to such persons as the Town shall appoint to collect tlie same. "The Town also voted that the sum of seventy pounds now in the hands of the Town Treasurer, being the Fines nf Several i)er8uns who refused tu marcli in the last Draughts of the Militiii, be apjdyed to the payment of the l>ounty aforesaid, and that what further sums shall be necessary ti» make up the losses and pay the Bounty as aforesaid, shall bo Assessed upon tlui Polls and Estiites of the Inbabitant.s nf this Town at such time as the Town shall order. "April 15, 1777, voted to increase the bounty to 'M pounds." SPRINGFIELD RECORDS. "".,„„,,„„-„,..„.„.c:_.. ..„„.,„„ that Dea. Nathaniel Brewer, Capt. Geo. Pynchon, Doct. Charles Pynchon, Capt. Simon Colton, Moses Field, Jonathan Hale, Jun., Ensign Pliineas Chapin, James Sikes, Daniel Harris, Be of this Committee, and that they take into cxjusideration the two hist articles contained in the Warrant,! '"■'"^ make report at ye a^journ- ment of this meeting." II. "July 12, 1774. — The Report of the Committee appointed by the Town at the last meeting, to take into Consideration the two last Articles contained in the Warrant for calling the Meeting, was at this Meeting presented, read, and con- sidered, and unanimously voted and accepted, which report is as follows, viz.: "This Town, taking into serious and deliberate consideration Hie present dan- gerous situation of this Province, came into the following vote, viz.: " Ist. That by the Royal Charter of King William and Queen Mary, which we have possessed for near a Centur}*, and which has from time to time been recog- nized both by Kings and Parliament, we are Intitled to and ought forever to enjoy all the Liberties and Immunities of any of his Majestie's subjecte within any of his Dominions, Some of the most essential of which are, that they shall not be taxed, but with their own consent, given in Pereon or by their Represen- tatives, nor Disseized of their Property, or Condemned to any Penalties but by Judgement of good and Lawfull men of the vicinage, &c. "2ndly. That the Charters of the Collonies ought to be held sacred, and every Infraction upon them carefully avoided, as tending to Interrupt that Harmony between the Collonies and the Parent State which is so essential to the happiness of both. "3dly. That though Great Deference & Respect is due to the wisdom of the British Parliament, yet we can't consider ourselves as enjoying the liberties and Immunities of natural, fi-eelx)rn subjects of the King if we are lyable to be taxed without representation or to be disseized of our Property, or any way pun- ished witliout the Judgement of our Peers. Nor do we apprehend that we have so much as a Virtual representation in a Legislature which is not itself Subject to those Laws which it imposes upon us. "4thly. That the later Boston Port Act, which inflicts a most severe punishment iipon that town (ami in it* operations upon alnn'xst the wlude continent) fur de- struction made of the property of some British nienbants by persons uidtnowii, — and that before any demand of compensation wa-s nnule or any citation sent to the town to answer for itself, — is a step that ought to alarm us and fill us with deep concern. "Sthly. That the proposecl new System of Ciovernment, virtually annihilating our most essential Charter Rights, added to the Boston Port Act, gives us such apprehension of the designs of administration against our Liberties as we have never before allowed ourselves to entertain. " 6thiy. Impressed with just concern for our privileges, and at the .same time governed by sentiments of Loyalty to our Sovereign and AVith warm afl^ection for our Mother Country, we ardently wish that all the Collonys and evei-y Individ- ual in them may unite in some prudint, peaceful, constitutional measure for the * Voted, March 12, 1777, to pay the fifteen pounds before the soldier marched. f The two last articles in the warrant were as follows : "6th. To Desire the Clerk of said Town to Communicate tii the Tnwn all the letters he has Rec'd from the Town of Boston, that they may advi.se aud act thereon. " 7thly. To pass any Resolves respecting the said letters or any matters therein contained, and choose any Committee tor that pui'pose, and pass all proper vote thereon." Redress of our Grievances, the Securities of our Liberties, & the ResWration of union and mutual Confidence between Great Britain & the Collonies. " 7thly. That it is the unqiiestionable Right, so we esteem it, the indispensible duty, of the several Collonies in this day to correspond together and act in Con- cert, and we wait with patience for the result of the approaching Continental Congress. " Hoping that, Tnfluence Mahuram, Daniel Morse, W" Barn, Nat. Daniels, Jr., John An.son, Nath Daniels, Elias Gilbert, John Ski ft'." XXIX. — WILLIAMSBURQ. " A Muster-roll of Captain Abel Thayer Company that marched the 21st Apl., 1775: " Lieutenant, William Bodman. " Privates, Isaiah Dwite, Isaac Warren, Daniel Ball, Ephraim Fisher, Aaron Hemingway, William Reed, Jona- than Warner, James Hunt, Jonathan Munrow." XXX. — WHATELY AND HATFIELD. " Muster-roll of the Minnet-Men of Captain Chapin's Com- pany that Marched the 20th Apl., 1775, and returned Home: " Privates, Jcihn Dickinson, Gad Wait, Thomas Potter, Seba Scott, Ebenezer Fitch, Ezekiel Mieldis, Lsaac Miller, Line Meetings, William Young." XXXI. — CAPT. JOSEPH THOMPSON'S COMPANY. "A Muster-roll of a Minct Company Commanded by Capt. Joseph Thompson In Col. Timothy Danielson's Regt. : "Captain, Joseph Thomjison. "Sergeants, Aaron Mighill, Jo.seph Hoar, Joseph Morgan, Thomas Lambert, Th(unas Bliss, Jonathan Brown, David Morgan. " Corporals, John Harris, Joseph Hitchcock, Judah Stibens. " Privates, Zcdadiah Abbot, Jonathan Charles, Aaron Lum- bard, Elijah Hitchcock, Eldad Hitchcock, Jacob Hitchcock, Aaron Morgan, Solomon Charles, Hanniah Ebinrod, John Stebbens, Samuel Sharmar, Samuel Bond, Daniel Livermore, William Blashfield, John Bliss, Bryan Sherman, Daniel Moftat, Henry Abbot, Edward Bond, Stoddard Cadey, Elijah Jay, Medad Hitchcock, Hebi Hitchcock, Reuben Lilley, Thos. Lumbard, Joseph Lilley, Nathaniel Miller, Adam Townley, Gad Townley, Joseph Tucker, Jesse Bement, William Davis, Thomas Shearman, Ozer Blashfield, Nath'l Chickering, Jon" Morgan." XXXII. — GREENFIELD. "Capt. Agrippa Wells' Muster-roll in Col. Sam'l Wil- liams' Regt. of Minute-Men who marched from Greenfield on the Alarm, Apl. ye 19, 1775: "Captain, Agrippa Wells. "Lieutenant, Ezekiel Foster. 72 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. "Sergean-ts, Oliver Atherton, Elijah Kingsley, Dan. Cors. "Corporals, Asaph Allen, John Wells, Eben"' Scott. "Privates, Samuel Turner, Sam'l Shattuek, Daniel Cliapin, Thomas Hunt, David Davis, Wm. Chadwiek, Eliphaz Childs, Sam'l Nichols, Sam'l Dean, John Dewey, Leanus Dewey. " Lieutenant, Joseph State. "Sergeants, Joel Chapin, Ariel Hindsdell. "Corporal, Caleb Chapin. "Privates, Wm. Kempland, Sam'l Hastings, Sam'l Cunna- hcl, Elijah Michel, Hezekiah Chapin, Jonathan Atherton, Amasa Smead, Tubal Nash, Simeon Allen, Daniel Picket, Hophni Rider, Daniel Edwards, Daniel Wells, Fannin Wood, Michael Frizzle, John Severance, Moses Ames." III. ACTION OF SPKINGFIELD AND NORTHAMPTON ON THE ADOP- TION OF THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND THE CON- STITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. To the above rolls of the Minute-Men we append the fol- lowing papers transcribed from the town books of Spring- tield and Northampton, which show how such important matters were considered by each separate town : SPRINGFIELD RECORDS. I. "Jan. 7th, 1778. — To tiike into cunsidtrution articles of Confederation and per- petual union projiosed to be entered into by the United American Stites, with the address of Congress respecting the same, and the address of the General Court of the State of Mtiasachu setts Bay, or pass any vote or give any instruction re- specting the same The Town sliall tliink proper. " The articles of Confederation, Ac, being Read, voted, To choose a Committee of five persons to take the same into consideration and prepare Instructions for the Representation of said Town." II. " Jan'y 2Gth, 1778. — The Instruction prepared to lie given to t!ie Representa- tives of said Town was. by the C-ommittee appointed for that purpose at the former meetings, presented, read, and considereper encouiagement to Industry, and are under fearful apprehensions that the farmer will not be properly induced to raise grain and meat for the subsist- ence of the armies and Inliabitatits; earnestly recommend that the quantity he reduced, and that every other possible mctliod be taken to support its credit ; and as Civil government is necessary not only to the well-being, but to the very being of society, we recommend to you the Immediate Establishment of it in all the Countys, that the Civil IVlagistrate be properly encouraged and protected in executing the good and wholesome laws of the Land, and that due care he taken that the Military be kept in due subordination to the Civil Autiiority, without which our Liberties will Irretrievably he Annihilated.' " NORTHAMPTON RECORDS. I. "Jan'y 15, 1778. — The Toun proceeded to consider the ai'ticles of Confederation and Perpetual Union proposed by the Hon**'** Continental C<-)ngress, and voted that they approve of the same, and direct their Representation at the General Court to act accordingly." II. " May 18, 1778. — At this meeting the Constitution and Form of Government recommended by the General Assembly of this State should be taken up and read. And it being read and considered The Question was put, Whether the Toun did approve of the said Constitution and Form of Government; and upon a Division of the House, appeared that thirty-six were for it and seventeen against it." III. " Nov. 22, 1787.— At a meeting of the inhabitants of the Toun of Northampton qualified to vote in the choice of ReprejdenUitives, being legally warned and as- sembled at tlie Court-house in said Town, on Thui-sday, tin.' 22d day of Novem- ber, 1787. "The Question being put, whether the Town would send any Delegates to the State Convention projiosed to be held at B*iston, on the second Wednesday in January next, and it passed in the affirmative. "The Town then voted to send two Delegates to the said Convention, and ac- cordingly chose tlie Ilon^ic Caleb Strong and Mr, Benj. Sheldon for that purpose. "Tlie Toun then voted to Choose a Committee to prepare an address to the Delegates expressive of the sentiments of the Town touching the important business for which they were appointed, and accordingly chose Samuel Hen- shaw, Esq., Robert Brech, Esq., Dea. Elijah Clark, Elijjth Wright, Doct. Shep- HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 73 henl, ami Mr. Jonathan Clap for that purpose, and the said Committee soon after repoitecl the following, which, being repeatedly read and considered, was unanimously approved by the Town (excepting one dissenting vote). " ' To the Hon. Caieb Strong erhaps, of Hu- manity, are suspended upon this momentous Question. We wish you. Gentle- men, patiently to hear and attentively to examine every argument that shall be oflered for or against iU adoption. Bo not unduly influenced by Local Consid- erations. Let your mind be impressed with the necessity of having an Erpial, Energetic, Federal Government. 'Tis the welfare of the Union Jis well a.s of Massachusetts that yon are to consult. And while you are tenacious of the rights and privileges of the People, be not afraid t*> delegate to the federal Gov- ernment such powei-8 as are absolutely necessary for advancing and maintaining OTir National Honor and happiness. '" But, Gentlemen, we mean not to give you positive instructions relative to your voting for or against the reported Constitution, Wlien in convention you will have the collected wisdom of the State before you, Will hear all that can be said on the subject, and will consequently be able to form a judicious opinion ; and having the fullest contidence in your political wisdom. Integrity, and Pa- triotism, We cheerfully {on our part) submit the aIl-import;iDt question to your decision. And we beseech the all-wise Governor of the world to take the Con- vention under his holy intluence, that so the result may be the best good of tlie United States of America. " ' Northampton, Nov. 22, 1787. *"By order of the Committee. "'Sam'l Henshaw, Chairman.^''* IV. COL. ELIHU porter's REGIMKNT. To the ill-fated expedition against Canada of the winter of 1775-76, in which the lamented Montgomery lost his life, the county of Hampshire contributed a regiment, the command of which was intrusted to Col. Elihu Porter, of Hadlcy. To follow the fortunes of this regiment in its wearisome marches would hardly be within the scope of this work, did our limited space allow. We make room, however, for the following in- teresting documents relating to the subject, which we have been permitted to copy from the originals now in the posses- sion of Col. Porter's descendants : I. WASHINGTON'S LETTER. "Cambridge, 10th February. 1776. " The Continental Congress haveing confirmed my application to this Govern- ment to raise a Regiment for tlie service of the United Cidonies, which is now complieii with, and you are ai> be reiiiforced with 15,000 men at New York, which will augment his army to 25,000, & a flying camp is to be posted in ye Jerseys consisting of 10,000 men more. You have undoubtedly heard of the prize lately taken and carried into Boston, out of which were landed seventy-five tons of powder, 1000 arms, &c., Ac, Ac. Saltpetre is manufactured in abundance in ye Massachusetts, and by Mr. Diven's .account they have already delivereil into y» magazines ./i% fc)iw, and have Odrtij tons of sulphur imported and left in Bo.ston. Three mills are built there, two of which turn out upward of 1000 each p' week. "I hope the disposition that has appeared in some officers tj censure others will cease, & that in Lieu thereof a laudable Eumlatiun will take place to excell in Discipline & Valor, without which an army must be disgraced. I sincerely wish yo success and happiness, and remain your friend & " Hum. ser-, "Elbkidge Gerry. " P.S. — Pray continue to give me ye state of things in Canada. " Colo. Porter." ■f- Addressed "To The Commanding Officer at Fort Clianibly." J "To The Commanding Officer on Public Service at St, John's." § Addressed, "Col. EJisha Porter, in C^anada." 74 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. VIII. GEN. Schuyler's letter to col. fellows. " Albany, Janiiai-y 20, 1776. '' Hal/ after ten A.M. " SiH, — Tour favor of yesterd'ys me. " I thank you for the information it ccmtains, and am happy to learn that yon have already enlisted so considerabK" a number of men. As the Assembly of the MassachuHetts Bay have ordered a Regiment to he raised, and the men to be en- listed for a year, it will supersede the necessity of raising any more in conse- Tfuence of my directions to yon ; but I do not wish that those already enlisted {who I suppose will Ber\'e beyond the 15th of April next) should be considered as part of the regiment to be raised by virtue of the act or order of your Assem- bly, unless they would also engage for a year. I therefore luipe they will march without delay, and the whole to be under the command of Major Cady, as Maj. Commandant of the Corps, unless you should think proper to take command of them. It is with infinite satisfaction that I learn the alacrity with which my countrymen step forth on this occasion ; it will at once redound much to the honor of the pei-sons who engage in this senice, & of those who have 1 leen active in pro- moting it, and also evince to our enemies that no obstacle can deter Americans from prosecuting their righteous cause. *' Your zeal, sir, on this occasion merits the Thanks of your Country; if mine are worth the accepting you have tliem most sincerely, & I shall not fail of doing myself the pleasure to mention you and the respectable Committee of Berkshire to Congress in Honorable terms. " I am, sir, with much respect, " Your must hvmible ser\'ant, " Ph. Schuyler. "Coll. John Fellows." CHAPTER XVIII. THE SHAYS EEBELLION. I. CAUSES OF THE MOVEMENT. The great uprising among the discontented people of New England, commonly called the Shays rebellion, which oc- curred at the close of the war of the Revolution, has scarcely yet been given its proper place in history. In the great contest for independence. New England, in common with the other parts of the country, strained every nerve to its utmost tension, and in behalf of the cause ex- hausted her resources to the point of depletion. At its close she was free, but was utterly prostrate and bleeding at every pore. While the excitement lasted the fever in her blood sus- tained her activities, but the occasion over the excitement waned and the reaction came. This reaction was the first great trial, and bj- all odds the severest strain, save, perhaps, the great Rebellion, to which our republican form of govern- ment has yet been subjected. The history of this insurrec- tionary movement, written at all in detail, would of itself fill a large volume. Our limited space will allow us, therefore, to attempt nothing more than a brief summary of its most im- portant incidents. That this sedition did not more seriously obstruct, if not quite overturn, the new government was owing mostly to the incapacity of its leaders. The spirit of rebellion was rife among the people, but from anmng the ruling classes no com- petent man stepped forth to lead it, and it spent its force in boisterous, disorganized, and therefore fruitless, revolt against the authority of law and order. Had some bold, ambitious man, competent to lead ; had some brave Stark or unscrupu- lous Arnold or sagacious Schuyler ; had some Davis, Lee, or Stonewall Jackson at the critical moment headed the insur- gents in Western Massachusetts, or commanded at the attack on the United States arsenal at Springfield, — there is strong reason to believe that England would soon have regained her lost power and our republic would have never been. But Daniel Shays and Luke Day were not the men for the hour or place. But it should be said, in juslice to those engaged in it as well as to the authorities they sought to subvert, that this rebellious spirit was after all rather of the nature of the quer- \ilo\is discontent of children smarting under imaginary wrongs than of any deliberately treasonable intentions against the new government. Of a truth, the new order of things had hardly begun. The natural chaos and disorder attendant on a period of revo- lution had hardly subsided. The people had not forgotten the old order, nor yet learned to love and respect the new. That they suffered from some cause or other they were sure of, and it was natural enough that they should attribute their troubles to the new order of things, and rise in rebellion against it. When we look at the condition of things in Ma.ssachusetts at the close of the war of the Revolution it is easy to discover, in the light of our country's subsequent experience, the causes of this discontent and sedition. Among the several causes which brought about the "hard times" that resulted in the Shays Rebellion may be enumer- ated the following : 1st. The State was heavily in debt. The private State debt was £1,. 800, 000. The State's proportion of the Federal debt was not less than £1,500,000. This, contrasted with the whole State indebtedness before the war, — which did not exceed £100,000, — was, for the times, an enormous sum. 2d. The financial embarrassments of the several towns. Every town was heavily embarrassed by advances which they had made to the often-repeated requisitions for men and sup- plies to support the army, and which had been done upon their own particular credit.* .3d. The inexperience, if not the incapacity, of public men in the management of financial affairs. 4th. The lingering distinctions of caste, which the Revolu- tion had not quite done away with. 5th. The depreciation of paper-money. 6th. The vast amount of private debts which had accumu- lated during the war, and the hard, if not unjust, laws in force in favor of creditors. "The insurrection," says William L. Smith, in a paper read by him before the Connecticut Valley Historical Society, at Springfield, Oct. 1, 1877, " was the result of a condition of things now popularly described as 'hard times.' It did not originate so much in disaffection toward the State govern- ment as in an uncontrollable impulse of a distressed people to seek relief in some way, or any way. The long and burden- some war of the Revolution had just been brought to a close. The countr}' was impoverished. The Continental paper-money had become worthless, and no substitute for it had been pro- vided. There was no trade, no demand for labor, no way in which the value of property of any kind could be measured. Under the barbarous laws then in force the jails were becom- ing filled with prisoners, whose only offense was their ina- bility to pay their debts. Men who had nothing to do but to talk about their grievances and distresses were easily excited to turbulence, and local disturbances were frequent and serious. The authorities were too often in sympathy with the offenders against the law, and guilty parties went unpunished. The State constitution, adopted in 1780, was viewed with disfavor by a large minority of the people, and was not regarded as securely established. The Constitution of the United States had not then been framed, and all existing government was merely experimental. " There was at that time no law for the equitable distribu- tion of a debtor's property among his creditors. The execu- tions of the creditors were levied in the order in which their attachments were made, and each creditor was satisfied in his turn until all were paid or the debtor's estate was exhausted. A man whose credit was suspected found his property covered by attachments at once, and in the condition of things then existing a very slight circumstance excited suspicion. Litiga- tion became general. The State was showered with execu- * MinotV Hist, nf Tnpurrecttnn in Masp., p. 6. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 75 tions, and large amounts of property were sold for almost nothing to satisfy thoni. In the unreasoning excitement of the time the courts, lawyers, and sheritfs were denounced in the wildest terms as the promoters of the sufl'ering that men were inflicting upon each other. A cry arose that the courts ought to be abolished. Threats were made that the courts should not be allowed to sit, that no more suits should be entered and no more executions issued. It was such wild clamor as this that led to the first overt act in resistance to the lawful authority." II. CONVENTIONS. Agitations began in Western Massachiisetts as early as in the year 1781. The prime-mover in these first etforts to sub- vert the authority of the government was Samuel Ely. He had been for some years an irregular minister of the gospel at Somers, Conn. He was now suspended from his ministry and a resident of Hamp.shire Co., Mass. In the year 1781 conven- tions began to be held, principally upon the instigation of Ely, in Western Massachusetts, to consult upon the subject of grievances. These conventions were made up of delegates from several towns, and their action tended greatly to excite the spirit of rebellion. III. MOBS. In the month of April, 1782, Ely succeeded in raising a mob at Northampton of sufficient force to disturb the holding of the Supreme Judicial Court and the Court of Common Pleas there. For his complicity in this disturbance Ely was arrested, indicted, and, pleading guilty upon trial, was sen- tenced to imprisonment at Springfield. Soon after, at a time when the people of the town were mostly absent, a mob as- sembled and set him at liberty. Capt. Densmore, Lieut. Paul King, and Lieut. P. Bardwell were arrested as ringleaders of the rescue, and put in jail at N(prtham]iton. Another mob of three hundred men gathered in Hatfield for the relea.se of the ringleaders. The sheritf of the county, Gen. Elihu Porter, called out twelve hundred militia to protect the jail. The rioters sent a committee to Gen. Porter with a demand for the release of the three prisoners. Gen. Porter so far com- plied with their demand as to release the three men on parole, conditioned for the delivery of their bodies or that of Samuel Ely on demand of the General Court. The General Court treated this matter with a leniency that seemed to intensify rather than pacify the excited feelings of the populace. The next overt act of rebellion of much importance occurred the year following, at Springfield. In the month of May, on the last day of the session of the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of the General Sessions of the Peace, in Springfield, a mob of sixty persons assembled from difi'erent parts of the county to prevent the session. The Mtissnchusetts Gazette or General Advertizer, of Spring- field, of the date of May 27, gives the following account of this affair : " On Tuesday last, beiug the day on which tlie General Ses.sions of the Peace and the Court of Common Pleas opened in this town, a banditti, collected from the obscure corners of the county, composed of men of the most infamous char- acter, to the amount of about sixty in number, met in this town to prevent the sitting of the court. . . . They showed no disposition to attax:k the courts in the forenoon; at two o'clock they met at a public-house in the town, and re- solved themselves to be a convention of the county, met together for the purpose of redressing grievances; after having parsed several important residves they adjourned their convention to the elm-tree near the court-house ; when the hell rang for the court, they, in hostile parade, armed with white bludgeons, cut for that pui-i)ose, marched before the door of the court-house, and when the court, headed by the sheriflF, came to the door, with insolence opposed tlieir entrance; the sheriff, in the mild terms of persuasion, addressing them as gentlemen, de- sired them to make way. His civility was repaid with outrage, and an action soon commenced ; happily, there was a collection of people friendly to the gov- ernment present, and the mob was repulsed with broken lieads. A number of them were instantly taken and committed tmmonwealth. Among which the following ai tides were voted as such, viz. : "1st. The e.\i.-.tence of the Senate. " "Jd. The present mode of representation. ";td. The officers of government not being annually dependent on the repre- sentatives of the people, in General Couit assembled, for their salaiies. "4th. All the civil oflicoi-s of government not being annually elected by the Ilepresentativesof the people in General Court a.ssembled. "."ith. The existence of the Courts of Cttmnion Plesis and General Sessions of the Peac^e. " 6th. The Fee-Table, as it now stands. "7th. The present mode of appropriating the impost and excise. " 8th. The unreasonable grants made to some of the officers of government. " 9th. The supplementary aid. * Holland's Hist, of Western Mass., Vol. I., p. 23S. t Ibid., p. Sili. i Ibi.l., p. 237. " 10th. The present mode of paying the governmental securities. "11th. The present mode adopted for the payment and collection of the hitt tax. "12tli. The present mode of taxation, as it operates unequally between the polls and estates, and between landed and mercantile interests. " 13th. The present method of practice of the attornies-at-law. "14th. The want of a suilicient medium of trade to remedy the mischiefs aiissing from a scarcity of money. "1.5th. The General fVjuit sitting in the town of Boston. "loth. Tile present embarrassments on the lu'ess. " 17th. The neglect of the settlement of impoitant matters depending between the Commonwealth and Congress relating to monies and averages. " IStb. Voted. This convention recommend to the several towns in this county that they instruct their representatives to use their influence in the next Gen- eral Court to have emitted a bank of paper-money, subject to a depreciation ; making it a tender in all payments, equal to silver and gold, to be issued in order to call in the Commonwealth's securities. " 19th. Voted, That whereas several of the above articles of grievances arise from defects in the constitution, therefore a revision of the same ought to take place. " 20th. Votetl, That it be recommended by this convention to the several t-twns in this county that tliey Jjetition the Governor to call the General Court to- gether, in order that the other grievances complained of may, by the Legislature, be redressed; "21st. Voted, That this convention recommend it to the inhabitants of this county that they abstain from all mobs and unlawful assemblies until a consti- tutional method of redress can be obtained. "22d. Voted, That Mr. Caleb West be desired to transmit a copy of the pro- ceeilings of this convention to the convention of the cortnty of Worcester. "23d. Voted, That the chairman of tliis convention be desired Ut transmit a copy of the proceedings of this convention to t'lie county of Berkshire. "24th. Voted, That the chiiirman of this convention be directed to notify a county convention, upon any inotiim m.ade to him for tliat puriK)se, if be judge the reasons oflTered be sufficient, giving such notice, together with the reiisona therefor, in the publick papers of the county. " 25th. Voted, Tliat a copy of the proceedings of this convention bo sent to the press in Springfield for publication." As the natural result of such deliberations mob violence was again the order of the day. On the last Tuesday of August following, a mob numbering fifteen hundred persons assembled under arms at Northamp- ton. J It was on the day appointed by law for the sitting of the Court of Common Pleas and the General Sessions of the Peace. The mob took possession of the ground adjoining the court-house. The result was that no court was held. Mob violence was again triumphant. Those who did nut wish to pay their debts accomplished their object. The clerk of the court at Northampton made the following minute in his records, to wit: " Early on the morning of this day there was collected a considerable number of persons under arms, who paraded near the coui t-house, with a proposed de- sign to prevent this couit from sitting; a committee from whom presented a petition, requesting the couit would not proceed to any business. The court having considered thereof, thought proper t4» open the same at the house of Capt. S,amuel Clark, innholder, in Noithamptoii ; and having coiitituied all matters now pending in said couit to the term of this couit next to be hidden in Spring- field, in and for tlie county of Hampshire, on the second Tuesday of November next, adjourned without day." But no November term of the court was held. The court was continued by legislative action till the May following. After being informed of the action of the Northampton mob. Governor Bowdoin at once i-ssued his proclamation call- ing upon all "judges, justices, sheriffs, gn^nd jurors, consta- bles, and other officers, civil and military, to suppress all such riotous proceedings." The proclamation, after appealing to the State pride, personal honor, and patriotism of the people, enjoined upon the attorney-general the duty of prosecuting and bringing to condign punishment not only the ringleaders and abettors of the Norlhampton mob, but also all subsequent offenders against law and order. On the week succeeding the Northampton demonstration the sittings of the courts were also stopped at Worcester, and on the 11th of September a mob at Concord stopped the sit- tings of the courts of Middlesex County. But the mob of Berkshire County seemed so far to be the most violent of any. They assembled, at the opening of the Court of Common Pleas at Great Barrington, to the number of eight hundred, and g Minot's Hist. Insurrections iu Mass., p. 37. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 77 not (inly stojijied the fitting of the court, but broke open the jail and liberated the prisoners. UNIVERSAL DISORDER. The whole State was now aflame with excitement ; from one end of it to the other rebellion and anarchy stared the people in the face. VI. DANIEL SHAYS. And now appear upon the scene two strong and turbulent spirits who soon brought the rebellion to a head, but not until they had stirred the troubled waters to their profoundest depths, — Daniel Shays and Luke Day. Daniel Shays, who about this time came to the front as the acknowledged leader of the insurrection, seems to have been a soldier of fortune. His parents had been extremely poor, and his early education was neglected. Yet he was a man of good ad- dress and not unpleasing manner. He was courageous, ambi- tious, strong-minded, and sagacious, but unscrupulous in ac- complishing his ends. He was born in Hopkinton in the year 1747. When young he worked some time on a farm in Fra- mingham. He removed to Great Harrington before the Revolu- tionary war, and at the breaking out of the violent phase of the rebellion resided at Pelham. At the age of twenty-eight he entered into the service of his country, with the rank of ensign, and was conspicuous for his bravery at Bunker Hill. In the year 1776 he was appointed a lieutenant in Col. Varnam's regiment, and was soon detached on recruiting -service. He enlisted a company, which he took to West Point, whose engagement to serve was on the condition of his being the captain. This condition was not fulfilled, and the men were apportioned to different corps. He was at the surrender of Burgoyne, and at the storming of Stony Point. In 1779 he received a captain's commission, and was with Col. Putnam's regiment at Newark, N. J., in October, 1780, when he resigned and left theservice. He possessed few qualifications for a high command. After the suppression of the insurrection he re- moved to Sparta, N. Y., where he lived in utter poverty, dying in the year 1825. VII. LUKE DAY was born at West Springfield, July 2-5, 1743. His father was a wealthy land-owner, but the land, for some reason, fell to a younger brother. At the opening of the war of the Revo- lution he was commissioned as a captain. He served honor- ably in the Continental army for several years, and at the close of the war returned home poor and a major by brevet. He seems to have been a somewhat rough, boisterous man, but brave, and influential among his fellows. Of the two, he was perhaps stronger-minded and more sagacious than Shays, but less plausible and gentlemanly. He raised his own men, drilled, and commanded them. He was a most inveterate speech-maker, and often met the turbulent spirits of his neighborhood at the old Stebbins tavern in West Springfield, and harangued them for hours together. A few days before the attack of Shaj's upon the arsenal at Springfield, Day, in talking to his men, said, " My boys, you are going to fight for liberty. If you wish to know what liberty is, I will tell you. It is for every man to do what he pleases, to make other folks do as you please to have them, and to keep folks from serving the devil." After the defeat of Shays, Day fled to New York. He afterward returned, under the conditions of a general pardon, to his native town, and died there, miserably poor, at an advanced age. While drilling his men on West Springfield Common, they wore in their hats a sprig of hemlock, which afterward became the sj'mbol of the in- surgents. Such were the two men who, on the breaking out of the more violent phase of the rebellion, assumed its leadership. VIII. THE ATTACK UPON THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT AT SPRINGFIELD. Tluis far, as the reader has seen, the attacks of the mob had been made upon tlie inferior courts, — the Courts of Common Pleas and of General Sessions of the Peace. But the grand jury met also with the Supreme Judicial Court, and unless the sittings of that court could also be prevented, the rioters could all be indicted and punished. The next sitting of the Supreme Judicial Court was to be held in Springfield, on the 2()th day of September. The in- surgents resolved to prevent its sitting. But the friends of law and order were also at this time profoundly conscious of the impending danger, and made up their minds that the court should be held at whatever cost. The rebellion had now reached its height. Outrages had been committed in Middlesex and Bristol, as well as in the western counties of the State. Even the city of Boston was threatened, and the movement spread into the adjoining States. It is probable that at this time neither the insur- gents nor the State authorities knew its extent. After it was over, the Legislature passed a law disqualifying persons en- gaged in the rebellion from holding office. It was then fcnind that in some towns there were not enough men untainted to fill the offices, and it became necessary to pass an enabling act. This was the state of things when the Supreme Court was first attacked at Springfield. But it would seem that this high-handed outrage was the culmination of the insurrectionary movement. The determined stand here taken by the friends of law and order opened the eyes of the thinking ones, and one after another they returned to their homes, leaving it to the more unscrupulous rabble to follow Shays in his mad attempt upon the arsenal in the following winter. On the 27th day of September, the Governor issued his proc- lamation convening the Legislature. The command of the governmental forces at Springfield was intrusted to Gen. Wil- liams. We cannot do better here than to copy the account of this aft'air given in the able paper of William L. Smith, above referred to. Mr. Smith says : "Gen. Shepard succeeded in collecting about six hundred militia and volunteers, and anticipated the plans of the insur- gents by taking possession of the court-house. On the ap- pointed day the court was openedj Chief-Justice Cushing and Justices Sargeant, Sewall, and Sumner being present, and Shays appeared at the head of a force largely superior in numbers to Gen." Shepard's, but his men were not as well armed as were the militia. The insurgent leaders were dis- concerted at finding the militia in possession of the court- house ; their followers were enraged, and insisted upon making an immediate attack. But the leaders were more prudent. They knew that the government troops were well armed, they had no artillery, arid they were especially disgusted with the bark of a small cannon, which they styled the ' government's puppy.' They offered to withdraw if the judges would agree that no other than the ordinary criminal business of the term should be taken up. The judges replied in substance that they had a public duty to di-scharge, and would attend to such business as should properly come before them. But by the time this answer was received the insurgent leaders were indifferent as to the action of the court, for they were satisfied the grand jury could not be got together, and that there would be no trials. They .saw their main purpose would be accom- plished without fighting. Shays had his headquarters on or near Ferry Lane (now Cypress Street), and a tavern that stood on the southerly corner of the present Main and Sar- gent Streets was a favorite rendezvous of the insurgents. "The inhabitants of Springfield were beginning to feel some relief from their anxiety, when a new commotion was seen in 78 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. the camp of the insurgents. It was rumored among them that the militia had determined that they should not be per- mitted to march past the court-house. It is not likely that any person in authority on the government side threw down the gauntlet in that way. It is more probable that the rumor originated with some of the Shays men, who wanted a pre- text for a fight and consequent pillage. But the rumor, how- ever it originated, aroused the fighting-qualities of the insur- gents. Old soldiers were not to be told that they must not march over the highway. They notified Gen. Shepard that they would march past the court-house forthwith, and they did so in military order and with loaded muskets, and they countermarched and again passed under the windows of the court-house. But no one came forward to knock the chip from their leader's shoulder. The experiment of the insur- gents proved a failure. The militia could not be tempted to accept a mere challenge or invite a battle. A taunt or a care- less word would have occasioned a collision, but the word was not spoken. But some of the militia were so impressed by the numbers and bearing of the insurgents that they deserted their colors and enlisted under Shays. " The court was kept open three days, but the proceedings amounted to a mere ceremony. The grand jury did not assemble. Parties to causes, jurors, and witnesses were under arms, either on one side or the other. One defendant, who was out on bail, was defaulted, and that was the only business transacted at the term. The adjournment of the court under such circumstances was a victory for the insurgents, and their triumph was made complete when they learned that the judges had determined not to hold the October term at Great Bar- rington. The judges had been informed of the preparations made for their reception at that place, and knew it would be useless to attempt to hold the term. " The rebels had accomplished all they intended, and more, but success had crazed them. The rank and file were clam- orous for a fight, and Shays sent a message to Gen. Shepard demanding a surrender of the court-house. Gen. Shepard did not deem the possession of the court-house worth fighting for, the court having adjourned, and moved his forces to the Federal arsenal, where there was valuable property that re- quired protection. The insurgents, finding no satisfaction in standing guard over an empty building, and not yet being ready to make war against the Federal authority, soon dispersed." On the 27th day of September the Legislature assembled, according to the proclamation, and the Governor, in an able speech from the chair, presented to the members the alarming state of aflairs. The Senate appeared to be decided in their opinion that stringent measures were necessary to he taken, but the lower house, more or less in sympathy with the objects, if not with the acts, of the insurgents, wavered, and favored conciliation. Various disturbances occurred in different parts of the State, and the military was called out to protect the courts. Upon hearing this, Shays issued the following order to the insurgents : "Pelham, Oct. 23, 1786. "Gentlemen, — B3' infurmatiuQ from tlie General C the prose- cution thereof, when, perhaps, wholly actuated from a principle of revenge, Iiatred, and envy. " Furthermore, Be assured that this body, now at arms, despise the idea of being instigated by British emissaries, which is so strenuously propagated by the enemies of our liberties, and also wish the most proper and speedy measures may be taken to cUscharge both our foreign and domestic debt, " Per Order, "Daniel Gray, " ChairniaH of the CommiU.ee for the above purpose" At the same time another publication appeared in the Hamp- shire Herald^ published in Springfield, of similar tenor: " To tiie Printer of tJie Hampshire Herald: " Sir, — It hiis somehow or other fallen to my lot to be employed in a more con- spicuous manner than some otliei-s of my felluw-citizens in stepping forth in defence of the rights and privileges of the peojde, more especially of the county of Hampshire. "Therefore, upon the desire of the people now at arms, I take this method to publish to the world of mankind in general, particularly the people of this com- monwealth, some of the principal grievances we complain of, and of which we are now seeking redress, and mean to contend fnr until a redress can be ol»- tained, which we hope will soon take place ; and if so, our brethren in this com- monwealth, thaf do not see with us as yet, shall find we shall be as peaceable as they be. " In the first place, I must refer you to a draught of grievances drawn up by a committee of the people now at arms, under the signature of Daniel Gray, chair- man, which is heartily approved of; some other also are here added, viz. ; " 1st. The General Court, for ceitain obvious reasons, must be removed out of the town of Boston. "2nd. A revision iif tlie constitution is absolutely nessessarj'. "3rd, All kinds of governmentiil securities, now on interest, that have been l«ught of the original owners for two shillings, three shillings, four shillings, and the highest for six shillings and eight pence on the pound, and have received more interest than the principal cost of the speculator who purchased them, that if justice was done, we verily believe, nay, positively know, it would save this conmionwealth thousands of i>ounds. "4th. Let the lands belonging to this commonwealth, at the eastward, be sold at the best advantage, to pay the remainder of onr dnmestick debt. "5th. Let the monies arising from impost and excise be appropriated to dis- charge the foreign debt. " 6th. Let that act passed by the General Court last June, by a small majority of only seven, called the Supplementarey Aid, for twenty-five years to come be repealed. ''7th. The total abolition of the Inferior Court of C<.»mmon Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace. "8th. Deputy Sheriffs totally set aside, as a useless set of officers in the com- munity, and Constables, who are really nessessary, be empowered to do the duty, by which means a large swarm of lawyers will be banished fmm their wonted haunt!, who have l>een more damage to the people at large, especially the com- mon farmers, than the savage beasts of prey. "Tu this I boldly sign my proper name, as a hearty well-wisher to the rights of the people. " Thomas Grover. ' Worcester, Dec. 7, 1786.' At length, on the 26th day of Decemher, Shays, at the head of an armed moh of three hundred men, marched into the court-house at Springiield, and forcibly prevented the sitting of the court appointed to be held there. A letter from Springfield to the Botiio?i Chronicle^ under date of the 2Tth of December, gives an account of this outrage, committed there the daj' before : " There is a stagnation of almost every kind of business among us by reason of the tunmlts which are so prevalent here. Yesterday we had another visit from the mobility : about 3o0 men mai-cbed in hostile array, with drums beating, and took possession of the court-house, commanded by Shays, Day, and Grover, in order to prevent the sitting of the Court of Common Pleas, which by law was to have been held here at that time. This they effected, as there was no opposi- tion on the i)art of the government. It was not possible fur the court (as they were surrounded by an armed force and a guard placed at the door uf the room in which the judges were met) t*» proceed to do business. They therefore in- formed a committee who were chosen by the insurgent;! to wait «jn them that they would not attempt to oj)eu tlie court. After which, al«>ut dark, the insur- gents left the town." HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 79 IX. THE ATTACK ON THE ARSENAL AT SPRINCiFIELD. This mid other outrages incited the Governor and his coun- cil, in the absence of the Lcgishiture, to adopt the most ener- getic measures for the restoration of order and the suppression of the rebellion, now continuing so formidable. Says Mr. William L. Smith : " The Governor and the mem- bers of the Executive Council were capable and resolute men, and were faithful to their great trusts, but they were power- less. They did not have at their command the means of sus- taining even a single regiment in the field. The emergency Avas finally met by some of the capitalists and business-men of Boston, who realized the danger to which their interests would be exposed by a revolution, and came forward with an offer of a loan to the State, trusting to future legislation for their reim- bursement. Their offer was accepted, and there was at once a change in the condition of aflTairs. There was a new and wholesome activity in the executive departments. Orders were issued for the raising and equipment of four thousand five hundred men, a considerable army in that day. Public senti- ment at once exhibited a more healthy tone. The wavering and doubting began to get off the fence and range themselves on the side that had troops and money, and the lukewarm and more thoughtful among the insurgents began to think of their allegiance. Shaj-s and his council had been in deliberation over two distinct plans of operation. The more reckless of the leaders advised an attack upon Boston, for the purpose of releasing two of their number who had been arrested and were held in jail. Others advised that the attack on Boston be delaj'ed until after the seizure of the Continental arsenal at Springfield, with its store of war material ; and this last plan was the one adopted. "The Hampshire County quota of twelve hundred men were ordered to assemble at Springfield, and Gen. Shepard was placed in command. The Eastern militia were to meet at Roxbury, whence they were to march to Worcester, and there be joined with the force raised in Worcester County. The chief command was given to Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, an ac- complished ofiScer of the Revolutionary war. Gov. Bowdoin's orders to Gen. Lincoln required him to protect the Court of Common Pleas at the January term at Worcester, and left his further movements against the insurgents to his own dis- cretion." The orders of the Governor to Gen. Lincoln were as follows : " Boston, Jimy W, 1787. "Sir, — You will take command of The Militia detached in nbedience to my orders of the 4th iiit-tant. The great ohjects to be effected are to protect the Ju- dicial Courts paiticularly those next to be holden in the County of Worcester, if the justices of the said courts should request your aid ; to assist the civil magis- trates in executing the laws, and in repelling or apprehending all and every such person and persons aj5 shall, in a hostile manner, attempt or enten>rise the de- struction, detriment, or annoyance of this Commonwealth ; and also t> aid them in apprehending the disturbers of the public peace, as well as all such persons as may be named in the State wari-ants, that have been, or shall be, committed t<:> any civil officer or officers, or to any other person, to execute. " If, to these important ends, the militia already ordered out should, in your opinion, be incompetent, you will call on the Major-Generals for further and ef- fectual aid ; And, if you can rely on their attachment to government, you will, in the tir-st instance, call on the militia in the neighborhood of your camp. I cannot minutely point out to you the particular line you shall pursue in execu- ting these orders: But would observe in genera!, that if, to answer the aforesaid ■ahiable purposes, .you should judge it necessary to march a respectable force hrough the western counties, you will in that case do it. This would give con- tidence tci the well .affected; would aid and protect the civil officci>i in executing their duty, & would convince the misguided of the abilities of government, and its determination to pui-sue every legal and constitutional mesisure for restoring peace and order to the Commonwealth. " Ton are to consider yourself, in all your military offensive operations, con- stantly as under the direction of the civil officers, saving when any armed force appears, and oppose your marching to execute these ordei-s. "That 1 may be fully acquainted with all the proceedings of the armed force under your command, and with all mattei-s that respect the great objects U^ be effected, yon will give me regular inform-ation by every post. And for inter- mediate and nessessary intelligence you will order the Quartennaster-Gen'l to provid the nesseesary expresses. " On these attempts to restore system and order, I wish the smiles of heaven, anil that you may have an agreeable command, the most perfect success, and a speedy and safe return, and am with much esteem, " Sir, your most obedient servant, "James Bowdoin. " Hon. M.\jor-General Lincoln." We again quote from Mr. Smith : " Gen. Shepard again anticipated the movements of Shays. Acting under the authority of the secretary of war, he took possession of the arsenal. Gen. Lincoln reached Worcester on the 22d of January, after a three days' march from Rox- bury through the deep snow of midwinter. The court was opened, and proceeded with the business of the term. Order was restored at Worcester, and substantially at all points in the State east of that place. The insurgents were concentrat- ing their strength in the western counties, and it was under- stood on all hands that the issue was to be tried and deter- mined at Springfield. " The positions of the several armed forces on the evening of January 24 were as follows : Gen. Shepard was posted at the arsenal with aby sent Maj. Lyman, one of my aids, and Capt. Bviffington, to inform him not to march his troops any nearer the arsenal on his peril, as I was stationed hero by order of your E.tcellency and the secretary at war, for the defense of the piiblick property; in case he did, I should surely fire on him and his men. A Mr. Wheeler, who appeared to be one of Shays' aids, met Mr. Lyman after he had delivered my orders in the most peremptory manner, and nnule answer, that that was all he wanted. Shays immediately put his troops in motion, and marched on rapidly near one hundred yards. I then ordered Maj. Stephens, who commanded the iutillery, to fire upon them ; he accordingly did. The two first shots he en- deavored to overshoot them, in hope that they would have taken warning witli- out firing among them, but it had no effect on them. Maj. Stephens then di- rected his shot through the centre of his column. Tlie fouitli or fifth shot put the whole column into the utmost confusion. Shays made an attempt to display his ccdinnn, b\it in vain. We had one howit, which was loaded with grape- shot, wliicb, when fired, gave them great uneasiness. Had I been disposed to destroy them, I might have charged upon their rear and flanks with my infantry and the two fiehl-piece.s,and could have killed the greater part of his whole army within twenty-five minutes. There was not a single musket fired on eitlK'r side. " ' I found three men dead on tlie spot, and one wounded, who is since dead. One of our artillerymen, by inattention, was badly wounded. Three muskets were taken up with the dead, which were all deeply loaded. I enclose to your excellency a copy of a paper sent to me last evening. I have received no rein- forcements yet, and expect to be attjicked this day by their whole force com- bined. I am, sir, with great respect, " ' William Sukpaud. " ' On the back, — " By Col. EH Parsons." " ' His Excellency, James Bowdoin, Esq.' " The following is a copy of the paper inclosed in the above letter : "' Heabuuaeters, West Sprinofieid, January 26, 1787. "'The body of the people assembled in arms, adhering to the first principles in nature, self-preservation, do, in the mosl peremptory manner, demand '"1. That the troops in Springfield lay down their arms. "'2. That their arms be deposited in the publick stores, under the care of the IHTjper ofBcei-s, to be returned to the owners at tliC t«nuinatiou of the present contest. "'3. That the troops return to their homes upon parole. " ' Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant, '"Luke Day. " ' Captain Commandant of this dirision. " ' To the commanding officer at Springfield, Jan. 2.>, 1787.' "* With the affair at the arsenal at Springfield ended every- thing of importance which occurred during this uprising in the valley of the Connecticut. On the night of the 25th, Shays retreated to " Chapin's Tavern," five miles east of Springfield. The next day he marched to Chicopee, and joined the force of Parsons, two hundred of his men deserting by the way. On the 27th, Gen. Lincoln's army, consisting of three regi- ments of infantry, a body of cavalry, and three companies of artillery, entered Springfield. After an hour's rest, Lincoln's infantry and artillery crossed the river to the west side in quest of Day and his party. At the same time Gen. Shepard with his force moved up the east bank, and the cavalry went up the river on the ice to prevent the junction of Day and Shays. The insurgents manifested no further disposition to fight. The pursuit was kept up with vigor until the insur- gents were all dispersed and their leaders captured or driven from the State. , We again quote from Mr. Smith's paper: "John Hancock, who was the first Governor under the State constitution, was again elected in 1787. It is no un- favorable criticism of the administration that immediately preceded him to say that his election was generally received as a promise of the removal of the prevailing discontent. The armed insurrection had been suppressed, but the work of bringing the people of the State to a cordial and unanimous su]iport of the constitution and laws remained to be performed. The new Governor assumed this difficult undertaking, and ac- complished it. John Hancock did not believe in the religion of hate. Nine of the leading insurgents, who were convicted of treason and sentenced to death, were pardoned, some of them at the foot of the gallows, the only condition being that they should never hold any office, civil or military, within the commonwealth. A large number of persons convicted of seditious offenses were pardoned unconditionally. A member of the Legislature, who was convicted of treasonable practices, was sentenced to stand for an hour on the gallows, with a rope around his neck, and to pay a fine of fifty' pounds. This seems to have been the only sentence carried into execution. It would be a good plan, perhaps, to revive this mode of dealing with recreant legislators. Conciliator}' measures were adopted by the Legislature. The sullen mutterings of the defeated insurgents gradually subsided. Commerce soon settled com- mercial difficulties in its own way, as it always does if unfet- tered by meddlesome legislation, and a season of prosperity ensued. The rebellion was ended at last in accordance with the grand precepts of the gospel of forgiveness and of peace. And all history tells us that rebellion is never completely conquered in any other way." The following is a list of the men whose names will go down in history as leaders in this movement: Daniel Shays, Luke Day, Eli Parsons, Perez Hamlin, Elisha Manning, Daniel Dunham, Ebenezer Crittenden, Jacob Fox. " CHAPTER XIX. THE "WAR OP 1812-15— THE ■WASHINGTOTT BE- NEVOLENT SOCIETY. I. THE WAR OF 1812-15. It is generally well known that the people of New England were, as a rule, opposed to the war with England of 1812-15. =*' This paper, read by Mr. William L. Smith, before the Connecticut Valley Historical Society, was published in tlie Springfield Sepubtican of Oct. 2, 1877. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 81 The declaration of hostilities by the United States occurred on the 18th of June, 1812, and the feeling was so intense among the people of the three river counties that preliminary meet- ings were held and delegates chosen, within a few days succeeding the declaration, to attend a convention to be held at Northampton on the 14th day of July following. On the day appointed eighty-eight delegates from tifty- seven towns of the three counties assembled at the court-hou.^e in Northampton. Upon calling the roll the following-named delegates answered to their names and took their .seats in the convention : Springfield. — John Hooker, Chauncey Brewer, Justin Lom- bard, Joseph Pease. Northampton. — Joseph Lyman, Isaac Clark, Elijah H. Mills, Lewis Strong. Hadhy. — Charles Phelps, Samuel Porter. Hatfir.ld. — Isaac Maltby, Israel Billings. Def'rfield. — Ephraim William.*, Epaphras Hoyt, Pliny Arms. Sunderland. — Simeon Ballard. Blandford. — Jedediah Smith, Alanson Knox. Pelham. — Isaac Abercrombie. Palmer. — Amos Hamilton, Alpheus Converse. . 'Southampton. — Luther Edwards, John Lyman. South Hadleij. — Mark Doolittle, Bezaleel Alvord. Greenfield. — Richard E. Newcomb, Samuel Wells. New Salem. — Samuel C. Allen. Montague. — Henry Wells. Granville. — David Curtis. Greenwich. — Robert Field, Joseph Williams. Amherst. — Ebenezer Mattoon, Samuel F. Dickinson, Simeon Strong. Monsoti. — Deodatus Dutton. Belchertown. — Joseph Bridgman, Justus Forward, Phineas Blair. Coleraiii. — John Drury. Shutesbury. — William Ward. Ware. — William Paige. . Chesterfield. — Asa White, Spencer Phelps. South Brimfield. — Darius Munger. Wai-toicJi. — Caleb Mayo. Wilhraham. — Robert Sessions, Aaron Woodward. A.'il field. — Henry Bassett. 'CAre;'i(;?non<. ^Stephen Bates. Chester. — Asahel Wright. Conway. — Elisha Billings, John Bannister. Granby. — Eli Dickinson, Levi Smith. Shelburne. — William Wells. Worthington. — Ezra Starkweather, JonathiUi Brewster. Whately. — Phineas Frary. Williamsburg. — William Bodman, John Wells. Norwich. — William Fobes, Jesse Joy. Wesffiampton. — Sylvester Judd, Aaron Fisher, Jonathan Clarke. Buckland. — Levi White. Cum,mington. — Peter Bryant. Montgomery. — Edward Taylor. Wendell. — Joshua Green. Goshen. — .Oliver Taylor. Middlefield. — Erastus Ingham. Home. — John Wells. Heath. — Roger Leavitt. Hawley. — Thomas Longley. Gill. — Gilbert Stacey. Plainfield. — Nebemiah Joy. Easthampton. — Thaddeus Clapp. Holland. — John Policy. Tolland. — Eleazer Slocomb. The irregular delegates were Rufus Stratton, from North- fleld ; Hezekiab Newcomb and Caleb Chapin, from Bernard.s- 11 ton ; Pelatiah Bliss and Timothy Burbank, from West Springfield ; and Rufus Graves, from Leverett. The convention was organized by choosing John Hooker, of Springfield, President, and Isaac C. Bates, of Northamp- ton, Secretary. An executive committee was appointed, which drew up a memorial to be presented to the President of the United States praying that commissioners might be appointed for the speedy negotiation of terms of peace with Great Britain, which was unanimously adopted. The committee also reported in favor of a State convention, and recommended that four del- egates be appointed from each county to attend the same, pro- vided other portions of the Commonwealth coincided with them in the call ; and also, that committees of correspondence and safety be appointed in each county and town throughout the State ; which recommendations were adopted. But notwithstanding their determined opposition to the war on general principles, the people of Connecticut Valley were not found wanting in ardor or patriotism when their services were required to defend the country. Caleb Strong was at that time Governor of the State. Upon the first overthrow of Napoleon I. and his banish- ment to the island of Elba, Great Britain concentrated her powerful navy against the American States, and blockaded, at least theoretically, the whole coast of the Atlantic, from the Bay of Fundy to the southern cape of Florida. Occa- - sionally troops were landed, and on the 1st of September, 1814, a body of them took possession of Castine, a port on the Penobscot River, without opposition. The region erected into the. State of Maine in 1820 was then a province under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, and this aggressive proceeding ended at once all political discussions and opposition to the war, and united the people unanimously against the common eneni}'. Governor Strong, apprehensive of a descent upon the coast of Massachusetts, immediately issued a proclamation calling out the militia, who were ordered to assemble forthwith at Boston. Western Massachusetts responded nobly. A regi- ment of infantry was raised in the northern part of old Hamp- shire County, and marched under command of Col. Thomas L endeavor to gnunl uur t'cllow-uitizens against the distress consequent upon iuiUKintlity and i^jnorance than to trust to alleviating them by donati-ins in m mey when too late to prevent the perniiious consequences to the public. We believe tliat the best method of preventing distress among the eitizenrt of any counti'ir' irf the institution of a government for themselves which makes pro- vision for the security and free exercise of their inalienable rights. And such government we verily believe to be sacredly gmiranteed to us by the Constitution of the United States. No system of government, however, can be so perfect but it may, if perverted and mal-aduiinistered, become ruinous and destnictive to the liberties of the people. While the illustrious \Vashingti,in was at the head of the ailministratiju of the Federal government, our unparalleled prospeiity proved that our national affairs were conducted with purity and wisdom. Tlien the C.Justitution was strictly and sacredly regarded, and the rights and privileges of the people not only acknowledged, but constantly cherished and promoted. But during the disastrous administration of Thomas Jetteison and his successors in office our Constitutijn has been openlj' violated, public sentiment has been cor- rupted, virtue and tilents have been proscribed, and the rights and interests of the people have been made the sport of unprincipled ambition. A government like ours cannot well be administered when individual distress becomes general. It is therefore the duty of every good citizen to use all exertions to prevent cor- ruption, whatever specious mask it may assume, from destroying our Constitution. Having, with deep regret, observed the baneful etTects produced by combinations against the morals and politics of our fellow-citizens, having marked the dangerous influence of ambitious and designing men, uniting to obtain by means of jjopular deception evei-y honorable and profitable office under the government, and being Convinced that very many of those who are loudest in their professions of love of tlie people, love of liberty and equality, have no otlier object than the attainment of power and the building of fortunes upon the ruin of their country, we have arlopted as our motto, ' By their fruits ye shall know them.' When bad men com- bine good men must unite. The members of this Society have thciught it neces.sary to associate themselves for the purpose of inculcating and maintiiining the true principles of our government, and of more effectually promoting and cherishing among ourselves and our fellow-citizens friendship, beuevolenco, mutual coitfi- dence, and union of sentiment; to relieve the unfortunate, and tj diffuse such useful information as will tend to pramote the general welfare and fundamental principles of this Society. " Gentlemen, are you willing to join a society avowing and solemnly pledged to support these principles? You will then, on your sacred honor, answer me to sucli questions as 1 shall put to you. Are you firmly atta;-tu*d li^ the Constitiitinu of the United States? Are yon willing to use your exerthtns to preserve and de- fend it against the inroads and contaminations of arist jcracy, monarchy, despot- ism, and democracy? Will you endeavor to divest yourself of all partialities for foreign nations, more especially when such partiality will intei"fere with the in- terest of the United States? Will you use your endeavors to liave the govern- ment administered upon the principles of our beloved Wjishington? Do you jdedge your word that you will exercise your privilege as a citizen, and vote at all elections for such men as you conscientiously believe will be faithful to tlio Constitution and as are attached to the political principles which distinguislicd the glorious administi-ation of Washington ? Will you endeavor to aid and assist the memliers of this Society in their several lawful callings, when it will not in- terfere with yt)ur interest or your duty to others? Do you promise never to com- municate anything said or done in this Society unless it be to a member of the same, or when compelled to do so by due process of law? To the support and practice of all these principles and things you pledge your sacred honor, in pres- ence of all these witnesses, whom I now call on to notice the transaction." The last meeting of this society was held on the 22d day of February, 1813. The constitution above copied was fol- lowed by the signatures of seven hundred and nineteen members. CHAPTER XX. INTEHNAL IMPROVEMENTS — EARLY ROADS — TURNPIKES AND TOLIj-BRIDGES-FERRIES. BY SAMUEL W. DURANT.* The earliest roads traveled by human beings in Massachu- setts—at least, since the advent uf the Indian race— were no doubt simple paths or "trails," which threaded the mazes of the unbroken wilderness from one settlement to another. The savages always traveled in a single line, one behind the other, and their trails were well defined, and in places so worn down into the soil as to have remained for many years after their dusky travelers had passed away. These highways of the red man were no doubt made use of by the early English settlers for "bridle-paths," and when * This chapter, and to the end of the Genera! Histnry of the CunuectL-ut Val- ley, edited by Samuel W. Diirant. wheeled vehicles began to appear they were widened and cleared up to accommodate the new mode of travel. It is well known that many of the old war-trails of the Indians were adopted by the whites, in various parts of the Union ; among them the great Iroquois trail from the Hudson River to Lake Erie, and the celebrated " Nemacolin's trail" through Maryland and Pennsylvania, and, no doubt, the "Bay Path," which was one of the first important roads laid out in the province of Massachusetts Bay, followed substan- tially a great trail of the savages which ran from the neigh- borhood of Boston — or "Shawmut," as it was called by the Indians — to the Long River, and thence over the mountains to the valley of the Hudson. This famous route followed substantially the present line of the Boston and Albany Railway, striking the Quaboag River probably in Brookfield, and thence following that stream and the Chicopee River to the vicinity of Indian Orchard, when it bore away from the river and entered Springfield by what is still called the " Old Bay Road" and Bay and State Streets, passing near, and perhaps partly over, the ground now occupied by the United States armory and arsenal. II. TURNPIKES. Turnpikes began to multiply quite rapidly in the years fol- lowing the close of the Revolutionary war and the Shaj's rebellion. From the close of the latter business began to revive, and improved means of travel and communication were demanded. Macadamized and plank-roads had not been introduced into America at that date, and an improved com- mon road, built by a chartered corporation with ample capital, was for many years considered the tic plus ulfra of highways. "The Second Massachusetts Turnpike Corporation" was chartered by the General Court on the 8th of March, 1797, for the purpose of constructing an improved road from the west line of Charlemont, then in Hampshire County, to the west foot of Hoosac Mountain, in the town of Adams, in Berkshire County. The charter was granted to Asaph White, Jesse King, and their associates. On the 9th of March, 1797, the Third Massachusetts Turn- pike Corporation was chartered to build a turnpike from the east side of Roberts' Hill, in Northampton, to the east line of Pittsfield, and passing through Westhampton, Chesterfield, Worthington, Peru (then Partridgefield), and Dalton. The principal members of this company were Jonah Brewster, Elisha Brewster, Jonathan Brewster, Samuel Buflington, and Tristram Browning. According to Dr. Holland, there was no Fourth Massachu- setts Turnpike Company chartered ; but the Williamstown Turnpike Company properly occupied its place. This was or- ganized on the 1st of March, 1799, for the purpose of building and keeping in repair a road from the west side of Hoosac Mountain, commencing at the termination of the road of the Second corporation, in Adams, and thence running through the towns of Adams and Williamstown to the line of Peters- burg, Ren.sselaer Co., N. Y. The Fifth corporation was chartered on the 1st of March, 1799, for the building of a road from Northfield, through War- wick and Orange, to Athol, in Worcester County, and also from Greenfield, through Montague and the unimproved lauds, to Athol, where the two roads were to be united and proceed through Templeton, Gardner, Westminster, and Fitchburg to Leominster. The Sixth Massacliusetts Turnpike Corporation was char- tered the 22d of June, 1799, for the construction of a road from the east line of Amherst to Worcester, passing through the towns of Pelbam, Greenwich, Hardwick, New Braintree, Oak- ham, Rutland, Holden, and Worcester, and uniting with the "great road in Shrew.sbury," leading from New Tork to Boston. This road was to be not less than four rods in width, 84 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. and the track not less than eighteen feet in the narrowest place. The Eighth Massachusetts Turnpike Corporation was char- tered on the 24th of February, 1800, the principal names being those of Joseph Stebbins, James S. Dwight, and George Bliss. Their road commenced on the line between the towns of West- field and Russell, near the Agawam River, and followed the river through portions of Blandford and Russell to a point known as Falley'.s Store; thence by the west branch of the river, through portions of Blandford and Chester, to the Ctov- ernment road, which it followed to Becket, and thence by the usual road to the Pittslield line. The Tenth Turnpike Corporation was chartered on the 10th of June, 1800, for the construction of a road from a point where the Farmington River crosses the line between Massachusetts and Connecticut ; thence, by the side of the river, through San- disfield, Bcthleliem (now part of Otis), Becket, and Lee, to Lenox Court-House ; thence over the mountain, through Rich- mond and Hancock, to the New York State line. The Eleventh Turnpike Company was chartered on the 19th of June, 1801, with Ezra Marvin, Elihu Stow, and one hun- dred others, as incorporators, to build a road from the Con- necticut line through the east parish of Granville to Blandford meeting-house, and thence, through the town street in Bland- ford, to Becket, in Berkshire County. The Thirteenth corporation was chartered, June 19, 1801, to construct a road from Connecticut State line, in Granville, through that town to the northwestern part of Loudon, now included in the town of Otis. " The Fourteenth corporation was chartered on the 11th of March, 1802, to construct a road from the west end of the Fifth turnpike, in Greenfield, through that town, Shelburne, Buckland, and Charlcmont, to the eastern terminus of the Second turnpike, leading over Hoosac Mountain." The Sixteenth corporation was chartered, Feb. 14, 1803, to construct a road from the west line of West Springfield (the portion now forming the town of Agawam), through South- wick, Granville, Tolland, and Sandistield, to the turnpike pass- ing through ShefBeld from Hartford, Conn., to Hudson, N. Y. The Petersham and Monson Company was chartered on the 29th of February, 1804, to build a turnpike from the Fifth turnpike, in Athol, through that town, Petersham, Dana, Greenwich, Ware, Palmer, and Monson, to connect in the latter with the road leading to Staftord, Conn. The Springfield and Longmeadow Company was established March 7, 1804, to construct a road from the south end of Main Street, in Springfield, through Longmeadow, by a direct route, to the State line of Connecticut. The William.sburg and Windsor Corporation was chartered on the Kith of March, 180.5, to build a road from Williams- burg, through the towns of Goshen, Cunimington, and Wind- sor, to the east line of Cheshire, in Berkshire County. In addition to those mentioned in the foregoing list, there were the Belchertown and Greenwich, the Blandford and Rus- sell, the Chester, and perhaps a few other minor corporations within old Hampshire County. These toll-roads were as great favorites as were plank-roads in the West at a later date, though they continued much longer. They were deservedly po|)ular, for they aft'orded the best system of intercomnuinication and transportation then in u.se in the countrj'. They were most of them continued by their several corpora- tions until about the year 18.50, when they were transferred to the custody of the public, and have since been kept in re- pair by a tax. III. BKIDQKS. Bridges were constructed by various means,. — among others by a lottery system, whicli was quite popular for many pur- poses during the latter part of the last and the beginning of the present century. On the Oth of March, 1782, a lottery was granted by the General Court to aid in building a bridge over the " Chikabee" River, on the road leading from Spring- field to Hadley ; and on the 1st of November of the same year another was granted, for the purpose of repairing and supporting one over the Agawam River, in West Springfield ; and still another, for the benefit of a bridge over the same stream, near a place called Weller's Mills, in Westfleld. Many of the bridges over the smaller streams were built by' incorporated companies and supported by a system of tolls. Occasionally small sums were granted by the countj- authori- ties to aid in their construction. In 1816 the towns of Palmer and. Westfleld petitioned the Court of Common Pleas (then the official county body) for assistance to construct bridges over the larger streams in those towns, and three hundred and fifty dollars was granted for a bridge over the Agawam in Westfield. A remonstrance was presented against the petition from Palmer, but the court, after a careful hearing, granted the sum of one hundred dollars for a bridge over the Chicopee River in that town. The task of bridging the Connecticut, or "Great River," was long considered an impo.ssible one. The earliest bridges were built by chartered companies, and maintained by tolls fixed by law. The earliest legislation which we find touching bridges over the larger rivers was on July 7, 1786, when Jonathan Hoit and John Williams were associated together, and authorized to construct a bridge over the Deerfield River at a place known as " Rocky Mountain." On the 6th of March, 1792, a company, consisting of David Sexton, David Smcad, Lyman Taft, Elisha Mack, and associ- ates, was incorporated for the purpose of building a bridge over the Connecticut River between Greenfield and Montague, at Great Falls. On the 18th of June, 1795, another company, consisting of Jonathan Leavett, Eliel Gilbert, and their associates, was chartered for the purpose of building a bridge between Mon- tague and Greenfield. On the 22d of June, 1797, Jonathan Hoit and David Smead were incorporated as the proprietors of the Deerfield River bridge, in the town of Deerfield, at the point known as Wil- liams' Ferry. On the 17th of June, 1800, the town of Westfield was authorized to build a toll-bridge over "Westfield Great River," near Park's Mills. On the 10th of February, 1803, David Morley was author- ized to erect a toll-bridge over the Agawam River, " near the late dwelling-house of Stephen Noble, deceased." On the 22d of Febnuiry in the same year a company, con- sisting of John Hooker, George Bliss, Joseph Williams, Sanuiel Fowler, Jonathan Dwight, Thomas Dwight, Justin Ely, and associates, was incorporated as proprietors of the bridge over the Connecticut between Springfield and West Springfield. The rates of toll to be charged, upon the com- pletion of this bridge, which was the first one erected at this point, were fixed as follows : For each lb' effected ; <& it is voted, also, that the ferry be kept at the upper wharfe. '* Jan. SI, 1727. — Voted, that the FeiTy at the upper wharfe be let out for five yeai-s on the Desire of Mr. John Huggius, Dated Jan'y al, 1727, viz., tluit the Town would grant him the Ferry and the whole Piivilege thereof at the place called the upper Wharfe, at the great River, being the common place for the Ferry in Spi ingfield, for the space of five years, and he will give them Sixty shillings for the same yearly, every year, for the whole lime, and give sufficient Bund for keeping said Ferry well the whole Time, and to begin within Twenty Dayes from tliis date or Time, and to give Bond within Twenty Days to the Town Treiisurer and bis Sucksessor, the which Bond is to be of the sum of one hundred pounds. .\t this meeting tlie said Desire of the said John Hnggins was granted. " March 12, 1728. — Also to consider and settle the FeiTy at Agawam, & with reference to the s.aid fen-y. The following vote was voted, viz., that there bo a Ferry settled at the mouth of Agawam River, to cross l«ithe the great River and said Agawam River, and that the present Selectmen be .apiwinted to agree and settle a feiTyman for that puil>ose. "A Town Ferry was established at the middle wharfe by Vote, May 1.5, 1749. Voted, that Josiab Dwigbt, Daniel Parsons, George Pynchon, Jacob White may have the liberty to set up a Vessell at the middle wharfe ill said town."* At the August term of 1814, Amasa Parsons was licensed to keep the " upper ferry," which was probably located at the point where the upper bridge now crosses. The following were the rates of loll fi.xed by the court for all the ferries on the Connecticut River within the county of Hampden : Foot-passenger .1 cents. Man and horse " Horse and chaise or sulky 121^ " One-horse wagon and passengers 12^^ " Coachee, coach, or Jihaeton 2.') " Four-horse carriage with passengers 30 " One-horse wagon or cart 1() " Two-horse wagon or cart 16 " The same with more than two beasts 20 " Tlie same with more than five beasts 30 " Si.K-hortie cariiage 35 " * Sec histories of the rivor-towns for interesting items in this connection. Neat cattle, each 3 cents. Hni-se or mule without rider 3 " Sheep and swine, eaeh 1 " In the same v'ear Ruel Warriner was licensed to keep the lower ferry. In 1831, Hiram Jones was licensed to keep a ferry over the Connecticut River at Chicopee for two years. Benjamin Ashley is said to have been the first to put a steam ferry in operation on the Connecticut River. When the bridge was erected at Cabotville (now Chicopee), he sold to the com- pany boat and franchise for thirteen hundred and fifty dollars. The ferry between Springfield and Agawam was run by steam. CHAPTER XXL INTERNAL NAVIGATION — IMPROVEMENT OP CONNECTICUT RIVER. I. CANALS. From the first settlement of the valley down to the close of the Shays rebellion the means of transportation in Western Massachusetts had been very limited, and the necessity of better facilities began to be apparent as the country, which had been exhausted by the long period of war and disturbance, slowly emerged from its lethargic condition and took a new departure on the road to prosperity. One of the earliest and most important enterprises in the -country was the improvement of the navigation of the Con- necticut River. The first movement in this direction was the construction of a canal around the falls at South Hadley and at Turner's Falls, in the town of Montague. Petitions were drawn up and presented to the Legislature, and on the 23d of February, 1792, that body passed " An Act incorporating the Hon. John Worthington, Esquire, and others therein named, — for the purpose of rendering Connecti- cut River passable for boats and other things from the mouth of Chicopee River northward through this Commonwealth, — • by the name of the Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Connecticut River." The individuals named in this act were John Worthington, Samuel Lyman, Jonathan Dwight, John Hooker, and William Smith, of Springfield ; Caleb Strong, Robert Breck, Samuel Henshaw, Ebenezer Lane, Ebenezer Hunt, Benjamin Prcscott, and Levi Shepard, of Northamp- ton ; Theodore Sedgwick, of Stockbridge ; David Se.vton and John Williams, of Deerfield ; Samuel Fowler, of Westfield ; Justin Ely, of W^est Springfield ; Dwight Foster, of Brook- field ; Simeon Strong, of Amherst ; and William Moore. Work was commenced at South Hadley as soon as practica- ble after the act of incorporation, under the superintendence of Benjamin Prescott, of Northampton, as engineer. Mr. Prescott was subsequently superintendent of the United States armory at Springfield. This is believed to have been the first work of the kind attempted in the United States, though the " Western Inland Lock Navigation Company" was incorporated on the 30th of March, 1792, for the improvement of the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, in the State of New York, and the Middlesex Canal Company, in Eastern Massachusetts, was incorporated in 1793. At all events, Mr. Prescott had no precedent in this country as a guide to his operations. On the 2-5th of February, 1793, the company, by an act of the Legislature, was empowered to assess the proprietors in such amounts as were necessary for the work, and in case such assessments were not paid to sell the shares of delinquents. The shares were also made transferable, and established as personal estate. The enterprise had not progressed very far before it was found that the cost had been greatly underestimated, and, money being very scarce, the aspect of the company's affairs wore anything but a pleasant look. The necessary funds HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 87 were not furtlxMHiing, iind, as a last resort, an agent was dis- patched to Holland — then, perhaps, the foremost money-power in Christendojn — to enlist the capitalists in the enterprise. He succeeded in disposing of considerable stock, and returned with the means thus obtained. The capacity of the locks, as required by the act of incorpo- ration, wa.s to be equal to the passage of boats or rafts twenty feet wide and sixty feet long. This it was soon found would involve a heavier outlay than was deemed advisable, and ac- cordingly a supplementary act was obtained at the session of June, 1703, permitting the company to reduce their capacity to the accommodation of boats of forty feet in length and twenty in width. Even with this modification of the work, it was soon found that the works at South Hadlcy would be all that a single cor- poration could manage successfully, and accordingly, on the 27th of February, 1794, another act was passed for the purpose of dividing the interests in the upper and lower canals. It was enacted that the Proprietors of the latter should remain a cor- poration, and that Samuel Henshaw and Benjamin Prescott, of Northampton, and Jonathan Dwight, of Springfield, and their associates, should be a distinct corporation, by the name of "The Proprietors of the Upper Locks and Canals on Con- necticut River," vested with all the powers pertaining to cor- porations. The number of shares in this new enterprise was 504. The lower canal and locks were the first completed. The canal was two and a half miles in length, and was sunk for a good portion of the distance in the red-sand rock. When finished, its bed was not low enough to take the water from the river, and this circumstance rendered the construction of a dam necessary. It was pushed from the head of the canal in an oblique line up the river to a point in the stream, and thence, at right angles to the current, to the eastern shore. But the work was not permitted to remain. The overflow oau.-^ed by it flooded a considerable extent of the meadows above, and the people of Northampton were wrought to a wonderful pitch of excitement ; and the difficulty finally culminated in the indictment of the company for the maintenance of a nuisance. The case was decided against the corporation, and all the dam, except its oblique portion near the right bank, was ordered removed by the court. A number of Dutch capitalists who had been interested in the work, alarmed by these proceedings, sold their shares and abandoned the enterprise, and the stock soon fell into the hands of comparatively a few individuals. The knowledge of constructing locks and machinery for the passage of boats and rafts was exceedingly crude at that date, and, though the system has long been abandoned, a brief de- scription of it may he worthy of preservation. The following account is from Dr. Holland's " History of Western Massachu- setts," and is no doubt substantially correct : "At the point where boats were to be lowered and elevated was a long inclined plane, traversed by an immense car of the width of the canal, and of sufficient length to take in a boat or a section of a raft. At the top of this inclined plane were two large water-wheels, one on either side of the canal, which furnished, by the aid of the water of the canal, the power for elevating the car, and for balancing and controlling it in its descent. At the foot of the inclined plane the car descended into the water of the canal, becoming entirely sub- merged. A boat ascending the river, and passing into the canal, would be floated directly over and into the car, the brim of the latter being gauged to a water-level by its eleva- tion aft in proportion to the inclination of the angle of the traverse-way. The boat being secure in the car, the water was let upon the water-wheels, which, by their common shaft, were attached to the car through two immense cables, and thus, winding the cables, the car was drawn up to a proper point, when the boat passed out into the canal above. The reverse of this operation, readily comprehended by the reader, transferred a boat or the section of a raft from above down- ward." As business on the river increased, it became obvious that the volume of water aft'orded by the wing-dam was insufficient for the demand, and it was finally resolved to petition the Legislature for relief, in the shape of a lottery for the purpose of raising twenty thousand dollars, to enable the company to increase the volume of water by deepening the canal-bed four feet through its whole extent. On the 25th of February, 1802, the Legislature granted the petition, and Thomas Dwight, Justin Ely, Jonathan Dwight, Joseph Lyman, Jr., and John Williams were appointed managers of the scheme ; each being bound in the sum of five thousand dollars for the faithful discharge of the trust. The grant extended to a period of four j'ears. The matter was duly advertised in the papers, the plan succeeded, and about the close of the year 1804 the work was completed. The engineer of this improvement was one Ariel Cooley, a man of great ingenuity and energy. Under his direction the old plan of inclined planes, water-wheels, and elevating apparatus was laid aside, and the simple lock .system substituted. Upon the completion of the improvements Jlr. Coolev of- fered to take charge of the canal and locks, keep them in re- pair, survey the craft passing through, and collect the tolls for a period of fifty years, for one-fourth the amount of tolls. A contract was accordingly drawn and signed, and he entered upon his duties at once ; thus relieving the corporation from nearly all care in the premises. In 1814 he deemed it necessary, for the more perfect working of the canal, to build another dam, and the work was partially completed when the spring flood of 1815 swept it away ; but during the same year he completed a new one, which stood until 1824, when it was swept away. In the mean time Mr. Cooley had died, and his administrators rebuilt the dam, which was still standing when the great dam of the Hadley Falls Company was built, about 1849 ; a slight ripple marking its location. These dams were indicted as nuisances at the instance of those engaged in the shad fishery, but the indictment of the first was stopped by the agreement of Mr. Cooley to build a fi.sh-way, by which the shad could pass the obstruction. He accomplished this work in a unique and ingenious man- ner, through his thorough knowledge of the habits of the fish. Below and near the dam, on the eastern side, he constructed an oblique wing-dam, extending for some distance into the stream. This arrested the water from the main dam, produ- cing an eddy, in which the fish could find a quiet stopping- place after passing the rapids below. Opposite this wing-dam he cut down the main dam for the width of a few planks, making a passage through which, notwithstanding the velocity of the gushing water, the fish could dart into the pond above. The second indictment brought on an extensive lawsuit, which employed nearly all the attorneys then living in the county on one side or the other, and resulted in the rebuild- ing of the fish-way. The contract entered into by the com- pany and Mr. Cooley was eventually surrendered by his administrators, and the canal was utilized, more or less, for manufacturing purposes, until it was purchased by the Had- ley Falls Company, who were empowered to build the present dam, "subject to an equitable indemnification of the fishing rights above." The construction of the dam at Montague was originally attempted at a point some two miles below the falls at Smead's Island, under the supervision of Capt. Elisha Mack, of Mon- tague, who, according to Dr. Holland, operated either as en- gineer for the corporation or as a contractor for the work. But the project proved impracticable, chiefly on account of HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. the depth of water, and was abandoned after considerable labor and expense. In connection with the experiments at this place, Dr. Hol- land relates an interesting incident illustrating the saying of Solomon that " there is nothing new under the sun." "While Capt. Mack was operating at Smead's Island, an itinerant Scotchman made his appearance, who undertook to construct a sort of leathern case for the body, with a long tube attached for the purpose of respiration, and glass about the face for the use of vision. " He succeeded in worming his way into the captain's favon worked steadily at the curious armor, and, on a Saturday night, pronounced it complete, and appointed 3Ionday (fol- lowing) for an experimental test. After closing wm-k he obtained the loan of Capt. Mack's gray mare, a valuable ani- mal, for the purpose of visiting a lady, a somewhat attractive fair (one) of the times and locality. Capt. Mack conferred the favor gladly, and would have been rejoiced to see the in- genious Scotchman again ; but he never did, both mare and rider mysteriously disappearing." Capt. Mack finally succeeded in constructing a dam at Tur- ner's Falls in 179.3, which was allowed to stand one year on trial, and, contrary to many doubts, it stood the test of the spring flood. The canal was commenced in 1794, but was not completed until 1796 or. 1797. It was three miles in length. ii. SHAD AND SALMON FISHERIES. In the early days before the construction of dams on the Connecticut, shad and salmon were exceedingly plenty, and the fisheries formed for many years a most important industry, and it is not astonishiug that the people who derived so large a share of their sustemuice and means of livelihood from this source should have jealously guarded their rights, and persistently fought against all attempts to obstruct the river by artificial means. Turner's Falls, and those at South Hadley, were famous re- sorts for the Indians, and for ages before the advent of the EnglLsh they must have sought annually these prolific sources of their food supplies. The salmon remained in the river until some time after the construction of the dam at Montague. The first season after its construction they were very plenty at Turner's Falls, and were taken, in immense numbers, as they could not pass the obstructions at that place ; but their numbers declined rapidly from year to year, until about the last seen of them were a few stragglers at South Hadley Falls, about the year 1800. The following description of the mode of capturing this magnifi- cent fish, furnished by an eye-witness, is from Dr. Holland: " In hauling in a seine in the shad fishery they not unfre- quently formed a portimi of the prey, and manifested their presence by commotions well understood by the fishermen. The common seine could not withstand their powerful strug- gles, and the fishermen were obliged to wade out and get be- hind the net, and, by kicking it and striking upon the water, drive them into the shallow water near shore, where they were grasped by the skillful, and rendered powerless by sending deftly-delivered raps upon the head. "At that time as many as two thousand shad were fre- quently taken at a haul. "The shad fishery has gradually declined since, owing partly, doubtles-j, to the actual diminution of the number of shad entering the river, and partly to the increase in the num- ber of gill-nets in the lower part of the river, which have be- come so prevalent as to operate almost as an absolute bar to their progress up the stream. " The shad fisheries at Hadley Falls were formerly consid- ered common property, and were participated in by all who had a taste for the business. But when the fish became .scarce, and consequently enhanced in value, the owners of the lands bordering the river availed themselves of the lawgiving them the exclusive right of fishing thereon, and drove away the old fishermen and carried on the business themselves, thereby reaping all the benefits accruing therefrom. In the year 1853 they took out from forty thousand to fifty thousand shad, which were all disposed of at remunerative prices." The business has, however, gradually diminished, princi- pally in consequence of the net or "pound" fisheries at the mouth of the river, which occupy the entire channel during the season, not even being removed over Sunday, — the only chance the fish have of passing them being while a net is on shore for a few hours. Small fisheries are at present maintained at Longmeadow, Agawam, Springfield, and South Hadley, and considerable numbers of this tine fish are still taken in their season. The entire catch is disposed of in the cities and villages of the valley, a large share being sold in the Springfield markets. Within the past fifteen years arrangements have been made for restocking the Connecticut with several varieties of fish, among them the salmon and the delicious black bass of the Western lakes and rivers, and the latter are now taken in con- siderable numbers. It is a question, however, whether the salmon can ever again be persuaded to inhabit their former home. In addition to the dams on the Connecticut and the immense amount of chemical refuse of various kinds which finds its way into the stream from the great manufacturing establishments, all the smaller streams, where they formerly swarmed in thousands, are entirely debarred from them by innumerable dams, con- structed without provision for their passage. III. THE CONNECTICUT RIVER. The following interesting reminiscences of the Connecticut River were furnished to the Connecticut A'alley Historical Society in a series of articles by T. M. Dewey, Esq., and pub- lished in the Springfield Rrpiihlicnn in 1872. Mr. Dewey has obligingly furnished copies for this work: "Early Navigation of the Connecticut River. — The Connecti- cut River has its sources in New Hampshire and the moun- tainous tracts of Lower Canada or Canada East.* Its general course is south. It is navigable for vessels of considerable burden for a distance of fifty miles, to Hartford, Conn., and to Middletown, about thirty miles from the Sound, for vessels of twelve feet draft. It is the Quoncktacut of the Indians, said to signify 'Long River,' or, as it is rendered by others, the 'River of Pines.' Its western branch forms the boundary line between the United States and Canada, and the main river, dividing Vermont and New Hampshire, crosses the western part of Massachusetts, passes through the central part of Connecticut, and, after a fall of about sixteen hundred feet in its whole length of four hundred and ten miles, enters Long Island Sound in about 41° north latitude. At Middle- town, Conn., it bears ofl' considerably to the east. In its course it passes through a beautiful country and by many fiourishing towns, among which may be mentioned Haver- hill, Orford (particularly beautiful to me), Hanover, Walpole, and Charlestown, in New Hampshire; Windsor, Newbury, and Brattlcboro', in Vermont; Greenfield, Hadley, Northamp- ton, and Springfield, in Massachusetts ; and Hartford, Middle- town, and the Haddams, in Connecticut. Its width varies from one hundred and fifty feet at its entrance between Ver- mont and New Hampshire to four hundred feet at Orford and twelve hundred feet at Springfield. The navigation of its upper course was improved by means of locks and canals, which secure boat-navigation to the mouth of Wells River in Vermont, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles above Hartford. The falls of most celebrity are Bellows Falls, Queechee, and White River Falls, in New Hampshire and Ver- * Now Province of Queber. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 89 moiit, Turner's and South Hatlley Falls in Massachusetts, and Enfield Falls in Connecticut. The descent of the river between White River Falls and the foot of Enfield Falls, where it meets tide-water, is above three hundred and seventy feet. "Since the clearing up of the forests along its banks and adjoining country the channel of the river has materially changed, and notably at the ' Ox-Bow,' at Newbury, Vt., at Old Hadley, and at Hockanum. At this last place it has within a few years cut its way directly across the neck of the bow, which shortens the distance three and one-half or four miles. At Hadley, where it takes a bend of six miles to gain only one, it has worn its way into those beautiful meadows at the ' upper side' more than its whole width, so that a well which once stood in Hadley, on the east side, is now quite a distance from the river-bank, in Hatfield, on the west side of the river! "The canal at South Hadley Falls was made by the Hol- landers, probably as early as 1790, or thereabout, and the boats were passed up and down upon an inclined plane. The locks at this place were built by Ariel Cooley about the year 1790. This inclined plane is very much of a tradition at this time, as I can find no one living who can describe it in any- thing like detail. The opinion of the oldest men at South Hadley Falls is that a triangular box was sunk under the boat, and, as the whole was drawn forward out of the water, the boat itself would rest level on the box as it ascended. It is supposed that the power, fixed at the upper end of the plane, was a windlass with sweeps and carried around by horses, thus winding up the rope or chain. How the boat was again launched into the canal above I have not learned.* "In the early part of the present century, and before the locks and canals at Enfield were built, the boats used for the transportation of freight were quite small. A ten-ton boat was considered a large one at that time. These boats, bound for Springfield or above, were propelled, unless the wind was favorable for sailing, by the laborious process of poling, — a jirocess which, with other details of river navigation, will be described in another chapter. A number of men called falls- men kept themselves in readiness at the foot of the falls — that is, at Warehouse Point — to assist in ' poling over the falls' the boats carrying six or eight tons. The article of rum con- stituted quite a large proportion of the freight in those days. " Capt. Flower, of Feeding Hills, who was master of a vessel for many years running between Hartford and Boston, would take a miscellaneous cargo to Boston in the fall of the year, and, remaining there through the winter, would return in the spring, as soon as the river opened, with a cargo of rum and mackerel ! But the rum was better than it is now. Va- rious methods were employed by the boatmen above Hartford to obtain their daily rations of rum on their trips up the river. Among others, the following was the most novel and success- ful : A common junk-bottle would be filled with water, and then its nozzle inserted in the bung-hole of a full barrel or hogshead of rum, whereupon the water, being of heavier spe- cific gravity than the rum, would descend into the barrel, and the rum would consequently be forced up into the bottle. This operation was liable to be repeated until the reduced strength of the rum rendered it not only impracticable, but undesirable. The abrasion of the skin on the front of the shoulder caused by the work of 'poling' was in many cases very severe, especially in the early part of the season, and a frequent application of rum was necessary, which operated as a toughener as well as a cure ; and it was generally supposed to be a judicious plan to take a little inwardly, to keep it from striking to the stomach. " During these years of boating over Enfield Falls the 'John Cooley Boating Company' was formed, consisting of John Cooley, Hosea Day, Roderick Palmer, Henry Palmer, James * See anl£. Brewer, and the Messrs. Dwight of Springfield. A few years after (in 1820), Edmund and Frederick Palmer and Roderick Ashley joined the company, afterward Sylvester Day and the Messrs. Stebbins. " In 1809, Springfield bridge was carried away by a freshet. Mr. Dwight, a large owner, fearing it would go, made it fast by means of a cable to a tree; 'but', said my informant, Mr. Adin Allen, ' I guess that didn't stop it a great while.' This was in Allen's boyhood, and, living a mile or so above the falls and seeing the bridge coming, he and his brother ventured out through the floating ice with a skifl", mounted the bridge, and busied themselves in saving the iron bolts until the roar of the falls and the screams of the people ashore admonished them that they had better be getting to land, which they did by drawing their skiff across the large pieces of floating ice just in time to escape going over the falls. "The locks and canal at Enfield were built in 1820, and there- after the freight-boats began to increase in size, as they were not obliged to climb the falls, till at last the capacity of some of the Springfield boats reached sixty or seventy tons. But be- fore this time a trial of steamboating was made. A company was formed for the purpose of the navigation of the river above Hartford, and bore the name of ' The Connecticut liiver Valley Steamboat Company.' Its members chiefly resided in Hartford, although a few were scattered along the line of the river. 3Ir. Charles Stearns, of Springfield, was a member, I think; also Gen. David Culver, of Lyme, N. H., who after- ward became an active partner in the boating compan}' of ' Stockbridge, Culver & Co.,' and the inventor of a number of improvements in boating machinery. This (Connecticut River Valley Steamboat Company) was a short-lived company, oper- ating only one season, if I am correctly informed. There is no record of its incorporation, but I learn from Cob C. H. Nortbam, of Hartford, that Philip Ripley, of that city, was its agent, and for one year only. They built a small-sized steam- boat, which was run up the Connecticut about the 3"ear 1829, and was afterward named the ' Barnet. ' The ' Barnet,' Capt. Nutt master, made its first trip up the river as far as Barnet, Vt., after which it was named. It drew a crowd of spectators from all along the river-bank. The farmer left his team, the merchant his store, the hired man shouldered his hoe and took to his heels, and even the girls and some of the mothers left their spinning-wheels and dish-pans, and cut for the river to see the first steamboat. It was a ' side- wheeler,' high pressure, with two engines of twenty-horse power each, and could make about six miles an hour up stream. I learn also that in July, 1830, Col. Clinton, son of De Witt Clinton, ran a steam- boat up the Connecticut, and that on the 4th of July, 1832, Dr. Dean, of Bath, N. H., was drowned from on board the steamboat 'Adam Duncan;' also that in July, 1831, the ' John Ledyard' ran up, probably to Wells River. These boats were stern-wheelers. Upon the advent of the flrst- named 'Barnet,' Capt. Nutt master, a rollicking poem was written by a resident of Haverkill, commencing thus : ' This is tlie day that Capt. Nutt Sailed up the fair Connecticut.' But I have not been able to find the rest of the poetry. " This was about the time that Allen began to pilot boats over Enfield Falls, and he was employed to run the 'Barnet.' One day a boat was seen coming down the river having three sails, — main and topsails and a sail above them. Its name was not known. But it seems it was only an experiment, and probably never was tried again. " The act incorporating the ' Proprietors of the Upper Locks and Canal' (Turner's Falls) was passed in the winter of 1792. The first dam at the falls was built in 1793 by Capt. Mack, and in the course of the year following the canal was com- menced. The locks were built by my grandfather, Capt. Hophni King, of Northfield, Mass. They are of sufficient size to pass boats and boxes thirteen feet wide and sixty-eight 12 90 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. or seventy feet long. Capt. Kini; was the first builder to 'lay out' the frame of a buiklinj; by the ' square rule.' Mr. Timo- tliy Billing.*, of South Deertield, who was his api)rentice, in- formed me that people came from great distances to see a building framed in that way. The manner of framing had, up to this time, been by the ' scribe rule.' " There was in operation at this time a line of small steamers running between Springfield and Hartford, first started by James Blanehard, of this city. The first was the ' S])ringfield,' a side-wheel steamer; then the 'Vermont,' a stern-wliooler, built by IJlancbard ; then the ' Massachusetts,' 'Agawam,' and the 'Phrcni.x.' The captains of the boats were Peek, Mosely, and Hoyt. Capt. Peck was not exactly the same on all occasions, — at times plea.sant, bland, and cour- teous to his passengers, then again crusty and sarcastic. Capt. Mosely was jovial, social, and gentlemanly, and the best tenor singer then in the whole valley. Capt. Hoyt was the prince of story-tellers, and always drew a crowd. Mr. Adin Allen was the pilot, and stood at his post through wind and calm, storm and shine. " The Connecticut River has borne on its bosom so many pilgrims during the earliest settlements of this country in search of a permanent home, from Windsor, Hebron, and other towns in the State of Connecticut to the upper counties in Vermont and New Hampshire, and has become so incorpo- rated and interwoven into our history and progress, that any incident in which it bears a prominent part .should not be pa.ssed over unnoticed in our historical researches. In the spirit of this sentiment, therefore, I claim for it the honor of bearing upon its waters the first steamboat ever built in America. The justice of this claim is established by the fol- lowing article, which was written by Rev. Cyrus Mann, after careful investigation of the subject, and was printed in the Boston Recorder in 1858 : " ' Who was the original inventor of the steamboat? The credit of the original invention of the steamboat is commonly awarded to Robert Fulton ; but it is believed that it belongs primarily and chiefly to a far more obscure individual. So far as is known, the first steamboat ever seen on the waters of America was invented by Capt. Samuel Morey, of Orford, N. H. The astonishing sight of this man ascending the Con- necticut River, between that place and Fairlee, in a little boat just large enough to contain himself and the rude machinery connected with the steam-boiler and a handful of wood for a fire, was witnessed by the writer in his boyhood and by others who yet survive. This was as early as 1793 or earlier, and before Fulton's name had been mentioned in connection with steam navigation. Morey had his mind set upon the steam- boat, and had actually brought it into operation, although in a rude and imperfect state, at that period. He had corre- sponded with Prof Silliman, of New Haven, and been jncour- aged by that distinguished patron of the arts and sciences. Many of the writings of this correspondence are still extant. Soon after a few successful trips in his boat on the river, Morey went with tlie model of it to New York, where lie liad frequent interviews with Messrs. Fulton and Livingston, to whom he exhibited and explained his invention. They ad- vised to have the engine in the side or centre of the boat, in- stead of the bow or forepart, to which it had been assigned by Morey. That they were highly pleased with what he had ex- hibited is numifest from the otter niade of one hundred thou- sand dollars if he would return home and make the alteration suggested, so as to operate favorably. They treated him with great respect and attention. Taking a friendly leave, he re- turned to his distant residence to make the alteration. "'Having completed the work at considerable expense of time and study, and with the help of his brother, Maj. Israel Morey, who aided in making the machinery, he repaired to New York, expecting the same cordiality which he had before experienced. But, to his surpri.sc, he was treated with great coldness and neglect, and no further intercourse with him was desired. The secret of his invention bad been fully acquired, and from subsequent developments it appeared that Fulton, in the interval of Morey's absence, had planned and formed a boat according to the model shown him, and he now desired no further communication with the originator. He even went to Orford, during the period in which the alteration was being made, to examine its progress and the prospect of success. " ' In 1798, several years after Morey's boat had ascended the Connecticut River, the Legislature of New York passed an act investing Mr. Livingston with the exclusive right and privilege of navigating all kinds of boats which might be propelled by the force of fire or steam on all the waters within the territory or jurisdiction of the State of New York. " ' Subsequently, Mr. Livingston entered into a contract with Fulton, by which, among other things, it was agreed that a patent should be taken in the United States in Fulton's name. In 1802 or 1803, Fulton came forward with an "experimental boat," for which he obtained a patent with the usual exclusive privileges. Thus it appears that there was ample time after his interviews with Morej- for him to complete his schemes previous to their consummation. He now claimed to be the inventor of the steamboat. The patent could not be obtained without Mr. Fulton's taking an oath that the improvement was wholly his. "'Does not this look like great unfairness toward Mr. Morey ? Does it not almost irresistibly convey the idea that the patentee surreptitiously seized upon the invention and turned it to his own account, taking advantage of the quiet disposition and retired position of the real inventor? In this light Morey ever after, to the day of his death, viewed the whole transaction. Living witnesses testify that he repeatedly complained of Fulton for superseding him in obtaining a patent and stealing the honor and emolument of the inven- tion. A gentleman of unimpeachable veracity, who was with Morey some of the last years and days of his life, asserts that he most bitterly criminated Fulton for hi.* ill-treatment in secretly depriving him of his sacred rights and privileges. Why should the dying man have done this, and persisted in it amidst the solemnities of his situation and the approacliing realities of eternity, unless he knew that the truth was on his side? He was a man of veracity, in whom his friends and acquaintances had entire confidence.' " Very much of interesting detail of the early navigation of our river has passed out of remembrance of those living at the present time. Had such a society as this been formed line hun- dred or fifty years ago, we should doubtless have secured this detail, perfectly familiar to the men of that day, but now be- yond our reach. Hence I regard the pre.sent work of this so- ciety, in resuscitating whatever incidents we can of our early history, by interviewing the aged who are yet left to us, and by examination of records and memoranda wherever thej' may be found, as worthy the special attention of us all. " Boatiiiri on //le Conneciinit Foriy i'eara ago. — The 'Con- necticut Uiver Valley Steamboat Com]iany' was in full opera-' tion in 1833, when I first became acquainted with the freight- ing business on this river. They owned a line of boats called ' luggers,' running from Hartford to the head of navigation at Wells River, Vt., and also several stern-wheel steamboats used for towing the same. As the steamers were too large to pass through the locks and canals, the first steamer would take them, sometimes four and even six at a time, as far as Wil- limansett. They were then drawn over ' Willimansett' (I use the river parlance) by a strong team of oxen led \>y a sjian of horses, operated through the South Hadley locks and canal, and were taken by the next steamer above to Montague Canal ; then by the next from Miller's River to the foot of Swift Water, at Hinsdale, N. H., and, I believe, in a good pitch of water, as far as Bellows Falls; and so on. Other boating companies were engaged at the same time, and carrying large amounts HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 91 of goods of almost every description used in country stores from Hartford to all the principal towns in the valley, freight- ing down with wood, brooms, hops, staves, shingles, wooden- ware, and sometimes fine lumber. These companies used more convenient and serviceable boats, well rigged, with main and topsails, running-boards and cabin, with rudder and helm in- stead of the steering-oar. "Commencing at the lower section, there were the 'John Cooley Company,' consisting of Edmund Palmer, Roderick Ashley, Sylvester Day, J. B. M. and ' Kit' Stebbins ; and the 'Parker-Douglass Company,' of Stoddard Parker, George Douglass and brother, Albert Gowdy, and Horace Harmon. These two companies did the freighting for the merchants of Hampden County, each owning and running a steamer for towing their boats, and sometimes the boats of other com- panies, and having their headquarters at Springfield. Next above was Bardwell, Ely & Co., consisting of Josiah Bardwell, Hiram Smith, Peletiah and Jo.scph Ely, Broughton Alvord, Whiting Street, and David Strong ; they carried for South Hadley, Northampton, and adjoining towns. Capt. Nash, who ran one boat only, for the business of Hadley and Amherst, was a veteran in the business when I commenced, and con- tinued until boats and boating were superseded by the rail-car. On the Greenfield reach were Stockbridge, Culver & Co., — David Stockbridge, David Culver, J. D. Crawford, and T. M. Dewey. This company struck hands with the ' Greenfield Boating Company' in 1837, and took the name of Stockbridge, Allen, Root & Co., Messrs. Allen and Root taking the place of Gen. Culver. They owned the steamer 'Ariel Cooley,' which took their boats from the head of South Hadley Canal, and winding around the smiling Hockanum and Old Hadley bends, and through the sinuosities of School-Meadow flats, landed them at the foot of Montague Canal. This run (forty miles) was generally made in twelve hours, with four boats in tow, and through the night as well as daytime, unless it was very cloudy. The steamer was a ' stern- wheeler,' ninety feet long and eighteen feet wide, with two high-pressure engines of twenty-horse power each. She was overhauled in 18.30, her name changed to ' Greenfield,' and in the spring of 1840, just above Smith's Ferry, she burst her boiler, killing Capt. Craw- ford, Mr. Lancy, tif this city, the maker of her machinery, and Mr. Wood, the engineer. "Above Turner's Falls, after the collapse of the Connecti- cut River Valley Steamboat Company, all steamboating was given up, — the freight-boats, smaller than those at the lower sections of the river, relying on the south wind and the ' white- ash breeze.' J. G. Capron and Alexander ran one or two boats in connection with their store at Winchester, N. H. ; Hall & Townsley, of Brattleboro', ran two or more, and sup- plied the merchants of that place and vicinity, and Wentworth & Bingham those of Bellows Falls. Other individuals and companies, whose names I cannot recall, were engaged in this enterprise, and the merry boatmen's song was heard far up the valley. Some of the ups and downs incidental to this laborious work may interest the reader. " No department of the business of this country offered so wide scope of incident, and called into action so great a num- ber of jolly, hard-working, determined, and unselfish men, as that of Connecticut River boating in its palmiest days. They were the stoutest, heartiest, and merriest in all the valley, and there were few towns from Hartford, Conn., to Northumber- land, N. H., unrepresented. If there arose any disturbance in city or town, it was a common thing to send for a few Con- necticut River boatmen, and it was soon quelled. I was en- gaged to teach a common district school of seventy scholars in one of the river-towns, in the winter of 1834, where the previous winter the ' big boys' had turned out four teachers, — some out of the door and some out of the window ; and as soon as it was known that the committee had hired a boatman to teach their scliool, the 'boys,' like Captain Martin Scott's coon, decided that I 'needn't fire,' — they'd come down. I had no trouble with the school.. One of the young men we used to call Lee, who rejoiced in the height of six feet seven inches in his stockings, made the boys believe I had killed several 'ugly boys' up in Upper Cohoes ! These river-men might indeed be called ' sons of Anak,' as they were of prodig- ious strength. The names of Sam Granger, Tim Richardson, Charles Thomas, Bart Douglass, Mart Coy, Sol Caswell, Cole Smith, and, last and stoutest of them all. Bill Cummins, would strike terror to all loafers, beats, or bruisers in the city of Hartford, or wherever they were known. Cummins would lift a barrel of salt with one hand by putting two fingers in the bung-hole, and set it from the bottom timbers on top of the mast-board : I have seen him do it. While in Hartford and belonging to one of the Wells River boats, he was told that a gang of twenty Irishmen had laid a plan to meet on the next night and give him a 'mauling.' He found Cole Smith and told him to look on, and if he thought it necessart/ he might lend a hand. When the gang made their appearance near Knox's Slip, Cummins went for them, and in twenty minutes there wasn't an Irishman in sight except five or six who were lying around loose on the ground with bloody noses and broken ribs. Smith's services were not needed, but he never liked it in ' Bill' because he did all the pounding him- self. " Very few persons of the present day know anytliing about the method of propelling a boat of from thirty to sixty tons up the river by means of the white-ash breeze aforesaid, and it may be worth an explanation. In our river vernacular the term given to this kind of propulsion is 'poling a boat.' The poles used are made of the best white-ash timber, and are from twelve to twenty feet in length, according to the depth of water, and two inches or more in diameter, with a socket- spike in the lower end, and a head on the upper end for the shoulder. The bowsman selects the pole he needs, — this is, if he is an inside bowsman, a short pole, if an outside a longer one, — sets it firmly over the side near the bow of the boat, and, placing the head of the pole against his shoulder, straightens hiuLself out along the wale of the boat, with his feet on the bow-piece, and walks along down on the timbers to the mast- board, shoving the boat ahead. If there are two or more men on each side, No. 2 takes a 'set' in the same way, the first one lifting his pole over No. 2, and walking back to the bow to take another 'set,' and so on. Sometimes, in hard water or over bars, there are five or six men on each side. This is probably the hardest work ever known to men. Men have sometimes been obliged to pole a boat from Hartford to Wells River without any aid from wind or steam, and for several days before they got toughened their bloody shoulders bore testimony to the severity of their labor. The water from Hartford to Windsor locks is what is called 'hard water,' as well as many other places farther up ; and rest assured that a south wind or a steamboat was welcome to a boat's crew bound up-river. " One Sabbath morning, in the spring of 1837 or 1838, the boat of one of our oldest river-men, who.se destination was Old Hadley, lay at the foot of Perry Street, Hartford, loaded and ready for starting. The men were variously' employed. Some were smoking, some washing their clothing, and some reading ; but all of them were trying to ' woo the southern breeze,' which gave signs of immediate action. At this point the old captain came down to the river, eyeing the mare-tails in the southern sky, and told his men not to start if the wind did blow, as he was opposed to Sabbath work entirely. But as he was leaving he called ' Moses' aside and handed him fifty dollars, saying, ' You may want it for toll and other ex- . penses.' Probably Moses knew what that meant when trans- lated into Connecticut River English. The captain then returned to Bartlett's Hotel, took a glass of ' pep'mint,' called for his horse and carriage, and drove twelve miles to AVindsor 92 HISTOKY OP THK CONNECTICUT VALLEY. locks, where he found his bout and men trying to persuade Mr. Wood, the toll-gatherer, to let them through. Tlie men were not dismissed for disobeying orders, for they had ' a glorious south wind.' " Now go with me from Hartford up the river on one of our b«st cabin-boats, in a good south wind or by steam. First get under Hartford bridge; then up mast, hoist .sail, and we leave Pumpkin Harbor gushingly. On Windsor flats and Scantic we .stir up the sand, but the wind increases and away we go. Steady there! Wind.sor locks! Let off that brace; round with 'em; down sail. 'Jo, run along and get a horse ready while we operate through the locks.' And so we pass through Enfield Canal, six miles, by horse-power; operate through the guard-lock; up sail again, and, leaving behind the roar of the falls, and the still louder roar of 'Old Country' Allen, our boat goes through ' Longmeadow Keach' kiting with a 'bone in her mouth.' We pass Springfield on a close-haul, and soon reach the foot of Williraansett. Here Capt. Ingraham hitches on his big team of six oxen and two horses, with a chain one hundred feet long, and draws us through the swift canal, called ' drawing over Williniansett.' We then cross over to the foot of South Hadley Canal (now no longer a canal), operate through the locks, after paying toll to 'Uncle Si,' then through the canal, two miles, and, if the wind is strong enough, sail ' out at the head,' and on up the winding river. "The operation of 'getting out at the head' .should be described. On account of the rocky .shore, the canal was begun a half-mile below the commencement of quick-water. Of course the current is swift, and in high water it sometimes used to require from fifteen to twenty men to get a boat out. This was done mainly by 'tracking.' A number of men go ashore with a long track-line hitched to the mast, and, with yokes or collars over the shoulders, trudge and clamber along, and 'haul her over,' with inside polesmen to aid. These extra men were put on at the expense of the canal corporation. In later years this hand work was avoided. A machine was in- vented by Harry Robinson, one of our first-class pilots, for drawing boats 'out at the head' of this canal, which did, the work successfully. The boatmen called it a ' fandango. ' Upon a good staunch boat were placed two upright timbers, firmly braced fore and aft, one on each side of the boat. Across these rolled the axle, with a drum for the rigging to wind upon, with floats and buckets at each end and outside of the boat. By means of timbers reaching from this axle to the stern these floats could be lowered into or raised out of the water. An inch-and-a-quarter rigging was made fast at the head of this shute, and, reaching to the fandango (some two thousand feet), was attached to the drum. Now cast off and let the floats down into the water, and the current will carry them around, winding the rigging around the drum. So away goes the majestic fandango up the stream, taking along a boat made fast to its stern, and the faster the water runs the faster will go the flotilla against it. " But while I have been describing this machine our boat has sailed on around Hockanum, and, with a little aid from 'white ash,' around 'Old Hadley turn,' and now, after run- ning the gauntlet of School Meadow flats, which would puzzle an eel to do, has made the foot of Montague Canal. And so on through the canal and through Miller's upper locks, and thence plain sailing to the 'foot of swift water' at Hinsdale. Here, if the wind is not very strong, we take in a few 'swift- water-men' for twelve miles, then on to Bellows Falls, and the same over and over to Quecchee and White River locks up to Wells River. This is a good week's work, but it has been done in less time. A day's work with the poles, however, would be from Hartford to Windsor locks, — with a good south wind, from Hartford to Montague Canal. Between the last- named places but little poling has been done in the latter years of boating, as sleani or wind was more available. " The down trips of these boats were a different thing. A boat loaded with wood, brooms, wooden-ware, hops, and other bulky articles was not an easy thing to handle in a wind. Pilots wei-e necessary over the falls at Enfield and Williman- sett. At the latter place Harry Robinson held this responsible position many years, and Joseph Ely was his successor. At Enfield the signal strain of ' Pilot ahoj" !' was heard at short intervals through each boating season, either for boats or rafts. This call brought out Jack Burbank, Alv Allen, ' Old Country' Allen, and Capt. Burbank, Sr. , who would come aboard and draw cuts for the chance. The boat was then put into trim for 'going over,' oars and poles all handy, rigging properly coiled, and every man read)' for any emergency. The channel is as difficult to run as that in the St. Lawrence from Montreal to Laprairie, but the aforementioned pilots seldom touched a rock. This run of six miles was quickly made, when the pilot would sometimes get a chance to ride, but generally walked or ran back for the next boat. His fee was one dollar and a half each trip, and his was a laborious life. But they have all gone ' over the river' for the last time, except Adna Allen, formerly for twenty-one years pilot of the passenger-boats running between this city and Hartford, and who now resides in this city. " It was a custom to ' break in' the raw hand on the passage of the freight-boats over Enfield Falls by showing him the silver mine at ' Mad Tom.' The initiate must get down close on the bow-piece to look for the silver, and when the boat pitched into 'Mad Tom,' and the water rushed over him a foot deep, he would 'generally retire aft and say he'd 'seen enough,' and it would require quite a number of gin-cocktails at Hartford to dry him ! " Some of the pleasantest days of my life were spent at the helm of the old steamer ' Ariel Cooley' in passing up and down between South Hadley and Greenfield, — sometimes with four or six boats in tow, sometimes with only two, the down trip being usually made without any, — as we wound around the placid Hockanum of former days, before the impatient river, like many a would-be reformer of the present day, con- cluded to straighten things, and so cut a channel through its narrow neck, — that is, cut its throat, — with Mount Holyoke on our right, looking majestically down upon our boys who were quietly enjoying the scene, as if saying to then^, ' Come up higher,' while the carpeted meadows of Northampton seemed as urgently to invite their attention to their own realm of beauty. " This towing process was of great benefit to the men, as it gave them the leisure they so much needed to wash, to mend, and to refresh themselves, and prepare for the hard work to come, when the steamer had taken them through. In this, as in other vocations, some will be remembered by their eccen- tricities, some by their reticence, and others by their loquacity. I have listened till ' beyont the twal' to the anecdotes of Ed- mund Palmer and Bob Abbe. I have known John Sanborn to go the whole round trip from White River, Vt., without speaking, and Dick Thorpe would talk enough to make it up I Other notables were Capt. Peck, who presided with so much dignity over the passenger-steamers from tliis city to Hartford, and who was said to have been arrested for smuggling I This was a line of small steamers first put on by James Blanchard, then of this city. The first was the 'Springfield,' a side- wheel steamer ; then tlie ' Vermont,' a stern-wheeler, built by Blanchard, the 'Massachusetts,' the 'Agawam,' and the 'Phcvnix.' The 'Massachusetts' only could come up over Enfield Falls, and many of this day can remember the sturdy form of the faithful pilot, Ad Allen, who so long guided these boats through storm and shine. Capt. Increase Mosely, too, commanded one of these boats awhile, — the best singer on Connecticut River; Capt. David Hoyt another,— the complete story-teller. "('apt. Jonathan Kcntfield was also one of tlie early workers on this river, and ran a line of boats on his own ac- HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 93 count for a number of years. His distinguisliing character- istic was pomposity, but he was a considered a trusty and competent boatman. While he was in his best days, the body of a deceased member of Congress from Vermont was sent forward from Washington, and came from New York to Hartford by steamboat, directed to his friends in Vermont, to go by lirst boat up the Connecticut River. None of the up- river companies were willing to take it. Finally, one who knew the captain's weak spot (he was called ' Capt. Don't') told him that the remains of a Vermont member of Congress had been forwarded to his special care to go up by his boat. 'Very well,' said Capt. Don't. 'Boys, do you hear that? Drop down the boat to the steamboat, and take the body aboard 1 How the people of the city of Washington knew that I was an old and experienced boatman, God only knows. I don't !' The boatmen took it aboard, taking a frequent sniff of something warm the while, and when fairly under way by the side of the up-river steamboat, Capt. Don't called his men and said to them, ' Come aft, men, come aft, and take some- thing to drink ; dead bodies aboard, — ten or fifteen, p'haps, one sartain, — and who knows but what they died of some d — n spontaneous disease? Drink behind that hogshead, and don't, for (iod's sake, let Gen. Culver see you I' "Mr. Blanchard sold out his interest in these boats, after running them two or three years, to Sargent & Chapin, who used them in connection with their line of stages. It was a very pleasant mode of travel unless the water was low, but many a time have the passengers been obliged to jump into the water and lift the 'Phcenix'and 'Agawam' over 'Scantic' In the new scheme for improving Connecticut River naviga- tion. Gen. Ellis, the government engineer, is confident of se- curing a channel of three or three and a half feet of water over these sand-flats, by means of wing-dams running diag- onally from each side of the river, bringing the water into a narrow channel, which is expected in this way to keep itself clear by forcing the continually moving sand down through this channel. I find, however, that most of the old experienced boatmen now living have little faith in it. The rest of the enterprise looks feasible, and no doubt will succeed if Congress will make the needed appropriation. " Before closing these reminiscences I should also speak of Messrs. Abbe and Ensign, who boated so many years to Ware- house Point; King Hiram Smith, of South Hadley ; Capt. Sam Nutt, of White River; Tom Dunham, of Bellows falls; and Rufus Robinson, the most consummate waterman of the Connecticut River Valley, who performed the feat of sailing a boat loaded with a valuable cargo through to Wells River, Vt., the first time he ever went up the river beyond Turner's Falls. He also ran the 'Adam Duncan,' minus her machinery, over South Hadley Falls, and came safe ashore below. Yet, with all his skill, his life was closed by his being carried over Holyoke dam, a few years since. Capt. Granger, who had no superior on the river, recently died at the age of sixty-five. His old comrades will hold him in afl'ectionate remembrance. We have now left among us, of the men who formerly took part in the scenes I have described, Roderick Ashley, Stod- dard Parker, Albert Gowdy, Adna Allen, and Sylvester Day, who, with others I have named, are and were good and sub- stantial men. " Raftiuf) on the. Conneciicitt a Generation Ago. — The late rush of logs down the ' dark rolling Connecticut' calls to mind the various attempts, in years long gone bj', to transfer lumber from the forests of Northern New Hampshire and Vermont to Hartford and Middletown, Conn. Many a law- suit during the old boating-times has grown out of this river-driving business. Like the case of ' Bullum versus Boatum,' the lumberman would sue the farmer for stopping his logs, and the farmer would sue the lumberman for damage d(me to liis meadows by the said logs. So they wrangled and strove, and the courts were well patronized. But this river- driving, or running logs loose, was found to bo a losing busi- ness, and the most available method of transporting lumber down the Connecticut — logs, boards, clap-boards, and shin- gles — was by rafting, an account of which may be of interest. The rafting terms used on this river are, division, raft, box, steerage, beams, snubbers, flyers, ties, oars, lock-downs, catch- pins, cross-ties, and scull-boards. The box, being the unit, is a collection of masts or logs, made thirteen feet wide and sixty or seventy feet long. If it is made up of long timber, the box is the length of the timber, more or less, provided it is not too long to go through the locks. If of short timber, it is made by piecing out, so as to be of the requisite length. These logs are fastened by oak or ash pins, driven through the steerage-beam at each end of the box, and in case of short logs they are held by cross-ties, using lock-downs or catch- pins. Two inch-and-a-half or two-inch holes are bored in the middle of each steerage-beam and through into the logs, for oar-pins ; then some smart flexible sticks or flyers are bent in to rai.se the oar to a proper position, and we have a ' box' of round timber. Six of these boxes, fastened together — three in width and two in length — by ties, make a division. Any number of boxes, or divisions even, fastened together in run- ning order, is a raft. Fifty years ago this river was full of rafts during the spring run, as well as of salmon and shad. A lumber company would generally run six or eight divisions at one trip, having shanties built on some of them, wherein to cook, eat, and sleep. In my boyhood I used to listen with delight to the creak of the ponderous oar, as it swung back for its oft-recurring dip, and echoed through the quiet valley. It was the welcome precursor of a coming jubilee for the boys, who were ever ready to rush to the river-bank to see the stal- wart men and hear their jolly songs ; and the girls too, and men, women, and children, would watch with pleasure the grand flotilla of rafts, as, emerging into view around the bend of Sawyer's Mountain, they came along down one after another in all the grandeur of an army corps. "One of the three or four men assigned to each division acts as pilot, — that is, he runs the division. His position is forward, — one of great responsibility ; and such was the scope of the pride of the majority of these pilots that they would as soon forfeit their hard-earned summer's wages as to run a raft upon a rock or a flat. The rafts were often loaded with boards, shingles, and clap-boards. This was called 'top- loading.' Then we had ' board-rafts,' the boards being rafted into the water, and of the same length and width, and with as many courses as the nature of the water and locks would permit, drawing from one to two feet of water. When a sale was made of a box of boards, the next and most disagreeable task was to ' draw' them. One man would stand with a broom and swash them off, while the rest would carry them ashore, — about the hardest work a mortal man was ever called upon to do ; and, I must add, it requires very nearly as much new rum to draw a box of boards handsomely as would float the box I On reaching the vicinity of the locks the second divisions are ' snubbed,' — i.e., made fast ashore. The process of snubbing a raft is laborious, difficult, and dangerous. The rigging, which is heavy, must be handled in a hurry, and just right. The strength and velocity of movement of the ponderous body of lumber admits of no false motions. If it is brought up too suddenly, the rigging parts or the raft is torn to pieces ; if not soon enough, the rigging runs out, and away goes the raft ; another trial is to be made at the next available tree. A man who can snub a raft handsomely in high water must have a head exactly level, and a body made up mainly of steel springs and india-rubber. Now, to operate through the locks, cast off the ties and shove in one box at a time, stationing one man below to re-arrange and tie the boxes together as they come through. This is the process over and over at White River, tjiu'echee, Bellows Falls, Miller's River, Turner's Falls, South Hadley, and at Enfield Falls and Swift Water, although 94 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. at the two last named a whole division could go over in high water. Generally, however, at Enfield only one or two boxes could be run at a time, and this, with the freight-boats, gave the Aliens and the Burbanks, the pilots, all they could do during the rafting season. " I call to mind a few of the laughable, and peradventure startling, incidents which served in those days to give human- ity a jog and beguile some of the tedious hours. There was a little man, by the name of Jarve Adams, who had risen to the dignity of ferryman at Thompsonville, — that is, the head of Enfield Palls. One pleasant day Jarve found the rafts encroaching upon his ferry-rights, — that is to say, as they lay along-shore waiting the action of the pilots, they had been allowed to drop down a little too far, in the estimation of the douglity ferryman ; and he, being a man of immense conse- quence according to his own reckoning, uttered many large words, accompanied with a number of quite respectable physi- cal demonstrations. One of the big Vermonters, — I think it was Steve Ames, — having listened to his fulminations till he was tired of it, told him that he ran something of a risk in coming on board the rafts ; that he (Ames) 'sometimes had fits,' and when he did he clutched hold of anything within his reach, and would as likely as not walk right into the river, so he must look out. This squelched him for a day or so, but he soon got his ' dander up' again, and, forgetting about the fits, came aboard and began to call down vengeance on all the raftsmen between there and ' Fifteen-Mile Falls.' Whereupon Ames, a six-foot-and-four-incher, telling Jarve his fit was coming on, grabbed him and walked straight into the river, wading out beyond his struggling victim's depth, and sousing him vigorously, only letting him up to breathe, and telling him all the while he couldn't help it, and ' I told you so,' till poor Jarve was nearly exhausted and begged piteously to be let otf. After punishing him as much as he thought was right he allowed him to go ashore, cautioning him next time to look out for 'them fits.' The roars of laughter raised at Jarve's expense could be heard above the roar of the falls. Ad Allen was there and saw the fun, and from him and Mr. Elwell, our artist, I got the story. " One day Capron and Alexander had a lot of boxes lying at the head. Capron and 'Old Country' took a couple of them and started over the falls. Just as they entered on the upjier falls the forward tie broke, and away they went, spread- ing and swinging around, taking off the other tie in less time than I am writing it; and the two were thenceforth separate, each man going over tbe surging waters on his own hook. " Old Country. — ' Point her ashore, Capron !' " Capron. — ' Go to thunder ! I can run her over.' " Country. — 'Can ye? Well, you've got to go about right or you'll fetch up on Leonard.' " Capron. — 'Tell 'em I'm a-coniing.'. "It was said by a boatman who was coming up through the canal that he saw some one running a box of lumber through all manner of cliannels, and he was not sure but he made the attempt once, at least, to scull it over the falls, but that was not generally believed. It might have been, how- ever, that he ran around the island once or twice ; and it was said he was last seen pointing her diagonally with the stream, with a view of giving her sufficient headway to put over into the canal, but I never believed it. At any rate, he landed his box safe and sound at the foot of the falls, which was consid- ered in those days ' right smart.' Whether it was with him as with many others we read about, that the (old gentle- man) ' always keeps his own,' I shall not venture to say. " It is impossible for me to recall the names of those ancient lumbermen, nor is it necessary for the purposes of this paper. But I desire to note here and now those I do remember, in honor of the days of Auld Lang Syne, .all of whom were owners or cajitains. "Vp Country. — Ebenezer L. Carlton, James Hutchins, Sul- livan Hutchins, Deacon Gilchrist, Samuel Hutchins, Josiah Wilson, Nahum Wilson, Jonathan Wilson, Abiel Deming, Daniel Holt, Moses Chase, Timothy Morse, Wyram Morse, Stephen Morse, Jacob Morse, Charles Scott, Cyrus Scott, Jared Wells, Horace Wells, Hiram Wells, Windsor Cobleigh, and William Abbott. '^ Down Count>y. — Stratton, Solomon Spencer, Silas Burn- ham and sons, S. P. Dudley, W'illiam Dudley, George W. Potter, B. F. Savage, and Daniel Burnham. " Stephen Morse, — or rather ' Steve,' as he was better known, — was one of those queer compounds of music, mirth, and meta- physics, of logic, labor, language, and loquacity, intermixed with a goodly proportion of the social as well as the vocal element, which is sure to fi.x itself permanently in one's memory. Those who have heard him ring out the old song of ' The Sea, the Sea, the Open Sea,' on the soft evening air, as they floated by, while every man sat upon his oar, and not a ripple on the stream, while gentle Luna looked down with approval, will never forget how it echoed and re-echoed among the grand old mountains and through the groves and vales. And now I think of it, and apropos to this rush of logs down the river, Morse had a number of divisions of logs lying in the pond above Montague Canal. On inquiry he found it would cost him eight hundred dollars to run them through the canal. This he thought was a gouge game, and gave out word that within the next twenty-four hours every stick of that lumber would be turned loose over Turner's Falls. Hearing of this, and knowing the sort of a man he had to deal with, the agent went to see him, and, fearing he should lose the toll on that lumber, softened down to five hundred dollars. Morse said, 'Mr. Thayer, I'll give you just two hundred dollars to put that lumber through. Not one cent more.' The lumber went through the canal on the eve of the Sabbath-day. While this lot of lumber lay in the canal, near the lower locks, the men of these and other rafts lying around loose and idle and enjoying a quiet time, Morse, ac- cording to a notice which had been given out, took the family Bible from the hotel upon his shoulder and, followed by all these men and also by the citizens of the place, wended his way to the school-house, and after the usual preliminaries took his text and delivered an acceptable Baptist sermon, every way proper and appropriate, and none the worse for coming from inside of a blue frock. A generous contribu- tion was taken up on the spot, which the preacher declined, but requested that it be given to the poor. Mr. Henry, the hotel-keeper at that place, not to be outdone by ' Steve,' opened his book and squared the account against him and his men. The next night was ' flip night.' " It will never do in these reminiscences to omit the name of 'Uncle Bill Russell,' the long-time toll-gatherer of the Montague Locks and Canal Company ; yet I will not attempt to describe him, save by these Ibur adjectives, — rough, honest, eccentric, faithful. One incident will show. Capt. Spencer had gone through the locks with a lot of lumber, and went back to settle his toll. ' Uncle Bill' handed him his duplicate receipt, as was usual. Now, the captain, although a good man, had a habit of using one profane term, to wit : ' by h^l.' This was the extent of his swearing, but this came in pretty often. On looking at the duplicate he thought Uncle Bill had rated him too high. ' By h— 1! Uncle Bill,' said he, ' that's too bad ; that's altogether too high.' Russell paid but little attention to him, until after Spencer had followed him all over the canal grounds and had teased him most persist- ently to change it, when he, taking the paper, went in and added about one hundred dollars more to the toll, and, hand- ing him back the paper, said, in Spencer's own language, 'There, by h — 1! see if you're satisfied now.' One of the Wells River raftmen was a little too many for Uncle Bill at one time, when he .'iold him a coupU^ of young owls, at a very tall price, for parrots. Dictionaries were no account when he IIISTOllY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 95 discovered the cheat. Capt. Silas Buriihain hiid just finished rafting a lot of down-country lumber, and was ready to start down the river, but he had one man he wanted to discharge. So he bethought him that his man, 'Uncle Ira,' could not read ; he therefore took a shingle and wrote upon it, ' Mr. Cheney, dismiss Uncle Ira and pay him off.' He then sent him down with the shingle, telling him it was ' money-busi- ness.' Uncle Ira marched into the store, well filled with customers, and, with quite an air of authority, said, ' Mr. Gincry, bore buddy watted' (more money wanted), at the same time producing the shingle. Mr. Cheney looked at the shingle and saw the joke. 'Why, Uncle Ira,' said he, 'this is for your discharge!' Uncle Ira looked all sorts of surprise, and at last, turning to leave the store, said, 'Dab that Silas Burdab I' Capt. Burnham was well known on the river, and I could note a great variety of anecdotes, but they'll tell better than they can be written. It was always an insult to a raftman to ask him which way he was going, ' up or down ?' One kind old lady, who had just served breakfast for the captain and his men, innocently asked him this tabooed question just as he was leaving for his raft. Hearing it from her, he turned and soberly answered, ' Yes, ma'am I' " In 1849 I bought for Kimball & Clark, the contractors, eight hundred thousand feet of hemlock timber, near the head of navigation, for the present Holyoke dam. This was rafted and run to the South Hadley Canal that season, and was one of the most unwieldy jobs that a raftman ever knew. It was maiuifactured mainly at the head of the canal, and passed through to the dam. The contractors sunk money in propor- tion as the soggy hemlocks sank in the water, but the dam stands. " How the valley rang with the songs of these boatmen and raftmen of thirty or forty years ago! Good singers they were, too, some of them ; and even after these long years have intervened, with their ever-increasing rush of business, at- tended by the scream of the whistle and the thundering of the car, it requires but a slight effort of the imagination to recall the mellow songs of Cutler, of Guildhall, Vt., Chamberlain, of Newbury, Morse, of Haverhill, N. H., Humes, of Mon- tague, and nuiny more whose names have not in my memory survived their voices. Capt. Jonathan Smith, of South Had- ley, the pilot for many years over Willimansett, and the father of the superintendent of our street-railway, was one of the jolly singers of that day, and always ready to contribute his share for the gratification of the company. But farewell to the river-men of old and the incidents of their time until wo ' gather at the river' !" IV. STEAM NAVIGATION. The first attempt to navigate the Connecticut above Hart- ford by steam was in 1826, when a company was formed in that city for the purpose. An agent was sent West to ex- amine boats on the Western rivers and make a report. On his return the "Barnet," of the wheelbarrow pattern, was built in New York, and made her first trip to Springfield in November, 1826, arriving on the 28th of the month. She ascended the river at the rate of five miles an hour, under the pilotage of Roderick Palmer, of West Springfield, and went as far as Bellows Falls, Vt., and passed Springfield on her way down on the 18th of December. It was apparent that she could not be depended upon to as- cend the rapids at Enfield, Conn., and the project of building a canal was agitated, and work was finally commenced on it in 1827, but it was not completed for about two years. In the mean time an ingenious mechanic, long an employe at the United States armory, — Mr. Thomas Blanchard, — built a side-wheel boat at Hartford, put in the machinery, and named it the "Blanchard." He made a trial trip to South Hadley on the 30th of July, 1828. On the 11th of September he made an excursion to Hartford and return with about sixty passengers, making the downward trip in a little over two hours, but taking much longer to return over the rapids at Enfield. On the 30th of the same month she made an eight- mile trip with a large number of school-children on board. But the "Blanchard" was found to be but little better adapted to overcome the Enfield obstructions than the " Bar- net," and Blanchard constructed a new boat upon an improved plan, which was named tlve "Vermont." She was a stern- wheeler, seventy-five feet in length and fifteen feet wide, and only drew one foot of water. This boat was built on wheels, east of Main Street, nearly opposite the present Wilcox Street. This was probably the first steamboat built in Massachusetts with engine complete.* It was launched on the 8th day of May, 1829, being drawn to the river by the men who had gathered to "see the sight." This boat made six miles an hour up-stream, and in July made several trips to Hartford with one hundred passengers, returning the same day, and ascending the falls, a distance of five miles, in an hour and twenty minutes. In August she went up toBrattleboro', and was at Windsor, Vt., in October. This first trip of a regular steamer was the occasion of great excitement along the river, where the people assembled from many miles, and celebrated the occasion by the ringing of bells and the firing of guns. The secret of the success of the " Vermont" lay in the fact that her wheel was placed far enough astern to work in the dead water. The "Enfield Canal" was finished Nov. 11, 1829, and the " Vermont" took down a party from Springfield and returned, passing the canal both ways. The " Blanchard" also brought up a party from Hartford to the lower end of the canal. In April, 1830, the schooner " Eagle," which had been running between New York and Warehouse Point, came around from Albany and up through the canal with a load of rye for Springfield. The steamers "Vermont" and "Blan- chard" also laid at the wharves at that time. The latter was advertised on the 1.5th of May, 1830, to make regular trips to Hartford. Mr. Blanchard had then recently returned from Pittsburgh, Pa., where he had built the " Allegheny," on the model of the "Vermont," which pattern was universally adopted on the Western rivers. On the first of June the " Vermtrnt" com- menced running regularly between Springfield and Hartford, and there was a lively competition during the season between the boats and the stage-lines, which latter ran on each side of the river, under the management of Messrs. Sargent & Chapin. A new steamer, called the " Massachusetts," was built by Mr. Blanchard in the winter of 1830-31, calculated for the better accommodation of passengers, but too long for the low stages of water In the river. It was much the largest and most complete boat which had yet been seen in Springfield, having a cabin upon deck and a double engine. It commenced run- ning in the spring of 1831, hut could not go through the locks or run in low water. It was said that Mr. Blanchard had invested eight thousand dollars in his boats. He had at first been greatly accommo- dated by the canal company, but now they threatened him with heavy tolls unless he would do towing, which would in- terfere with passenger travel. The season of 1831 opened with the " Hampden" in March, which then commenced running for John Cooley & Co., as a freight-towing boat. In April the "Vermont" commenced the passenger business, under an arrangement between Mr. Blanchard and Messrs. Sargent & Chapin by which the stages running in competition with the boat were withdrawn. The "Springfield" (probably the "Blanchard" under an- * See article of Mr. T. M. Dewey, preceding this. 96 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. other name) also commenced towing in April for the Connecti- cut River Valley Company. This company had just launched the " Ledyard" at Springfield, for the use of the towing trade above the town. In July the " Wm. Hall" was put on as a tow-boat, to run between Hartford and South Hadley Falls, while the "Ledyard" was placed above, between the Falls and Greenfield. The " Massachusetts" commenced her trips in June, and in the course of the following month Messrs. Sargent & Chapin purchased Mr. Blanchard's interest in the steamers "Ver- mont" and "Massachusetts;" and his connection witli the boating business ceased from that time, though he remained in Springfield a year or two afterward. Another steamer, called the " James Dwight," was also put on the line between Hartford and Springfield for the accom- modation of passengers coming up in the morning and return- ing in the evening. The "Massachusetts," immediately after her transfer, was thoroughly overhauled, and supplied with new and heavier boilers and furnaces. The superintendent of that work was afterward the engineer of the ill-fated ocean steamer "Arctic," lost ofl'Cape Race ; and is said to have put oft' from the sinliing ship, and was never afterward heard of. The " Massachusetts" was in service some twelve years, and was finally burned at her wharf in Hartford. Contemporary with the "Massachusetts," the "Agawam" was put on the line and run in connection with her ; and two other boats, the "Phceni.\" and "Franklin," were built and launched for the pas.senger traffic, but saw very little service, as the boats were all withdrawn upon the opening of the rail- way from Springfield to Hartford, in 1844. The "Franklin" was sold and taken to Philadelphia, and the other two were taken to Maine, where they were engaged in the trade of the Kennebeck River. In 1842, Charles Dickens made his first visit to this country, and in the beginning of February went from Springfield to Hartford on the "Massachusetts." It was the first trip of the season, and the second, he says, "as early in February, within the memory of man." Though the boat was the largest and most capacious of all that had been built or used on the river in Massachusetts, yet he treated it as a small aftair, and de- scribed it as of about one-half pony-power. The grand cabin he compared to the parlor of a Liliputian public-house which had got afloat in a flood and was drifting no one knew where, but it contained the inevitable rocking-chair, which it is im- possible to get away from in America. "The boat," says he, "was so short and narrow we all kept the middle of the deck, lest it should une.xpectedly tip over; the machinery, by some surprising process of condensa- tion, worked between it and the keel; the whole forming a warm sandwich about three feet thick." It was raining hard the whole day, the river was full of floating ice, and the boat was obliged to work in the shallow water to avoid the huge blocks. He thought the Connecticut a fine stream, and the banks beautiful in summer. "After two hours and a half of this odd traveling (includ- ing a stoppage at a small town, where we were saluted by a gun considerably bigger than our own chimney), we reached Hartford." During the fifteen years in which boats were running on the river there was only one serious accident: the steamer "Green- field" exploded her boilers at South Hadley in May, 1840, by wliich three lives were lost and property to the value of ten thousand dollars was destroyed. V. CANALS. The first attempt to connect the western part of the State with Boston and tide-water was as early as 1791, when Gen. Henry Knox took active measures to determine the physical feasibility of the work by causing a series of surveys to be made by an eminent engineer, John Hills, Esq., upon two routes, — a southern one via Worcester, and a more northern one. Gen. Knox and his associates were finally incorporated by the Legislature on the 10th of March, 1792, with the title of " The Proprietors of the Massachusetts Canal," with authority to construct a canal from Boston to the Connecticut River. There is no evidence that anything of importance was at- tempted under this charter. Maps and estimates were made, which were preserved and subsequently placed in the hands of the State Commissioners for Canal Surveys in 182.5. On the 2oth of February, 1825, upon the recommendation of Governor Eustis, three commissioners were appointed to ascertain the practicability of constructing a canal from Boston Harbor to the Connecticut River, and of extending the same to some point on the Hudson River in the vicinity of the junc- tion of the Erie Canal with that river. Nathan Willis, of Pittsfield, Elihu Hoyt, of Deerfield, and Gen. Henry A. S. Dearborn, of Boston, were ajipointed commissioners, and Col. Laommi Baldwin engineer. At the June session of the Legislature, in the same year. Governor Lincoln devoted a portion of his message to the subject, and urged the favorable consideration of the Legis- lature. He also made mention of the then new subject of railways. A report of the above commission was made at the session of January, 1820, recommending a route for a canal through the north part of Worcester County to the mouth of Deerfield River, and thence up that stream through the Hoosac Moun- tain, by means of a four-mile tunnel, and through to the Hudson River, near Troy. The district west of the mountains was surveyed and mapped by George Tibbits, Esq., of Troy, N. Y., and on the east side, from the summit of the mountains to the raoutli of Deerfield River, by General Epaphras Hoyt, of Deerfield. The length of the proposed canal was given at 178 miles, 100 of which was between the Connecticut River and Boston, and 78 between the river and the Hudson. The total lockage — rise and fall — was 3281jYo ^^*'^- The estimated cost, exclusive of the tunnel, was ^5,103,240 T\mnel, ^0 bj- l^ij^ feet, 4 miles, 2H,1!UU cuLic jards, at $4.3fi.. a2(l,»b2 Total cost $0,024,072 The Governor in his message spoke favorably of the work, and recommended the continuance of the commission, with enlarged jiowers, and a resolution was introduced in the Legis- lature for turther sur.voys, which was not only laid on the table, but the former resolve, under which the survey had been made, was repealed. This virtually put an end to the canal project. HAMPSHIRK AND HAMPDEN CANAL. By an act passed Feb. 4, 1823, Samuel Hinckley and others were incorporated as " The Hampshire and Hampden Canal Company," to construct u canal from the Connecticut River, in Ni>rtluaniiton, through Easthampton and Southampton, in Hampshire County, and Westtield and Southwick, in Hampden County, to connect with one to be constructed in Connecticut from New Haven to the Massachusetts line, in Southwick. The capital of the Massachusetts company was fixed at three hundred thousand dollars. The work was com|ileted from New Haven to Westtield in 1830, and finished to Northampton in 1834, at a total cost of twi> million dollars.* In 1831) a new company, called " The New Haven and North- ampton Canal Company," was chartered by the Legislatures of Massachusetts and Connecticut, which purchased the whole * Another account says the total cost was about one million dollars. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY". 97 line for three hundred thousand dolhirs, and kept up tlie business until about 1847, when railway competition com- pelled the abandonment of the work. The present New Haven and Northampton Railway follows substantially the line of this canal. CHAPTER XXIL RAIL-WAYS. THE WESTERN RAILROAD THE BOSTON AND ALBANY RAIL- ROAD.* In 1820 petitions were presented by Thomas H. Perkins and . others of Boston, and A. J. Allen and others, that a survey for a railway be made between Boston and the Hudson Eiver, and the committee on roads and canals was " instructed to inquire whether any practicable and useful improvements have been made in the construction of railways and of steam- carriages used thereon, so as to admit of their being success- fully introduced into this commonwealth; and if so, whether it is expedient to extend thereto the aid and encouragement of this Legislature." This committee reported a resolution authorizing the Gov- ernor to appoint three commissioners and an engineer upon the subject of railways, which passed the Senate, but was in- definitely postponed in the House. At the June session of 1826 a select committee of the House was ap])ointed, consisting of Messrs. Abner Phelps and George W. Adams, of Boston, and Emorj' Washburn, of Worcester, with instructions to consider the practicability and expediency of constructing a railway from Boston on the most eligible route to the western line of the county of Berkshire, in order that, if leave can be obtained from the government of New York, it may be extended to the Hudson Kiver, at or near Albany ; and that the committee be instructed to report infor- mation and estimates of expense as they deem proper." This is believed to have been the first concerted movement looking to the construction of a railway in the State.f The above-named commissioners, who were authorized to sit during the recess of the Legislature, sent circulars throughout the State, and employed all available means to obtain infor- mation. They made a report on the 19th of January, 1827. The report entered somewhat at length into a discussion of plans for a road, and cited the experience of the people of Great Britain. It would seem that the idea of using steam locomotive-carriages as a motive-power had been only hinted at, for the plans for single- and double-track roads were inva- riably coupled with arrangements for employing only horse- power, and provision was made for a horse-path, and paths for the drivers and attendants, on each side of the road. Some mention was made of locomotives, and it was stated that " an engine of two eight-inch cylinders, weighing about live tons, will move forty tons at the rate of nine or ten miles an hour, and is said to have moved ninety tons at the rate of four miles an hour." The committee reported unanimously in favor of the pro- ject, and " that a railway would be far more useful to the * The article upon the Western and Boston and Albany Railwaj's has been mostly compiled from a hist<.iry of the fonner road, written by Hon. George Bliss, and published in 1863, and data furnished by the officers of the Boston and Al- bany road. As this was the pioneer among the inijxtrtant long lines of New England, and during its construction met with numy difficulties and embarrassments, we have given its history much more in detail than that of the other roads passing through or connecting with the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts. The history of these companies best illustrates the difficulties encountered by the early railway corporations in New England, and in a prominent manner conveys to the mind of the reader the various stages in the growth of this im- portant interest throughout the countrj*. ■f The first railway constructed in the United States was the short line from the Quincy granite quarries to the sea, in 1826. It was three miles in length, and was used solely for the transportation of stone, and employed horse-power only. 13 public than a canal." They recommended the appointment of three commissioners and an engineer to ascertain the practicability of such a road, and to make surveys, plans, and estimates, and were in favor of an appropriation for the purpose, not exceeding $5000. These recommendations were not followed, but the Legisla- ture, on the 22d of February, 1827, passed a resolution author- izing the appointment of "three commissioners, to constitute a Board of Internal Improvements," to attend to all matters concerning canals and railways. This board consisted of Messrs. J. J. Fiske, Willard Phelps, and James Hayward, at a compensation of four dollars per day. This committee ap- pear to have performed very little work, and none with refer- ence to the proposed line of railway. At the June session of 1827, upon a petition of James Whiton and others, of Berkshire, and Josiah Quincy and otliers, of Boston, the Legislature authorized the appoint- ment of two commissioners and an engineer to make the necessary surveys, plans, and estimates for a road from Bos- ton to the New York line, and, with leave obtained from the authorities of the latter State, to the Hudson Kiver. Ten thousand dollars was appropriated for the purpose. Nahum Mitchell, of Boston, and Samuel McKay, of Pittsfield, were accordingly appointed such commission, with James F. Bald- win as engineer. Two entire routes were examined, — one, called the southern, through Framingham, Worcester, Springfield, Chester, Wash- ington, Pittsfield, and West Stockbridge, to the State line at Canaan ; thence, through Chatham and Kinderhook, to the Hudson at Albany. The northern route was from Troy, N. Y., by Hoosac Four Corners, Williamslown, and Adams, to the Connecticut Kiver at Northampton ; thence, by Belclier- town, Rutland, Boylston, Watertown, and Cambridge, to Boston. Lateral examinations were also made from Chester, by Walker Brook, Becket, and Stockbridge, to the State line at Canaan, and others. Accurate instrumental surveys were made only upon the southern route, and upon this only for twelve miles west of Boston, and from Connecticut River to Albany. These sur- veys and examinations were conducted exclusively with ref- erence to the use of animal jmwe?-, as " better adapted to the transportation of that endless variety of loading which a dense and industrious population requires." The length of the pro- posed road was given at 180 miles and 212 rods. No special estimate of cost was made, but the commissioners reported a probable outlay not exceeding one-half the cost of English railways per mile. In transmitting the report to the Legislature, Governor Lincoln in his message said : " The results to which the coVn- mission have already arrived may be considered as fully es- tablishing the pracHcahilUt/, within the reasonable applica- tion of means, of the construction of the road." In the Legislature the Committee on Roads and Railways reported on the 15th of February, 1828, that "after mature examination of the facts and statements contained in said Re- port, they are of opinion that the railroad, as applicable to Massachusetts and to New England generally, has, since the making of said report, assumed a new and greater impor- tance ; that it will prove a new creation of wealth, power, and superiority to the State. That a railroad can be constructed at far less expense than a canal, and be productive of still greater advantages." On the 11th of March, 1828, an act was passed providing for a Board of Directors of Internal Improvements, to serve with- out compensation, except the payment of expenses when on duty. They were clothed with powers to transact all neces- sary business, and were required to report to the Legislature. This board consisted of nine persons, as follows: Levi Lin- coln, Nathan Hale, Stephen White, David Henshaw, Thomas HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. W. Ward, Royal Makepeace, George Bond, William Foster, and E. H. Robbing, Jr. James F. Baldwin was appointed engineer. Nearly simultaneously with these proceedings, the Legisla- ture of New York (April 15, 1828) passed "an act to facili- tate the construction of a railroad from the city of Boston to the Hudson River;" and under it Ebenezer Baldwin, of Al- bany, Oliver Wiswall, of Hudson, and George Tibbits, of Troy, were appointed commissioners, and William C. Young, en- gineer. This act "pledged the Legislature that if the State of Massachusetts shall construct a railroad from Boston to the boundary of this State, either directly or through the medium of an incorporated company, the Legislature of this State will construct it from thence to the Hudson River, or grant to the State of Massachusetts, or some authorized company, the right of so doing, and taking tolls thereon, under proper restrictions as to jurisdiction." Explorations and surveys were in progress under the com- missioners of New York and Massachusetts, on every part of the line from Boston to the Hudson River, during the year 1828. Reports by the commissioners of tl^e two States were made early in 1829, — by those of Massachusetts on the 16th of Jan- uary, and by those of New York on the 2.5th of February. The latter reported upon two routes between the Hudson River and the State line, which had been minulely surveyed, viz.: one from Troy, through Pownal, Vt., to Adams, and one from Albany and Hudson to West Stockbridge, the lines from Albany and Hudson to unite at Chatham. The Massachusetts commissioners reported a number of sur- veys. The principal one was substantially the same as after- ward adopted by the Boston and W^orcester and the Western Railroads as far as the State line in West Stockbridge; among the others were two lines from the last-named point to Albany. From the State line to Chatham Four Corners both pursued substantially the same line, not varying greatly from where the road now runs. Prom thence one line bore more to the west, striking the Hudson near Schodack Landing, thirteen miles below Albany, and thence by the valley to Greenbush. The other struck the river at Castleton, eight miles from Green- bush. The road, as finally located, kept upon higher land, and reached the river directly at Greenbush. By these surveys the distance from Boston to the Connecti- cut River was 9-1 miles and 64 chains, and to the State line 160 miles and 44 chains, and, by the shortest survey, 198 miles and 6 chains to Albany. By the other route, the distance from Boston to Albany was 200J^ miles. The cost of the New York section was estimated by Engineer Young at §658,601, or at the average of §16,162 per mile. A second route was examined, farther north, crossing the Connecticut River at Northampton ; and a third, still farther north, passing through the valleys of Miller's, Dcerfield, and Hoosac Rivers to Troy. The distance by the northern route from Boston to Troy was 190 miles, and by the Northampton route 210 miles. The passage of the Green Mountains was largely in favor of the southern route through Springfield, and thence up the valley of the Agawam River. Several local surveys were made on some portions of the line west of the Connecticut River, with a view to taking every possible advantage in the topography of the country; but the various results only the more thoroughly established the south- ern route, and mainly as the road now runs. A long discussion upon the relative merits of horse- and steam-power finally resulted in the adoption of the locomotive. The road which is now known as the Boston and Albany Railroad was constructed by a number of distinct corporations, first of which was The Ilo.ifon (oid W'urcrster Rnilroad Cor- porat'hiH, wliich was chartered on the 2Md of June, 18:il, to construct a road from Boston to Worcester. The proposed capital stock of this company was 10,000 shares of §100 each, or a total of $1,000,000, which was subscribed, and the company organized on the 1st of May, 1832. Sur- veys were made by John M. Fessenden, in 1831, and the total distance found to be 43| miles. The terminus in Worcester was found to be 4.56 feet above Western Avenue, in Boston. The original estimated cost of the road and equipment, with the bed graded for a double track, was §883,000. This road was opened from Boston to Worcester, July 4, 1835. On the l.jth of March, 1833, the directors of the Boston and Worcester Railroad Company were individually incorporated as The Western Railroad Corporation, with authority to construct a railroad from Worcester to the Connecticut River, at Springticld, and thence to the western boundary of the State. The capital stock was to consist of not less than 10,000 nor more than 20,000 shares of §100 each. The Bos- ton and Worcester company had exclusive control of the charter of the Western road, and of all proceedings under it. The charter conferred the authority of building branc^n roads in any or all towns immediately adjoining those through which the road passed. On the 5th of May,- 1834, the Legislature of New York chartered The Castleton atid West Stockbridge Railroad Com- pany, with authority to construct a road from Castleton to the State line at West Stockbridge. The name of this cor- poration was changed by act of the same body on the •5th of May, 1836, to The Albany and West Stockbridge Railroad Com- pany, with authority to construct a road from the Hudson River, at Greenbush, to the line of Massachusetts, at West Stockbridge. The capital stock was §300,000. In this charter the State reserved the right to purchase the road after ten years, and within fifteen years of the completion of it, paying ten per cent, interest. The stock of this company was duly suhscribed, and the company organized about the 23d of May, 1835. Samuel Cheever was appointed superintendent, and Wm. H. Talcott engineer. At the same date a charter was also granted for a railroad from the city of Hudson to the Massachusetts line at West Stockbridge. The stock of this company was principally taken in New York City, and the road was located ria Chatham Four Corners. The company's books were not opened for subscriptions to the stock of the Western Railroad until late in the fall of 1834, after the Boston and Worcester road had been completed to Westboro', and the effort was then confined to Springfield and the towns between there and Worcester. People were very loath to invest their money in what was to a great extent con- sidered a chimerical undertaking, and matters progressed very slowly. At one time an informal oft'er was made by New York parties to subscribe the whole required capital, provided they could haye the control of the company and stock. But this was looked upon as a stock-exchange scheme to control the road in thei, interests of the city of New York, and the offer was declineu. On the 2d of January, 1835, at a meeting held at Spring- field, a committee of correspondence and inquiry was ap- pointed, and on the 16th of February of the same year a meeting was held at the town-hall in Springfield, when Mr. George Bliss, of the above-named committee, laid what infor- mation had been obtained before the meeting, and, after dis- cussion, the committee was instructed to call a convention at Worcester, on the 5th of March ensuing, for the purpose of devising means for making an immediate survey of the route. Tlie convention at Worcester was numerously attended, and a committee of one from each town was appointed on resolu- tions, who reported as follows ; " 1. That a railroad from Worcester to Springfield was greatly to bo desired, was feasible, and ouglit to be entered upon without delay. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 99 "2. That an accurate survey and estimate be made the present season ; and that a committee of three in each town interested be appointed to solicit subscriptions therefor. " 3. That an executive committee of five be appointed, to procure surveys and estimates, and obtain information in re- gard to the construction and probable income of the proposed road, with power to appoint a treasurer. " 4. That the directors of the Boston and Worcester ccjm- pany be requested to organize the Western Railroad corpora- tion as early as in their opinion the stock can be taken up, and on the terms on which the Boston and Worcester corporation was first organized." Following these resolutions an executive committee, con- sisting of George Bliss, Caleb Rice, and W^. H. Bowdoin, of Springfield ; Joel Norcross, of Monson ; and N. P. Dewey (or Denny), of Leicester, was appointed " to procure accurate surveys, a location, and estimates for the road, as far as from Worcester to Springfield." Town committees were appointed, and instructed to report to the executive committee. The first thing was to procure funds for a survey, and the sum of §7000 or |8000 was soon raised in the towns along the line, and by consent of the Boston and Worcester com- pany, their engineer, John M. Fessenden, was employed to make the survey, which was commenced in May, 1835. This survey included an examination of the proposed route between Springfield and Hartford. The engineer reported the distance between Worcester and Springfield at o3J miles, and between Springfield and Hart- ford at 23 miles. His estimates included Grading, ma.<»onr>', anfl engineering ^'jfiO.OOO Supei-stnictiire, including turnouts 42S,(«K) Damages, fencing, engines, cars, and deput grounds l)S3,l)0() Springfield and Hartford Line, 3G3-2 miles with heaviest edge rail 4iMt,iH«i ?1,OUO,UOU An estimate of probable business was made by the com- mittee as follows : 55,510 passengers at J1.75 ?97,H2 42,lK)4 tons merchandise at :^.00 1(J8,U10 S2li5,l.j8 Less Mr. Fesseuden's estimate of annual expenses S-O.IXtO Net income. 8180,158 The people of Connecticut, and particularly of Hartfordi were in the mean time not idle. Elt'orts were made in various directions to establish railways. Routes were discu-ssed, and some of them surveyed, from Worcester to Hartford, and thence to New York ; from Worcester to Albany, via Hart- ford ; from Worcester, via Norwich, to New York; from Hartford to West Stockbridge, etc. The directors of the Boston and Worcester company were urged to open the books for subscriptions to the stock of the Western company, which request was complied with on the 3d day of August, 1835, at Boston, New York, Springfield, Worcester, Albany, Hudson, Pittsfield, and Lee, the books to remain open for ten days. One of the conditions of subscription was that the com- pany should not be organized until stock to the amount of $2,000,000 had been taken. Every possible exertion was made to reach this amount, but when the books were closed, on the 13th of August, the total amount subscribed was found to be only 13,000 shares, or §1,300,000. Of this amount 8500 shares were taken in Boston and vicinity. Determined to succeed, it was resolved by the directors to call a mass-meeting at Faneuil Hall, Boston, which was ac- cordingly done, and a large number of people assembled on the evening of Oct. 7, 1835. Delegations were present from Albany and Hudson, and all the interior towns on the route. Hon. Abbott Lawrence was chairman of the meeting. Ad- dresses and reports were made and resolutions adopted, and the meeting was enthusiastic in favor of raising the required sum. Committees were appointed to solicit subscriptions, but when the result was known it was found that only 18,300 shares had been subscribed, leaving a deficiency of 1700. On the 20th of November another meeting was held in the Supreme Court-room, Boston, which was addressed in a spirited manner by a number of gentlemen, and the following resolu- tion, otl'ered by Isaac Parker, Esq., was adopted: "In the opinion of this meeting, the construction of the Western Rail- road is of vital importance to this community, and the project should not be abandoned while any just and proper measures are left untried for its accomplishment." By persevering efforts the required amount was obtained by the 5th of December, 1835, and the corporation was organized on the 4th of January, 1836, at the court-house in Boston. The following gentlemen were chosen directors : Thomas B. Whales, William Lawrence, Edmund Dwight, Henry Rice, John Henshaw, Francis Jackson, and Josiah Quincy, Jr., of Boston, and Justice Willard and George Bliss, of Springfield. At the first meeting of the directors, Thomas B. Wales was chosen President ; Ellis Gray Loring, Clerk ; and Josiah Quincy, Jr., Treasurer. Maj. William G. McNeil was secured as chief engineer and captain ; William H. Swift as assistant engineer ; the latter to devote his whole time to the work.* George Bliss was ap- pointed general agent of the corporation, March 10, 1836. At the meeting of the stockholders for organization, they instructed the directors to apply to the Legislature for aid in the construction of the road. On the 16th of January, 1836, a petition was presented by George Ashmun, asking for an act of incorporation for a bank, to be called " The Western Railroad Bank," to be located in Boston, with a capital of $5,000,000. Among other reasons urged for the establishment of this bank was the fact that several millions of capital had been withdrawn from the State by the e.xpiration of the charter of the United States Bank. - At the same session a memorial of sixty pages, signed by prominent citizens of Boston to the number of 1736 indi- viduals, was presented, praying for the establishment of a bank with a capital of $10,000,000. Thirty-two petitions from various portions of the State supported this memorial. These petitions succeeded so far that a Bank Bill was pas.sed to a third reading, but was finally indefinitely postponed in consequence of the passage of another bill directing the State Treasurer to sub.scribe .$1,000,000 to the stock of the railroad corporation, providing three of the nine directors should be chosen by the Legislature. This bill was signed by Governor Everett on the 29th of March, 1836. Under this act the Legislature chose Messrs. Isaac C. Bates, William Jackson, and Robert Rantoul, Jr., as directors on behalf of the State, and at the next annual meeting the mem- bers of the old board were re-elected, with the exception of Me-ssrs. Lawrence, Rice, and Willard. An attempt was made, while these proceedings were pend- ing, to get a company incorporated for the purpose of con- structing a road from Worcester to Hartford, and thence to Stockbridge, and a careful survey and estimates were made and a report presented to the Legislature, which was accepted ; but a motion to report a bill in favor of the project was voted down, as it was considered a project which would embarrass the Western company and impair its credit. Surveys were begun on the Western road in April, 1836, by two parties, and were prosecuted with diligence, under the supervision of the resident engineer, during the year; and in June of the same year three parties were put in the field west of the Connecticut River. A great amount of preliminary surveying was done on the * Capt. Swift died in New York City, about the 7th of April, 1879. . 100 HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. line between Worcester and Springfield, but the line as now located was finally adopted and put under contract. The first grading was commenced at the crossing of the Worcester and Hartford Turnpike in Charlton, about the 1st of January, 1837. Between Brookfield and the Connecticut River four sepa- rate lines were surveyed, to wit : 1. The Cabotville, or extreme north line, passing a little south of Chicopee Falls, through Cabotville (Chicopee), cross- ing the Connecticut a little south of the mouth of the Chi- copee River, and running thence to Bush's Notch, in the Trap Range, or to the Garden Brook line at Ashley's Mills, in West Springfield (now Holyoke). 2. The End Brook route, cro.ssing the Connecticut about midway between the mouth of the Chicopee and Springfield, and thence to Bush's Notch, or to the Garden Brook line at Ashley's Mills. 3. The Garden Brook line, nearly on the route finally adopted, which was to cross the river between the old bridge and Ferry Street, in Springfield, and thence by a route (un- determined) on the north or south side of the Agawam River, near Westfield village. 4. The Mill River line, following that stream to the south part of the village of Springfield, and thence, through the east part west of Maple and Chestnut Streets, to the Garden Brook line. The first two lin^ were favored by parties in- terested in manufactures on the Chicopee River. The Garden Brook line was recommended by the engineers as being the shortest and most direct, having the least maxi- mum grade, and involving the least expense for grading and bridging. The certainty of the road being built caused considerable speculation in lands at Springfield, and the location of the depot grounds was the subject of a stirring controversy, even involving serious charges against certain parties, which were, however, subsequently cleared up. In January, 1837, a reconnoi.ssance of the route around the north end of Mount Tom, and thence up the Manhan River, through Easthampton and Southampton to Westfield, was made by the engineers ; but as the route was six miles longer than by way of Springfield, and as tlie charter required the crossing of the Connecticut at the latter point, this line was abandoned. The line from East Brookfield to the Connecticut River, as since constructed, was approved by the directors in the spring of 1837, and it was definitely located, and, with the exception of two miles next the river in Springfield, put under contract in June of that year. At first it was intended to grade the road and build bridges for a single track only, but subsequently this plan was changed, and the deep cuts, heavy embankments, culverts, and bridges were generally made for a double-track road. Extensive surveys and examinations were made in finding the best route from the Connecticut River to the State line. The Green Mountain range was thoroughly examined for a distance of 22 miles, north and south, including a careful sur- vey of every important depression and the valley of every considerable stream. The northern route, as surveyed by Mr. Baldwin in 1828, was from the first considered the most favor- able ; but there was a strong feeling also in favor of a route v!a Lee and Stockbridge, and it was accordingly surveyed by R. P. Morgan, beginning at the village of Westfield and pass- ing by the valley of the Little River, ascending the slope of Sodom Mountain to Loomis' Gap, Mount Pisgah, and Cobble Mountain, with a tunnel of GOO feet ; and thence to the Bland- ford line, and, by Bush Hill, to Spruce Swamp Summit, 1470 feet above the beach mark on Connecticut River, and about 30 miles from it ; thence down the western slope through East Otis, by Great Pond, Nichols' Pond, and Greenwater Pond, to the valley of Hop Brook, througli the corner of Tyringham to Stockbridge Plain and West Stockbridge to the State line, a distance of 62.38 miles from Connecticut River at Spring- field, and with no grade exceeding 80 feet per mile. The dilference between the northern and southern routes, west of the river, was only j^j^j of a mile by the measurement, but the equated distances gave about five miles in favor of the north route. There were five summits on the south line, and four on the north. The estimated cost of grading and bridg- ing the north line was $1,259,100.87, and of the south line $1,232,905.45, showing a ditlercnce in favor of the south line of §26,195.42. The engineers had reported in favor of the north line, probably because the average of grades was the best ; but before this was known to the parties the Board of Directors, at their request, gave the friends of each route a hearing at Springfield, June 25, 1837. After an examination of both routes by members of the board, and a full consideration, on the 10th of August in the last-mentioned year, they decided in favor of the northern route through Pittsfield,and ordered it to be definitely located, reserving, however, a few points for further examination. But during these proceedings very little had been done toward completing that portion of the road between Albany and the State line. The Hudson and Berkshire Railroad, from Hudson to the State line, at the Canaan Gap at West Stockbridge, 33 miles, had been graded during the year 1837, and the track laid with flat- or strap-iron, and the road opened for use in 1838. The city of Albany bad also, on the 3d of October, 183G, through Erastus Corning, Esq., its mayor, subscribed §250,000 to the stock of the Albany and West Stockbridge Railroad Company, but thus far nothing had been paid upon it. Ex- tensive surveys and estimates had also been made upon the last-named road by several routes in 1836, but nothing had been done toward constructing it up to the close of the j'ear 1838. The financial revulsion of 1830-37 had a serious effect upon the building of the Western road ; and at the close of 1837, out of six assessments, amounting in the aggregate to §900,000, only a little over §600,000 had been collected. The estimates of the engineers for the whole line in Massachusetts were §4,000,000, exclusive of engineering, depots, and general ex- penses. The funds provided for, if the stock was all paid up, would he only §3,000,000. At this stage of affairs a general meeting of the stockholders was held on the 23d of November, 1837, when it was decided to call on the Legislature for assistance, to the amount of eighty per cent, of the whole stock, in State scrip, having thirty years to run at five per cent., payable in London, Eng- land, with warrants for the interest. Accordingly, a petition was presented, Jan. 13, 1838, by Emory Washburn, of Worcester, and the same was referred to a joint select committee of both Houses. After a care- ful examination by the committee, a detailed report was made, and a bill drawn up granting the credit of the State to the amount of §2,100,000 in scrip, payable in thirty years, at five per cent, interest, interest and principal payable in Lon- don. This bill, after an exhaustive discussion and several proposed amendments, was finally passed and approved on the 21st of February, 1838. This legislation immediately gave a fresh impetus to the work, and during the year six miles of track were laid, depots established, engines and cars purchased, etc. West of the river the line was definitely located (except through the vil- lage of Westfield), the road from Chester to the State boun- dary was put under contract, and work commenced. But up to the close of 1838 nothing had been done upon the New York portion of the road. The authorized capital of the Albany company was §650,000. In May, 1839, the New York Legislature passed an act authorizing the city of Albany to borrow §400,000 to be used upon the road, in the purchase HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 101 of or subscription to its stock. The engineer of this part of the line had estimated the expense (in July, 1830) of con- structing the road from Albany to the State line at $580,280.73, including half the expense of a double track on the Hudson road. During 1838 work on the Western road progressed so favor- ably that reliable estimates could be made upon the cost of the whole work, and in December of that year a detailed state- ment and report upon the finances was made, containing 36 pages. From this report the following statements are compiled. Expenses to date, with estimates for completion by the resi- dent engineer: East of the Connecticut River: GraJing, masonry, bridges, and engineering S1,H7,5(>9.93 Superstnicture 49fi,3IS,37 Engines and cars 87,15o.lX) Buildings, etc 38,li'..IKI Miscellaneous expenses 34,652.72 Land damages, fencing, and depot-grounds 0U,913.1U Total east of the river $1,864,729.12 West of the river : Grading, masonry, bridges, engineering, superstructure, engines, cara, and 1>uildings 92,213,493.47 Miscellaneous expenses $28,497.12 Laud damages, fencing, and depots 84,452.02 112,949.14 Total west of the river $2,32li,442.r,l Total cost IIG 6-10 miles $4,191,171.73 The funds provided were : Six assessments at $5 eacii on 30,000 shares and interest..... $91O,('*i.30 Proceeds of State scrip at par 2,UiO,(m).00 8:!,(I10,M3.30 Deducting this from total expenses shows a deficiency of 11,180,528.43. In this condition of afl'airs it was resolved to again petition the Legislature for additional aid in the shape of State scrip for |1, .500,000, which was done; and on the 23d of March, 1839, a bill for the purpose of loaning the credit of the State to the amount of $1,200,000 was passed, and approved by the Governor. Under this fresh impetus, the work was prosecuted with vigor, and the road was opened on the 1st of October, 1839, for passenger-trains to .Springfield, and for freight on the 23d of the same month. The distance from Worcester to Spring- field was !iij^^js\ miles. West of the Connecticut the work was also well advanced during the year, and the directors reported in January, 1840, that the funds provided would be sufficient to complete the whole line within the limits of Massachusetts. In the mean time nothing had been done toward construct- ing the portion between Albany and the State line ; and in view of the discouraging condition of that portion of the work, at a meeting of the stockholders of the Western road, held on the 12th of February, 1840, a committee was appointed to investigate the affairs of the corporation, which was done, and a report made to another meeting held March 12th fol- lowing. Upon the committee's report a body of delegates, consisting of E. H. Derby, George Bliss, A. Walker, P. P. F. Degrand, J. Henshaw, A. T. Lowe, E. H. llobbins, Lemuel Pomeroy, and Charles Stearns, was appointed to proceed to Albany and Troy, and advocate the speedy construction of that portion of the road. A large meeting of the citizens of Albany was convened, and upon the arrival of the Massachusetts delegation they were introduced by Samuel Stevens, Esq., and addrasses were made to the meeting by Messrs. Bliss, Derby, Degrand, and Walker. The meeting was very enthusiastic, and strong resolutions were passed unanimously pledging a vigorous prosecution of the work. Subsequently a proposition was submitted by the Albany directors that the Western company should construct and manage the road, and on the 23d of April, 1840, a contract was executed in three parts by the city of Albany and the two railroad companies, by which the city agreed to subscribe ^650,000 to the stock of the Albany company, and the said company agreed to intrust the construction and control of the road to the Western company under certain restrictions and regulations. The Western company, on their part, agreed to construct and open the road as soon as it' could be conve- niently done.* Upon the consummation of this desirable arrangement the Western company appointed John Chikle as resident and George W. Whistler as consulting engineer, and immedi- ately proceeded to make a careful examination and survey of various routes from the State line to Albany, which resulted in the recommendation of the engineers for an entirely new line, the Hudson and Berkshire line being considered as wholly inadequate to accommodate the anticipated business of the road. The route recommended was 38^^^^^ miles in length, and in- volved the construction of a tunnel at Canaan of GOO feet. The estimated cost of the line was §1,412,804, and the maxi- mum grades were from 40 to 44y*i;'jj feet for nine miles. The Hudson and Berkshire road was subsequently purchased by the Western company upon its sale by the State of New York, which held a mortgage of §250,000 upon it for assist- ance rendered in its construction. During the year 1840 the road was pushed rapidly forward. The unfinished portions east of the Connecticut River were completed, and the foundations for the bridge over the river were laid. West of the river 53 miles were graded, 35 miles of rail laid, and work on the mountain division well advanced. 22 miles of the Albany road— from Greenbush to Chatham Four Corners — were under contract, and work was progress- ing upon 12 miles of it. As work progressed the company learned many things which had not been anticipated, and for which the country furnished no precedent as a guide. In 1839 there occurred severe floods, which necessitated the raising of the track for many miles along the valley of the Agawam Kiver, together with the enlargement of bridges and culverts, and it was found that the work on excavations, rock- cuts, and embankments would be largely in excess of estimates. Upon making up the accounts in December, 1840, it was found that the excess of expenditures over the original estimates was, — On the Eastern division $152,240.78 And on the Western 891,614.17 Making a total of. $1,043,854.95 The operations of the company were considerably embar- rassed by investigations set utli Vernon 87,928 Freight.-^ Received. 96,226 Hinsdale . Ashuelot Winchester... Westport Swanze.v Keeiie 1,454 3,666 2,361 874 1,139 7,548 22,661 10,306 473 74,115 456 354 7,402 17,689 817 1,135 621 3,9(H 1,976 24,535 1,118 32,028 6,454 1,793 1,767 125 861 16,196 -Number of Forwarded. 287,092 23,216 138,463 57,74) 27,:)04 159,269 4,989 9,001 19,806 71,260 0,214 2,388 2,139 9,171 4,636 32,837 6,045 34,516 8,517 5,:iI6 8,322 2,819 6,316 20,523 Received. 332,147 24,076 115,521 44,.548 24,851 149,053 6,394 9,195 19,8:i8 72,597 7,201 1,785 2,033 9,2:31 4,:!93 33,794 6,915 33,224 8,007 6,272 8,167 2,936 0,078 19,984 Total 322,900 322,900 946,900 946,900 The presidents of the company since its organization, in their order, have been Erastus Hopkins, of Northampton; Henry W. Clapp, of Greenfield; Chester W. Chapin, of Springfield ; Henry W. Clapp, again ; Erastus Hopkins, again; Daniel L. Harris, of Springfield. Present Officers. — Directors: Daniel L. Harris, Springfield; I. M. Spelman, Edward A. Dana, Boston; Charles S. Sar- gent, Brookline ; Chester W. Chapin, Springfield ; O.scar Edwards, Northampton ; W\ B. Washburn, Greenfield ; Ro- land Mather, Hartford, Conn. ; S. M. Waite, Brattleboro', Vt. Daniel L. Harris, President, Springfield; John Mulligan, Superintendant, Springfield ; Setb Hunt, Clerk and Treasurer, Springfield ; John Whittelsey, Auditor, Northampton ; Wm. H. Stearns, Master Mechanic, Springfield; H. E. Howard, General Freight Agent, Springfield ; F. D. Hey wood. General Ticket Agent, Springfield ; Geo. E. Frink, Cashier and Pay- * These sums include the earninge of the Ashuelot road for ahout 11 years. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 105 master, Springfield; C. H. Cram, General Freight Clerk, Springfield; Wm. E. Hill, Lost Freight and Baggage Agent, Springfield. THE NEW YORK, NEW HAVEN AND HARTFORD RAILWAY. This line e.xtcnds from Springfield, via Hartford and New Haven, to New York City, and is made up of a consolidation of several lines, among which were the Springfield and Hart- ford and the Hartford and New Haven roads. The Spring- field and Hartford road was opened in 1844, and passengers took steamer at New Haven, on the Long Island Sound boats, for New York. The completion of the New York and New Haven line opened a through route from Boston to New Y'ork via Springfield, and it now constitutes one of the most im- portant lines in the State of Connecticut. THE NEW LONDON NORTHERN RAILROAD. This line was originally chartered by the Connecticut Legis- lature in May, 1847, as "The New London, Willimantic and Springfield Railroad Company." The northern terminus was subsequently changed to Palmer. The Massachusetts Legis- lature in 1848 authorized the company to extend its line from the State line, a distance of nine miles, to the line of the Western Railroad at Palmer depot. The road was opened from New London to Willimantic, a distance of 30 miles, in November, 1849; to Statford Springs, in March, 18-50; and to Palmer, on the 20th of September, 1850; a total di.stance of 60 miles. The original cost of the road was I5il,.524,329.0lj, and of the portion in Massachusetts, 1207,201.53. THE AMHERST AND BELCHERTOWN RAILROAD COMPANY was incorporated in 1851, with authority to construct a line from Palmer, through the towns of Belchertown, Amherst, Leverett, Sunderland, and Montague, to the Vermont and Massachu.setts Railroad, at or near Montague. The company was organized June 30, 1851. Luke Swcetser was chosen President, and John S. Adams Clerk and Treasurer. The road was opened from Palmer to Amherst, May 9, 1853, and was leased to the New London, Willimantic and Palmer company for ten years, but, the arrangement proving unsat- isfactory, the contract was dissolved Nov. 5, 18.53, and the road was from that date to 1804 operated by the Amherst and Belchertown company. The cost of this road between Pal- mer and Amherst was $280,000. In 1800 the name of the New London, Willimantic and Palmer company was changed to the present one, and in 1804 the latter bought out the Amherst and Belchertown road, and extended the line to a connection with the Vermont and Massachusetts road, at Grout's Corners, in 1806. The principal stations on this line in Massachusetts are Monson, Palmer, Belchertown, Amherst, Montague, and Mil- ler's Falls. The road forms an important route, and furnishes valuable facilities to the eastern portions of the three river- counties. The consolidated line, extending from New London, Conn., to South Vernon, Vt., is operated under lease by the Vermont Central Railway Company. THE NEW HAVEN AND NORTHAMPTON RAILROAD. This corporation is the result of a consolidation of several independent companies in Massachusetts and Connecticut. THE HAMPDEN RAILROAD COMPANY' was chartered in 1852, with a capital of $175,000, with authority to build a road from Westfield to the State line in Granby, Conn. THE NORTHAMPTON AND WESTFIELD COMPANY was chartered in the same year with a capital of $200,000, for the purpose of continuing the first-named road from Westfield to Northampton. The two roads were united under the name of 14 THE HAMPSHIRE AND HAMPDEN RAILROAD COMPANY in 1853. The line was put in operation to Northampton in 1850, and extended to its present northern terminus in 1868. The New Haven and Northampton Canal Company was authorized in 18.53 to dispose of corporate property to the Hampshire and Hampden Railroad Comjjany. The Holyoke and Westfield road was built, under the Mas- sachusetts laws, to accommodate the manufacturing interests of the former place, in 1871. The capital was mostly sub- scribed in that city. It is operated b}' the New Haven and Northampton company, which furnishes ten extra freight- trains daily. It forms a valuable competing line with the New Y^ork, New Haven and Hartford road. THE CONNECTICUT CENTRAL RAILROAD. This line is made up of the Springfield and New London Rail- road, which was organized under a general law of Massachu- setts, in 1874, ostensibly with the view of connecting the points mentioned, and the first-named road was chartered in 1868, and obtained a supplementary charter in in 1869. The road extends from Hartford, Conn., to Springfield, Mass., and has a branch in Connecticut from Melro.se to Rockville, 7j miles. The road was built in 1875, and put in operation in Janu- ary, 1876. The length of the road is 30 miles. The whole line is operated by the Connecticut Central. It connects at Hart- ford with the Valley Railway, to Saybrook, at the mouth of the Connecticut, and at Springfield with the Athol Railroad. The presidents of the Connecticut Central company have been J. W. Phelps, from organization to 1876, and D. D. Warren, the present incumbent. Gordon Bill has officiated as president of the Springfield and New London road since its organization. THE SPRINGFIELD, ATHOL AND NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD. This road was originally the Athol and Enfield Railroad, chartered about 1864-65. The first portion was constructed from Athol to a connection with the New London Northern road at Barrett's, from whence the company's trains ran to Palmer, four miles, over the New London Northern track. In 1872 the company obtained a supplementary charter, changing the name of the corporation to the present one, and authorizing them to build a line from Barrett's to Springfield, about 17 miles, which was constructed in 1873. The city of Springfield holds about $300,000 of this company's stock. The officers of this company are; President, Willis Phelps; Superintendent, H. W. Phelps ; Treasurer, T. H. Good.specd ; General Freight and Ticket Agent, E. M. Bartlett. THE HOOSAC TUNNEL LINE. This is the most important line of railway passing through the northern part of the State. The component lines which make the complete road from Boston to the Hudson River at Troy are the Fitchburg Railroad, from Boston to Greenfield, a distance of 100 miles ; the Troy and Greenfield road, from Greenfield to North Adams, 37 miles, including the tunnel, which is the property of the State ; and the Troy and Boston road, from North Adams to the Hudson River, 48 miles ; making a total distance of 191 miles from tide-water to tide- water again. The height of the centre of the tunnel above tide-water is something over 800 feet. These lines, or those portions traversing Franklin County, follow very closely the valleys of Miller's and the Deerfield, or Pocomtuck, Rivers, nearly from the eastern to the western extremity of the county ; passing through or near the towns of Orange, Wendell, Erving, Montague, Deerfield, Greenfield, Shelburne, Conway, Buckland, Charlemont, and Rowe ; and giving about 50 miles of continuous track within the county. There are sections of heavy and expensive work on this road in many places, but the advantages possessed by the tunnel route over every other will be best understood by the statement lOG HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. that the highest point in the Hoopac tunnel is 612 feet nearer the sea-level than the summit on the Boston and Alhany route. The line, as originally surveyed and located, crossed Green River in the town of Deerfield, three-fourths of a mile from the business centre of Greenfield village, which place was accommodated until ahout 1876 by backing up the trains. At the latter date the track was changed and laid through the southern portion of the village, describing a grand curve, and crossing the former track a mile and a half southwest of the village, and over a mile west of the old bridge over Green River. The di.stance is somewhat increa.=fd, but the village is much better accommodated, and the grade reduced from about 70 feet to 26 feet per mile. The Troy and Greenfield road was chartered in 1848, and organized in 1849. Ground was broken on the 8th of January, 1851, under an appropriation of 5i25,000 made for " experiments on the tunnel." Application was abso made in that year for aid from the State, but without success, and again in 1853 with a similar result. In 1854 a third application was successful, and State aid was granted to the extent of $2,000,000. The actual com- mencement of work on the tunnel proper was in the sum- mer of 1856, when Herman Haupt, an eminent engineer, of- fered to undertake the job ; and on the 30th of July of that year a contract was entered into with Messrs. H. Haupt & Co. From that date until 1861 work was vigorously pushed so long as the funds held out, but in the summer of that year they became exhausted, and work was suspended. In Sep- tember, 1862, the tunnel was transferred to the State, the work at that time having progressed to the extent of half a mile into the mountain. ■ The State entered upon the work vigorously, and continued it until 1868, when the expense had become so enormous that the people became alarmed, and the State finally abandoned it. On the 24th of December, 1868, the Messrs. Shanley, of Montreal, Canada, contracted for the completion of the tunnel for the sum of $4,594,368, and whatever interest might ac- crue under the contract. Under their management the work steadily progressed to completion early in the year 1874. The headings east of the central shaft met on the 12th of December, 1872, and the western headings on the 27th of No- vember, 1873, amid great rejoicings. First and last the labor was continued through a period of about eighteen years, at a total cost, including interest, of about .?17,000,000.* The total length of the tunnel which passes under the Hoosac Mountain — a portion of the Green Mountain range — is 25,586 feet, or 4 miles and 3666 feet. The tunnel is 26 feet in width and the same in height. The highest point of the mountain above the tunnel in the western part is 1718 feet, and of the summit east of the centre, 1429 feet. The central shaft, running from the top of the mountain to the tunnel below, is 1037 feet in vertical depth. The grade of the track within the tunnel is 26.4 feet per mile, and the summit is near the centre, with an equal grade on either side. The drainage is perfect. The character of the various rock-formations encountered in the prosecution of the work, commencing at the eastern entrance and going west, reads as follows, according to a diagram of the work: " Talcose slate, J of a mile; mica- schist, ahout ^ of a mile ; mica-schist with quartz veins, about one mile ; mica-schist and gneiss, about f of a mile ; granite and conglomerate, about \ of a mile; mica-schist, 3 of a mile; gneiss, J of a mile; and mica-schist, f of a mile." The road was opened from Greenfield to the tunnel, Aug. * An estimate of tlie cnut of a tmint-l at this point for tlo' paspage of n canal, made in 1821J, was $920,832. 17, 1868; the first construction-train passed through the tun- nel Feb. 9, 1875, and the first passenger-train, April 9th of the same year. This great line possesses uncommon and remarkable facili- ties for the handling of heavy freight at its termini in Boston and Troy. Its arrangements for transferring grain, stock, and merchandise to and from cars, vessels, and canal- boats are unsurpassed, while its dockage-fronts and storage accommodations on tide-water are of the best possible de- scription. The expense of moving heavy trains over that great natural barrier, the Green Mountain range, is reduced to a minimum by the completion, after years of labor and many millions of expense, of the great Hoosac tunnel, which is in some re- spects the most remarkable and important tunnel in the world. f It is on the line of the greatest commercial activity on the continent, as well as lying in the exact track between the grain-producing region of the Northwest and the grain- consuming millions of New England and Europe. The amount of its business is very large, and, in the line of freights, rajiidly increasing, and its importance is probably only beginning to be comprehended. THE VERMONT AND MASSACHUSETTS RAILROAD. This road, which extends from Fitchburg to Greenfield and Brattleboro', Vt., was chartered in 1844, and opened from Fitchburg to Athol, Jan. 1, 1848 ; to Brattleboro' via. North- field and South Vernon, in February, 1849; and to Green- field via Deerfield, in 1850. It is now known as the Fitch- burg line. The portion of this line lying between Grout's Corners and the Vermont line is operated under a lease by the Vermont Central Railroad Company, in connection with the New London Northern road. Its termini, Brattleboro', Vt., and Greenfield, Mass., are thriving and important towns ; and the connections of the road at these points and others with the great tunnel line and the Vermont and New Hampshire systems are very important factors in its general busine.ss. This company operates the short line, or branch, from Greenfield to Turner's Falls, or, more properly speaking, from the switch on the Deerfield River to the Fulls. There is a probability of a line being eventually constructed from Tur- ner's Falls to Miller's Falls. CHAPTER XXII L POPULATION— INDUSTEY AND ■WEALTH— EDUCA- TIONAL. The population of Massachusetts from 1776 to 1875, accord- ing to the colonial, State, and United States censuses, has been as follows: 1776, 295,080; 1790, 378,787; 1800, 422,845; 1810, 472,040; 1820, 523,287; 1830, 610,408; 1840, 737,700; 1850, 994,514; 18.5.5, 1,132,369; 1860, 1,231,066; 1865, 1,267,- 030; 1870, 1,4.57,3.51; 1875, 1,651,912. The number of inhabitants per square mile by the last census is shown to be 212, being the greatest of any State in the Union. The population of Massachusetts cities in 1875 was as fol- lows : Boston, 341,919; Lowell, 49,688; Worcester, 49,317; Cambridge, 47,838; Fall River, 45,340; Lawrence, 34,916; Lynn, 32,600; Springfield, 31,0.53; Salem, 25,958; New Bed- ford, 2.5,895 ; Somerville, 21,868; Chelsea, 20,737; Taunton, 20,445; Gloucester, 16,754; Holyoke, 16,260; Newton, 16,105; Haverhill, 14,628; Newburyport, 13,323 ; Fitchburg, 12,289. The following tables show the population of the three river- counties by towns since 1776 : t This tunnel lies wholly within the town of rioiida, Berkshire Co., but it« eastern poftal opens on the west hank of tlie Deertield River, wliicli divides the counties of Berkshire and Fi'anklin. HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY". 107 COMPARATIVE CENSUS RETURNS FOR ONE HUNDRED TEARS. HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, MASS. W.& - IM 11 United Suites Census. 11 11 o oo o o o o 1662. 1776. 1790. 1800. 1810. 1820. 1830. 1840. 1850. 1855. 1860. I86S. 1870. 1875. 1759 915 1,233 1,.358 1,469 1,917' 2,631 2,550 3,057 2,937 3,206 3,415 4,035 3.937 17HI 972 1,485 1,878 2.270 2,426 ' 2,491 2,554 2,680 2,698 2,709 2,636 2,428 2,315 U62 1,092 1,183 1,323 1,408 1,447 --1,416 1,132 1,014 950 897 801 811 746 1779 S73 985 1,009 1,060 J 1,261 1,237 1,172 1,004 1,085 980 1,037 916 1785 457 586 660 7124 h 745 717 1,312 1,386 1,916 2,869 3,620 3,972 ISIfi 873 ■ 1,056 976 1,036 1,036 1,025 997 1,023 1,065 1781 681 724 652 632 I- 617 556 512 471 439 411 368 349 1768 491 596 786 850 1,066 . 1,064 971 1,104 1,001 907 908 863 812 1754 890 1,045 1,460 1,225 778 h 813 824 838 803 699 648 665 606 lfi61 681 882 1,073 1,247 1,461. 1,686 1,814 1,986 1,928 2,105 2,240 2,.301 2,125 1B70 582 703 809 805 823 893 933 1,073 1,162 1,337 1,405 1,594 1,600 177:i 742 742 959 968 S49 795 750 756 1,172 1,216 1,163 1,156 1,095 17S:i 608 877 822 755 ■ r 720 1,717 737 677 748 727 728 603 1654 1,79" 1,628 2,190 2,631 2,854 • 3,613 3,750 5,278 5,819 6,788 7,925 10,160 11,108 1742 729 1,040 1,144 1,185 1,278 f- 904 956 983 789 748 737 673 633 1785 458 797 977 936 r 984 910 814 652 639 579 521 481 1822 758 780 737 643 6U 596 541 493 1753 534 759 801 902 1,047 f> 1,185 1,458 2,495 2,051 2,277 2,099 2,840 3,370 1753 740 829 983 1,171 1.160 1,244 1,157 1.060 1,195 1,130 1,216 1,159 1,050 1761 773 773 997 996 1,154 n 2,045 1,890 3,785 3,198 3,597 3,374 4,259 4,142 1778 683 756 793 896^ 918 759 602 670 603 636 587 556 1771 534 1,049 1,176 1,122 1,037^ 1,236 1,309 1..537 1,831 2.095 1,976 2,159 2,029 1768 639 1,116 1,223 1,391 1,276- 1,179 1,197 1,134 1,112 1,041 925 860 818 12,154 18,823 22,885 24,553 26,487 30,254 30,897 35,732 35,485 37,823 39,269 44,388 44,821 Amherst Belchertovvn ., Chesterfield... Cummington.. Easthampion. Enfield...., Goshen Granby Greenwich Hadlcy Hatfield Huntington ,., Middlefield.... Northampton , Pelham Plainfield , Prescott South Hadley Southampton. Ware Westhamptou Williamsburg Worthington.. Totals FRANKLIN COUNTY, MASS. Towns. Date of Incurpo ra- tion. 11 United States Census. « 2 A H a. 2S « s as 1811. 1776. 1790. 1800. 1810. 1820. 1830. 1840. 1850. 1855. I860. 1865. 1870. 1875. Ashfield 1765 1762 1779 1765 1761 1767 1682 1838 1793 1753 1792 1785 1774 1809 1822 1753 1753 1713 1810 1785 1768 1761 1714 1763 1781 1771 628 607 665 566 897 836 "735 ..''.* "293 "575 910 580 575 598 409 766 410 1,459 691 718 665 1,417 2.092 1,330 1,498 539 379 524 989 "906 1,543 868 784 443 1,183 674 462 1,246 519 736 1,741 780 1,041 875 2,014 2,013 1,531 "700 1,254 878 604 711 1,095 1,'222 1,949 1,047 766 575 1,079 930 537 1,233 737 773 1,809 811 1,097 987 2,016 1,784 1,570 160 762 1,165 1,031 917 769 1,009 "934 2,107 1,218 764 839 961 939 551 1,227 983 891 1,748- 912 + 1,037-^ 1,081- 1,961 1,705 - 1,868 331- 800 • ■ 1,732 918 1,039 1,065 1,877 1,563 2,003 488 864 1,610 992 1,084 1,127 1,971 1,409 1,912 309 798 1,756 977 895 875 632 282 1,255 1,305 1,673 1,501 703 1,022 987 719 1,071 875 1,072 1,394 937 1,056 1,173 1,785 1,831 2,421 449 754 2,580 881 803 948 716 254 1,518 1,253 1,772 1,701 659 1,239 912 792 1,021 920 1,101 1,342 908 1,614 1,113 1,604 1,784 2,766 471 732 2,945 774 741 982 653 217 4,509 1,221 1,951 1,753 601 1,401 939 839 1,002 738 1,052 1,302 968 1,702 1,075 1,798 1,689 3,073 527 683 3,193 671 661 964 606 236 1,593 957 1,712 1,622 619 1,448 798 839 932 704 1,057 1,221 902 1,922 994 1,726 1,538 3,038 576 635 3,211 687 642 914 592 191 1,574 1,116 1,660 1,909 563 1,564 788 861 901 603 1,012 1,180 961 1,946 1,005 1,742 1,460 3,632 579 653 3,589 672 613 877 518 201 2,224 987 1,720 2,091 581 1,582 614 832 769 539 1,068 1,190 991 1,921 1,029 1,699 1,452 3,414 794 673 3,540 588 545 831 524 190 3,380 923 1,641 2,497 661 1,590 558 860 744 503 958 Buekland Charleniont Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield Hawley Heath Leverett 1,361 J 1,540 1.089- 1,037 1,122- 1,199 857 \ 939 974-1- 796 ! 265 1,074 + 1.152 Ley den New Salem 2,146 - - 1,889 Northfield Orange 1,584 i 829 f 8511 1,022- 1,029 597 1,256 958 1,076 1,757 880 716 - 995 986 666 -1,150 874 y 1,U1 Shutesbury Sunderland Warwick Wendell Whately Totals 10,294 21,743 26,300 27,421 29,418 29,630 28,812 30,870 31,652 31,434 31,340 32,635 33,696 108 HISTORY OF THE CONxVECTICUT VALLEY. HAMPDEN COUKTY, MASS. TOWNB. Agawam Blandford Brimfield Chester Chicopee Granville Holland Holyoke Hampden"^ , Longmeadow. Ludlow Monson Montgomery Palmer Kussell Southwick Springfield Tolland Wales WestBeld West Springfield. Wilbrahain = c ^ OS Totals.. 1865 1741 1731 1765 1848 1754 1785 1850 1878 1783 1774 1760 1780 1752 1792 1770 1636 1810 1762 1669 1774 1763 .2 a United States Census. 1812. 1776. 772 .1,064 405 1,126 413 813 '727 "si'i 1,974 850 1,488 1,744 1,057 13,274 1,416 1,211 1,119 1,979 428 744 560 1,331 449 809 841 1,574 606 2,204 2,367 1,555 19,193 1800. 1810. 1,778 1,384 1,542 2,309 445 973 650 1,635 560 1,039 431 867 2,312 1,613 1,325 1,534 1,504 420 774 2,185 2,835 1,743 23,462 1,036 7.M 1,674 595 1,114 422 1,229 2,767 798 645 2,130 3,109 1,776 24,421 1,515 1,612 1,526 1,643 453 1,171 1,246 2,126 6«4 1,197 491 1,255 3,914 692 683 2,668 i 3,246 1 1,979 1,590 1,599 . 1,407 f 1,649 453 1840. 1850. 1,427 1,419 1,632 1,257 I- 1,327 1 2,263 r 579 - 1,237 ^ 507 i 1,414 423 1,270 1,268 2,151 740 2,139 955 1,418 1,420 1.521 8,291 J,305 449 3,245 1,365-1 1,214 6,784 t|10,985 723 ■• 627 28,021 ■ 665 2,940 .3,270 2,034. 31,639 686 3,526 3,626 1,864 37,366 1,252 1,186 2,831 393 3,974 521 1,120 11,766 594 711 4,180 2,979 2,127 1,543 1,271 1,343 1,255 7,576 1,316 392 4,639 51,283 1,348 1.191 2,942 413 4,012 677 1,130 1.3,788 603 713 4,575 2,090 2,032 1.698 1,256 1,363 1,314 7,261 1,385 419 4,997 54,849 1,376 1,174 3,164 371 4,082 605 1,188 15,199 696 677 5,055 2,105 2,081 57,366 1,664 1,087 1,316 1,266 7,577 1,367 368 5,648 1,480 1,232 3,272 353 3,080 618 1,155 22,035 5.11 696 5.634 2,100 2,111 2,001 1,026 1,288 1,253 9,607 1,293 344 10,733 1,342 1,136 3,204 318 3,631 635 1,100 26,703 509 831 6,519 2,606 2,330 w 3 1875. 2,248 964 1,201 1,396 10,335 1,240 334 16,260 1,467 1,222 3,733 304 4,672 643 i,n'4 31,053 462 1,020 8,431 3,739 2,676 64,570 78,409 94,304 The amount of foreign-born population in each of the coun- ties, by the cen.sus of 1875, was as follows: Hampshire County, 8585; per cent., 19.15. Franklin County, 3990; per cent., 11.84. Hampden County, 26,235; per cent., 27.82. The total number of voters in each of the three counties was as follows: Hampshire, 9253; Franklin, 8516; Hampden, 18,912. The military population of the.se counties is about 25,000, reckoning those of military age at two-thirds the total number of voters. Of aged people, there were in Hampshire County 42 over 90 years ; in Franklin, 28 ; and in Hampden, 82 ; and of these several were above 100. Of families and dwellings there were as follows: Hampshire County — families, 9.596; dwellings, 8254. Franklin County — families, 7856 ; dwellings, 6877. Hampden County — families, 19,990; dwellings, 13,628. Of unoccupied dwellings, Hamp- shire had .306; Franklin, 268; and Hampden, 502. The number of dwellings in the larger towns was as follows: Springfield, 4977 ; Holyoke, 1479 ; Westfield, 1468 ; Chicopee, 632 ;t Northampton, 2197; Amherst, 833; Greenfield, 696; Deerfield, 639. The number of colored people other than white, and includ- ing Chinese, Japanese, and Indians, is shown below : Hamp- shire — black, 209 ; mulatto, 95 ; Chinese, 13 ; Japanese, 1. Franklin— black, 64 ; mulatto, 10 ; Chinese, 9. Hampden— black, 828 ; mulatto, 213 ; Chinese, 33 ; Japanese, 1 ; Indians, 15. AQRICITLTURAL.J The total number of farms in the State was 44,549, with a total acreage of 3,402,369, valued at 1182,663,140; being an average value for each farm of |4100, and of each acre |53.69, nearly. The number of farms in Franklin County was 3950, with a total acreage of 3.50,443 ; average number of acres for each farm, 88 acres; average value of farms, $2870; total value of farms (including buildings), $11, 352, .503. The number of acres in market-gardens was 214], of the value of $12,448. * Furmed since census was lakeu. Included in Wilbraluim. Sec t+jwn liis- tory. t By tlic census report, Cliicnpee had 032 dwellings and 2[t4n fandlies. X Compiled from the census of lS7a. The number of acres of cultivated land was 79,871 ; of un- improved land, 175,218; of unimprovable land, 20,517; and of woodland, 74,837. The number of farms in Hampden County was 3736, with a total acreage of 316,015; average number of acres per farm, 85 ; average value of farms, $3880 ; total valuation of lands and buildings, $14,496,445. The number of acres in market-gardens was 464, valued at $.54,325. The number of acres of cultivated land was 79,726; of un- improved land, 147,359; of unimprovable land, 15,262; and of woodland, 73,668. The number of farms in Hampshire County was 3666, with a total acreage of 316,991 ; average luimber of acres per farm, 86 ; average value of farms, $3344 ; total value of lands and buildings, $12,260,330; number of acres in market-gardens, 89, valued at $18,220; number of acres of cultivated land, 98,311; of unimproved land, 145,894; of unimprovable land, 10,342 ; of woodland, 62,444. The total domestic and agricultural products of the three counties was as follows : Franklin Count_y — domestic, $810,792 ; agricultural, $$2, .593, 738. Hampden County — domestic, $618,- 356 ; agricultural, $2,774,297. Hampshire County — domestic, $745,046 ; agricultural, $3,066,883. The production and value of butter in the three counties was as follows: Franklin County — 1,285,048 pounds; value, $414,977. Hampden County— 783,879 pounds ; value, $272,749. Hampshire County— 1,149,077 pounds; value, $392,423. Of cheese: Franklin County — 03,711 pounds; value, $9065. Hampden County— 105,761 pounds ; value, $13,157. Hampshire County — 87,8.56 pounds; value, $12,178. Of maple-sugar : Franklin County — 372,439 pounds; value, $42,271. Hampden County— 149,297 pounds ; value, $16,114. Hampshire County— 291,084 pounds; value, $34,000. Apples : Franklin County— 192,117 bushels ; value, $79,417. Hampden — 247,672 bushels ; value, $93,213. Hampshire— 191,857 bushels ; value, $80,397. The apple crop of 1878 was very large, aggregating for the three valley-counties probably 1,-500,000 bushels. Milk : Franklin County— value, $169,819. Hampden County — value, $4-59,103. Hampshire County — value, $396,- 203. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 109 Hay. — The amount mid value of all kinds of hay produced was as follows : Tone. Vnluo. Franklin County 61,056 S9;i,8Ki Hampden County ; 4^,lHti 778,513 Hanipsliire County 58,398 890,817 Corn. — The three river-counties are the largest corn-pro- ducing counties in the State, excepting Worcester, the amount grown in each being respectively as follows : Busliels. Value. Franklin County 154,310 $145,996 Hampden County 130,ol>4 127,458 Hampshire County 156,193 150,121 Total 441,007 Ji23,575 The total amount raised in the State was 1,040,290 bushels, valued at §1,006,384. Worcester County, the only one which exceeded either of them, produced 195,963 bushels. Potatoes. — Franklin County, 2-54,528 bushels ; Hampden County, 317,653 bushels ; Hampshire County, 298,396 bushels. Tobacco. — Of this product nearly the whole amount produced in the State was grown in the river-counties, as follows : Acres. Pounds. Value. Franklin County 121Bl.< 1,997,0!)! Si21,81.i Hampden County 808U 1,224,670 2:)ll,475 Hampshire County 1662>4 2,055,561 462,956 The total grown in all other parts of the State was about 115,000 pounds, valued at about §17,000. Wheat.* — Franklin County, 7456 bushels; Hampden County, 182 bushels; Hampshire County, 2946 bushels. Franklin and Hampshire Counties produced three-fourths of the total amount grown in the State. The total value of farm property, including lands, buildings, fruit-trees and vines, domestic animals, and agricultural imple- ments thereon, was as follows : Franklin County, S13,.)ll,984 ; Hampden County, §16,500,860; Hampshire County, §14,379,- 386. The total number of hired persons employed in agricultural operations in each of the counties was as follows: Franklin County— 3086 ; total wages paid, §324,490. Hampden County — 3049 ; total wages paid, §445,226. Hampshire County — 2985; total wages paid, §385,551. VALUATION AND PRODUCTS OF HAMPSHIRE CO., MASS., FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 1, 1875. Amherst Belchertown Ch< sterfield Cummington Easthampton Enfield Goshen Granby Greenwich Hadley Hatfield Huntington Middletield Northampton Pelham Plainfield Prescott ,South Hadley Southampton Ware...., We.«thamptnn Williamsburg Worthington Totals $7,261,049 Pel^onal Property. Real Est^ite. Total Valuation. Manufaetnres and Fisheries. Agriculture and Mining. Total Producta. $740,745 $1,896,705 $2,637,450 $497,526 $263,925 $761,451 151,820 848,228 1,000,048 138,152 303,662 441,814 87,453 220,170 307,623 19,904 84,626 104,530 143,025 297,817 440.842 109,496 111,755 221,251 834,654 1,570,879 2,405,533 1,968,155 140,127 2,108,282 291,510 375.390 666,900 372,361 111,353 483,714 29,794 108,028 137,822 4,750 52,344 57,094 103,242 399,009 502,251 26,988 191,816 218,804 85,760 205,360 291,120 43,794 73,569 117,363 275,117 1,121.987 1,.397,104 207,345 492,551 699,896 398,929 820,085 1,219,014 65,200 413,426 478,626 137,640 375,585 513,225 114,112 83,418 197,530 156,250 216,410 372,660 97,089 64,855 161,944 2,242,989 5,627,900 7,870.889 3,673,063 317,408 3,990,471 26,096 150,494 176,590 9,225 58,553 67,778 47,350 133,460 180,810 16,685 74,395 91,080 30,648 172,110 202.758 9,260 60,403 69,663 361,312 1,407,285 1,768,597 1,056,428 164,173 1,220,601 77,687 417,637 495,324 66,669 184,796 251,465 482,770 1,239,470 1,722,240 1,957,611 200,863 2,158,474 42,910 260,259 303,169 16,698 114,797 131,495 424,511 756,855 1,181,366 299,935 108,741 408,676 88,837 267,453 356,290 27,110 161,928 189,038 $7,261,049 $18,888,576 $26,149,625 $10,797,556 $3,833,484 $14,631,040 VALUATION AND PRODUCTS OF FRANKLIN CO., MASS., FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 1, 1875. Towns. PerBonal Property. Seal Estate. Total Valuation. Manufactures Agriculture and ~ , , p„,j,„.b, and Fisheries. Miuing. *""" rroducts. Ashfield Bernardston Buckland.... Charlemont . Coleraine.,.. Conway Deerfield Erving Gill Greenfield... Hawley Heath Leverett Leyden Monroe Montague New Salem Northfield Gran Rowe Shelburne.. Shutesburj Sunderland Warwick..., AVendell .... Whately.... $142,173 87,094 100,536 69,249 192,888 254,049 295,276 75,767 78,815 853,321 33,535 38,112 62,105 36,089 8,062 450,200 69,960 107,255 302,675 38,174 215,417 21,025 61,865 44,804 21,228 190,121 $387,744 314,044 505,874 285,125 491,570 564,244 1,044,766 242,292 391,691 1,969,665 123,685 153,210 255,405 171,042 39,715 1,598,600 257,270 596,819 1,093,125 141,445 651,424 164,525 378,428 221,232 157,460 529,240 $529,917 401,138 606,410 354,374 684,458 818,293 1,340,042 318,059 470,506 2,822,986 157,220 191,322 317,510 207,131 47,777 2,048,800 327,230 704,074 1,395,800 179,619 866,841 185,550 440,293 266,036 178,688 719,361 $12,860 103,700 433,765 38,750 390,622 333,430 312,720 272,145 18,500 479,621 7,070 9,630 32,004 2,454 1,700 1,478,446 44,550 79,455 807,242 15,202 193,306 11,357 800 86,810 68,035 67,700 $142,806 114,490 117,265 118,347 183,900 235,296 410,166 34,210 148,348 170.840 71,299 86,714 84,200 95,260 23,071 175,186 89,916 267,021 84,990 70,761 164,943 54,942 184,520 72,026 46,005 172,473 $155,666 218,190 551,030 157,097 574,522 568,726 722,886 306,355 166,848 650,461 78,369 96,.344 116.204 97,714 24,771 1,653,6.32 134,466 346,476 892,232 85,963 358,249 66,299 185,320 158,836 114,040 240,173 Totals $3,849,795 $12,729,640 $16,579,435 $5,301,874 | $3,418,995 j $8,720,869 * According to State census 1875. 110 HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. VALUATION AND PRODUCTS OF HAMPDEN COUNTY, MASS., TOE THE YEAR ENDING MAY 1, 1875. • Cities and Towns. Personal Property. Beal Estate. Total Valuation. ManufHCtures and Fisheries. ^^"jlhling. '"*| 'f<"»' Products. $274,961 112.400 129,440 94,025 1,833,975 89,364 16.957 2,889,882 182,340 121,311 320,925 28,919 636,187 107,139 121,885 8,398,912 68,464 163,535 1,945,085 319,153 202,343 $897,950 294,915 436,050 435,047 3,641,860 315,80s 120,190 6,791,245 849.595 445,267 1,017.386 112,807 1,237,475 316,446 458,097 31,125,660 198,866 284,415 5,354,590 2,487,159 756,012 $1,172,911 407,315 565,490 529,072 5,475.835 505,172 137,147 9,681,127 1,031,935 566.578 1,338,311 141,726 1,87.3,662 423,585 579,982 39,524,572 267,330 447,950 7,299.675 2,81)6,312 958,355 $177,000 44,375 103,438 184,496 4,035,600 68,280 2,059 8,788,306 159,040 253,800 1,270,000 3,6 43 1,855,218 181.500 63.058 12,483,010 82,540 904,603 3,446,358 621,698 964,802 $314,094 i $491,094 163,856 169,302 104,271 214,799 208,231 272,740 288.767 4,250,399 Rrimfield 122,860 191,140 Holland 33,056 1 35.115 63,340 i 8.851.646 261.935 ! 420,975 149,776 1 403,576 312,370 1.582,370 Montgomery Palmer 54,331 163,472 34,848 227,956 57,974 2,018,690 216.348 291,014 Ru««ell . 248,903 ! 12,731,913 | 62,818 i 145,358 | Wales 48,998 362,900 141,299 290,999 953,601 3,809,258 762,997 1,255,801 West Springfield Totals $18,057,202 $57,576,840 $75,634,042 $35,692,824 $3,546,183 $39,239,007 Manufactures of Hampshire County.f Number of Capital Value of Goods Towns. Estalilishments. Invested. Produced. Amherat 40 f2(l4,:):K $407,4(14 Bidehel-town 2S 5«,275 130,0.52 Chestel-fleld 10 31,.tIK) 19,184 Cunmiington 20 93,250 104,271 Eastliampton 17 1,020,375 l,883,ia5 Enfield 11 240,6U0 367,981 Goshen 5 3,(100 4,350 Granby 3 7,800 13,480 Greenwich 6 1.8,800 34,894 Hadley 13 VI.IKW 201,295 Hatfield 4 32,11X1 62,7IK1 Huntington 5 80,.8(lo 108.3(KI Middlefleld 4 SO.IIX) 96,789 Northampton.- 36 l,(i9U,300 3,179,199 Pelham 2 S.IKJO 9,228 Plainfleld 7 9,000 9,150 Prescott 2 4,000 9,260 South Hadley 15 9(19,972 1,028.:»3 Southampton 13 18,1IH) 01,778 Ware 31 1,2.83,750 1,93(1.1(10 Westhampton 7 24,94(1 14.173 Williiun-ilrarg 8 22:i,8lKl 29,8,1(10 Wortliingtou 13 2:i.58(l 22,277 Totals 297 *i;.718,547 59,993,217 Manufactures of Franklin County.^ Number of Capital Value of Goods Towns. Estaldisliments. Iiivestuil. Produced. Ashfield 4 *13,.8(«1 819.094 Bernardston 4 4(),(X)0 87,000 Bu<*land 8 317.li(M) 426,1(55 Chailemont 13 14,973 32,7.80 Coleraine 8 :i.8(i,(Klfl 390,622 Conway 7 228,700 284,150 Bcerficld 12 7.8,1(X) 297,700 Ening 9 291,2(KI 200,925 Gill 1 78.3(H) 17,000 Greenfield 40 3.84,800 308,6.!4 Hawley 10 5,425 6,070 Heath 4 3,900 9,630 lieverett 14 22,050 32,004 Leyden 3 2,900 2,464 Monroe 2,200 1.700 Montogue 24 1,604.,889 1,364,730 New Salem 8 10,400 40,5.80 Northficld 18 28,080 .89,855 Orange 23 669,100 782,149 Rowc 7 7,780 12,087 Shellmrno 18 113,041 178.790 Shutesbury 8 7.975 10,0.57 Sunderland 1 900 8(XI Warwick 14 38,400 86,810 Wendell 6 28,300 67,785 Whately 6 14,700 07,000 Totals 282 $4,127,715 $4,843,117 Maniifartiires of Hampden Cowity.f Number of Capital Value of G Is Towns. Establishments. Invested. Produced. Agawani 3 $171,478 $177.(KH) Blaiidford 11 IS.KK) 33.,828 Brimfield 10 40.6.80 11I2..888 Chester 19 ls.8,.830 174..841 Chicopee ., 71 1,90.8.140 3,781.9(« Criiiiville 13 47..875 0.8,080 ll..ll!iMd 4 1.8,80 1,459 ll.ilv..ke 28 0,802,IHK) 8,7.37,800 * Ineluding the town of rlani]>deii, formed 1878. + Census of 1875. Number of Capital Value of Goods Towns. Estal Hshments. Invested. Produced. Longmeadow 9 $151,:l(IO $149,308 Ludlow 4 201..8(KJ 263,000 Monsun 10 279,300 1,179,275 Montgomery 2 1,7(hi 3,643 Palmer 22 947.200 1,761,161 Russell 4 150.(.l(lo 170,0(K1 Southwick 13 13,338 49.3(18 Springfield 251 6,39.8,213 10,089.,S42 Tollaud 10,100 82,640 Wales 12 247,750 896.476 West Springfield 088,(KK1 (i(.l9,906 Westfleld 121 l,0(V.i.9:W 3,240,270 Wilbrahani 14 7(i9,.8a(l 942,762 Totals 033 $19,705,118 $32,504,175 The number of steam-engines in use in Franklin County was 28, with actual horse-power of 1406 ; the number of water-wheels was 267, with 8586 horse-power. The number of steam-engines in Hampden County was 137, of 5989 actual horse-power ; water-wlieels, 285, with 14,472 horse-power. Number of steam-engines in Hampshire County, 56, of 3716 horse-power ; of water-wheels, 246, representing 6416 horse- power. The total number of persons employed in Franklin County was 3115; total annual wages, $1,346,125; in Hampden County, 19,496; wages, $8,844,270; in Hampshire, 5807; wages paid, S2,259,986. The principal manufactures were firearms, agricultural implements, artisans' tools, clothing, cotton goods, food prep- arations, furniture, lumber, machinery, metals and metallic goods, paper, printing and publishing, tobacco, woolen goods, wooden ware, worsted goods, etc. EDUCATIONAL. Schools. — Some account of the schools will be found in the history of the several towns and cities, including those of various kinds and grades. The following statistics are from the State census for 1875 : The total number of public schools in Franklin County was 219, and total valuation of property, $208,015; number of private schools, 9; total valuation of property, $26,155; the total attendance of all ages, 5792 ; the total number of illiter- ates was 842, of whom 098 were foreign-born. Hampden County. — Number of public sch(xils, 214; valua- tion of pnjperty, .$1,136,1.54; number of private schools, 16; value of property, $195,435 ; total attendance, all ages, 15,717 ; total illiterates, 9195, of whom 7942 were of foreign birth. Hampshire County. — Number of public schools, 209 ;■ valua- tion of property, $383,039 ; number of private schools, 31 ; value of property, $763,515; total attendance, all ages, 8789; total illiterates, 2288, of whom 1998 were foreign-born. Libraries. — The number of public libraries, volumes, HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. Ill voarly oirculiitioii, and value (if buiklinns in the three cminties wa-s as follows : Fraiik/m Counly. — Nnniherof libraries, 10; volumes, IT), 824; yearly cireulation, 56,907; value of library liuildings, $8000. lianipden Cininly. — Number of libraries, 5; number of vol- umes, 14,350; circulation, 20,(356; value of buildings, $2500. Hampshire Ciiiiniy. — Number of libraries, 8; number of volumes, 25,256 ; circulation, 77,435 ; value of buildings, $80,000. Of public and private school libraries, Franklin County had 1, with a circulation of 1050; Hampden County 6, with a circulation of 2783 ; and Hampshire 2, with a nominal circu- lation. Of scientific and artistic libraries, there were 1 in Franklin, with 120 volumes; 1 in Hampden, with 7700 volumes; and 1 in Hampshire, with 1800 volumes. Of association libraries, Franklin had 6, containing 12,330 volumes ; Hampden 5, containing about 40,000 volumes ; and Hampshire 4, with 3716 volumes. Hampden also had 5 private circulating libraries, containing 3705 volumes. Hampshire County also had 1 college librarv', with 30,406 volumes, with an endowment fund of $33, (XK), and value of library buildings, $10,000. CHAPTER XXIV. VALLEY AND COUNTY AGRICULTUKAL ASSOCI- ATIONS-HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND HAMP- DEN AGRICULTUKAL SOCIETY.* HAMPSHIRE, FRANKLIN, AND HAMPDEN AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. Thi.s society was organized on the 22d of January, 1818, and included the territory of the three river-counties. The officers chosen at thi.s meeting, which was held in North- ampton and very largely attended, were Hon. Joseph Lyman, President; Josiah Dwight, Secretary; and J. D. Whitney, Treasurer. Committees upon Agriculture, Domestic Animals, and Manufactures were appointed, and the sum of one hundred dollars was subscribed for contingent expenses. The act incorporating the society was passed in February, 1818, and the first meeting subsequently was held on the 5th of May following, at the court-house in Northampton, at which time the organization was completed. Measures were also taken to provide for a cattle-show, which was appointed for the 14th and 15th of October following. The premium- list included an aggregate of two hundred and seventy-two dollars and fifty cents, which was to be paid in silver-plate. About the year 1835 great interest began to be manifested in the cultivation of the Chinese mulberry-plant, and the manu- facture of domestic silk therefrom ; but, from climatic and other causes, the attempts to make it a profitable industry were within a few years abandoned. At the annual exhibition of 1847 there was a display of three hundred head of horned cattle, many of them imported, and the fair was a marked success. At this exhibition there was also a remarkable display of fina blooded horses, there being ninety-six entered, many of them of the justly-celebrated Justin Morgan breed. The first noted horse of this fine breed was the "Justin Morgan" which was raised in "Western Massachu.set.ts, and taken to the State of Vermont in 1798, and from whom nearly all the fine stock of the Green Moun- tain State has descended. At the fair of 1847 were also present one hundred and seventy-two yokes of working-oxen. There was in addition * For accounts of Bevcral minor societies in various parts of tbe tliree coun- ties, not Iierein mentioned, see history of tbe respective towns where tlieir grounds or heaijquarters are located. kinds of fruit, — apples, pears. a fair display of various peaches, and grapes. In 1857 there were one hundred and fifty horses on exliibi- tion, — a greater number than ever before, — and the "show of fruit was magnificent." From the date of its organization down to the year 1857 the annual exhibitions of the society were held on Main Street, at the head of King Street, in Northampton, and on the common near the cemetery, and the town-hall was used for the display of domestic manufactures. In 1856 the society purchased fourteen acres and sixty square rods of land on North Street, at one hundred and seventy-five dollars per acre, which was inclosed with a sub- stantial fence, and a trotting-course, half a mile in length, laid out and made ready for use. The necessary sheds and buildings were erected and fitted up, and the whole amount expended was four thousand and four dollars and sixty-one cents. For a number of years following the exhibitions of stock were held on this ground, while the domestic manufactures were displayed in the town-hall. In 1861 the society voted to erect a hall on the grounds, so that every part of the ex- hibition could be together ; and a suitable building, costing two thousand two hundred dollars, was completed the follow- ing year. Since that time the exhibitions have been emi- nently successful. In the year 1872 two additional acres of land adjoining the grounds on the north were purchased ; the track was lengthened and graded anew, the hall moved to a better location in the northwest corner of the lot, the cattle-sheds and pens removed and rebuilt, and everything put in excel- lent order. The cattle-sheds are suflScient to accommodate about 80 head under cover, and the grounds have been re- cently supplied with abundance of water from the town aque- duct. In 1874 the experiment was tried of holding the fair during three consecutive days, which proved very successful, and has been continued. The ])remiums paid in 1875 amounted to about $1200. The following list shows the names of those who have been presidents and secretaries of the society, and the date of their election from its formation to the present : Presidents. — Hon. Joseph Lyman, elected 1818; Hon. I. C. Bates, elected 1826; Hon. Mark Doolittle, elected 1830; Joseph G. Coggswell, Esq., elected 1833; Hon. Samuel La- throp, elected 1835; Hon. I. C. Bates, elected 1840; Hon. Ed- ward Dickinson, elected 1841; Wells Lathrop, Esq., elected 1845 ; President Hitchcock, elected 1847 ; Hon. William Clark, elected 1849; Paoli Lathrop, Esq., elected 1852; Hon. Elisha Edwards, elected 1857 ; T. G. Huntington, Esq., elected 18-59; Henry S. Porter, Esq., elected 1863; Milo J. Smith, Esq., elected 1866; Elnathan Graves, E,sq., elected 1870; A. P. Peck, elected 1872; A. T. Judd, elected 1873; J. H. Stebbins, elected 1874 ; J. H. Deraond, elected 1877 ; H. C. Haskell, elected 1879. Secretaries. — Jona. H. Lyman, chosen 1818 ; Joseph Strong, 1821; Daniel Stebbins, 1823; Harvey Kirkland, 1840; S. L. Hinckley, 1847; W. O. Gorham, 1850; Benj. Barrett, 1854; John W. Wilson, 1855; Horace J. Hodges, 18-56; H. K. Starkweather, 1859 ; A. Perry Peek, 1865; L. C. Ferry, 1872. Addresses have been delivered at the annual cattle-show and fairs of the Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden Agri- cultural Society as follows: 1818, Noah Webster, LL.D. ; 1819, Hon. Joseph Lyman ; 1820, Hon. Jonathan A. Lyman ; 1821, Hon. Epaphras Hoyt ; 1822, Hon. John Mills; 1823, Hon. I. C. Bates; 1824, Hon. George Grennell ; 1825, Hon. W. B. Calhoun; 1826, Hon. Mark Doolittle; 1827, President Hitchcock ; 1828, Patrick Boies, Esq. ; 1829, Festus Foster, Esq. ; 18-30, Hon. Samuel C. Allen ; 1831, Hon. Sam'l F. Dick- inson ; 1832, Hon. Myron Lawrence ; 18.33, Rev. Henry Cole- 112 HISTOllY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. man; 1834, Hon. Samuel Lathrop ; 1835, Rev. Jolin Todd; 1836, Hon. George T. Davis; 1837, Hon. Osmyn Baker; 1838, Rev. Henry Coleman; 18.39, Hon. W. W. Bates; 1840, Rev. Henry Coleman; 1841, Prof. W. C. Fowler; 1842, Rev. John Todd ; 1843, Hon. Charles Hudson ; 1844, Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jr. ; 184.5, President Hitchcock ; 1846, John S. Skinner, E.sq. ; 1847, Prof. Chas. U. Shepard ; 1848, Prof. John P. Norton; 1849, Prof. John P. Norton; 18.50, Dr. Daniel Lee; 1851, Dr. Daniel Lee; 18.52, John S. Gould, Esq.; 18.53; William S. King, E.sq. ; 18.54, Prof. J. A. Nash ; 1855, Solon Robinson, Esq. ; 1857, Hon. A. H. Bul- lock ; 18.58, George B. Loring, M.D. ; 1859, Hon. Josiah Quincy, Jr. ; 18K0, B. Perley Poore, Esq. ; 1861, William G. Goldtiiwaite; 1862, Rev. F. D. Huntington; 1863, Judge Thomas Russell ; 1864, Hon. Darwin E. Ware ; 1865, Hon. Daniel Needham ; 1866, Charles L. Flint, Esq. ; 1867, Hon. Daniel Needham; 18(;8, Hon. Charles Delano; 1870, Rich- ard Goodman, Esq.; 1871, Prof P. A. Chadbourne ; 1872, Rev. Dr. Seelye ; 1873, Prof Parker; 1874, H. M. Burt. HAMPDEN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. About the year 1843 the project of establishing a cattle- show or fair for the benefit of the agricultural interests of Hampden County was discussed by some of the leading farm- ers in the central portions of the county, which procedure eventuated in a petition to the Legislature for a chartered or- gaization. The petition was granted, and on the 5th of March, 1844, a charter was granted for the " Hampden County Agri- cultural Society," of which the following is a copy : " Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court a«seniblcd, and by the authority of tlie same, — " Sec. I. — AVilliam B. Calhoun, Forbes Kyle, D. W. AVillard, and their associates and successors, are hereby made a corporation, by the name of the Hampden County Afjricultural Society, for the encouragement of AgriL-ulture and the Mechanic Arts in the County of Hampden, by premiums and other means. "Sec. II. — And said corporation may hold and manage real estate not exceed- ing in value fifteen thousand ilollai-s, and pei-sonal estate not e.xceeding a like sum, for the puqjose aforesaid." The first meeting under the charter was convened at the call of the president, Hon. William B. Calhoun, on the 9th of April, 1844. It was numerously attended by people from all parts of the county. A constitution was adopted, of which the following are some of the provisions : "Any male may become a member of this society by pay- ing into its treasury the sum of five dollars, and any female by paying the sum of two dollars and fifty cents. " The annual meeting shall be held on the third Wednes- day in December of each year, for the election of officers, etc. " All animals, to be entitled to premiums, must have been owned or kept for three months previous to the annual ex- hibition within the county." At the first election the following were the officers chosen : Hon. William B. Calhoun, President; thirteen Vice-Presi- dents ; James R. Crooks, Treasurer ; D. M. Bryant, Secretary. At a meeting held in June, 1844, it was determined to hold the first cattle-show and fair in the city of Springfield, on the Kith and ITlh days of October, 1844; proridcd, the citizens of Springfield should before that time contribute six hundred dollars to the society's funds. The fair was held at the appointed time, and was considered a great success. There was a large attendance, and an attract- ive display of stock. The premiums paid at this exhibition amounted to a total of $269. In 18.52 the amount paid in premiums had risen to ,?48.5. In 1855 the society numbered over 500 members, and had accu- mulated a permanent fund of Ji4860. The society has had a total membership of about 1000, which have been distributed among the various towns of the county as follows: Agawam, 21 members; Blandford, 2; Brimfield, 1 ; Chicopec, 88 ; Chester, 5; Granville, 1 ; Hnlyoke, 16; Long- meadow, 33 ; East Lters have been compiled largely from the addresses of Hon. George Blis.s, IS-iO, Hon William G. Bates, 1S74, and Hon. Whiting Gris- wold, lS7:i. supplemented with such additiiuis as we have been able to make from information gathered from various authentic sources. First and the elder Charles, had no charms for the Puritans in general, or the emigrants to this country in particular, " An extensive examination of the earliest records of the colonies of Plj-mouth and Massachusetts has induced me to believe that our ancestors were not so ignorant of the princi- ples upon which justice had been administered in the mother- country as some have asserted. But it has also abundantly satisfied me that they were either in a great degree ignorant of the forms of legal proceedings, or considered them of very little importance, " During our first period but little can be said of the repu- tation of the lawyers or of their practice," The first administrator of justice, and the first person who had any knowledge of the law in the Agawam colony, was its first magistrate and principal business-man, William Pynchon, Mr. Pynchon was one of the original patentees of the Massachu.setts colony, and also a magistrate; and when the General Court granted him and his associates permission to emigrate to the Connecticut Valley, it also constituted him the magistrate of the new colony, J Early in the year 1639, at a "full town-meeting" held at Agawam, a voluntary association was formed, and the people gave Mr, Pynchon formal authority to continue until the General Court should provide fur them. This movement was in consequence of the establishment of the line between Mas- sachusetts and Connecticut in 1638, which left the Hartford colony within the jurisdiction of the latter State. The legis- lative proceedings of the Connecticut Valley had been for a number of years held at Hartford, and Agawam was repre- sented in that court. In 1641 the General Court of Massachusetts took cogni- zance of the matter, "and Pynchon was authorized to exer- cise an extensive civil and criminal jurisdiction." The right of appeal to the Court of Assistants, at Boston, was granted in difficult and weighty cases, Mr, Pynchon continued to exercise this jurisdiction down to the year 1650,^ at which date he was suspended from his office in consequence of the publication of a theological pam- phlet by him, which was adjudged as heterodox. His son-in-law, Henry Smith, was appointed in his place, but both he and Mr. Pynchon .soon after returned to England, In 1652 a joint commission was given to three persons, of whom John Pynchon was one, having similar powers before possessed by the single magistrate. In 1658 authority was given to the commissioners of Springfield and Northampton, united, to hold courts alter- nately at those ])laces ; and by the same authority the right of appeal was granted to the County Court at Boston, instead of to the Court of Assistants, This arrangement continued until the erection of Hampshire Count}', in March, 1662, There would seem to have been very little respect shown to the lawyers of those days, and the business of the profession was anything but a lucrative one. An ordinance passed by the General Court in 1663 shows the estimation in which the profession was held in the early days and tlie manifest determination to keep it in the back- ground. It prohibits every person " who is a usual and com- mon aHorney in any inferior court" from being admitted to sit as a deputy in the General Court, and the regulation con- tinued in force until the expiration of that charter. According to Mr, Bliss, the earliest record of attorneys admitted to practice in Hampshire County bears date Sep- tember, 1686, The parties were .lohn King, of Northampton, and Samuel Marshficld and Jm thence his descendants emigrated to America. The tirst of the name who settled in the town of Blandford was David, who had four sons ; but to which branch of this family Patrick belonged we have not been able to ascertain. He graduated at Williams College, and read law with his uncle, John Phelps, of West Granville, and was admitted to practice in 1815. He opened an office in Granville, where he succeeded to the legal business of Mr. Phelps, who had been elected sheritl' of Hampden County. Granville, in those days, was a pros- perous and thriving town, and his business grew to important proportions. He became one of the most prominent attorneys of the county, and attended arbitrations and references in the western part of the county and in Southern Berkshire. His competitors in that region were Sheldon, of New Marlboro' ; Filley, of Otis ; Twining, of Sandisfleld ; Mills, of South- wick ; Cooley, of Granville ; Kno.x, of Blandford ; and some- times the more renowned and dignified Lathrop, of West Springfield. Mr. Bates speaks of Mr. Boise as an impulsive man, easily e.vcited, having great command of language, and possessing a wonderful power of invective whenever sharp practice in the opposite counsel rendered its use, in his estimation, necessary. He was perfectly at home in country trials and arbitrations, which allowed his peculiar powers a freer scope than would be admissible before a graver tribunal. At the expiration of the term of Justin Wilson as sherifi" of the county, in 18.53, Mr. Boise was appointed to the otBce, which jiosition he filled for two years with signal ability and discretion. He was a member of both the House of Repre- sentatives and the Senate in the Legislature of the State, and bore an unblemished reputation through all his public career. In 1830, when business began to withdraw from the outlying towns toward the commercial and manufacturing centres, he removed to Westfield, where he remained until his decease, in 18.59. He had an exhaustless store of wit and could on occasion make use of the most brilliant repartee, and his control of the risibilities of an audience was most remarkable. William Blaik. — This gentleman was a native of Bland- ford and a direct descendant of David Blair, who, with his family of twelve children, emigrated to America and settled in Worcester, Mass., about the year 1720. Matthew, the eldest son of David, removed from thence, and was among the earliest settlers of Blandford. Robert, a brother of Matthew and father of William, also removed to Blandford at an early date. William was admitted to the Bar in 1813, and soon after settled in Westfield. He is spoken of as a young man of ability, industrious and painstaking, thorough in all his under- takings, and a man of great promise. But he unfortunately contracted a habit which insidiously destroyed his brilliant capabilities and clouded, in the very noon of his influence and promise, the usefulness which might have placed him in the foremost position among his compeers. He had a fine sense of personal honor, and was most scrupulous in the discharge of his duties towai'd others. At his death he was univer.sally pitied and respected. Hon. Justice Willard. — Justice Willard, of Springfield, was admitted to practice in 1816. Upon tbe appointment of Oliver B. Morris to the office of judge of Probate, Mr. Willard succeeded him as register of Probatp. He also represented his district in the State Senate. He was considered the ablest special pleader of his time, \yitb the exception, of Hon. George Bliss. Mr. Bates says of him: "Eloquence was not }ih forte. His manner was dry and hesitating, and he was too much given to refining and making nice distinctions to impress his views upon the jury. But ho had great fervor of character; and when once he had examined a subject, he adopted the results with his whole heart." He took an active interest in the new subject of railway in- tercommunication, and was so sanguine of the possibilities of the future that to those less demonstrative and of a soberer faith he sometimes appeared altogether too enthusiastic, though the wonderful advance in this branch of science has long since made his belief a reality. For instance, he once prophesied that during the lifetime of some in his presence a train of cars would make the trip from Springfield to Boston and return between sun and sun, — a prophecy long since fulfilled. Hon. Caleb Kice, born in 1792, was a graduate of Wil- liams College, and read law in the office of William Blair, in Westfield. He was admitted to the Bar in 1819, and settled in West Springfield. He was sherilf of Hampden county from 1831 to 1850, and, soon after his appointment, removed to Springfield. He also represented his town and county in both branches of the Legislature, and was mayor of Spring- field. To whatever office he was elevated, he brought distin- guished ability and received the approbation of his constitu- ents. Mr. Bates saysof him that " he was a good lawyer, prudent, careful, and sagacious." His death occurred in 1873, at the age of eighty-one. Charles F. Bates was a native of Granville, and gradu- ated at Williams College in 1812. He read law with his brother, Elijah Bates, of W^estfleld, and was admitted to practice in 1815. Looking around for a favorable location, he finally settled himself at Southampton, it being the only considerable village in the region not represented by a member of the legal profession. But a few years satisfied him that its quiet people were not calculated to furnish an attorney with profitable legal employment, and he threw up the business and returned to his paternal acres. But his parents were dead and all the members of his father's family had removed from the neighborhood, and even his own children eventually found new homes in the flourishing State of Ohio; and thither he followed them, and died among his kindred. Asa Olmste.^d was a native of Brimflekl, and studied law in the office of Hon. George Bliss, in Springfield. He was admitted to practice in 1819, but did not long continue, hav- ing removed at an early date to Clinton, N. Y., where he died in 1874.* Eli B. Hamilton was a native of Blandford, whi're he read law with General Knox. He was admitted to the Bar in 1815, and settled in Westfield. Mr. Bates says of him : " Nothing was wanting to his suc- cess but continued and faithful application. But this was a quality which he had not, and, in the constitution of his na- ture, he could never have : the very intensity of his tempera- ment forbade it. In size and figure he was the very embodi- ment of strength and manly grace. He was over six feet in height, erect and well proportioned, and, with no marks of obesity, his weight was two hundred and sixty-four pounds. " Mr. Hamilton was an ardent lover of natural scenery. He loved to wander over the country, and particularly into its wildest scenes. With his dog and gun or fishing-tackle, he roamed over the mountains and through the valleys, ford- ing brooks and rivers, and never changed his wet clothing when he returned, because, as he said, it exposed him to a cold. He was born with a constitution for the years of Methu.saleh, and with a strength and activity that I never saw equaled ; but exposure and irregularity told their tale, and the strong man yielded himself in the very pride of his years." Hon. James Cooley was a native of East Granville, a graduate of Williams College, and a brother of Rev. Dr. Timothy M. Cooley. He was admitted to the Bar in 1814, after having read law in the office of John Phelps, in West * See history of Wilbraham. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 125 Granville. After his admission he opened an office in his na- tive town. He was a member of the State Senate, and was a useful citizen. Hon. Gkokge Bliss, Jr., was the son of George Bliss, Sr., already mentioned in these pages. He read law in his father's office and was entered at Yale College, where he graduated in 1812 with the reputation of a scholar well educated and tittcd for the profession of the law. He was admitted in 1816, and at first settled at Monson, but soon removed to Springfield, where he formed a partnership with his father-in-law, Jona- than Dwight, Jr. Mr. Bliss attended to most of the court business and was the active member of the firm. He ac- quired a fine reputation as a tliorough, able, and careful attorney. He served in both branches of the Legislature, and was speaker of the House and president of the Senate. He was for several years connected with the Western Eailroad, and also with railroads in the West. He died in 1873, leaving an un- tarnished reputation and respected and mourned by all who knew him. Norman T. Leonard was admitted to practice in Berkshire County in 1824, and as an attorney of the Supreme Court in 1827. He was for some years a resident of Feeding Hills, West Springfield, now in Agawani. He finally removed to Westfield in 1830. He was town-clerk from 1836 to 1842, and also represented Westfield in the General Court. AuGtrsTUS Collins, a native of Connecticut, was admitted to practice in Berkshire County, and afterward settled in Westfield, where he died at the age of sixty-two years. He was an indefatigable student and an e.\cellent ofiice lawyer. He served as the principal civil magistrate, and was remark- able for his untiring industry and the e.\treme care with which all his business was conducted. Solomon Lathkop. — Of this gentleman we have very little information, except that he was admitted in 1816 and resided in West Springfield. Mr. Bates says his business was never extensive, and thinks he emigrated to the West. Samuel Johnson. — Mr. Johnson appears to have been ad- mitted to practice in the old county of Hampshire before its subdivision in 1811-12. In early years he practiced in Ches- ter village, now in the town of Huntington, Hampshire Co. He is described as being a large and fine-looking man, of dignified carriage and formal and stately address, but exceed- ingly eccentric in all his ways. His business was not exten- sive, and he devoted much of his time to the study of history and the knowledge to be obtained from the town-libraries. "He was a standing Fourth-of-July and eighth-of-January orator," and was always ready for great or small occasions, as the case might be. He married an estimable woman somewhat late in life and removed to the West, where he is said to have established a reputation as an able advocate. William Kniqiit. — For notice of this gentleman, see his- tory of the town of Wilbraham, in this work. Alfred Stearns was a native of Hardwick, Worcester County. He was connected with the Westfield Academy for several years as usher, and finalU' as preceptor. He read law with Elijah Bates, of Westfield, and was admitted to practice in 1820. He was for a few years a partner of Mr. Bates. He afterward removed to Illinois, where he died. John Hooker, Jr., was the son of Hon. John Hooker, the second judge of Probate for Hampden County.* He was ad- mitted in 1813, but seems to have never opened an office and seldom appeared in court, being mostly engaged in business outside of, and foreign to, his profession. JosiAH Hooker was a younger brother of the last-named, and was admitted in 1829. He is remembered as an excellent * Mr, Bates in his adtlress states that Mr. Hoolcer wajs the/rs( judge of Prn hato, but the records give tlie uamc of Saml. Fowler, of Westfield. Uiw-yer and valuable citizen, fair and impartial in all his deal- ings, and so thorough and efficient as to be frequently called upon to act as arbitrator, referee, and auditor, in which po- sitions he always sustained the highest reputation. Erasmus Norcro.ss was a native of Monson, and was ad- mitted to practice in 1823. He opened an office in his native town, and practiced for a brief period. His business was not extensive, and he was never a prominent member of the pro- fession. John B. Cooley was admitted to the Bar in 1818, f and settled in Brimfield. He removed to the State of New York in 1831, but, according to Mr. Bates' statement, has returned to Massachusetts within a few years. He is described as an able man, full of wit and humor, but not altogether given to laborious study or steady practice. Richard D. Morris, a brother of Hon. O. B. Morris, was born in Springfield, Mass., in August, 1797. He was admit- ted to the Bar in 1822, and was for a time a law-partner with his brother. Upon the organization of the Western Railway Company he was employed to settle the damages consequent upon ob- taining the right of way and in attending to other necessary business for the corporation. Upon accepting his position he gave up his regular professional business, and devoted himself exclusively to the interests of the railway company. He was also a representative in the General Court from his native town. He died in 1870, at the age of seventy-three years. William Bliss was admitted to the Bar in 1822, and began practice in the then village of Springfield, where he formed a partnership with Mr. Justice Willard. His health failing, Mr. Bliss was compelled to abandon practice, and accepted the office of county commissioner, in the hope that out-door ex- ercise and a purer air would restore his wasted energies ; but in vain. His death soon followed, and the community lost a valuable citizen and a man of much promi.se in his profession. Hon. William B. Calhoun. — This gentleman was prob- ably a student of Hon. George Bliss, Sr., and was admitted in 1821. Having a strong taste for political life, he did not continue practice very long. He was quite successful in the political arena, and represented his district in both branches of the Legislature. In 1828 he was chosen to the responsible office of speaker of the House, which position he filled until 1835, and in 1846-47 he was president of the Senate. He was also for many years a Representative in Congress from the Springfield district. The latter years of his life were quietly passed upon his farm. James Stebbins was born in Springfield ; studied law and practiced in Palmer for manv years. In his old age he re- moved to his native town, where he remained until his death. James W. Crooks was a native of Westfield, and a gradu- ate of Yale College in 1818. He taught in the Westfield Academy for several years, and also in Springfield. He sub- sequently read law in the office of Hon. George Bliss, and was admitted to practice in 1824. He opened an office on the "Hill," in Springfield, and for some years had a large and lucrative business. His death occurred in 18C7. Francis B. Stebbins was born in Granville. He studied law and was admitted to the Bar in 1820, after which he set- tled in Brimfield, where he opened an office and became a skillful and quite prominent member of the profession. He eventually removed to the State of New York, where he engaged in commercial business, giving up the practice of law. His wife was the sister of Hon. Thomas H. Bond, of New Haven, Conn. His death took place some j^ears ago. Matthew Ives, Jr., studied law with William Blair, of Westfield, and was admitted as an attorney of the Common Pleas Court in 1827, but never engaged in practice. He was t Mr. Bates says in 1822. 126 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. a member of both branches of the State Legislature, and also held the office of postmaster under President Jackson. Francis Dwight was a student at the law-school of Judge Howe, at Northampton, and was admitted to the Bar in 1830. He soon after removed to the State of New York, where he engaged in the cause of education, and died, after a short but useful life, in the flower of his days. Joseph D. Huntington. — Mr. Huntington studied law with Augustus Collins, of Westfield, and was admitted in 1831, but never practiced in Hampden County. He removed to Lancaster, Mass., where he died. George B. Morris, son of Hon. 0. B. Morris, and brother of Judge Henry Morris, was born in Springtield, Nov. 12, 1818. He graduated at Amherst College in 1837, and read law in the oifice of his brother. On the resignation of Richard Bliss as clerk of the courts in 1852, he was appointed to the posi- tion, and continued to fulfill its duties in a most faithful and thorough manner until the time of his death, July 7, 1872. He was universally respected by the members of the Bar, who were greatly attached to him for his gentlemanly man- ners and social habits. His long term (over twenty years) in the clerk's office leaves honorable testimony to his popularity as a citizen and public officer. Henry Vose was admitted in 1841, and practiced for a few years in Springfield. When the Superior Court was substi- tuted for the old Court of Common Pleas, he was appointed one of the justices; which office he held until his death, in 1809. Mr. Vo.se was a native of Norfolk Co., Mass., and graduated at Harvard, in 1839.* Erasmus U. Beach was a native of Sandisfield and a nephew of Hon. John Mills, of Southwick, and a student in his office. He was admitted to practice in 1833, and located in Springfield, where he had a very extensive business. He had at various times as partners James W. Crooks, William G. Bates, Edward B. Gillett, and Ephraim W. Bond. He was a courteous gentleman, and always exercised a strong influence over a jury. Lorenzo Norton was a student in the office of Messrs. Chapman & Ashmun, and was admitted to practice in 1843. He subsequently formed a partnership with the above flrm, which continued until his death, about 1850. Mr. Bates speaks of him as a " diligent and faithful lawyer." Hon. Edward Dickinson was born in the year 1803, and graduated at Yale College in 1823, in the "class with Hon. George Ashmun, with whom he was a room-mate and a life- long friend." He was a diligent and untiring student, of excellent habits, and at college took a high rank among his compeers. He early exhibited those distinguishing traits which marked his subsequent career. He formed his opinions upon careful examination, and was ever after decided in expressing them. His independence of character, while it possibly stood in the way of his advancement, detracted nothing from the high es- timation in which he was held by the people. In his later years he was elected to the House of Representatives, where he died suddenly, on the same day in which he had been en- gaged upon an important question then before the House. Amos W. Stockwell was a graduate of Amherst College in 1833. He read law at the school of the Harvard University, and was also a student in the office of Hon. Isaac Davis, in the city of Worcester, and was for a short time a partner with him. Subsequently he removed to Chicopee, and became a promi- nent practitioner at the Hampden Bar. His health at length became too delicate to withstand the labors of his profession, and he finally died in 1853, regretted and respected both as a member of the legal profession and as a useful citizen. Hon. Reuben Atwater Chapman. — This distinguished * See Bar of Franklin County. citizen was born in Russell, Hampden Co., Sept. 20, 1801. His parents being in ordinary circumstances, his means of ed- ucation were limited to the facilities aft'orded bj' the common district school, which was open only a few months during the year. His home was in a sequestered portion of the country, and he labored, when not at school, upon the farm of his father. Books were exceedingly scarce, but young Chapman made such good use of his opportunities that when he became of proper age his services were in demand as a teacher, and at the early age of seventeen years he taught a district school in the neighboring town of Montgomery. 'Soon after, he was em- ployed as a clerk in a store at Blandford. It was during his stay at this place that he first distinguished himself as a de- bater in a lyceum, or debating-school, which the j'ouug men of the place had established. He subsequently entered the office of Gen. Alan.son Knox, of Blandford, as a law-student. During his course of study he was accustomed to attend justices' trials in the neighbor- hood as a practitioner, and even before his admission to the Bar had some considerable reputation. He was admitted in 1825 at the Court of Common Pleas, and immediately opened an office in Westfield ; but owing to the fact that there were already more attorneys in the place than were needed, his success was not flattering. In 1827 he removed to Monson, and again, in 1829, changed his residence to the more thriving town of Ware. There he was regarded as an intruder, and rivalry soon ripened into controver.sy, during which he won an enviable reputation and distanced his competitors. In 1830, when his reputation was well established, he was oftered a partnership by Hon. George Ashmun, of Springfield, which he accepted, and removed thither the same year, when the firm of Chapman & Ashmun was formed. Subsequently, Mr. Lorenzo Norton was admitted, and continued a member of the firm until his death. In 1850 the firm was dissolved, and Mr. Chapman continued the business for some time alone. In 1854, Mr. Franklin Chamberlain became his partner, and this relation continued until Mr. Chapman was appointed a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, in 18tj0, when he re- moved to Hartford, Conn. Upon the retirement of Chief- Justice Bigelow, in February, 1868, Mr. Chapman was ap- pointed to succeed him, and held the position till his death, June 28, 1873. Chief-Justice Chapman ranked high even among the dis- tinguished men who preceded him upon the Bench, among whom were Shaw, Parsons, and Parker, — men whose charac- ters and abilities are recognized wherever the English tongue is understood. He rose by his own exertions from an obscure origin, and, through difficulties wellnigh insurmountable, to one of the most responsible and honorable positions in the commonwealth. It is related of him that in the intervals of his daily routine of duties after he commenced practice, he acquired a thorough knowledge of the Latin language and was a constant reader of the classics. He also successfully cultivated a knowledge of the French and German languages. He gave considerable attention to the natural sciences and entered into many discussions, in which he bore himself with credit and ability. He was an able and impartial administra- tive officer, and possessed the faculty of expediting business in a remarkable degree. Hon. George Ashmun. — This distinguished citizen was the son of Hon. Eli P. Ashmun and a brother of the late Prof John Hooker Ashmun, of Northampton. He graduated from Yale College in 1823, and was a student in the office of his brotlier at Northampton, where he was admitted to the Bar of Hampshire County in 1830 as counselor. He first opened an office at Enfield, Hampshire Co., but after a few years removed to Springfield and entered into a law-partner- ship with Reuben A. Chapman, which continued for many years. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 127 Mr. Ashmun filled many important positions in the gift of the people. He was a member of the State Legislature and speaker of. the House of Kepresentatives, and bore a distin- guished part in its deliberations. He also represented his dis- trict in Congress. He was well known as a leader of th"e Bar, but his official positions interfered .somewhat with the practice of his profession, though he continued it during the intervals in his public life, and always commanded the respect and con- fidence of his brethren of the Bar, as well as of the community generally. He died in Springfield in 1870. An.sel Phelps, Jr., was born in Greenfield, Franklin Co., in 1815, and was a student in the office of Wells, Alvord & Davis at Greenfield, where he was admitted to the Bar in 1840. He at first settled in Ware, Hampshire Co., where he con- tinued practice until 1846, when he removed to Springfield and accepted the position of attorney and legal adviser of the Western Eailroad Company. In that capacity he attended to its business in the courts, and also before the Legislature. He was a member of both branches of the Legislature, and was always distinguished for his activity, intelligence, and ener- getic business-habits. He also filled the office of mayor of the city of Springfield from 18-56 to 18.59, in which capacity he fulfilled the highest expectations of his constituents. His death took place in 1800, at the age of forty-five. Hon. John Wklls. — This prominent advocate and jurist ■was born in Eowe, Franklin Co. He was a graduate of W^illiams College, and attended the law-school of Harvard University, where he laid the founda- tion for his future eminence imder the tutelage of Story and Greenleaf. It is believed that he never practiced as a local attorney in his native county, but opened an office first in Chicopee, Hampden Co., where he practiced for some years. During his residence at that place he held the position of judge of the Court of Probate and Insolvency from 1858 to 1863. He was also a member of the General Court. From Chicopee he removed to the sister-village of Chicopee Falls, where he continued until his appointment to the Bench of the Supreme Judicial Court in 1866, when he removed to Norfolk County. He presided in the county of Suffolk, and finally died at Salem, in Essex County, Nov. 23, 1875. At a meeting of the members of the Bar of the common- wealth, held at Boston, Dec. 4, 1875, the attorney-general made a very appropriate and feeling address, from which we take the following extracts : " I first knew him thirty-four years ago, in the law-school of the university, where, under the guidance of Story and Greenleaf, he laid the foundation of the superstructure which he subsequently reared. From that time to his death I was honored by his friendship, and have watched his progress from young manhood to middle age, and the only change noticed in him, as he advanced through the years, was a con- tinued ripening day by day. He was the same John Wells all through those j-ears, — thoughtful, conscientious, patient of labor, making all that could be made out of his opportunities, apparently ambitious only to discharge faithfully his duty in that station of life to which God had called him, and thus procure the approval of his own conscience, which he never intrusted to the keeping of others. Neither then nor since am I aware of his ever saying or doing a brilliant thing, and never, to my knowledge, was he guilty of a fooli.sh act or silly utterance ; but he moved right on with that steady, self-poised, and well-determined action which attracts no at- tention until its results are accomplished. " As a lawyer in the country village which he had selected for his home, you find him no noisy or cunning pettifogger seeking to profit in pocket or reputation by the disputes of'the people ; no stirrer-up of strife, but one who remembered that the peacemakers are blessed. " You find him the diligent student, the safe adviser, the kind neighbor, the efficient member of the parish, the active and Christian citizen, rendering cheerfully to the community every good influence, every kind act. "A few years later he is in the General Court, exerting a commanding influence as a sound, safe, and discreet legis- lator. "As judge of the Probate Court, — that most difficult office to fill, where the incumbent must be judge, counsel, and sympa- thizing friend at one and the same time, — as well as by his well-earned reputation as a lawyer, he demonstrated his men- tal, professional, and moral fitness for the duties and respon- sibilities of a judge of this the highest judicial tribunal of the State, to which he was appointed, I believe, upon the unani- mous recommendation of the Bar of W^estern Massachusetts. The wisdom of the recommendation, upon his appointment to the Bench, was conceded at once upon acquaintance by the Bar of the commonwealth, and his judicial course proved that he had no superior where all should be equals. " In his court-room every one felt that he was in a place ' appropriated to justice, to security, to restraint ; where there is no high nor low, no strong nor weak ; where will is nothing and person is nothing and members are nothing, and all are equal and all are secure before the law.' "The corner-stone upon which the reputation of Judge Wells rested as a man, a lawyer, and a judge was his Chris- tian character, vindicated by his love to God and to his neigh- bor, consistent always, forgetful never." T. Morton Dewey. — This gentlemen was born in Orford, N. H., March 16, 1812. He was the son of Abel Dewey, a farmer of the Connecticut Valley. Mr. Dewey read law with Hon. H. G. Parker, of Greenfield, and Burt and Lincoln, of Boston. He was admitted to the Supreme Judicial Court at Boston in October, 1855, commenced practice at Greenfield, Mass., in the same year, and remained until 1860, when he removed to the town of Montague and practiced four years. In 1864 he went to Westfield, where he remained until 1867, when he settled in Springfield, Mass., where he has since re- mained in the successful practice of his profession. He has filled various civil and secular offices, was a mem- ber of the superintending school committee of his native town, and also at Montague, has been a member of the city board of a.s.sessors in Springfield, and filled the office of justice of the peace for thirty-five consecutive j'ears. He is an ardent lover of music, and has taken an active part in the cultivation and promotion of that branch of a>sthetics as a teacher of vocal and instrumental music and as a mem- ber of the Boston Philharmonic Institute, of which organiza- tion he was president for a period of three years. He has also been a member of a church choir (a large share of the time as director) for a period of fifty years. In his younger days he was a student in the military school of Capt. Aldcn Partridge in Norwich, Vt., and has been familiar with the early navigation of the Connecticut River, of which he wrote up a few years ago some exceedingly read- able sketches, which will be found in this volume. He married, in 1838, Maria, daughter of Ira Kellogg, of Montague, Mass. His family consists of four sons. CHAPTER XXVIL THE BAR OF FRANKLIN COUNTY. The first lawyer credited with being a resident of Green- field, and perhaps of what now constitutes the county of Franklin, was William Coleman, who was horn in Boston in 1776, studied law at Worcester with Judge Paine, and settled in Greenfield in some of the latter years of the last cen- tury. He was always spoken of as " Lawyer Coleman," and was a man of talents and taste, enterprising and persevering. 128 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. and, as Willard has it in his history of Greenfield, " excelled in everything, even in athletic exercises ; in music, dancing, skating, hall-playing," and particularly in writing. He built what is known as the " Hollister House," importing Architect Shaw from Boston to draw the plans and superintend its erec- tion. It was built after the liberal plans of the mansions of that day, and was the linest dwelling for years in this part of the county. It is still a roomy and well-preserved building. It was erected previous to 1800. Mr. Willard says he did not complete it, however. He subsequently embarked in land speculation in Virginia, which resulted disastrously. Abovit 1800 he went to New York, where he became famous as a Federal politician and editor of the Ifcio 1'orl; Erenhig Post, the first number of which was issued Nov. 19, 1801, and which boasted among its con- tributors the gifted statesman Alexander Hamilton. It is stated by Mr. Willard that he was also the law-partner of Aaron Burr. From the founding of the Post he was principal editor for a period of nearly twenty years, and was connected with it until his death. William Cullen Bryant succeeded him, and was also junior editor in connection with him. He was appointed in New York clerk of the city court, at a salary of three thousand dollars. " He was also a reporter of decisions, and published a volume of reports which bears his name." He was thrown from his carriage in 1829 and severely injured, and died from a combination of his injuries and other diiHculties, at his dwelling in Hudson Street, New York, July 13, 1829, at the age of fifty-three years. During his residence in Greenfield he planted a number of the beautiful elms which still adorn and beautify its pleasant streets. Jonathan Leavitt was a son of Eev. Jonathan Lcavitt, of Heath, Franklin Co., Mass. He graduated at Yale College in 1786, studied law in New Haven, and settled in Greenfield about 1790. He was senator, judge of Probate from 1814 to 1821, and also judge of the Court of Common Pleas. His wife was the daughter of President Stiles, of Yale College. The imposing mansion still standing east of the Mansion- House block was erected by him, probably in the early part of the present century. It is sometimes also known as the " Hovey Mansion." In this elegant and substantial dwelling he lived until his death, which occurred in 1830, at the age of sixty-six years. He had the reputation of being a close student and a good lawyer, and previous to his appointment to the Bench had a very extensive and lucrative practice. Kichard English Newcomb was a son of Hezekiah New- comb, of Bernardston. He was born in Lebanon, Conn., in 1770, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1793. He studied law with William Coleman, and was admitted to practice in 179G. He was a representative to the General Court, county attorney, and judge of Probate. " He was an able lawyer and a powerful advocate when in his prime, and had an extensive practice. He was a gentleman of the old school, of vigorous constitution and strong will, courageous and firm, but gentlemanly and courteous in all his intercourse with society." At the dedication of the second court-house in 1849 he was present, though in feeble health, and spoke at considerable length in a powerful and feeling manner. He died in 1840, aged seventy-nine years. He was stately and dignified in his appearance even to his last days. Horatio Gates Newoomb was the son of Hezekiah New- comb, of Bernardston, Mass., and brother of Judge Newcomb. He was born Sept. 27, 1785; studied law with John Barrett, of Northfield, and with his brother in Greenfield, and was ad- mitted to the Bar in 1813. His first practice, for short periods, was in Winchondon and Northfield, Mass. Ho settled in Greenfield about the year 1827 as a law-jiartner of his brother, and continued a succe.ssful practice until his death. The hon- orary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by Williams College. He was a member of the Legislature, master in Chancery under the insolvency law of 1838, and judge of the Insolvency Court under the revised constitution for a short time before his death. He was twice married. His first wife was Maria Pratt, of Winchester, N. H., by whom he had' one daughter. He married for his second wife, about 1821, Elmira Wells, of Deerfield, Mass., by whom he had five children, — two sons and three daughters. Of the six children, one son is now living in California, one daughter in Boston, one in Chicago, and two in Greenfield. Mr. Griswold, in his address, when speaking of Mr. New- comb, uses the following language : " He was employed much in the settlement of estates and in probate business ; was a good lawyer and counselor, and always advised to that course which was for the interest of his client, not his own. He took a deep interest in local and public questions. He was kind and sympathizing, and if he was not one of the greatest, he was, what is of much more value, one of the best, of men." His death occurred in Greenfield, Sept. 18, 1857, at the age of seventy-two years. Samuel Clesson Allen, son of Joseph Allen, of Ber- nardston, graduated at Dartmouth in 1794, and settled in the ministry at Northfield, Mass., in the following year ; but the calling seems not to have been congenial, and we find him ad- mitted to practice law, after studying with John Barrett, of Northfield, about the year 1800. He then settled in New Salem, Mass., and remained until about 1822, when he re- moved to Greenfield, locating himself on a farm on the banks of the Connecticut Kiver, where "he pursued agriculture, practiced law, prosecuted his political and literary studies, and reared a family of children." Three of his sons were eminent lawyers, two of them mem- bers of Congress from Maine, and one, Elisha H. Allen, chancellor and chief-justice of the Sandwich Islands. Another son, Samuel C. Allen, was for many years repre- sentative from Northfield to the Legislature, — an able states- man, a prominent farmer, an indefatigable advocate of tem- perance, and subsequently postmaster at East Boston. The elder Allen was State senator, county attorney, and member of Congress for this district from 181H to 1828. " He was an accomplished scholar, and a statesman of high national reputation." Elijah Alvord, son of Caleb Alvord, studied law with Judge Newcomb, and was admitted to practice in 1802. His residence, excepting the years from 1805 to 1809, during which he was at Greenwich, was at Greenfield. The hono- rary degree of A.M. was conferred upon him by Dartmouth and Williams Colleges. He was a member of the Constitu- tutional Convention in 1820. He was clerk of the courts, register of Probate, and representative to the General Court, and in every position sustained the reputation of a " capable, courteous, and faithful public officer." In connection with Judges Leavitt, Newcomb, and Grin- iiell, he exercised a strong influence on the questions connected with the establishment of Franklin County, the location of the county-seat, and the erection of the public buildings. James C. Alvord was the son of Elijah Alvord, and was born in 1808. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1827, studied law with his uncle, Daniel Wells, and at the law-school at New Haven, Conn., and was admitted to practice in 1830. He was elected to both branches of the State Legislature, was one of the commissioners to codify the criminal laws of Massachusetts, and was the author of the article on homicide and assault, — one of the ablest included in the report of the commission. He was elected to Congress in 1838, but never took his seat, in consequence of his death, in 1839. Mr. Gris- wold pays him a high tribute in the following passage : " He gave early promise of great eminence in his ])rofession and in public life. What others worked long to achieve he seemed to grasp by intuition. Law was the idol of his love, HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 129 the field of his greatest ambition. It was the shrine nt wliieh he worshiped. He loved it a.s a science, he loved it in prac- tice, and to it he devoted his days and niglits without cessa- tion. As a lawyer and advocate at the time of hi.s death, though but thirty-one years old, he had but few equals, and no superior, at this or any other Bar." D. W. Alvord, son of Elijah Alvurd, was born in 1,S17. He graduated at Union College, S<'henectady, N. Y., in 1838, subsequently studied law with Wells, Alvord & Davis, and was admitted to the Bar in 1841. He was a member of the State Senate, and of the Constitu- tional Convention of 1853, and district-attorney and collector of internal revenue for this district. The early training of his father and his experience with his uncle, Daniel Wells, his brother, James C. Alvord, and George T. Davis, all able law- yers and accomplished men, was invaluable, and he profited from it largely. He died in Virginia, in 1871, at the age of fifty-four years. Had he lived to the ordinary age and devoted himself ex- clusively to his profession, he would undoubtedly have taken the foremost rank. RoDOLPiius Dickinson was the son of Col. T. W. Dickin- son, of Deerfield, and graduated at Yale College in 180.'). He studied law with John Taylor, of Northampton, and was admitted to practice in 1808. He opened an office and prac- ticed in Springfield, Mass., until 1811, when he removed to the then new county of Franklin, and was the first clerk of its courts, from 1811 to 1819, when he changed from law to divinity, took orders in the Epi-scopal Church, and settled in South Carolina, where he was instrumental in forming the parishes of Greenville and Pendleton. Many of the distin- gui.shed men of that State were his parishioners, among tbcm being John C. Calhoun. He was a great student and quite a prolific writer, publishing several important works. He sub- sequently returned to Western Massachusetts, where he resided until his death. He took a leading part in politics with the Jefferson school, and once came very near being elected to Congress. He bore the reputation of being an accom]ilished scholar, statesman, and distinguished Christian gentleman. He died in October, 18(j2. Hon. George Grinnell was born in Greenfield, Dec. 25, 178(i. He was the son of George and Lydia Grinnell, and received his early education in the common schools of his time and at the old Deerfield Academy. He entered Dartmouth College, and graduated at the age of twenty-two years with liigh honors. Soon after, he entered the law-office of Hon. Kichard English Newcomb, and in 1811 was admitted to the Bar of old Hampshire County. He commenced practice in the new county of Franklin, which was organized the same year, and opened an office in Greenfield. He held the office of county attorney from 1820 to 1828, and from 1824 to 1827 was a member of the State Senate. In 1828 he was elected Representative to Congress from his district, his term of ser- vice commencing on the same day with the administration of Andrew Jackson, March 4, 1829. He was successively re- elected to the same position in 18.30, 1832, 1834, and 1836. During this service of ten years in Congress he was the col- league of Isaac C. Bates, John Davis, Edward Everett, Rufns Choate, George N. Briggs, and John Quincy Adams, "all of whom honored him with their friendship and confidence." He declined a re-election, and in 1839 returned to the practice of his profession as a member of the well-known and emi- nent law-firm of Grinnell & Aiken (George Grinnell and David Aiken). In 1840, Mr. Grinnell was chosen as one of the Presidential electors. In 1841 he was appointed register of Probate for Franklin County, which position he filled until 1849, when he was appointed judge of Probate, to fill the vacancy occa- sioned by the death of Hon. R. E. Newcomb. This office he resigned in 1853, and was appointed clerk of the courts of the 17 county, which office he filled, by appointment and election, until 1866, when, at the age of eighty years, he withdrew from the active duties and cares of |)ublic life. Mr. Grinnell took an active and influential part in all the enterprises tending to promote the interests of his town and county. He was one of the corporators and first president of the Troy and Greenfield Railroad Company. In connection with Hon. Whiting Griswold and others, he gave all his influ- ence to the constructing of that line of road and the great tunnel under the Hoosac Mountain, and in August, 1877, had the satisfaction of passing over the road and tlu-ough the tunnel. He took a deep interest in the cause of education, and in 1838 was chosen by the Legislature a trustee of Amherst Col- lege, on behalf of the State, in which capacity he served faithfully and efficiently for twenty-one years, when, his other duties rendering it impossible for him to attend the annual commencement exercises, he resigned the position. In 1854 the lionorary title of LL.D. was conferred upon him b\- that college. He was a worthy member of the Masonic order, uniting with it in 1813, and in 1815 was elected master of Repub- lican Lodge, in Greenfield. At the time of his death he was (with one exception) the oldest member in this vicinity. In 1817, Mr. Grinnell united with the Second Congrega- tional Church of Greenfield, and continued to the day of his death a consistent and active member. Commencing with the year 1821, he served in the capacity of deacon for fifty years. Judge Grinnell was twice married. In August, 1814, he married Helen Adele Blake, daughter of Hon. George Blake, of Boston. She died in 1818. In 1820 he married Eliza Sej'mour Perkins, daughter of Rev. Nathan Perkins, of East Amherst. The children by this union were James S. Grinnell, for a long period chief clerk in the Patent Office at Washing- ton, but who returned to Greenfield about 1876 to care for his aged parents; George B., William F., and Thomas P. Grinnell, formerly prominent brokers in New York City ; Helen, who married George Milne, member of a noted bank- ing-house in England; Harriet, the wife of Mr. McCulloch, a shipping merchant of Montreal; and Ella, wife of Maj. Thonnis W. Ripley, of Boston. Mr. Grinnell died at Green- field, on the 20th of November, 1877, in his ninety-first year. James S. Grinnell, son of Hon. George Grinnell, was born in Greenfield, on the site now occupied by the "Elm House," July 24, 1821. He gi-aduated at Amherst College in 1842, and read law in the office of Grinnell & Aiken, and also at the Cambridge law-school. He was admitted to the Bar in 1846 and opened an office in Greenfield, where he soon had a valuable office-practice and appeared in a large number of court-cases. But his tastes were greatly inclined to agricultural pursuits, and in 1862 he removed to Washington, D. C, where he had been appointed chief clerk of the Department of Agriculture, which position his previous studies and experience, as well as natural taste, had well fitted him to fill. In this capacity he remained for three years, when he was appointed chief clerk of the Patent Office, which position he held for a period of ten years. It is proper to remark that these important offices were never more ably filled in the history of the country. In 1876 he returned to his native town to look after and care for his aged parents, and upon the death of his venerable father, in 1877, became the representative of one of the most prominent and highly-respected families of the place. Since his return he has devoted his time wholly to agricultural mat- ters, except that he occasionally transacts patent-business for his personal friends ; and no man in the valley may be truth- fully said to have a greater number. He is now occupying the original farm owned and cultivated by his grandfather a hundred vears ago, and exemplifying by practical farming his knowledge in that most ancient and honorable occupation. 130 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. In the amount of labor pcrformod, and in the extent of his knowledge and influence, his position is properly at the head of the agricultural interest in Massachusetts, which position is unanimously accorded him. He is prominently connected with various agricultural organizations and leads an exceed- ingly busy life, but one pre-eminently to his tastes, and under exceedingly favorable circumstances and surroundings. He was one of the judges of the class of agricultural implements and machinery at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876, where the display probably exceeded anything before seen in any- country of the world. Mr. Grinnell is a man of fine education and excellent liter- ary attainments. His library is one of the most unique and valuable in New England, containing many rare and quaint old volumes, some of which date back in their compilation to the year 1440. Among the most interesting are "Lives of the Christian Fathers," from the imprint of Wm. Caxton, the first English printer, dating back to 1490; a beautiful illuminated prayer-book, printed and illustrated in colors by hand and of venerable age; many of the famous "black- letter" imprint, and the Bible once owned by Dr. Samuel Johnson, with his name and the date, 1780, engraved on the cover. He has a rich agricultural library, a collection of English dictionaries, numbering over one hundred and fifty varieties, two hundred and fifty volumes of Arctic explora- tions, and a most rare and complete collection cjf various edi- tions of Shakspeare's works, together with curious works upon English field-sports, volumes upon heraldry, etc. Mr. Grinnell was married on the 8th of August, 1855, to Mi.ss Anne E. Stannard, of Fredericksburg, Va., who died in May, 1857, leaving no children. His homestead occupies one of the most beautiful locations in the village of Greenfield, at the head of Main Street, commanding one of the most pleasing views to be found in New England, and surrounded by ample and well-kept grounds. Franklin Ripley, the son of Jerome Ripley, of Green- field, was born in 1789. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1809, studied law with John Barrett, of Northfield, Mass., and at Cooperstown, N. Y., and was admitted to the Bar in 1812. He practiced law at Northfield, was judge of Probate, and cashier and principal manager of the old Greenfield — since First National — Bank, of Greenfield, which position he con- tinued to hold until his death, in I860, at the age of seventy- one years. Mr. Griswold says of him : "He was a man of the strictest integrity, of great industry, and exerted a wide and salutary influence in business, in politics, and in the church." Daniel Wells was the son of Col. Daniel "Wells, of Greenfield, born Jan. 14, 1791. He graduated at Dartmouth in 1810; studied law with Elijah Alvord, and was admitted to the Bar in 1813. He was State Senator, district attorney for the four western counties of Massachusetts, and chief-justice of the Court of Common Pleas from 1844 to the time of his death, in 1854, aged sixty-four. " He was a most conscientious and pure-minded man; the kindest of husbands and fathers ; of deep moral convictions and enlarged public .spirit ; progressive in all his ideas ; an indefatigable student, able lawyer and advocate, and lor thirty years held the leading sway at the Franklin Bar."* Hon. Wiiitino Griswold. — This distinguished member of the Franklin Bar was the son of Hon. Joseph Griswold, who died in 1843 while a member of the State Senate. He was the tenth of a family of fourteen children, and was born in the town of Buckland, Nov. 12, 1814. He remained upon his father's farm, laboring with his hands and laying the foundation of a vigorous constitution, until his twentieth year, when he entered Amherst College after fitting himself * Gri8wolil*6 address, 1873. under able instructors in his own town, and graduated among the first in his class in 1838. Subsequently he established a select school in Buckland, and gained a wide reputation as a successful and popular teacher. In the spring of 1839 he commenced the study of law with the firm of Wells, Alvord & Davis, of Greenfield, with whom he remained one year, completing his legal studies in the oiBce of Messrs. Grinnell & Aiken, and in 1842 was admitted to the Bar and immediately opened an office in Greenfield, where he took an influential position in the profession, which he ever after maintained. His political career commenced as a mcniber of the Demo- cratic party, which, in 1847, elected him as Representative to the General Court, and he was re-elected in 1848 and 1849. In October, 1850, he was nominated for the State Senate by both the Democratic and Free-Soil parties, and elected by a very large majority, being the first Democratic Senator ever chosen by the electors of Franklin County. During the succeeding se.ssion of the Legislature he voted steadily for Charles Sumner for United States Senator. In 1853 he was a prominent and influential member of the Con- stitutional Convention from the town of Erving, and took a leading part in the debates of that body, ranking among the most distinguished men of the commonwealth. In 1855 he was a prominent candidate for the gubernatorial nomination of the Democratic party, and in 1856 was a member of the Democratic National Convention, which put in nomination for the Presidency James Buchanan ; he was also one of the candidates for electors-at-large on the Democratic State ticket. In the beginning of the troubles which culminated in the Rebellion he joined the Republican party, and was elected to the State Senate in 1800. During the long and bloody years of the war he stood manfully, and at all times, by the side of Governor Andrew and Charles Sumner "in defense of the rights and liberties of the American people, powerfully sus- taining the imperiled government by both tongue and pen. In 1864 he was one of the electors-at-large on the ticket with Edward Everett. In 1869 he was a third time in the State Senate, where he greatly distinguished himself by his able advocacy of woman suflTrage and other important measures. As a member of the State Senate in 1851 he exerted a power- ful influence in behalf of tlie Troy and Greenfield Railroad and in the interests of the great Hoosac tunnel. While in the Senate in the last-named year he reported a bill providing for submitting to the people the question of calling a convention for revising the State Constitution, of which convention, as previously stated, he was a member. Among minor positions he held the office of superintending school committee of his town ; was one of three commissioners appointed by Governor Briggs, in 1848, to visit the remnants of the Massachusetts Indians; one of the trustees of the Smith charities in 1849 ; and one of the State directors of the Western Railroad corporation about 1850, in all of which positions he acquitted himself with his usual ability and success. " In his domestic relations Mr. Griswold was an exemplary husband and father. He was twice married, — first in 1844, and again in 1856. His first wife was Miss Jane M. Martin- dale, of Greenfield, who died in 1852. His last was Miss Fanny L. Clark, of Bangor, Maine, who died in 1867, leaving two children," who both survived their parents. Mr. Griswold died in Greenfield, Ma.ss, on the 28th of Oc- tober, 1874, aged sixty years. Ex-Governor Emory Washburn practiced law in Frank- lin County for a short time immediately after being admitted to the Bar. He -vyas admitted in Berkshire County, March 1, 1821, and on the 3d of the same month opened an office in Charlemont, where he remained until the 18th of September in the samp year, whep he renKiyed to Leicester, his native town. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 131 Among the numerous practitioners who have been residents of Franklin County may be mentioned Pliny Arms, Jona- than A. Saxton, Aaron Arms, and Elijah Williams, of Deertield; Elijah Paine, of Ashfield ; Sylvester Max- well and Joseph P. Allen, of CharlenKmt ; John Drury and Isaac Barber, of Coleraine; Jonathan Hartwkll, of Montague; Stephen Emery, of Orange; William Bil- lings, of Conway ; Horace W. Taft and Henry Barnard, of Sunderland ; and Benjamin Brainard, of Gill. These mostly practiced during the first period of the history of Franklin County, or from 1811 to the building of the second court-house, in 1848. Hon. David Aiken, son of Phineas Aiken, a farmer of Bedford, N. H., was born in that town June 7, 1804. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1830, studied law with Wells & Alvord, of Greenfield, and commenced practice in that jdace in 1834, where he has since continued with the ex- ception of three years, from 1856 to 18.59, during which period he was judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Massachu.setts. He was a member of the State Senate in 1873-74. Judge Aiken has had numerous law-partners, among them Henry Chapman, George Grinnell, Davis & Allen, Chester C. Conant, Colonel W. S. B. Hopkins, and Charles E. Forbes, the latter of Northampton. Since 1844 he has stood at the head of the Franklin Bar. He married, in 1844, Miss Lydia W. Boot, of Greenfield, who died in 1846, leaving no chil- dren. In 1848 he married Miss Mary Elizabeth Adams, of Amherst, Mass. He has three sons and two daughters. John Adams, his eldest son, is in practice with him in Greenfield. William F. is teller in the Franklin County National Bank, and Edward E. is fitting for college at Easthampton, Mass. Hon. Almon Brainard was born in Kandolph, Orange Co., Vt., about 1803. He graduated at Hamilton College, N. Y., in 1826, and subsequently attended the military school of Captain Alden Partridge, at Middletown, Conn., for a year. He studied law with Hon. George Grinnell, of Green- field, and was admitted to practice in 1829. From 1842 until 1856 he held the oflices of register of deeds and county treas- urer, and was for many years secretary of the Franklin County Mutual Fir« Insurance Company. He was a mem- ber of the State Senate in 18.56, and at his death had held the office of trial-justice for over fourteen years. He was a man of sterling integrity and of remarkable capacity, and the amount of labor performed during a period of about forty- five years in various capacities was very great. His practice was extensive and lucrative, and at one time he had ainas.sed a very comfortable fortune. He married, in 1848, Margaret E. Langstroth, who died in 1876, leaving two sons. Mr. Brain- ard died in Greenfield, Jan. 19, 1878, of disease of the heart, aged about seventy-five j'ears. George T. Davis is a native of Barnstable Co., Mass., born Jan. 12, 1810, and a graduate of Harvard University in 1829. He studied law at Cambridge and with the firm of Wells & Alvord, of Greenfield, and was admitted to the Bar in 1832. Mr. Davis practiced his profession for many years in Greenfield, and was one of the foremost lawyers of his time. He was a member of both branches of the Legislature, once in the House and twice in the Senate, and also represented the old Connecticut River district in Congress. He subsequently removed to Portland, Maine. Mr. Griswold says of him : " In many respects he was the most striking figure in the second period. He was a keen, discriminating, able lawyer; a most charming conversation- alist and speaker ; the brightest of men, bristling with wit, fun, and raillery ; most skillful in the examination of witnesses, and extracting amusement from the dryest case. He did more than all others, at law and nisi priiis terms, to incorporate into the cold and rigid logic and routine of courts and trials some- thing of the cheerful, jolly, softer, better side of hunum na- ture ; and if he did not win verdicts from the hands, he drove dyspepsia from the bodies, of the judges, jurors, and law3'ers by the frequent convulsions of laughter which followed his inimitable wit and repartee." Mr. Davis died in Portland, June 17, 1877, and was buried in the Greenfield cemetery. Wendell T. Davis, younger brother of the preceding, was born in Sandwich, Barnstable Co., Mass., April 12, 1818. He graduated at Harvard University in 1838; studied law at Cambridge and was admitted to the Bar in 1841, in which year he entered into a law-partner.ship in Greenfield with his brother, George T. Davis, and Charles T. Devens, Jr.,* which continued for seven years. He was largely interested in real estate in and around Greenfield, laid out and opened Davis Street, and added much to the growth and beauty of the village. He was for some years subsequent to 1844 clerk and treas- urer of the Upper Locks and Canal Company, at Turner's Falls, — since the Turner's Falls Company, — and was princi- pally instrumental in the founding of that embryo city. For man_v years he was clerk and treasurer of the Troy and Green- field Railroad Company, and was Representative at the General Court for two years. He was for a long time one of the trial- justices of the county, and probably heard more cases than any other officer in the county. In 1863 he formed a partnership with Austin De Wolf, which continued for eleven years, when the firm took in Mr. F. G. Fes.senden. In 1875 he was appointed register in bankruptc}', which office he held till his death. Prom the date of this appointment he wholly retired from active law- practice. He also held the position of selectman of Green- field, was a prominent officer in the State militia, and an hon- ored member of the Masonic order. His wife died in 1874, leaving two sons and three daugh- ters, — N. Russell Davis, of Wyoming Territory, George T. Davis, lieut.-commander U. S. navy; Carrie W., Mary B., who married Hon. John Conness, of Boston, and Louisa, who married Lieut.-Commander Charles V. Clark, U. S. navj*. Mr. Davis was a man of rare natural abilities, of a pre- eminently social nature, a friend to the needy and distressed, and one who always had an encouraging word for every young man. His death occurred on the 3d of December, 1876, at the age of fifty-eight years. Col. W. S. B. Hopkins practiced law in Greenfield, as a partner of Judge Aiken, from about 1866 to 1872. This was probably the commencement of a very successful career as a practitioner. He is a son of the Rev. Erastus Hopkins, of Northampton, and a native of the Connecticut Valley. During his stay in Franklin County he achieved a good reputation as a lawyer, and is now in the successful practice of his profes- sion in the city of Worcester. He is a man of excellent natu- ral talents, cool, imperturbable, and successful as an advocate. Col. Hopkins saw arduous service during the Rebellion as lieutenant-colonel of the 31st Massachusetts Infantry, and was engaged in the Red River expedition under Banks, at the siege of Port Hudson, and in many minor movements in the Southwest. t Hon. Henry L. Dawes, the present distinguished United States Senator from Massachusetts, was for a time a resident of Franklin Count}', and for some years practiced in its courts. He was born in Cummington, Hampshire Co., Mass., — which was also the birthplace of William Cullen Bryant, — in 1816, and graduated at Yale College in 1839. After leaving college he came to Greenfield and read law in the office of Wells, Davis & Alvord, and was admitted to the Bar in 1842. He married in A.shfield, Franklin Co., and finally settled in North Ad- ams, Berkshire Co., where he was district attorney for the northwest district of Massachusetts, and this brought him often before the courts in Greenfield. He was a member of * Now attoi-ney-general of the United Suites, f Sec history of 31.st Regiment, in this volume. 132 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. the Constitutional Convention of 1853, member of both branches of the Legislature, subsequently member of Con- gress for many years, and is now a United States Senator. Hon. Charles Mattoon was born in Northfleld, Franklin Co., Juno 17, 1816. In early life he emigrated to Muscatine, Iowa, where he married and commenced the practice of the law. Subsequently he returned to Massachusetts, and took a prominent part in the local politics of Franklin County. For some years he held a position in the Boston custom-house. In June, 1853, he was appointed register of Probate and In- solvency for Franklin County and removed to Greenfield, where he continued to fulfill the duties of the office until the 13th of May, 1858, when, upon the reorganization of the courts, he was appointed judge; which oflice he held until his death, which took place on the 12th of August, 1870, at the age of fifty-four years. The fatal malady wliicli carried him oft' was pulmonary consum]>tiun. For about eleven year.s he was secretary and active manager of the Franklin County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, and also held various offices in the gift of the town and county. In all the positions occupied by him he ever bore himself as a faithful, capable, and efficient official and a popular and estimable citizen. Hon. Charle.s Devens, Jr., the present attorney-general of the United States, was for several years a resident of Frank- lin County. He was born in Charlestown, Mass., April 4, 1820; graduated at Harvard in 1838; studied law at the Cambridge law-school and with Hubbard & Watts, of Boston ; was admitted to the Bar in 1841, and opened an office, with Wendell T. Davis for a partner, in Northfleld. In 1844 he removed to Greenfield, where he became the law-partner of Geo. T. and Wendell T. Davis. He was State Senator from Franklin County in 1848 and 184f), and United States mar- shal from 184!) to 1853. In 1854 lie opened an office in Wor- cester, where he remained until 1801, a portion of the time in partnership with G. F. Hoar. He greatly distinguished him- self in the service during the war of the Rebellion, and left the army with the brevet rank of major-general of volunteers. In 1806 he resumed the practice of law at Worcester; in 1807 was appointed associate justice of the Superior Court. In October, 1873, appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court, and upon the election of President Hayes was appointed attornc}' -general of the United States. Horatio G. Parker was a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1844. He studied law at Keene, N. H., with his father, and with William Curtis Noyes, of New York, and Henry M. Parker, of Boston, and was admitted to the Bar in New York in 1847 and in Massachusetts in the following year. He settled and commenced practice in Greenfield. During his residence here he represented the town one term in the Legis- lature, and also held the office of judge of Probate. Subse- quently he removed to Boston, where he has an excellent reputation in his profession and enjoys a very large and lucra- tive practice. In 1800 he was employed to assist the commis- sioners in the revision of the statutes of the commonwealth, in which position his services were laborious and valuable. Hon. Charles Allen, son of Sylvester Allen, a prominent merchant of Greenfield, was born in that town about 1827. He graduated at Harvard College in 1847, read law with Davis & Devens and at the Cambridge law-school, and was admitted to the Bar in 18.J0. Soon after his admission he became a member of the firm of Aiken & Davis, at Greenfield, and by attention to his profession and the cultivation of excellent natural abilities soon placed himself in the foremost rank of the profession. About the year 1800 he removed to Boston and became a member of the Sutfolk Bar, and, in a wider field, has won a high reputation and distinguished Imnors. Soon after his settlement in Boston he was appointed law- reporter for the Siiprenic Court of tlie State, in which position he continued for several years, serving with unusual ability. His reports cover from ten to fifteen volumes. In the fall of 1867 he was elected to the honorable and im- portant office of attorney-general of the commonwealth, which position he filled with great acceptance for a period of four years. Since 1871 he has been in the practice of his profes- sion, a portion of the time in partnership with James C. Davis, a son of George T. Davis. Mr. Allen has never married. Jame.s C. Davis is a son of George T. Davis, and was born and educated in Greenfield and at Harvard University. He has for many years been a member of the Suffolk Bar, where, though comparatively young in years, he has taken high rank in his profession. His standing and abilities are indicated by his elevation to the position of assistant attorne^y-general of the State, the duties of which he has discharged with signal ability and in a manner to win the highest respect and confidence of all. Chester Cook Conant, judge of Probate for the county of Franklin, was born at Lyme, N. H., Sept. 4, 1831. His father. Col. Jonathan Conant, was a soldier in the war of 1812; his mother was Clarissa Dimick. He graduated with honor at Dartmouth College in 1857, and at the Albany, N. Y., law-school in 1859. In the autumn of that year he came to Greenfield, an entire stranger, and entered into partnership with Judge David Aiken. In 1803 he was elected register of Probate and Insolvency, and subsequently re-elected. On the death of Judge Charles Mattoon, in 1870, he was appointed judge of Probate and Insolvency, which office he now (1879) holds. Besides the duties of his judicial office, he has an extensive law-]iractice in the Superior and Su)irenie Judicial Courts. He was one of the three original corporators of tlic Green- field Saving.s-Bank, and has been a trustee and its secretary since its organization. He is also a director in the Franklin County National Bank. He has served in the town school committee for a number of terms, and is a trustee of the Greenfield Library Association, of which he was for ten years the secretarj' and efficient upbuilder. He married, in 1800, Sarah B., only daughter of Rev. Dr. R. S. Howard, then of Portland, Me., and since president of Norwich University, at Norwich, Vt. He has two children. Samuel O. Lamb, of Greenfield, was admitted to the Bar in 1851 and located in GreenHeld, where he has since resided. He has an extensive practice and good standing among his professional brethren, and, but for his extreme modesty, would .have had a more extended notice in this chapter. Ansel Phelps, Jr., son of Hon. Ansel Phelps, of Green- field, studied law with Wells, Alvord & Davis ; was admitted to the Bar in 1840, and settled in Ware, Hampshire Co., Mass., where he soon built up a reputation and a successful practice. Being ofl'ered the post of attorney for the Western Railroad, he left Ware and settled in Springfield. (See Chapter XXVI. of this volume.) George W. Hokr was born in New Salem, Franklin Co., Mass., of a good family. He was at the Cambridge law-school for two years, and studied with Davis & Allen and with May- nard, Lincoln & Chatfield,of New York City. He was admitted to the Bar in 18(i0, and to the United States Court in 1870. He commenced practice in New Salem, but soon removed to Athol, where he has since built up quite an extensive business. He also has a good reputation as a lecturer upon astronomy and other subjects before the public schools and popular assem- blies. Ephraim Williams was born in Deerfield, Mass., in 1760. He studied law with his uncle, the eminent Judge Sedgwick, of Stockbridge, Mass., where he resided and practiced his pro- fession as a partner with his uncle for about twenty years, during which he had an extensive practice and accumulated a handsome competency. In 1803 he returned to Deer ."eld, where he resided until his HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 133 death, in 1835. He was usually, among his intimate friends, called Bob Williams, and the reason is said to have been that the cognomen was an ancient and honorable one in the family. He was named for his uncle, Col. Ephraim AVilliams, the founder of Williams College, who fell at Lake George, in August, 17o5. One of his sons was Bishop Williams, of Con- necticut. " While in practice in Berkshire County he hud a misun- derstanding with the presiding judge, who charged him with stating what was incorrect and ordered him to sit down. " Indignant at having bis veracity called in question, he re- plied that he would not sit down, hut would leave the Bar and never enter it again; which he did, and faithfully kept his promise." He was the reporter of the first volume of the " Masssicbu- setts Reports.'' He was several times a member of both branches of the State Legislature, and was also a member of the Governor's council. His counsel was often sought by men of high legal standing, and it is said that Chief-Justice Parsons used all his influence to persuade him to return to the practice of his profession, but without success. James R. Curti.s, of Boston, practiced law for some time in Northtield. He attended the law-school at Cambridge one year, and subsequently studied in the oiflce of Messrs. Wells & Alvord, of Greenfield. He was a member of the Franklin County Bar about one year, when he removed to Boston, where he became eminent as a member of the Sutl'olk Bar, and on the Bench of the Supreme Court of the United States. Previous to the organization of Franklin County, North- field was more of a centre for legal talent than Greenfield, and many prominent men were in practice then, among whom were John Barrett, John Nkvers, and William G. WooDARD. It was a noted place for law-students, and John Barrett's oifice seems to have turned out a large luimber of them. Mr. Barrett was a long-continued and successful prac- titioner, and we find his name very often mentioned. John Nevers became sheriff in 1831, and relinquished prac- tice. Mr. Woodard subsequently removed to Iowa, and became one of the supreme judges of that State. John Drury, Jr., the son of John Drury, a farmer of Athol, Worcester Co., Mass., was born in that town, March 22, 1"80. He gradiuited at Williams College and studied law at Peters- ham and Grafton, in Worcester County, and was admitted to the Bar about 1811. He nuirried, in 1813, Miss Susan Reed, of Petersham, and settled in Coleraine Centre, where he continued in the practice of his profession for nearly forty years. He was for nuiny years postmaster at the Centre, and also justice of the peace. He also carried on farming to a considerable extent, and was altogether a prominent man in the community. He had two sons and four daughters. The sons moved to Troy, Miami Co., Ohio, many years ago, and thither, about 1854, their father followed them, and died in that place, Sept. 19, 1860, in his eighty-first year. His sons were merchants in Ohio, and the youngest enlisted during the Rebellion and died in the service. Two of his daughters are now living in Coleraine. RuFUS D. Chase graduated at Dartmouth College in 1845, studied law with E. D. Beach, of Springfield, Mass., and, with Royal Tyler and Asa Keyes, of Brattleboro', Vt., was ad- mitted to the Bar in 1849, and soon after settled in the thriving village of Orange, where he still practices. He sustains a good reputation and has a very satisfactory business. Haynes H. Chilson, now of Northampton, is a native of Buckland, Franklin Co., Mass. He studied law with Hon. Whiting Griswold, in Greenfield, and was admitted to the Bar in 1847. He settled in Northampton, where he married the daughter of Hon. Isaac C. Bates, and has been to the present time in active business. He has held the positions of school committee, postmaster, county commissioner, commissioner of insolvency, and United States assessor of internal revenue. During his continuance in these various offices he gave up practice at the Bar to a greater or less extent, but of late has again resumed his profession. George Leonard Barton was the son of Bradford Ben- jamin Barton, a farmer of the town of Gill, in Franklin County, where he was born in the old red homestead-house at " Riverside," Nov. 6, 1845. His early education was received at the district school and at the Powers Institute, in Ber- nardston, where he studied under Prof. Ward. He subse- quently fitted himself for college at the Exeter, N. H., Acad- emy, and graduated at Harvard University in 1867. In 1870 he received the degree of A.M. from that institution. About 1868 he visited the West, stopping for some time in Chicago and Omaha, and resided for about two years in Madison, Wis., where he read law in the office of Mr. Carpenter, an eminent attorney. Keturning to Massachusetts, he became principal of the high school in Greenfield, continuing his law- studies after school-hours in the office of Col. Hopkins. Hero he continued about two years, when he accepted a position as private tutor in a wealthy family at Framingham, Mass., where he remained about one year, studying law in the mean time. He was admitted to the Bar in 1871, and opened an office at Turner's Falls in January, 1872, where he continued in practice until his death. He was appointed one of the trial- justices of the county in the same year, and soon established himself as an able and industrious professional man and valuable citizen, and his business prospered. He also held the position of notary public, and was one of the trustees of the Crocker Savings-Bank. He had recently erected a fine and tasteful residence on the bluff, overlooking the broad river and in full view of the falls, shrouded in its rolling mist and within agreeable sound of its "thundering waters." On the 27th of August, 1872, he married Emma Sanford, daughter of Charles Sanford, E.sq., of Jackson, Mich., by whom he had three children, fine, intelligent boys, who are left with a widowed mother to mourn his untimely loss. He died of pneumonia on the 19th of February, 1879, in his thirty-fourth year. His standing in the community was that of a faithful, upright citizen, a competent and excellent public officer, and a true husband and father. Justin W. Clark practiced law in Whately about 1825 to 1827, and afterward in Hatfield, where he was the law- partner of Israel Billings, file was an eminent lawyer, and the firm had great strength and an extensive practice. Hon. Samuel T. Field was admitted to the Bar in 1852, and commenced practice at Shelburne Falls, where he has since resided and built up a respectable and successful prac- tice. He is a man of large capacity, and bears an excellent reputation in the profession. He was for three years (from 1874 to 1877) district attorney, and has been a member of the Legislature. Among the distinguished members of the Bar from abroad who have practiced, and still continue, in the Franklin County courts, are the following, who.se names are mentioned by Mr. Griswold in his address, delivered in March, 1873, before the Bar of the county : George M. Stearns, of the Hampden Bar ; Edward Dickinson and Ithamar F. Conkey, of Am- herst; Charles Delano and Samuel T. Spaulding, of Northampton ; Charles Field and F. F. Fay, of Athol ; Peter C. Bacon and P. Emory Aldrich, of Worcester; Richard H. Dana, Jr., Charles R. Train, and B. F. Hal- lett (deceased), of Boston; and Charles Davenport, of Brattleboro', Vt., the latter a native of Franklin Co., Mass. Hon. Rbfus Choate also visited the county a number of times during his practice as an attorney, and on each occasion his presence was greeted with a crowded house of both sexes. For notices of Col. George D. Wells and Capt. George W. Bartlett, see Rev. Mr. Moors' " History of Greenfield," and the military chapters in other parts of this work. 134 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. For notice of Hon. John Wells, see Chapter XXVI. The following is a list of lawyers who have been members of the Franklin County Bur since 1811, with the dates of their admission : Greenfield. — "William Coleman, ; Jonathan Lcavitt, about 1789; Richard E. Newcomb, about 17913; Elijah Alvord, about 1802; Elihu Lyman, about 180(3; George Grinnell, about 1811; Hooker Leavitt, about 1811; Franklin Ripley, about 1812; David Willard, about 1812; David Brigham, about ; Daniel Wells, about 1813 ; Horatio G. Newcomb, about 1813 ; Samuel Wells, about 1816 ; Henry Chapman, in 1826 ; Almon Brainard, in 1829 ; James C. Alvord, in 1830; George T. Davis, in 1832; David Aiken, in 1833; Charles Mattoon, in 1839; Daniel W. Alvord, in 1841; Wendell T. Davis, in 1841; Charles Devens, Jr., in 1841; AVhiting Griswold, in 1842; Franklin Ripley, Jr., in 1845; James S. Grinnell, in 1840; Horatio G. Parker, in 1847; George D. Wells, in 1849; Charles Allen, in 18-50; Samuel O. Lamb, in 1851; Edward F. Raymond, in 1854; W. S. B. Hopkins, in 18.58; George W. Bartlett, in 18-59; Chester Cook Conant, in 18-59; James C. Davis, in 1861; Edward E. Lyman, in 1801 ; Austin De Wolf, in 1863 ; Gor- ham D. Williains, in 1808; William H. Gile, in 1809; George L. Barton, in 1871; John D. Aiken, in 1876; Franklin G. Fessenden, in ; Francis M. Thompson, in 1876; Henry L. Nelson, in ; Bowdoin S. Parker, in ; Samuel D. Conaut, in 1878. Derrfield. — Pliny Arms, about 1805; Rodolphus Dickinson, about 1808; Jonathan A. Sa.xton, about 1817; Aaron Arms, about 1817; Elijah Williams, about 1825. Niirthfield. — Samuel C. Allen, about 1800; John Nevers, about 1808; John Barrett, about 1808; Benjamin R.Curtis, in 1832; William G. Woodard, about 1833; Solomon Vose, about . Charlemont. — Sylvester Maxwell, about 1804; Joseph P. Allen, about 1817 ; Emory Washburn, in 1821 ; Edwin H. Parker, in 1842. ^ls/i/7>W.— Elijah Paine, about 1793. Cuuieai/. — William Billings, about 1812; Charles Baker, about 1825; Albert C. Clark, about 1847; John Newton, about 1853. Sunderland. — Horace W. Taft, about 1810; Henry Bar- nard, . Montague. — Jonathan Hartwcll, about 1812 ; Timothy M. Dewey, in 1855 ; William S. Dana, in . Orange. — Stephen Emory, about 1811 ; Rufus D. Chase, in 1849 ; Edgar V. Wilsim, in 1870. Gill. — Benjamin Brainard, about 1815. (CAa^c/i/.— Justin W. Clark, about 182.5. Colera'me. — Isaac B. Barber, about 1808; John Drury, Jr., in 1811 ; William Lanfair, in 1845. -SAettwrne.— Arthur Maxwell, 1849; Samuel T. Field, 18-52; Henry M. Puffer, 1867. Shutesbury. — AVilliam Ward, . CHAPTER XXVIII. HOMCEOPATHX" IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS.* HI.STORICAL AND .STATISTICAL. Thk young man with no past to look back upon presses forward to grasp and control the future, stimulated and in- spired by hope rather than by memory. Homreopathj', in the vigor of a lusty youth, heir of all the ages behind it, has a short but magniflcent past to recall. Suggested, more or less distinctly, from the days of the father of medicine, its guiding lirinciple, condensed into the terse aphorism " Similia simil- « Hy II:iiiiilt..ri.T. Ci.tc-, M.I). ibus curantur," was never distinctly forniulatcd as a law, or developed into an art of healing, until the last decade of the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth centuries. It was introduced into this country by Dr. Gram, who came to New York in 1825; into Philadelphia, seven years later, by George Butt, aided in 1833 by Dr. Hering ; into Boston by Dr. Gregg in 1838, although physicians and laymen had been testing the remedies about five years previous to this date. Attention was first called to homceopathy in the Connecticut Valley by !i newspaper war, carried on in the papers of Northampton, between Gen. B. E. Cook and his brother. Dr. G. W. Cook, of Hudson, N. Y., in behalf of homoeopathy, and representa- tives of the old school of medicine. The facts and arguments in favor of homojopathy, vigorously presented by Gen. Cook and his brother, roused attention in Northampton to the claims of the new school, and led to experiments with the reme- dies by at least one allopathic physician and by several laymen, and to the purchase, by a few, of domestic books and cases. To Gen. Cook belongs the honor of introducing into the Connecticut Valley the first trial of homoeopathic remedies, both lay and professional, and of bringing about the first conversion to the new school from the ranks of allopathy. No one now living is able to state the precise time at which Dr. Charles Walker, who.se life is sketched below, began his experiments with homoeopathic remedies and his study of its principles. We know that he was the first physician to adopt the new practice in Western Massachusetts, and one of the very earliest in the State. When Dr. Cate succeeded Dr. Walker, after the hitter's death, in 18-55, Dr. Cate was the only homoeopathic physician in Hampshire County; in Franklin County there were only two; in Hampden, none outside of Springfield. Now there are twenty-five in the three river- counties, not counting those who employ both methods of prac- tice, while there are few allopathic physicians who do not, to a greater or less extent, employ homoeopathic remedies, — none ■whose practice is not largely modified by its influence. Here, as elsewhere, the clientele of homceopathic physicians is made up of families of the highest culture and intelligence ; here, as elsewhere, the proportion of believers in homieopathy is a safe gauge of the intelligence and education of a community. As has been noted elsewhere, in the biographical sketch of Dr. Swazey, he came to Springfield in 1844, and thenceforth became a force in the ranks of homoeopathy in Western Massa- chusetts. In Franklin County, Dr. Collins, of Conway, and Dr. Chisholm, at Greenfield, were the earliest physicians to adopt the new mode of practice. Dr. Chisholm remained at Greenfield but a short time, and was succeeded by Dr. Stone, a sketch of whose life is given below, and in whose hands homoeopathy at once assumed a strong and respected position. A portion of the physicians through the valley are members of the large and vigorous State organization ; but in 1877 " The Homoeopathic Medical Society of Western Massachusetts" was formed, for the convenience of those living in the western half of the State. The society holds quarterly meetings at some accessible place, at which practical papers are read and discussed and cases and patients presented for advice and treatment. It now has thirty-six members, of which the fol- lowing is a list, with their places of practice : E. R. Morgan, Shelburne Falls; D. T. Viwing, Conway; A. Harvey, North Adams; L. Macfarland, Springfield; H. Tucker, Brattleboro', Vt. ; J. U. Woods, Holyoke; E. W. Higbee, Northampton; C. F. Sterling, Amherst; J. K. Warren, Palmer; W. F. Harding, Westfleld ; Geo. H. Smith, Holyoke; H. J. Cate, O. 0. Roberts, Northampton ; L. W. Cole, Springfield ; Geo. F. Forbes, West Brookfield; J. M. Barton, W. B. Chamberlain, J. H. Carmichael, F. R. Sibley, Worcester; D. B. Whittier, 'Fitchburg; D. Warren, Winsted, Conn.; G. G. Hitchcock, South Hadley Falls; W. R. Bartlett, Chicopee; W. S. Sever- ance, Greenfield ; J. H. Darling, Thompsonville, Conn..; W. H. Wentworth, Pittsfie.ld. Photo, by Wm. B. Miles. George W. Swazey, M.D., was born at Exeter, N. H., Aug. 10, 1812. He was seventh son of Thomas Swazey, a carpenter by trade, honest and industrious in character. Having passed the first ten years of his life at Exeter, he went, in 1822, to Maine, Pennsylvania, and later to New Jersey, where in various ways he earned a living, embracing every opportunity to further his ambition for the attainment of knowledge. His first tuition of any importance was received in the Manual Labor School, Germantown, and afterward at Elizabeth town. In 1832 he entered Bowdoin College, where he pursued his education with close attention, and finally graduated from the medical department of the college at Brunswick, in 1837, and removed to Harwich, Mass., where he acquired a good practice, and later settled in Bucksport, Me., where a large field was open. In this eventful decade of life he married Sarah E. Allen, of Bath, Me., who had at one time been his pupil. Having embraced the Swedenborgian faith, he was excommunicated from the communion of the Calvinist church, which he had joined in early life. Becoming a partial convert to the theory of medicine introduced by Hahnemann, Dr. Swazey devoted a period of four years to anxious and earnest study, while still pursuing the practice of the old school. Being firmly persuaded as to the true course, and determined to adopt homa3opathy, he announced his intention and removed to Newburyport, where he introduced the practice, bitterly opposed by the practitioners of the allopathic school. From Newburyport he removed to Springfield, and remained the sole practitioner ot homoeopathy until 1854, and became the pioneer of homoeopathy in Western Massachusetts, where for more than thirty years he pursued an eventful career, rejoicing in the steady progress of the truths developed by the new theory of practice, as well as in the success of his life's ambition. Dr. Swazey was, in the full acceptation of the term, a self-made man, having from the age of eleven educated and maintained himself by his own unaided efforts, demonstra- ting in his life the fact that perseverance and industry can accomplish wonderful results. He occupied honorable posi- tions in the State and national societies of his school, and contributed to its literature. The Homoeopathic Medical Society of Massachusetts speaks as follows of him : " He stood high in our school of medicine, and the many honors conferred upon him by his professional brethren were merited by his devotion to the cause of homoeopathy. . . . He was nerved and disciplined for his career by his early conditions in life. He had genius and capacity for great endurance. . . . His fortitude did not fail him even in a few minutes of consciousness that remained after his fatal fall, a distance of nearly thirty feet, from a bridge in Deerfield, near nine o'clock of Saturday night, Sept. 8, 1877. Among the most striking characteristics of his nature were versatility of talent, and undaunted courage to attack error and defend truth, patience to wait, and wis- dom to act." His wife died in the year 1857, and he was married to Sarah A., daughter of Harvey Clark, of Mansfield, Conn., who survives him, and resides in Springfield. "■>""»«■ a, s.,^ s.M^-^'^ 0. 0. /fe^Sr-^^r^ HISTORY OF THE COXXECTICUT VALLEY. 135 BIOGRAPHICAL. Dk. Charles Walker, of Northampton, has a riglit to the fir.st phice, in point of time, among those of whom we id,ive biographical sketches as identified with the early history of homosopathy in the Connecticut Valley. Dr. Walker was horn July 28, 1802. Graduating at Dart- mouth College, he took his medical degree at Philadelphia. He married Miss Sarah Storrs, of Northampton, whose deatli preceded his by but a few months. His attention was early called to honiteopathj', and there is positive knowledge of at least one homoeopathic prescription made by him which could not have been later than 1834, and may have been as early as the preceding year, — certainly the earliest in Western Massachusetts, and perhaps in the State. It is impossible to state when he first announced himself as a homoeopathist. There was no point of time on one side of whicli he was an allopathist, on the other a homceopathist. Dr. Walker embraced the faith and practice of the new school when it required courage to do so, — when the change involved not only professional but, to a great extent, social ostracism. It has been said that the history of every great discovery has its three stages, — of ridicule, of persecution, of general acceptance. Dr. Walker tested the first two of these stages. He early became a Christian, identifying himself first with the old church, but withdrawing to aid in forming the Ed- wards Church in 183.3. He was naturally genial in manner and character, and loved well to hear and to tell a good story. His health and strength gradually waned .in the last years of his life, and his death took place Jan. 17, 18.5.5. Hamilton J. Cate, M.D.,* was born in Sanbornton, N.H., March 11, 1824. His father was Capt. Jonathan Cate, an officer of the war of 1812 ; his mother was Elizabeth Sanborn. Both were of Sanbornton, and grandchildren of two of tlio early and large proprietors of the township. In Dr. Cate's native town was an e.xcellent academy, somewhat noted in those days, and in this Dr. Cate was fitted for college. A born lover of learning he was, and to this day has remained ; a hard- working student in all directions where knowledge is to be found, — knowledge of the sciences, the languages, general literature, and of the profession to which he gave himself. And apropos of his profession, it was natural that he should choose medicine, since he found himself in a family of physi- cians on the maternal side. There are in the family of Dr. Cate's own generation four physicians, all of them homceo- pathic, including himself. In 1845, Dr. Cate began his studies with his uncle, Dr. Benaiah Sanborn, of Lyndon, Vt., whose partner was Dr. Charles B. Darling. They were then allo- pathists, but within the next few years the preceptors and many of their pupils, including Dr. Cate, became homojopath- ists, being among the earliest converts to the new school in that part of New England. As an allopath Dr. Cate at- tended one course of lectures in 1840 at Castleton, Vt., and two courses at Woodstock, where he graduated in 1840. In the same year he married Miss S. E. Roberts, of Lyndon, Vt. After the change in his convictions he studied homceopathy with Dr. Alpheus Morrill, of Concord, N. H., with whom, in 1851, he went into partnership, in 1849-50 and- in 1852—53 attending lectures at the Philadelphia Honueopathic College. Upon Dr. Walker's death, in 1855, he came to Northampton, where he remained until 1857. In this year he was nuirried to Miss Mary D. Plant, of Northampton. Dr. Cate has at no time in his life been strong, and has many times been the subject of breakdowns, more or less pro- tracted. One came in 1857, and from that time until 1865 he was unable to practice, with the exception of one year in Brooklyn, N. Y. In 1865 he returned to Western Massachu- setts, settling at Amherst, where he still has an office in eon- * Written by n fiieiiil. nection with his practice at Northampton, where he now resides. Dr. Cate is a member of the Boston Society of Natu- ral History and of the Homoeopathic Medical Society of Western Massachusetts. He was succeeded at Northamp- ton by Dr. O. O. Roberts. OsMON O.SBORNE ROBERTS, M.D., was born Oct. 27, 1828, in Lyndon, Vt. His father, Charles Roberts, was a farmer, living near the village which was called "the depot of the lawyers of Caledonia County." There were churches, their pastors and their families ; physicians, and their students and families ; there were good common schools and an academy ; so that Dr. Roberts had good educational and social advantages. In 1850 he began the study of medicine with his brother-in-law, Dr. Hamilton J. Cate, remaining with him through the whole course. In 1851-52 he attended lectures in Woodstock, Vt., and in 1852-53 at the Philadelphia HomcE- opathic College, where he graduated. Beginning practice in a few months at Milford, N. H., he remained there until 1857, when he removed to Northampton, where he still re- mains in the full practice to which his faithfulness, physical energy, and his "hail-fellow-well-met" qualities have fully entitled him. In Ma}', 1857, he married Miss Emiiie E. Eastman, of Lit- tleton, N. H. They have had no chidren, but their handsome house is made attractive by its many vines and flowers, by fine collections of coins and minerals, and by rich old furniture. Joshua Stone, M.D., was born in Westfield, N. Y., Oct. 21, 1825. After the usual course of medical study, he attended lectures at the Homoeopathic College of Philadelphia in the winter of 1851-.52, and graduated in the spring of 1852. The first years of his professional life were spent in St. Johnsbury, Vt., in partnership with Dr. Benaiah Sanborn, of whom we have elsewhere spoken as a prominent physician and one of the earliest converts to homceopathy in Vermont. In Novem- ber, 18-55, he married Miss E. L. Ingersoll, of Greenfield, Mass., and in July, 18.56, removed to Greenfield, where he remained in practice until his death, Sept. 1, 1859. Dr. Stone was still a young physician when he died, and to his many friends his early death seemed a sad one for homoeopathy and for the community in which he lived. He was really the pioneer of homoeopathy in Greenfield, as Dr. Chisholm was there but a short time and homoeopathy had gained no sub- stantial foothold. In one of the most conservative communi- ties in conservative New England, he at once won a high position for himself and for homoeopathy. A man of unusual intellectual calibre, energetic, alert, and studious in every- thing pertaining to the profession which he had chosen and loved, he at once gained and retained the respect and confi- dence of those with whom he came in contact. He gave one the impression of a refined gentleman, — a gentleman by habit and instinct. He won love as well as respect. Genial, kindly, and sympathetic in manner and heart, loving a good story and telling one well, he was able to reinforce his medical pre- scriptions by imparting to his patients the hopeful and cheer- ful mood often quite as important as medicine. For many years before his death Dr. Stone was an earnest Christian, carrying into all his life — domestic and public — the divine principles of the Master whom he faithfully served. The friends who knew him best loved him best, and the friends of homoeopathy in Western Massachusetts must join with his many personal friends in regretting his early death. He was a phj'sician " to the manor born," and united in himself to a rare degree the qualities that would have secured for the new school, as for himself, a strong and secure position in public respect and confidence. William Baker Chamberlain, M.D., of Worcester, Mass., was born in London, N. H., Sept. 15, 1827. Educated in Sanbornton, in 1849 he began the study of medicine with Dr. Alpheus Morrill, of Concord, N. H., spending the latter 136 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. part of his pupilage with Dr. S. M. Gate, of Augusta, Me., with whom he was also associated in practice. In 185'2 he became partner of one of the pioneers of homoeopathy in Maine, — Dr. J. Roberts, of North Vassalboro', — and the next year was settled at China, Me., still in partnership with Dr. Roberts. Dr. Chamberlain attended allopathic lectures at Hanover, and in the winter of 1853-54 took his final course at the Cleve- land Homeeopathic College, where he graduated in March, 1854. After graduating he succeeded Dr. J. C. Baker, at Keene, N. H., rapidly building up a large and widely-e.xtended practice. Here, also, in 1859, he married Miss Louisa Brainard, of Boston. On account of the failing health of his brother- in-law. Dr. J. C. Freeland, of Fitehburg, he went to that city in 1863. In January, 186(3, he established himself in Wor- cester, Mass., where he still remains in large and successful practice, — successful in the highest and worthiest sense. He is a member of the Worcester County society and of the State society, having been president of both these societies ; he is also member of the society of Western Massachusetts and of the American Homeeopathic Institute. Observant and watchful by nature and habit, always a student, liberal and progressive in all directions. Dr. Chamber- lain has in himself the elements that deserve and win success. Genial in face, character, and manner, kind and sympathetic in his intercourse with the sick and suft'ering, with a hearty and infectious laugh to which his somewhat aldermanic pro- portions are ever ready to respond, thoughtful and courteous in his intercourse with others, especially helpful to students and younger physicians, — he is eminently and deservedly suc- cessful. Daniel Brainard Whittier, M.D., was born in Goifs- town, N. H., Oct. 21, 1834, inheriting English blood from his father and Scotch-Irish from his mother. After finishing his academical education, he spent two years or more at the W'est in agricultural pursuits, thence returning to New Hamp- shire, where he married Miss Mary Chamberlain in October, 1858. Soon after this he began the study of medicine with his brother-in-law, Dr. W. B. Chamberlain, then of Keene, N. H. In the winter of 1859-00 he attended lectures at Har- vard University, during that of 1862-63 at the New York HonifBopathic College, where he graduated in March, 1863. In the mean time he had begun practice, at first for a short time, in Gardner, Mass., from which place he went, in 1862, to Fitehburg, where he still remains. Dr. Whittier has made a specialty of the disea.ses of women and children, in which he has acquired a creditable degree of skill and reputation. He is a member and has been president of the State society, member and president of the Worcester County society, and member of the society of Western Mas- sachusetts. Inheriting from his parents a large degree of physical and intellectual vigor, kind and sympathetic by na- ture, thoroughly informed in everything pertaining to the profession he has chosen, he has gained the respect and confi- dence of a wide circle of friends and patrons and built up a large and prosperous business. A Christian gentleman and a good citizen as well as physician, he is interested in all the moral and political questions of the day, and contributes by his influence and efibrts to the success of every worthy cause. CHAPTER XXIX. MILITABY-HISTORY OF ORGANIZATIONS W^HICH SERVED DURING THE REBELLION, 1801-e5-iOTH REGIMENT. TiiK history of the various organizations which went out during the war of the Rebellion from the three river-counties of Massachusetts, and including portions fi i Berkshire, is largely compiled from the volumes of the adjutant-general of the State and P. C. Headley's "Massachusetts in the Rebel- lion." The 10th and 27th Regiments are exceptions, the former being condensed from Capt. Joseph K. Newell's very com- plete and interesting history of that organization, and the latter partly from Headley's work and partly from information furnished by Gen. Horace C. Lee, of Springfield, who com- manded it until his capture at Drury's Blutf (Fort Darling). To these gentlemen we are under special obligations.* It has been deemed advisable, in view of the fact that no entire regiment was recruited in either of the counties, to in- clude the history of the various organizations in general chap- ters covering the whole valley. It is not as full and elaborate as we could wish, but the immense number of topics treated in this work compels the adoption of an abbreviated form for the military portion. military statistics. The total number of men furnished by the State of Massa- chusetts to all arms of the service during the Rebellion was, in round numbers, 160,000. This covered a surplus, over and above all calls, of 13,492 men. The proportional quota for the three river-counties, according to population, would have been about 15,000, divided about as follows among the coun- ties : Hampden, 7000; Hamijshire, 4500; Franklin, 3500. It is probable that the 13,000 surplus men were mostly from the seaboard-counties, where large numbers entered the naval service, but were not credited to the State for some time after their enlistment, the counties being called upon to furnish their regular quotas for the army without deducting seamen. The total expenditure by the State during the war was $27,705,109, exclusive of amounts raised by cities and towns, and also of all sums contributed 1>}' sanitarj' and aid societies, etc., which amounted to verj' large figures. TIIK TENTH MASSACHtJSETTS INFANTRY. This fine regiment was made up largely of members of the 10th Massachusetts Regiment of militia, which at the out- break of the Rebelliim consisted of the following eight com- panies: A, of Shutesbury; B, of Leverett; C, of Northamp- ton; D, of Belchertown ; E, of Coleraine ; P, of S|)ringfield ; G, of Greenfield ; H, of Shelburne; five companies being from Franklin County, two from Hampshire, and one fnmi Hamp- den. Col. J. M. Decker, of Greenfield, was in command of the regiment. The companies consisted of about 40 men each. Under the provisions of a bill passed by the House of Representatives Feb. 6, 1861, infantry and rifle companies were required to contain 64 privates. Cos. A, B, and D, not being able to ful- fill the requirements of this law, were disbanded, and their places supplied by companies from Great Harrington, North Adams, and Pittsfield. Co. E, of Coleraine, was divided among other companies, and its place supplied by a company from Springfield recruited by Capt. Barton. A new company, I, was formed by uniting the volunteers of Holyoke and West Springfield, and a full company, K, Wiis recruited at West- field. The State of Massachusetts was tolerably well prepared for hostilities when the rebellion burst forth. Her statesmen had anticipated the secession movement, and the militia had been pretty thoroughly strengtliened and made ready for any emer- gency during the three or four months preceding the first hostile steps taken by the South. When the electric thrill passed over the Northern States following the capture of Fort Sumter, and the proclamation of the President of the United States was sent to every part of the land calling for 75,000 men for three months, there was * We are also under obligatiuns to Rev. Dr. Moors, of Greenfield, and Adjt. Holmes, of tlie 27tli Ilegiiiient, for siiec-iiil favora. The history of the 62d llegi- ment is mainly fi-uiii Iti'v. James K. llosmer's most interesting volume entitled "The Color-Giuuil." HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 137 a sudden rush to the recruiting-stations in every State which remained loyal to the government; but Massachusetts, with her organized militia, was at once prepared to dispatch her quota to the " seat of war." The quota being only two regi- ments, the 6th and 8th, from the eastern part of the State, were immediately sent forward, and were the first, or among the first, to succor the national capital, in immediate danger of attack from the hosts of armed rebels which had been pre- paring for months to overthrow the republic and erect upon its ruins a y««si-republic, with slavery as its " chief corner-stone." So ftir as we can ascertain from military records, the three Connecticut River counties only furnished six men to the three months' service, of whom three were from Hampden, two from Hampshire, and one from Franklin Counties. It is claimed, however, that a suificient number of men from the four western counties of the State (impatient at the delay of the government) crossed over the border and enlisted in other State organizations to have formed at least half of a full regi- ment. At length the long-looked-for order from the War Depart- ment at Washington was issued on the 1.3th of May, 1801, calling for six three years' regiments in addition to the two three months' regiments already in the field. Under this call one regiment was assigned to the four west- ern counties, and the following companies were chosen to form its complement : Springfield City Guard, Capt. Hosea C. Lom- bard ; Capt. Fred. Barton's company, then in camp at Hamp- den Park, Springfield; the company made up from Holyoke and West Springfield, under Capt. John H. Clilford ; the West- field company, Capt. Lucius B. Walkley ; the Northampton company, Capt. William R. Marsh ; the Shelburne company, Capt. Ozro Miller ; the Greenfield company, Capt. E. E. Day ; the Pittsfield company, Capt. Thomas W. Clapp ; the Adams company, Capt. Elisha Smart ; and the company from Great Barrington, Capt. Ralph O. Ives. The company of Capt. Oliver Edwards, encamped on the park, and the Coleraine company, Capt. Nelson, were broken up and divided among the others. On the 31st of May the company from Great Barrington arrived and went into camp at Hampden Park, making three companies then on the ground. On the 9th of June, it being Sunday, the three companies, accompanied by the Springfield Guards, attended divine ser- vice at the First Church, which was tastefully decorated for the occasion. By orders from headquarters of the State government, the ten companies composing the regiment were directed to ren- dezvous at Hampden Park, Springfield, on the 14th of June, there to remain until equipped for the field. All the compa- nies reported promptly, except the Pittsfield company, which, by a mistake in mailing the orders, did not arrive until the 15th. The companies were sworn into the United States service on the 21st of June by Capt. Marshall, of the regular army. The following is the roster of the regiment as at first orga- nized : Colonel, Henry S. Briggs, of Pittsfield ; Lieutenant- Colonel, Jeftbrd M. Decker, of Lawrence; Major, James S. Grinnell, of Greenfield (Mr. Grinnell declined the appoint- ment, and Capt. William R. Marsh, of Northampton, was commissioned in his stead) ; Surgeon, Dr. C. N. Chamberlain, of Northampton ; Assistant Surgeon, Dr. William Holbrook, of Palmer; Adjutant, Oliver Edwards, of Si)ringfield; Quar- termaster, John W. Howland, of North Adams ; Chaplain, Frederick A. Barton, of Springfield ; Sergeant-Major, Edward K. Wilcox, of Springfield ; Quartermaster-Sergeant, Elihu B. Whittlesey, of Pittsfield ; Commissary-Sergeant, Frank Jones Childs ; Hospital Steward, Charles C. Wells.* * The eommissiona were not all received at the same time, and some of tlie non-commissioned staff were not appointed until a subseijuent date. In the course of the war they were all liable to change from casualtie-s, promotions, etc. 18 Company A. — Captain, Ralph O. Ives ; First Lieutenant, James L. Bacon ; Second Lieutenant, Henry L. Wilcox. Company B. — Captain, Elisha Smart; First Lieutenant, F. C. Traver ; Second Lieutenant, John Goddard. Company C. — Captain, Wm. R. Marsh ; First Lieutenant, Jo.seph B. Parsons ; Second Lieutenant, Flavel Shurtleff.f Company D. — Captain, Thomas W. Clapp ; First Lieu- tenant, Charles Wheeler; Second Lieutenant, George E. Hagar. Company E. — Captain, Fred. Barton ; First Lieutenant, Byron Porter ; Second Lieutenant, Wallace A. Putnam. Company F. — Captain, Hosea C. Lombard ; First Lieu- tenant, Hiram A. Keith ; Second Lieutenant, George W. Bigelow. Company G. — Captain, Edwin E. Day ; First Lieutenant, George Pierce; Second Lieutenant, L. M. Remington. Company H. — Captain, Ozro Miller ; First Lieutenant, C. J. Woodward ; Second Lieutenant, B. F. Leland. Company I. — Captain, John H. Clilford ; First Lieutenant, Joseph K. Newell ; Second Lieutenant, James P. Brooks. Company K. — Captain, Lucius B. Walkley ; First Lieu- tenant, Pliny Wood ; Second Lieutenant, David M. Chase. On the same day Capt. Marsh, of Co. C, was appointed major in place of James S. Grinnell, declined, and this made other changes in the company oflScers, Lieut. J. B. Parsons being promoted to captain, James H. Weatherell to first, and Flavel Shurtleft' to second lieutenant. Under the State militia law each company was entitled to four lieutenants, and several of them were fully oflicered; but in the United States service only two lieutenants were provided for, and the surplus oificers were consequently thrown out. James P. Brooks, who had been elected as second lieutenant of Co. I, was set aside, and Joseph H. Bennett substituted in his place. Changes were also made in Co. K. Commanders of companies took their positions according to seniority of rank, the right company being the first post of honor, the left the second, the color-company the third, etc., alternately. This arrangement was continued through- out the war. In some portions of the volunteer army the regulation order was kept up without regard to seniority of commission. The regiment remained at Camp Hampden until the 16th of July, during which interval the men were initiated into the business of a soldier's life so far as is practiced in camp. They were regularly drilled each day in company movements and in the manual of arms and practiced in guard-mounting, and on the anniversaries of the battle of Bunker Hill and the Declaration of American Independence took part in the local celebrations. On the 2d of July the regiment marched to the United States armory, where they were furnished with muskets of the pattern of 1842, which they retained until the 5th of the same month, when they were exchanged for the English En- field rifle, which in turn was eventually supplanted by the improved Springfield rifled musket, at that time the best infantry arm in use. In the commencement of the war it was deemed essential that nearly every regiment of infantry should be provided with a regimental band, and the 10th was no exception to the rule. The band, which was from North Adams, under the leader-ship of William D. Hodge, joined the regiment on the Sth of July. Subsequently nearly all the regimental bands were mustered out under orders from the War Department, and thenceforward about one band to each division was allowed with the active army. On the 10th of July the regiment was reviewed and in- spected by Gov. Andrew and stall'. During his stay the Gov- t See farther on. 138 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. ernor visited the armory, where he was received with much attention and complimented with a national salute. Prom the 11th to the 13th the men were granted leave of absence to visit families and friends, preparatory to departing for the seat of war. On the 15th of the month a stand of elegant and costly colors was presented to the regiment hy Mrs. James Barnes, on behalf of the women of Springfield. Col. James M. Thompson presided on the occasion, which drew together a large concourse of spectators. The colors were the exclusive gift of the ladies of the city, and were procured at an expense of 5275. Among other presentations by friends were a splendid chest- nut horse to Adjt. Edwards, a fine pair of pistols to Capt. Lombard, a revolver each to Capt. Clift'ord and Lieut. Ben- nett, a gold chain and signet-ring to Lieut. Newell, and a sash and epaulettes to Lieut. Geo. W. Bigelow. On Tuesday, July 16, 1861, the regiment abandoned their camp at Hampden Park, and, with the Springfield Cadets and Union Guard as escort, moved to the railway depot, where they hade adieu to families and friends, and, filling seventeen passenger-cars, which slowly pulled out from the station, they departed for Boston amid the waving of handkerchiefs and banners and the tears and acclamations of the assembled spectators, many of them destined never to look upon the old familiar places again in this life. The story of the departure of every regiment which went into the field during the dark years of the Rebellion is almost identical, — the same sad hand- shakings and tearful adieus, the same " Good-by I God bless you ! ' ' Never was a nation more thoroughly stirred to its deepest depths, and never in the history of the world, perhaps, has there been such a spontaneous burst of patriotism, — such a vast ottering of the blood and treasure of a peo])le voluntarily upon the altars of Freedom and Humanity. The feeling and uprising of the Southern people were probably in a similar degree, and it is for the pen of the impartial historian of the future to weigh well the underlying causes of the " Great Civil War" and assign to each belligerent in the gigantic struggle its proper position in the liistory of the human race. The passage of the train through the numerous towns and stations Ij'ing between Springfield and Boston was the occa- sion of patriotic demonstrations. The regiment arrived in Boston without accident about five o'clock, and was imme- diately escorted by the Second Battalion of Infantry, under Maj.-Gen. Samuel Andrews, via Bunker Hill, to their new camp in Medford. At this place — which was named "Camp Adams," from the fact that John Quincy Adams once owned the land — the regi- ment remained until the 25th of July, perfecting its discipline and getting ready for active service. On the 22d the regiment was provided with twenty-five baggage-wagons, five ambulances, two hospital-wagons, and one hundred and twenty-three horses, delivered to the quarter- master at Cambridge Arsenal. This amount of transportation was no doubt considered necessary, but when in the course of the war it was reduced to two wagons and a hospital-wagon and one ambulance, divided between two regiments, it began to be understood how cumbersome were the trains in the be- ginning of the contest. The regiment was visited by Capt. Marshall on the 2.3d, who administered the oath of allegiance to about one hundred men who had not been sworn. Among those mustered was Master Myron P. "Walker, the drummer-boy of Co. C, from Belchertown. At Medford village, on the 2.5th, the regiment was addressed by Hon. George N. Briggs, father of the colonel, and formerly Governor of the State. At three p.m. the train took the regiment to Boston, where it was formed in line, and, escorted by the police, marched through the city to Central Wharf, receiving a perfect ovation all along its course. Here the regiment was divided, and Cos. C, K, B, D, and G went on board the steamer " S. R. Spaul- ding," accompanied by the colonel, major, adjutant, surgeon, and"Tegimental band. Cos. A, H, E, F, and I embarked on the steamer " Ben De Ford," accompanied by the lieutenant- colonel, quartermaster, and assistant surgeon. The two steamers were completely filled by this one regi- ment and its transportation and baggage, but at the close of the war two or three regiments were amply accommodated, with all their paraphernalia, on board a single vessel. Salutes were fired by Fort Independence and the steamers as the ships passed down the harbor, and soon they were on the heaving waters of the Atlantic. They arrived at the en- trance to Chesapeake Bay on the afternoon of the 27th, and about four o'clock P.M. of the 28th reached the wharf in Washington, D. C. On the afternoon of the 29th the regiment marched to Kalorama Heights, about two and a half miles north of the Capitol, where a temporary camp was occupied in the midst of a heavy rain until the next day, when another was pro- vided. On Sunday, August 4th, the regiment was supplied with new uniforms, — gray pants and blue blouses. On the 6th of August the camp was again exchanged for one on the Seventh Street road, about four miles from the Capitol, where the regiment was brigaded with the 7th Massachusetts, 2d Rhode Island, and 36th New York. On the 9th the camp was once more exchanged for a more eligible and much more healthful one at Brightwood, near the residence of Francis P. Blair, Sr. Here the regiment began to experience the usual results of camp-life, and measles were among the troubles that visited the men. Gen. McClellan visited the regiment on the 12th, took a good survey of the men, complimented them on their soldierly appearance, and said he should soon need their services. Religious services were usually held on Sunday, Chaplain Barton officiating. On the 2.5th of August he preached to them, and the music was furnished by a choir extemporized from among the members of the regiment, assisied by the band. On Sunday, Sept. 1st, religious exercises were omitted, as the entire regiment was detailed to work on the fortifica- tions. On the 2d of September the brigade was reviewed by Gen. McClellan, and on the 3d orders were received to be ready to move at a moment's notice. On the 13th the regiment was paid off for the first time, receiving gold or treasury-notes, at each man's option. On the same day Col. Briggs left for Massachusetts to visit his venerable father, who had met with a serious accident, from which he expired before his son reached home. On the nth occurred the first funeral in the regiment, — that of private John C. Squires, of Co. I, who died of camp-fever on the 13th. This sad occasion brought many sober looks to faces which in after-days looked upon death as upon any other common occurrence. The regiment was reviewed and inspected again on the 15th by Maj.-Gen. Don Carlos Buell, division commander. The day was inten.sely warm, and some of the men were overcome by the heat. On the 17th a valuable addition was made to the regiment in the persons of Mrs. Solyman Merrick, of Springfield, and Miss Helen Wolcott, of Agawam, who came to otter their services as nurses for the regimental hospital. The same day Lieut. Remington arrived with fifty recruits for the regiment. Considerable sickness prevailed, and on the 1.5th of October forty men were in the hospital, and about seventy-five were unable to do duty. On the 17tli, Governor Andrew visited the camp of the regiment. During the stay of the regiment in the vicinity of Wash- HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 139 ington the friends at home collected and forwarded at different times large quantities of necessaries, comforts, and even luxu- ries, for the benefit of the members. On the 20th of November Co. I received three large boxes filled with all manner of good things, — clothing, blanlcets, provisions, etc. A liberal supply of reading-matter was also sent on and distributed among the men. Co. E also received a welcome donation of similar articles, and most of the other companies were also remembered. On the 12th of December the Soldiers' Aid Society, of Hol- yoke, forwarded for the use of the regiment another invoice of clothing, blankets, towels, and many other things which were exceedingly acceptable and highly appreciated. On the 15th another instalment of similar comforts was received and distributed. On the 26th of December, Surgeon Chamberlain sent a letter of acknowledgment to the Spring- field Republican for publication. In December the regiment built themselves wooden huts, or barracks, which during the cold weather were much more com- fortable tlian tents. They were also more commodious, and were warmed by small sheet-iron stoves, which the men paid for out of their wages. A number of the officers' wives visited the camp, and some of them remained tlirough the winter. In January, 1862, a case of small-pox occurred, and the whole regiment was vaccinated to prevent the spreading of the disease. On the 8th of January, Col. Briggs returned from Massachusetts, where he had been to attend the obsequies of his father. On the 13th the regiment was paid ofi" for two months' service. On the 6th of February private Carter, of Co. K, while on duty with the provost-guard, shot a member of Co. D, 7th Massachusetts, for attempting to run the line. He was badly wounded, but not killed, and the occurrence created considerable excitement for a time. On the 10th of February, Dr. George Jewett, of Fitch- burg, arrived to fill the vacancy occasioned by the promotion of Dr. Holbrook to be surgeon of the 18th Massachusetts. February 12th news of Burnside's success at Roanoke Island was received with music and general rejoicings. At this date the health of the men was reported as excellent. On the 15th a new excitement visited the camp. The regi- ment was ordered to fall in line, a hollow square was formed, and then the colonel read an order from headquarters calling for volunteers for the gunboat service in the Western waters. Over 200 of the men at once volunteered, but, the number being restricted to ten from each regiment, a good many were disappointed. The following were finally selected : From Co. B, Corp. N. 0. Blinn and private John Boyle ; Frank Boise, Co. C ; Joseph A. Winn, Co. I ; William Levy, Co. A; John H. Ro.ss, Co. D; Henry L. Copley, Co. K; Benj. F. Brady, Co. F ; Peter Bard, Co. H. The men left for their new field on the 17th with the blessings and hearty good-bys of their companions. On the same day news was received of the capture of Forts Henry and Donelsou, with 15,000 prison- ers, by Gen. Grant, which was hailed with the greatest en- thusiasm. This was the first important victory of the war, and forced the rebels entirely from the States of Kentucky and Tennessee by flanking the strong positions of Columbus, Bowling Green, Nashville, and Memphis. The Confederate commanders were compelled to fall back upon the lines of Corinth, and the south bank of the Tennessee Kiver beyond Tuseumbia. Washington's natal-day was duly celebrated by a dress- parade in the morning, the reading of his Farewell Address, and target-shooting. On the 27th an order was received to be ready for an important expedition at two o'clock the next morning, with four days' rations, one hundred rounds of ball- cartridge, a blanket, a change of clothing, and an extra pair of shoes. Preparations were made, and the chaplain made a feeling address to the men, but at eight p.m. the orders were countermanded. The question of slavery and the return of contrabands to their masters were hotly discussed, ;)/'o and con., and not a little feeling was manifested on both sides. On March 1st six Maryland planters came into the camp looking for contrabands. Matters speedily developed a crisis, and the slave-hunters were glad to get away with their lives. On the same night, by some unaccountable means, a majority of the enlisted men of the regiment were found to be missing. The explanation was this : Some one had propounded the query whether it would not be a good thing to visit "my Maryland" and administer the oath of allegiance to a few of the planters in that benighted region. A short discussion ended in a unan- imous decision in the affirmative, whereupon a secret expedi- tion stealthily left the camp and marched about eight miles to the house of one Nolan, where the skirmish-line, consisting of the negro pilot, got into difficulty with the "missus," which brought the soldiers at once to the spot, and two stalwart gen- tlemen of the Nolan family had the oath administered to them on their bended knees. The soldiers outside, meantime, had trouble with the poultry, and the whole ended with the return of the " expedition" to camp accompanied by a generous del- egation of the feathered tribe. When the discovery of the movement was made in camp " there was mounting in hot haste," and the foragers were in- tercepted on their return "from the field of their fame fresh and gory," disarmed, reprimanded, and sent to their quarters, and only the early demand for the services of the regiment in the field prevented a severer punishment. On the 10th of March the regiment started on a movement into Virginia, which was pushed only a few miles toward Manassas, when intelligence was received that the enemy had evacuated that strong position and fallen back toward Rich- mond. After a stay of a couple of days, orders were received to return to Chain Bridge, where a halt was made during about twentj'-four hours, when orders were given to return to their old camps north of the city. On the 22d of March orders were issued for the army to pre- pare for an immediate movement. Baggage was reduced to the minimum and all surplus stored in an outbuilding, which was the last seen of it. The 10th broke camp on the 25th and moved toward the city, expecting to take passage for Fortress Monroe ; but at nightfall it was ordered to return to camp at Brightwood for the night. On the 26th the regiment bade adieu to their old camp, joined the brigade, and marched to the foot of Sixth Street, where transports were in readiness to convey the troops south- ward. The 10th numbered at that time about 1000 men. The day was occupied in getting on board the transports, and the regiment was divided and quartered in detachments on three ditlerent vessels, to wit: the "Sea-Shore," the "Donaldson," and the " Ariel." The remainder of the brigade was embarked partly on these vessels and partly on the " Daniel Webster," while the sutlers' wagons, etc., were stowed on hoard the "Mystic." At nine o'clock p.m. the squadron was under way, and on the 28th reached Portress Monroe, where it was detained for orders. On the 29th the troops landed, and encamped until the -Jth of April, when, at seven in the morning, the column started on the march toward Yorktown. From this time until the 5th of May there was a gradual advance toward the rebel capital, and the 10th was engaged on picket and fatigue duty, varied occasionally by forming line of battle when ap- proaching a belt of timber, while the skirmish-line was pu-shed to the front and the field-guns unlimbered and put in position for battle. There was a little occasional skirmishing, but no serious fighting until the army approached Williamsburg , where the enemy was found in force and strongly posted be- hind formidable fortifications, above which floated defiantly the " Stars and Bars" of the Southern Confederacy. 140 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. Aljout noon on the 5th the sound of heavy firing came hooming over the level country around them, and the troops were hurried forward as fast as possible through the sticky mud, — infantry, cavalry, artillery, and trains all pushing toward the dread sound of battle in the front, where Hooker was hotly engaged. As the division rapidly advanced, about five p.m., to the sup- port of Hooker, the dead and wounded were being borne to the rear on the bloody stretchers, whose first sight to a soldier is something indescribable. Orders were given to load, which was done with the assurance that at last they were in the presence of the enemy and the trying hour had come. As the division deployed in line of battle and advanced, an orderly dashed up from the front with a request from Gen. Hancock that reinforcements be sent him, as he was being fiercely assailed ; and the statement was fully confirmed by the terrible crash of musketry and artillery in front. The 10th Massachusetts was immediately ordered forward to the assist- ance of Hancock, but when it arrived the enemy had already been repulsed by a skillful movement of that otficer. The 10th was placed in the front line, and remained through the night. A little in advance was an unfinished field-work, into which the enemy had carried many of their wounded, and their groans and cries through the night were anything but pleas- ant to the ears of raw troops. Under cover of night the enemy fell back toward Richmond, and in the morning their works were found abandoned. On the 6th the army moved forward over the rebel works, and encamped near Williamsburg. The principal work of the enemy was known as Fort Magruder, named for the rebel Gen. John B. Magruder. On the same day the Union gun- boats the "Galena," "Monitor," and "Naugatuck," moved up the river, while the rebel gunboats retreated before them beyond Fort Darling. The 10th remained in camp until the 9th, when it again moved forward to James City, and the next day to Barhams- ville, where it remained until the 13th, when it again moved toward Kichmond, and halted at New Kent Court-House. On the 14th the entire regiment was detailed on picket duty, and was out through the day and night in a hard rain. It was remarked by the Union troops that every house along the road had its " flag of truce" displayed in some con- spicuous place, and nobody was found at home but women, children, and old men. Everybody professed loyalty, even while their husbands, sons, and fathers were in the rebel army. On the 16th and 17th the regiment advanced a few miles, and went into camp at Crump's Cross-Roads, on ground re- cently occupied by Cobb's Georgia Legion. Here it remained until the 19th, when it was advanced three miles to the rail- way running from Richmond to West Point. Here the men went into camp in a fine grove close to the enemy's picket- line. The regiment moved again on the 21st two miles nearer Kichmond, and in the evening Cos. B and I were detailed upon outpost duty beyond the Chickahoniiny, crossed the burned railway-bridge on planks, waded knee-deep through the swamp, and watched for the enemy until daylight, when the enemy's cavalry pickets were driven in. The picket-line was advanced a half-mile on the 2'2d, and occasionally ex- changed shots with the rebel pickets in their front on the rail- way. On the 23d the regiment crossed the river, when the picket companies were called in, and on the 24fh the troops advanced to within twelve miles of Kichmond. The 10th was on a re- connoissance with Gen. Neg!ey'.s division, and witnessed an artillery duel between the 7th New York Battery and the enemy. May 25, at nine a.m., the 10th marched to Seven Pines, within seven and a half miles of Richmond ; all baggage and trains ordered to the rear. On the 27th the enemy began their attacks upon the extreme right of Gen. McClellan's army near Mechanicsville, which finally ended in the retreat of the army from in front of Richmond to a new base at Har- rison's Landing, on the James River. During the 27th the division to which the 10th belonged was employed in cutting timber and throwing up rifle-pits and light field-works. On the 31st of May was fought the battle of Fair Oaks, which was commenced by a sudden and desperate assault by the rebels, soon after noon, upon the division of Gen. Casey. Instantly the various regiments were in line, and the strag- glers from Casey's division were swarming to the rear. The 10th was ordered forward to some rifle-pits, when, finding them full of water, the men threw themselves upon the wet ground, where they remained for some time, while the bat- teries on both sides played over their heads. Several men were wounded, some of them by defective shells from the Union guns. The 55th New York Regiment was in the mean time ordered to take a position in front of the 10th Massachusetts, in the midst of some felled timber, where they were exposed to a heavy and destructive fire from the enemy, and soon compelled to fall back. The 10th was now ordered forward, and soon found itself " under fire" and in a dangerous position, with the enemy on the fnmt and left flank. The regiment was in the midst of the fray from this time until dark. The losses were heavy, and the gallantry of both men and officers con- spicuous even among the many other gallant regiments en- gaged. Col. Briggs, who was in command of his men, was severely wounded about five o'clock in the evening by a minie-ball, which passed through his left thigh and into the right. Lieut.-Col. Decker being disabled by rheumatism, and Maj. Marsh absent as officer of the day, the .command devolved upon Capt. Miller, who handled the troops with such skill and bravery as to call out the highest compliments from his com- manding otficers. Among the many encomiums bestowed upon the 10th, the following by Gen. Keyes is all we have space for. In conver- sation with a gentleman from W^estern Massachusetts, he said : " Tell them, when you go back, that I have led a hundred regiments into battle, and never did I see such bravery. I looked at them as they advanced, while the shot fell like hail, and there never was such a dauntless corps. When the fight was over I spoke to them of their courage, and they said they had only done their duty ; but I never heard them mentioned in the journals. Their conduct was, and is, unparalleled in the whole war." The total losses amounted to 27 killed and 95 wounded, 6 of them mortally. Among the officers killed were Capts. Smart and Day, and among the wounded were Col. Briggs and Capts. Parsons and Newell. On the 1st of June, which was Sunday, the regiment was on picket duty all day. Details were made from each com- pany to bury the dead, who were mostly interred where they fell. So far as possible, the graves were marked fur identifica- tion at a future day. The rebels retired from in front of their lines, leaving all their dead and part of their wounded. A curious incident is related by Capt. Newell of an omnibus- load of sight-seers from Kichmond venturing so far that they were taken prisoners and brought into the Union lines. From the date of the battle of Fair Oaks to the 28th of June the 10th was engaged in picket and fatigue duty, oc- casionally varied by a sharp skirmi.sh. About the 10th of June the surgeon received two large boxes of hospital stores from the Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society, consisting of articles of clothing, bedding, bandages, dried fruits, wines, jellies and jams, and many other things, all most acceptable and useful. On the 14th, Maj. Marsh received his discharge and started for home. Lieut. Woodward, of Co. H, was also discharged HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 141 for disability on the same day. Lieut. Chaise resigned, and started home on the 23d. On the 25tli the division was called out and marched to the battle-ground of Fair Oaks, where line of battle was formed and arms stacked for a brief period, when the division was ordered to the front, and again formed in line in the edge of some timber, about four hundred yards from the enemy, where the men began to throw up breastworks, hut found so much quicksand they were obliged to desist. The division remained here all night, during which there was a constant skirmish-fire in front, and the rebs were busy felling timber and apparently strengthening their lines. Just before day- light on the 26th the troops were withdrawn to the breast- works of Casey's division, and about noon returned to camp. There was heavy firing on the right of the army during the 27th. On the 28th the great movement toward the James River commenced. On the night of the 29th the army passed within less than a quarter of a mile of the enemy's outposts, but such was the silence of the march that the movement was not suspected. On the 30th the 10th arrived at Haxall's Landing, on the James, and the entire army was rapidly moving and concentrating at Harri.son's Landing. The morning of July 1st found the whole army United for the first time since crossing the Chickahominy, and holding a strong position at Malvern Hill. " Malvern Hill forms a high plateau, sloping toward Rich- mond from Cold Banks, near the river, and bounded by deep ravines, making an excellent defensive position. "The national line of battle was formed with Porter's corps* on the left, near Crew's house, where the artillery of the re- serve, under Col. Hunt, was so disposed on high ground that a concentrated fire of sixty guns could be brought to bear on any point on his front or left, and on the highest point of the hill Col. Tyler had ten siege-guns in position. "f The 10th Massachusetts was in Couch's division, which was on the right of Porter's line. The extreme left of the army, near the river, and where the heaviest attack was likely to be made, was strengthened by abatis and covered by the gunboats. On this ground was fought one of the most terrible battles of the war. The Union army had lost heavily on their retreat from the Chickahominy, both in men and material, but now they were in a strong position; and, moreover, defeat would be almost certain destruction, and they resolved that hitherto the rebels could come, but no farther. The battle began about ten o'clock in the morning with a heavy artillery fire, which continued until afternoon, when Gen. Lee resolved to carry the Federal position by storm ; and about two o'clock p.m. Anderson's North Carolina bri- gade charged across the level ground in front of Couch's division, but were bloodily repulsed by the 10th Massachu- setts and 36th New York Regiments and the fire of the bat- teries. The moment the enemy broke, the 10th and 36th left their works and charged them in turn, and took a new position in advance of the regular line. In this charge the flag of the 30th North Carolina Regiment was captured, and a large number of prisoners. While the 10th w-as occupying the advanced position Maj. Miller was mortallv wounded by a shot through the neck, and when the Union army fell back was left, with other wounded men, in charge of Dr. Jewett, and taken to Richmond, where he died. About four o'clock p.m. the enemy made a second attempt, with overwhelming numbers, to capture the petition. They formed in three double lines, which deliberately filed out of the woods, formed in line of battle, and pushed steadily and rapidly on with the determination to force the position with * Grand diyision. f From history of the Tenth Begiment. the bayonet, and so roll up the Union army from left to right. When this stern gray mass of men fairly appeared in the open ground, sixty guns from the heights and the whole line of infantry opened a storm of fire upon them which flesh and blood could not withstand. After a desperate but vain attempt to force their way through the lines of the Union army, dur- ing which the " rebel yell" could be distinctly heard above the roar of battle, they broke, and fled in irretrievable confusion. In this battle the 10th had a little over 400 men engaged. When the fight began each man had sixty rounds of ball-car- tridge, and these were all expended, besides many more taken from the cartridge-boxes of the fallen. The losses in the regi- ment were 8 killed and 73 wounded. Among the killed or mortally wounded were Maj. Ozro Miller and Sergts. Hem- menway, of Co. D, and McFarlane, of Co. E; and among the wounded were Lieuts. Wheeler, Pierce, and Shurtleti". After the battle was over the 10th was relieved, and marched to the rear of the batteries. On the 2d of July the whole army was put in motion from the field where it had given the enemy such a terrible defeat, and moved to Harrison's Landing. Why Gen. McClellan was in such haste to retreat before a beaten enemy, leaving his badly wounded and considerable stores on the field, seems in- explicable, but such was the fact, and it most certainly reflects little credit upon him as a commander. When the veteran Taylor was hard pressed by Santa Anna at Buena Vista, and his oiflcers urged a retreat, he nobly replied, "My wounded are behind me, and I will never pass them alive." But here was a general claiming to have defeated the enemy, and yet ha.stily retreating before him and leaving many of his wounded to languish in rebel prisons! At evening on the 2d the whole Army of the Potomac were encamped in column, by division, in an immense wheat-fleld, under cover of the gunboat fleet. At this point the 10th remained until the 16th of August. On the 8th of July, President Lincoln visited the army, and was received with the greatest enthusiasm. The regiment was engaged a good part of the time on picket and fatigue duty, varied by an occasional reconnoissance toward the enemy's lines. On the 16th of August the retrograde movement of the army was continued, and on the 20th the 10th arrived at York- town, where it remained until the 29th, when it embarked on board the screw-steamer " Key West" for Alexandria. At Yorktown, on the 27th, Dexter F. Parker, of Worcester, formerly brigade quartermaster, reported for duty as major of the 10th, in place of Maj. Miller, who had died of his wounds in Richmond on the loth of July. This appointment was received with anything but satisfaction by the line-officers of the regiment, and eventually produced a vast deal of trouble. It was not claimed by the ofiicers of the regiment that Maj. Parker was lacking in bravery or any of the essentials of a gen- tleman, or the necessary qualifications for his particular branch of the service. The objections were precisely the same as would be raised in any volunteer regiment. He did not belong to the regiment and was not educated in the experience of a line-oflBcer, and the otEcers of the 10th regarded the appoint- ment as an innovation upon the claims of brave and competent men in their own ranks. The troops debarked at Alexandria on the 1st of September, and were ordered to Fairfax Court-House, to the support of Gen. Pope. The march was commenced, and continued for a few miles, but on the 2d the troops were ordered to return to Alexandria ; which order was soon changed, and they moved to the Chain Bridge, which point they reached at noon on the 3d. Here Col. Eustis assumed the command. On the 5th the 10th moved forward with the balance of the troops toward the rebel army in Maryland. Gen. Pope had been superseded by Gen. McClellan, and on the 14th and 17tb 142 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. were fought the battles of South Mountain and Antietam, in consequence of which the rebel army retreated once more into Virginia. The regiment was in the vicinity of both these great actions, but not actively engaged in either. On the 1.5th a strong force, including the 10th, was ordered to the relief of the gar- rison at Harper's Ferry, then closely invested by Lee's army. The command proceeded rapidly on its way, but within an hour the firing at Harper's Ferry, which had been very heavy all the morning, suddenly ceased, and it was at once understood that the garrison, amounting to about 12,000 men, had surren- dered. It was no doubt a shameful and unnecessary act, and the Union commander has been severely criticised. On the evening of the 17th the 10th reached the Antietam battle-field after a most fatiguing day of marching and countermarching, and threw themselves on the ground for a little rest. On the 18th the 10th was assigned a position on the right of the front line, where it remained during the day. The battle, as is well known, was not renewed, and the morning of the 19th found the rebel army across the Potomac, and evidently retreat- ing southward. After a great amount of marching the 10th went into camp on the 24th of September, near Downesville, where, on the 2.5th, the men were mustered for pay. The cam- paign had been a rough one, and the regiment — both officers and men — was ragged and shabby. At this camp, on the 27th, eleven line-officers of the regiment tendered their resignations in consequence of the appointment of Maj. Parker. The names of these officers were as below: Captains Thomas W. Clapp, George Pierce, Samuel C. Traver, • Joseph K. Newell ; Lieutenants Hiram A. Keith, Joseph H. Bennett, Lorenzo M. Remington, George E. Hagar, Henry E. Crane, Edwin E. Moore, and James Knox. Lieuts. Charles Wheeler and David W. Wells were honor- ably discharged on surgeons' certificates. At dress-parade Col. Eustis informed the officers that he had received the resignations, but had not forwarded them, and would hold them until the next morning, trusting that they would be reconsidered and recalled. He cautioned them at the same time that they were violating the 7th article of war, and must expect the consequences. None of them were withdrawn, however, and on the 28th the officers were all ordered under arrest. A court-martial was advised by Gen. Devens, the brigade commander, who deprecated in strong terms the action of the officers. From this time until the 14th of November the court-martial sat as opportunity was offered, and in the mean time the offenders remained with the regiment, under arrest- and without arms or command. The last case was disposed of by the court- martial on the last-mentioned date, and forwarded for ap- proval. In the mean time, the regiment was almost constantly on the move in Maryland and Virginia, though scarcely under fire. During the month of November a number of men were transferred from the regiment into the regular artillery ser- vice, most of them going into Butler's battery, 2d U. S. Artillery. During the greater part of November the regiment was moving from place to place in Virginia, and in the beginning of December began a movement which terminated in front of the rebel position on the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg. The 10th was present at the great battle of Fredericksburgi on the 13th of December, 1862, but, with the exception of being exposed at one time to a heavy shelling, did not partici- pate. Upon the retreat of the army on the morning of the 15th, the 10th was selected as rear-guard for the left wing, and was the last regiment to leave the ground. The troops went into camp near Falmouth. The officers who tendered their resignations had their cases gradually disposed of, and on the 20th of December the last of them received their discharges from the service. The sen- tence of the court-martial was that the four senior officers be cashiered and the remainder dismissed the service. Upon the presentation of a written statement of the fact.s to the President of the United States, he set aside the findings of the court, and all the officers were honorably discharged. Several of them subsequently served with credit in the army. On the 20th of November, Lieut. Wallace A. Putnam, of Co. E, had excused some of his barefooted men from drill. Upon hearing of this the colonel called the lieutenant to ac- count, and ordered him to take these men and bring wood three-fourths of a mile to replenish the fire in front of his tent, and keep at work until he ordered him to stop. The lieutenant, considering the order an inhuman one, flatly refused to obey it, and was at once put under arrest by the colonel. Upon his trial he pleaded guilty to the charges, and upon giving a written statement of the reasons for disobeying the orders the reviewing-officer returned him to duty. About the 5th of January the 10th was virtually recon- structed, with mostly a new set of officers, the places of those killed, disabled, and discharged having been filled by new men. The following list shows the officers at this time : Colonel, Henry L. Eustis ; Lieutenant-Colonel, Joseph B. Parsons ; Major, Dexter P. Parker; Adjutant, Charles H. Brewster; Surgeon, C. N. Chamberlain ; Assistant Surgeon, A. B. Rob- inson; Acting Assistant Surgeon, G. C. Clark; Quarter- master, Allen S. Mansir ; Chaplain, A. J. Bingham. Company A. — Captain, Ralph O. Ives; First Lieutenant, Levi Ross ; Second Lieutenant, C. H. Knapp. Compaiii/ B. — Captain, William Streeter ; First Lieutenant, E. B. Bartlett; Second Lieutenant, G. C. Kaulback. C'ompaHij C. — Captain, James H. Weatherall ; First Lieu- tenant, Edwin Whitney; Second Lieutenant, E. H. Graves. Qimpany D. — Captain, Homer G. Gilmore ; First Lieuten- ant, H. M. Cotrell ; Second Lieutenant, E. B. Whittlesey. Company E. — Captain, Edwin L. Knight; First Lieutenant, Wallace A. Putnam ; Second Lieutenant, Simeon N. El- dridge. Company F. — Captain, George W. Bigelow ; First Lieuten- ant, L. O. Eaton ; Second Lieutenant, T. S. Noble. Company G. — Captain, George Pierce, Jr. ; First Lieuten- ant, N. H. Gardner ; Second Lieutenant, George W. Potter, Jr. Company H. — Captain, Flavel Shurtleff ; First Lieutenant, A. E. Munyan ; Second Lieutenant, A. W. Midgley. Company I. — Captain, Willard I. Bishop ; First Lieutenant, William A. Ashley ; Second Lieutenant, W. F. Darby. Various articles from the officers of the regiment and others appeared in the papers, and altogether, with its distinguished services in the field and its internal difficulties, its history was among the most interesting and eventful of any that took the field from the State of Massachusetts. The new chaplain did not remain long before continued ill health compelled his resignation. He was quite popular in his regiment, and upon the eve of his departure made a very feeling address to his companions. In the latter part of January occurred the famous " forward- and-back" movement of Burnside's army, which was denomi- nated the " mud campaign" by the soldiers. In this the lOlh bore, as usual, a conspicuous part. The movement took place between the 20th and 24th of the month, and resulted in nothing except wear and tear of men and transportation. Soon after the " mud campaign," Col. Eustis was placed in command of the brigade to which the 10th was attached. While encamped and doing picket duty along the Rappahan- nock, the pickets of the two armies kept open communications across the river, and exchanged news]iapers, tobacco, coft'ee, and compliments, and occasionally written correspondence, notwithstanding it was strictly forbidden. On the 6th of March, 1863, three wagon-loads of express HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 143 goods were received and distributed, making glad the hearts of the soldiers, who felt that they were still remembered at home. During the month of March reviews and drills indicated ac- tive worl< at hand. On the 8th of April the army was reviewed by President Lincoln, who was accompanied by his two sons. At one period during the spring of 1863 a balloon was at- tached to the army, and the 10th Massachusetts had the honor of furnishing an officer (Lieut. Kaulback) and 30 men to take charge of the apparatus. Gen. Joe Hooker was now in command of the Army of the Potomac, and high hopes were entertained of great things to come. On the 20th of April, Gen. Charles Devens, Jr., who had been a long time in command of the brigade, was ordered to report to Gen. Howard, of the 11th Corps, as commander of a division, and on the following day lie bade his old command an affectionate adieu. While lying in their camps about Falmouth the boys of the 10th and various other regiments instituted a series of base-ball games to while away the monotony of camp-life. The game had not then risen to the prominence it has since acquired as a national one, neither had it been reduced to such a science as at the present time, but it furnished abundance of sport, and was played with the greatest zest by both officers and men. On the 28th of April commenced the series of movements which culminated, on the 3d of May, in the battles of Salem Heights and Chancellorsville. The left wing of the army, under Sedgwick, gallantly carried the rebel positions in front of Fredericksburg which had cost such sacrifices in Burnside's army the previous December ; but the centre and right wing, under the immediate command of Gen. Hooker, were re- pulsed at Chancellorsville, and this enabled Gen. Lee to throw an overwlielming force upon Sedgwick's corps and compel it to fall back across the Rappahannock with considerable loss. The 10th was heavily engaged in the attack upon Salem Heights and suffered severely, losing 10 killed and 5G wounded. Among the killed was First Sergt. Amos Pettis, of Co. I, and among the wounded were Capt. Shurtlett" and Lieut. Noble. Col. Eustis, of the 10th, exhibited great skill and bravery in handling the brigade after Col. Brown was wounded. Maj. Parker was in command of the 10th. The regiment remained in camp, wliich was named " Camp Eustis," from the 8th of May to the 5th of June, when active operations were again commenced. On the 23d of May, Co. K was made the color-company. The men were constantly exercised in drilling and fatigue duty. On the morning of June 5th the ball was opened by the Vermont brigade, who crossed the Kapjiahannock in boats, charged the enemy gallantly under a heavy artillery fire, drove them from their rifle-pits, and captured 200 prisoners. During these operations the 10th was under arms, but took no part in them. On the 7th a detail of 1000 men, including seven companies of the 10th, was sent across the river about eight o'clock in the evening, fully armed and equipped. Once on the farther side, they were furnished with intrenching tools, and b}- daylight of the 8th had thrown up a strong line, a mile in length, con- fronting the rebel position. The detail was then relieved, and recrossed the river. Intrenching and skirmishing, varied by artillery firing, was kept up until the 14th of June, when the army began the famous march toward the culminating battle of the war, at Gettysburg. Lee was moving his army toward the North, and the Federal army moved in a parallel course abreast of him, and brought him to bay at length among the hills of Southern Pennsylvania when the rich cities of Philadelphia and Balti- more were almost within his grasp. During the long and toilsome march, wliile at Westminster, the 3t;tli New York, which had been brigaded with the 10th Massachusetts ever since they were at Brightwood, left the brigade and returned home, the two years for which they enlisted having expired. The 10th, during the terrible battle of July 3d, was among the reserves, almost constantly moving from one point to another, and during Gen. Lee's terrific cannonade with one hundred and twenty guns upon the centre of the Union position it passed through the concentrated storm, but for- tunately losing only two men wounded. On the 5th the army started in pursuit of the retreating enemy. On the 25th the 10th was near Warrenton, where it remained until the 15th of September. On the 21st of July a detail of three commissioned and six non-commissioned officers was made, to proceed to Massachusetts on recruiting service. On the 29th of July a fine new set of colors was received from Boston. The old colors were .sent to Boston for safe-keeping. On Saturday, the 8th of August, Capt. George Pierce re- joined the regiment, having been reinstated by Governor Andrew in his command. He was one of those who resigned on account of the appointment of Maj. Parker. About this time, also, the sutler made his appearance with two wagon- loads of goods. On the 17th of August the regiment was paid off for four months. Besides the allotments to their families, the quartermaster expressed home for the boys $10,105. The regiment at this time numbered about 400 men. On the 3d of September, Capt. Ives, who had gone to a house outside the picket-line for a glass of milk, was captured by guerrillas and taken to Richmond. About the middle of • September, Col. Eustis was promoted to brigadier-general for meritorious services. Col. Parsons had commanded the regi- ment after the battle of Salem Heights. Soon after the promotion of Col. Eustis about $.300 was raised to purchase a sword and accompanying trappings, to be presented to him as a token of esteem from the officers and men of his old command. A subscription was also started for the purpose of procuring a suitable memorial for presenta- tion to Gen. McClellan. This last was participated in by the whole army. At dress-parade on the 26th of September an order was read dismissing Capt. Ralph O. Ives from the service for violation of the 49th article of war. The regiment was again paid ofl" on the 19th of September. During the month of October the regiment was marching in Virginia, stopping for a few days at Bristow Station, where it was expected the troops would go into winter-quarters. On the 15th of October, Capt. Fred Barton, of the staft" of Gen. Eustis, was captured by guerrillas while at Fairfax Station to see his father off on the cars. On the 7th of November occurred the action at Rappahan- nock Station, where a strong work was captured by Gen. Rus- sell's brigade at the point of the bayonet. In the course of the day the 10th lost 2 men wounded, 1 mortally. At this place about 1.500 of the enemy were captured, in- cluding the famous " Louisiana Tigers." During the latter part of November the whole army made an advance beyond the Bapidan, and there was much skir- mishing and considerable fighting between the 26th of No- vember and the 1st of December, at which latter date the army commenced falling back toward Brandy Station. The 10th went into camp on the John Minor Botts farm on the 3d of December. At this place the regiment constructed a permanent camp. The men built log huts, using tents for roofs. The huts were six feet by ten on the ground, with walls four feet in height. During their stay at this camp a large number of the 10th Regiment re-enlisted for three years. Every man who re- enlisted was promised thirty-five days' furlough. On the 2d of January, 1864, the re-enlisted men of nine companies were mustered for three additional years of service by Capt. Smith, of Gen. Terry's staff, and on the next day the remaining com- 144 HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. pany was mustered. At one time during their stay here ru- mors were afloat that the regiment would be ordered to San- dusky, Ohio, to guard prisoners of war. About the middle of January the regiment was supplied with a new chaplain, in the person of Rev. Mr. Perkins, of Montague. Recruits began now to arrive in camp. Early in February the chaplain, having no suitable place for con- ducting religious services, set about constructing a chapel, which was soon completed. It was built of logs plastered with mud, and was seventeen by twenty-three feet and could accommodate about one hundred persons. It was decorated with bunting and evergreens. Not long after the chapel was completed the inajor took possession of it for the purpose of practicing the bayonet exer- cise, but upon a representation of the matter to Col. Parsons the business was discontinued. A Ij'ceum was organized in the regiment, and meetings were held once a week. There was heavy firing along the Eapidan on the 6th of February, and indications of some movement in the rebel camp. On the 10th of February the re-enlisted veterans left for home on their promised furloughs. The balance of the regi- ment was consolidated into four companies, under command of Maj. Parker. On the 19th, Gen. Eustis was presented with an elegant sword and trappings by the 10th Regiment. Maj. Parker made the presentation in an appropriate speech, which was feelingly responded to by the general. The old band of the 10th was reorganized as a brigade band, and rejoined the command under the lead of B. A. Stewart on the 14th of Feb- ■ ruary, and on the 20th Mr. Burdick died very suddenly in the hospital. The regiment was again paid off on the 2.5th of this month. From the 27th of February to March 2d the regiment was out on a reconnoissance. From the latter date until May 4th it remained in camp. On the 2d of April the paymaster again made his appearance. On the 18th there was a grand corps review by Gens. Grant, Meade, and Sedgwick. During the latter part of April various games of ball (wfcket, base-ball, etc.) were indulged in, one company being generally matched against another. On the 4th of May the whole Army of the Potomac broke camp and began the great forward movement under a new and at length successful leader. The 10th was hotly engaged in the battle of May 5th, the initial conflict of the terrible " Wilderness" battles, and lost 11.5 killed and wounded, being about one-third of the whole. Among the killed was Lieut. Ashley, of West Springfield, and among the wounded were Lieuts. Eaton and Midgley, the latter mortally. During the next day's fighting the 10th was in the reserve line, and suifered very little. Capt. Shurtlefi' was severely wounded in the arm. After two days' severe fighting. Gen. Lee became convinced that new tactics had been adopted by the Army of the Potomac, and that he could no longer main- tain his position against Gen. Grant's tremendous a.ssaults. He accordingly abandoned his advanced line, and retired behind his heavy intrenchments. The 10th was slightl}' engaged on the 8th, losing 1 killed and 8 wounded. During the night of the 8th, Gen. Lee succeeded in taking up a very strong position across Gen. Grant's line of marcli, and here he held the national army at bay for the space of twelve days. On the 9th, Gen. John Sedgwick fell near the right of the 10th. Gen. H. G. Wright succeeded him in command of the 6th Army Corps. During the battle of Spottsylvania, on the 10th, about 900 prisoners were captured by Gens. Russell and Upton's brigades of the 6th Corps. The total losses of the 10th from the 5th to the 11th of May were 17 killed and 94 wounded. On the 12th of May occurred some of the most terrible fighting of the war. Under cover of a dense fog, in the gray light of the early morn. Gen. Hancock, by direction of Gen. Grant, suddenly penetrated the left centre of the Confederate army, and captured their works and about 30 gun^, together with 2 generals and .3000 men, who were immediately sent to the rear by Hancock with the laconic dispatch, " I have cap- tured from thirty to forty guns; I have finished up Johnson, and am going into Early." The charge cut the rebel army in two, and Lee himself narrowly escaped capture. But though this success was highly satisfactory, it did not demoralize the rebel general or his armj', and preparations were immediately made by him to recover the lost ground, at whatever cost. In the mean time the brigade to which the 10th was attached was placed inside the captured works, and here for twenty- three consecutive hours they withstood one continuous as- sault and sustained a most terrific fire. As evidence of the truth of these statements, it is said that two years after the battle " full one-half of the trees of the wood, at a point where the fiercest struggle ensued within the salient of the Confederate works, were dead, and nearly all the others were scarred from the effects of musket-balls." A large oak-tree, twentj'-one inches in diameter, was cut in two by musket-balls alone.* A section of this tree is preserved at Wa.?hington. The small battalion of the 10th lost in this battle 11 killed, 44 wounded, and 6 missing and prisoners. Among the killed or mortally wounded were Maj. Parker, Capt. Weatherell, Lieut. A. E. Munyan, and Sergts. James H. Abbott and Charles W. Thompson. On the 17th the 10th Massachusetts and 3d Vermont Regi- ments made a reconnoissance in the direction of Spottsyl- vania Court-House to discover the position of the enemy's infantry line, which was successfully accomplished, the com- mand driving the rebel cavalry before it for a distance of five miles. On the 18th was fought the battle of Spottsylvania Court- House, in which the 10th took a prominent part, and suffered correspondingly. The losses were 3 killed, 6 wounded, and 12 taken prisoners. Among the killed were Lieut. E. B. Bart- lett and Sergt. Paull. From the 18th of May until the 3d of June the regiment was moving toward the James River, foraging and skirmish- ing by the way. On the 3d of June occurred one of the bloodiest affairs of the whole war, the assault upon the rebel lines at Cold Harbor. The 10th was in the supporting line, and consequently suffered less than those in front. The loss was 1 killed and 4 wounded. Four men were also wounded on the 1st inst. On the 4th the regiment lost 1 man killed and 1 wounded. On the 6th, James Cormick, of Co. A, was killed. On the IGth of June the regiment crossed the James River, and, marching all night and the next day, reached the vicinity of Petersburg at nightfall. On the 18th the 10th was engaged in an attack which carried the enemy's line in front, in which it had 7 mei\ wounded. On the evening of the 19th the regiment was relieved, and ordered to the rear. During the 20th, while awaiting orders to return home, the rebels opened a battery of 20-pounder guns upon the comnumd, by which Sergt.-Maj. George F. Polley was instantly killed.f * The compiler recollects, during the investment of Atlanta, Ga., by Sher- man's army, seeing a black-walnut tree, about two feet iu diameter, nearly cut off by musketry -fire. t A day or two preceding his death Sergt. Polley carved out the following inscription upou a board similar to those placed at the head of soldiers' graves: " Sergt.-Maj. George F. Polley, 10th Ma&s. Vols., killed June ,1864." He re- marked, " I guess I'll leave the date blank." Afterward, by advice of his com- rades, he split up the Iward to kindle fires with. An exact fac-simile of this was placed at his grave. He had been commissioned first lieutenant-, but the commission djd not reach the command until after his death. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 145 The poor fellow was buried on the 21st at City Point, and the regiment embarked for home on the 22d. It arrived in Springfield on the 2oth, where it was tendered, on behalf of the people of Western Massachusetts, a most en- thusiastic reception. The streets were decorated with banners and inscriptions, and every window and balcony was crowded with faces. Salutes were tired, church bells rung, and citizens, societies, and orders turned out to do it honor. The regiment numbered 220 men in the grand procession which graced the occasion. The procession marched to Court Square, where Mayor Alexander welcomed the remnant of the gallant band which had left the city three years before, 1000 strong, in a most ap- propriate speech, which was responded to by Col. J. B. Par- sons on behalf of the regiment, after which the men partook of a grand collation. On the 1st of July the field and staff otficers and five com- panies were mustered out by Lieut. Arnold, of the 18th U. S. Infantry, and on the 6th the remaining companies. On the 18th the regiment was paid oft' at Springfield. CHAPTER XXX. EIGHTEENTH, TWENTIETH, AND TWENTY- FIKST REGIMENTS. EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT. This regiment was raised mostly in the counties of Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth, and was mustered into the service Aug. 27, 18G1. A portion of Co. K was from Springfield and Chicopee. The commander. Col. James Barnes, and the surgeon, David P. Smith, were also from Springfield. Col. Barnes was pro- moted to command of the brigade July 14, 1802. The regiment left the State under orders for Washington, D. C, Aug. 28, 1801, and on the 3d of September was ordered to cross the Potomac and report to Gen. Fitz-John Porter. It participated in Gen. McClellau's Kichmond campaign, was engaged in many of the bloody battles of the advance and retreat, and was present at the second battle of Bull Run or Manassas, Aug. 30, 1862, where its loss was equal to fift^'-two per cent, of the number engaged. The regiment was present at the battles of Antietam and Fredericksburg, in the latter action losing again ver\- heavily. In May following (1863) it took part in the disastrous battle of Chancellorsville, and in .July following was on the field of Gettysburg. In the great campaign of 1864, under Gen. Grant, it bore a conspicuous part and gallantly sustained the honor of its State. In July it was reduced to a battalion by the expiration of the term of service of a portion of the regiment, which was ordered to Washington. The battalion left in the field was in Sep- tember consolidated with the 32d Massachusetts Regiment, and mustered out upon expiration of its term of service. The 32d Regiment was one of three to which was awarded a splendid outfit, furnished by Americans in Europe, for the three best- disciplined regiments at that time in the Union army. TWENTIETH REGIMENT. The 20th Regiment was first stationed on the upper Poto- mac as a portion of Gen. F. W. Lander's brigade of Gen. Stone's division. It was engaged in the unfortunate aftair at Ball's Bluff, where it lost 208 men, killed, wounded, and missing. During the following winter the regiment was on picket duty on the Potomac. In May, 1862, the brigade, under Gen. Dana, marched to the assistance of Gen. Banks in the Shenan- doah Valley, but on reaching Berryville was ordered back to Harper's Ferry. On the 2oth it returned to Washington, and on the 27th of May embarked for Fortress Monroe, Va. 19 The regiment was engaged throughout the Richmond cam- paign of 1862, and took part in the actions at Yorktown, West Point, Fair Oaks, Allen's Farm, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, and Nelson's Farm. After the retreat to Harrison's Landing it was transferred with the army to Northern Virginia, and thence to Maryland, and on the 17th of .September it took part in the severe battle of Antietam, where its loss was 137 men. Again, at the disastrous battle of Fredericksburg the regi- ment was warmly engaged and lost heavily ; during the follow- ing winter it was encamped at Falmouth. In the grand campaign of Gettysburg it took an important part, and in the dreadful battles of July 2d and 3d, outof a total of 230 officers and men engaged, lost 110. It was in the pur- suit of Lee toward and into Virginia, and at Kelly's Ford, on the 25th of August, received 183 recruits. On the 12th and 13th of October it was engaged with the enemy at Catlett's and Bristow Stations. In October and November the regiment was skirmishing with the rebels under Ewell, and on the 5th of December went into winter quarters at Stevensburg. While in this camp about two-thirds of the old members of the regiment re-enlisted for three years. On the 3d of May, 1864, it moved forward into the terrible campaign of the Wilderness, and thence "on to Richmond," and arrived at Petersburg, twenty-three miles beyond the Ccmfederate capital, on the 15th of June. It was hotly engaged with the enemy on the 20th, 21st, and 22d of June, and on the latter date its services were of vast importance in checking a formidable assault. The term of its original enlistment expired on the 18th of July, 1864, and those who had not re-enlisted were sent to Boston, where they were mustered out of service. The veter- ans and recruits were consolidated into seven companies and incorporated with the 15th Massachusetts, which made up a total of ten companies. On the 12th of August it was engaged in the action at Deep Bottom, where it met with considerable loss, Maj. Patten being among those mortally wounded. On the 23d of the same month it was in the severe engage- ment at Reams' Station, on the Weldon Railway, where the entire number of men present, excepting ten, was either killed or captured. On the 11th of September, Capt. Magnitzky arrived at the front and took command of the remnant of the regiment, now consolidated into one company of 70 men. Subsequently, upon the arrival of convalescents from hospital, it was organized into three companies, and employed in fatigue duty upon the forti- fications until the latter part of October, when it was moved down the left of the line and encountered the enemy at Hatcher's Run. Advancing on the Boydton Plank-Road, it again encountered the enemy. On the 30th of November the battalion went into camp near Fort Emory. On the 5th of February, 1865, it participated in the second movement across Hatcher's Run, and on the 29th of March began its march in the final campaign against Gen. Lee, par- ticipating in all the operations which culminated in the sur- render of the rebel army on the 9th of May, 1865. The regiment took part in the grand review at Washington on the 23d of May, and was mustered out of service on the 28th of July, after serving three years and ten days. TWENTY-FIRST REGIMENT. This regiment had a considerable number of men from Hampden County scattered through its ranks, though there was no single company wholly from the county. The regiment was organized at Camp Lincoln, Worcester, which place it left on the 23d of August, 1861, numbering 1004 men. Its first campaign in the field was in connection with the 146 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. Biirnside expedition against Eoanoke Island. The regiment \ii\s ctnimandcd by Lieut. -Col. Albert Maggi. It left An- napolis, Md., on the 6th of January, 18C2, and passed a stormy and disagreeable month on board the steamer "Northerner," oft' Cape Hatteras, N. C. It disembarked on the 7th of February, and was eonspicu- ouslj' engaged, capturing a rebel battery and a stand of colors in a steady charge with the bayonet. On the 4th of March following Maj. C"lark was promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy in place of Lieut.-Col. Maggi, re- signed, and took the command. In the battle of Newbern it was hotly engaged, and again captured a battery in a niagniticent bayonet charge, for which gallant action it was commended by Gen. Burnside and pre- sented with one of the guns captured from the enemy. The gallant Lieut. F. A. Stearns fell in this engagement. The regiment left Newbern on the 17th of April, and, marching via Elizabeth City, took part in the spirited affair at Camden on the 19th, and thus celebrated the first blood shed in the Rebellion by a victory. In May the regiment made a forced march to Pollocksville, and rescued the 2d Maryland (Union) Regiment from immi- nent danger of capture. On the 9th of July it went into camp at Newport News, near Fortress Monroe, and from thence, on the 2d of August, proceeded, via Aquia Creek, to Fredericksburg, where it en- camped for a short season. The ccmmand took part in the campaign of Gen. Pope, and was present and warmly engaged at the second battle of Bull Run. It was also engaged at the battle of Chantilly, where its losses aggregated l.'JO men, killed, wounded, anel captured. In this battle the brave and accomplished Gen. Kearney fell near the battle-line of the 21st. Col. Clark was very near being captured, but finally came into the Union lines, alter wandering in the woods until the fourth day suc- ceeding the battle. The 21st was hotly engaged at the battle of South Mountain, Sept. 15, 1862, where anollier valuable Union officer, Gen. Reno, was killed in the moment of victory. It was also present at the great battle of Antietam, fought on the 17th of the same month, by which the rebel commander was compelled to withdraw once more within the Virginia fortifications. In the fatal attack upon the enemy's lines at Fredericksburg, in December following, the 21st bore an honorable part, and lost 69 men. The regiment was stationed at Falmouth, where it performed picket duty, until the 10th of January, 1863, when it was transferred to Newport News, and thence, in March, to the State of Kentucky. It was engaged in picket and scouting duty in various parts of East Tennessee from July to the middle of November, when it was moved toward Knoxville, where Gen. Burnside was besieged by a strong force under the rebel Gen. Longstreet. After sharp fighting and much weary marching, the 21st succeeded in readiing Knoxville on the 17th of November. During the siege it was actively engaged, and bore a con- spicuous part in the action of the 24th of November, when, in connection with another picked regiment, it forceel the enemy from his positions in North Knoxville and occupied his works. Upon the advance of Sherman's column from Chattanooga for the relief of Burnside, Longstreet hastily broke up his camps and retreated into Virginia, and during the pursuit the 21st was actively engaged, and shared all the dangers and privations of that remarkable period. On the 29th of December the regiment, with the exception of twenty-four men, re-enlisted for the war. On the 8th of January, 1864, it started home on " veteran furlough," and on its arrival at Worcester was arcurded a most enthusiastic reception. Upon the expiration of its I'nrliugli it rejuincd the Army of the Potomac, and was assigned to the first division of the 9th Corps, under Gen. Stevenson. In the famous movement of Gen. Grant's army upon Richmond it bore its full share of the murderous conflicts of the "Wilderness," Spottsylvania Court-House, and Cold Harbor, losing many men and officers. On the loth of June it was transferred to the lines in front of Petersburg, where it immediately became fiercely engaged with the enemy, taking part in the desperate assault which followed the explosion of the mine' under the rebel works on the 3d of July, where its losses were severe. On the 18th of August the military authorities decided it was not a veteran regiment, because, of the three-fourths who had re-enlisted, 56 men, for various reasons, had been rejected. The organization was ordered to be broken up, and the officers and non-re-enlist[;d men were ordered home to be mustered out of service. On the 19th of August the remnant left behind was engaged, and lost several men, among them Capt. Sampson, Sergt. May, and private Murphy. Those remaining were soon after consolidated with the 36th Massachusetts Regiment. Capt. Clark was mortally wounded at Petersburg, but lived long enough to reach his home. CHAPTER XX XL T"WrENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT. This regiment was raised in the four western counties of the State, — principally in the three river-counties. Horace C. Lee, of Springfield, was its first Colonel ; Luke Lyman, of Northampton, Lieutenant-Colonel ; Wm. M. Brown, of Adams, Major; Geo. A. Otis, of Springfield, Surgeon ; Miles Sanford, of Adams, Chaplain ; Geo. W. Bartlett, of Green- field, Adjutant ; and William H. Tyler (2d), of Adams, Quar- termaster. The regiment was mustered into the United States service at Springfield, Mass., Sept. 20, 1861. It was known as the 2d Western Regiment, and its officers were from the militia regiments of the .State. It left the State on the 2d of November, 1861, and arrived by sea at Annapolis, Md., on the 5th of the same month. At this point it remained until the 6th of January, 1862, em- ple)yed in perfecting its drill and in learning the duties of camp- life. On the last-mentioned date the regiment embarked on trans- ports and proceeded to Fortress Monroe, where it arrived on the nth. At this place two men — Michael Cavanaugh, of Co. F, and James M. Hamblin, of Co. E — were drowned by the upsetting of a boat, which was run down by a steam-tug. The 27th formed a part of the Burnside expedition, and left Fortress Monroe on the 12th of January and arrived at Hatteras Inlet, N. C, on the 13th. Here the expedition re- mained, on account of severe weather, until the 6th of Feb- ruary, when the fleet proceeded to Pamlico Sound, and ar- rived in sight of Roanoke Islanel the same evening.* On the evening of the 7th, after a heavy bombardment by the gunboats, the land forces, of which the 27th formed a part, were landed on the island, where they bivouacked in an open field in a drenching rain. On the following morning, February 8th, the troops were formed, and advanced to the attack of the enemy's intrench- ments. The approach was through almost impenetrable thickets and mirj' swamps ; but nothing could check the ardor of the men, and the enemy's right and left we're turned after a sharp cncounte-r, and the place soon surrendered. In this its first engagement the 27th lost 5 men killed and 15 * This island is famous as having been the site of an English settlement in 1585, tweuty-two years before the settlement at Jamestown, Va. It was, how- evci- soon after abandoned. Photo, by Hardie & Schadee. /Vyi^^yi^y LCKE Lyman, son of Horace and Electa Lyman, is a de- scendant of one of the oldest and most prominent families of the historic town of Northampton. He was born in Northampton, Nov. 1, 1824. His edu- cation was obtained at the public schools iu his native town, which have ever been considered among the best in the State. He was reared as an agriculturist, and continued in that honorable vocation until 1856, when he was elected to the important office of register of insolvency, since which period his time has been occupied in the discharge of the duties of the various official positions to which he has been called by his fellow-citizens. Gen. Lyman has ever been active in the political arena, and has been a Republican from the organization of that party. He has been chosen to various offices within the gift of his fellow-townsmen, and brought to the discharge of his duties a sound judgment and a ripe knowledge of men and events. As mentioned above, he was elected register of insolvency in 1856, and in 1858 register of probate and insolvency, and has held the office continuously since. In addition to this he has held the office of selects man, assessor, overseer of the poor, water commissioner, clerk of that board, director in the Massachusetts Central Railroad, director in Hampshire County National Bank, engineer of fire department, and various other offices. In military matters Gen. Lyman has ever manifested a lively interest, and in the old militia held the various ranks from private to captain. Upon the breaking out of the Rebellion he promptly and patriotically stepped to the front, and in the first outburst of Northern patriotism, in April, 1861, he organized a company for the service, but, the call being filled, the com- pany was not accepted. On the 15th of September, 1861, he was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 27th Regi- ment Massachusetts Volunteers, and remained in the service until June, 1863. The gallant 27th saw severe service, and Col. Lyman was ever found sharing the fortunes of the regiment, whether on long, tedious marches, or in front of rebel bullets. He accompanied the memorable Burnside expe- dition, and participated in the following engagements: Roanoke Island, Newbern, Kingston, Goldsboro', Gum Swamp, Whitehall, and the siege of Washington, N. C. He was a brave and gallant officer, and was commissioned brevet-colonel for brave and meritorious conduct at the siege of Washington, N. C. His conduct attracted the attention of the commanding officers, and he was commissioned brevet brigadier-general for meritorious conduct during the war. Upon leaving the field, in 1863, he returned to North- ampton, and was appointed by Gov. Andrew superintend- ent of recruiting for Hampshire County, and is now a member of the " Military Order of the Loyal League of Massachusetts." In all matters concerning the welfare of his native town and county, Gen. Lyman has ever been found aiding in both time and money. He is also prominent in Masonic circles, and is the present eminent commander of the Northampton Commandery of Knights Templar. In relig- ous matters he is a Congregationalist, and is a member of the first parish. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. U7 wounded. On the llfh it went on board the tran-tports, where it reniiiinod for about a month in very crowded and uncom- fortable quarters. Many were taken sick in consequence, and on the l^lh of February Capt. Henry A. Huliliard, of Co. A, died. On the lltb of March followins; the troops left Roanoke Isbmd, and, binding on the coast on the 13th, marched toward Newbern,-N. C. On the morning of the 14th the enemy was encountered, well posted in a strong position near Newbern, and immediately attacked by the 27th Regiment, which pushed forward and maintained the fight until its ammunition became exhausted, when it was withdrawn and replaced by another regiment. In this affair it suffered a lo.ss of 15 killed and 78 wounded. The result compelled the retreat of the enemy, who was rapidly followed up by the Union force to the vicinity of the city, which was found abandoned and on fire in several places. The 27th crossed the river Trent in boats, the great bridge having been fired by the retreating rebels, and went into camp in the abandoned camp of the 7th North Carolina Regi- ment, about a half-mile from the city, where it found good quarters and abundant supplies. Here it remained about six weeks. The month of May was passed at Batchelder's Creek, about eight miles from Newbern. On the 1st of June the regiment returned to its first camp, near the city, where it remained until the latter part of July, under command of Lieut.-Col. Lyman, Col. Lee being in command of a brigade. While lying at this place the regiment made a reconnois- sance to Trenton to ascertain the force and positions of the enemy. A body of cavalry was met and dispersed, and, find- ing no fortifications, the force returned to Newbern after an absence of three days. On the 9th of September three companies of the regiment were ordered to Washington, N. C, and five companies to Newport barracks, the two remaining companies having been left some time previously at Batchelder's; Creek. On the 30th of November the regiment, with the exception of the two last- named companies, was ordered to join the expedition to Wil- liamston and Hamilton. The 27th also formed a part of the expedition to Goldsboro', N. C. The brigade to which it was attached consisted, be- sides the 27th, of the 3d, 4th, 5th, 25th, and 45th Ma.ssachu- setts Regiments, all under command of Col. Lee, of the 27th. The brigade left Newbern on the 11th of December, occu- pying the position of rear-guard with the baggage-train. At nightfall the troops encamped on the Trenton road. On the 12th the march was over terribly swampy roads, which were continually growing worse. On the 13th, about noon, the command arrived within a short distance of Kinstou, where the enemy were driven in by the advance. Here they en- camped for the night. Two days' rations and twenty rounds of ammunition were served to each man. On the 14th the brigade moved up the read, leaving the 5th Regiment to guard the baggage, and soon encountered the enemy, who retreated. The 27th reached Kinston, where it encamped for the night. On the 15th it marched all day, and encamped about eight o'clock in the evening. On the 16th the enemy was encoun- tered at Whitehall, when sharp firing ensued, and the 27th was ordered toward Goldsboro', and the following night encamped eight miles below that town. On the 17th the movement was resumed, and at eleven o'clock the command came in sight of the Wilmington Railroad. Here ensued considerable fighting, in which the 27th behaved finely. The object of the expedition being accomplished, the regiment re- turned to Newbern. The command remained in camp near Newbern from this time until the 4th of January, 1863, when it was ordered to Washington, N. C, which place it reached by water on the 5th. On the 27th cf January two companies, G and H, were sent, under command of Maj. I$artholpened on them with a rapid discharge of musketry. There was no artillery on the portion of the line occupied by the 27th. At three dift'crent times the enemy made desperate attempts to carry the line by an attack in front, but the troops held the ground for an hour, and repulsed the rebels with severe loss. At length they drew back, and there was a temporary lull in the firing. At this time the ammu- nition of the 27th was nearly exhausted, and a supply was ordered. Suddenly a volley of musketry was poured in from the rear. At first it was supposed that reinforcements coming up had mistaken friends for foes, but a glance at the long line of gray uniforms soon undeceived them. They were the enemy, closed nn masse in rear of the line. A portion of the regiment faced about and fired into them, but another force, pressing in front, rendered resistance useless, and the colonel gave the order, " Left face, run !" A portion of the three left companies escaped, but nearly all of the remainder were cap- tured. This surprise was caused by the giving waj' of two regi- ments on the right of the 27th, in spite of all Gen. Hickman's efforts to hold his line until reinforcements arrived. The gen- eral sent Lieut. Wheeler, an aid, to notify Col. Lee that the right was withdrawn and to order a change of front in the 27th, but the lieutenant was mortally wounded while endeav- oring to execute the order, and the message did not reach Col. Lee. Gen. Hickman, getting impatient at the continued ab- sence of Lieut. Wheeler, started to attend to the matter him- self, and was captured. The casualties in the 27th were: killed, Capt. Charles D. HISTORY OP THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 149 .Sanford, ii brnvc and accomplished nfficpr and a pnimising young man, and 5 enlisted men ; wounded, 1 lieutenant and 29 men ; prisoners, 9 officers, including the colonel and lieutenant- colonel, and 243 enlisted men. The remaining portions of the regiment, after disengaging themsehes from the swamps through which they were compelled to pass, were finally rallied under Capt. Moore, senior officer present, and were under tire during the greater part of the day. The disasters of the morn- ing were partially redeemed, and the enemy were compelled to retire. The troops fell back to their camps at eleven p.m. The following extract from a letter of Gen. G. Wietzell to Gen. W. F. Smith will throw considerable additional light on this affair. It is dated May 29, 1804 : " My Dear Gkneral, — Have jii.st received full files of Ricliniond paijeis from 16th to 2Sth Ijy flag of truee boat. Full details of our flglit, with li.st of killed and wounded, and list of officei-s captured from us. The force that attacked my division was six brigades of infantry and one unattached regiment of infantiy, and three batteries of artillery, all under M;ij.-Gen. Ransom. His entire loss was 3(i00, by official list. Two bi igadiers (Ransom and Cove) wounded. Sevei al high ofticere killed. They have about oOO of my men luisonere. Gen. Hick- man sends word that Gilniore could easily have gone in. They speak of the wire us a devilish contiivance whicli none but a Yankee conld devise. Infor- mation pretty authentic that the bulk of Beauregard's force left us day before yesterday to join Lee. In liaste, yours, "G. WiF.Tzr.LL. " To Ma.i.-Gf,s. W. F. Smith. ".T. W. Holmes, (Official copy.) ^^ At^t. 27tk Mttiis. Volinitver Iii/utUnj.^^ The surrender of the regiment occurred at about 0.30 a.m., and the prisoners were taken immediately to Richmond, where the officers were incarcerated in Libby prison and the enlisted men in a building on the opposite side of the street. Here they remained about two weeks, when the prisons were ordered cleared, and the officers were sent to Macon, Ga., and the men to Andersonvillc stockade. From the time the officers left Richmond until they reached Macon was about ten days. The enlisted men were subsequently shifted about and considerably scattered between Florence, Charleston, Mellen, etc. Over one hundred died while prisoners. Col. Lee and Lieut.-Col. Bartholomew remained only about a week at Macon, when they were ordered to Charleston, to be placed under the fire of the Union batteries. These two were exchanged on the 2d day of August, 1804, and returned to the regiment, where the lieutenant-colonel remained until his sub- sequent capture. Col. Lee was mustered out, as elsewhere stated, in October following. The seven remaining officers were removed from Macon to Charleston, and subsequently to Columbia, S. C, where two of them, Capts. J. H. Nutting and P. McManus, escaped and rejoined the Union army. The remaining five were held pris- oners until the close of the war. None of the captured officers died while prisoners. Following the Drury's Bluff affair the brigade was reorgan- ized, the Goth Pennsylvania Regiment being added to it, and Brig-Gen. Stannard was assigned the command. The command of the 27th devolved on Maj. William A. Walker. The troops were engaged in picket duty until the 28th of May, when (on the next day, 29th) they were embarked on a steamer, and proceeded with the 18th Army Corps to White House, on the Pamunkey River, which was reached on the 30th. On the 31st the troops moved with five days' rations toward Cold Harbor, and the next day joined the Army of the Poto- mac. Cos. F and H of the 27th were sent on the skirmish-line, where they remained until ten p.m. of the 2d of June, and had two men wounded. The other companies were sent to Uevens' brigade, of the 6th Corps, and were on picket during the night. On the morning of the 2d these companies were moved by the right flank, and, passing under a heavy fire, had 4 men killed and 12 wounded. On the 3d of June occurred the disastrous assault upon the rebel works at Cold Harbor. The 27th was deployed as skir- mishers for the brigade, and in the charge which followed suf- fered severely. The casualties were: officers killed, 3, — Major William A. Walker (comnnuiding regiment), Capt. E. R. Wilcox (of Gen. Stannard's stall'), and Lieut. Morse; officers wounded, 4, — Capt. Caswell (slight), Lieuts. McKay, Newall, and Harrington ; enlisted men killed, 10; wounded, 54. Capt. Caswell, being the senior officer, now took the com- mand, and the regiment remained in the trenches until the evening of the 12th of June. During this period it was con- stantly under fire, and Lieut. Coombs (commissioned, hut not mustered) was killed, and Lieut. F. C. Wright, of North- ampton, mortally wounded. Five enlisted men were also wounded, and seven taken prisoners. On the night of the 12th the regiment marched to White House Landing, arriving at five a.m. on the 13th. The dis- tance was twenty-one miles, and the dust and stench from dead horses, killed in Sheridan's cavalry fight two weeks be- fore, were almost intolerable. On the 13th, Capt. Caswell was relieved, and Capt. Moore took command of the regiment. Here it embarked on the transport " Claymont," and landed at Point of Rocks, on the Appomattox River, on the evening of the 14th. On the 15th the command crossed the Appomattox and advanced slowly toward Petersburg, driving the enemy's pickets before it toward their main force, about one and a half miles from the city. At four P.M. the enemy's outer line of works was car- ried with slight loss. The work of the day had been exhaust- ing, the line having to push through thickets and swampy ground under a heavy fire of shot and shell. The 27th lost H enlisted men, severely wounded. During the 16th and 17th the regiment was in reserve, though under fire most of the time. On the 18th of June a general advance was ordered, and one line of rifle-pits was carried and an assault made on the second line in front of Petersburg. The flrst assaulting line was formed of Col. Steadnum's brigade, and the 27th was in the second line supporting. The advance was terrific and the slaughter almost unparalleled, Gen. Stannard remarking that he had never witnessed so severe a fire in any of the forty bat- tles in which he had been engaged. Steadmaii's brigade was repulsed, but Stannard's advanced gallantly to its support and helped to establish the line within fifty yards of the enemy. The loss of the 27th in this affair was 3 officers wounded, leaving one lieutenant alone remaining, 10 enlisted men killed, and 32 wounded, — nearly fifty per cent, of the total number of men engaged. Soon after this battle a number of officers were ordered back to the regiment from detached service, and during the two succeeding months Capts. McKay, Bailey, Caswell, and Bart- lett and Lieuts. W. H. H. Briggs and W. C. Hunt rejoined the regiment and successively had the command. Immedi- ately after the affair in front of Petersburg the command devolved upon Lieut. E. M. JilLson, the only commissioned officer remaining unhurt after the battle was over. The regi- ment remained in the trenches in front of Petersburg until August 24th, and was under fire every alternate two days during that period. Two men were killed and 8 wounded during the time by the enemy's sharpshooters. On the 24th of August the 18th Corps was relieved by the 10th Corps, and the 27th went back to Gen. Butler's lines, between the Appomattox and James Rivers, where for the first time the men found themselves on friendly terms with the enemy's pickets (of Longstreet's Corps), and not exposed to danger from picket firing. Gen. Butler's good-will toward Hickman's brigade procured an order for the four original regiments to be transferred and sent to their old field in North Carolina. The 27th left the army on the 17th of September on the transport " Convoy." Col. Lee had been exchanged in August, and, meeting the regiment at Norfolk, obtained an order from Gen. Butler to retain all the men whose term of service expired before Oct 1. Capt. McKay and Lieut. Holmes 150 niSTOllV OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. were detailed to take command of this detachment (179 men), and proceeded to Springliuld, Mass., where they were mus- tered out on the 27th of September, 1864. Col. Lee's term of service expired on the 20th of September, but he was not mus- tered out until some time in October. On the 19th of September that portion of the regiment still in the field sailed for Beaufort, N. C, on the steamer " United States." The regiment went into camp near Carolina City on the 21st, and, having no tents, built themselves log huts. The regiment was commanded by Maj. Moore from September 17th to November 21st, when Lieut.-Col. Bartholomew, who had been under tire with Col. Lee at Charleston, S. C, hav- ing been exchanged, arrived and took command. On the 28th of November the regiment broke camp and proceeded to Beaufort, under orders from Col. McChesney, commanding sub-district. Here they were engaged on picket duty until the 4th of December, when they were ordered to Newbern, and embarked on the steamer " Mas.sasoit." On the 7th of December they landed at Plymouth, where they were assigned to a conmiand under Col. Jonas Frankle, 2d Massachusetts Artillery. December 9th the command moved out at five a.m., and soon encountered the enemy's scouts near Jamestown. Capt. Graham's company of North Carolina (Union) cavalry charged them, and they fell back to Foster's Mills. Here they made a stand and attempted to prevent a crossing of the stream. The 27th was sent ft)rward and secured the bridge, and the enemy soon fled, pursued by Graham's cavalry. That night the force encamped at Williamstown and remained until the 12th, when an advance was made to Hamilton ; the enemy's pickets were encountered three miles from this place. At Spring Church the force was divided. The 27th Massachusetts and 9th New Jersey, under Col. J. E. Stewart, of the latter regiment, were ordered to execute a tiank movement and gain the rear of the enemy's works at Butler's Bridge. The movement was an en- tire success, and the rebels were taken so completely by sur- prise that Col. Hinton, of North Carolina, commanding the post, took the Union force for a Confederate reinforcement, and was only disabused of the belief when Lieut.-Col. Barthol- omew grasped the bridle-rein of his horse and informed him that he was a prisoner. The command returned to Plymouth on the 1.5th, the 27th acting as rear-guard on the return. The loss during this move- ment was 1 killed and 2 wounded. On the 8th of January, 180-3, the regiment was ordered to Newbern, which place it reached on the 11th. Six companies were stationed at Rocky Run, under command of Lieut.-Col. Bartholomew, and the other four companies at Red House, under Capt. McKay. Early in March the regiment was brigaded with the ISth Connecticut, to form the 2d Brigade, 2d Division of the Dis- trict of Beaufort, under command of Col. Upham, and ordered to report to Gen. Cox, at Cove Creek, where it arrived on the afternoon of March 4th. From this point, on the 6th, the command of Gen. Cox made the movement which resulted so disastrously. At nightfall the troops had made only eight miles, to Gum Swamp. On the 7th the 27th marched from Gum Swamp to Southwest Creek, where the enemy were found strongly in- trenched behind the creek. Skirmishing ensued, and during the night the Union skirmish-line was advanced within seventy-five yards of the creek, and rifle-pits were thrown up. The brigade numbered about 1000 men, and was at this time two miles in advance of supports. On the morning of the 8th information was received that the enemy were making a movement on the left, and upon this Col. Bartholomew faced to the left and formed his com- mand at right angles with the 15th Connecticut, who were also ordered to face in the same direction, but when found by Adjt. Holmes, of the 27tb, who carried the order, they were lying on their faces and fronting away from the enemy, and seemingly bewildered as to what should be done. Subse- quently, during the enemy's attack, they partially faced to the left, and fired directly into the ranks of the 27th. There wa< a company of cavalry attached to this command, under Lieut. Fish, and they had two small howitzers, which the lieutenant placed in position and served splendidly until resistance was useless, when the gallant fellow limbered up and, charging directly through the enemy, escaped with his men and guns. The enemy occupied the thick underbrush, from whence they poured in an incessant and heavy fire. By a sudden charge they forced the 27th back upon the 15th Connecticut, but the two regiments kept their ground for nearly an hour, when they broke and endeavored to escape, but, as the enemy had entirely surrounded them, very few succeeded. The 27th had one hundred and seventy-eight muskets at the begiiuiing of the tight, and only one man succeeded in making his escape* While trying to rally his men Col. Bartholomew was struck through the leg and fell, and at his request Adjt. Holmes remained with him. The adjutant had just succeeded in binding a handkerchief around the wounded limb and getting the colonel into a comfortable position beside a tree, when a rebel officer of Gen. Hoke's staff rode up, and, dismounting, snatched the handkerchief from the wounded officer, and, taking the overcoats, blankets, boots, and what money he could find from both men, rode away. They were soon taken to Kingston, where the colonel's wound was dressed, and from thence were removed to Goldsboro' the next day, where Col. B. was placed in hospital, with other wounded Union men, and three surgeons were left to attend them, who for a whole day paid no attention to them whatever, until Adjt. Holmes re- ported the matter to a superior officer, who speedily ordered them to attend to their duties. To Surg. Mathers, of the 28th Georgia Regiment, Col. Bartholomew was indebted for the saving of his limb after a council of surgeons had decided to amputate it. Adjt. Holmes was permitted to remain with the colonel for a short time, when, with the remaining officers, he was sent to Weldon, where the officers occupied a church for two days, in the midst of a cold rain-storm, upon a promise that they would respect it. The wounded men were left in hospital at Goldsboro'. The able-bodied enlisted men were marched to Richmond, and the officers were taken from Weldon on the top of box-cars and placed in Libby prison. A few days after this affair Gen. Sherman's army occupied Goldsboro' on their way north. While in Libby prison the officers purchased their own provisions, and consequently lived quite comfortably. Before the final campaign of 1865 began the officers were taken to City Point, and from thence went home on parole. The enlisted men were also paroled, and re- turned to Massachusetts. Subsequently they were taken to Annapolis, Md., and regularly exchanged. Col. Bartholomew eventually recovered from his wound, though still crippled, and is at present living at Tampa, Fla. Both he and Adjt. Holmes speak in the highest terms of Surg. Mathers, who was unremitting in his attentions to the Union wounded men ; and, as a mark of gratitude for the saving of his limb, the colonel presented him with his gold watch-chain, which he had concealed when captured. The rebel force engaged in this aflfair was Gen. Hoke's entire division, numbering, according to their own accounts, 8000 men. Their loss was not known. It was one of the last expiring struggles of the war. The battle of Bentonville occurred on the 19th of the same month. The following statement exhibits the casualties in the regi- * The loss of the 27th on the field iu this affair wa.i 14 killed and 48 wounded, including, among the latter, Col. Bartholomew and four other officers. HISTORY OF THK CONNECTICUT VALLKY. 151 mcnt durinsj the war, not including those who died in retel hands, who probably nimibered over 100 additional : Commissioned Officers. — Killed, 6; died of wounds, 2; taken prisoners, 9;* wounded, 12; died of disease, 3. Enlisted Men. — Killed, 70; died of wounds, 47 ;t died of disease, 128 ;f wounded, 272; died of disease while prisoners, (about) 250; taken prisoners, 430; deserters to Dec. 31, 18G4, 51. The following are the names of the commissioned officers who were killed or died of wounds and disease : Capt. Henry A. Hubbard, Feb. 12, 1862, died of disease. Lieut. Joseph W. Lawton, March 14, 18G2, killed, Newbern. Lieut. Cyrus W. Goodale, Oct. 30, 1862, died of disease. Lieut. Edw. D. Lee, April 17, 1864, died of disease. Capt. Charles D. Sanford, May 16, 1864, killed, Drury's Bluff. Lieut. Pliny Wood, May 31, 1864, died of wounds. Lieut. Edgar H. Coombs, June 1, 1864, killed, Cold Harbor. Capt. Ed. D. Wilcox, June 3, 1864, killed. Cold Harbor. Lieut. Saml. Morse, June 3, 1864, killed. Cold Harbor. Maj. Wm. A. Walker, June 3, 1864, killed. Cold Harbor. Lieut. Fred. C. Wright, June 27, 1864, died of wounds. Asst.-Surg. Franklin L. Hunt, Nov. 18, 1864, killed. CHAPTER XXX IT. THIHTY-PIHST, THIRTY-FOURTH, THIRTY-SEV- ENTH, AND FORTY-SIXTH REGIMENTS. THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT. This regiment was raised in the western part of the State and designated the "Western Bay State Regiment." Co. E was mostly from Hampden County, and there were quite a number of Hampden men in Co. K. On the I'Jth of February, 1862, marching orders were re- ceived, and on the 21st it left Boston, and reached Fortress Monroe on the 22d, when, taking on board Gen. Butler and staff, it proceeded to Ship Island, in the Mexican Gulf, where, after encountering considerable stormy weather, it arrived on the 20th of March. Here it remained until the 18th of April, when it sailed for New Orleans. The regiment witnessed the bombardment of Forts Jack- son and St. Philip, and the wonderful naval victory of Ad- miral Farragut over the powerful rebel fleet which con- tested the passage of the river with stubborn but unavailing bravery. On the first day of May, 1862, the city surrendered, or rather was taken possession of by the army and navy, the 31st Massachusetts Infantry being the first regiment to land on the levee, and to it was assigned the duty of dispersing the noisy crowd of traitors who thronged the river-front of the city, and of escorting the commanding general to his head- quarters. The regiment was at first quartered in the United States Custom-House; but in August the command was divided, and part, under Col. Gooding, stationed in Forts Jackson and St. Philip, part, under Lieut. -Col. Welden, at Fort Pike, and part assigned to picket duty in the citj'. In January, 1863, the detachments were united, and on the 10th of February, under command of Lieut. -Col. Hopkins, the regiment took part in the Plaquemine Bayou expedition. In March the division to which the 31st was attached was assigned to the army destined to invest Port Hudson. On the 13th of April the regiment was hotly engaged at Fort Bisland, under Gen. Emory. It was present during the siege of Port Hudson, and was prominently engaged in the * Not including those taken at the Gum Swamp affair. t This is only up to Jan. 1, I8G0, and does ntt include those who died in the service or in rebel piisons. battles of May 2-jth and 27th and June 14th. Soon after the surrender of this stronghold, which occurred on the 8th of July, 1863, it was ordered to Baton Rouge, when it was assigned to the 2d Brigade, 1st Division, of the 19th Army Corps. On the 9th of September the three companies which had been on detached service at Fort Pike returned to the regiment. On the 9th of December the regiment reported to Gen. Lee at New Orleans, and on the IHth was ordered to be mounted as cavalrv", and was furnished with cavalry arms, sabres, and re- volvers. It was for a time known as the 6th Massachusetts Cavalry. It was subsequently brigaded with the 3d Massachusetts, the 2d Illinois, and the 2d New Hampshire cavalry regiments, which formed the 4th Cavalry Brigade, commanded by Col. Dudley, of the 30th Massachusetts. The brigade was in the celebrated but disastrous Red River expedition under Gen. Banks, and participated in the desperate battles of Sabine Cross-Roads, April 8th, and Pleasant Hill, on the 9th and 10th. Upon the retreat of the army the 31st acted as train-guard until the army reached Grand Ecore. Grand Ecore was evacuated on the 21st of April, and on the 23d occurred the battle of Cane River, in which the 31st led the advance, capturing a number of Texas cavalry. At Hudnot's Plantation, seventeen miles from Alexandria, a sharp action was fought, in which the 31st again distinguished itself and cap- tured more prisoners. In the retreat from this point the regi- ment acted as rear-guard, and had numerous skirmishes with the enemy. On the 3d of Jul}- the regiment encamped on its old ground of two years before, opposite New Orleans, where it remained until the 21st, when it started via the Mississippi and Cairo, on veteran furlough, on the steamer "Pauline Carroll." It arrived at Boston on the 4th of August and remained until the 8th of September, when it left Pittsfield for New York, from which port it sailed on the 9th, and landed at New Orleans on the 19th, of the same month. It was at this time restored to its original organization as infantry. A few days subse- quently it again, by order of Gen. Canby, reported to the chief of cavalry to be re-mounted. On the 19th of November the three years' term of service of Cos. A, B, C, and D expired, and they were mustered out of the service. The regiment was tlien consolidated into a bat- talion of five companies. At the close of the year 1864 it was the onlv Massachusetts regiment remaining in the Department of the Gulf. From this time until the beginning of February the battal- ion was engaged in the arduous duty of guarding and pro- tecting a large district of country on the right bank of the Mississippi, and had several collisions with scouting-parties of the enemy. On the 8th of February the regiment was brigaded with three others, and the whole assembled at Carrollton prepara- tory to a march upon Mobile. The advance commenced on the 19th of March, and the regiment performed various du- ties during the siege of that important place. The forts were captured on the 8th and 9th of April, and on the 4th of May the regiment formed the escort of Gen. Granger, to whom Gen. Dick Taylor surrendered on that day. The regiment was finally discharged on the 30th of September, 1865. THIRTY-rOURTH REGIMENT. J This regiment was raised principally in Worcester County. Cos. D and G were largely from Hampden County. It left the State on the loth of August, 1862, with full ranks, and proceeded to Washington, D. C, when it was ordered to Camp Casey, on Arlington Heights. On the 22d of August the regiment was assigned to Gen. Banks' corps, and marched to Alexandria, Va., near which it X Three years. 152 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. performed picket duty during Gen. Pope's retreat from Manas- sas, and in addition furnished a provost-guard for Alexandria. From the 1.5th of September, 1862, to Ma.v, 18G.3, it was stationed at Fort Lyon, one of the defenses of Washington. In June the regiment, together with the brigade to which it had been assigned (the 1st of Naglee's division), marched to Harper's Ferry and took possession, capturing a number of prisoners. It was for some time employed in that vicinity on picket duty. On the 18th of October the Confederate Gen. Imboden surprised and captured a portion of the force at Charlestown, West Va. Imboden was, however, beaten off by the brigade with considerable loss. The regiment took part in the valley e.xpedition under the command of Gen. Averill, who made a successful raid upon the Virginia and Tennessee Railway. In this movement the 34th extricated itself from a perilous situation in a masterly manner, under Col. Wells. On the return from the raid the infantry marched over the one hundred miles between Har- risonburg and Harper's Ferry in less than four days. From Dec. 24, 1803, to April 2!), 1864, the regiment re- mained in the neighborhood of Harper's Ferry, employed in various duties. At the last-named date it left Martinsburg with the force of Gen. Franz Sigel, and advanced up the Shenandoah Valley as far as New Market, Va., where, on the 14th of May, it was heavily engaged with the enemy, and lost 28 men killed and 74 wounded, including 1 officer killed and 8 wounded. At Piedmont, on the 5th of June, a severe action ensued, in which the ;:i4th bore a conspicuous part, and the command captured 1000 prisoners. This battle was fought by Gen. Hunter. On the 9th of June the regiment was transferred to the bri- gade commanded bj' Col. Wells, and on the 17th it reached Lynchburg, and laid in line of battle the following night. On the 18th a severe battle was fought, and during the remainder of the month it was constantly engaged in marching and skirmishing, and suft'ercd considerably from lack of provisions. On the 19th of the month it took part in the desperate battle of Fisher's Hill, where the rebels were terribly beaten by the army under Gen. Sheridan. On the 13th of October, in a severe action. Col. Wells was mortally wounded and taken prisoner, and died the same evening at Strasburg. The 34th was also engaged on the 11th. On the 19th it was ordered to Newtown, Va., where it rested for a month after a most arduous campaign, during which it had lost 7 officers and 73 men, killed or mortally wounded on the field. On the 18th of December the regiment received marching orders, and, marching to Washington, embarked on board a steamer and proceeded to the James River and joined the Army of the James ; was a.ssigncd tothe 24th Corps, and went into camp on the extreme right of the Federal line. On the 2.5th of March, 1865, the regiment moved toward Hatcher's Run and repulsed a sharp attack by the enemy on the 1st of April. On the 2d it was engaged in the terrible and successful assault upon Battery Gregg, a strong advanced work of the enemy, which was carried under a terrific fire, and the fort and its entire armament and garrison captured, with a loss to the 34th of 4 killed and 36 wounded. This was the last fighting in which the regiment was en- gaged, and it was mustered out of the service on the 10th of June folldwing. The following is a list of officers belonging to the 34th Regi- ment who were killed or died during its term of service : Col. Geo. D. Wells, Oct. 13, 1804, killed at Stickney Farm, Va. Maj. Harrison W. Pratt, Sept. 25, 1864, died of wounds. Capt. George W. Thompson, Sept. 19, 1864, killed at Win- chester, Va. Capt. Wm. 15. Bacon, May 15, 1864, killed. Lieut. Samuel F. Woods, June 26, 1864, died of wounds. Lieut. Albert C. Walker, Aug. 23, 1864, died of wounds. Lieut. James Dempsey, Dec. 3, 1834, died of wounds. Lieut. Malcolm Ammidown, Oct. 1, 1864, died in prison, Charleston, S. C. Lieut. Charles I. Woods, Oct. 13, 1804, killed. THIRTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT. This regiment was mostly raised in the county of Berkshire, but Cos. A, D, L, and K were in good part from Hampden County. The regiment was recruited at Cam)) Briggs, Pitts- field, and left the State, Sept. 7, 1802, for Washington, when it was assigned to Gen. Briggs' brigade and went intoa temporary camp below the Long Bridge, Va., and was subsequently, until November 13, engaged in various duties in Maryland and Virginia. It was present under fire at the disastrous attack upon the rebel lines at Fredericksburg, in December, 1862, and subse- quently took part in what was denominated the " mud cam- paign," in January, 1863. In March a great amount of sickness occurred, and a new camp in a healthier location was laid out, when the men con- structed a hundred and sixty comfortable log houses, or, as the boys were wont to call them, '^c/ieban/js," each twelve by seven feet, and five feet to the eaves, with a fireplace, and a floor of pine-poles or " puncheons." This work was completed in one week, and more than realized the expectations of the officers and surgeons. On the 28th of April the spring campaign was opened, and the regiment crossed the Rappahannock and manoeuvred until the 2d of May, when, making a night-march, they took posi- tion on the morning of the 3d in front of Fredericksburg Heights, also called Mary's Hill. In the course of the fore- noon the position was gallantly carried, the enemy being routed at all points. Pushing forward, the enemy were soon encountered in a strong position at Salem Heights. The following paragraphs are from an account written by an officer of the regiment : " Renewing the attack, the first line of battle was severely repulsed, and thrown back in great disorder upon the second line, formed by our brigade, in which were three Ma.ssachusetts regiments. Nobly did they sustain upon that field the honor of the Old Bay State. Not a man faltered ; freely they exposed their breasts to the leaden storm, and they who swarmed from the wood in assaulting columns, flushed with victory and yelling like demons, were thrown back into its sheltering cover, baffled, discomfited, defeated. " At the beginning of their assault the 37th was in column by wing upon the extreme left of our line of battle, the right wing in part supporting two batteries. " The enemy had come within fifty yards of the guns. At this point, by order of Maj. -Gen. Brooks, I sent Lieut.-Col. Montague with the left wing to check the a.ssauUing column of the rebels, which, overlapping our line of battle, was en- dangering our left flank. Crossing a ravine, and moving by the flank under cover of a brush fence, they came within fif- teen paces of the enemy's right without being perceived, and poured into them several deadly volleys, which threw them back in confusion to the shelter of the woods. The right wing having joined the left, and the 36th New York being added to the command, we held the enemy at bay on the extreme left of the front line during the night and the next day (May 4), during which time nearly the whole of Lee's army was en- gaged by the 6th Corps alone. After dark upon the evening of the 4th we fell back to Banks' Ford, and before daylight on the-5th safely recrossed the river. " May 6lh we returned to our old camp at Falmouth. June 0th we marched to Franklin's Crossing, and crossed over to tlic south bank June 10th. There we remained, threatening the enemv, till the 13th, when we recrossed the livcr and took Dr. C. B. smith. Dr. Cyrus B. Smith is a doscenflant in the eighth generation from Lieut. Samuel Smith, wlio, with his wife, sailed from Engliuiil, April .30, 1634. They settled tir.-^t in Wethersfield, Conn., and in Ifitill re- moved to Hadley, Mass., where he died in lOSO. He was a magis- trate, and was prominent in town and church affairs. The subsequent generations were as follows: 2d. Chileab. ;>d. Ebenezer. 4th. John, who was a deacon in Granby, Mass. 6th. Nathan, also a deacon in the same town. The above generations were prominent owners of real-estate and leading men. Gth. Samuel, a deacon in (iranby, Mass. 7th. Cyrus, the father of Dr. Smith, and after whom he was named. He was born in ISIO, and died Aug. 13, 1849, in Huntington, Mass. He was a leading citizen in town affairs and active in support of the church. His wile, and the mother of Dr. Smith, was Julia Ann Warner, born in ISIU, in Williamsburg, Mass., where she at present resides. She was the daughter of Silas Warner, of Williamsburg, who was the son of Jonathan, one of the lirst settlers of the town, a wealthy land- owner, and prominent in military and civil affairs. The ancestral line of the Warner family can be traced back to the Waldenscs or Huguenots, who emigrated to England, and settled in Wales, shortly after the Reformation. The original name was " Wer- ner," but it is quite probable the " Warners" of this country gener- ally can trace their genealogy back to this Welsh origin. Dr. Cyrus Burnett Smith was born April 24, 1839, in South Hadley, Mass. When he was two years old his father removed to West Springfield, Mass., and when he was six years old to Springfield. Mass., where he engaged in the mercantile business. The next year his father removed to Huntington, Mass. Three years later his father died, leaving his mother and four children. Mrs. Smith removed lo Haydenville, Mass. There she ciirefully trained her family of four boys, all of whom are now men of standing and influence in their respective communities. S. Warner Smith, the eldest son, lives in Haydenville, Mass., and also Lewis Finley Smith, the third son. Dr. Smith is the second son : the fourth is William W. Smith, who resides in Hartford, Conn. Dr. Smith attended the public schools in the towns in which the family lived until his seventeenth year, partially supporting himself by his own labor. He also attended school in Hartford, Conn., and the high school in Northampton, Ma,ss., and supplemented this edu- cation by private instructions in Latin, French, and in music. Selecting the medical profession, he entered the office of Drs. D. A J. Thompson, of Northampton, Mass., and later read with Drs. Thompson & Chamberlain, of the same place. Diligently pursuing his studies, he supported himself (with some assistance from home) by teaching instrumental and vocal music. After a few months he entered the office of Profs. T. A H. H. Childs, of Pittslield, Mass. While there he attended the Berkshire Medical College, taking the full course, and graduated in November, 1859 Photo, by Lewis the youngest member of his class, and was vice-president of the Alumni Association of the college. He commenced the practice of his profession at Indian Orchard (Springlield), Mass., where he remained until the spring of 1862, when he removed to Granby, Mass. At the time of his departure from Indian Orchard his friends pre- sented him with a valuable horse. He practiced in Granby and Indian Orchard until July, 1862, when he was examined by the board of surgeons in Boston, and was commissioned by Gov. Andrew, July 31st, assistant surgeon of the 34th Massachusetts Infantry. When he left Granby for the army his friends in that town presented him with a beautiful and valuable sword. During his first two years of service he was with the regiment, and on hospital duty at Wash- ington, D. C, and about Alexandria, Va., and filled various positions as operating surgeon. He was appointed post-surgeon, and also placed in charge of the hospital at Harper's Ferry. Vh.. and wiis subsequently promoted surgeon of the 11th Massachusetts Infantry, Army of the Potomac. He had charge of the 3d Division ho.spitals. Army of West Virginia, with Hunter, Sigel, and Sheridan, in West Virginia ; after the battle of Winchester, Va., in charge of the Smith Hospital several months. He subsequently had charge of the field hospital, and was opera- tive surgeon in this army department. He was also, for a time, in charge of the general hospital. He was mustered out of the service in August, 1865, and returned to Granby, Mass., where he has since practiced his profession. Dr. Smith has been a contributor lo the medical journals of the day ; has prepared valuable papers on the " Treatment of Asphyxia by Chloroform," which was )iublished in the Ilnslmi ilei/icat iiud Sun/ica) Jininial, and also an article on " Comi»itibility of Medicines," which was published in the Phlldrlelphln Umtiral mid Snnikiil Kejtuilti. He was elected in 1S7S president of the Hampshire District Medical Society, and re-elected in 1879, and is one of the councillors of the Mnssachusetts Medical Society. Dr. Smith has well sustained the traditions of his ancestors by his active interest in all matters pertaining to the welfare of his town. He has been a member of the school committee for many years, and was a representative to the Legislature in 1S72, serving also ut the special session in the fall of that year. Feb IS, 1865, he married, in Haydenville, Mass., Mary Jane, daugh- ter of Jerome and Triphena (Root) liulbert, of Pittslield, Mas-. She died July 31, 1868, in Granby, Mass. He married a second time, Nov. 3, 1869, — Louise Jane, daughter of Christopher C. and Hannah (Leach) Aldrich, of Granl>y, Mass. Her father w.as a prominent woolen manufiwturer, since retired from business, and residing in Granby. The children by this marriage are two,— Cyrus Aldrich, born Sept. 30, 1872, and Mary Louise, born Sept. 25, 1873. JOSEPH KNIGHT TAYLOR. Joseph Knight Taylor was descended in the fourth scncration from Ebenezer Taylor, who was one of the first settlei-s of Granby, Mass., and a noted Indian-fighter. His ancestors were among the early settlers of Hadley, Mass. Levi, the son of Ebenezer, was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war, entering the army at the age of sixteen. He was at West Point, and while there witnessed Arnold's fliiiht down the river to the British man-of-war " Vulcan." His descendants now living lemember hearing the old ■'entleman narrate many anecdotes of the Revolution. Like the Spartan mother, who, wlien her son went out to battle, said, " Return with yoursliield or upon it," .so Levi Taylor's motlier said to him, when lie left his home to enter the Continental army, " Levi, never let me hear of vour being a coward." Willard, the son of Levi, was for many years a deacon of the Congregational Church in Granby, Mass., where he died at the age of forty-eight years. His son, Frederick Taylor, Esq., the father of Joseph Knight Taylor, is a resident of Granby. His business is located in South Had- ley, where he is engaged in the manufacture of paper. The mother of Joseph K. Taylor was Sarah H , daughter of Rev. Joseph Knight, formerly pastor of the Congrega- tional Church in Granby, M.ass. Joseph Knight Taylor, whose portrait appears upon this page, was born in Granby, Dee. 6, 1840. His preliminary education was obtained at Willi.ston Seminary, Easthampton, Ma.ss., entering Amherst College in 1861, where he remained about one year, when he enlisted in Co. F, ;^7th Massachusetts Infantry. The company was then under command of Capt. George L. Montague. He was promoted to first sergeant, and participated with his regi- ment ill many of the battles of the Army of the Potomac. On Aug. 21, 18C4, he was wounded at Charleston, W. Va., where he rose from a sick-bed to accompany his comrades to battle. His wound, which was in the hip, was a severe one. The ball was extracted, and for a time hopes were entertained of his recovery ; and he wrote two letters in a liopcful spirit to his fatiier ; but a relap.se fol- lowed, and he died suddenly, nine days after the action, in the field hospital at Sandy Hook, Md. He was a brave Fli..|...l..v T. R. Lmvls. and efficient soldier, and would, undoubtedly, h.ave received a commifssion had he survived his wound. Sergt. Taylor belonged to that large class of the promising young men of the country who, leaving their homes and friends, cheerfully took up arms in defense of the imperiled liberties of the nation, and, whether in the duties of the camp, on the weary march, or amidst the clash of arms, did thoroughly and well whatever duty was assigned them. While his great-grandfather, Levi Taylor, fought to establish a nation, so, ninety years later, Sergt. Taylor fought and died to save it. His remains lie in tlie cemetery of his native town, to which they were taken by his bereaved father. On his tombstone are these words : *' Sweet lifter battle is the tired soMier's rest." HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 153 up our line of march, whose northern limit was Gettysburg. Our corps protected the rear, crossing the Potomac at Edwards' Ferry, June 27, 1863. " At four o'clock p.m. on July 2, 1863, we reached the battle- field of Gettysburg, after a forced march of thirty-four miles, marching from nine o'clock p.m., July 1st, without a halt even long enough to make coliee. Almost immediatcl}' upon our arrival we were ordered on the double-quick to the support of our left, then hotly engaged in repelling the attack of Long- street's corps. The next day we were kept moving, much of the time at double-quick, from point to point of the line of battle. The heat was intense, and about 20 men fell in the ranks from sun-stroke. " About three o'clock p.m., while marching from the right to the left centre, we passed through the most terrific shell-fire I ever witnessed, in the first two minutes losing 23 nu-n killed and wounded. The steadiness of the men (e-\hibited in this, the severest test of the soldier, when he is obliged to receive blows with no chance to give) justly entitles them, beyond anything else, to the proud name of veterans. "With no quick- ened step, with no confusion, straight through that feu d'enfer, they marched with a coolness, a steadiness, that deserves the highest praise." The fighting of the 3d virtually ended the series of terrible conflicts which will go down to history as the battle of Gettys- burg. Gen. Lee, satisfied that any attempt at a farther ad- vance would end in irretrievable disaster, withdrew with his decimated battalions toward Virginia. The Federal army followed the retreating enemj', and on the 19th of July the 6th Army Corps crossed the Potomac and advanced to Manassas Gap, where it took up a position near Warrenton, on the Sulphur Spring Road. On the 30th of July the 37th was detailed by Gen. Sedg- wick for service in putting down the draft rioters who were disgracing the American name in the city of New York. Arriving at that place on the 2d of August, the regiment was ordered to Fort Hamilton, and on the night previous to the beginning of the draft it bivouacked on Washington parade-ground, with the exception of two companies, who were stationed in the building where the drawing was to take ■ place. After serving on this duty for three days it was ordered back to Fort Hamilton. On the 14th of October the regiment was ordered to report to Gen. Halleck, at Washington, and on the 17th it rejoined its old brigade at Chantilly , and followed up the retreating rebel army. On the 7th of November it was present at the battle of Rap- pahannock Station, though not closely engaged. On the 2d of December the array fell back and went into camp near Brandy Station, where the regiment remained until the 29th of February, 1864, when it moved to one of its former camps near Madison Court-House. On the 24th of March it was tranferred to the 4th Brigade, 2d Division, 6th Corps. At the commencement of the Wilderness ccmipaign. May 4, 1864, the regiment numbered 29 ofiScers and 580 enlisted men present for duty. In the dreadful battles of the 5th and 6th of May the regiment was in the thickest of the fray and suf- fered severely, losing 150 men killed, wounded, and missing, among whom were Capts. J. L. Hayden and R. P. Lincoln, and Lieut. Chalmers. On the 12th of May the regiment was again closely engaged, and captured a stand of colors from the enemy. From this date to the 2d of July it was constantly on duty in various directions, and on the 9th of July, along with the 6th Corps, it embarked for the defense of Washington against Gen. Early. At this time it numbered 17 ofiicers and 308 men. Arriving at Washington, it was engaged in the affair at Fort Stevens on the 12th, where it lost 7 men, killed and wounded. On the 14th of July it was furnished with the Spencer repeat- ing-rifle. August 21st it was engaged in skirmi.shing nearly the whole day and lost 17 men, killed and wounded. 20 On the 16th of September the veterans and recruits of the 7th and 10th Massachusetts Regiments were consolidated with the 37th, pursuant to Special Order No. 302, War Depart- ment. This added 73 men to its ranks. On the 19th of September the regiment, now numbering 296 guns, crossed the Opequan Creek and encountered the enemy in an action which lasted until dark, when they were driven through Winchester. In this afl'air the colors of Stonewall Jackson's old regiment were taken from the enemy. The 37th was warmly commended for its services on this occasion. The regiment was engaged in provost duty at Winchester until the 13th of December, when it was ordered to Washing- ton, and thence to the 6th Corps, in front of Petersburg, where it was encamped until April, 1865, with two short interruptions. These were on the occasions of the aftairs at Hatcher's Run and Dabb's Mills, on the 5th and 7th of February, and on the 25th of March, at the time the enemy captured Ft)rt Stedman, in the opening of the campaign of 1865. It was ordered to the lines in front of the fort, but had only marched a part of the distance when it was announced that the fort had been re-taken and the enemy driven into his own lines. On the 1st of April the 37th participated in the attack upon the rebel lines, and was the first regiment to enter Petersburg, which surrendered to Col. Edwards. On the 6th, after a four days' march, it was present and en- gaged in the last battle of the war, at Amelia Court-House. The following account of the share taken by the 87th is from the official report : "At noon we had made a march of twenty-five miles, double-quicking nearly eight miles of the way, and were con- fronting the enemy, with a deep stream between us. Our brigade was on the extreme right of the line, and the 37th oc- cupied the left of the brigade. Rushing like an avalanche across Saylor's Creek, with the water up to our arm-pits, we dislodged the enemy from the oppiisite bank and drove them over the crest of the hill. " Beyond the stream, for a quarter of a mile, we advanced through a thick growth of underbrush, fighting as we went. The firing waxed hotter and hotter, until suddenly we found, to our dismay, that the regiment on our right had given way and the brigade on our left had broken the connection and halted some distance back. We were lost to our friends. Our nearest neighbor was our foe. The rebels came pouring down upon us, and within a few seconds had attacked and enveloped both flanks of the regiment. A hand-to-hand conflict ensued. Many men were wounded with the bayonet, and pistol-shots were freely exchanged. " Meanwhile, the Spencer rifle was working the havoc for which it was intended. All down the front of our regiment the gaps that our fire opened in the enemy's ranks were fear- ful. They had started to attack us massed in heavy columns ; scattered fragments only reached us. They came, throwing down their guns, raising their hands, and imploring a cessation of the fire. After the battle more than 70 corpses were counted on the ground in our immediate front ; and when we consider that the proportion of the slain to the disabled on the field of battle is usually only as 1 to 6, it will be seen that the carnage was terrific. Among the prisoners who fell into our hands was Maj.-Gen. Custis Lee, the son of the commander- in-chief of the rebel armies. We lost in this engagement 8 men killed and 31 wounded. " Sergt. Bolton was a veteran, transferred to our regiment from the 10th Massachusetts Volunteers. He was one of the most perfect soldiers the regiment could boast ; was always a courteous gentleman, and lion-hearted in battle. After passing unscathed through nearly four years of the battles of the Army of the Potomac, he fell in the very last engagement of the war, just as his comrades were rejoicing in the Jiiiale of their hard labors. " Capt. Hopkins commanded the regiment in the engage- 154 HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. ments of the 2cl and 6th of April, and received great praise for the skill with which he handled his command. He was twice brevetted for his gallantry in battle. After the battle of Saylor's Creek, we followed the track of Lee's army until it surrendered, on the 9th, near Appomattox Court-House." On the 18th of May, 1865, the regiment began its homeward march. It was reviewed on the 15th of June in "Washing- ton, and left for Massachusetts on the 22d of the same month. It was finally mustered out and disbanded at Eeadville on the 1st of July. The following officers were killed or died in the service: Assist. Surg. J. J. Ellis, March 27, 1863, died of dis- ease ; Capt. Franklin W. Pease, May 14, 1864, died of wounds ; Lieut. Charles S. Bardwell, Oct. 6, 1864, died at Winchester, Va. ; Lieut. George E. Cook, May 12, 1864, died of wounds ; Lieut. J. Follansbee, May 23, 1864, died in hospital. FOKTY-SIXTH INFANTRY.* The 46th Eegiment included five companies from Hampden County, — viz.. A, B, C, D, and E, — besides individuals in other companies. It was mustered into service in September and October, 1862, and was a.ssigned to the Department of North Carolina. It arrived at Newbern on the loth of November, 1862, and was placed in the brigade commanded by Col. Horace C. Lee, of the 27th Ma.ssachusetts. Soon after its arrival, and while encamped on the Neuse Kiver, two of its companies, A and K, were detached and assigned to outpost duty at Newport barracks, of which post Capt. Spooner was placed in command. During the winter the regiment remained most of the time in camp, engaged in fatigue duties and in perfecting its drill and discipline. It took part in the Goldsboro' expedition in December, 1862, and January, 1863, and returned to its camp on the 23d of Jan- uary. The detached companies soon after rejoined the regiment, and its duties were continued, large details being made each day to work on the fortifications, until the 13th of March, when the enemy showed his columns in force in front of the place and evinced a determination to attempt its capture. A strong demonstration was made on the Trent road, and the 5th and 46th Massachusetts Regiments were assigned important positions in the defense. But, the enemy attacking on the north side of the Neuse River, Gen. Palmer, commanding the division to which these regiments belonged, withdrew his command inside the fortifications. On the 14th of March the 46th was sent out on the Trent road to reinforce Col. Amory, but only had the satisfaction of following a retreating enemy during the three following days. From the date of its return to camp until March 26th it was en- gaged in >ts old duties. On the last-mentioned date, with the exception of two companies, the regiment was sent to Ply- mouth, N. C, a very important post, then heavily threatened by the rebels. Under command of Col. Pickett, of the 25th Massachusetts Infantry, the whole land-force was employed in strength- ening and completing the fortifications. The town of Washington was besieged during eighteen days by the enemy, and all this time the force under Col. Pickett worked uninterruptedly within sound of the besiegers' guns, expecting every hour that their own turn would come. Bvit the enemy at length withdrew from the contest, having been defeated in every attempt, and the garrison at Plymouth escaped un.scathed. On the 8th of May the regiment went into barracks on the Neuse Kiver, where it was employed in the construction of fortifications during the remainder of its stay, with the ex- ception of the period occupied in the expedition against the enemy's outposts at Dover Swamp, about eight miles from Kinston, which attack was eminently successful. During the absence of the regiment at Plymouth, the de- * Nine months. tachment left at Newbern took an active part in the defense of that place against a second threatened attack. It was also employed upon outpost duty at Bachelder's Creek, where it served with the comuiand of Col. Jones, commanding the line of outposts, and rendered gallant and efficient service in hold- ing the position against a most determined attack made by the enemy on the 23d of May. In this severe encounter Col. Jones was killed, and in consequence of this deplorable event the detachment did not receive a just recognition of its services on the occasion. Capt. Titft received most honorable mention in connection with this affair for great bravery and soldierly conduct in holding his position when the command of Col. Jones, demor- alized for an instant by the fall of their leader, had fallen back. The brave captain valiantly held his post until discov- ered and relieved. " The nine months' service, reckoning from the date of their muster into service, of five of the companies of the 46th Regi- ment expired on the 25th of June. It had been decided by the War Department that the term must be reckoned from the day of the muster in of the last, or tenth, company. This giving dissatisfaction on account of lengthening the terms of several other of the nine months' regiments, Gen. Foster issued a circular, leaving it to the option of the men to go home or remain. The 46th remained. Over 100 of the regi- ment re-enlisted, under command of Col. Frankle, who was recruiting at Newbern a regiment of heavy artillery," the 2d Massachusetts. On the 23d of June the regiment reported to Gen. Halleck at Washington, D. C, for orders, and was assigned to Gen. Dix's command; which was preparing for a demonstration upon the rebel capital. Before reporting for dutj', however, it was found that Gen. Dix did not desire the services of troops whose terms had so nearly expired ; and, upon the proposition of Gen. Naglee, the nine months' regiments were ordered to report to Gen. Schenck at Baltimore, Md., where the 46th was assigned to duty in the brigade of Gen. Tyler, command- ing the exterior defenses of that city. The brigade of nine months' men was stationed at "Camp Bradford," where it was employed in guard and patrol duty until the 6th of July, when it was ordered to occupy Maryland Heights, arriving there on the 7th of July. The brigade performed picket duty on the Sharp.sburg road until July 11th, when it was sent to join the main Army of the Potomac. It joined the 1st Corps, where it remained, momentarily ex- pecting orders for active operations, until the day on which the Army of the Potomac crossed the river at Berlin, when orders were received for the brigade to proceed to Massachu- setts for the purpose of being mustered out. On the 21st of July the 46th reached Springfield, and was mustered out of the service by Capt. Gardner. The total losses of the 46th during its term of service were reported at 215 men, of whom 33 died of sickness. CHAPTER XXXII I.f FIFTY-SECOND KEGIMENT. This regimentj was recruited in the counties of Hampshire and Franklin in 1862, and served till August, 1863. It was organized at Camp Miller, Greenfield, with the fol- lowing officers: Colonel, H. S. Greenleaf ; Lieutenant-Colonel, S. J. Storrs ; Major, Henry Winn ; Surgeon, F. A. Sawyer ; Chaplain, J. F. Moors. The regiment embarked for the Gulf of Mexico, on board the steamer "Illinois," on the 19th of November, 1862, and ■f The greater, and by far the most interesting, portion of this chapter has been compiled from '* The Color-Gtiard," by Kev. .Tanifs K, Hosmer. J Nine months. EDWIN C. CLARK. EnwiN C. Ci,AEK, soil of Allen and Sophia Cook Clark, was born in Nortiianipton, Oct. 23, 1826. Here he passed his boyhood, and was educated in tiie public schools. In 1849, when the "gold fever" swept over the land, he, like many other adventurous spirits, left for California, where he worked in the mines one year, and returned to Northampton. Here he remained one season, and then went to New York, and was with Beebe & Co. four years, at the expiration of which time he again returned to his native county, and located in Southamj)ton. In this town he (conducted the lumber business for four years, then returned to Northampton and en- gaged in the livery business, where he has since remained. At the breaking out of the Rebellion he promptly — in April, 1861 — enlisted in a rifle company ; but the government declining to accept a single company, he, with otiiers, recruited Company A, 27th Regi- ment Massachusetts Volunteers, and was commis- sioned second lieutenant. His war record lie may well be proud of. He was in the Burnside expedition to North Carolina, and in the battles of Roanoke and New- bern. He resigned and came home in 1862. With others he enlisted a company, and was commis- Pholu. bj Hai'dia & SchaJee, CPoIm^ /u?.6)l^^ sioiied first lieutenant in the 52d Regiment Massa- chusetts Volunteers; was subsequently commis- sioned quartermaster, and went with the Banks expedition to Louisiana. He was at the recapture of Baton Rouge, went with the army into Western Louisiana, and was post quartermaster at Barry's Landing ; was at the cajiture of Port Hudson, and with the first regiment that ascended the Missis- sippi River ; and mustered out of the United States service in the fiill of 1863. Mr. Clark married Emily L. Hine, of Lee, Mass., in November, 1850. Their family consists of four children, viz. : Ida B., Edwin C, Jr., Mary A., and William H. Politically, he is a Republican. He attends the Congregational Church. He has always taken an active interest in the welfare of his native town, and was a member of the fire department more than twenty-five years, serving several terms as engineer. He has been superintendent and treasurer of the Northampton Street Railway Company since December, 1877. The ancestors of Mr. Clark were William, wlio came from England in 1630, and died in North- ampton in 1691. John, born in 1651. Increase, born in 1684. Daniel, born in 1712. Solomon, born in 1744, and died in 1821. Allen, born in 1789, and died in 1849. MARK H. S PAULDING. Capt. Mark H. Spaui.dino, son of Josiah and Fanny Ilil- dreth Stiauldini;, was born in Townsend, Mass., March 20, 1827. His father wasof the sevontli generation by the nanieof Spauld- ing in this country, and descendant in a direct line of Edward Spaulding, who cimie to this country from England in 16.30. The history of the Spaulding family is traced back to the time that Ethel'bald began to re'ign in "England, a.d. 716. The Spaulilings were men of prominence in England and .Scotland. The mother of Captain Spaulding was of the family of Hil- dreths, of Braintrce. Young Spaulding remained at home until fourteen years of age, during which lime he attended the common schools. He was then apprenticed to a rope-malier, with whom ho reniained about (me year, and then, as he facetiously expressed it, " I concluded that I should like the ;»i//Jni7 of ropes better than making them, and went to sea." He experienced the ups and downs of seafaring life, and at the age ot eighteen was second officer of a ship. He remained at sea many years, and traveled on salt wuti^r about four hundred thousand miles. He visited nearly all the cities and ports of Europe, the Mediterranean, ports of Africa, east and west coast of South America, nearly all the West India Islands, and nearly every port, city, and State in the United States. In 1848 he shipped as first officer of a vessel from Savannah to San Francisco. Upion arriving at California, during the "gold fever" of 1849, he became what was known as one of the old "forty-niners" of that period, and continued mining and trading until 18.56. While here he was a member of the constitutional cimvention that made California a State In IS-'ifi he left the gold coast for New England, and in November of the same year began the mercantile bnsine^-s in Northamp- ton, in which he has continued to the present time. At the breaking out of the late civil war he rallied to the defense of his imperiled country, and in April, 1861, enlisted in a riflccompany. Thegovernnient, however, refused to accept a single company, and he with others then organized Co. A, 27th I'pgiment Massachusetts Volunteers, and he was commis- sioned 1st lieutenant. He saw active service, and was ever found in the line of duty. He was in the Burnside expi'dition to North Carolina; in the battles of Roanoke and Newbcrn. AVas disabled by sciatic rheumatism soon after the battle of Newbern by hardship and exposure, resigned, came home, .^^/44^f/^/^^^^'/^ recovered during the summer, and enlisted a company ; was commissioned captain in the 52d Regiment Massachusetts Vol- unteers, and went with the " Banks expedition" to Louisiana, anil ]iarticipated in the second recapture of Baton Rouge. In the first expedition and demonstration on Port Hudson, Captain S|iaulding had charge of the advance infantry picket line when the " Hartford" ran the batteries of Port Hudson, and was in the battles of Franklin, Vermilion Bayou, Opelousas, and the assault and final capture of Port Hudson. His was the first United States regiment that steamed the entire length of the Mississippi after the war commenced. At the close of an honored and active military career. Captain Spaulding was mustered out of the service in the autumn of 18G3. Politically, Captain Spaulding is a Republican, and has held many offices within the gift of his fellow-citizens, always dis- charging their duties in a. satisfactory manner He was(dcct.ed collector and treasurer of Northamiiton in 1865, and held the office nine years ; was elected to the Legislature in 1875 and 1876, and was also chairman of the board of selectmen in 1876. He has always labored to advance the interests of North- ampton, and was decidedly active in hunting down the incen- diaries that lurked about, causing such great havoc in the village in 1867. In 18.56 he united in nuirriage with Sylvia Sanders, of Townsend, Mass., daugliter of Ebenezer Sanders, of the eighth generation of that name who came from England about the year 1625. Their family consists of six children, viz. : Sylvia S., Marcia, Nellie B., Mary L., Josephine, and M. Harry. Sylvia S. was one of the fi'fteen in number that comprised the first class of the Smith Female College. The travels by land and water of Captain Spaulding have been of a verv interesting character. He was in Rome, Italy, in 1848, when the French held armed possession for Pope Pins IX., and was at Sacrificios, near Vera Cruz, when Gen- eral Scott bombarded and cajitured the city of Vera Cruz, Mexico, and lias been in every port on the Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico from Camjieachy to Sidney, Cape Breton. Captain Spaulding is now one of the active business-men of Northampton; is a''hardware merchant. He has been con- nected with the first parish of Northampton twenty-one years. HISTORY OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY. 155 arrived at Now Orleans after a short and generally pleasant voyage. During the two succeeding months it was stationed at Baton Rouge. On the 13th of March, 1803, it was sent on a reconnoissance toward Port Hudson, and made a bold advance to within range of the guns of the fortifications. Col. Greenleaf, in his report for the month, says, concerning this movement: " Our reconnoissance to within about five hundred y.ard8 of the rebel batteries of Port Hudson we regard as an exceedingly Iiazardons one to ourselves, but it was, nevertheless, handsomely done, the regiment not only deporting itself to my entire satisfaction, but in such a manner as to call forth the congratulations of our brigade and division commanders." On the 1st of April the regiment moved from I'ancoult, on the Bayou Lafourche, to Cox's Plantation, thirteen miles ; on the 2d, from Cox's to Thibodeaux, fifteen miles; on the 4th, by rail, to Bayou Boeuf, seventeen miles ; on the 9th marched from Brashear City, ten miles ; on the 11th took passage on the steamer "St. Mary," and landed, on the 13th, at Indian Bend, on Grand Lake, about thirty-five miles from Brashoar City, and marched thence about three miles, during which there was skirmishing with the enemy, who was driven back. Grover's division encamped for the night on Madame Porter's plantation. The battle of Indian Eidge was fought on the 14th, but the regiment did not participate in the action, the brigade to which it was attached being in reserve. On the l-5th and 10th it marched to New Iberia in pursuit of the retreating enemy, — a distance of thirty-two miles. Four companies were left at this point on provost duty, while the remainder of the regiment advanced to Barre's Landing, where it remained until the 21st of May, busily engaged in collecting and guarding negroes, cotton, corn, sugar, molasses, etc., and in loading and unloading steamers. The six companies of the 52d and Niras' battery were left in charge of the post, the remainder of Grover's division pushing on in the direction of Alexandria. By the 5th of the month there had been collected about 4000 negroes, mostly women and children, 4000 bales of cotton, considerable quantities of sugar and molasses, and 100 horses. On the 12th inst. Col. Thomas E. Chickering arrived from Opelousas, and, by order of Gen. Banks, assumed command of the post. On the 19th the companies left at New Iberia (A, E, F, and G) rejoined the regiment, having marched as far as Brashear City, and thence coming by boat. On the 21st of May the command began its return march to Brashear City, taking with it a supply-train and a large number of negroes. The force was commanded by Col. Joseph S. Morgan, of the 90th New York Infantry Volun- teers. On the 22d, after a steady march of two days, the expedition reached Bayou Teche, — a distance of thirty-six miles from Barre's Landing. On the 23d the force marched about eighteen miles, passing through St. Martinsville, and encamped about a mile above New Iberia. On the 24th it marched about fifteen miles, passing through New Iberia, and encamped in a fine grove of oak on the Bayou Teche. On the 25th the command passed through Franklin and Centreville, near which it was suddenly attacked in the rear by what the commanding ofiicer supposed to be the advance of a large force under the rebel Gen. Mouton. Here the 52d was sent back a distance of five miles to repel the enemy, who, however, retreated, and the troops resumed their march, con- tinuing it through the night, and making a distance, in the course of twenty-four hours, of forty miles. Brashear City was reached a few hours later. Prom this latter point it went by rail to Algiers, and thence by steamer to Springfield Landing. From thence it marched to headquarters in front of Port Hudson, where it arrived at midnight on the 30th, after a very fatiguing march of twelve miles. From the 5th to the 8th of June the regiment formed a ]ior- tiou of a column under Gen. Paine, which marched to Clinton and dispersed a body of the enemy. On the 14th of June an assault was made upon Port Hudson, and the 52d was assigned a position in the line of battle, but was subsequently ordered to deploy toward the flank as skirmishers, to prevent a threatened attack by the enemy. It took up a position within easy range of the works, which it occupied until the 20th, when it was withdrawn and sent under Col. Greenleaf as part of an escort for a wagon-train to Jackson's Cross-Eoads. While engaged in loading the wagons at the latter point it was vigorously attacked by a greatly superior force, which was gallantly repulsed with a loss to the enemy of 30 or 40 killed and wounded and a number taken prisoners. The regiment lost,2 men taken prisonersi and about 60 teams, which stampeded in the melee. On the night of the 20th the command returned to its posi- tion in the besieging-lines before Port Hudson. Its loss during the month was 1 captain and 8 men killed, 12 wounded, and 2 taken prisoners ; total, 23. The regiment arrived home on the 3d of August, and was mustered out of service Aug. 14, 1803. It returned via the Mississippi Eiver, and was said to have been the first to ascend the river after the surrender of the rebel strongholds, Vicksburg and Port Hudson.* The Eev. James K. Hosmer, who had very recently been settled as pastor of the First Congregational Church in Deer- field, was a volunteer in the 52d Eegiment, and held the posi- tion of corporal in the color-guard. He kept a journal of his experiences and those of the regiment during his term of ser- vice, which was sent to his father's family, and others, in the form of letters, and at their request, on his return from the field, he revised the journal and consented to- its publication under the title of '-The Color-Guard," making a book of two hundred and forty-four pages. It is written in a scholarly, racy, and most interesting manner, and gives the reader the most graphic and vivid description of the life of a soldier of anything which we remember to have seen in connection with the great Eebellion. From the very beginning in the tent in Camp Miller, at Greenfield, to the close, it fixes the closest attention, detailing the thousand and one things pertaining to the life of the soldier with great faithfulness and a most life- like delineation, which bring before the mind the varied scenes, both grave and gay, that mark the bivouac, the march, the battlefield, and the hospital. Aside from its value as a narrative of thrilling adventures, skirmishes, battles, sieges, it possesses rare literary merit, — sel- dom found in works of the kind. In perusing its pages the attentive reader lives over again the life on board the crowded ocean steamer, where the soldier is stowed away in the midst of a confused mass of munitions of war, batteries of shining guns, bales of hay, accoutrements, mules, and boxes of pro- visions ; he hears the bugle-call and the roll of the drum ; he sees the ghastly paraphernalia of the hospital ; he stands guard with the weary sentinel amid the pelting storm ;.he lies down in the muddy cornfield at night ; he hears the whistling musket-ball and the shriek of the monster shell, and trembles with the terrible sound of battle. He grows weary on the long and perilous march beneath a burning sun ; he sees the brave line of " boys' in blue," the gittering bayonets sweeping to the charge, and hears the shout of victory from myriad throats as the rebel rag comes down upon the smoking ramijarts, and the "starry banner" flings out its wondrous folds upon the sul- phureous air. His descriptions of the terrible fever and the death of his brother, the orderly-sergeant of his company, are equal to the finest passages to be found in the language ; while his recital of ludicrous and picturesque camp-scenes is true to the very life, vividly recalling the times " when we went soldiering." * Portions of Gen. Grant's army at Vicksburg had been furloughed and sent up the river at an earlier date. It was probably the first re