Hatfield Town (part 9 of 16)

*It is not known that Mary Webster annoyed the people of Hadley by her witch pranks after 1685. Her last eleven years may have been spent in quietness. The inventory of her small estate after her decease, in 1696, included a bed and a few other things for housekeeping, and some articles of dress. She had a Bible, psalm-book and three sermon books, which were probably left by her husband.

Previous to 1692, the number of persons executed for witchcraft in Massachusetts and Connecticut was nine or ten, though the magistrates intended to be cautious, and several times set aside the verdict of a jury to save those declared guilty. In February, 1692, a terrible witchcraft delusion, which commenced in Salem Village, now Danvers, produced great terror and suffering in several towns and resulted in the execution of twenty persons. A few misguided ministers and magistrates, by their rash and unjustifiable proceedings, "led their fellow-citizens into a labyrinth of error and iniquity, and stained the character of their country."* In less than a year, men came to their senses, the destructive frenzy terminated, and the people looked back upon the scene of barbarity and cruelty with horror and remorse. Prosecutions for witchcraft forever ceased in New England. f

The dreadful witch-mania of 1692, was local and not general. It did not extend into Hampshire county, and Connecticut was free from it, except a part of Fairfield county. Connecticut ceased to punish for witchcraft about the same time with Massachusetts. In 1693 and after, grand-juries refused to indict for witchcraft.

Witchcraft was a capital crime in other colonies and the belief in it was as firm in them, as in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Suspected witches were tried in most, if not all, the other colonies, but it is not known that any were executed. Some of the colonies manifested their full conviction of the reality of witchcraft in the i8th century. South Carolina adopted the act of James I. "against conjuration, witchcraft and dealing with evil and wicked spirits," in 1712. Still later, in 1728, Rhode Island enacted that "witchcraft is and shall be felony; and whosoever shall be lawfully convicted thereof shall suflPer the pains of death."

Almost all the absurdities, superstitions and cruelties connected with the belief in witchcraft in America, originated in Europe. Our courts, in witchcraft trials, had as guides the decisions of distinguished English judges, and the rules of eminent English lawyers. The people read English books on witchcraft, written by Puritans and by men of the English church. The Rev. Joseph Glanvill, vicar of Frome, chaplain of Charles II., and a member of the Royal Society, was a distinguished writer in favor of the existence of witches, witchcraft and apparitions, and his

Dwight. -j-A tradition is related by Pres. Dwight, that Col. Samuel Partridge of Hatfield, instead of listening to the complaint of a Northampton man, who accused his neighbor of bewitching him, ordered the accuser to be whipped ten stripes on the spot.

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"The horse-shoe's nailed, each threshold's guard," said the poet Gay, 150 years since. Among the ridiculous preservatives against witchcraft was the horse-shoe nailed on the threshold of the door. Several writers in the 17th century mention that it was very common to nail horse-shoes to the threshold of doors in the west end of London, to keep out witches, and some were laid upon a tile under the porches of churches, to prevent witches entering. Fifty years ago, many houses in England had the horseshoe nailed against the threshold, and some may still be found. Howitt mentions a man at Nottingham, who has the ancient charm of reversed horse-shoes nailed on both the lintel and sill of his door.*

Chapter Xxii

The Poor of Hadley - Story of Rebekah Crow - Marriages and Weddings - Funerals and Mourning - Hadley Grave-yard - Titles - Names - Old Style and New Style.

Among those who signed the agreement in 1659, to remove to Hadley, were John Arnold and widow Westly. Both were poor and infirm, and remained at Hartford. The record says that John Arnold was too weak to come to Hadley. Those who lived at Hadley voted in April, 1662, to give John Arnold £^ a year, at Hartford, during his life, and to his wife 50 shillings a year after his decease. Voted also to give widow Westly 50 shillings a year, if she remain at Hartford.

*A few in New England had faith in the efficacy of the horse-shoe. The houses of two or three men (brothers) in Northampton, had a horse-shoe fastened to the threshold, about a hundred years since.

European writers affirm that a belief in witchcraft lingers extensively in every country of Europe. There is much of it in England. Let no one imagine that it is extinct in the United States.

Hutchinson says more persons have been put to death for witchcraft in a single county in England, in a short space of time, than have suffered in all New England, since the first settlement.

The feats attributed to witches were not all imaginary. Those who testified were not all impostors. Some strange, inexplicable deeds were done, as in modern spiritualism. This may be admitted, without believing that there is any thing supernatural in these things.

go up to the falls-fight, the town voted to pay for damage in person and estate, if the colony failed to pay. Jonathan Wells was severely wounded, and was a long time under the care of Mr. Bulkley, the surgeon, at Wethersfield. Massachusetts did not pay all the expense, and Hadley paid some pounds.

In 1679, the town erected a small house, called the town house, for the present use of Thomas Webster, in the middle highway not far from the pound. William Webster previously had a small house in the same highway. See page 189. Thomas Webster was not supported by the town. He maintained his family by his labor, and returned to Northfield in 1684. William Webster was aided by the town some years in his old age; and his widow, who had been reputed a witch, was furnished with diet and wood a few years.

Thomas Elgarr, who had been a soldier in the Indian war, resided in Hadley some years, and owing to disease or lameness, he was supported by the town a year or two. The town paid 32 persons £1^ for keeping him 65 weeks at 4s. per week previous to January, 1685. He seems to have gone from house to house, and was kept from one to three weeks at a place. Each was paid 4s. per week in town pay. He recovered and settled in Suffield.

In 1687, widow Baldwin was poor and infirm, and the town voted March 3d, that she should be removed from house to house, to such as are able to receive her, and remain a fortnight in each family. "To go from Samuel Porter's, senior, southward, and round the town." Joseph Baldwin, senior and junior, each left a widow, and it was one of these widows that was to board "round the town" of Hadley. Both removed to Springfield, where they had relatives.

John Hillier (or Hilliard,) was from Windsor, and after living many years in Northampton, removed to Hadley, where he died in 1729, aged 85. Had a wife and three children. In 1697, he was to have the house near the pound that William Webster had occupied. In 1718, the town voted to build a small log house for him, "where he now lives." He had occasional aid from the town in his old age. - In 1728, the town voted ;^io to support the poor.

In 1 73 1, and four years after, the town voted 40 pounds yearly to Mr. Chauncey, in consideration of two indigent persons in his family. In 1735, his son is mentioned as one of them, meaning Israel, who was deranged some years. The other indigent

History Of Hadley 235

These are all the poor aided by the town, that are found in the Hadley records for a century. Perhaps the names of some are not in the records. It may be doubted whether the expense of the town for the poor exceeded 150 pounds in 100 years, exclusive of those at Mr. Chauncey's. From 1760 to 1780, Aaron Wells is the only pauper that appears in the records, but there may have been others.

Previous to 1793, the number of paupers had increased to eight, viz., Joel Kellogg and wife, Jabez Selden and wife, David Warner, widow Rebekah Noble,* Rebekah Smith, widow Coats. - The fathers of five or six of these left good estates.

In January, 1793, Major John Smith "bid off" these 8 persons, and agreed to board and clothe them for a year for 88 pounds, or II pounds each, (about t^'] dollars,) and "to return them at the year's end as well clothed as when he takes them." In January, 1794, the same eight poor persons, by vote of the town, were "to be disposed of to the lowest bidder, singly, or in pairs. "f Most of them were bid off at 4 shillings per week. From 1795 to 1805, the town voted yearly for the support of paupers, from 200 to 250 dollars. Since 1805, the expense of the poor has in some years been as high as 500, 600 or 700 dollars.

In Massachusetts, no persons were married by ministers for 62 years, except a very few in Boston and the vicinity, under the government of Dudley and Andros. Only magistrates, and such as the General Court and Court of Assistants should authorize, where there was no magistrate, were allowed to join persons together in marriage. There were similar laws in the colonies of

*Rebekah Crow, born in 1712, was a daughter of Samuel Crow of Hadley, and had respectable relatives in Hadley and Hatfield. When young, she was a girl of superior beauty and much admired. She was wooed by a young man from Hartford, and the attachment . was mutual. She was spirited and self-directing, and in attending an evening party in Hadley, her lover paid more attention to another lady than she thought was proper, and her jealousy was excited and she hastily dismissed him. She soon exceedingly regretted what she had done, but did not attempt to conciliate him. According to tradition, she was after this, in some respects, a changed person, and did not again become a gay and sprightly girl. She married at the age of 49, Daniel Noble of Westfield and after his death, lived in Hadley, and when her estate was expended, she was maintained by the town. She who in early life had as fair prospects as any young lady in Hadley, died a town pauper in 1802, at the age of 90. She possessed a great fund of anecdotes and stories, including many witch-stories, and she delighted the young by her wonderful recitals.

Connecticut, New Haven and Plymouth. The ministers of New England approved these laws, and were perhaps the real movers of them. They were Bible-men, and though marriage was an institution of God, they knew very well that the Scriptures did not direct how or by whom the marriage ceremony should be performed, and that the intervention of a priest or Levite was not required in the marriages of the ancient Jews, and that the marriages of the early Christians for about 200 years, were not sanctioned by the services of their ministers. In Scotland and some other parts of Europe, it was not necessary that marriage should be celebrated by a clergyman. In 1692, under the new charter, Massachusetts General Court directed that marriages should be solemnized by Justices of the Peace, and settled ministers. In a few years after this law, it was the general custom for pastors to marry. Before 1692, when magistrates married, they also made the prayers, but if a minister was present, he was usually invited to make at least one of the two prayers.

In May, 1661, when Hadley was incorporated, William Westwood was authorized to join persons in marriage, or in his absence, one of the other commissioners, who were then, Andrew Bacon and Samuel Smith. In 1668, Henry Clarke was authorized to marry. In 1677, Liput. Samuel Smith was empowered to solemnize marriages. Peter Tilton became a magistrate in 1680, and Capt. Aaron Cooke a justice in 1687, and they united people in wedlock until Mr. Chauncey was settled in 1696, and Capt. Cooke still later, when requested. - Mr. Russell, the first minister, did not marry a couple during his life, unless in the last year, 1692. He had been three times married by a magistrate, and all ministers were married by magistrates previous to 1692. - Aaron Cooke, Jr. and Sarah Westwood were married May 20, 1661, and were the first couple married in Hadley.

Not much is known respecting the nuptial festivities and wedding customs in this part of the country, in the 17th and part of the 1 8th centuries. Marriages were occasions of joy and merriment. The groom had some new garments, and the bride had as rich a wedding dress as in her circumstances, could be afforded. Mather, in 1719, said it was expected that the newly married couple would appear as such, in the public assembly, on the next Lord's day. This custom continued more than a century after 1 7 19. It was termed "coming out groom and bride." It still remains in many places.

History Of Hadley 237

is from the Diary of Judge Samuel Sewall, who was a brother of Stephen. Mr. Aaron Porter was a son of the second Samuel Porter of Hadley, and was the first minister of Medford.

"1713. Oct. 22. I go to Salem, visit Mr. Epes and Col. Hathorne. See Mr. Noyes marry Mr. Aaron Porter and Mrs. Susan Sewall at my brother's. Was a pretty deal of company present - Mr. Hirst and wife, Mr. Blower, Mr. Prescott, Mr. Tuft, senior and junior, Madam Leverett, Foxcroft, GofT, Kitchen; Mr. Samuel Porter the father, I should have said before; many young gentlemen and gentlewomen. Mr. Noyes made a speech; said love was the sugar to sweeten every condition in the married state. Prayed once. Did all very well. After the sack-posset, &c. sung the 45th Psalm from the 8th verse to the end, five staves. I set it to Windsor tune. I had a very good Turkey-leather Psalm-book, which I looked in while Mr. Noyes read, and then I gave it to the bridegroom, saying, 'I give you this Psalm-book, in order to your perpetuating this song, and I would have you pray that it may be an introduction to our singing with the choir above.' "*

Kissing the bride was not customary in the interior of New England, until some time in the present century, and the practice is far from being general now. It was derived from the English, who have been notorious for kissing, on various occasions, for centuries. - Dancing at weddings was rare among the people, in most parts of New England, in the 17th century, but became very frequent in the i8th century. f The people of Hadley danced at weddings in the last century, but the practice has been uncommon in that town for forty years past.

Stealing the bride, was formerly done in some places in New England. Madam Knight of Boston, notices in 1704, "the former practice among us, to steal Miss Bride." There are many traditions respecting it in Northampton and Hadley. Some young men who had not been invited to the wedding, seized the bride, in the street or house, and led her off, and kept her until they were invited to join the party. A Hadley tradition says they sometimes took her to a public house, and retained her until the groom ordered an entertainment for them. She was treated

*I am indebted to the Rev. Samuel Sewall of Burlington, Mass. for this extract from the Diary of Judge Sewall. He accompanied it (1846) with observations on the forgotton customs of our fathers. Some of his remarks follow: - A century and a half ago, they had sack-posset at weddings and sung Windsor. Now not one in a hundred ever heard of sackposset, and I should as soon expect to hear yankee-doodle struck up as Windsor. They used the old Bay Psalm-book, which was read and sung, line by line, at the social party, on occasions of festivity and in family worship, and was in every parlor as well as in every meeting-house, but is now assigned over to the antiquary and forgotton.

In 1682, Judge Sewall was present at the marriage of Daniel Quincy and Anna Shepard. A magistrate married them, the two prayers were made by ministers, and the large company had cake, wine and beer, and singing succeeded.

-j-A great wedding-dance took place at New London, at the house of Nathaniel Shaw, Esq., June 12, 1769, the day after the marriage of his son, Daniel Shaw and Grace Coit. 92 gentlemen and ladies attended, and danced 92 jigs, 52 contra-dances, 45 minuets and 17 hornpipes, and retired at 45 minutes past midnight.

gently and kindly. These affairs seem to have produced no quarrels, but to have been sometimes an addition to the w^edding frolic. The last bride stolen in Hadley is said to have been Elizabeth, daughter of Oliver Smith, who was married to Doct. Job Marsh in 1783. The practice ceased in Northampton some years before.

There were occasionally, second day weddings, or wedding festivities kept up the second day, in the last and present centuries, with much eating, drinking and dancing.*

The greater part of the marriages in Hampshire county for 150 years took place on Thursday, but many on Wednesday, and some on other days. Very few on Saturday, or Sunday. Marriages were usually solemnized at the residence of the bride. The paternal mansion seems to be the most appropriate place. - There were some deviations. David Hillhouse and Sarah Porter were married in Hadley meeting-house, Oct. 7, 1781, and a few couples since. - The parents of the writer were married in Southampton meeting-house, Sept. i, 1774. Marriages in meetinghouses have been very rare.

The marriage fee was fixed at 3 shillings in 1692, 4s. in 1716, 1753 and 1760, and 6s. in 1787. The fee of the town clerk for the publishment and certificate was IS. 6d. after 1716. The minister or justice was to pay for recording the marriage.

In some towns in this vicinity, in former days, when a couple had agreed to be united, the father of the young man went to the parents of the young woman, and asked leave for his son to marry their daughter. This was "asking leave." It was sometimes done by the young man himself.

Marrying a deceased wife's sister. - The church of England, the church of Scotland, and the laws of England, have never allowed a man to marry his deceased wife's sister. The American colonies, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, were formerly equally averse to such marriages. The Court of Assistants in Connecticut judged that the marriage of a man at New Haven with his deceased wife's sister, was incestuous, and declared it null and void, in May, 1694. In the course of the last century, most men changed their views and concluded that a man might marry his wife's sister. Ebenezer Clark of Westhampton and

2, 1769, Josiah Dwight of Hatfield was married, and had a two days wedding in Hatfield Addition, now Williamsburgh. About 18 couples attended the wedding from Hatfield, and had a good dinner, and spent most of the succeeding night in dancing and frolicking. The next morning, "we greeted the rising sun with fiddling and dancing," says one of the party, in his diary.

History Of Hadley 239

afterwards of Lunenburg, Vt., married three sisters, daughters of Ebenezer Pomeroy of Hadley, in 1774, 1793 and after 1805, apparently without opposition or censure. Judge Story is said to have declared that such marriages have no immoral tendency, but are deemed the best sort.*

Divorce. - It is believed that only one couple belonging to Hadley were ever separated by a divorce, and they were negroes. In January, 1752, the Council of Massachusetts granted to Ralph Way of Hadley, a divorce from his wife, Lois Way, on account of her adultery with another negro, named Boston. - There was a petition for a divorce from Springfield in 1687, which was unsuccessful. There was one from Northampton in 1695; the result is not known. Divorces were always more easily obtained in Connecticut than in Massachusetts.

Courtship. - In this vicinity, where in past times, nearly all were working men and working women, courting was done, almost necessarily, after night-fall. Even those belonging to families considered the most respectable, often extended the hours of courtship to midnight, 80 or 100 years ago. When a young man requested a girl to spend a little time or a few hours with him, and she refused, he was shabbed; if she consented, he staid with her. These were common expressions in rural places, in former days.f

By a law of Massachusetts in 1647, no one might endeavor to draw away the affections of a maid under pretence of marriage, before he had obtained liberty from her parents or governors. The fine for the first offense was ;^5. There were no prosecutions for this offense in Hampshire county, and very few any where.

Lechford, in his "News from New England" in 1642, says - "At burials nothing is read, nor any funeral sermon made, but all the neighborhood, or a good company of them, come together by tolling of the bell, and carry the dead solemnly to his grave, and there stand by him while he is buried. The ministers are most commonly present." There was no prayer.

*Muscutt, a late writer in England, says, "God's law interdicts not such a marriage. Common sense discountenances it not. Christian ethics disapprove it not. Yet in the eye of the English law, the wife is only a concubine, and the children bastards."

mode of courtship called bundling, which prevailed in some parts of Europe, was not uncommon in some places in New England, in the last century. Rev. Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon against it in Northampton, more than a century since. Old men in Hadley have no knowledge of any such practice in that town, in their day.

The Presbyterian Church of Scotland used no funeral sermons nor any prayers at the burial of the dead. The Huguenots of France had no prayer nor sermon at funerals.

The ministers of New England, and those of some churches in Europe refrained from prayers at funerals, because there was in the Bible neither precept nor example for such prayers. After 60 or 70 years, a few ministers began to pray at funerals, in Massachusetts, and Mather says, about 1719, that in many towns the minister made a prayer at the house and a short speech at the grave; in other places both of these were wholly omitted.

The funeral customs in England and other parts of Europe were very bad for centuries. Brand, in his Popular Antiquities, says the wakes or watchings with the dead, were scenes of sport, drinking and lewdness in England, and they still resemble Bacchanalian revels. The wealthy made profuse and expensive funerals. Many funerals were closed with merry-makings. A tavern keeper in London told Mission, a continental traveler, about 1696, that at his wife's funeral, above 250 gallons of wine were drank. Funeral sermons were often preached. Dr. Sanderson, bishop of Lincoln, in his will in 1662, expressed his "utter dislike of the flatteries commonly used in funeral sermons, and of the vast expenses laid out in funeral solemnities and entertainments."

The practice of partaking of wine, ardent spirits, cakes, &c. at funerals was brought from England to the American colonies; also the custom of expending large sums for gloves, rings, scarfs, and mourning garments. The funeral expenses charged in the Probate Records of Suffolk and Middlesex counties in Massachusetts are often surprisingly large, and must have greatly diminished many estates. Men sometimes provided for their funerals in their wills. Edward Baker of Lynn, an ancestor of the Bakers of Northampton, in his will in 1685, ordered "a decent funeral suitable to my rank and quality." The heaviest funeral expenses were for mourning apparel, rings, gloves, and wine and other liquors. The wine for such occasions was sometimes burnt, spiced and sugared. In some cases, gloves were lavishly given - 700 pairs at one funeral, 1000 pairs at another, and above 3000 pairs and 200 rings at the funeral of A. Faneuil in Boston in 1738. Gold rings were given to ministers and to many others. A Boston minister in 1728 estimated that the rings and gloves which he received at funerals in a year were worth 15 pounds. The funeral of Gov. Burnet at Boston, Sept. 12, 1729, cost Massachusetts £iog'j, IIS. 3d. In 1742, the General Court passed an act against giving scarfs, gloves, wine, rum and rings at funerals, except six pairs of gloves to the bearers and one pair to the minister. Penalty, ;^50. The act was to continue only five years.*

Funeral expenses are seldom noticed in the Probate records of Hampshire. The extravagance of many in Boston and the vicinity at funerals, was not imitated in these agricultural towns. Seldom were rings or gloves given. Cake and wine or other liquors were sometimes distributed. At the burial of the widow of John Barnard, of Hadley, in 1665, the cake and wine cost 40 shillings. But few mourning articles were worn previous to 1700, and the people did not indulge in expensive mourning down to the Revolution, except a few families. The account books of Hampshire traders show that few mourning goods were required from 1660 to 1770. They were more common the latter part of this period, and were then chiefly black gloves, black gauze, black gauze handkerchiefs, black fans, black ribbons, and black lustring. There were some black silk scarfs and a few black gowns of silk crape, but perhaps these did not always indicate mourning. A few men wore crape hatbands. Mourning crape called widow's crape, was seldom sold.

At the funeral of Col. John Stoddard of Northampton, in 1748, some rings and gloves were given. At the funeral of the wife of Col. Timothy Dwight of Northampton, in 1763, 24 pairs of gloves were distributed. At the funerals of some persons of less note, six pairs of white gloves were given to the pall bearers, and one pair to the minister. The six pairs were laid on the coffin, three pairs on each side. - Gloves were distributed at the funeral of Rev. Dr. Samuel Hopkins of Hadley, Feb. 12, 181 1 - probably the last gloves given at a funeral in Hampshire. f

*Some eastern towns made expensive funerals for deceased ministers, providing wine, rum, gloves, rings, and sometimes pipes and tobacco. The Dutch at New York provided for funerals, rum, beer, gloves, rings; and in 1703, at a funeral, "Soo cockles, [cookies or cakes] and one and a half gross of pipes'" were furnished. The funeral customs in the middle and southern colonies were more exceptionable than in New England. The house of mourning in Europe and America was often a house of drinking, and sometimes of feasting.

six pall bearers who received the gloves were four ministers - Lyman of Hatfield, Wells of Whately, Williams of Northampton, Parsons of Amherst; and two others. Governor Strong and Doct. Ebenezer Hunt of Northampton.

and south, and it was about lo^ rods east and west. It consisted of two ridges, the highest in this part of the meadow, and of the valley between. These 210 square rods were the burial place for the old village of Hadley above 130 years. In 1792, 6 or 7 rods by 20 were added on the east side, from the homelots, (the old homelot was in two,) and the highway. In 1828, about 16 or 17 rods by 20 were purchased on the east side. The yard is now not far from 34 rods by 20, and contains a little more than four acres.

Almost all the grave stones erected previous to 1800 are of sand-stone, and many of the older ones are thick, heavy and rude. The five tables are of the same material. The later grave stones are of reddish sand-stone, and exhibit much better workmanship, and some have a face sculptured on the front. A number of slate stones have been erected. The people began to procure marble monuments a few years after 1800, and the greater part of those set up for thirty or forty years past, are of marble. Flowers bloom on some graves, (June, 1858,)

There is a stone at the grave of Doct. John Westcarr, who died in 1675, but it seems to have been erected many years after his death. The oldest monuments in the yard are the tables over the graves of Rev. John Russell and his wife Rebekah, erected in 1693. There are only ten stones in the yard with dates earlier than 1720; only ten when the town had been settled 60 years. Of the fathers of Hadley previous to 1663, only five have grave stones in Hadley grave yard, viz.. Rev. John Russell, Capt. Aaron Cooke, Chileab Smith, John Ingram; and the late Noah Webster set up a stone to the memory of his ancestor, John Webster, who died April 5, 1661. He was the first person buried in the yard, excepting perhaps an unnamed infant of Philip Smith, that was buried Jan. 22, 1661.*

There was no hearse in Hadley until the year 1826. In that town, as in others, the dead were previously carried on a shoulder bier, sometimes for miles. In the winter, some were conveyed by sleighs.

Titles - Mister, Goodman, &c. When settlements began in New England, the people of Old England, below the nobility, baronets and knights, and above

*I am indebted to Mr. L. M. Boltwood of Amherst, for the name, time of decease and age of those persons to whose memory monuments have been erected in this burying ground, copied by him in 1849. The number was then about 313.

History Of Hadley 243

the plebeians, were esquires and gentlemen, and they bore the title of Master or Mister or Mr. Lawyers, physicians, educated men, captains in the wars, wealthy merchants and others who could live without manual labor and bear the port of a gentleman, were called Master and taken for gentlemen. Many of these gentlemen, called Master or Mister, came to America. Of 1780 men made freemen of Massachusetts before 1649, ^bout one in fourteen had the title of Mr. before his name. It may have been given to some to whom it would not have been applied in England. There were a few with this title in Hadley among the first planters, as John Russell, the minister, John Webster, William Goodwin, Peter Tilton and Henry Clarke; and it was sometimes given to a few others. For many years, the people of Hadley would have been surprised, if not shocked, if a common farmer or mechanic had been called mister. Militia officers always had military titles.* Ecclesiastical titles were sparingly used. Magistrates were Misters and Esquires; Worshipful, sometimes applied to them, was in Eno-land a less dignified title than that of Honorable.

Of those below gentlemen, in England, and sometimes called plebeians, were the yeomen who owned or occupied land, some merchants, shopkeepers, artificers or mechanics, and laborers of various kinds. Sir Thomas Smith says, in 1563: - "Yeomen are not called masters, but to their surnames may add 'Goodman,' as Goodman White, Goodman Finch." Markham, in his "English Husbandman," about 1613, says: - "A husbandman is he who tilleth the ground, and the ancients did call him a good man; and we at this day call every husbandman, in ordinary conference and every particular salutation, Goodman such-a-one, a title of more honor and virtuous note than many which precede it at feasts and in gaudy places." This appellation was much used among the husbandmen of Massachusetts, and was common in Hadley. A number in Hadley as in other towns were addressed and spoken of by their Christian name and surname only, or by one of these.

*'''Our fathers were essentially a martial people. The warlike virtues were to them a necessity. Military titles were in high repute among them. They were preferred to civil or ecclesiastical honors. The corporal was on the road to distinction. A sergeant had attained distinction and his title was never omitted. An ensign or a lieutenant was lifted quite above the heads of his fellows. A captain was necessarily a man of great influence." - Bronson's History of Waterbury.

Military titles were as common in other colonies as in those of New England. The council of sixteen in Virginia, in 1656, was composed of 1 1 colonels, 2 lieut. colonels and 3 captains. The Virginia House of Burgesses, in 1666, had 26 men with a military title, and only 8 without such title.

Female Titles. - A few women denominated Ladies, came to New England. It is presumed that this appellation was not often used in the Hampshire towns for many years, as a title or compliment. The wife and daughters of a Mister might claim to be called Mistress, which, abbreviated, became Mrs. and was sometimes written Mtris. The title Miss, applied to a young female of good reputation, was introduced later, perhaps in 1720. It seems to have had a struggle with Mrs. and each was occasionally given to an unmarried female. Some young females were published in Hadley previous to their marriage, with Mrs. before their names, down to 1794. - The Goodman's wife was called Goodwife or Goody; and when he became a Mr. she might be a Mrs. Many women as well as men were spoken of and to by their names, without any addition. It is seldom that female titles are found in the records of towns, and those of men are often omitted.

Christian names of Hadley children from 1660 to 1700, including some born after 1700, belonging to families in which the births began before that date; with the number of children that bore each name. Those born on the west side of the river, which was a part of Hadley some years, are not included.

*Rev. Thomas Ruggles of Guilford, Conn., in a short History of that place written in 1769, says the first settlers were gentlemen called Mr. and the commonalty named Goodman or Neighbor such-a-one. He continues: - "How greatly are times now changed! Every man almost is called Mr. and every woman Miss, Madam or Lady."

History Of Hadley 245

There were 382 male children, of 61 different names, and 330 female children, of 38 different names. The males were about 100 to 86 females - an unusual inequality. The people of Hadley have no reason to be ashamed of the names which their ancestors gave to their children, though many of them are seldom now given. The planters of Hadley perused the Bible, and derived most of their names from it, rejecting the most harsh and uncouth Scripture names. They had a few names from virtues, &c., as Mercy, Thankful, Prudence, Grace, Hope, Experience; and some Saxon and Norman names, as William, Richard, Edward, Henry, &c. Two of the children were named from the surname of the mother, viz., Westwood and Cotton. More than half the males had one of the first six names in the list of males, and half the females had one of the first four names of females. Of 226 wives named in Hadley from 1660 to 1720, 146 bore the name of Mary, Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth or Abigail. Of 147 persons in Hadley valuation in 1731, half had one of these five names, - John, Samuel, Ebenezer, Joseph, William.*

Double Christian Names. - The people of Old and New England were generally satisfied with one baptismal name until the 1 8th century. Men with a middle name are rarely found previous to 1700. In New England, the number of double Christian names was small previous to the Revolution, and such names did not become numerous till after 1800. Nine persons in Hadley had a

*A few names seem to have comprehended more than half the people of Old England as well as of New England. In many lists of men in England, from 1600 to 1700, seven names included above one-half, and in almost every list, these most common names were John, Thomas, Richard, William, Edward, Henry, Robert. Of 800 ofEcers of the king's army in Sept. 1640, more than half bore these names. Of 578 persons appointed by the Parliament in 1643 '-° ^'"^ ^^ assessing taxes, about two-thirds bore the same seven names. Of 903 baronets created from 161 1 to 1686, the seven names included many more than half. Of a large number of men, named in a History of the county of Essex, England, before and after i6co, half had the same seven names. Of a long list of Esses females, nearly half were named Mary, Elizabeth, Anne or Margaret. Names of Puritans and anti-Puritans were very similar in England. The names of the emigrants to New England did not differ much from the names generally used in England. Of above 1200 admitted as freemen of Massachusetts before 1641, more than half had one of the same seven names. There was a great increase of Bible names after the emigration to New England. The names of half the graduates of Harvard College previous to 1701 were John, Samuel, Joseph, Thomas, Nathaniel. It appears by a remark of Montaigne, that the Huguenots of France preferred Bible-names.

The Puritans had some awkward names, but it seems that many of the ridiculous names attributed to them, in England, by Hume and others, are fictitious. Says the Pictorial History of England, 1603 to 1660, "nearly all the ridiculous names, given to the Independents at this time, are pure inventions, made fifty years after by a clergyman of the established church." The names of men on the fictitious juries of Hume and Lower, and the "new names'' noticed by Camden, are not found among those who came to New England. A few of the shorter ones were given to children born in New England, but not often.

Julius Caesar made a reform in the calendar, 46 years before Christ. His solar year consisted of 365 days and 6 hours, and the 6 hours were taken into account, by making every fourth year of 366 days. This manner of computing time is old style. There was an error in it, the true solar year being 11 minutes and some seconds short of 365 J days, and this difference made a whole day in about 129 years, and before the year 1582, the vernal equinox occurred on the nth of March, 13 or 14 days sooner than in the time of Caesar. Pope Gregory XIII. introduced the new style in 1582, by taking out 10 days from the month of October, which corrected the calendar back to the Council of Nice, 325 years after Christ. To countervail in future the excess of 11 minutes and 12 or 15 seconds in a year, it was determined to omit three days in four centuries, by making common years of three leap years, viz., 1700, 1800 and 1900. Some English philosophers and others objected to this imperfect reform of the calendar, this going back to the Council of Nice instead of the Christian era, and there were other objections, and England continued to follow the old style till 1752, which differed 10 days from the new style until 1700, and II days after that year. By an act of Parliament, ii days were taken from the old calendar in 1752, the 3d of September being reckoned the 14th, and England and her colonies conformed to the new style.*

*In New England diaries for 1752 and in correct almanacs, September has only 19 days, and the first four days are'thus numbered: - September, 1752.

One almanac-maker in New England (and perhaps more than one,) made his almanac for 1752 according to the old style. Madam Porter, wife of Eleazar Porter, Esq. of Hadley, kept interleaved almanacs many years, where she noted various occurrences, and she had one of these old style almanacs for 1752 and had to alter with her pen the number of every day after September 2d. The maker's name is torn off.

Gregory's reform in the calendar was beneficial, but his object was more superstitious than scientific. The learned Benedictine monks, who wrote in French, "L'Art de Verifier les Dates," remark that "the principal object of Gregory was to regulate the celebration of Easter." Burke says the dispute about the time of celebrating Easter was "one of the most trivial controversies of ecclesiastical discipline;" yet astronomy and chronology gained something from this trivial dispute.

The French work referred to, in 23 volumes, furnishes much information in regard to different forms of the year, and different modes of dating.

History Of Hadley 247

The Beginning of the Year. - Julius Caesar began the year with the first of January, but some centuries after Christ, the priests and others unwisely varied from that day, and there were many beginnings in different parts of Europe, as January I, (used by a few), March i, March 25, Easter in March or April, December 25, and three or four other days. March 25 and Dec. 25 were the most common.* When the first of January was restored, after some centuries, it was a part of the new style, and the other beginnings of the year became old style. England long used Dec. 25, but began to use March 25 from the 12th century, and this was the legal beginning of the year in church and state, until 1752, when the first of January began the year by act of Parliament. The first of January had long been reckoned as one beginning of the year, and English almanacs began the year with January more than 250 years ago. Many in England and America used a double date to distinguish the "mongrel time" from January I to March 24, inclusive, and set down both years thus - Jan. 20, 167!, March 4, I70g. The upper figures, 3 and 7, denoted the year beginning March 25, and the lower figures, 4 and 8, the year commencing Jan. i. In the same part of the year, single dates were often used as well as double ones. The two beginnings of the year produced confusion in dates in Old England and New England.

In New England, for a time, the first of March was accounted the beginning of the year by some, and the months were numbered first, second, third, fourth, &c. as 20th of 3d mo. for 20th of May; loth 8mo. or 10 - 8, for loth of October. This method of computing time did not lessen the disorder in dates. It was far from being general in New England; was more used in the records of churches than in those of towns. In many records, it continued

men began to celebrate the birth of Christ, two or three centuries after that event, they were ignorant respecting the year, month and day in which he was born, and the time of his birth is still unknown. Learned writers suppose the 25th of December was selected because the sun then began to return towards the north, and was deemed emblematical of the rising of the Sun of Righteousness. From this date, men counted back 9 months to the 25th of March, which they called the day of the Conception of Christ, or Annunciation day. And a large portion of Europe in the middle ages and after, began the year with one of these days. - Men did not begin to count years from Jesus Christ until the 6th century.

Rev. H. H. Milman, a clergyman of the church of England, says in his "History of Christianity," - "The year in which Christ was born is still contested. There is still more uncertainty concerning the time of the year. Where there is and can be no certainty, it is the wisest course to acknowledge our ignorance, and not to claim the authority of historic truth for that which is purely conjectural." He thinks the time of Christ's birth is of no importance, and is satisfied with the traditionary day. - Dr. Adam Clarke, the Commentator, says "Fabricius gives a catalogue of 136 different opinions concerning the year of Christ's birth; and as to his birth-day, that has been placed by Christian sects and learned men in every month of the year."

but a few years, in some, many years. It was gradually given up, and March 25 became usually the first day of the year, as in England, and so continued until 1752, though January i was often referred to as new year's day, and New England almanacs began the year with January before 1700. After Hampshire county was incorporated, the recorders of the county and of the towns in it, commonly began the year with March 25, but there were many deviations; they used both single and double dates between Dec. 31 and March 25. In Hadley, the town clerk sometimes seemed to reckon January i as the beginning of the year, long before 1752. In this History of Hadley, the dates are given as if the year began on the first of January, in new style, but with respect to the excess of 11 days before 1752, the old style and old records are followed.

Chapter Xxiii

The second Indian War, 1688 to 1698 - Six persons killed at Northfield - Presents to the Maquas - Destruction of Schenectady - Troubles with Albany Indians - Persons killed at Deerfield and Brookfield - Murder of Richard Church of Hadley, and trial and execution of two Indians - Attack in Hatfield meadows - Expenses of the war - Pay of soldiers - The war in Hampshire - Hampshire soldiers - Taxes - Palisades - Contributions.

Of the five towns in Hampshire, that were broken up by the Indian war in 1675, Suffield began to be re-settled in 1677, Deerfield in 1682 or 1683, Northfield about 1685, and Brookfield not long after. No record alludes to any settlers at Swampfield, (Sunderland.) Enfield, a new town, was incorporated, in 1683, and Hampshire had ten towns and plantations before 1688. There were very few settlers at Brookfield.

In 1688, while New England was under the despotic government of Andros, another Indian war began in Maine, and in Hampshire county. In the latter part of July, five friendly Indians living at Spectacle Pond near Springfield, were killed by other Indians. A few days after, eleven Indians appeared near Northfield, and some of them were recognized as Indians who formerly lived in these parts. On the i6th of August, three men, two women and a girl were killed at Northfield, and it was believed that they were murdered by these Indians. Major Pynchon sent soldiers to Northfield, and thirteen men were sent up from Hartford. By order of Gov. Andros, in November, 60 Connecticut men were posted at Northfield, under Captain Jonathan Bull, during the winter. The destruction of six persons at Northfield is not noticed by any historian, and their names cannot now be found.*

The revolution in England, which drove king James into exile and placed William and Mary upon the throne, began in November, 1688. On the i8th of April, 1689, the people of Boston and other towns seized Gov. Andros and his associates, and restored the old governor and magistrates. The revolution in England was followed by war between England and France, which extended to their colonies in America, and for the first time, the people of New England were involved in a desolating war with the French in Canada and their Indian allies. - Most of the attacks in 1689 were directed against New Hampshire and Maine, both under the government of Massachusetts. The frontier which Massachusetts had to defend, extended from the Connecticut to the Kennebec and beyond.

"The tears, fears and groans of the broken remnant of Northfield" is the beginning of a petition from that place to the General Court, dated June 27, 1689, in the hand-writing of Rev. John Russell of Hadley. They say that they had 25 families before the six persons were slain by the Indians, and that half had since deserted the place, and only 12 families remained. They asked for advice and help. Peter Tilton, Samuel Partridge and John King were appointed to order matters at Northfield. About 70 souls, of whom only 15 were men, remained in the place until the spring of 1690, when Northfield was abandoned the second time, and remained desolate 25 years. Hadley was again the most northern town on the east side of the river.

In August, 1689, Massachusetts and Connecticut sent agents to Albany, with Major Pynchon at the head, to make presents to the Maquas and river Indians, and engage them against the Indian enemy. (See page 124.) Speeches were made, and the chiefs of the Five Nations used the customary, unmeaning expressions, and made deceptive promises. The agents gave to them 500 pounds of powder, looo pounds of lead, 150 yards of duffel, 500 guilders in wampum, 90 shirts, and 40 pounds of tobacco,

*Pynchon's Letters, and the depositions of Thomas Wells of Deerfield, and of Micah Mudge of Northfield, and other papers relating to these events, are in the Massachusetts Archives. - Gov. Andros made a short visit at Hadley, apparently in September, 1688, and and sent to Northampton for the committee appointed to re-settle Northfield. He did not cross the river. - Mr. Warham Mather of Northampton preached at Northfield 6 months, after the 6 persons were killed.

and they made presents to the sachems privately, and entertained 100 of their people with beef, pork, bread, beer, &c. They also made presents to the Hudson's River Indians, whom they named Mahikanders and Scachkooks. "Albany is a dear place," said Major Pynchon, and it was so to the people of Massachusetts, who paid the bills. Connecticut paid only a small part in 1689. - In March, 1690, Robert Livingston asked of Massachusetts, 400 or 500 pounds worth of goods as presents to the Five Nations, to counteract the attempts of the French to withdraw them from their alliance with the English.

The leading men at Albany, fearing an attack from the French and Indians, desired the aid of 100 men from New England. The preservation of Albany was important to New England, and Connecticut sent about 66 soldiers, and 24 were taken from the county of Hampshire, and they left Westfield, Nov. 18, 1689, under Capt. Jonathan Bull. Capt. Bull found the people of Albany and Schnectady divided into two parties, and bitterly opposed to each other. While the inhabitants of Schnectady were quarreling and neglecting the means of defense, they were attacked by the French and Indians on the night of Feb. 8, 1690, and about 62 were slain and 28 made captives, including five killed and five taken, of Capt. Bull's company. Some from Hampshire were taken, and perhaps some slain.*

The year 1690 was one of great calamities and much distress to New England. The French and Indians made successful attacks on the northern and eastern towns; an expedition against Quebec, with more than 2000 troops from Massachusetts, failed, and several vessels and many men were lost; a land army that was to attack Montreal, was unable to proceed beyond the southern point of Lake Champlain.

Hampshire county escaped the ravages of war in 1689 and 1690, but there were many alarms, and men were often called to arms. There was a garrison at Deerfield, and scouts were sent up to West River, and smaller scouts were sent out frequently from the other towns. In 1690, Major Pynchon detached 40 men from Hampshire, to join the army at Albany, but there were so many reports of Indians at the Falls above Squakeag, at Coasset and other places, that the 40 men were not sent out of the county.f

*Of the Hampshire men, Joseph Marks was carried to Canada; Samuel Beaman was taken, but escaped. Robert Alexander and Jonathan Church were slain, or died of sickness; David Burt, Jr. of Northampton, was a captive in Canada, 1690, and never returned.

alarms brought up Capt. Samuel Talcott of Wethersfield, with his company of horsemen, in June, 1690, who remained but a few days. A company from Connecticut, under Capt. Bull, were at Deerfield in January and February, 1691.

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Small parties of Maquas and Albany Indians, and others pretending to be from New York, came into the Hampshire towns, and some were insolent and used threats. Two were arrested in

1691, Major Pynchon informed the governor and council, that in November, about 150 Indians, men, women and children, came to Deerfield from the vicinity of Albany, and settled under the side of the mountain, about a mile southerly from the town. The men had written passes from the mayor of Albany; they employed themselves in hunting, and left the women and children at the wigwams. They had been quiet with one or two exceptions; some of them were supposed to be former enemies who settled near Albany.

They professed to be friendly, but the people of Hampshire were afraid they would prove unfriendly, and the committees of the militia of the towns of Northampton, Hadley, Hatfield and Deerfield met Jan. i, 1692, and sent a letter to the governor and council. They estimated the Indians at 40 or 50 fighting-men, and 100 women and children. Major Pynchon again wrote, and said some of the Indians had set up their wigwams near Hatfield. "They are very unacceptable to our people," said Major P. and should they be false, could do much harm. The reason of their coming was the scarcity of provisions about Albany. f The governor and council replied, that it was best to observe the motions of the Indians, avoid giving offense, take care that strong drink was not sold to them, write to the mayor of Albany, and keep good watches. - Some regulations were proposed to the Indians, Jan. 18, to which they consented. As to strong drink, they said, "our young men and squaws will buy liquor, and your English will sell it. "I Most of these Indians returned to Hudson's River in May, 1692.

About the first of February, 1692, Capt. William Whiting of Hartford came up with 50 soldiers to garrison Deerfield a few weeks, Major Pynchon having written to Connecticut for aid.

words of Major Pynchon are the only intimation that there was a mill at Swampfield. Probably only the foundation or beginning of a mill.

When the ice was thick upon Lake Champlain, which was usually in January and February, the people of Hampshire and Albany apprehended an attack from Canada. After the ice broke up, there was not much fear of an assault, till the trees were covered with leaves.

The county of Hampshire escaped the attacks of the enemy, four years in succession, viz., 1689, 1690, 1691 and 1692. Reports of danger were frequent, and Major Pynchon said in 1692, "strict watches, wards and scouts we keep in all these towns, and improve four men allowed by the country, in scouting up the river."

On the 6th of June, 1693, three or four persons were killed or severely wounded at Deerfield, in the family of Hepzibah Wells,* widow of Lieut. Thomas Wells; and Thomas Broughton, his wife and three children were slain. These two families lived on the west side of the street near the north end. Soldiers were sent to Deerfield from the towns below; and two companies from Connecticut who remained but a few days. Another company, under Capt. William Whiting, came later and remained three months. Canada Indians probably committed these murders, but some New York Indians were at first suspected, and two were confined. Their friends complained to Gov. Fletcher of New York, and he wrote to Connecticut and Massachusetts; he said the Indians were much displeased with New England, and in danger of being drawn off "by your rigor and French bribes." Gov. Phipps ordered the two Indians to be released, but they escaped before the order arrived.

On Thursday, the 27th of July, 1693, a party of 26 Canada Indians, killed at Brookfield, near the Boston road, east of the garrison house, Rebekah, the wife of Joseph Wolcott and her two daughters, Joanna, aged 6, and Hannah, aged 2 years, Thomas Lawrence, and Joseph Mason and son; and they took Daniel Lawrence and Mason's wife and her infant, and they killed the infant at night. John Lawrence, brother of Thomas and Daniel, rode speedily to Springfield for assistance, there being only five or six men at the garrison house. Major Pynchon

*Widow Wells, who was a Buel of Windsor, went to Connecticut to get surgical aid for her wounded children, one or two of whom had been scalped. The healing process was long and expensive. The General Court of Connecticut passed the following order, Oct. II, 1694.

"Widow Wells of Deerfield motioned that she might have liberty to crave the charity of the good people of this colony for her relief of the great charge she hath been at in curing the wounds of her children, received by the Indians. This court recommends to the congregations in Windsor, Hartford, Wethersfield, and Farmington, to be charitably helpful to the woman therein."

History Of Hadley 253

called out 20 men from SpringField and 8 from Westfteld, and sent a post to Hadley for 30 men from Northampton, Hadley and Hatfield, all to be commanded by Capt. Thomas Colton of Springfield. The 28 soldiers reached Brookfield on Friday, at 2 p. m., and buried the dead, and the 30 arrived about sunset. On Saturday, the 29th, Capt. Colton left 16 men at the garrison, and with 42 followed the track of the Indians northerly, and came to a pond where the Indians lodged the second night, which they judged to be 30 miles* from Brookfield. A few miles from the pond, the way became very difficult for horses, and 19 men were left to bring on the horses, and Capt. Colton and 23 resolute men pursued on foot. On Sabbath morning, the 23 men started early, and about sunrise, discovered the enemy "in a most hideous, thick, woody place," where they could hardly be seen. Capt. Colton made signs to his men to advance and fire upon them, which they did. The Indians were at breakfast, and were surprised and terrified, and all that could, instantly disappeared in the thicket, leaving their prisoners, ammunition, &c. Capt. Colton saw four that were killed, and the soldiers said six or seven were killed. The company recovered the two captives. Mason's wife and Daniel LawTence, and brought away 9 guns, 20 hatchets, 4 cutlasses, 16 or 18 horns of powder, and two barks full of powder, neatly covered. They returned to Brookfield that day, and came home on Monday, leaving 6 or 8 at the garrison house. f

In August, 1694, Commissioners from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, guarded by 60 horsemen from Connecticut, met the Indian sachems at Albany, and loaded them with presents, to secure their attachment to the cause of the English. The expenses of Massachusetts were £^J0, and of Connecticut, including her dragoons, about as much.

September 15, 1694, M. Castreen and Indians attacked the fort at Deerfield, and were repulsed. John Bement of Enfield, and Richard Lyman of Northampton, of the garrison, were wounded. Daniel Severance, a lad, was killed in the meadow.

account is from Major Pynchon's Letters in the Massachusetts Archives. - This pursuit of Indians into swamps and thickets, though successful, was rash and dangerous.

jThe officers of the Northampton militia company objected to the equal division of the plunder; they said much plunder was left at the place of assault which might have been brought away by men who came away empty, and that half of those left with the horses were not needed for that purpose, but were unwilling to go further. "It seems to be hard, they said, that valor and cowardice should have the same reward."

Hannah Beaman, wife of Simon Beaman, kept a school north of the pahsade, and she and her scholars ran to the fort, and though fired upon, escaped unhurt. - John Lawrence was slain in Brookfield in 1694. He had lived some years in Hadley, and Lawrence's bridge and Lawrence's plain were named from him.

Some of the Albany Indians, called also River Indians, who lived above and below Albany, came to Connecticut River every year, game being much more plenty here. A company of them came to Hatfield, Aug. 9, 1695. On the loth of August, eight or nine Albany Indians who were hunting near Nashawelet* River, were killed by hostile Indians. Major Pynchon sent up to Nashawelet, a company of horsemen under Capt. Colton, from Springfield and the towns above, but they did not find the enemy.

On the i8th of August, 1695, five Deerfield men set out for the mill, on horses with bags of grain, and when they had gone about a mile southward, they were fired upon by seven or eight Indians who were concealed near the road, and Joseph Barnard was sorely wounded and fell from his horse. The others set him upon his horse with one to hold him on, when another shot killed his horse. They then put him upon one of their horses, when a gun was fired and he was again hit; yet they all reached the garrison, unharmed, except Joseph Barnard, who died on the 6th of September.f The Indians were pursued but not overtaken.

In September, 1695, Indians were lurking about the Hampshire towns, and were seen near Deerfield, Northampton and Hadley. Men were frequently out, ranging the woods.

Deerfield was a much exposed place, and many attacks of the enemy were directed against the inhabitants of that town. A garrison was there, from the Hampshire towns, and sometimes from Connecticut. 30 Connecticut soldiers were there in January and February, 1695, and 30 were sent up in August. In September, 1695, there were 24 men at Deerfield and 8 at Brookfield from the five old Hampshire towns, and 16 more were sent to Deerfield, Sept. 30. Some of these men were scouting daily.

On the i6th of September, 1696, the Indians captured John Gillet up Green River, above Deerfield, and came to the village and took Daniel Belden and two children, Nathaniel and Esther; killed his wife Elizabeth and three children, Daniel, John and

*So Major Pynchon wrote the name of the stream, now spelled Ashuelot. The Indians had the sound of N. at the beginning of the word, as in Nashua.

Pynchon wrote that Joseph Barnard was "a very useful and helpful man in that place, so much under discouragement, and they will the more find and feel the want of him." He was a son of Francis Barnard of Hadley. Hannah Beaman of Deerfield, the school dame, was his sister.

History Of Hadley 255

Murder of Richard Church of Hadley. On the 5th of October, 1696, a murder was committed in Hadley, which produced a great excitement in the county, and occasioned the capital punishment of two of the New York Indians. Richard Church of Hadley, tailor, aged 27, and recently married, was slain by some of the Hudson's River Indians. He was a son of Samuel Church, deceased, and grandson of Richard Church, a first settler. The following account is gathered from the testimony and many other papers, which are still extant in the Archives at Boston. Eight or ten families of the Albany Indians lived near Hatfield, as in preceding years, and on the first of October, four of these Indians went up Hadley Mill River to hunt, though they had been ordered not to hunt on the east side of the Connecticut. Their names were Mahweness or Mowenas, Mahquolous or Moquolas, Wenepuck, and Pemequenoxet or Pameconoset. When they were returning on the 5th, and were about two miles from Hadley village, in a north-easterly direction, apparently in the vicinity of Mount Warner, they found Richard Church hunting in the woods, and shot him, a little before sunset. Samuel Barnard and Ebenezer Smith of Hadley had been hunting with Church that afternoon, but he had parted from them; and sometime after he left them, they heard the reports of two guns, near together, followed by a shout. They returned home, and as the evening advanced, and Church did not return, they and the people of Hadley believed that he had been killed by a party of the enemy. Messengers were sent to Northampton and Hatfield, and many men from the three towns assembled at Hadley, and went into the woods after midnight. They were joined by some friendly Woodstock Indians under Peter Aspinwall. They found the body of Church towards morning; a bullet had been shot through his head, an arrow stuck in his side, his gun and part of his clothes were gone, and he was scalped. Some of the men conveyed the body to the house of his mother, widow Mary Church, and about 40 others followed the tracks of three or four Indians, from the place where the body was found to the west end of Mount Toby, where they came in sight of four Indians in the woods, and captured one; three escaped and came into Hatfield, where they were apprehended that day, October 6, and the Indians at Hatfield were disarmed and secured; there were 8 men besides the four taken, 9 squaws and 23 children. There were others at Deerfield. - The four Indians were examined, Oct. 6, before three Justices, and the ministers of Northampton and Hatfield were present. The Indians were kept singly, and all at first denied, but Pamequenoxet was taken to the place of the murder, and there without force or threats, he owned that he saw Mahweness and Mahquolous kill the man with their gun and bows and arrows, and he showed where they stood when they did it, and where he and Wenepuck stood. Being brought back, he owned the same before the justices and others. Wenepuck was then called and owned the same. Mahquolous being brought in, admitted that Mahweness killed the man, but did not implicate himself. Mahweness denied all, and said the others were liars. The next week, Oct. 12, Joseph Hawley and Joseph Parsons of Northampton, with eight others, took Wenepuck and Mahquolous towards the place of the murder, in two companies, the two Indians being about a mile apart, leaving the Indians to lead. Wenepuck went directly to the spot, and pointed out the trees at which, as he said, the two Indians stood when they killed Church, and the trees at which the other two stood, and they were the same trees that Pemequenoxet showed, the week before. Wenepuck was then taken away into a swamp, and Mahquolous came to the same place, and showed the same trees, and said that Mahweness killed the man.

The others constantly affirmed that Mahquolous was active with Mahweness in the murder. Martha Wait of Hatfield testified that Mahquolous said at her house, that he would kill a Hadley man because Hadley men threatened them when they hunted in Hadley woods.

A court of Oyer and Terminer was holden at Northampton on the 2ist of October, 1696, to try the Indians. Lt. Gov. Stoughton and council had specially commissioned to hold this court, John Pynchon, Samuel Partrigg, Joseph Hawley and Aaron Cooke, Esquires, and Joseph Parsons, Gentleman.*

*John Pynchon, 3d of Springfield, was Clerk, EbenezerPomery of Northampton, acted as king's Attorney, Richard Webls and William Holton of Northampton, were Interpreters. Samuel Porter of Hadley, was the county Sheriff.

The grand-jury. - Preserved Clapp, foreman, John Taylor, Isaac Sheldon, Enos Kingsley, John Parsons, Thomas Lyman, William Holton and Samuel Wright of Northampton; Nehemiah Dickinson, Jonathan Marsh, George Stillman, and Samuel Barnard of Hadley; and Joseph Belknap, Samuel Belding, Samuel Dickinson and John White of Hatfield.

The petit jury. - John Holyoke, Esq. foreman and Thomas Colton of Springfield; John King, Medad Pomery, Judah Wright and John Clark of Northampton; Timothy Nash, Daniel Marsh, Thomas Hovey, of Hadley; John Coleman, Daniel White and Eleazar Frary of Hatfield.

History Of Hadley 257

Mowenas and Moquolas were indicted as principals, and Wenepuck and Pameconeset as accessories. All the Indians from Hatfield and the vicinity were present. Each of the four was tried, and each was declared guilty by the jury. Only the principals were sentenced, and they were to be shot to death on the 23d of October, about 2, P. M. and they were executed at Northampton. These were the first executions in Hampshire County.*

This event disturbed the Indians about Hudson's River, and being misled by various false reports, they became incensed against New England, pretending that the two Indians were innocent. By their complaints, they much annoyed Gov. Fletcher of New York, and many letters passed between him and Lieut. Gov. Stoughton of Massachusetts, and the correspondence did not cease till May, 1697. A detail of the evidence and of the proceedings of the Court, signed by the Justices, was sent to Lt. Gov. Stoughton, who sent a copy to Gov. Fletcher. The two accessories, who were not sentenced, were at liberty in February.

The Albany Indians continued to dwell between Hatfield and Deerfield until the latter part of April, 1697, when they departed, and did not come again. They had been the source of much disquiet and trouble in Hampshire.

The Treaty of Peace at Ryswick between England and France, was proclaimed at Boston, Dec. 10, 1697. Some of the Indians continued hostilities several months longer.

Sergeant Samuel Field of Hatfield, was slain by Indians, July 13, 1697. - On the 15th of July, 1698, four Indians came into the upper part of the North meadow in Hatfield, where men and boys were hilling Indian corn, and killed John Billings, aged 24, and Nathaniel Dickinson, Jr., aged 13, and took Samuel Dickinson, aged II, and a lad named Charley. They shot at Nathaniel Dickinson, the father, and killed his horse, but he escaped. The

*An order from John Pynchon and Samuel Partrigg, dated at Northampton, Oct. 23, 1696, after mentioning the crime and sentence of Mowenas, required the Sheriff of Hampshire "to take Mowenas from the place where he is now in custody, to the place of execution, and cause the sentence to be executed upon him."

The sheriff certified on the back of the warrant, Oct. 23, that he "caused the within mentioned Mowenas to be taken to the place of execution, and there to be shot to death about two of the clock on the said day." Signed by Samuel Porter, Sheriff of Hampshire.

The warrant and certificate in regard to the execution of Moquolas were the same. - Undoubtedly a great number of people assembled to see the two Indians "shot to death." The place of execution in Northampton is not known.

The expenses incurred in consequence of this murder were £31.16.0. John Pynchon received 5 shillings per day, and the other Justices, 4s. Grand and petit jurors, 2s. a day. Guarding the Indians was i s. 6d. to 2s. for a day and night. Provisions for Indians, 6 pence a day. Blacksmith for irons, 8s. It is believed that there was no prison in Northampton.

Indians had canoes on the river, and were not found until a scout of three Northampton men, and eleven men from the town and garrison of Deerfield, went up the river many miles above that place, and lay in wait; when the Indians came along in their canoes, on the other side, they killed or severely wounded two of them, and rescued the two lads, but lost one of their party, Nathaniel Pomery of Deerfield, aged i8. Benjamin Wright of Northampton was the leader. The General Court gave these soldiers £,11.

In this war often years, sometimes called King William's war. New England lost some hundred lives, a great amount of property, and numerous captives were carried to Canada. The government of Massachusetts expended in the war more than 150,000 pounds, (500,000 dollars.) About half of the expense, exclusive of the Quebec expedition, was for the defense of Maine, and much was expended for New Hampshire. Not a great number of Indians were slain. The bounty offered for Indian heads or scalps was at first 8 to 10 pounds, and was increased in some cases to 50 pounds.*

Hampshire county suffered much less than some other frontiers; yet at least 28 of the inhabitants were slain, and several captured. Seven or eight Indians may have been slain in the county. Northfield was the only town deserted. The people of Deerfield were always in danger, and as Major Pynchon said, "continually pecked at" by the enemy. The war expenses of Massachusetts in Hampshire, during the last five years of the war, averaged above ;^500 a year, and more than two-thirds of this was for the pay of soldiers and provisions at Deerfield; the rest was for Brookfield, scouting, &c. Considerable sums were paid by the county and towns for scouting. The soldiers of Connecticut, when in this county, were paid by that colony and supplied with provisions at the expense of Massachusetts. These soldiers

*Wages of officers and soldiers. - In 1696 and in other years, a private had 6 shillings per week, drummer and corporal, 7s., clerk and sergeant, 9s., ensign, 12s., lieutenant, 15s., captain, 30s., major, 50s., chaplain, 20s., surgeon, 20s. - Regular troopers or cavalry, each furnishing his own horse. Common trooper, los., trumpeter, clerk and corporal, 12s., quarter-master, 15s., cornet, 20s., lieutenant, 25s., captain, 40s. - Dragoons or common soldiers with horses, 8s. These wages seem not to differ much from those in Philip's war. - A post had 4 pence a mile one way, and bore the charges of himself and horse.

Subsistence for soldiers. - In 1696, the price of food for soldiers not stationary was 8 pence per day; for those in garrison, 3s. 6d. per week. The soldiers were well supplied with food. Many were billeted in families and lived as they did. Others had pork or beef, bread or dry biscuit, and peas. In some expeditions, they carried tlie Indian food called Nocake, which was Indian corn parched and beaten into meal. - Rum, sugar, pipes and tobacco were to be provided for an expedition to Maine in September, 1689. - Keeping a horse at grass a day and night was 3 pence, and at hay and provender, 6 pence.

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commonly came up on horseback; and much of the scouting and pursuing in the woods was performed on horses. There was constant watching by night and frequent warding by day in the Hampshire towns, and guns and ammunition were carried to the meeting-houses every Sabbath.*

The war taxes were heavy. The expenses of Massachusetts in 1690, the year of the disastrous Quebec expedition, were more than 50,000 pounds, and occasioned the first issue of paper money. In 1689 and 1690, five single country rates in money, and thirty-five in produce, were ordered. In 1691, there was a tax of ;^24,ooo. In 1692, the nev/ charter went into operation, and Plymouth colony was united with Massachusetts. The first tax after this union, for 1692 and 1693, was ;^30,ooo in three parts. The taxes from 1692 to 1702, both inclusive, amounted to ;^i 15,143. The proportion paid by the polls varied. In the eleven years, the polls averaged not far from one shilling each in 2300 pounds of tax. - The taxes of ;^24,ooo and ;^30,ooo were collected with difficulty. In 1691, Springfield paid her share of 20 country rates, laid in 1690, by sending 1214 bushels of grain to Boston, mostly peas.f

or militia in Hampshire - In May, 1690, Major Pynchon stated the number of soldiers belonging to the five old towns, at 454, viz., to Northampton, 128, Springfield, 120, Hatfield, 80, Hadley, 66, Westfield, 60. Those of Springfield were in the town plat, 60, on the west side of the river, 28, at Longmeadow, 20, at Skipmuck, 12. From other accounts, it may be conjectured that Suffield in 1690 had about 56 soldiers, Enfield, from 25 to 30, Deerfield, not far from 44, and Brookfield, about 12; making in the county a few short of 600, and indicating a population of not less than 2500.

Hadley had fewer soldiers than Hatfield in 1690, but perhaps not fewer inhabitants. Hadley returned 78 ratable polls in May, 1693, ^^^^^ ^ careful revision. If the old computation of one poll to four inhabitants be correct, Hadley had in 1693 a population of 312.

Hampshire, there was great complaint of the money taxes. In June, 1690, Springfield complained louder than in 1685. The selectmen said in a petition - "our people have not patience to hear such a yoke, who know not such a thing as money." They hinted that some people thought it would be easier to pay taxes to Connecticut. In October, 1690, delegates from the Hampshire towns met, and sent a petition against money rates. They said - "not one in ten of the inhabitants of said county have any income of money in any manner." They begged "that it may be as of old, when those that had silver paid silver, and those that had it not, paid goats' hair, ram skins, &c."

The Puritans knew what was in the Bible, and could readily refer to any passage. Anthony Austin, in a petition for the people of Suffield, in 1700, calls them, "your lame Mephibosheth."

Three province taxes of the Hampshire towns, ordered in 1692, 1696 and 1700, are subjoined. Also a county tax for 1702. Some of the pence are omitted. The polls in 1700 paid 3s. Brookfield was not taxed, and Deerfield, Suffield and Enfield were only partially taxed. Suffield and Enfield were suffering from the claims and violent acts of the people of Windsor. Hampshire was slow in paying the heavy taxes, and in June, 1694, owed £1853.3.1, and was ordered to pay in bills of credit or otherwise, except Suffield and Enfield. Suffield was abated £200.

they voted to lay aside their private business and finish the fortification; and then to fortify some places within the town. They did not name any palisade on the west side. In March, 1691, they voted to repair the old garrison houses, and the east fortification, and to continue scouting in the woods. In June, 1693, they voted to have a daily scout, and to have two more houses fortified on the east side. George Stillman and others who lived near him at the north end, without the palisade, had liberty to fortify Stillman's house.*

The grist-mills were preserved. The mill of Hadley, in a lonely place three miles north of the village, was not assailed, and the miller, Joseph Smith, was unharmed.

Contributions. - Acts of kindness and beneficence were very frequent in New England during this war. Massachusetts contributed largely for the relief of the poor and distressed, and the redemption of the captives. There were captives not only in Canada, but some of our people were in captivity in Morocco and Algiers. - Connecticut made contributions for the east in 1691, and she contributed much corn and some rye to the sufferers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, in the spring and summer of 1697.

Samuel Porter, the sheriff, stated to the Gen. Court in May, 1695, that he had seized on execution, the lands and estates of constables who had not paid their rates, but nobody would buy them for want of money, &c.

A tax ordered in June, 1695, required single females, who earned a livelihood, to pay 2 shillings each, being half as much as the poll tax of males. This was the only tax levied on females in this province. In 1692, East New Jersey taxed females over 16, one shilling each. Hatfield and Deerfield built palisades in 1690, and some houses were fortified. The palisade of Northampton was the longest and most irregular. That of Hatfield, a few years later, was 229 rods on one side and 246 rods on the other, besides the ends; and the house of Mr. Williams was fortified, and three on the "Hill," and one at the "Farms." The line of the palisades could be traced in many houselots in Hatfield, 25 years ago. - A new fortification was made at Deerfield in 1693, by order of Major Pynchon, 302 rods in length, (one account says 202 rods,) and the estimated cost was five shillings per rod, in money. Deerfield was allowed £40 for it in her province rates. The fortification was repaired in 1696 and 1702. - It may be inferred that well made palisades cost about five shillings per rod, as money.

History Of Hadley 261 Chapter Xxiv

Execution of Sarah Smith and Negro Jack - Sickness of 1689 - Change of Government - New Charter, 1692 - Connecticut and Hampshire county - Third Indian War began in 1703 - Destruction of Deerfield and Pascommuck, and other events in 1704 - Snow Shoes - The war from 1705 to 171 3 - Expenses - Taxes - Pay and food of soldiers - Captives - Scalps - Dogs - Dutch at Albany - Mohawks.

Martin Smith of Deerfield was taken by the Indians in 1693, and returned from Canada in 1698. In his absence, his wife Sarah murdered her illegitimate child, at Deerfield, Jan. 11, 1698. The judges of the Superior Court came up from Boston, escorted by 26 troopers, on account of the Indians, and she was tried at Springfield, Aug. 18, 1698. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty, and justice Winthrop sentenced her "to be hanged by the neck till she was dead," on the 25th of August, between 12 and 4, P. M. Rev. John Williams of Deerfield preached a sermon at the execution. There was no newspaper to describe the scene. She was the first white person executed in Hampshire. She came from New Jersey to this county.

Jack, a negro, who had been a servant of Mr. Samuel Wolcott of Wethersfield, was executed at Boston, in September, 168 1, for burning the house of Lieut. William Clark of Northampton, in the night of the 14th of July, 168 1. The house was on the lot on which Judge Dewey's dwelling-house now stands. In the indictment, jack was charged with setting the house on fire feloniously, "by taking a brand of fire from the hearth and swinging it up and down, to find victuals, as by his confession may appear." Jack only confessed carelessness, but the court and jury had evidence which led them to believe that he set the house on fire purposely. He was sentenced to be hung by the neck till dead, and "then to be taken down and burnt to ashes in the fire with Maria, negro."*

*The reason for burning the dead body does not appear. Perhaps it was done because he was a slave. Maria, a slave, had burnt the house of her master in Roxbury and another house. Mr. Savage says she was sentenced to be burnt to death. Barbarity and cruelty were often exhibited in punishing slaves, as they still are. One or two female slaves have been burnt at the stake in Massachusetts. On the 1 8th of September, 1755, Mark, a negro man, and Phillis, a negro woman, were executed at Cambridge, for poisoning their master, Capt. John Codman of Charlestown. He was hanged, and she was burnt at a stake about ten yards from the gallows. Phillis was burnt alive, a few miles from the capital of New England , by the sentence of Massachusetts judges, and according to the laws of England, which condemned a male servant who killed his master to be hanged, and a female servant to be burnt alive. Such was the deference of English laws to English females. Many slaves were burnt alive in New York, New Jersey, and other colonies.

a General Court, and could not raise soldiers; and they were not able to gather all their crops. The sickness extended up into Hampshire county as far as Springfield, where it was noticed by Major Pynchon and the selectmen. The latter said they lost much of their English and Indian harvest and hay, by reason of the sickness. If the disease was in the towns above the Falls, it was less severe and general. 1683 was a sickly year in Connecticut and at Springfield.

Change of Government. Under the government of Dudley some months, and of Andros above two years, the people were deprived of power and had no voice in the government. From May, 1686 to May, i68g, there were no representatives of the people. After the overthrow of Andros, Randolph, Dudley and their associates, the Council of Safety at Boston, early in May, 1689, wrote to the towns in Hampshire, requesting each to choose a representative to aid in the establishment of government. Seven towns in the county made returns between May 9 and May 17. That of Hadley follows:

"Hadley, May 15, 1689. This day, the inhabitants of Hadley, (so many of them as could conveniently assemble,) chose Capt. Aaron Cooke, their representative, to join with the representatives of the other towns of the Massachusetts, at Boston, on the 22d of this instant May, impowering him to act with them for the common safety according to the need of our present state, and to any emergency, till there be a more orderly settlement of government. Then also voted that the Governor, Deputy Governor and Assistants, chosen and sworn in May, 1686, according to charter rights, and the deputies then sent by the freemen, be the government now settled in the aforesaid colony. At the same time, gave in their votes for the adding of five to the aforesaid Assistants, which votes are sent by their representative, Capt. Aaron Cooke. As attest,

Representatives from six Hampshire towns appeared at Boston, May 22. A government according to the forms under the old charter continued about three years, though the charter had been abrogated. They made no permanent laws, but provided for the war, &c. The first General Court under the new charter met June 8, 1692, and began to legislate for the "Province of Massachusetts Bay," which embraced Plymouth colony and Maine.*

*By the new charter, the governor and some other officers were appointed by the king. The royal governor could negative any of the 28 councilors who were chosen by the representatives and council jointly, and he appointed all judges and other officers of the law, with consent of the council. It was the intention of the king and his advisers to form a royal party, a party favorable to England, and they partially succeeded.

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to furnish occasional aid to Massachusetts and New York. As she did not comply with all their requests, complaints were made to the government in England, especially by the governor of New York, To counteract these, particular accounts of what Connecticut had done were sent to England, and the following letter of acknowledgment was obtained from Hampshire.*

The ready assistance this county of Hampshire, in their majesties' province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England, have had and found in our distresses in the times of war, from our neighbors and friends of Connecticut colony, calls for our grateful acknowledgment, as we do expect the continuance of their former friendliness and good neighborhood.

Wherefore, these are humbly to signify, that we have received great help and good assistance from the government of their majesties' colony of Connecticut, in a ready, large and plentiful supply of men and help, both in the first war in the years 1675 ^^^ ^^1^> 3s also at divers times upon emergencies and exigences, they have performed great helpfulness in going upon discoveries and keeping garrisons, to their great charge, and now lately in their assistance at Deerlield, our chief frontier town; whereby through God's goodness, they have been a great support and guard, encouragement and safety to our county, and discouragement to the common enemy; and hereunto we subscribe our hands, September 28th, 1693.

Justices of the Peace for West Hampshire, in the province of the Massachusetts Bay, in N. E. Hatfield. / Thomas Colton, Capt. of Springfield.

Andros was aided in his despotic and tyrannical government by a few degenerate sons of New England, and some others approved even in Connecticut. King William was no friend to popular liberty, and he appointed to office Andros and those associated with his tyranny, and Joseph Dudley became governor of Massachusetts in 1702. The people at first had no confidence in him, but he sought and gained the good will of many influential men among the clergy and people, including a number in these river towns, of whom one minister was a relative. A large party in the province were strongly opposed to him. - Lord Bellamont, who preceded Dudley, was a very popular governor.

England had much more influence under the new charter than under the old. Our governors lauded the English sovereigns on whom they depended, and sought to gratify their wishes; and the governors were praised and seconded by their dependents and those who looked to them for favor. These men and others celebrated birth, accession and coronation days of kings and queens, and some other royal events, at the public expense, in the council chamber, by drinking wine and illuminating. These fooleries did not extend into the country.

mentions letters of thanks from Hampshire under 1705, when Gov. Dudley of Massachusetts and Gov. Dongan of New York were attempting to injure Connecticut and abridge her rights. Connecticut has records of soldiers sent to the aid of Hampshire until^i7o8.

"The Honorable Colonel John Pynchon, Esq. was sick and died January 17, 1702-3, in the 77th year of his age," says the Springfield record. Lieut. Col. Samuel Partrigg, or Partridge, of Hatfield, succeeded him, as the most influential and powerful man in the county, in civil and military affairs.

In May, 1702, war was again commenced between England and France, which extended to their colonies in 1703. Hampshire had the same nine towns as in the last war. There was an alarm in August, 1703, and aid being requested of Connecticut, two companies came up to Deerfield; one remained 6 days and the other 39 days. On the 8th of October, Zebadiah Williams and John Nims were taken in Deerfield meadow and carried to Canada. Those who lived without the palisade removed within.*

Accounts of the destructive and memorable assault of the French and Indians upon Deerfield, on the 29th of February, 1704, have often been published. It appears by a comparison of Hatfield records and Deerfield narratives, that the number of persons killed and taken was 162, including three Frenchmen taken, who resided in Deerfield; that 38f were slain in the palisaded village, and nine in the meadow fight; and that 112 of the English were taken, of whom 2 soon escaped, 22 were slain or perished on the way to Canada, 28 remained in Canada, and 60 returned. Eight or nine of the slain and as many of the captives belonged to other towns.

Some papers in the state archives, relating to the movements of men from the towns below, and to the fight in Deerfield meadow, have not been published. The following petition, signed by Capt. Jonathan Wells of Deerfield, and Sergt. Ebenezer Wright of Northampton, in behalf of the company, was presented to the General Court, May, 1704.

"We [of the towns below] understanding the extremity of the poor people at Deerfield, made all possible haste to their relief, that we might deliver the remnant and do despoil on

*A letter from Rev. John Williams to Gov. Dudley, in October, 1703, a few months before the fatal attack, says; - "The fortification can be mended no longer; we must make it all new, and fetch the timber for 206 rods, 3 or 4 miles, if we get oak. We have been driven from our houses into the fort, and there are only 10 homelots in it, and we have been so crowded together that indoor affairs are carried on with difEculty. Strangers tell us that they would not live where we do, for twenty times as much as we get."

A letter from S. Partridge, in October, 1703, says Northampton, Hadley, Hatfield and Westfield had all laid out much in forting. - Hatfield voted in 1703 and 1704 to fortify three houses on the Hill and six in the town; to rebuild the palisade, and to build stairs into the turret of the meeting-house, so that a ward or day-watchman might be placed in theturret. The other towns may have done as much.

-j-The Hatfield account makes the number slain in the fort, 41, and on the way to Canada, 19. Two or three of the former belong to the latter.

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the enemy.* Being joined by a number of the inhabitants and garrison soldiers, we forced tlie enemy out of the town, leaving a part of their plunder behind them; and pursuing them about a mile and a half, did great execution upon them; we saw at the time many dead bodies, and we and others did afterwards see prints on the snow where dead bodies were drawn to a hole in the river. The enemy being reinforced by a great number of fresh men, we were overpowered and necessitated to run to the fort, and in our flight, nine of the company were slain, and some others wounded, and some of us lost our upper garments, which we had just before put off in the pursuit." The action was over before others came into the fort. They asked the General Court for some recompense.

Ebenezer Wright gave the names of 57 men who fought in Deerfield meadow. Of these, 13 belonged to Deerfield, 8 to Northampton, 14 to Hadley and 22 to Hatfield. Of those whose dwellings were in the three towns below, 6 were of the Deerfield garrison, and 38 went up on the morning of the 29th. The nine slain were Joseph Catlin and David Hoyt, Jr. of Deerfield; Samuel Foot, Samuel AUis and Sergt. Benjamin Wait of Hatfield; and Sergeant Samuel Boltwood, his son Robert Boltwood, Jonathan Ingram and Nathaniel Warner, Jr. of Hadley. John Smead of Deerfield was shot in the thigh, and carried the ball until his death in 1720.

The 14 men in the fight, who belonged to Hadley, were the four just named, that were slain, and Samuel Boltwood, Jr., Samuel Church, wounded in the arm, Benjamin Church, wounded in the foot, John Montague, Jr., Ebenezer Selden, Nathaniel White, Jr., Thomas Hovey, Joseph Smith, Jr., Samuel Crowfoot, John Marsh. Samuel Boltwood was a sergeant of the Deerfield garrison; the others went up on the morning of the 29th. Thomas Selden of Hadley was among those slain in the town, and was probably one of the garrison. Hadley had five men slain in one day. Joseph Eastman of Hadley was one of the captives.